The Lonely Mountain

About this board game

The Lonely Mountain is a 90-minute adventure game for 1 to 6 players, set inside Erebor as groups of adventurers attempt to steal its treasure and escape before Smaug awakens.

Each player controls a group entering the inner complex of rooms and tunnels that Smaug considers his lair. The board is a highly abstracted and simplified representation of the Lonely Mountain, designed to make the adventure quick and easy to play.

Players must balance greed with survival. Their adventurers can enter through a variety of minor entrances, search the mountain for loot, and attempt to leave before Smaug discovers the trespassers and slays them all. The raid takes place soon after Smaug attacked and drove the Dwarves from Erebor in Third Age 2770.

Five groups of adventurers are available, including representatives of the four major races of Middle-earth and an independent band seeking glory and treasure:

• Dwarves
• Elves
• Men
• Orcs
• Freebooters

Every group has the same mix of ten characters: one Mage, one Animist, one Bard, one Ranger, two Scouts, two Archers, and two Fighters. This shared composition gives each group the same character lineup while their dangerous expedition unfolds through Erebor’s rooms and tunnels.

Released in 1984, The Lonely Mountain presents a focused fantasy raid built around infiltration, treasure hunting, and a race to escape. It depicts a possible event that could have led Smaug to seal the minor entrances and gather most of Erebor’s loot into one enormous pile.