| If you completed Halros Should Go
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Bestowal Dialogue
'Aye, I know the man called Driftwood. Leastways, I know him as much as any other who lives in Halrax. You don't ask questions about folk who end up in Zîrar Tarka. This is a place for lost things, and some of those things don't want to be found, if you take my meaning.'
You tell Manadhon that you might have information of interest to Driftwood, and a friend to the man would help you find him.
'Maybe that's so and maybe that isn't, but this is not a place for friends, stranger. He is here most every night, drinking, and he is generous with his coin. Perhaps that makes us friends after all.
'But he is a man grown, and he does not need me to protect him. He lives on the lower level of Halrax, on the south-western side of the inlet, if you need to speak with him so badly. But I don't want anyone coming back here and causing trouble if he doesn't want to speak to you.'
Background
Belondor is not the first wayward voyager to return from death among the Shield Isles, and he will not be the last.
Objective 1
Manadhon told you the man called Driftwood might be found on the lower level of Halrax, on the south-western side of the inlet.
- Manadhon: 'But Driftwood is a man grown, and he does not need me to protect him. He lives on the lower level of Halrax, on the south-western side of the inlet, if you need to speak with him so badly. But I don't want anyone coming back here and causing trouble if he doesn't want to speak to you.'
- The man called Driftwood is deep in his cups
Objective 2
- Wait for Driftwood to acknowledge your presence
The man called Driftwood is deep in his cups on the lower level of Halrax, on the south-western side of the inlet.
- Driftwood's eyes light with recognition and surprise
Objective 3
- Talk to Driftwood on the lower level of Halrax
Driftwood stands suddenly, knocking his chair to the floor.
- Driftwood: 'No... it cannot be!'
- Driftwood stares at you with astonishment, the ale-inspired cloudiness of his eyes draining away.
- 'You... <name>... I cannot believe it! I never thought... I never thought I would see you again.'
- There can be no mistake. This is Horn of Rohan, though months of hard living on the road and in the wild have weathered his clothes. His face is still familiar, but the war and its worries have left their marks upon it, and he seems more aged than you remember.
- 'What brings you to the Shield Isles, <name>? You have not let down your own folk, as I have, surely? I cannot imagine that. You were always stronger in mind than I was, with courage to spare. It is the truth, and we both know it. And Nona was... Nona was stronger than both of us. But... what do you have to say of yourself? You are not running away from something. You were always running... toward.'
- Before you can gather your thoughts to speak, someone steps close behind you. She stares at Horn with a hard look in her eyes, and you know you must introduce her.
- 'This is Sigileth,' you say.
- Horn stares at the Elf, his mouth agape. 'Sigileth... the sister of Corudan!'
Objective 4
Sigileth has joined you in Halrax.
- Driftwood: 'Sigileth... the sister of Corudan!'
- Sigileth: 'It is true, Corudan is my brother, and he needs our help.'
- Sigileth stares at Horn, daring him to speak, but he wisely keeps his silence.
- 'I have heard of your adventures with <name>, Horn of Rohan, and with my brother, and I have been told of the choice you made when the Battle of Pelennor Fields was ended. It is not my place to judge whether your choice was well-considered or ill-thought, and I will not do so.
- 'But I will ask this of you. Did you consider my brother Corudan to be a friend? Did you think you knew him? This, then, is my last question.
- 'Would Corudan come to your aid, if your positions were reversed? Or would he give in to cowardice, and run away, leaving the hard work to others?'
Objective 5
- Talk to Driftwood on the lower level of Halrax
Driftwood stands on the lower level of Halrax.
- Sigileth: 'Would Corudan come to your aid, if your positions were reversed?'
- Driftwood: 'I believed Corudan's sister Sigileth was dead, <name>, and that she perished within Dol Guldur before we adventured in Rohan. But no, she is alive and seems eager to shame me on his behalf! Have you learned what happened to Corudan at Helm's Deep? You had better tell me what happened to him, and quickly, for I think his sister may be about to stick me with her famous knives, and right now I confess I might deserve it!'
- You tell Horn what you know about Corudan's captivity by the Kindred of the Coins and your mission to Umbar. When you have finished, he rubs his eyes.
- 'After the Battle of Pelennor Fields, I wandered without purpose. I came to this land because I did not want to get involved, but even that proved a lie. I called myself Bymerë at first, and told myself Horn was dead. But as I lived here, drowning my old sorrows with ale and trying to forget what I had done and what I had been, I saw crimes I could not forgive; as I opposed them I took on a new name: Driftwood. I believed the Heirs of Castamir might again threaten Gondor... and if they had victory there, would not Rohan be next? So I made things difficult for them, as I could. I thought I might gain an audience with Balakhôr's widow if I claimed to have slain one of her enemies, and so end the threat of the Heirs of Castamir.
- 'Most of my plans ended in the bottom of a mug of ale, <name>. When I was Horn, and fought alongside friends, it was different. Driftwood is alone, and accomplishes nothing. It is useless.'
- You tell Horn that it could be different, and he shakes his head.
- 'This is my place now. I spend my days fighting Corsairs and my nights here, drowning in my cups. I suggest you defeat the Corsairs of the Shield Isles, for the sake of our past friendship, and then return to your ship. Horn is dead; only Driftwood remains, and he cannot help you.'
Objective 6
Many Corsairs throughout the Shield Isles support the Heirs of Castamir, and Driftwood has asked you to continue his work of making things difficult for them.
- Driftwood: 'This is my place now. I spend my days fighting Corsairs and my nights here, drowning in my cups. I suggest you defeat the Corsairs of the Shield Isles, for the sake of our past friendship, and then return to your ship. Horn is dead; only Driftwood remains, and he cannot help you.'
Objective 7
Having defeated many supporters of the Heirs of Castamir throughout the Shield Isles, you should return to the Wave-hunter.
- Despite his parting words, Driftwood has come to the Wave-hunter
Objective 8
- Talk to Driftwood at Voyage's End
Driftwood stands by the Wave-hunter in the Shield Isles.
- Driftwood: 'I have changed my mind, <name>. Sigileth is right: were our positions reversed, Corudan would stop at nothing to come to my rescue or yours.
- 'I will join you in this, my old friend, if you will have me. The Shield Isles are a place for lost and broken things, but perhaps such things need not stay lost forever, and maybe with friendship they can be repaired. I will join you once again... for Corudan, and to keep the Kindred of the Coins from endangering Gondor, Rohan... and other, more distant lands.
- 'I spoke truly when I told you Horn was dead. I am Driftwood now, and would have your crew call me by this name. I hope this is agreeable to you, my friend. And one more thing: you might have told me Sigileth no longer possesses her famous knives! I might have thought more clearly in Halrax if I knew I was not in danger of being sliced open!'
- You assure Driftwood that while she no longer possesses Lanchigil and Egnassigil, Sigileth has been practicing with her new blade, and even without a name she could still do considerable damage with it.
- 'Oh,' he responds. 'Perfect.'
- Driftwood, troubled by his past and seeking to do right, has joined your crew!
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| If you completed Halros Should Stay
|
Bestowal Dialogue
'Aye, I know the man called Driftwood. Leastways, I know him as much as any other who lives in Halrax. You don't ask questions about folk who end up in Zîrar Tarka. This is a place for lost things, and some of those things don't want to be found, if you take my meaning.'
You tell Manadhon that you might have information of interest to Driftwood, and a friend to the man would help you find him.
'Maybe that's so and maybe that isn't, but this is not a place for friends, stranger. He is here most every night, drinking, and he is generous with his coin. Perhaps that makes us friends after all. But he is a man grown, and he does not need me to protect him. He was just here, moments ago, if you need to speak with him so badly. He went off to the east. But I don't want anyone coming back here and causing trouble if he doesn't want to speak to you.'
Background
Manadhon, the bartender of Halrax, has given you a lead on the man called Driftwood.
Objective 1
Manadhon told you the man called Driftwood might be found somewhere to the east in Halrax.
- Manadhon: 'This is not a place for friends, stranger. He is here most every night, drinking, and he is generous with his coin. Perhaps that makes us friends after all. But he is a man grown, and he does not need me to protect him. He was just here, moments ago, if you need to speak with him so badly. He went off to the east. But I don't want anyone coming back here and causing trouble if he doesn't want to speak to you.'
- Driftwood: 'You are the one who is looking for me? By my guess you are from the ship that ran aground north of Bakhjâd in the recent storm... a more common occurrence of late than it has been. I have not seen you before, and Driftwood makes it his business to see people before they see him, if you take my meaning. The Shield Isles are a place for the lost, and most lost things prefer to stay that way. Why do you seek me?'
- You tell Driftwood that you are interested in Saklaphêl's bounties upon the Kindred of the Coins, and that you understand he might share that interest.
- 'Perhaps, stranger, and perhaps not. If you think I desire the wealth of the reward, you are mistaken. In a past life I stole more coins than you could spend in a lifetime, not the gold phâraz or the silver gîmil of Umbar, but the currency of Gondor; that life is finished. Now I rob only those who steal from others, and give every coin to folk in need.
- 'If we are to do business, I want to know you share my mind. Continue my work, stranger, and take the money-purses from Corsairs here in the Shield Isles. Bring them to Manadhon here in Halrax when you have finished. He will know the use to which this stolen money should be put.
- 'But I am content to remain here. There is little you could offer me that I need.'
Objective 2
Corsairs throughout the Shield Isles carry money-purses that Driftwood recovers and donates to Manadhon.
- Driftwood: 'If we are to do business, I want to know you share my mind. Continue my work, stranger, and take the money-purses from Corsairs here in the Shield Isles. Bring them to Manadhon here in Halrax when you have finished. He will know the use to which this stolen money should be put.
- 'But I am content to remain here. There is little you could offer me that I need.'
Objective 3
- Bring the money-purses to Manadhon on the upper level of Halrax
Driftwood has directed you to bring the money-purses to Manadhon on the upper level of Halrax.
- Manadhon: 'You have brought me these money-purses at the direction of our mutual friend Driftwood, have you not?'
- You tell Manadhon that he is correct, and Driftwood believed the bartender would know what to do with them.
- 'I do, for it is the same every week. Driftwood comes here with his pockets full of money-purses he has taken from Corsairs, and I use the coin to support the folk of Halrax who have nothing, giving them food, giving them drink, and making the ill-gotten wealth of the Corsairs serve a beneficial purpose. Why does he do this? He has not said, but I have pieced together a little of it.
- 'I think he used to be a robber himself, stealing from wealthy merchants somewhere in Gondor. He knows his way around ships, so perhaps he plied his trade along one of the rivers in Gondor. But something went wrong. Or maybe he just tired of the life and sought to leave it behind. But for all his intentions, and despite taking a new name, Driftwood is still a robber, and still he steals... but he tells himself it is different.
- 'I do not know. I try not to pry.'
Objective 4
Return to Voyage's End and check on your crew
- Manadhon: 'I think Driftwood used to be a robber himself, stealing from wealthy merchants somewhere in Gondor. He knows his way around ships, so perhaps he plied his trade along one of the rivers in Gondor. But something went wrong. Or maybe he just tired of the life and sought to leave it behind. But for all his intentions, and despite taking a new name, Driftwood is still a robber, and still he steals... but he tells himself it is different.
- 'I do not know. I try not to pry.'
- Driftwood has come to the Wave-hunter
Objective 5
- Talk to Driftwood at Voyage's End
Driftwood stands by the Wave-hunter in the Shield Isles.
- Driftwood: 'I told you there was little you could offer me that I need, stranger, but I may have been wrong.
- 'I have not always been proud of the life I chose, but at least I can say that I chose it. I followed the path I was on until I decided it was not for me, and then I took another path. But your arrival at this place, and the words you spoke to me, have made me realize that the road I followed was not the straight way I envisioned; instead it twisted and curved through the wild in a way I did not expect... only to rejoin the earlier path I had been on, the one I thought I left behind.
- 'Stealing from the Corsairs and giving their money-purses to Manadhon for the support of those in Halrax who need it... that is a small thing, and small things are insufficient. I need a truly different path, <name>, and I believe you are the sort to cut your own way through the wild. I will accompany you as you face the Kindred of the Coins, for I believe you herald the truly different path I have been seeking.
- 'If you will respect my privacy and ask no questions of my past, Driftwood is with you.'
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![[9.7S, 126.2W]](/wiki/File:Shield_Isles_map.jpg){kind=link}