Bestowal Dialogue
'By the Tree of Gondor! Gothmog clings to life. He tries to speak, <name>, and we should listen. Is it not said that dying men rarely speak falsely with their last breath?'
Background
Death has come to Barad Cúron and claimed two of the masters of Mordor. How many countless others have perished in that cruel throne room over the years?
Objective 1
Gothmog is in the throne room of Barad Cúron, trying to speak despite his wounds.
- Gothmog: 'Mordor should have been ... should have been mine. No one endured... what I have endured. Not Ugrukhôr.. not Dulgabêth... not the pestilent queen of... Agarnaith. A curse on them all... but I levy my worst upon Isildur who could have prevented it and did not! He calls me coward? He knows nothing of the torments that made me! From that crucible of evil I was born anew, the greatest creation of Angmar! I was to usher in a new age!'
- The fire in Gothmog's eyes flickers and burns low.
- 'Why could I not, <name>? There were so many chances, but... the Ranger and the Elf-maid...'
- Gothmog stares at the floor, his life's essence departing.
- 'Narmeleth. I think Narmeleth knew the same torments as I. How could she fight... longer than...?'
- He falls silent, and it seems as if he will speak no more. As you are about to turn and leave, he reaches out to you, a trinket held in his clenched fist.
- 'Listen to me, <name>. There was a Morgul-slave who knew the secrets of this place. At my Master's command... he forged a key. "Only this weapon cannot be overcome," the dwarf said to me. I spent the time I could... seeking it... but it eluded me. I give it to you, <name>. If Mordor cannot be mine... let it be no one's! Find the weapon and use it... against all who seek to master the realm that was denied me!'
- Gothmog presses a broken key into your hand, and dies at last
Objective 2
The shade of Isildur is in the throne room of Barad Cúron.
- Shade of Isildur: 'Even with his last breath he raged against Gondor, and shamed his people! He did not repent of his evil misdeeds. He claimed to regret nothing? His words speak falsely to me; it is clear he felt regret only at his failure to fulfill Sauron's commands and achieve the victory of Mordor!
- 'He should have resisted, <name>, and died as Eärnur. My brother Anárion would have fought the torments of the Lord of the Nazgûl, and embraced death rather than succumb to such evil. So too would I. But instead, he became a tool for evil, and he dies as Gothmog. Let him rot where he lies.
- 'I do not want my bones to remain here any longer. Pick up the casket of dust and bring it from the tower.'
Objective 3
- Pick up the casket of dust in the throne room
The shade of Isildur has asked you to bring the casket containing the dust of his bones out of Barad Cúron.
- Casket of Dust: "This casket lay in the dark shadows of Barad Cúron for many years, forgotten by those who first brought it there."
- You should leave the tower and meet up with Ayorzén on the uppermost tier of the city
Objective 4
Ayorzén is waiting for you on the uppermost tier of Minas Morgul.
- There is no sign of Ayorzén at the meeting-place. Perhaps he returned to Echad Uial?
Objective 5
You did not find Ayorzén at the meeting-place, and should look for him at Echad Uial.
- There is no sign of Ayorzén here either
Objective 6
Mithrandir is at Echad Uial.
- Mithrandir: 'You have returned, presumably in victory? Tell me what transpired in Barad Cúron, <name>.'
- You briefly relate the events within the tower to Mithrandir, and the Wizard nods with understanding at the death of Annoth.
- 'That is all too often the result of a vengeful heart, my friend. It did not take a Wizard's sight to see that Annoth might not walk back down that road. But what of Ugrukhôr and Gothmog? And did Ayorzén prove able in the battle? Our Khundolar friend has not entered the tale since you passed beyond the guardians at the entrance of the tower.'
- You conclude your story, and tell Mithrandir that Ayorzén did not meet you at the place you arranged.
- 'Hmm. I have not seen him here either. Perhaps Faramir or his scouts know something.'
Objective 7
Prince Faramir is at Echad Uial.
- Faramir: 'Ayorzén? My scouts did see him, <name>, but they had no good tidings to relate. They last saw him moving eastward at great speed, bearing the mask of Karazgar about his person. He passed into Gorgoroth and has not been seen since.
- 'I spoke with Beregond. He believes that Ayorzén will use the mask of Karazgar to rally Men of the East to his banner, becoming once again the commander he wished to be. Did he not say his star was on the rise? Perhaps so, and perhaps not. I should not envy Ayorzén his position if the true Weeping Warrior should come seeking the pretender!'
Objective 8
- Bring the casket of dust and the broken key to Mithrandir at Echad Uial
Mithrandir is at Echad Uial.
- Mithrandir: 'Ayorzén has gone beyond our reach, for now. His deception was not entirely unexpected to me, but I wished he might act otherwise. The price of his aid is clearer now, but I deem his help to be worthwhile, all the same.
- 'I will take this casket containing the dust of Isildur's bones and arrange with King Elessar for a waggon to bring it north. I believe its arrival at Rivendell will at last fulfill Isildur's oath, and grant him rest.
- 'I will also examine this broken key. If it truly unlocks the door to "a weapon that cannot be overcome" we will need to treat it with care. Even at the end, Gothmog sought death and despair for his enemies, and we must not forget that he counted us in that group. This broken key could be one last trap, one final act of vengeance against those who served him his ultimate defeat.
- 'I have exhausted my study of the Black Book. Vóin has told us what he can, and it is with a measure of sorrow that I close it for good. I will turn my attention now to this broken key and Gothmog's final words, but you should take a moment to rest and recover your strength. Much of the evil within Minas Morgul has been opposed this day, and defeated! For that you should celebrate!'
The Epilogue will become available from Mithrandir at Echad Uial once you have completed Chapters 1-14 of the Black Book of Mordor
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![[67.8S, 1.8E]](/wiki/File:Minas_Morgul_map.jpg){kind=link}
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