Bestowal dialogue
The Sword and the Stonemaiden
"These are the Halls of Memory, where the words of Vóin give shape to deeds from long ago. Hold your questions, Faramir!"
Background
Gandalf has continued his study of the Black Book of Mordor.
Objective 1
Gandalf speaks to you of the discoveries he made while studying the Black Book.
- Gandalf: 'When last we left Vóin and his companions, they adventured in the Grey Mountains. Let us turn our attention to the Ered Mithrin, and pick up the thread of that tale.'
Objective 2
- Return to the Grey Mountains, as depicted by the Halls of Memory
Gandalf wishes to resume the tale of Vóin in the Grey Mountains as they are depicted by the Halls of Memory.
- Gandalf says, "It seems every new discovery leads to further questions."
- Gandalf says, "I wonder what else we might learn from the words of Vóin?"
Objective 3
- Talk to Gandalf in the Grey Mountains, as depicted by the Halls of Memory
Gandalf is in the Grey Mountains, as depicted by the Halls of Memory.
- Gandalf: 'For three years, Vóin and his new companions adventured the length and breadth of the Grey Mountains, hunting down the remaining vestiges of Angmar and bringing battle to the evils dwelling in Gundabad. Never did they know defeat, and their triumphs emboldened Prince Eärnur.
- 'He remembered a promise he had made years before. Intent of seeing it fulfilled, he invited his companions to make the southward journey to his home, to Gondor. They would stay for a time in Minas Anor, as his city was then called, and plan the occasion of their next victories.'
- Gandalf says, "The evils that lurked still in Gundabad must have rejoiced to see them leave."
- Gandalf says, "The words of Vóin draw us forward."
Objective 4
- Move through the twisting passage until you reach another of the Halls of Memory
Further information about Vóin's journey to Gondor as one of Eärnur's boon companions lies beyond the Grey Mountains, in the Halls of Memory.
- Vóin does not record the name of the tavern. Might it have been the Merry Swan?
Objective 5
- Approach the band of adventurers in the tavern depicted by the Halls of Memory
Vóin and his companions met at a tavern in Minas Anor one night, and planned a dangerous excursion.
- 'Yes, I believe it may have been the Merry Swan,' Gandalf muses, stroking his beard
- Gandalf says, "Hmm."
Objective 6
- Listen to the account of Vóin and his friends at the tavern depicted by the Halls of Memory
Vóin and his companions met at a tavern in Minas Anor one night, and planned a dangerous excursion.
- Silmahtar says, "Another round!"
- Vóin says, "Only one more? I say give us two at once!"
- Vóin says, "My throat is parched. The south-lands are dry, and I have a great thirst!"
- Macilnis says, "Then we will be spared more tales of your lost city?"
- Magoldir says, "That seems unlikely, Macilnis."
- Vóin says, "Ha! So it does!"
- Vóin says, "The harps sing loud, the fires burn low..."
- Eärnur says, "Enough, my friend. I think we all know the song by now."
- Eärnur says, "I did not call you all here for drinking."
- Silmahtar says, "You didn't?"
- Eärnur says, "Not only for drinking, Sil."
- Vóin says, "What, then?"
- Eärnur says, "You know of Halannon, the Survivor of Durthand?"
- Macilnis says, "Aye."
- Silmahtar says, "We do."
- Eärnur says, "He survives no longer. He died in his sleep two moons ago."
- Vóin says, "Well, I know nothing of him. Old, was he?"
- Vóin says, "What did he survive?"
- Eärnur says, "Thrice ten years ago, Halannon served in the fortress of Durthand, the Black Shield."
- Eärnur says, "The fortress was taken by Ugrukhôr, the Captain of the Pit. The defenders surrendered."
- Eärnur says, "Ugrukhôr accepted their surrender... and slew them anyway."
- Eärnur says, "All save one: Halannon."
- Magoldir says, "It is a sad tale, and one I fear will become all too common where Mordor is concerned."
- Eärnur says, "I met with Halannon some years ago, and promised to enact his vengeance upon Ugrukhôr."
- Eärnur says, ""I will slay the Captain of the Pit, and retake Durthand!" I told him."
- Eärnur says, "But there was never a good opportunity, and now Halannon is dead."
- Eärnur says, "What will I say to his sons if I never make good on my promise?"
- Silmahtar says, "You could make certain to never cross their path."
- Silmahtar says, "I jest! It is a jest!"
- Vóin says, "Durthand, you say?"
- Vóin says, "When do we leave?"
Objective 7
- Talk to Gandalf in the Minas Arnor tavern depicted by the Halls of Memory
Gandalf is in the tavern depicted by the Halls of Memory.
- Gandalf: 'The plans were made, and they were kept secret from all but Eärnur's band. Even his father the king did not know what they intended.
- 'Vóin says this of their departure: "Pleasant weather, few clouds. Warm, but not uncomfortable. Left the city without incident. Silmahtar thinks so highly of our chances that he believes the prince will be made king upon our successful return."'
- Gandalf frowns.
- 'It was not to be so, <name>.'
Objective 8
- Move through the twisting passage to another of the Halls of Memory
Gandalf's study of the Black Book has revealed an excursion by Eärnur and his companions to recapture the fortress of Durthang, in Gorgoroth.
- Gandalf says, "If indeed they met in the Merry Swan, they should have left all traces of merriment behind them."
- Gandalf says, "But they did not. To the prince and his friends it seemed almost a holiday."
- Gandalf says, "It beggars belief that they thought it would be easy."
- Gandalf says, "I can read the admonishment in Vóin's words, borne from late wisdom. Too late."
- Gandalf says, "It is with reluctance he draws us on to Durthang."
- 'The fine weather of our departure did not last,' Gandalf reads solemnly
Objective 9
- Talk to Gandalf in Durthang as depicted by the Halls of Memory
Gandalf is in Durthang, as depicted by the Halls of Memory.
- Gandalf: 'Their experience in Mordor was bleak. To hear Vóin tell it, nothing went right for them once they passed into that land. The fortress that was once called Durthand became far more inhospitable with this transformation into Durthang; it was more well-defended than the adventurers expected, and they faced strong opposition from the very beginning. Silmahtar soon changed his opinion of their fortunes, receiving a leg-wound that caused him a great deal of pain and put a limp in his step.
- 'They found no sign of Ugrukhôr within the fortress, and as their dream of slaying the Captain of the Pit faded, tempers in the fellowship ran hot. Eärnur dulled his sword on the thick hide of a mountain troll, and with each combat the blade weakened further. At last it snapped, and the prince of Gondor was left weaponless.'
Objective 10
- Listen to the account of Eärnur's doomed adventure within Durthang
- Macilnis says, "You cannot continue without a sword, my prince!"
- Macilnis says, "Wield mine in place of yours!"
- Eärnur says, "But that will leave you weaponless, and we need your blade-skill."
- Eärnur says, "No, I will find something else."
- Eärnur says, "This will do."
- Vóin says, "An Orc blade? That is a poor substitute."
- Eärnur says, "It will have to do."
Objective 11
- Talk to Gandalf in Durthang as depicted by the Halls of Memory
Gandalf is in Durthang, as depicted by the Halls of Memory.
- Gandalf: 'The adventurers knew they could not reclaim the fortress without first slaying Ugrukhôr, but for as long as he eluded them Durthang would remain the property of Mordor. Their spirits low, they resolved to leave.
- 'And that, Vóin tells us, is when they felt a new presence upon the battlements.'
Objective 12
- Listen to the conclusion of Eärnur's doomed adventure within Durthang
Gandalf's study of the Black Book has revealed an excursion by Eärnur and his companions to recapture the fortress of Durthang, in Gorgoroth.
- Silmahtar says, "What is that?"
- Macilnis says, "An apparition approaches!"
- Vóin says, "Leave it be! We had best get out of here!"
- Magoldir says, "Wait. I know this presence."
- Magoldir says, "Urudanî?"
- Eärnur says, "Magoldir, we cannot stay!"
- Magoldir says, "How can this be? How are you so changed?"
- Macilnis says, "Magoldir, I hear more Orcs approaching!"
- Magoldir says, "I had hoped you would abandon Mordor."
- Magoldir says, "What happened to you?"
- Eärnur says, "Magoldir!"
- Eärnur says, "Knights of Gondor, to me!"
- Eärnur says, "Now you will die, witch!"
- Orolang says, "The creature is gone!"
- Vóin says, "Fool Elf! What were you thinking?"
- Magoldir says, "Ah, Vóin, you are right."
- Magoldir says, "It was a deception. I was foolish to... believe it."
- Silmahtar says, "Eärnur... he will not last."
- Macilnis says, "The Orcs are getting closer! It sounds like a lot of them."
- Eärnur says, "Hurry and lift him up. We have to go!"
- Magoldir says, "No, Eärnur. These wounds... are my last. I can feel it."
- Magoldir says, "Listen to me, Eärnur... take my sword..."
- Magoldir says, "Wield Orthadel... and defeat evil."
- Eärnur says, "I will, my friend."
- Magoldir says, "Now go!"
- Vóin says, "Magoldir..."
- Magoldir says, "Vóin, I expect... Thafar..."
- Calatúr says, "We have to go! This place is not safe!"
Objective 13
- Talk to Gandalf in Durthang as depicted by the Halls of Memory
Gandalf is in Durthang, as depicted by the Halls of Memory.
- Gandalf: 'And so the survivors of Eärnur's band returned to Minas Anor, defeated and mourning the loss of their friend. Silmahtar's hopes as they set forth did not come to pass; indeed, King Eärnil was more wroth than they had ever seen, and he forbade his son from leaving the city without his consent. To Vóin's eyes, the prince was made a prisoner, and every day the flame of Eärnur's rage grew hotter still.
- 'Eärnur met with Vóin and his knights in secret to weave elaborate plots of revenge against those he blamed for the death of Magoldir: Urudanî Stonemaiden for the deed itself, and Ugrukhôr for his absence at Durthang. "If he had been there," Vóin writes, "the whole adventure would have gone differently. The prince is sure of it."'
- Gandalf strokes his beard.
- 'I see in this account much that is familiar <name>. No, not the deeds themselves, for I have never seem any record of this doomed expedition to reclaim Durthang in the text of Gondor. What I find familiar is this description of Eärnur in life as bold, brash, and reckless. I wonder if he remained so as Mordirith, and now as Gothmog?
- 'That is enough for now, my friend. And Faramir! I trust you paid attention as well? These are matters that concern you closely, for this foe now lurks upon the very edge of your lands, and in a city that will demand your protection and that of your king, once it is retaken!'
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