Bestowal Dialogue
The Sons of Isildur
"The siege has lasted for much longer than anyone expected, or hoped."
Background
Vëamacil has suggested that you take a meal with his brothers before the sons of Isildur conduct their inspection of Díngarth's defences.
Objective 1
Vëamacil is at Díngarth.
- Vëamacil: 'My younger brother, Valandil, was born in Rivendell, and he remained there with my mother when we returned to Gondor and the war. I have not seen him since we departed, and he was a lad of just four years. Why, he must be nearly eleven now! A pox on this everlasting siege! He will be a man grown by the time I see him again!
- 'The rest of my brothers have each seen battle during the long years of this siege, and they have acquitted themselves most admirably. Two of them have come with me to Díngarth, and will be happy to meet you. The third will still be at the Black Gate, I expect.'
- Walk with Vëamacil inside to meet his brothers
- Vëamacil says, "This way, friend."
- Vëamacil says, "My true brother has taken the name of Ornaher, for purposes of secrecy."
- Vëamacil says, "My foster-brother's name is Tárandil."
- Vëamacil says, "Hail, my brothers! My friend will be joining us tonight."
Objective 2
Ornaher is at Díngarth.
- Ornaher: 'My brother told you I am to be called Ornaher? Very good, very good. He cannot always be trusted with serious matters, for he is prone to jests and flights of fancy, but it is good to find he has not endangered our well-being. Not on this day, at least.
- 'This siege has dragged on for so many years, it has become difficult to remember what life was like before we came to be encamped within Mordor. Every semblance of a normal life fades, replaced with the deeds we accomplished in the war. Hearken to this: while our brothers fought at Dagorlad, Vëamacil and I marched to Imlad Ithil alongside other soldiers of Gondor and fought to drive the Orcs from that valley. And yet, if you ask me of my life before the war, I would find myself quite tongue-tied! Now there is only battle, and waiting.
- 'To speak true, there is more waiting now than battle. I do not have the stomach for sieges.'
- Ornaher says, "My life before the siege seems so distant now."
Objective 3
Tárandil is at Díngarth.
- Tárandil: 'Ornaher says he cannot remember life before this siege? I know it was years ago, but that still seems a foolish thing to say; I cannot agree with him. Were he my brother by blood, perhaps it would be different, but it is not so. He and the other sons of Isildur are my foster-brothers, for the king took me to foster following our arrival on the shores of Middle-earth.
- 'But I did not come here to argue with them or with you. I came here to eat, and I suggest we commence that undertaking with no further delay!'
Objective 4
The sons of Isildur wait for you to sit by their campfire and share a meal.
- Tárandil says: "Surely we are not going to stand here all night?"
Objective 5
- Listen to the sons of Isildur discuss the war's progress
The sons of Isildur are sharing a meal and conversation around a campfire at the encampment of Díngarth.
- Tárandil says, "Has there been any news from Meldaran at the Black Gate?"
- Vëamacil says, "Not for some days, but he has always been lax with letter-writing."
- Tárandil says, "He could have sent a messenger. That would take little effort."
- Ornaher says, "Hush, Tárandil. If you seek news, I have some for you."
- Ornaher says, "More men have gone missing from camp."
- Vëamacil says, "That is nearly a dozen this month alone!"
- Tárandil says, "Deserters? Why should their courage fail now, and not earlier?"
- Tárandil says, "I would not think cowardice could lie hidden for long in this land."
- Vëamacil says, "Mayhaps not. But do you know what Ornaher thinks?"
- Ornaher says, "Well, do not bandy this about, but I think these soldiers were not deserters."
- Ornaher says, "I think they might have been abducted.
- Tárandil says, "That's ridiculous."
- Tárandil says, "Do you think Sauron snuck into the camp and whisked them away?"
- Ornaher says, "No need for that. He has servants aplenty to do his bidding."
- Tárandil says, "If they possessed such stealth, they would simply murder us in our sleep."
- Tárandil says, "My wine jug is empty. It needs filling if I am to listen to more of this foolishness."
- Vëamacil says, "He is more cross than usual."
- Ornaher says, "It is nearly his birthday."
- Vëamacil says, "Oh! I should have mentioned it to our new friend! It slipped my mind."
- Vëamacil says, "Tárandil is our foster-brother."
- Vëamacil says, "He marks his birthday as the day our father Isildur chose to foster him."
- Ornaher says, "Remembering his old life, and his old name, are painful to him."
- Ornaher says, "His family died with Númenor. Father has told us some of the story."
- Vëamacil says, "But you should not speak of it to him."
- Tárandil says, "Speak of what, and to whom?"
- Vëamacil says, "Your lack of a woman, Tárandil!"
- Tárandil says, "Bah! Always do you jest at my expense."
- Ornaher says, "We have offered to find you a brave woman to marry before the war is ended."
- Tárandil says, "And I tell you I need none! Find them for yourselves, first!"
- Ornaher says, "Huneric Hundred-slayer of the Thíuda has a number of daughters."
- Vëamacil says, "Is the number three?"
- Tárandil says, "See how they make mock of me?"
Objective 6
Tárandil has returned with the wine, but he is displeased to be the subject of his foster-brothers' gibes.
- Tárandil: 'They do not make merry at Meldaran's expense. It seems I am always to be the subject of their taunts. Were I their true brother...'
Objective 7
- Listen to the conversation of the sons of Isildur
Vëamacil and Ornaher are at Díngarth, relating stories told by their eldest brother Meldaran, who remained at the Black Gate.
- Ornaher says, "No, Tárandil! That is not it!"
- Vëamacil says, "You are our true brother, fostered or not."
- Ornaher says, "Aye, our true brother, as much as Meldaran, or young Valandil."
- Ornaher says, "We do not speak so to Meldaran for he is the eldest of us!"
- Tárandil says, "I am older than you two. I was born in Númenor, as neither of you were."
- Vëamacil says, "And yet your birthday is after that. Truly a feat!"
- Ornaher says, "Let it go, Vëamacil."
- Ornaher says, "Why don't you tell our new friend what Meldaran told us about the Black Gate?"
- Vëamacil says, "Yes, that is a good idea!"
- Vëamacil says, "While Ornaher and I proved our worth in Imlad Ithil, our brothers fought at Dagorlad."
- Vëamacil says, "Despite grave losses, the combined force of Elves and Men pushed on to the Black Gate!"
- Vëamacil says, "From the southern flank, Meldaran beheld the great sealed doors and despaired."
- Vëamacil says, "But lo! High King Gil-galad of the Elves came forth, and he stood ahead of the armies."
- Vëamacil says, "Two Elves stood beside him... two Elves..."
- Tárandil says, "One was Círdan. The other is named Elrond, I believe."
- Vëamacil says, "Yes! Elrond and Círdan."
- Vëamacil says, "They stood before the Gate, speaking quietly with their king."
- Vëamacil says, "Then Gil-galad strode forth, and he raised his arms."
- Vëamacil says, "Suffused with power, he blazed like the light of the stars!"
- Vëamacil says, "From one hand leapt a storm of wind! From the other roared a pillar of flame!"
- Vëamacil says, "Beneath this combined assault, the Black Gate was rent to splinters and dust!"
- Vëamacil says, "And so the Land of Shadows was unveiled at last."
Objective 8
Ornaher is at Díngarth.
- Ornaher: ‘Vëamacil exaggerates the story somewhat, but only somewhat... in its broad strokes, that is much as Meldaran conveyed it to the two of us. Likely it was some feat of Elf-magic that destroyed the gate. And has Tárandil not affirmed that was the way of it?'
Objective 9
- Learn what the new arrivals might seek
A Gondorian soldier has interrupted the merry-making to ask a concerning question of the sons of Isildur.
- Ornaher says, "But who are these new arrivals?"
- Worried Soldier says, "I beg your pardon, sirs."
- Talk to the Gondorian soldier
- Gondorian Soldier: 'I beg you will take no offence, for I do not mean to disturb the noble ones, but the boys of my company were hoping to find out if they knew anything recent of the Ghâzab Bôron.
- 'Men such as they are can sometimes hear things sooner than the rest of us, is all. Do they know what happened to the men and dwarves that went to face the Ghâzab Bôron?'
Objective 10
- Listen to the sons of Isildur discuss the Ghâzab Bôron, the Storm of Wrath
A soldier of Gondor has asked the sons of Isildur for tidings of the Ghâzab Bôron.
- Tárandil says, "We are in the dark as you are, friend."
- Vëamacil says, "Ghâzab Bôron, the Storm of Wrath: a vast Easterling horde sworn to Sauron."
- Ornaher says, "It may be vast, but it is far away."
- Worried Soldier says, "What of the dwarves and Men that went to face it? Has there been no word?"
- Ornaher says, "Not that I have heard, but fear not! They must return soon, triumphant."
- Worried Soldier says, "Thank you, my lords."
Objective 11
Ornaher is at Díngarth.
- Ornaher: 'I give you the advice I gave him: do not despair! If the Rhunhoth that make up the Ghâzab Bôron were to be a threat to us, they would have arrived by now. The Longbeards and the Thíuda will defeat the Storm of Wrath, and return in victory. Their fighting prowess is well-known, and their foes cannot match them. It is not the fate of King Durin to be slain by Easterling warriors, and I daresay Huneric Hundred-slayer will need a new epithet once his victory against the horde is complete!
- 'Fear not. Word must soon arrive of the Storm's defeat. It will be any day now... perhaps in time for Tárandil's birthday!'
- Completed: Instance: The Sons of Isildur
- Vëamacil: 'Ah, it is probably time for us to to begin the inspection. Let us see if Díngarth's defences remain secure.'
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![[97.3S, 131.2W]](/wiki/File:Mordor_Besieged_map.jpg){kind=link}