|
The Sunder-battle
"This was the plan of Durin, foolhardy as it must have seemed to those who cared for him: it began with his surrender."
Background
Mótsog has brought his tale near to its conclusion.
Objective 1
- Talk to Mótsog and hear his tale
Mótsog's tale is nearly complete.
- Mótsog: 'Durin was brought in chains to the very summit of Biriz-zahar, where my people and their Orc-allies gathered to see the fallen king and make mock of him.
- 'He suffered their taunting and their jests for many an hour, but I could see no sign of despair upon his face. I noted it even then.'
Objective 2
Mótsog's tale is nearly complete.
- Mótsog says, "Who now has the advantage, Durin?"
- Mótsog says, "I, Mótsog, King of all the Dwarves, will take what is mine!"
- Durin I says, "Hear me, you Greymauls."
- Durin I says, "No, you are Longbeards, as I am."
- Durin I says, "Do you not remember the lives you had?"
- Mótsog says, "You words will not save you, Durin."
- Mótsog says, "You will die here, and none will remember you."
- Durin I says, "Repent of your alliance with the Orcs!"
- Durin I says, "It is beneath you! Such evil cannot be!"
- In this moment of triumph, my Greymauls saw not the danger
- An army came by secret paths to free their captive king
Objective 3
- Talk to Mótsog and hear his tale
Mótosg's tale is nearly complete.
- Mótsog: 'It was Ragna the Fierce, Durin's queen, who led them in secret across the river and to the base of Biriz-zahar. She was a mighty warrior and had slain Orc and Greymaul alike during the war, but now she found the gates of my city unguarded; too many of my folk desired to be present at Durin's defeat.
- 'So it was that Ragna and her army entered the city unopposed. They found a stair to the heights and began to climb.'
Objective 4
The army led by Ragna the Fierce climbed the unguarded stairs to the high places of Biriz-zahar.
- Ragna the Fierce says, "Climb, my warriors!"
- Ragna the Fierce says, "Save the king!"
- Warrior of Khazad-dûm says, "Quietly, my fellows, quietly."
Objective 5
- Talk to Mótsog and hear his tale
Mótsog's tale is nearly complete.
- Mótsog: 'But an army cannot remain silent for long, and when Ragna's warriors reached the upper levels of the city, my warriors were made aware of their presence. They raced to engage the interlopers.'
Objective 6
Mótsog's tale is nearly complete.
- Mótsog says, "Longbeard fought Greymaul and Orc in the heights of Biriz-zahar, and the lanes ran with blood."
- Durin says, "I know of your crimes, Mótsog."
- Mótsog says, "But you do not know of this, Durin, for it was known only to few."
Objective 7
- Talk to Mótsog and hear his tale
Mótsog's tale is nearly complete.
- Mótsog: 'Morgoth and his lieutenant Sauron had not been idle during the ten years of conflict between the dwarf clans. In secret they devised a plan by which Longbeards and Greymaul alike might be destroyed, and the dwarves swept entirely from Middle-earth.
- 'And so it was that while Longbeard and Greymaul battled in the heights of my golden city, Sauron watched from afar. With malice afire in his heart, Morgoth's cruel servant sent a preordained signal to his legions.'
Objective 8
- Witness the betrayal of the Greymauls by the Orcs
Mótsog's tale is nearly complete.
- Nine great dragons swept out of the northern skies, raining fire upon the mountainside
- The Orcs turned their swords upon Longbeard and Greymaul alike
- Ragna the Fierce says, "We must find the king! Follow me, my warriors!"
Objective 9
Ragna the Fierce renewed her attempt to rescue her husband and king.
- Ragna the Fierce: The words of Mótsog have painted the picture of a dwarf woman who will stop at nothing to rescue her husband and king. You can almost see her striding through the burning streets of Biriz-zahar, calling for Durin to answer her, as Mótsog's voice fades. The heat of the flames feels so real.
Objective 10
- Follow Ragna the Fierce through the burning city
Mótsog speaks of Sauron's betrayal of the Greymauls, and of Ragna's race through the blood-drenched city of Biriz-zahar.
- Ragna the Fierce says, "This way! My king, can you hear me?"
- Etterfang feasted upon dwarves that day
- Ragna the Fierce says, "Hurry!"
- How many great warriors died to Thorog's claws in Biriz-zahar? I cannot say
- But dragons were not the only evils sent by Sauron to my city
- Ragna the Fierce says, "What terror lies that way?"
- Warrior of Khazad-dûm says, "There can be no victory against it!"
- Warrior of Khazad-dûm says, "Flee! Flee!"
- It was the Balrog called Askâdurs, wreathed in shadow and flame
- Ragna the Fierce says, "To the king! We cannot stand without him!"
- Lóthi says, "But we were allies!"
- Methin says, "Módvit... already slain?"
- Hálm says, "Greymauls! To me!"
Objective 11
- Talk to Mótsog atop Biriz-zahar
Mótsog continues his tale of the Sunder-battle.
- Mótsog: 'Despite the danger and the foes arrayed before her, Ragna the Fierce did reach the high places of Biriz-zahar, and she freed her husband and king from his bondage. But that was not enough for victory.
- 'Durin picked up a fallen blade and joined the battle, but the Orcs were too many and the dwarves too divided; the Longbeards feared to present their backs to the Greymauls lest their foes take advantage of their distraction, and the Greymauls feared the same of the Longbeards. By the time Ragna freed Durin, two thirds of the dwarves had perished to flame and black steel. Sauron and his master, watching from afar, delighted in the carnage: the Orcs would win the day, and no dwarf would leave Biriz-zahar alive.'
Objective 12
Mótsog's tale is nearly complete.
- Durin I says, "Mótsog! We must set aside our differences, or all our people will be slain!"
- Mótsog says, "You are trying to trick me!"
- Mótsog says, "I am the True Father, the King of All Dwarves!"
- Durin I says, "For whom do you wield the Greymaul, my old friend?"
- Durin I says, "If we do not do this, our people will perish!"
- Mótsog says, "Our people...? Even after so much death?"
- Durin I says, "Our people, my friend."
- Mótsog says, "Aye, Durin. We stand together!"
- The fury of our blows was such that a great storm arose, and the mountain itself was sundered
- The flame of Askâdurs was quenched, and he fled
- We suffered grievous losses, but so too did Sauron: five dragons were slain at our hands
- Those that escaped would cower in fear of our weapons forevermore
- Durin I says, "Begone, worm! And never again trouble our folk!"
- Mótsog says, "And so concluded the Sunder-battle, and with it the Greymaul Rebellion."
- Mótsog says, "I was defeated, but the dwarves survived."
|
