Bestowal dialogue
'You have proven yourself an expert riddle-solver. Bilbo and I have of late been contemplating a riddle of the most interesting sort -- one for which no answer is yet known. This riddle seems to bear on the lineage of the House of Elrond itself and may be of great import if it is solved.
'For once we cannot say for sure that the answer truly lies in Imladris, but it is certain that the riddle is concerned with Rivendell more than with any other place.
'Bilbo can tell you more, but I think for the full story of this riddle you will have to speak to others as well.'
Background
A final riddle that bears on Elrond's House in Rivendell is yet to be solved.
Objective 1
Bilbo is standing with Lindir in the Hall of Fire.
Bilbo will tell you the unsolved riddle.
- Lindir: 'Bilbo will tell you more of this riddle. He and I have thought long upon it.'
- Bilbo Baggins: 'Well, this was written by Elrond's wife, Celebrían, who long ago sailed into the West. Just before she departed Middle-earth, she inscribed these words. The verse was probably not meant as a riddle, but its meaning is nevertheless hidden, even to her own family. I hope you will excuse my poor translation into Westron. The riddle goes like this:
- 'The jewel of the moon,
- Enshrined in the water,
- From mother to daughter
- Is given a boon.
- 'Ships sail to the west,
- Forgetting all sorrow,
- Landfall on the morrow,
- The isles of the blest.
- 'It may be that Master Elrond will be able to tell you something more about words. It would be splendid if the riddle could be solved after all these years, and even more wonderful if some lost legacy could be found and delivered to Lady Arwen.'
Objective 2
Elrond is in the library of Imladris.
Bilbo thinks Elrond may know more about the riddle.
'The jewel of the moon,
Enshrined in the water,
From mother to daughter
Is given a boon.
'Ships sail to the west,
Forgetting all sorrow,
Landfall on the morrow,
The isles of the blest.
- Bilbo Baggins: 'In truth, I do not know if Master Elrond can help to answer this riddle. If he knew of a legacy waiting for Arwen, he certainly would have given it to her long ago.'
- Lindir: 'Indeed, I think that Elrond must know more of this matter than anyone else. Please approach him with delicacy, as he will not see his wife again until he, too, sails into the west.'
- Elrond: 'Those old words...alas, I had hoped not to have those evil days recalled to me. But I know that Lindir must mean well. Indeed, if there was some legacy of her mother I could give Arwen, I would do so gladly.
- 'But the meaning of the words is a mystery to me, and those who might once have known have been gone for long years.
- 'I wonder at it, since this has come to my mind after so long a space. Glorfindel was present at the time these words were written. I have never thought to speak with him on this subject. Seek him by the falling water outside my house and ask him the meaning of the old words.'
Objective 3
Glorfindel is outside the house of Elrond, by the waterfall.
Elrond has directed you to speak to Glorfindel about the riddle.
- Elrond: 'I know nothing more of the words you have brought back into the suns light from so long ago.'
- Glorfindel: 'A riddle? A mystery? Had but Elrond inquired of me, I could have unravelled these last sad words of his wife long ago.
- 'There was a splendid white gem, a very jewel of the moon as the verse says, which long ago was hidden away in a secret vault. This is Celebrían's legacy that was meant to go to Arwen. Even I do not know where this vault was hidden, but I am sure it could not have been far from Imladris.'
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![[29.6S, 3.3W]](/wiki/File:Rivendell_map.jpg){kind=link}