Bestowal Dialogue
You will automatically travel to Zarkul-sulûn when you accept this quest.
'Aye, that's the spirit! There must be some way to free my brother from this dangerous apprenticeship. Who could have anticipated that working for a sculptor would send him among such Orc-infested dangers? Mere months ago, when he agreed to work for Stáli, I thought the worst of his worries would be living up to his epithet of Bloodthumb!
'By hitting his thumb with a chisel, <name>, that's what I mean. You get it? Lovely.
'Anyway, Stáli has not fully moved into Gundabad yet, and his luggage remains in Zarkul-sulûn. What do you say to searching his baggage for my brother's contract, and studying it for some loophole that will free Eskil from his service? If you go at once, we can do our best to keep Stáli from learning of this regrettable, but necessary, intrusion!'
Background
Fastrith Hawkfeast is interested in finding some way to free her brother Eskil Bloodthumb from his apprenticeship to Stáli the Hewer.
Objective 1
Stáli the Hewer's luggage can be found upstairs in Zarkul-sulûn.
- Your search proves fruitless, revealing no sign of Eskil's contract
- This chest contains many papers, but none bearing Eskil's name
- You find no sign of Eskil's contract
Objective 2
- You hear footsteps approaching
You hear footsteps approaching.
- Stáli the Hewer arrives, a shrewd look on his face. Fastrith and Eskil follow at a distance
Objective 3
Stáli the Hewer has returned to Zarkul-sulûn.
- Stáli: 'I know why you're here, <name>, and if you think I have to release my apprentice from his obligations, you are gravely mistaken!
- 'Study the contract if you like! I have it right here, for I keep such things on my person at all times... you never know when someone might try to make such a binding agreement "mysteriously" vanish!'
- Stáli brandishes the contract with a flourish
Objective 4
Stáli the Hewer has returned to Zarkul-sulûn, and he holds Eskil's contract out for your study.
- Eskil's Contract:
Preamble and Naming of the Parties
- Let it be known to all in the Lonely Mountain and its environs, and to every inhabitant of dwarfdom throughout this Middle-earth, that on this the third day of October, Dáin II Ironfoot, King Under the Mountain, did recognize and witness this agreement between two parties come before him.
- The parties are named as follows, with due identification presented and accepted in the sight of King Dáin. Party the first: Stáli the Hewer, noted sculptor and artist of great renown, resident of Tumnu-dûm, the dwelling-halls, known herein as the Sculptor. Party the second: Eskil Bloodthumb, noteworthy accomplishments asked for by the first party but none were offered by the second and are therefore omitted; also a resident of Tumnu-dûm, the dwelling-halls, known herein as the Apprentice.
- As a matter of course, the King Under the Mountain expressed his opinion that the parties enter into this agreement of apprenticeship of their own free wills, and that no undue influence was exercised upon either party.
- Hmmmm...
Objective 5
Stáli the Hewer has returned to Zarkul-sulûn, and he holds Eskil's contract out for your study.
- Eskil's Contract:
Section the First: Duties of the Apprentice
- The duties of the Apprentice shall not be limited in any way by the omission of any particular duty in this section, but shall be deemed to include any such reasonable responsibilities that shall be suggested by the Sculptor. The meaning of "reasonable" for this section, and for any following section, shall be interpreted as "the course most likely to be favoured by the will of Dáin II, King Under the Mountain".
- The duties of the Apprentice shall include, but be not limited to, the following responsibilities:
- One (1): Acquisition of materials for the creation of any works of art required by the Sculptor, purchased with supplied coin. Any excess coinage is to be returned promptly and without fail. Upon discovery of such a failure, the excess will be tallied and deducted from the Apprentice's weekly stipend (see Section the Second).
- Two (2): Thorough weekly cleaning of workshop space in order to foster creative work on the part of the Sculptor. Any spots missed in the cleaning shall be tallied and a percentage deducted from the Apprentice's weekly stipend (see Section the Second).
- Three (3): Timely preparation of meals for the Sculptor, no earlier than eight in the morning for breakfast and no later than six of the clock for dinner; drinks to be made upon request. The Sculptor does not like berries of any kind on his plate, but he is partial to honey and any products made from it, such as mead. The appearance of berries anywhere near the Sculptor's table will be noted, and a deduction made from the Apprentice's weekly stipend (see Section the Second).
- Four (4): Praise to be made for the Sculptor's work (when appropriate). Private criticism of such work will be noted, and a deduction made from the Apprentice's weekly stipend (see Section the Second). Public criticism will be noted twice, and count double.
- Five (5): In the even of illness or maiming that causes the Apprentice to be unable to carry out his duties, be they daily or weekly in nature, he is to provide a substitute for the day or week in question. If they substitute is found lacking, such deficiency will be noted and a deduction made from the Apprentice's weekly stipend (see Section the Second). Similarly, if the Apprentice is deemed to be contagious and refuses to nominate a substitute, that also will be grounds for a deduction from his weekly stipend.
- Six (6): Greeting guests of the Sculptor and assessing who is to be admitted and who is deemed unwelcome. The Sculptor's time is valuable and not to be wasted! Special consideration is to be given to those who bring gifts for the Sculptor, especially mead. The discovery that mead might have been given as a gift should the guest have been informed beforehand by the Apprentice will be met with disappointment, which is worse than anger. Disappointment in this case will take the form of a deduction from the Apprentice's weekly stipend (see Section the Second).
- Well...
Objective 6
Stáli the Hewer has returned to Zarkul-sulûn, and he holds Eskil's contract out for your study.
- Eskil's Contract:
Section the Second: Duties of the Sculptor
- The duties of the Sculptor shall only include responsibilities here listed. This is their full extent:
- One (1): The Sculptor shall provide a weekly stipend of coin to the Apprentice, modified as described above in Section the First.
- Two (2): The Sculptor shall provide instruction in the art of sculpting and the preparation of fine artwork (as time allows and at the Sculptor's inclination, informed by whether the Apprentice displays a natural propensity for the subject. This propensity is to be assessed by the Sculptor and by no other, save the King Under the Mountain, should the Apprentice choose to frivolously spend the king's time in this manner)
- Hmmm?
Objective 7
Stáli the Hewer has returned to Zarkul-sulûn, and he holds Eskil's contract out for your study.
- Eskil's Contract:
Section the Third: Ending the Agreement
- This agreement shall be binding for each of the listed parties, Apprentice and Sculptor alike, and it shall continue in effect until such time as Sculptor delivers to Dáin II, King Under the Mountain, a signed parchment containing the desire of both parties to terminate it. Without such a delivery, this agreement will continue in perpetuity.
- May it be a fruitful and satisfactory apprenticeship for both parties!
- Witnessed on the day the Third of October, in the Year 3018, with seals affixed, in the Hall Under the Mountain, by Dáin II Ironfoot, King Under the Mountain
- Well...?
Objective 8
- Talk to Eskil Bloodthumb in Zarkul-sulûn
Eskil Bloodthumb is on the upper level of Zarkul-sulûn, looking resigned to his fate.
- Eskil Bloodthumb: 'It sounds bad, <name>, doesn't it?
- 'I'm thinking, but I see no way out of it! Does it really say that the only way to get out of the contract is to deliver a signed paper to King Dáin? But he is dead! He died at the gates of the Lonely Mountain during the siege that ended the war before this one!
- 'I suppose there is nothing to be done. I will be bound to this apprenticeship until my dying day... and that could very well be THIS day, or at the very latest on the morrow!'
- Fastrith coughs politely
Objective 9
Fatrith Hawkfeast stands on the upper level of Zarkul-sulûn, seeking to gain your attention.
- Fastrith Hawkfeast: 'What do you think, <name>? I believe we could argue that despite the specific references to King Dáin, it was always intended that his part in the agreement should transfer to any King Under the Mountain that should follow him. After all, this agreement was created with war already visible upon the horizon, and King Dáin was not one to shy away from conflict! Perhaps if we petition King Thorin Stonehelm...'
- Fastrith shakes her head.
- 'No, it is too long a journey back to Erebor, and I know Stáli would not agree to make it. I would need to take the journey, and my brother would remain endangered by his master's whims while I made the trip. We need a more immediate remedy, <name>!
- 'Wait, what about that section there, where Eskil is obligated to nominate a substitute to carry out his duties in the event that he becomes ill or... maimed...? He still has all his limbs, praise Durin, but I would say he is indeed sick... sick of carrying out such dangerous errands for his master! But who can replace my brother in his apprenticeship until we can petition King Thorin to cancel the agreement? I know just the person!'
- Fastrith stares at you, challenge lighting a fire in her eyes.
- 'Me, <name>, I speak of myself! I will do it! I am not afraid of a few Orcs, and I have always been more courageous than my brother, dear though he is to me. And I would not mind learning what I might about sculpting, either. What does Stáli have to say about this?'
Objective 10
- Talk to Stáli the Hewer in Zarkul-sulûn
Stáli the Hewer is on the upper level of Zarkul-sulûn.
- Stáli: 'A substitute apprentice? I don't know about this... I have become quite fond of the lad, after all. But now that you mention it, the meals he made were always undercooked, and he never cleaned the corners of my workshop as thoroughly as he should have...
- 'Fine! I accept Eskil's sister Fastrith as my apprentice in his stead, but I will deduct a portion of her weekly stipend to cover my inconvenience! I am doing you all a favour! Don't expect another!
- 'And this is what I expect: for Fastrith to find me the Zabad'ibîn wherever they have been taken! Only then will I be happy about this!'
- With that settled, you should speak with Durin downstairs before returning to Gundabad
Objective 11
- Talk to Durin on the lower level of Zarkul-sulûn
Prince Durin is on the lower level of Zarkul-sulûn.
- Durin: 'I thought I saw you here, friend. I returned to Zarkul-sulûn to bring more dwarves and supplies back with me to Gundabad. We can walk back together.'
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