|
The Mystery of Zul-mazal
"Together we will learn what secrets lie hidden within the walls of this chamber."
Background
Durin has come to the chamber of Zul-mazal with the intention of laying bare its mysteries.
Objective 1
Durin stands in the chamber of Zul-mazal, ready to learn whatever secrets may remain between its walls.
- Durin: 'There is something here, <name>. I am certain of it. Is this room, like others in the Pit of Stonejaws, the tomb of a forgotten noble?
- 'My eye is drawn to the structure in the centre of the chamber. There is a hole in the top of that curious block; it leads me to believe no body ever lay within.'
Objective 2
- Remain vigilant while the dwarves consider the chamber
Durin and the dwarves examine the chamber for clues.
- Prince Durin says, "Hmm... this must be where Glúrkub found the mithril hammer."
- Prince Durin says, "Let us return it, for now, and see if anything reveals itself."
- Bori says, "Nothing?"
- Bróin says, "I thought I heard a sound."
- Bósi says, "There must be something else, my prince."
- Bósi says, "If returning the hammer was sufficient, the goblin would have seen it."
- Prince Durin, "Ah, well-spotted, Bósi!"
- Prince Durin, "But what else must be done?"
- Fastrith says, "Perhaps the mosaic must be intact?"
- Prince Durin says, "I suppose it is possible. There is some enchantment here."
- Stáli the Hewer says, "You are in luck, Prince Durin!"
Objective 3
Stáli the Hewer believes his time has come at last.
- Stáli the Hewer: 'Can this be anything but the work of the First Crafter, who made the dwarves? How else would the most renowned sculptor of his day, by which I mean ME, the great Stáli the Hewer, come to this chamber at this time?
- 'I need not wait for Prince Durin's command. I will restore this mosaic to its original state, and no reward will be too great for the work at hand!'
Objective 4
- Observe the restoration of the mosaic
The dwarves believe they have uncovered the key to the mystery of Zul-mazal.
- Stáli the Hewer says, "Come, Fastrith."
- Stáli the Hewer says, "You will help me assemble the mosaic."
- Stáli the Hewer says, "First let us remove the stones so we can begin fresh."
- Stáli the Hewer says, "All right..."
- Stáli the Hewer says, "Carefully... carefully..."
- Stáli the Hewer says, "This is delicate work..."
- Stáli the Hewer says, "Over here... and over here..."
- Bósi says, "My prince, do you hear something?"
- Prince Durin says, "I do! Hobgoblins!"
Objective 5
Bósi and Durin have heard the sounds of approaching enemies.
- Durin: 'The hobgoblins must have sent a raiding-party in search of plunder, but they will discover their deaths by the blade of the Red Axe instead!
- 'We will not let them disturb the work of Stáli and Fastrith, but they are more than welcome to be a part of our own work, <name>: for that work is the slaying of hobgoblins!'
- Protect the artists assembling the mosaic
- Prince Durin says, "Protect Stáli and Fastrith! They must finish the mosaic!"
- Stáli the Hewer says, "It is finished!"
- Fastrith says, "Beautiful! What a work of art!"
Objective 6
- Witness the completion of the mosaic
Stáli and Fastrith have finished assembling the mosaic.
- Stáli the Hewer says, "Behold the death of Mótsog the Traitor, my prince."
- Bósi says, "But nothing happens. Perhaps this was not they key?"
- Prince Durin says, "Are you certain the mosaic is complete, Stáli?"
- Stáli the Hewer says, "Am I certain? Of course I am!"
- Stáli the Hewer says, "How else could it look?"
- Fastrith says, "Well, I wonder...?"
Objective 7
Fastrith has had an idea.
- Fastrith Hawkfeast: 'A mosaic is not like a painting, <name>. You can change the picture by putting the stones in different places. What if... what if the mosaic Stáli assembled beneath the Lonely Mountain is not the same as this one after all?
- 'What if this mosaic once displayed a different picture than that one?'
Objective 8
- Witness the completion of the mosaic... again
Fastrith is eager to carry out her idea.
- Fastrith says, "I think we need to start over. I have had an idea!"
- Stáli the Hewer says, "What? Bah! When does the master heed the words of his apprentice?"
- Prince Durin says, "When he is commanded to do so by his prince, perhaps?"
- Stáli the Hewer says, "Aye. Perhaps then."
- Stáli the Hewer says, "We will clear the stones and begin anew."
- Fastrith says, "You see, we start like so..."
- Fastrith says, "And then a little more..."
- Fastrith says, "Yes, this is coming along!"
- Bósi says, "I think I hear the hobgoblins return!"
Objective 9
Bósi, former leader of the Iron Garrison, has warned you that more hobgoblins approach.
- Bósi: 'Once more, my friends! Protect our prince and the artists.'
- Protect the artists assembling the mosaic
- Fastrith says, "I think the picture is complete!"
Objective 10
- Observe the complete mosaic
Stáli and Fastrith have once again finished assembling the mosaic.
- Stáli the Hewer says, "But what does it show?"
- Prince Durin says, "I don't understand."
- Fastrith says, "Mótsog and Durin were friends before they were foes. Perhaps..."
- Bori says, "A secret passage!"
- Bróin says, "Fastrith was right! That was the key!"
Objective 11
You and the dwarves have uncovered the secret of Zul-mazal, and now Durin must decide what should be done.
- Durin: 'For how long has this door remained hidden beneath Zul-mazal, <name>? The secret craft of ancient dwarves masked it from detection by the Orcs who long resided in the mountain, but it could not escape my notice.
- 'It was no simple mechanism that hid this trap-door for all these years, but also the working of an ancient spell. Two keys served to keep it secret, for so long as the mosaic remained incomplete and the mithril hammer absent, none could open the passage. Now we have turned both keys, and it is time to see what lies beneath the cold stone of Zul-mazal.
- 'Leave the mithril hammer where it lies, and I will instruct Bósi and these others to stand guard. You and I will climb through the trap-door, <name>, and we will see what there is to see, and learn what we may of Gundabad's secrets.'
|
![[40.0S, 115.3W]](/wiki/File:Pit_of_Stonejaws_map.jpg){kind=link}