'I have studied the artifact that Ayorzén stole from the vault of Durthang. It bears a powerful corruption, but it was not made in the land of Mordor. It came from elsewhere, and the corruption that envelops it stems from its long stay in the Black Land. If this evil could be cleansed, I believe that Elrond could imbue it with a powerful and vital force for Good.

'Before that can happen, however, we must do something about the corruption that Mordor has worked upon it. There are different methods to accomplish this, though the Wise disagree upon the effectiveness of each. My preferred means for such a cure is to bring the corrupted item to the place where it was made, or to places of some significance upon its path, and to thereby diffuse the foul touch of Mordor that has, in the interim, claimed it. We must learn the story of this heirloom before it came to Mordor.'

The Wizard turns the artifact over in his hands, studying it for some clue to its origin. To your eye the heirloom is a small carved sculpture of a woman. One hand is raised before her, as if in warding, and in the other she holds a spear ready to throw.

'This sculpture was carved from a bone or tusk, but I cannot say what creature lent the material used in its manufacture. Some of the details have worn away with the passage of time or ill treatment. The face, for example, may once have been carved but now cannot be distinguished. There seems to be some runes on the base of the carving, but they are quite faded and I cannot read them clearly.

'But this is not the first such carving I have seen! No, I have seen others of its type drawn from the swamps of the Lone-lands. The Eglain plumb the depths of the marsh for artifacts and trinkets, and in the muck they have found similar sculptures. Go to Ost Guruth, the Ruin-hold in the Lone-lands, and ask Frideric the Elder what he can tell you about this heirloom.'

Morhald and Cólbyr search the Haragmar east of Ost Guruth for artifacts such as the one that has come into your possession.

Objectives

• Talk to Morhald in Haragmar
• Talk to Cólbyr

More of the Eglain may be imperiled in the swamp of Haragmar.

Objectives

• Talk to Walgar

Aric the Stone-speaker is at Ost Haer, far to the south of Haragmar.

Objectives

Aric the Stone-speaker is in Harloeg, far south of Ost Guruth.

Objectives

• Talk to Aric the Stone-speaker and travel to the Spring of the Red-maid

Elrond is at the Haven of Orladion in Rivendell, north-west of the Last Homely House.

You have cleansed the corruption from the Image of the Champion, and should bring it now to Elrond in Rivendell.

Objectives