'After the fall of Beleriand, most of my people came to live in the land of Lindon, to the west, under the benevolent rule of Gil-galad. Bonds of friendship were made with the dwarves of Ered Luin, but a thriving trade in metal and gems with that people dwindled as the Longbeards suffered war and disaster of their own. Yearning for mithril to fashion into their works of art and beauty, many of the Noldor followed the dwarves as they journeyed eastward. Led by Celebrimbor, descendant of Fëanor, the Elves settled in the holly-covered hills beneath the west gate of Khazad-dûm. There was once again friendship and trade between Elf and dwarf, and Celebrimbor's city in Eregion thrived.

'Eregion was still a young kingdom when the Men of Númenor arrived. Tar-Aldarion, the king, sailed up the River Gwathló and debarked to explore the Swanfleet on foot. He befriended Celebrimbor and forged alliances with the Elf-smiths, and in return they taught some among his people techniques of armour-shaping and the graving of ithildin and moon-runes. In time, Aldarion grew old and came no more to Caras Gelebren, but the friendship between his people and mine endured.

'The friendship endured, but it was tested. The Númenóreans were a sea-faring people, and they had long exhausted the forests of their island home; they hungered for timber to build more and mightier ships. The Lady Galadriel, who dwelt for a time in Eregion and often danced alongside the lily-covered waterways, despaired to see the toll taken upon the wide woodlands by Númenórean axes. When the shipbuilders began to dredge her beloved Swanfleet and build dikes to channel the waters, she entreated Celebrimbor to stop the Men of Númenor from harming the land.'

Bregoleth desires to conclude her sad tale.

Objectives

• Talk to Bregoleth

The Ranger Meneldir has arrived. He glances questioningly at Bregoleth.

Objectives

• Talk to Meneldir