Man Introduction: Story-based Quest Guide

While passing through the Chetwood one afternoon, you were waylaid by brigands, and taken captive. You find yoursef now waking from a deep unconsciousness into what looks like a jail cell, as the earlier events of the assault hover vaguely at the edges of your memory. You look around, realizing the bleakness of your circumstance, and begin seeking a means of escape.

Suddenly you notice a strange, dark man standing a short distance away. You wonder how he got there--you didnt notice him before! He beckons to you, and as you cautiously approach, he begins to speak in a hushed tone.

"Good, you are awake. The Blackwolds gave you quite a knock on the head, and I feared you would not awaken soon enough. There is little time to talk, but I will tell you what I may."

The man then tells you that his name is Amdir, and that he is what some in Bree call a Ranger. He explains that he has come here to learn what connection these brigands have to a Black Rider that he has been tracking from the Shire. Along the way, he learned from Jon Brackenbrook, a hunter from Archet, that a guard from his father's garrison--Caldor Cob by name--is working for the Blackwolds, and that he has captured two visiting hobbits from the Shire. He tells you that he has in fact seen them at the prison, and would like your help in freeing them.

First he offers to free you, and tells you that you should search the crate just outside the fence for weapons, which you will need in your effort to free the hobbits. And then he bids you to silence, and tells you to wait for the right moment to do this. You don't know why, but you seem to trust in this Ranger, for though some might say he looks foul, he nonetheless feels fair to you. You nod quietly, and agree to do his bidding.

Suddenly, Amdir says, "Quiet! Someone is coming!" and you immediately hear a harsh voice approach the cell and begin barking orders at a guard, claiming first that the "Nazgúl" is coming for the "Baggins" that Caldor Cob brought them, then he startlingly speaks your own name with an order that you be quickly disposed of, along with "that hobbit girl." The guard acknowledges, and as the first voice trails away, you hear the guard enter your cell.

"Now!" Amdir says, and leaps up to engage the guard, which he dispatches quickly, and with startling precision. You step outside to find the crate that Amdir described, rapidly searching its contents to find an appropriate weapon. After several hurried moments, you find one that will do do well.

Then Amdir tells you that you must part paths briefly, for while you go to free the hobbits--Celandine Brandybuck and Mundo Sackville-Baggins--he intends to follow this man Éogan, who had ordered your disposal moments before. He intends to learn what he can of his plans with the "Nazgúl," or the Black Rider, that he spoke of. He asks you in your task that you free Celadine first, for she is in more immediate danger, as it is Mundo they yet want alive. Once the hobbits are safe with you, he asks you to seek him near the main gate, from where you will return the hobbits to Archet, and expose Calder Cob's treachery to Jon Brackenbrook's father.

You move a short distance ahead, where Amdir stops and indicates a doorway, saying that you will find Celadine in that direction, and then quickly disappears beyond another passage, before you've had time to say anything more. Now left alone with only your determination to find and rescue the hobbits, you move ahead through the door, ready for whatever comes your way.

At once you are met with a Blackwold ruffian on the other side, and you use your newly gained weapon to its utmost, dispatching him quickly. But there are others ahead you see, so that one by one you deal with them aptly, using your skills and determination as you make your way forward.

At last you reach Celadine's cell, where you see a young hobbit-woman in the corner and a Blackwold ruffian antagonizing her. Yet the hobbit-woman bravely defies the ruffian, calling out "You don't scare me!" and at once you burst in upon them. The ruffian lunges at you, but you are ready for him, while Celadine spiritedly cheers you on. As you defeat her captor, she thanks you heartily, and guesses that Amdir sent you. She also tells you that you must save her friend Mundo very quickly, for the brigands have been saying terrible things and she fears Mundo is in the greatest danger.

She tells you, however, that you will need a distraction first, and at once grabs a piece of burning kindling from the nearby fire, and boldly tosses it on the roof on the building next to you, where it quickly burst into flames. Then she quickly tells you to follow her to Mundo's cell. You are amazed at the will and resourcefulness of this little hobbit!

When you reach Mundo's cell, you find that indeed only one brigand is left guarding him, for all the others have run off to attend to the fire that Celadine cleverly started. As Celadine points Mundo out, the brigand, whose name is Edric, notices you and draws his weapon, swearing you will not take "the Baggins." Yet you know you cannot fail Amdir and the hobbits, and battle the man to his defeat. As he falls, he warns "There's worse than me. You'll see!" You wonder what he could mean.

Then you approach Mundo to release him, and you are a little surprised that he seems somewhat annoyed with you, complaining he's waited long enough, and was he expected to free himself? Then he tells you to hurry along before the ruffians return, so the three of you set off towards the main gate to escape, and to meet Amdir, as he instructed you to do.

Suddenly you see the Ranger once again as you approach the main gate, but are stunned to see an evil-looking, blacked robed rider upon his black horse before him.

"Back! Go back to the shadow, fallen King!" Amdir says to him.

"Fool! Your kingdom is dead!" the Black Rider responds. "You have no power over me! But soon, I shall have power over you!" And you are startled to see him lunge his dark blade into the Ranger!

"Amdir!" Celandine cries out, drawing the attention of the Rider.

"Ah, the halflings....Which is the 'Baggins' promised me?" he hisses towards you and the hobbits.

"Misery me!" Mundo calls, and you all feel a palpable, dark dread descend upon you.

"Accursed flames!" the Black Rider suddenly says, looking about him at the fire, now raging all about. "This Dúnadan will suffice for my night's work!" And then at once, he rears his horse, and you feel overcome by unspeakable dread and terror. 'May you all burn..." he hisses with a deadly malice, "either now or in Mordor on the morrow!" And he turns away and departs into darkness. And as he does, the shadow of dread goes with him.

Then the three of you move to Amdir's side, where the Ranger speaks to you between ragged breaths, acknowledging your rescue of the hobbits, before collapsing to the ground. Frantic, Celadine tells you that you must all take Amdir to Archet, for he is seriously hurt, and there are people there who will know what to do.

The three of you make your way into Archet and find aid for Amdir. After a night of rest, still concerned for Amdir, you come across Mundo walking about the town, looking rather put-out. He complains to you that he is not being allowed to return to his home in the Shire. Then he tells you to leave him be and to go speak to Amdir instead.

You find Amdir resting on the ground outside The Mad Badger Inn. Celadine is with him. He speaks to you and praises your efforts in rescuing the hobbits and leading them, and himself, back to Archet the previous night.

Yet you cannot help but feel concerned for his condition, which seems very poor. He tells you not to worry about him, he has taken worse, and that Celadine is seeing to his needs. He also tells you that a greater matter is at hand, one that he cannot undertake--for Captain Brackenbrook, the founder of the garrison in Archet, will not heed him, and suffers his presence only because of his injuries, as few in Bree-land trust Rangers.

Amdir asks you to speak with Captain Brackenbrook in his stead, explaining the situation behind his concerns. Apparently, Amdir had befriended the Captain's son, John Brackenbrook, who feared a traitor in the midst of the Archet garrison, a man named Calder Cob. Amdir claims to have found proof of Calder's betrayal during his mission at the Blackwold camp, and implores you to argue his case with Captain Brackenbrook.

Upon meeting with the captain, who is currently operating out of the Mad Badger inn, you find him to be unresponsive to your pleas. Apparently, Calder Cob claimed to have apprehended the leader of the Blackwolds, a man named Otto, as well as two other brigands. Certain that Amdir and his son are grossly mistaken and foolish, and that the Blackwold problem has already been dealt with, Captain Brackenbrook tells you to help Archet by dealing with the local wolf population and to tell Amdir to mind his own business.

Amdir is unsurprised by your report, when you return to him. He claims that while Captain Brackenbrook means well, he is set in his ways, and that Calder Cob has done his job well. Amdir thinks that you should do as Brackenbrook asks to help with the wolf problem, until some means might be found to expose Cob's treachery.

Amdir tells you that you should make your way to the sheep farm south and west out of Archet's gate and seek Dirk Mudbrick. You should tell him you are there to assist him at the behest of Captain Brackenbrook.

Amdir also mentions, if you have not spoken to her yet, that Celandine Brandybuck could use your help, in that he has asked her to help him treat his wound and will need athelas, or "kingsfoil" as it is commonly known.

You set to the south-west to find Dirk Mudbrick, and offer your services to him, as Captain Brackenbrook had originally asked you to do. Dirk readily accepts your help, claiming he's lost more sheep than he cares to mention with all the wolves prowling about, and asks you to clear out as many wolves in the fields as you can. You do as Dirk asks, finding a number of the predators roaming the fields south of Archet, and then you return to him to let him know.

Dirk is pleased with your success, though mutters something about "much more to be done, though the captain won't see the threat." When he realizes you are keenly listening to him, he says he shouldn't say anymore, and that his mouth is why he was assigned to this place.

But when you press him for more information, Dirk can't seem to keep it to himself, and explains that he mentioned to the Captain that the Blackwolds seemed a bit stronger than they'd been told, and that they ought to listen to Jon and spy out their camp, as that might have stopped them from grabbing them two hobbits.

Dirks explains that as a result of saying this, the Captain re-assigned him from gate-duty to watching sheep, from where he can see see brigands making their way through the woods, and believes that they are trying to spy on the citizens in the area.

Dirk tells you they need to discover what the brigands up to, and asks you to confront one of their spies, and see what you can discover. He asks you to bring him any orders or messages that you find find, and that he's seen them sneaking about to the southeast, between the sheep farm and Bronwe's Folly.

You set out to do as Dirk has asked once again, and it isn't long long before you spot a spy skulking about southeast of the farm, where you make short work of him. In his possessions, the Spy carries some kind of orders. They tell of how the Blackwolds seek retribution on Archet for the burning of one of their camps by Amdir in his attempt to save the two Hobbits.

It also talks about "The Nazgul," the Black Riders, as Amdir explained, and how they will have the "Baggins" they seek. You wonder why they are after Mundo Sackville-Baggins; the little fellow certainly seems unassuming enough.

The orders outline a plan of how the Blackwolds will take Archet and burn it down, and include a note about informing Calder Cob of the plan so that he can make ready for the attack. These orders should make excellent evidence against the traitorous guardsman!

Finally, the orders are signed "Éogan." You recongnize the name at once as the leader of the brigands that you saw during your imprisonment. It seems indeed Caldor Cob is in league with the Blackwolds at a very deep level.

You take the orders back to Dirk, who seems villified that Jon Brackenbrook was right. He tells you to take them immediately to Captain Brackenbrook so that he can see the error of his ways and put Calder Cob behind bars where he belongs.

Upon seeing the orders, Captain Brackenbrook is ashamed of his own obstinance at ignoring his son's advice. He ponders how much damage has been done and how much time Archet has to prepare, before ordering the guards to capture and imprison Calder Cob. Then he asks you to speak with his son, fearing that there is no other person that he can trust. He tells you that Jon Brackenbrook can be found at the Hunting Lodge to the east of Archet.

You travel to the lodge and find Jon, telling him of his father's change of mind. Jon is glad for his father, but fears that it might be too late for Archet unless the town has more time to prepare. He suggests heading to the ruins where the Blackwolds camp near Archet, called the Blackwold's Roost, and engaging some of them there in order to distract the brigands and buy more time. He tells you that the Roost can be found south of the Hunting Lodge.

You do as Jon asks, making a bold frontal attack on the Blackwold's encampment, sending them into dissarray, before retreating back to the lodge. When you return, Jon tells you that you are just in time, for Éogan is already making his move against Archet. He asks you to go to the town's defense, for Archet has had precious little time to prepare.

You take a shortcut through the Old East Path to Archet, via the same route that the Blackwolds are using to break into the town. The way is blocked by brigand and spider alike, though you make short work of both in the chaos of their battle. You make your way quickly to the breach which the Blackwolds have used to gain entrance to Archet. The town is already alight with flames all over. Is it too late?

You find the traitor Calder Cob beating upon the helpless jailor Ned Pruner. You dispatch Cob, but it is too late for Ned. With his final breath, Ned tells you that Éogan came looking for the Hobbit named "Baggins," and implores you to find Amdir and help him save Archet. Ned's wife, Peg, arrives just then, pointing you ahead to the town square so that you can fulfill her husband's final wish, and then asks you to leave her be. You press ahead, her sobs still echoing in your ears.

You find Amdir in the Archet Jailyard, looking worse than ever. He asks you to draw water from a nearby well to put out the flames that block your way to Éogan, who has some evil purpose for poor Mundo. You do as he asks, and as the way is clear, you both storm the town square, just in time to witness Éogan, a vile man dressed in strange, evil raiment, slay Captain Brackenbrook before his son's eyes. Celandine and Mundo look on in horror.

"You shall pay for your crimes, villain!" Amdir challenges.

"Then come, Dúnadan. End this." Éogan taunts.

Amdir charges Éogan, but falters, collapsing and writing in pain.

Éogan stands over Amdir, triumphant, taunting, "The Nazgûl's morgul-knife has sapped your will, Dúnadan."

Shivering, Amdir mutters to himself, "I...cannot.... So...weak...."

Laughing, Éogan orders one of the Blackwolds to take Amdir away. Worse still, as the Blackwold orders Amdir to come with him, Amdir, your friend and companion, agrees, blankly complying, "...yes...."

"Amdir! No!" Celandine calls out to him as he disappears into the flames of the burning village.

Finally noticing you, Éogan orders another of his subordinates to deal with you. You dispatch him with ease. One by one, you visit your wrath upon the remaining Blackwolds, until at last, Éogan attempts to finish you himself. After a difficult battle, you deal the fiend a mortal wound, and he collapses, to the cheers of Celandine.

You go to check on the two Hobbits, first by speaking with Mundo. He tells you how Éogan questioned him as though he knew of a great treasure of some kind. He also says that Éogan insisted that he was the hobbit who went off with the dwarves, but notes that those were "Mad Baggins' tales." Mad Baggins, you wonder? So there is another "Baggins" who has nothing to do with little Mundo, that the Nazgúl are truly after! You wonder who this "Baggins" could be, and wherever he is, if he is safe.

Just then, Éogan springs to his feet, laughing. Apparently he wasn't as wounded as you thought!

"So this Baggins was telling the truth? He is useless to us," Éogan muses. "It is no matter. We have the Dúnadan..." he cackles, running away into the burning village, "...And he may prove to be a great boon!"

Celandine praises you for your efforts, but mourns the fate of Amdir. Through your efforts, Archet was saved, but it, and its people, will never be the same. She decides that Archet is no place for a Hobbit after all, and that she and Mundo will return at once to the Shire. She recommends that you stay in Archet and see to poor Amdir, and you agree. Little do you realize that your adventures are just beginning...