Talion wasn't sure what Tyelpë was going to have for him the next time he logged on, though he couldn't deny he was extremely curious about it. He had already said he wasn't a bowyer, and despite being a made-up world controlled by an AI, Lord of the Rings still followed a lot of real-world rules, one of which was you couldn't become a master of a completely new skill overnight.

Still, despite his curiosity, he didn't let it distract him from his actual job during the week. He patrolled with his team and kept watch for intruders, keeping the area secure; far from an exciting job, but it was an important one. Even though most of the actual manufacturing still took place back home, the metal mines there had long since run dry - but not on the frontier, where they were vulnerable to sabotage from the rebellion. It fell to him and his team to protect the area and keep the civilians safe and secure.

And at the end of the week, he was able to take a few hours off and travel to a nearby town, linking up to their high-speed internet and logging on to Lord of the Rings.

He was early again, but he waited until Ioreth logged on to go visit Tyelpë.

The elf was sharpening one of several daggers when they came to see him, but he set them aside with a smile when he spotted them. "Talion, Ioreth, welcome back. Come, come. I have your weapons upstairs; I didn't want any of the more light-fingered adventurers to get any ideas."

He tucked the daggers away and led them up to his living quarters above the forge. The place wasn't bare, exactly, but it was obvious he spent more time working fire and metal below than anything else.

Talion knew Ioreth was thinking the same thing he was when they exchanged glances. Tyelpë may only have been an extension of the AI running the game, but he seemed real enough to them that they couldn't just leave him with only this spartan room and a bunch of new adventurers whose faces changed every few weeks - or sooner.

The elf went to one knee next to the bed - the only thing in the room that seemed to have had any real money spent on it - and pulled out a longsword and a metal staff, which he then handed to them.

Urfael (Unique): Forged together with Ithildin from the metal of a meteorite, Urfael has been imbued with magic by the elven smith Tyelpë. This sword's abilities will grow and change as it is used. When Urfael's wielder is in the same party as Ithildin's wielder, Urfael's chances of dealing a critical hit increase by 5% per weapon level, to a maximum of 50%. Additional Properties: This sword is Unbreakable. This sword is Soulbound to you. This sword is an Evolving Item.

"Tyelpë, this is magnificent," Ioreth said, sounding just as awestruck as Talion felt. He shot a glance at the staff she'd been given.

Ithildin (Unique): Forged together with Urfael from the metal of a meteorite, Ithildin has been imbued with magic by the elven smith Tyelpë. This staff's abilities will grow and change as it is used. When Ithildin's wielder is in the same party as Urfael's wielder, mana cost for spells decreases by 5% per weapon level, to a maximum of 50%. Additional Properties: This staff is Unbreakable. This staff is Soulbound to you. This staff is an Evolving Item.

"Seconded," said the Ranger, "wholeheartedly."

Ioreth nodded and said, "But surely this is too much for simply returning your bow?"

"Also seconded."

Tyelpë laughed softly. "Perhaps it would be - if you were not the first of dozens to actually do so. They took one look at Azkâr and decided they would rather have it than whatever else I might offer - even weapons such as these, which will grow with you and adapt to your styles." He shrugged, then smirked a little. "And I won't deny that I'll get a little bit of vindictive pleasure knowing that there are those out there who will look on Urfael and Ithildin and see what they might have had, had they not been greedy or selfish."

Ioreth inclined her head to hide her smile. "Fair enough."

They returned to the forge downstairs. "We're going to be venturing out into the rest of Eriador soon," Talion said as the smith resumed work on the daggers, "Is there anything you'd like us to bring back for you?"

The elf looked up from the blades, but his hands moved as sure as ever as he sharpened them. "You don't have to do that-"

"Tyelpë," Ioreth said gently, "You're our friend. You said you were from Eregion; if there's anything you want from back home, you need only ask."

He thought for a moment. "Well, there is one thing, actually. You don't have to go tearing across the fields right this instant, but… Despite being known as Hollin - the Land of Holly - in Westron, Eregion was also known for its elderberry trees - and elderberry wine. I know the recipe, but when I try to make it with locally-grown berries, it's not the same."

"The magic of the elves has saturated the land," said Ioreth.

"That is my thought as well," the elf replied with a smile and a nod, "If by chance you could bring some Eregion elderberries here, I'd be glad to share their wine with you - though I warn you now, it will be strong compared to what you're used to."

New Quest Received! On Cloud Wine: Bring Tyelpë 800 elderberries. Reward: Elven Elderberry Wine, improved relationship with Tyelpë. This quest is repeatable, though rewards may change.

"When we pass through Eregion, we'll definitely bring you some," Talion told him.

"'On Cloud Wine'?" Ioreth said with a grin as they headed out of Bree and into the Wild, "Someone has a sense of humor. Do you think it's the developers or the AI?"

"Why not both?"

"Why not both indeed. What are you reading about?"

"Evolving Items," Talion answered, only briefly looking up from the appendices, "What Tyelpë gave us, it's - see for yourself."

Evolving Items are weapons or armor that grow and change as they are used, becoming more powerful and attuned to their wielders. A mage's staff may decrease the mana cost of their favorite spells - or even an entire school - and a fighter's weapons may become faster in their hands, deal more damage, or require less stamina for power attacks. Evolving Items may also take on magical effects, such as increasing health, dealing elemental damage (lightning, fire, etc.), or increasing the effectiveness of potions or spells. The possibilities are endless.

Your Evolving Items: 1. Urfael, Level 1. Use this weapon in battle to develop its abilities.

"...Wow."

"Yeah." Talion closed his appendices, and the tome vanished from his hands. "That, and they're unbreakable and will grow with us as we play, effectively meaning we never need to buy any other weapons for as long as we play. Tyelpë's given us quite the gift."

"Well then. Shall we get started?"

There were survivors of Arnor among the Rangers, though it took a few side quests for them to learn who; the Ranger known as Strider was Aragorn, son of Arathorn and Heir of Isildur, the first king of Arnor. The Ranger encouraged them to go to the library in Rivendell if they wanted to learn more of the land's history, and Baranor agreed. "Maybe there'll be some new spells for us there, or quest books, or tutors for new abilities," he said as they followed the road east.

"Here's hoping," Dirhael agreed.

By rights Talion should have been at the front of the party, scouting ahead and watching for danger, but they were just one of half a dozen parties on the road to the elvenhome. If there was danger, it wasn't likely that it would attack so many adventurers at once, especially since the player in the lead was almost level 30.

But of all the people traveling to Rivendell - or Imladris, in one of the elven dialects - Talion very much doubted the other adventurers were carrying a letter from the Chieftain of the Dunedain, saying that they had the makings of Friends of the West if the Lord of Rivendell, Elrond, carerd to test them.

"It's going to be a while before we see Tyelpë again," Ioreth said from where she was walking next to her husband, using Ithildin as a walking stick.

"Maybe."

"'Maybe'?"

"You remember that arch that we passed every time we left town?"

"The one that you were examining so intently just now?"

Talion nodded, "When I actually went to take a look at it, pulled off some of the vines and brush covering it, there were these engravings all over it. I think it used to be a portal for some kind of fast-travel system. You and Baranor are our mages; if we can find the spells to get it up and running again…"

"We can come back whenever we want," Ioreth finished, a smile blossoming on her face, "as long as it's from another lodestone. But that means we'll have to find the others."

New Quest Received! Fast-Travelin' Around: Locate and activate fast-travel lodestones. Reward: 50 gold, 500 XP per lodestone discovery; 500 gold, 2000 XP per lodestone activation. Lodestones Discovered: 1; Lodestones Activated: 0.

Received 50 gold, 500 XP.

Both of them jumped at the notification that popped up, then swiped it away. "I wonder how many there are and where they go," Ioreth said absently, already calling up her appendices, "I don't remember seeing a list anywhere."

"We may have to find them the hard way," Talion agreed, "but I can't imagine that there would be one in the middle of the wilderness - at least, not for no reason. Most likely they're all in cities and towns, or other places of significance, wherever that might be."

"If we can find a lodestone in Eregion, it'll make it easier to bring Tyelpë his elderberries, that's for sure."

"Amen to that. I mean, I would have hauled them back to Bree anyway, but at least this way they'll be fresher." Talion kept facing forward, but he still saw Ioreth grinning widely out of the corner of his eye.

"I probably could have whipped up a preservation spell of some kind," she said slyly, "I'm no wizard, but I still can use magic. I wonder if that would affect the flavor?"

"Well now we won't need to find out."

Elrond did indeed have quests for them, to prove their worthiness not just to him but also to the other members of the "White Council", whatever that was. But they weren't expected to set out right away, which gave Ioreth, Dirhael, and Baranor time to check the library for spells and quest books, while Talion and Idril went searching for the fast-travel lodestone.

He found it in a disused courtyard on one of the lower tiers. The garden around it was well-kept but obviously not frequented often, and Talion walked slowly over the worn stone path to the platform, where he stepped up and put a hand on the arch at the center.

Received 50 gold, 500 XP.

Congratulations! You have reached Level 11! You have 3 Character Points to spend.

"I had wondered what you sought."

Talion started and turned. It was Lord Elrond, hands clasped behind his back. He walked through the garden to stand next to the Man. "I understand why the transport platform in Bree has fallen into disrepair," the Ranger said to him, "It's a hub of trade, but only a few people who live there have access to magic, and fewer still any skill to maintain these." He gestured to the arch. "Why then is yours inactive?"

"Danger elsewhere in the web," the elf lord replied, face turning grim, "The passes aren't the only things held by the enemy."

"If you left them open, Sauron and Morgoth could have brother their armies through, behind your defenses," Talion finished.

Elrond nodded. "They almost did, when Númenor fell into darkness," he said, "but the last true queen, Tar Míriel, sacrificed her life to shut it all down before they could do so. We haven't dared bring any of them back up since, for fear of what might await us on the other side."

The Man inclined his head. "You are a lord, and must do whatever you think is best for your people. But would you object to us reopening the gate to Bree?"

The elf hummed in thought. "No, I would not object. At the time I understood why Tar Míriel disrupted the entire network; there were only a few places that were safe and a great deal more that were too dangerous for even the Istari to travel to, and she had not the time to be selective. But now that there are adventurers arriving in great numbers and growing in strength… perhaps it's time. But for the others…"

"I think we can only activate portals to lodestones that we've found," said Talion, running a hand over the stonework, "but even if that weren't true, I wouldn't just throw open every gateway willy-nilly. That's just asking for trouble; who knows what's on the other side?"

"Indeed."

By the time Talion found the others again, they had scoured Elrond's library and discovered a number of quests and more than two dozen spells, which Baranor had cheerfully copied into his spellbook. Ioreth had just memorized the ones relevant to clerics and added a few to her action bar before passing the books and scrolls along.

She rose to greet the Ranger when he entered. "We found the spell for the fast-travel platforms," she said after they shared a brief kiss, "Any luck on your end?"

He told her where the platform was and saw her swipe away the notification for it. Then she handed him a small stack of books and two scrolls. "They're classified as druid spells," she said, "and you're basically a druid lite; we thought it was worth a try."

He took them with a grimace but settled in to study while the spellcasters (including Dirhael) went to the platform for gold, then to the market for ingredients. Reopening the portal wasn't going to be cheap.

Some of the spells were useless for him because they corresponded to specific Druid Paths, but the others were worth their weight in gold - especially Pass Without Trace. That would actually let him work as the party's scout and would help make up for the lack of a rogue in their group. And Create Food and Water - he couldn't make nearly as much as a proper spellcaster, but it was better than losing their health, mana, and stamina regen out in the wilderness. The spell description said it would be bland, though; Talion briefly wondered if there were any spices down in the market that could liven things up, then wondered if it would be worth it to try.

'Something for another time.' He stood and stretched when the others returned, then pointedly gave Ioreth an overly affectionate greeting to make her laugh and their children groan. "Find everything you were looking for?"

"We did indeed," she answered with a grin, and showed him an array of ingredients." We're going to need you to side in on the casting, though, but all you need to do is contribute mana; let us worry about the rest."

As their tanks and the people with the greatest amount of health, Idril and Dirhael were the first ones through the portal, just in case there was something waiting for them on the other side. There wasn't, but it never hurt to be cautious. The archway in Rivendell took them to a massive platform of arches high on a lonely peak somewhere deep in an unknown mountain range, the clouds a blanket of white below them. There was nothing and no one there but them, save for the skeleton of what must have been Tar Míriel, trapped on the central lodestone when she closed all the portals. They brought her remains back through to Rivendell, where Elrond promised to see her laid to rest properly.

Once they were back on the central lodestone, they found the arch that led to Bree and opened that portal, too. This time Talion was the first one through, and pulled Urfael from its sheath to hack away at the branches covering the lodestone, blocking the path out of the arch. Idril and Dirhael came through close behind to help, cutting up the vines and grass and even bushes growing close to the lodestone, making a path back to the main road. Some other adventurers noticed and came to help, but unfortunately the newbies couldn't head to Rivendell right through the portal; they had to actually travel to the elven city before they could unlock it as a fast travel location on the lodestone.

Lodestones Activated: 2. Received 1000 gold, 4000 XP.

Talion exchanged a glance with Ioreth when she stepped through. Then the elf cleric said, "Dirhael, you have proficiency with heavy armor, right? Did you want to see if Tyelpë can make plate for you while we're in the area?"

"Or even just some mail or light plate. Your leathers are starting to look more like tassels than armor, and if you're gonna help me tank…" Idril trailed off.

The elven smith was happy to see them all, and once Dirhael was presented to him, he had the teen measured and suited up in under fifteen minutes. "This is just a standard set, nothing special," said the elf, buckling the last few straps, "I can make you a custom set if you'd like, though it will be more expensive than this one. But what I really think you should do is seek out the dwarves of Khazad-dûm to the east and south. Their mines there are one of only two places in all of Arda that produce the metal we Eldar call mithril, silver steel or true-silver as it's known to Men. Armor made from it is tougher than anything I could offer you of ordinary steel, even if it came from the hands of the legendary Fëanor himself. But it is beyond costly; if you wish to avoid selling your soul into bondage for it, you should strive to become a Dwarf-Friend. The road will not be easy, but I think you will find they can be quite generous to those who are true to them."

He stepped back and handed Dirhael a new shield, plain but still finely made.

New Quest Received! See a Man about a Dwarf: Reach the dwarven nation of Khazad-dûm. Reward: 1 gold, 50 XP.

It seemed they had all received the quest, because Baranor snorted loudly, and Idril started laughing under her breath.

"What? What is it?" Tyelpë asked, looking confused, though it seemed like there was a glint of mischievous humor in his eye. It was probably just a trick of the light.

Talion waved him off, then checked the time in the real world. He didn't have too much longer before his session ended, so he said, "It's almost time for you to close up, right? Come get drinks with us, and we can tell you about our trip to Rivendell."

The elf smiled. "I am quite eager to hear news of my kin," he said, "and also how you returned to Bree so quickly."

Ioreth grinned at him. "It's quite the tale."

Tyelpë was glad to hear that they'd had some luck with the Dúnedain, and also about the reopening of the portal to Rivendell. "Our greatest defense against the predations of Morgoth and his servants is unity," the elf said to them, "I understand why Tar Míriel did what she did to shut down the network, but that has made it all the harder. All the kingdoms have been separated for a long time, and travel between them made treacherous by the Dark Lords' servants."

"Well hopefully that'll start to change now that we're all here to help."

They didn't see Tyelpë again for their next several sessions, working hard to complete their quests for Elrond and be counted amongst the Friends of the West. One of their final quests involved journeying south to Eregion with a message for the lord there, one 'Celebrimbor' of the House of Fëanor.

It was also the perfect time to get Tyelpë his elderberries. "We'll do that on the way out," Ioreth said to Talion as they passed through the main gates of the city, which was itself not far from Khazad-dûm as the crow flew, "not that it'll make much of a difference. Hopefully this 'Celebrimbor' will let us reopen the portal to the main lodestone."

But Celebrimbor was nowhere to be found. The council that ruled the city in his place, the 'Gwaith-i-Mírdain', said that the Ringmaker had been missing for years, and gave them leave to reopen the portal so they could consult with Lord Elrond about what to do and where to find their lord.

New Quest Received! The Ringmaker: Find Celebrimbor of Eregion. Reward: 100,000 gold, 1,000,000 XP. This questline can only be completed by one player, party, and/or clan in the ENTIRE game.

The whole party almost choked when they saw the reward for the quest. One hundred thousand gold was enough to buy them a castle as their player home, and a million experience points would take them up to at least level 50, if not higher. "Gods, we've got to do that one next," Dirhael gasped.

"But based on the reward, it's going to be one of the hardest quests available in this region," Talion said grimly, "if not the entire game. He will not be easy to find. Baranor, anything in the appendices?"

"Nothing," the wizard answered, scowling and flipping through the tome, "not even a picture. I'll check the 'net and talk to Serka after we log off, but LotR's new enough that there might not be anything to find."

"But if we received the quest, that means no one else has completed it, so we still have a chance," Idril added hopefully.

"Agreed."

"Dad, wait! Where are you going?"

"To talk to these 'Gwaith-i-Mírdain'," he called back to them even as Ioreth fell into step next to him, "If we want to find their lord, it might help to learn what we can about his disappearance."

Eventually, the Jewelsmiths were able to direct them to Celebrimbor's former manservant, Lávaron, and one of the guardsmen, Cethon, who had been the last people to see him before he vanished.

"Perhaps Lord Celebrimbor wasn't as skilled as his legendary grandfather," his manservant said over drinks, "but he was a far better leader."

"Even as an elf a thousand years grown, Fëanor was known for being brash, prideful - some would say arrogant-"

"Some?!"

"-impulsive," Cethon continued without pause, "sometimes cruel, even to his own family, if his exacting standards weren't met. Lord Celebrimbor may have been of his bloodline, but he was exactly none of those things. Of course, that was what got him into trouble."

"Not as gifted a craftsman as Fëanor, but gifted enough," Lávaron agreed grimly, "Celebrimbor found a way to make Rings of Power."

"What, like enchanting?" Dirhael asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Enchanted rings are kin to the Rings of Power in the same way that candles are kin to the Sun," the elf answered, "Their power is entire orders of magnitude greater, far deeper and more potent. If all the Ringbearers had come together as he intended… perhaps things would have been different, but as it is…" He shook his head sadly.

"Sauron learned of the Rings," said the guardsman, "and sought the means to make his own, to dominate all the others. He came to our lands in a disguise so strong that not even the keenest gaze could pierce it. At that point our lord had only made the Three, and, all of us thinking Annatar-" He nearly spat the name, "came from the Valar to lend strength to the working, he permitted Sauron to aid in the creation of the Seven to the dwarves - for seven is a powerful number to them - and the Nine to Men - for in those days there were nine kingdoms of Men in Arda, some greater, some lesser. He meant for all to stand together against the Enemies, the Black Foe and his Servant…"

"...but we were all of us deceived." Lávaron shook his head again. "Sauron tainted the Seven and the Nine even as they were made, and then stole away to forge his One Ring to rule them all."

"Those who bore the elven Three warned us the moment he put on his Ring," said Cethon, "and Lord Celebrimbor sought to destroy the tainted rings, but we were attacked before he could do so."

"He came for the Seven and the Nine," said Talion.

Lávaron nodded. "Celebrimbor was wounded almost to death trying to stop him, and only the arrival of the bearers of the Three - Lord Elrond, Lady Galadriel, and then High King Gil-Galad - prevented him from being slain. He was a long time healing of the wounds Sauron dealt, time Sauron used to give out the tainted Rings. The dwarves are as steadfast as stone and not easily bent to Sauron's will; they were little changed by the Seven, save their lust for gold was greatly increased. But the Men… became the Nine Nazgûl, the Ringwraiths who serve the Dark Lord of Mordor. By the time Lord Celebrimbor recovered it was already done… and then he was gone."

"I can't say I blame him," the guardsman grunted, "He had barely risen from his sickbed before lords and nobles of all stripes were beating a path to his door, demanding Rings of their own! And-" He glanced around, then leaned in and lowered his voice. "The Jewelsmiths were hardly better. More subtle, perhaps, but while I was guarding him during his recovery, when they visited, they would often speak of what a travesty it would be if he perished before passing along the art of Ringmaking, and wouldn't it be easier to fill all these requests if there was more than one person working on them?" He sat back with a sneer, and Lávaron muttered something foul into his glass, scowling.

"Were you on duty the night he vanished?" Ioreth asked.

"Aye, I was," Cethon answered, "but in the hall outside the door. I saw nothing, heard nothing, suspected nothing… unil Lávaron came with breakfast the next morning and we found him gone."

"And you're sure he's not dead?"

"Lord Elrond has confirmed that he isn't," Lávaron answered, "He carries Vilya, the Ring of Air, and apparently some echo of Lord Celebrimbor remains within. The Ringbearers can distantly sense his lifeforce, and that was what made them fly ahead of their armies when Sauron came; they felt him falter, start to die. He lives… but where is anyone's guess."