By: Martuk

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Chapter 1: Hidden in Shadow
Quest Level: 49

After the completion of Book 6 and your new immunity to instant death from the watching-stones, Corunir will assign you a new task. You will need to make for a small dwarvish city in the far southeast of Malenhad called Gabilshathûr. There you will need to seek out a Ranger named Braigiar.

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The Ranger Braigiar will tell you of Angmar's growing power and the loss of his kindred at the gates of Carn-dum. He ask you to search for a hidden outpost of his kindred located in the far north of Angmar called Gath Forthnír and aid his kindred in whatever ways you can. I have included its location on the map.The city is located to the right of the R in Himbar on the map. Once you arrive, head to the eastern room in Gath Forthnír and speak with Lorniel.

Chapter 2: Crossing the Shadow
Quest Level: 50

Lorniel wants your help in freeing her father from Carn-dum, but in order to breach the gates of the stronghold you will need some help. There is a sympathetic hillman named Raghnall offering to provide information on how you can enter Carn-dum, but you will need to meet him just south of Bail Cátharnakh located southwest of Gath Forthnír. I have included this location on the map as well. Be careful when traveling this area. there are a lot of Iron Crowns and some are elite.Once you have spoken with him and retrieved the scroll, return to Lorniel.

Chapter 3: Opening the Way
Quest Level: 50

The scroll you received from Raghnall was written in the Black Speech. Lorniel was unable to translate it, but she knows someone who might can. Take the scroll to the elf Laerdan who also resides in Gath Forthnír and see if he might be able to translate the language of the enemy.

Once you speak to Laerdan he will not be able to entirely translate the message, but he holds hopes it will tell of a way to breech Carn-dum's gates. He will instruct you to take the scroll to Lord Elrond of Rivendale. Elrond is located in the Last Homely House in the eastern section of Rivendale. Travel there and show him the scroll.

Chapter 4: Dwarf Mastery
Quest Level: 50

Elrond will confirm what Laerdan had hoped. The scroll does indeed hold contain information on how to breech the gates of Carn-dum by use of a special made key. One that will require Mithril. Unfortunately, we don't have any Mithril so Elrond suggest you seek out the Dwarves of Thorin's hall as they know best the secrets of Mithril. Head to Thorin's hall and seek out Lord Dwalin. He is located on the throne inside Thorin's hall. To reach him run past the statue at the entrance and keep strait.

Chapter 5: What Is Needed
Quest Level: 50

Dwalin will confirm that the Dwarves can forge the key, but there are some needed items they don't have such as a mold and Mithril. You will need to gather these items for Dwalin before the key can be forged. Dwalin will tell you where these items can be found.

Bilbo gave a Mithril ingot to the proprietor of the Mathom-house in Michel Delving. Speak with him and you will receive the Mithril ingot.

Jon Brackenbrook of Archet has found a key among the bodies of the Blackwolds that assaulted Archet. This key can be used as a mold.

Now that you have the two needed items return to Dwalin.

Reward:

Balanin

Chapter 6: Thrór's Hammer
Quest Level: 50

When you return to Dwalin you will learn there is one final component needed to forge the key. To work with Mithril they need a special hammer. The hammer belonged to Thror, Thorin's grandfather. It is the only hammer the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains have capable of forging the Mithril, but the Dourhand's have placed it in the tomb of Skorgrim as an insult to the Longbeards. You will need to head east through the ruins of Edhelion and enter Skorgrim's tomb to reclaim the hammer from a Wight that has laid claim to it. You may want to take a few friends along for this one. I did manage to solo it as a 49 Guardian. It does require very careful maneuvering to solo this area, but it can be done.

Once you have reclaimed the hammer, return to Dwalin to complete the forging of the key.

Rewards:

Drake-biter

Dwalin's Shield

Faerdamil's Bane

Goluamath

Chapter 7: The Key Forged
Quest Level: 50

When you return to Dwalin he will have his blacksmith Litli forge the key for you. With the key now complete you will need to return to Gath Forthnír and speak with Lorniel.

Chapter 8: The Gates of Carn Dûm
Quest Level: 50

This last part is the final instance and you will need some help. Gather a strong and skilled group of allies along with a Guardian, Minstrel, and Lore-master if possible. the Lore-masters ability to aid with crowd control and the Guardians ability to maintain aggro and mitigate damage will be very useful in here. When you are ready speak with Lorniel to enter the instance. Once inside take a moment to prepare and buff before you speak with Lorniel again to start.

You will need to escort Lorniel at the beginning and make sure she doesn't fall. If she does you will fail. While you move through the area you will be assaulted by multiple enemies at the time most of which are Elite and around level 50. The way i handled this and it was effective is to have your Guardian or whoever is tanking draw aggro with his skills and allow the Lore-master to mez what they can. Everyone should assist the main assist and focus your attacks, but avoid area of effects so you don't scatter the aggro and break the Lore-master's attempt at maintaining crowd control. Stay with direct damage skills and you can take down the enemies one at a time.

Once you have advanced in a bit Lorniel will break from the group and wait by a gate while you head around to open it. For the time being you will not have to worry about her for a few minutes. Make your way around the corner just to the right of the gate. Slay the trolls and anything else that gets in your way using the same fighting strategy I suggested earlier. Once you make it to the gate you will see Lorniel still waiting. Once its opened resume your guarding duty of her. She will search the bodies of some fallen foes, but that will trigger an ambush, but these will go down pretty quick.

You will head down a little further and once you see what looks like an alter with several men worshipping around it you are near the end. This last push is a bit brutal so assisting and crowd control is a must. You will be attacked by several enemies at once including a giant. this more than ever is where the Lore-master can shine so make sure everyone is on assist and not spamming Area of effect attacks. Focus your efforts and let the tank keep aggro. Once you have taken care of all the men enemies, turn your attention to the really large giant. Everyone but the tank should be behind the giant to avoid getting knocked around. Once the giant is down make your way to the gate just northwest of your location. This is where the final battle will be fought.

The final battle will be fought against Mordirith a level 52 Elite Master. This will be a long battle, but if fought correctly it isn't to hard. Have your tank spin Mordirith so that his back is to the rest of the group. Pretty much all you need to do is dish out all the damage you can and let the tank keep aggro while the Minstrel keeps him healed. Chances are you will run low on power through the fight unless you have other means of gaining it, but the fight while long is not as bad as the preceding fight with the rush near the fountain with the giant. Stand your ground and once Mordirith is near death he will flee the battle.

Return to Gath Forthnír and speak with Golodir to collect your reward.

Fixed Item:

Gates of Carn Dûm Key

Rewards:

Faercharab

Faerchar

Faerthol

Gaelnin

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