The Warg of Budgeford

Bestowal dialogue

'Even apart from his masters in Angmar, this Warg, Laugfût, is too dangerous to remain unhindered in this land. He has certainly asserted himself as the leader of the local wolf-pack, which means he has become an even greater threat.

'You should gather allies and seek him out among his pack. Put an end to this threat as quickly as possible. When the deed is done, you should speak with the hobbit, Linda Bolger.

'Laugfût will be a dangerous foe, but he cannot be allowed to remain so close to so many peaceful hobbits. He has already brought great fear to this land, and it is only the beginning of the harm he may cause.'

Background

Orthir, the Elf encamped above Woodhall, revealed that the large wolf was, in fact, one of the great and evil Wargs of Angmar.

Objective 1

• Defeat Laugfût

Laugfût can be found among the wolf-pack in the ruins east of Budgeford, beyond Milo and Linda Bolger's farm.

Linda Bolger sent you to show the collar to the Elves at Woodhall. Orthir revealed the identity of the mysterious wolf -- Laugfût, a Warg of Angmar -- and asked you to confront and slay the Warg-chieftain.

Orthir: 'You will find Laugfût at the heart of his pack, east of the town of Budgeford. Whether he is still under the yoke of Angmar or not, he is too dangerous to remain in the Shire.'

Linda Bolger: 'You are going to slay the leader of those dreadful wolves? Good luck, <name> -- it won't be a moment too soon!'

Milo Bolger: 'That Elf called it a Warg, did you say? That sounds terribly unpleasant. You'd best be careful -- he's in those ruins, and he won't be happy to see you!'

Defeated Laugfût

Objective 2

• Talk to Linda Bolger

Linda Bolger is in Budgeford, on the road furthest down the hill.

Orthir told you to speak with Linda Bolger after you had slain Laugfût. Linda will be pleased to know that the threat of the Warg has been removed.

Milo Bolger: 'Capital job, <name>! You have struck a real blow against those no-good wolves, and one they won't soon forget! Hurry back to Budgeford and tell my Linda the good news. She'll be delighted!'

Orthir: 'You have done very well, my friend, for the Warg is no more. Whether its masters come looking for it need not concern us today. Concentrate for now on the good you have brought to this place.'

Linda Bolger: 'You slew that great, evil-looking wolf? That is wonderful! I hope you will accept this small token of my gratitude -- it's not much, but I am certain that you have saved Budgeford and the Shire from a terrible fate!'

The Secret of the Collar

Bestowal dialogue

'They say that Elves sometimes pass through the Shire on their way to the White Towers or to the Sea, or so the old tales go, if you care for such things.

'My husband says he spoke with an Elf camped in the forest near Woodhall, to the south-west. They say Elves know a lot about old writing and such. Perhaps, if my Milo wasn't seeing things that weren't there, that Elf might be able to read the letters. Woodhall is south of Budgeford, and the Elf was supposedly camped on the hill overlooking the town.

'I hope he'll be able to help. I don't mind saying that I'm simply terrified of the wolves.'

Background

You found a collar inscribed with runes you cannot read, apparently buried by the unusually large wolf Linda Bolger saw the night the wolves ran through Budgeford.

Objective 1

• Bring the rune-inscribed collar to the Elf near Woodhall

An Elf may be camped near Woodhall, south of Budgeford.

Linda Bolger was confounded by your discovery of a collar where she had seen the great wolf. She was unable to read the letters on the collar, but thought that perhaps the Elf Milo thought he saw might be able to decipher them.

Collected the Rune-Inscribed Collar

Linda Bolger: 'If Milo wasn't seeing things that weren't there, that Elf up at Woodhall might be able to read the letters on this collar. Why don't you go take a look there?'

Milo Bolger: 'Yes, I saw an Elf on the hill above Woodhall, south of Budgeford. I hear Elves know all about letters. This Elf-fellow may be able to help.'

Orthir: 'Welcome, <race>, I am Orthir of Rivendell. It is not often that I entertain guests at this place. What is this that you would have me examine?

'These are evil letters, my friend, but I will read them if it brings understanding. The runes inscribed on the collar identify this creature as a great chieftain of wolves, a Warg of Angmar named Laugfût.

'If Laugfût has broken free of his collar, it is likely he thinks to serve himself rather than his former masters. I do not doubt that the Warg was sent forth on some evil errand, but now it seeks to cause some evil on its own behalf.'

Howling at Midnight

Bestowal dialogue

'A few nights agone, we heard a great ruckus. There were wolves fighting among themselves out at the old ruins! Nary a hobbit dared stray out of their holes all night. Soon after the racket died down, a good number of wolves charged through the town -- right down the middle of the street, if you believe it -- and disappeared off to the west.

'My wife, Linda, was caught outside when the wolves came through. None of them so much as looked at her! If you go back to Budgeford and talk to Linda, she might be able to figure out what's going on. The town's just west of here.

'These wolves have got me worried something terrible...someone's likely to get et!'

Background

According to Milo Bolger, the wolves in the ruins were heard fighting among themselves one night. When the fighting ended, a large number of wolves ran through Budgeford, but did no harm to anyone.

Objective 1

• Talk to Linda Bolger

Linda Bolger is in Budgeford, on the road furthest down the hill.

Milo Bolger told you that his wife, Linda, had been caught outside when the wolves ran through Budgeford. He told you to go speak with her to learn more.

Milo Bolger: 'My wife, Linda, was in Budgeford when the wolves ran through. She'd be the best one to talk to about that.'

Linda Bolger: 'Milo told you about the wolves passing through Budgeford? I thought he might. Well, I was a short way out of town when I saw a huge wolf standing on a hilltop. It seemed to be digging in the soil of the hill with its great paws. Then it leaped down the hill and was gone.

'I started on my way home as fast as I could, but as I neared the edge of Budgeford, at least a dozen wolves came running right through the middle of town! I thought I was done for, but they just ran on, like I wasn't there at all!

'I think it might have something to do with the wolf I saw on the hilltop. It was the Yale-height, I'm sure of it. That's to the south-east of here, way down across Stock Road, not far northeast of Woodhall. The wolf was standing by the three pillars atop the hill. You might find something there.'

Objective 2

• Search the Yale-height

The Yale-height is a far distance south-east of Budgeford, beyond Stock Road, not far north-east of Woodhall. The hill is marked by three pillars atop its pinnacle.

Milo Bolger asked you to speak with his wife, Linda, about the strange encounter she had with the wolves in the middle of Budgeford. Linda did not have much more to reveal, other than to ask you to investigate the Yale-height, where she saw a large and evil-looking wolf digging in the soil on the night the wolves ran through Budgeford.

Linda Bolger: 'I saw that evil-looking wolf digging in the soil on a hilltop near here. You should see if you can discover what it was doing! The Yale-height is south-east of Budgeford, only a short distance north-east of Woodhall.'

Milo Bolger: 'My wife, Linda, saw something strange out on a hilltop the night the wolves ran through Budgeford. The Yale-height is south-east of Budgeford.'

Collected the Rune-Inscribed Collar

Objective 3

• Bring the Rune-inscribed Collar to Linda Bolger

Linda Bolger is in Budgeford, on the road furthest down the hill.

Linda Bolger sent you to investigate the Yale-height, where she claimed to have seen a great, evil-looking wolf digging in the ground. During your search you discovered a strange, rune-inscribed collar. You should take the collar to Linda and see if it means anything to her.

Milo Bolger: 'You found something on the hilltop? You should go tell my wife, Linda, in Budgeford at once!'

Linda Bolger: 'You found this in the dirt on that hilltop? This is a collar, <name>! Who could possibly be strong enough to put a collar on a wolf like the one I saw that night, much less want to? And how strong must the wolf been to remove it?

'I can't read the letters that are inscribed on the collar, but they sure look unpleasant to me.'

A Taste for Pork

Bestowal dialogue

'Things are not good in Budgeford, <name>. A pack of wolves has made its way into the Shire, and there's talk that there might be more on the way. I'm worried that my farm will soon be attacked, but more than that -- all Shire-folk are threatened by the presence of these wolves.

'And I saw...well, it's probably not important. Nevermind.

'Anyway, I came into town looking for help, but you should go talk with my husband, Milo, back at our farm. Just head up the hill and cut east across the fields until you see our farm. Milo will probably be out behind the house, keeping an eye on the nearby ruins where the wolves have holed up.'

Background

Linda Bolger of Budgeford is worried about a pack of wolves that have invaded the Shire and fears her pig farm will soon be attacked.

Objective 1

• Talk to Milo Bolger

Milo Bolger is at a farm east of Budgeford, keeping an eye on the wolves in the nearby ruins.

Linda Bolger came to Budgeford looking for someone to help with the wolf problem. She has asked you to speak with her husband, Milo.

Linda Bolger: 'My husband, Milo, is at our farm, up the hill and east of Budgeford, keepin an eye on the wolves. I know he'd appreciate your help.'

Milo Bolger: 'Any help is welcome, <name>, and I think we're going to need it. We hobbits of Budgeford aren't well-suited to dealing with wolves, and the thought of wolves again in the Shire is enough to freeze my blood as solid as the Brandywine during the Fell Winter.

'If you can thin the pack a bit, we might have a better chance of keeping them away from the town. You'll find them in those ruins out east of our farm.

'I hope you can manage it, friend -- there are a lot of pigs and hobbits in Budgeford, and I'm afraid these wolves would love to have either or both for dinner!'

Objective 2

• Defeat wolves (0/8)

The wolves can be found east of Milo and Linda Bolger's farm, among the ruins.

Linda Bolger sent you to speak with her husband, Milo, in regards to the wolves that have entered the Shire. Milo asked you to thin the pack before they can become a greater threat.

Linda Bolger: 'Wolves have invaded the Marish! I hope you can do something about them.'

Milo Bolger: 'The wolves here are a real threat to not only Budgeford, but the rest of the Shire as well! The more of these evil beasts you can kill off, the better.'

Objective 3

• Talk to Milo Bolger

Milo Bolger is keeping an eye on the wolves east of Budgeford.

Milo will be pleased to hear that you have reduced the number of wolves the hobbits of Budgeford will need to deal with.

Milo Bolger: 'Very good, <name>, very good! You have been a tremendous help. There's something queer about these wolves, and I've only begun to fill in the pieces.'