The Puzzle-vault

Bestowal dialogue

'Finally! It's working.... I think.

'I'm going to have to stay here to care for this machine. You go open the vault! It's quite a distance away -- on the other side of Thorin's Hall -- here, to the north and up the stairs. The chains and cables run all through the walls -- a real work of art!

'Make sure you get the order of the levers right, or you'll have to come back here so I can reset the gears. Perhaps those clues you found in the boxes will help with the order.'

Background

Now that you have assembled all the gears, it is time to open the vault.

You found these clues etched in the faces of the gears:

The axe bites deep before first light of the sun.

The sun rises after the moon has set.

A jewel may be found in the light of the sun.

Jewels are only found after much hard work.

Before all else, the silvery light of the moon can be seen.

Objective 1

• Pull the first lever

The vault is across Thorin's Hall to the north and up the stairs.

Pull the vault levers in the right sequence. If you make a mistake, go back to Bávor Redstone to reset the gears.

Bávor: 'Make certain to consult the riddles. We must be certain to get the levers pulled in the correct sequence. Oh, this is very exciting!'

Click!

Objective 2

• Pull the second lever

The vault is across Thorin's Hall to the north and up the stairs.

Pull the vault levers in the right sequence. If you make a mistake, go back to Bávor Redstone to reset the gears.

Click!

Objective 3

• Pull the third lever

The vault is across Thorin's Hall to the north and up the stairs.

Pull the vault levers in the right sequence. If you make a mistake, go back to Bávor Redstone to reset the gears.

Click!

Objective 4

• Pull the fourth lever

The vault is across Thorin's Hall to the north and up the stairs.

Pull the vault levers in the right sequence. If you make a mistake, go back to Bávor Redstone to reset the gears.

Click! Click! Click! Click! The vault has unlocked

Objective 5

• Collect the contents of the puzzle-vault

Bávor Redstone is back on the far side of Thorin's Hall to the south.

Now that you have solved the riddle of the puzzle-vault, you should collect the treasure and bring it back to Bávor Redstone.

Bávor: 'Please don't tell me there was nothing in the vault!'

You take a large crude black rock from the vault

• Bring the contents of the puzzle-vault to Bávor Redstone

Bávor: 'This was in the vault? This?

Bávor stares incredulously at the black rock. 'Amazing! Fantastic! Incredible!

'Listen, no one knew just what was sealed in that vault! This is one of the greatest of all the treasures of the Dwarves!

'Oh, I know it doesn't look like much, but the story goes that Durin himself hewed this from Gundabad, the mountain where he first awoke! It's the first chunk of ore ever mined by the father of our line! This is the most ancient artifact of the Dwarves and serves as a symbol of our heritage. You have unearthed a true treasure with all your hard work, and you deserve all our thanks.'

The Fifth Gear

Bestowal dialogue

'This wretched gear won't fit. I'm guessing the fifth gear goes here, and the fourth atop it. Blast! Such art is lost, yet I must make it work! Ah well, I am keeping you from your labours with my complaining.

'The fifth missing gear was placed in a chest hidden in the woods in eastern Haudh Lin, north and east of Kheledûl. However, a brood of vicious spiders have made the place their lair.

'It will be a challenge to find the chest without running afoul of the vile creatures.'

Background

Bávor is an artificer tasked with repairing the great lock which opens access to the fabled Vault of the Mountain.

Objective 1

• Find the missing fifth gear

The fifth gear is in a chest in a spider lair north and east of Kheledûl in eastern Haudh Lin.

Bávor has asked you to recover the fifth and final gear from a terrible spider-lair.

Bávor: 'The fifth missing gear was place in a chest hidden in the woods in eastern Haudh Lin, north and east of Kheledûl. However, a brood of vicious spiders have made the place their lair.

'It will be a challenge to find the chest without running afoul of the vile creatures.'

Found the missing fifth gear

Objective 2

• Bring the fifth gear to Bávor

Bávor is in Thorin's Hall.

Bávor will be pleased to see you have recovered the fifth and final gear.

Bávor: 'Wonderful! This is the last of the missing pieces! Everything should fit together now...I hope....'

The Fourth Gear

Bestowal dialogue

'The fourth missing gear is going to be a...a bit of a problem. You see, it was kept here in Thorin's Halls, and the confounded Dourhands took it when they left, as they were forever trying to get into that vault while they were here.

'From what I understand, the fourth gear is in a chest in Kheledûl, the last town the Dourhands still control. Kheledûl is on the river east of Gondamon.

'I'm not sure exactly where you'll find the gear, but I would not be surprised if it was well-guarded, as the Dourhands know very well that it is essential for getting into the Vault.'

Background

Bávor is an artificer tasked with repairing the great lock which opens access to the fabled Vault of the Mountain.

Objective 1

• Find the missing fourth gear

The fourth gear is in a chest at the Dourhand port of Kheledûl, east of Gondamon.

Bávor has asked you to recover the fourth missing gear from the Dourhands of Kheledûl.

Bávor: 'From what I understand, the fourth gear is in a chest in Kheledûl, the last town the Dourhands still control. Kheledûl is on the river east of Gondamon.'

Found the missing fourth gear

Objective 2

• Bring the fourth gear to Bávor

Bávor is in Thorin's Hall, far to the north-west of Kheledûl.

Bávor will be pleased to see you have recovered the fourth gear.

Bávor: 'Well done! I'll have this fitted in a moment. Get in there! Fit, blast you! Ow! My thumb!

'Well, I'll have it in soon. There's only one gear left to go.'

The Third Gear

Bestowal dialogue

'I'm not sure yet how that second gear fits into this contraption, but that is not your concern. I need you to get out there and find that third gear.

'The third missing gear was placed in a chest hidden in Emyn Hoedh, the old barrows of the Edain in Haudh Lin, north-east of Gondamon. I'm not sure exactly where it is, but it's said to be in the ruins of an ancient crypt.

'Be wary, though! I've heard rumour that barrow-wights roam those lands.'

Background

Bávor is an artificer tasked with repairing the great lock which opens access to the fabled Vault of the Mountain.

Objective 1

• Find the missing third gear

The third gear is in a chest in the ruins of an ancient crypt in Emyn Hoedh, the barrow-mounds in Haudh Lin, north-east of Gondamon.

Bávor has asked you to recover the third missing gear for the Vault of the Mountain. He warned you of rumours regarding the presence of barrow-wights amongst the old mounds.

Bávor: 'The third missing gear was placed in a chest hidden in Emyn Hoedh, the old barrows of the Edain in Haudh Lin, north-east of Gondamon. I'm not sure exactly where it is, but it's said to be in the ruins of an ancient crypt.'

Found the missing third gear

Objective 2

• Bring the third gear to Bávor

Bávor is in Thorin's Hall.

Bávor will be pleased to begin working with the third gear.

Bávor: 'This gear fit too easily. I wonder if I made a mistake? Ah well, no matter. There are two more gears to find.'

The Second Gear

Bestowal dialogue

'That first gear has seen better days, but it's not beyond repair. I'll get to work on that, while you look for the second gear.

'According to the old records, the second gear was hidden in a chest in some old ruins to the south in the Vale of Thráin. The ruins are on the west side of the vale, off the road and across the Vale from Noglond. The records indicate that the chest is on the south side of the ruins.

'One thing you should be aware of, though, is that goblins have overrun those ruins. Be careful.'

Background

Bávor is an artificer tasked with repairing the great lock which opens access to the fabled Vault of the Mountain.

Objective 1

• Find the missing second gear

The chest containing the second gear can be found on the south side of the goblin-infested ruins in the Vale of Thráin, south of Thorin's Halls and west of Noglond.

Bávor discovered the location of the second gear and has sent you to search for it, while he repairs the first gear.

Bávor: 'According to the old records, the second gear was hidden in a chest in some old ruins to the south in the vale of Thráin. The ruins are on the west side of the vale, off the road and across the Vale from Noglond. The records indicate that the chest is on the south side of the ruins.'

Found the missing second gear

Objective 2

• Bring the second gear to Bávor

Bávor is in Thorin's Hall.

Bávor will be pleased to begin working with the second gear.

Bávor: 'Aye! This is it! Wait...does this actually fit anywhere? How about there? Ah, I'll work it out eventually. For now, we must find the other gears!'

The First Gear

Bestowal dialogue

'Greetings! I wonder if you could lend me a hand? I have been trying to repair this device, which opens access to the old Vault of the Mountain, but some key pieces, ancient gears, were removed and scattered long ago to prevent the Dourhands getting their grubby hands on the vault treasure.

'Now that we have finally ousted the Dourhands from Thorin's Hall, it is time to open the Vault, but first this device must be repaired. Old Sindri Winchmaster, the artificer who made this, had skill far beyond mine, so I'll need the actual pieces that were lost to have any hope of getting it to work again.

'They say the first missing gear was hidden somewhere in an old cave in the Winterheight, up the path south-east from Thorin's Hall. You will probably find it in a chest somewhere in the cave. There's a trick to the chest, by the way, you have to press in at the corners to open it....'

Background

Bávor is an artificer tasked with repairing the great lock which opens access to the fabled Vault of the Mountain.

Objective 1

• Find the first gear

The first missing gear is in a cave in the Winterheight, south-east of Thorin's Hall.

Bávor has asked you to help reassemble the dwarf-built device which opens the Vault.

Bávor: 'They say the first missing gear was hidden somewhere in an old cave in the Winterheight, up the path south-east from Thorin's Hall. You will probably find it in a chest somewhere in the cave. There's a trick to the chest, by the way, you have to press in at the corners to open it….'

Found the first gear

Objective 2

• Bring the gear to Bávor

Bávor is in Thorin's Hall.

Bávor will be pleased to see you have acquired the first gear.

Bávor: 'Ha! This looks like the gear! It goes here...or maybe here....

'No matter. I'll work it out given time, I'm sure of it!'