The following story can be experienced the starting the quest "Book 2, Chapter 7: Radagast the Brown" at the Forsaken Inn in the Lone-lands.

Music Accompaniment: Lord of the Rings Online - Ruins of Old

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Further Reading: Garth Agarwen

and the hobbits arrived at theon the border of the. They had made great haste through theaspain worsened. They had passed the great ruins ofbut had little time to marvel at the structure now bereft of much of it's beauty. The hobbits had waited for Strider as he scouted the bridge for enemies. Upon his return, he produced a single pale-green jewel. ‘I found it in the mud in the middle of the Bridge,’ he said. ‘It is a beryl, an elf-stone. Whether it was set there, or let fall by chance, I cannot say; but it brings hope to me. I will take it as a sign that we may pass the Bridge; but beyond that I dare not keep to the Road, without some clearer token.’The heroes had arrived at. The ruins of a once greatcity gave a glimpse to what once had been a beautiful city of Men. The heroes were greeted by, theElder, as they entered the city. Frederic was eternally grateful for the aid the heroes had provided to his people in reclaiming their lands. However, Orcs and Goblins were only the beginning of their problems..., a young, had recently visited, the swamps to the north-east, and had reclaimed an ancient relic lying out upon one of the ruins. However, there was something different in the swamp that day, something stirred and frightened the girl.told the heroes of the relic she had found and the distressing dreams she had since. Hana had begun to hear the swamp sing to her during the night of blood and death. Hana revealed to the heroes of her encounter with a river-maiden on the day she found the relic. She was draped in vines and tattered robes and smiled beautifully before she cringed and shook the water apart and drove them from the swamp.After hearingtale, the heroes ascended the central tower whereawaited. The heroes told the wizard of all they had experienced since they had first arrived at. Unfortunately, Radagast had not seenorin some time and his attention had been entirely focused on the evil thehad encountered., mainly concerned with the well-being of the plant and animal worlds, sent the heroes toto investigate the corruption that had befallen the creatures within it. The water in Haragmar had a blood-red hue and the animals looked sickly and feral. More concerning, however, were the undead that wandered the swamp.confirmed the taint that spread across the bog was due to the Wights that now inhabited it. Gaunt-lords fromwere likely responsible but thehad long since driven the necromancers from Middle-earth. Their return was a dire signal of the enemies growing influence.The heroes made for, a ruin across, where they encountered gaunt-lords summoning armies of undead. The heroes brought an end to the necromancers to stem the evil they were amassing. The gaunt-lords each held a sigil whichconfirmed was of. The wizard pondered why Ivar had traveled so far fromand what drew him to the swamp. To answer this question, the heroes made for, withinto the south, who knew the history of the Lone-lands better than any of thebelieved the knowledge they sought was held by the dead. A shade haunted the ruins ofwhere Aric resided who could shed light to what was occurring in. The shade spoke of his history and of the evils he had committed. In ages past, he and his men ignored the evils that began to infiltrate the land they had sworn to protect. He spoke of the, who now served, and ofcurse that doomed his people to wander forever.Thehad been a lady of the river. The blood that was spilled over years of war had turned her rivers red and corrupted her very being.likely sought to harness her power for his own. With Ivar's plot laid bare, the heroes return towhere they learned of two youngwho had made for the Red Swamp to bring down the power behind the threat facing their people.and the heroes made for the, which led to, the Red Swamp. The wild had turned against them as even the trees sought to hinder their passage. They encountered a shade who told of his master’s turn to evil. Believing the shades could be useful in their fight, the heroes sought the shade's master to free the shade’s from their duty.Withdead, the shades turned to fulfill their ancient oath. With renewed vigor, they stormed the gates of. There,and the heroes foundandwith their company, who had taken refuge atop a set of ruins.told of the forcecommanded. Wights, the Woods, even the Water itself rose against them. The shades and thecontinue to hold the wights at bay whileand the heroes confrontedat the gates ofstood against. Before the wizard could smite the necromancer, Ivar retreated into. With Ivar weakened, Radagast and theretreated to the ruins of, where they prepared for their siege ofto defeat Ivar the Blood-hand and to cleanse the Red-maid.left the fight againstto the heroes and. He was needed elsewhere and had lingered too long in the.The heroes prepared for their greatest battle yet...