Denethor the Second, of the Tower of Guard, the twentieth-and-six

Steward of the High King of Gondor, Lord of the West, greets his faithful
vasalls and friends, his lordship Galatharion of Belfalas, and orgon!r,
Heredetar" #rince of ornan$
He gladl" welco%es thou on the northern &orders of the '%pire and is
%ost satis(ed with thour ti%el" arrival and &rave deeds which surel"
thou %ust have done on thour perilous )ourne" crossing the White
ountains$
He wishes thou good luc* on thour further )ourne" which is of the
ut%ost i%portance to the +uture of the Stoneland, and a&solutel" trusts
in the ccoperation of the #eople of Theoden, King of the ar*$ a" he
welco%e thou as is (t for thour station and e,uip thou with excellent
horses for the long )ourne"$
He urges thou again to ut%ost secrec" a&out the )ourne", that %a"
onl" &e violated in case thou have to trust in co%panions thou are
co%pletel" sure of in order to &ring the )ourne" to an end$ -e%e%&er
not to cross the Great -iver near Gondors ancient heartland$ .n the
Tower of Guard, there is great uncertaint" a&out the future, and the
court and o/cers %ust not &e distur&ed furher$ 0lso, the &attle for the
Star-1itadel is raging on the eastern side of the -iver, and %" Son
+ara%ir has onl" )ust &een a&le to defend the &ridge fro% new assaults
fro% the Blac* Land$
He warns thou of 'ne%" %ove%ents in the White ountains$ Great
hosts of 2rcs have swept fro% the ist" ountains into our northern
&orders$ He has also *nown a&out 'asterling %ove%ents in ancient D3r
-h4nen which is now Wilderland$ 't5el, the vile and savage King of the
0sdriag 6ation, holds swa" in the plains north of the Blac* Land$
+orunatel", he is still &eset &" his ancient rivals, the wild 7ariags of
Khand in the South, and the Wain-'asterlings, the Sagath, that invaded
our Land a thousand "ears ago$ These savage people can onl" &e
overco%e using their great superstitions against the%$
He warns thou further%ore, not to trust an" Wi5ards$ This holds true
%ost especiall" for the Gre" Wi5ard ithrandir, that has &een in
'cthelions Tower recentl" and has onl" collected *nowledge for his own
purposes, instead of activel" helping our +ight against Dar*ness, )ust as
it is %ostl" with Wi5ards$
Lastl", the Steward provides thou with what help he can to guide and
direct thou$ The 8ewel . send thou is enchanted with the +la%e of 0nor,
and can help thou once, and onl" once, if "ou are in dire need$ . pra" do
not use it if thou can avoid it, as it will attract our ene%ies$ ore
i%portant still, is what he sends "ou along with this Letter 9 this is a
parch%ent that the Blac* 'ne%" has sent to %e and that &ears his evil
sta%p$ 2n the parch%ent, thou shall (nd the exact location of the
%eeting point in 'sgaroth-upon-Long-La*e where thou shall %eet the
'ne%":s heralds$ 0lso, the Sta%p %ight serve thou as a %ar* of
diplo%atic authorit" in case "ou co%e upon leaders of the 'ne%":s
troops$ These should let "ou pass when the" see it, &ut do not trust too
deepl" in this treacherous to*en$
This writes Denethor, Steward of Gondor