Letter
Recovered by the Company in the ruins near the South Downs
To Maery Noakes, of Bree-town
If this reaches you, it means the stone held long enough, and my guess about the cairn’s cache was right.
I know I should have come home. I meant to. I meant to bring something worth the years I spent chasing half-maps and waystone tales. I didn’t think I’d find what I did—men who once walked with kings, and stood beside Dwarves when roads were still safe and names were still sung.
They left no riches, Maery. Just stories. A few pieces of truth buried in dust, and this pendant—they called it the Token of the Bound Hearth. Said it was once given to a family in Bree who fed a wounded Ranger in the snow.
They kept that Ranger alive. He went on to command the men here, long after his name passed into legend. One of them traced the tale back—said the family name was Noakes.
I don’t know if it’s true. But it seemed worth writing down.
If the pendant still shines, maybe it means something. If it doesn’t—well, at least I tried. If you find this, keep it. Or pass it on to little Eddic, if he’s still got that curious streak.
I never stopped thinking of the Hill and your kitchen.
Love always,
Tomli Button
In-Game Usage
Found at Barad Celen during Whispers in the Stone