Epic Finale
Song of Waves and Wind
Prelude: Like before, you can complete the entire Epic if you have access to Gondor Renewed quest pack, Corsairs of Umbar expansion, Beneath the Surface quest pack, Legacy of Morgoth expansion, or Kingdoms of Harad expansion. The additional regional content in Crown of Hamat quest pack did not include any new chapters and therefore is not included. Strangely, the expansion page is marketed with "Fully-Voiced Storytelling" as one of the features, but the 2,300 lines of new voice-over barely covers the first line from each character during important events. You'll really notice the missing dialogue whenever minor characters have something to say, especially in Chapter 15 of the Epic.
Kingdoms of Harad: Where we last left off in the Epic was Legacy of Morgoth covering Chapters 10 through 13. If you haven't learned by now, the place you are supposed to be to start the new content is the exact same place you started the last three times: Jaith outside the Meeting-hall of Dar Laja, in Umbar. You start Chapter 14 by hearing people discuss rumors about a new wizard in town, but unbeknownst to them that figure that supposedly drops gold coins wherever he walks is the old man sitting on a bench just outside the marketplace. Inkanush as he goes by in the south, aka Gandalf in the west aka Mithrandir in the north, has a quick conversation with you before a commotion from Shâra Mizâdi at the gate breaks loose. Curiously, Hármelak the Golden Queen makes an appearance and brings their expected guests in for an important discussion.
"Can we not fight one battle at a time?" - Khôltekh
Cúridwan Chase: With the assistance of Glorfindel, you seek out the woman who crafted a salve that helped fight against the Lâg Dávrit in the Emerald Wood. When you arrived at the Kintai grove of Vartúlin in Imhûlar, there were other matters to attend to disrupting the peace. The Utugi advanced southward with the orcs and invaded Cúridwan's dwelling behind the vines. Usakar the Hermit, along with his bog-lurker that curiously wears his favorite hat, informs us that she had other plans in the lands of Adagim.
"Is that bog-lurker wearing a hat?" - Glorfindel
Adagim: The land down south was in worse shape with the Rot invading every living thing from spiders to trees. Even Tûl Ama where Amûma, the giant holm-oak referenced as the Old Mother in tale and song, is dying from the affliction. You encounter many elves tackling this problem in your travels and bump into Corudan at Sul Madásh. When you finally meet with Cúridwan, she reveals that she too was sent by the Valar with the task to aid the people of Middle-Earth in a similar fashion as Inkanush. You have a moment with Sigileth on the dock as you learn that not all elves are excluded to join their brethren in the distant land. She wants to find the Väiri that was once Silirtas and tell her to head to the Undying Lands. There was a very common bug experienced during the A Shared Mission instance that had me running to the entrance and back again to alleviate.
"She is a Wizard, as you are." - Glorfindel
Kighân: Chapter 15 has you following the road west to meet up with the others. If you aren't careful, enemies can be extremely difficult at this point in the Epic with some being marked for group quests with level 154 signatures. You must deal with the contention of the locals as Mizâdi's army loses their composure taking what resources they can as they graze through the land. A Kintai by the name of Ulishár helps guide you into the city of Zajana the City of Keys named by the Council of Three, previously known as Jaghan the City of Gates and Jajan when the Ordkah seized the city. While there, you join the audience to watch a theatrical entertainment performed by Têrkar's Travellers, a troupe to which Ulishár is indebted in rescuing him out of the enemy mines. Fun Fact: If you speak with Jêsamin as a hobbit, she will have additional dialogue including whether you are going to join the group. It quickly becomes apparent that Inkanûsh is not amused by his portrayal during the event. Oddly enough, the developers managed to include the ability to properly /sit in the wooden chairs a few months after release. You handle a couple of confrontations as you recover some lost coins from the troupe and meet with the wizard at the library. There's some material you find there about Urash-zal, Din of Stone that drained all the water in the land.
"For three days and nights, the Wizard stared at the gate, willing it to open." - Satagêra
An Shêru: Also known as the Height of the Sky, the land to the west immediately reveals its dangers when the signs on the road point you directly into the hands of some brigand camps. At the ancient abandoned necropolis of Gadim-ûn, your friends there are assigned different tasks to tackle that caused many refugees to hide in this once desolate boneyard. These include rerouting the bandits in the region, learning more about the gathering of Emax Dul from the nearby encampment above the settlement, solving the riddle of why some Ordâkh have gone mad, and helping a friend cross a dry bed with creatures nearby. The Temámir of Jiret-menêsh also welcome your presence but not until after you provide them a gift of strength by defeating some nearby worms or bugs.
Idagâl: You pay a short visit in the fourth region sometime later in Chapter 16 of the Epic. Rahâzi gives you history lesson by the dragon-bones in The Dry-whelm. There's a number of wayfarers on a pilgrimage that tell you more about the giant Dawn-warden statue to the far west side. But what surprises you the most is how fortified the ancient fortress of Emax Dûl is to the south. The troupe comes up with an idea to rearrange their heavily politicized play to sneak you inside. You are given a copy to prepare (you don't have to memorize it) and a choice of mumak (pointing at the young ones just gives you a notice to go bigger). Once inside, you pop into a hallway when the audience is distracted with the mumak and discover some letters about a number of ships being built. Once the play is over, you hide in the Tememir's waggon with Rahazi that is scheduled to visit this hidden harbour.
Fearwater: In Chapter 17, there is a secret fifth region hidden north of Adagim. At this point on, there are banners scattered about that will take you back if you wish to proceed with the Epic at a later time. What you find here is beyond belief. No, it isn't that Corudan and Sigilith followed you there. An entire fleet of ships being led by Nakási Wave-reaper, equipped with the stockpile of Hungry Fire from Ashâgir, is just about ready to leave and invade Gondor. Playing through this section in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm made the experience much more dramatic. There are a number of optional quests you can obtain on your way to the fortress in an attempt to disrupt their plans. You can tear down the weapons of the fleet, have the orcs and corsairs fight each other, and destroy important documents. Make note that some of the parchments and documents can only be read when you click on Show History in your Quest Log. Curidwan even comes up with a plan to use the blight to eat away at the hulls of the ships. Unfortunately, there are way too many, and some of the ships slip by to make their way to Umbar. You can see them in the water as you evade the fire from their cannons.
"Balakhâd! Command your ships to sail!" - Nakási
The Resistance: While you are able to warn the people of Umbar of the incoming ships, their leaders seemed to have already been informed of the plan. Harmalek instructs the guards to let the fleet pass and Khotlek was the one that supplied them with the blue fire. Jajax and you are both seized and sent to the gaol. Daxamat find a hiding place and coordinates with a number of trusted characters you encountered on your adventures - Biruk, Itur, Phelex, and Khasa. Rothag and his gladiators managed to obtain some weapons from the arena. Even the little girl Tephesa will help aid you regardless of your response to her question. Tatháta helps by offering her ship Sotóka at the hidden harbour to chase after the fleet.
"Will you swear to destroy the ships and their masters?" - Tephísa
Harlond: When you reach the docks of Gondor, the buildings are already set ablaze. King Elessar informs you that five ships managed to reach Harlond. Nakasi captains the largest of these, two were crewed by Haradrim soldiers, and orcs aboard another. Although he only speculates in the moment that the fifth ship is lead by Balakhad, son of Balakhor the Scourge, you later find this to be true as you navigate through the burning buildings. When you return, King Elessar was stabbed by Aphadaer, the groomer of horses you encountered in the very first chapter of the Epic. The wound was shallow in his haste to prove himself to the Heirs of Castamir, and his life was forfeit from the very one he remained loyal to for not being able to finish the job. As for the Kindred of the Coin that remained loyal to you, a trap of blue flame burned Belondor's life out of him and scorched a good portion of Rothog's body. Your force ultimately claims victory for Gondor after slaying Balakhad and Nakasi.
"The ancient Elves... they will kill us all!" - Balakhâd, Son of Balakhôr
Epilogue: If you manage to complete all the chapters in the Epic, a final opportunity to hear what happened to all the characters in story opens up. You meet Ghad Imgheda, translated as "The Kindred Redeemed", at Dâr Rapha, the small amphitheater outside the city walls of Umbar Baharbêl. They consist of two original members, the widow of a third, the warden in charge of the harbour, a dwarf that represents for the Temámir, and a corsair sailor who led Ilma-gholi, or the rising tide of the rebellion. You also see how Khotlek betrayed Harmalek by leading her down to the waggons in the tunnels under the city. Whether you personally choose to stand your ground or concede does not matter. The guards will take you regardless. Corudan survives his encounter, Sigileth makes her peace with Silirtas, and Caebar gives you only one choice of seven different sketches of the original Kindred of the Coin members you can hang up in your house.
"There is a place for you, Silirtas, if you wish to seek it out!" - Sigileth