Chronicled in Duillond in Ered Luin of Eriador,
On this the 42nd day of Rhîw in the Year 3018 of the Third Age.
Glad am I to be back home in Duillond, upon the tranquil shore of the Lhûn whose slow course passes here through Falathlorn, and thence past Celondim to Mithlond and the Great Sea. And while during the hours of daylight I am to be found with Master Curubrannon at the forge in Celondim, ever broadening my knowledge of smith-lore ere I am ready to smelt my precious piece of star-iron, at the setting of Anor I return to Duillond to converse with the pengolodh Isferon, or retire into the Scholar's Enclave to continue my research of ancient and esoteric lore within the muted silence that it affords for study undisturbed; and here I scribe manuscripts in solitude for my developing library at my home in Laerodhris, or such work written at the behest of others.
However, at minuial today my seclusion was disrupted by the arrival of a Hadhod who introduced himself as Lothinn Longbeard, a novice scholar from the nearby Dwarven hold of Gondamon; and he brought a request from Ráthorm, an Edhel loremaster who abides there, for certain scrolls of lore known to be held within the Enclave. However he was hastening on to Celondim with a similar request for Thavroniel, the scholar there, and thus bade me to kindly bear my package to Ráthorm forthwith.
And so it was that sunrise this morn found me riding swiftly upon a horse from Colchyl's stable towards a destination that hitherto never had I been, and I was not without great curiosity to see the dwelling-place of the Nogothrim. It is not a long ride and I arrived ere midday and soon found she whom I sought. By good fortune, or so it came to pass, with her I found a Hadhod with a well-kempt beard deep in conversation. Todsi son of Bodsi he is named, and when I had delivered my package we fell to talking.
He is not of Gondamon, but far-off Erebor in Rhovanion, of which I know little but some history of the Battle of Five Armies nigh eight decades past, and is engaged as a guard for a caravan of traders to Ered Luin. To my delight, he is also a blacksmith, and in exchange for a compiled history of Thorin's Halls in the north, he agreed to share with me some Dwarven smith-lore to complement my studies with Master Curubrannon! This is indeed a boon, for Dwarves were taught unique skills by their maker, the Vala Aulë (whom they themselves call Mahal), and thus they are unrivaled in some arts even by the Elves.
Now I am not ungrateful for the opportunity to learn from Master Curubrannon, and it is indeed fascinating, but my progress has hitherto been as slow as that of the Lhûn; for the foundation of this craft is the smelting and refining of ore and infusing the molten metal with the fëa of the maker, and thus have I spent many long hours. But soon shall I begin true forging, for Curubrannon deems me ready for what he calls "essays in the craft", that is the making of various small daggers to hone my skill in preparation for sword-craft.
Todsi seeks also a history of Erebor and knowledge about dragons, neither of which is contained in the library of the Enclave. However, the course of his return journey along the Great East Road takes him to Cirith Forn en Andrath over the Hithaeglir, and thus passes nigh Imladris hidden in the foothills below the pass; and it came to my mind that the Library of Elrond should surely hold such lore, and that perhaps I might accompany Todsi's caravan of merchants and travel with it as far as the House of Elrond. My new friend readily agreed to this, although he knows not when the journey shall commence.
Now long have I desired to see the Last Homely House East of the Sea, but it lies nigh six hundred leagues distant from Duillond which is a journey of four enquier on foot. Therefore on the morrow shall I call upon Colchyl the Stable-master and together we can find me an agreeable mount, for I assume the Dwarven traders will not be walking home to Erebor!
But now night is drawing nigh and I must prepare my parchment on the history of Thorin's Halls.
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