'I see... so you were sent by a dwarf from the Blue Mountains, were you? Perhaps it is the long years alone here, but I believe you. Now, allow me to tell you a tale.

'Long ago, the first Halmur Stoneshaper, son of Vithurr, was charged with guarding the treasures here. He stood sentry day and night, maintaining his post even on days of feasting. Yet he let his guard drop, only once, and a vile dwarf, Hjortur Dourhand, slipped in and stole a single ingot of dwarf-gold. Having failed in his duty, Halmur swore that he and his sons would keep vigil over the remaining gold until that ingot was returned. I am but one in a long line of Halmurs who have kept his oath.

'If you return the stolen ingot, the oath will be fulfilled. The strongbox will then be yours to return to the dwarf who sent you. I cannot say, though, where to find Hjortur, although the legends of Halmur's failure tells that Hjortur fled with his gold to Orod Laden. Perhaps there you will be able to find the gold.'