When Celebrimbor gets a fleeting glimpse of his true, bedraggled self, he's quite alarmed. But, for now at least, he's happy to handwave any glitches in the Matrix away - a missing jewel here, a troubling reflection there - if it means more peace and quiet in which to work.
Adar has Eregion under siege, but its elves aren't his true target. That would be Sauron, who's using illusions to manipulate Celebrimbor in his workshop and old-fashioned lies to get the rest of Eregion to do his bidding.
The chaos and destruction going on outside intensifies, and the question of how to counterattack becomes moot after Adar knocks a chunk out of a mountain, damming the river.
From a vantage not too far away, Arondir looks on with concern, aware that these storylines are seemingly destined to converge.
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