The Terrible Secret of the Salamanders  

'It happened like this: as one of the world's greatest lore-masters, I happened to be doing some research on the ruins of Tollobel. It seems the last owner was a great warrior, and he took a number of trophies from the Angmarim at the Battle of Fornost. These trophies included a pair of eggs....

'Such little eggs, too! Well, naturally, it was a challenge to see if they could be quickened after all these generations. You can imagine my pride when they hatched! Cute little salamanders, tiny little efts, they seemed. Truly learned lore-masters call them "efts," you know, and I encourage you to do the same! But these little efts just would not stop growing! And soon they began to grow hostile, and after that came the fire....

'The things breed so fast! I managed to pen the original dam and sire in a cellar in the ruins here. Since then, well, I've been trapped...I mean, I've been studying them. Yes! But now you've come. You can kill them! You're a hero, aren't you? Right! Here, take this key! Slay the dam and sire -- the other salamanders breed much more slowly. Now that you know the terrible secret of the salamanders, it's up to you to stop them! I truly recommend you do not go it alone...and no, do not look at me!'

Now that you have defeated Humfrey Rumming in his riddle-contest, he may at last be willing to tell you the terrible secret of the salamanders.

Objective 1
Defeat the Salamander-dam
Defeat the Salamander-sire

The two original salamanders can be found in the cellar of Tollobel, on Tyle Ruinen.

Objective 2
Bring Cellar Key back to Humfrey Rumming

Objective 3
Talk to Calatherdir

Having learned the origin of the salamanders and helped to slow their proliferation, you should return to Calatherdir to tell him the tale of your deeds.