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The Road to Mordor: Baggins of Bag End
It's hard to believe that it's been 10 years to the month since The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring came out in movie theaters. It's even harder to process that Peter Jackson will be bringing us back to Middle-earth with the two Hobbit films starting a year from now. The Jackson trilogy, while beloved by many (including, I assume, gamers), hasn't gotten a lot of space in this column to date. The general consensus from the community is that the films and the MMO are separate interpretations of the same source material, and never the twain shall meet -- nevermind all the other LotR games, like War in the North. While that may be true, they do meet in the hearts of those who simply love this franchise. I adore the movies, am a huge fan of the game, and like (yes, just "like") the books. But I think that it's worthwhile to go to the films for LotRO players because they do give a different perspective and perhaps clarify a few plot points that shoot over our heads in-game. If nothing else, if the movies can revitalize our excitement about exploring the lands of Lord of the Rings Online, then they've done well by us. I mention all this because this past week saw the release of the first Hobbit trailer, which I must have watched a good dozen times, and it got me pumped up once more for this game world. In today's column, I want to use this trailer to springboard a discussion of how LotRO and the films share a common bond and how the Hobbit movies use many elements that Turbine's been working on for years now. Plus, a bonus Hobbit Tribute Tour!
Two more Dwarves take their places in the LotRO lorebook
The Lord of the Rings Online lorebook has had another two worthy additions over the last few days, with updates being added for Flosi the prospector and Dori, formerly one of Thorin Oakenshield's thirteen companions. Although not particularly famous in the Lord of the Rings lore, the name Flosi should ring a bell for many players, as he is located near the frequently visited Thorin's Hall. He is involved in some low level quests, and those wanting to find out a bit more about a familiar face can visit his new lorebook page.Dori will likely need less of an introduction for LotR fans, as he and his brothers Ori and Nori were involved in the adventures of one Bilbo Baggins -- often reluctantly, as the inexperienced Hobbit caused a fair bit of extra trouble for the party. In LotRO, he can be found at the Othrikar outpost in the North Downs, and players exploring this area may end up assisting him with his mission there. You can check out his newly added page at the lorebook.
Dwalin, Master of Thorin's Hall, enters the lorebook
Dwalin hardly needs an introduction, but it's good to see that the latest update to the Lord of the Rings Online lorebook is a page devoted to this famous Dwarf. He is currently the Master of Thorin's Hall, and since he is involved in many story lines, adventurers of all levels will likely have made the trip up the long stairs to his throne. He was first sent to Thorin's Hall by King Dáin Ironfoot to find out why the Master at the time had stopped paying tribute to Erebor, and ended up discovering an evil Dourhand scheme. He stayed on as the new Master, and continues to watch over the area. Of course, Dwalin will be remembered most as one of Thorin Oakenshield's party, along with his brother Balin and a few other notable companions. Take a look at the new lorebook entry to find out more about Dwalin, and some of the quests that he plays a part in.
One Shots: Now that's a talented Burglar!
We have to admit -- this Lord of the Rings Online screenshot took us a bit by surprise. Sure, everyone's heard about the famous burglar Bilbo Baggins, but I strongly suspect that even dear, old Bilbo wouldn't have been able to pull this particular job off. Today's One Shot comes to us from Shoukichi and portrays a "theft" most foul. You see, the poor Town Crier has been robbed of both his shoulders and feet by someone who was out to spoil the Spring Festival fun! Of course, the crier, being the stand-up guy he is, remains on the spot just carrying on with his duties as needed. But he certainly looks unhappy about his missing appendages! Do you have a strange, glitchy, off the wall screenshot you snapped? Perhaps you found an easter egg or a pop culture reference in your game that is just fabulously cool. Whatever your reason, gather up all your screens and send them in to us at oneshots@massively.com. This column is all about you, so jump on in and get your screenshots shown! (please no UI if possible!)%Gallery-9798%
Rally against the Dourhands of Sarnr
The Lord of the Rings Online site has been updated with a new area, the Dourhand dwelling of Sarnúr. After the Dourhands were driven from Thorin's Hall by the Longbeards, they came across the ruins of one of their ancestor's cities, gave it a new name and settled in there. Here they dwell, preparing for assaults on the Dwarves to the north and the Elves to the south.Sarnúr is a popular area to earn reputation with Thorin's Hall, with the Dourhands there commonly dropping reputation hand-in items. It is a higher level area, intended for mid to upper 40's, and there are some good grinding deeds there not only for the Dourhands, but also the beasts and Trolls that inhabit the ruined city. It's an easy dungeon to reach, just east of Noglond, with almost no high level mobs to run through to reach the entrance. Check out the new lorebook entry to find out more and use the interactive map that plots the area's location.
LotRO servers busy after Book 11 rolls out
While server populations remained relatively normal in the first hour or so after Book 11: Defenders of Eriador, rolled out today, this evening is painting quite a different picture. All of the servers are busy this-evening, and the Brandywine, Elendilmir, Silverlode and Landroval servers are particularly busy, with logon queues for would-be adventurers. The OOC and Advice channels are full of chatter and questions about the new Player housing. Where it is, how to get it, what it's all about. Comparatively few players seem to have checked out the Lorebook's Housing category, particularly there are helpful maps identifying the location of the four housing zones: Bree-lands Homesteads, The Shire Homesteads, Falathlorn Homesteads, and Thorin's Hall Homesteads. Each entry links to details about the features of each property in the Homestead group. Check out our Book 11 tips and Known issues, and take up arms against the Witch King!
