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Turbine's Jeffrey Steefel on implementing LotRO's lore
Lore is something that can engross a person anywhere from several minutes to several hours. In the case of Lord of the Rings fans, it probably leans towards hours and hours. The core books written by Tolkien alone are quite exhaustive in detail.With Mines of Moria's release well behind us on the calendar, Kill Ten Rats interviewed Turbine's Jeffrey Steefel about how the expansion's team took Tolkien's lore and crafted it into what now exists within the game world. It's an enriching read for anybody interested in adapting lore into MMOs, or anything Lord of the Rings related in general.Of course, KTR and Steefel aren't the only Lord of the Rings Online fans addicted to extensive storytelling. We've got our own regular column dedicated to the very subject of all things lore related, with a huge focus on the virtual Middle-earth and its backstory.
Know Your LotRO Lore: Lothlorien
With Lord of the Rings Online's Volume II: Book 7 content releasing this month, it would only be fitting to spend this week's Know Your LotRO Lore catching you up on the land of Lothlórien. As discussed in our Turbine dev tour earlier this week, Lothlórien plays a key role in the Elven resistance against Sauron. Understanding its lore is crucial to appreciating how closely Turbine has re-created this area for us in the game.Follow with us through the link below to find out more on this Elven wonderland, and be sure to read through all of our previous Know Your LotRO Lore articles in preparation for your time in the game and the upcoming content.%Gallery-39552%
Know Your LotRO Lore: The Ents
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online."I am not going to tell you my name, not yet at any rate. For one thing it would take a long while: my name is growing all the time, and I've lived a very long, long time; so my name is like a story. Real names tell you the story of things they belong to in my language, in the Old Entish as you might say. It is a lovely language, but it takes a very long time saying anything in it, because we do not say anything in it, unless it is worth taking a long time to say, and to listen to. " - TreebeardThis quote from Tolkien's The Two Towers gives us just a glimpse into these fantastic creatures known as Ents. In this week's Know Your LotRO Lore, we're going to explore the "Shepherds of the Trees" a bit more and help you understand their importance in the grand scheme of Middle-earth. Follow along below for more on these curators of the copse, these guardians of the grove, these wardens of the woodland! Ok, I'll stop that now.
Know Your LotRO Lore: Gimli
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.In this week's Know Your LotRO Lore, we're exploring the life of our favorite quirky dwarf, Gimli. You know and love him from the movies as played by John Rhys-Davies, or perhaps his animated adaptation as voiced by David Buck in Ralph Bakshi's 1978 Lord of the Rings cartoon.Yet Gimli is a much deeper character than portrayed in Peter Jackson's movies or any cartoons. He is born of distant noble lineage and is the son of a main character in The Hobbit. His story is much more than that of a Dwarf accompanying some Men, Hobbits and an Elf through Middle-earth, for each member of the Fellowship has their own unique importance to the tale. Follow along below for more on the Dwarf known as Gimli.
Know Your LotRO Lore: The Valar
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.We're at a point in Know Your LotRO Lore where you may have developed a decent understanding of Middle-earth, if you've been following along regularly. As strange as it may sound, after describing the creations of the the Valar for so many weeks, it is now time to discuss the Valar themselves. We touched on their existence before, especially in relation to Gandalf and how he was created, but now we're going to explain things a bit deeper.But who are the Valar? Are they gods? Demi-gods? Angels? How were they created and who created them? These are all common questions that we'll explore in this article, yet we encourage participation in the comments for anyone who has their own interpretations of the Valar. Follow along after the cut for more on the Valar.
Know Your LotRO Lore: Orcs and Goblins
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.Probably the most predominant evil race in Middle-earth, the Orcs come in many shapes and sizes. Their origins are often debated, and their definition has actually been changed throughout the life of Tolkien's work. One thing is for certain though: Orcs are filled with hate, and lead miserable lives for the service of Sauron.They also evoke many unanswered questions from those new to the Tolkien scene. Did Tolkien invent the Orc? Are Orcs really just cursed Elves? Are goblins considered Orcs? What is an Uruk? Luckily for us lore buffs, there aren't simple yes or no answers to these questions. Follow along through this week's Know Your LotRO Lore to find out more answers to your Orc questions. Origins of Orcs >> %Gallery-39552%
Know Your LotRO Lore: The Race of Man
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.If you've been following along with Know Your LotRO Lore for the last few weeks, you're probably caught up with a basic understanding of how Middle-earth was created, and the origins of most of the Free Peoples. Now it's time to get educated on the race of Man in Middle-earth. Of course this term is not gender-specific, as it can refer to both male and female humankind.While not immortal like the Elves, the race of Man became vigorous throughout its time in Middle-earth, eventually leading to the great rise of Man in the Fourth Age. Follow along on our journey through the complete tale of the rise of Man, and why we are the ones who survived until present day. Origins of Man >> %Gallery-39552%
Know Your LotRO Lore: The Dwarves
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.In last week's Know Your LotRO Lore, we discussed the Elves and their origins in Tolkien's Middle-earth. This week we're going to continue along in that tradition by covering the Dwarven race, their origins and impact in Tolkien's works and Lord of the Rings Online.As with the Elves, Tolkien did not invent the Dwarf, but he did popularize and redefine the term, beginning with The Hobbit. The plural "dwarves" was also popularized by Tolkien, as it was more commonly known before that as "dwarfs", which now refers mainly to real people affected by dwarfism. This can get tricky when political correctness comes into play, but as it pertains to this article, we will focus purely on the mythical race. Follow along through the link below for more on Tolkien's Dwarves. Dwarven Origins >> %Gallery-39552%
Know Your LotRO Lore: The Elves
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.The Elf is possibly the most intricately-detailed race in all of J.R.R. Tolkien's works. He created their histories, bloodlines and origins throughout his entire life, from before The Hobbit to works published after his death. Did Tolkien invent Elves? No, but he did redefine them as they're portrayed today in modern fantasy settings. Mostly everything we see in WoW, Warhammer, and of course LotRO come from Tolkien's descriptions of the Germanic and Celtic mythological creatures. Follow along below on our journey through the origins and progression of Tolkien's Elves in Middle-earth and beyond. Elven Origins >> %Gallery-39552%
Know Your LotRO Lore: Gollum
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.In this week's installment of Know Your LotRO Lore, we're going to cover one of the most popular non-Fellowship characters throughout all of Tolkien's works: Gollum. Known for his certain unhealthy obsession with the "precious" One Ring, the true origins of Gollum are often unknown to all but the most studied of lore buffs. Follow along as we discover the very beginnings of the Gollum creature: how he began and what he became. As always, we'll also cover his role in Lord of the Rings Online, and we've included an extra special extension of that where we speculate on his progression throughout the future of the game. Smeagol >> %Gallery-39552%
Know Your LotRO Lore: Concerning Hobbits
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.Known as essentially the main characters of Tolkien's books, Hobbits are an interesting bunch that have been admired and copied in stories for generations. They are a race of small home-bodies that prefer a good meal, good ale and a nap to most other activities. In some circles variations are known as Halflings, Bobbits or Kender, but despite being a "branch" of the race of Man, these peaceful hole-dwellers have very distinctive features that set them apart from most others in Middle-earth.If you're curious about the origins and lore of the Hobbits both in the books and the game, follow along on our journey through the link below. We'll cover their migration to the Shire, their peculiar lifestyle, their interpretation in LotRO and even if Hobbits are real. Hobbit Origins >> %Gallery-39552%
Know Your LotRO Lore: The Nazgul
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.Chasing the four Hobbits through The Shire, Bree-land and eventually confronted on Weathertop for the first time, the Black Riders are a source of impending fear for all. Why are they there? Who sent them? What are they?They are the Nazgûl, the Ringwraiths, the Úlairi, the Black Riders or the Nine. They are undead Kings of Man who have been transformed by the curses of the Rings of Power to serve under Sauron's command. They do his bidding, and they are his most terrible servants.As was discussed in last week's Know Your LotRO Lore, this week's installment will be a continuation of the Ring Lore study and focus on the Nazgûl. We will detail the origins of these wraiths and how they're depicted in Lord of the Rings Online. Follow along through the link below to begin the journey into the world of the Black Riders. Nazgul Origins >> %Gallery-39552%
Know Your LotRO Lore: The Rings of Power
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.You may realize that the essential plot for the Lord of the Rings books has something to do with a ring, or at least we'd hope you do. Perhaps you know that there is this one ring that keeps making Hobbits invisible, and a bunch of Orcs want it really, really badly. But other than that, you're lost to the origins and impact that this ring has in relation to the grand scheme of things. Why does this big fiery eye in a tower keep twitching itself around whenever someone puts that thing on their finger? Why did Sean Bean want to kill that kid from Radio Flyer? And why isn't his name pronounced Seen Been? Or even Shawn Bawn? If these are questions you ask yourself while leveling your Legendary Halberd and skipping quest dialogue, we're here to help once again with this week's installment of Know Your LotRO Lore! Creation of the Rings >> %Gallery-39552%
Know Your LotRO Lore: Khazad-dum and the origins of Moria
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.Long ago, the Dwarves were numerous and mighty. This was an age when the Elves, Men and Dwarves lived in harmony, the mithril was plentiful and the Orcs were driven back to Sauron's lair. This was the end of the Second Age: the age of Khazad-dûm. To first understand Khazad-dûm, we must start at the very beginning.Early in the First Age, "long before the creation of the Sun and Moon," according to Tolkien, Durin "The Deathless" had awoken at Mount Gundabad, far to the north in the Misty Mountains. His growing clan of Longbeards eventually moved southward down the vales of Anduin, being driven out of Gundabad due to constant attacks from the Orcs of Morgoth. It was during this journey that he discovered "a glen of shadows between two great arms of the mountains." He followed a series of short waterfalls down into an oval lake, which he believed to have a magical quality. The glow of this lake and the reflection of stars in the water led Durin to believe it was a sign, and he went on to name it the Mirrormere. It is near this area where Durin chose to create his ultimate stronghold: The Dwarrowdelf, or Khazad-dûm in his native tongue.
Know Your LotRO Lore: The Watcher in the Water
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.With Mines of Moria releasing today, we thought we'd focus this week's Know Your LotRO Lore on one of the key monsters you'll encounter on your trip into the mines: The Watcher in the Water. This is the tentacled creature that lives in the dark pool of water, just outside of Hollin's Gate (aka Durin's Door). There are many theories as to the nature and origin of this creature, and most of it is either pure speculation or educated guess. In this article, we'll explain the creature's role in Tolkien's Lore, the many speculations of its purpose and how it pertains to Lord of the Rings Online and the first expansion, Mines of Moria. Follow along through the link below... and beware! Origins >> %Gallery-39552%
Know Your LotRO Lore: The story of Gandalf
Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.In this inaugural edition of Know Your LotRO Lore, we thought we'd kick it off with one of the most lore-tastic characters of all time: Gandalf. If you don't know Gandalf, you don't know Lord of the Rings. He's been an iconic figure throughout Tolkien's books, Jackson's movies, countless songs, works of art and prose.Originally, the name "Gandalf" was to be used for another of Tolkien's characters: a Dwarf who we now know as Thorin. Can you imagine Galdalf's Gate or Gandalf's Hall? What changed Tolkien's mind is the actual Old Norse meaning behind the name Gandalfr, which incorporates the words "gandr", meaning both "wand" and "magic", and "alfr", meaning "elf" or "mythical being". So quite literally, his name means "Elf of the Wand", although he technically resembles that of a Man, instead of an Elf. Gandalf's original name of "Bladorthin" was not entirely lost though, as Tolkien eventually used it to name an ancient king, later in the books.
