In My Absence...

Hey guys,

Sorry for not posting the past few months. There is just so many ideas that you can get with the existing armour pieces in LOTRO at the moment, but I still have hope for the future with new expansions etc. Right now, we're blessed to have the Anniversary Festival giving an amazing new cosmetic armour set to barter as well as a different version of that as a deed or quest reward, so do look forward to fashion blogs coming back to take advantage of that!

Also, I'll be beginning my education at the Berklee College of Music toward the end of May, and I will be officially taking a break from LOTRO to focus on my studies. I will come on every now and then to check up and see what's been going on, maybe look at new outfits and hopefully make some new ones. But as far as I'm concerned, I won't be playing proper for 3-4 years, not counting holidays (which, if I'm being honest, will be spent with friends and working most of the time, so no promises!)

But I hope this doesn't leave any outfit lovers empty as I see Nathrien of Material Middle-earth is coming back for her monthly posts, so do check her out! She's the reason I'm doing all this, if I'm being honest haha!

With that, I'd like to thank everyone who has taken the time to check my outfits out whenever you have, and I'd like to leave you with a very fond see-you-again-soon, no farewell. Happy outfitting!

Captain Crook

Another shoot by this bridge with a hobbit... Ideally I'd have taken pictures of this outfit in Dol Amroth, but this toon isn't getting there any time soon, let's face it, folks. I'm already not enjoying the burglar class and it would just be hell to put her (and myself) through Moria and Mirkwood just for this.

I actually think she looks stunning in this outfit. I love it a lot, honestly. Also, I love how the blue and red go together when normally it's a little bit hard. Most of the reason I guess is that it's steel blue and not something like Evendim blue; that just looks a bit like a Power Ranger - yes, I've tried.

I think my favourite piece in the outfit are the gloves because they're a piece of armour that I never saw myself using ever. I mean, look at it. It's hideous! Of course, I feel incredibly lucky having found a great place to put them. That's what I enjoy with these outfits, I guess: putting pieces that I don't normally like to look at in my outfits and making them work.

I also enjoyed the shoulder pads, though they seem more versatile than the gloves, But let's talk about things that aren't as versatile for now, like the hat. I think I was lucky to find it on the Auction House because, again, let's face it, I'm not gonna play through the pirate event. There's just not that many interesting-to-me prizes to be won, so I usually just skip it. I'm thankful this outfit turned out as well as it did, as it'll be one of Brina's last.

Head: Feathered Felt Hat (white)

Shoulders: Dwarf Leather Shoulderguards of Determination (sienna);

Back: Dusty Seafarer's Cloak (red);

Chest: Ceremonial Town-saver's Jacket (steel blue);

Hands: Leather Gauntlets of Vigour (steel blue);

Legs: Leggings of the Coastal Bulwark (steel blue);

Feet: Ceremonial Boots of the Graven Word (umber).

Flame of Fornost

Eadyth, now bearing the title of the Flame of Fornost, confronts the Wraith of Water Megoriath single-handed. Will her quiver be enough to rid Fornost of the Witch King's legacy?

I'd like to begin by saying that this outfit went through numerous helm changes, and that I guess the reason I went with this one was because the tip looks like an arrow. It used to be a rose-dyed Worn Ranger's Hood, which works too, but at the last minute I felt like using a helm that I normally wouldn't because of how goofy it may look.

The whole idea behind this outfit was "raids" I guess, despite never actually having run any before at the time of this outfit's creation, so the idea to me was something like "12 players killing a dragon" or something. Of course I knew about the Filikul and Watcher raids but I guess I thought maybe level 105 raids were more fantastical (like other MMORPGs would be, I guess), and that's how I went about designing this.

The chest piece is actually from the Ox-clan Merchant Camp, where I hoarded all the pieces I thought looked cool, but for the longest time, because of how naturally dark it was, this piece stayed in the vaults. Dyeing it rose was a good way to get around that, I feel. The rest of the outfit, though, are just skirmish camp barter items (save the helm and quiver of course).

Head: Thick Iron Helm (turquoise);

Shoulders: Shoulders of the Well-warden (turquoise);

Back: Spring Adventurer's Quiver (turquoise);

Chest: The Huntsman's Jacket (rose);

Hands: Ceremonial Dragon Scale Gloves (turquoise);

Feet: Ceremonial Boots of the Gloom Bane (turquoise).

Savage Strikes

As his final battle, his last stand, Eadhan charges into the goblin-overrun desolation of Minas Eriol to serve his fellow free peoples one last time.

A sorry sight to see a once great land taken by vile creatures. Eadhan dresses in a savage's garb adorned by one sturdy and intimidating helm before charging against the White Hand's pawns.

Without mercy, he cuts them down one by one with the blades of the east, pinning evil against evil in a sadistic irony. After each kill he taunts the rest of the horde by shaking his fist at them, growling for a challenge to feed his bloodlust.

"Come at me!" he beckons at the White Hand Lobbers as they sneer and hiss at him, lighting their flames to consume him with. But Eadhan knows no fear in the eyes of fire, as goblin fire is nothing compared to the dragon breath he has faced in yesteryears.

After finally defeating much of the horde, they call for reinforcements from Weathertop. Eadhan knows he cannot alone defy them, and he lays down his swords, knowing he has done much to hinder them and thin their numbers - he has served Middle-earth well, and it is now time for him to take his final breaths and meet his fallen brothers in the afterlife. He takes one more look to the sky, then...

Head: Heroic Noble's Vibrant Helm (indigo);

Back: Supple Eastement Cloak of Will (turquoise);

Chest: Langhár’s Tunic and Waistcoat (turqoise);

Feet: (indigo).

P.s. I deleted this toon before I rememebr I needed to get the components listed down, so I'll update it whenever I find out what the pieces are, but if you have any idea do feel free to comment them down. Also, I am quite (80%) certain that either the cloak or the chestpiece is of dark green dye instead of turquoise, so feel free to try that out.


Do check out Warlock of Erech by The Starrymantle, as that's where most of the inspiration for this outfit came from!

Interior Imp

You'd think that Brina had all the treasure any Tookish Hobbit could dream of, but then you'd be wrong as she was last spotted robbing the kinship house belonging to the Elves of the Wood!

Not expecting much from a humble home in the Bree-lands, Brina knocks nonchalantly on the door and makes sure no one is home to catch her on her little raid, before using that little dagger on her arm to pick the locked door open. To her surprise, the floor is literally littered in gold that clinks and clanks whenever she takes a step. What a gold mine!

Of course, this find calls for a celebration which she has on her own at the expense of the Elves of the Wood. She never has to worry too much about being caught however, for her dark-toned outfit allows her to blend much easier into the dark walls and crevasses - as though her skills as a burglar weren't enough.

Inside the home, this impish thief is in awe by the many trophies from past battles with legendary foes on display. She wonders how much she could vendor those shiny blades for, as she is certain they're way too big for her to lug around into battle if ever she needed to.

Thankfully, the Elves of the Wood are vigilant enough to place the armour of General Talug in the centre of the living room for any unsuspecting Brinas to stumble upon and discourage to continue their raids any further. Now, what more could a Hobbit burglar do against such an evil presence? Nothing! - so she races away blindly and ends up exhausting herself on the bed. I hope, for her sake, nobody comes home and catches her...

Head: Makeshift Ranger's Mask (white);

Shoulders: The Huntsman's Shoulder Guards (ranger green);

Back: Tattered Cloak (gold);

Chest: Lesser Secret of the West Breastplate (olive);

Hands: Ceremonial Secret of the West Gauntlets (walnut brown);

Legs: Shabby Leggings (navy);

Feet: Ceremonial Boots of the Gloom-bane (ranger green).