Happy Halloween!

Jack-o'-lantern Jester

Happy Halloween guys! You're only seeing this because I made this outfit almost right after Halloween, if memory serves. So here it is, almost one year later!

Here, we see the Jack-o'-lantern Jester awakening in his humble slumber-chmber, a comfortable little tomb sized perfectly for him, adorned with cryptic symbols and the countless cobwebs made by his favourite pet spawn of Ungoliant. He wakes, seeking to out-scare the numerous wights and barrow-spirits who share his lodgings.

With his housemates in the backkground of the picture, Gildomir the Jack-o'-lantern giggles as he knows full well how they absolutely abhor having their picture taken. This clown of a creepy quality owns a jest so nonchalant that he wears a smile painted on his pumpkin-helmet face to battle. Thankfully, dread reduces in-combat morale regeneration and fear makes enemies flee in the opposite direction. Ask the Nazgûl - they're pros at it!

Yes, folks - your eyes do not deceive you. He is levitating. While dancing. Very specifically to scare any foolish enough to venture into the barrows (that includes me, the photographer!). But I must say, his choice in cloak is stunning as it gloves with the flame. Perhaps that's why it's called Flames of the Deep...

I honestly think I made this outfit as a joke, because of the many joke-masks in LOTRO, and since Isenbran wore a chicken head for nearly 50 levels. But as I continued to find pieces, I thought it turned out pretty well, considering I spent only about 20 minutes coming up with the outfit (again, if memory serves). The combinations were natural and the colour scheme was simple: green and orange, the colours of Halloween. To me, at least.

Head: Pumpkin Festival Mask (dark green);

Shoulder: Ceremonial Shoulder Guards of the Porbad (grey);

Back: Flames of the Deep (dark green);

Chest: Nelegham (orange);

Hands: Resiliant Eastemnet Battle Gauntlets (rust);

Legs: Greater Valorous Leggins of Penetration (black);

Feet: Threadbare Boots of the Dunland Healer (grey).

Adventures in Angmar

As an outsider, Calonice had to earn the trust of the Trév Gállorg when adventuring into Angmar and helping stop the shadow in the North. To do this, she both had to perform a Fém as well as dress up as one of them.

Any player in LOTRO knows how underused yellow is, simply because it looks horrible on most pieces. However, this outfit emerged when I jokingly dyed the leggings yellow just to see how the colours contrasted. I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw, and soon enough, I had dyed other pieces yellow as well. 

Honestly, I didn't have Angmar in mind when I created this outfit. The colours of the leggings were the basis of the entire piece. However, I was beginning questing in Angmar and noticed the similarities between the shades on Calonice's garments and theirs, and decided that this was the perfect outfit to wear throughout my adventures there.

I'm quite thankful I used quite a decent amount of yellow. As Angmar is such a gloomy place, much like Moria or Mirkwood, the yellow gave me brightness in the darkness; that would ultimately be the reason I managed Angmar, as I easily get discouraged and bored in dull environments, just like Calonice evidently does.

I was also - and am still - amazed by how well the Steed of Rivendell goes with this outfit, despite it being from a completely different faction and a colour scheme for a completely different purpose. Still, it's good that the mount uses a lot of yellow, which almost justifies my use of yellow in my outfit. 

Head: The Beast-keeper's Hat (gold);

Shoulders: Fine Mathom-hunter's Mantle (burgundy);

Chest: Isengard Prisoner Shirt (yellow);

Hands: Elven Steel Gauntlets of Courage (burgundy);

Legs: Ceremonial Trousers of the Stone-student (yellow);

Feet: Ceremonial Boots of the Brazen Call (yellow).