Lü Lingqi (with "Li" of Gladden)

Once again we welcome a new member to the My Middle-earth Mode family, who requested she only go by "Li" on here. As her debut, she chose to put on display an outfit inspired by the stylistic and colour choices on the latest Dynasty Warriors 9 design for Lü Lingqi, the daughter Lü Bu.

As a huge fan of the series, I am completely excited to share this outfit with you guys not only because it looks great, but I'm in awe at her determination to capture a similar essence using armour pieces that really do not resemble at all the style of Dynasty Warriors, being set in a completely different universe and culture. Despite all that, the outfit turned out beautiful, and I think Li did a great job with it.

When we were determining the location for the photoshoot, we really could not agree on the most suitable location for this outfit, as the inspiration behind came from I think the late Han dynasty, during the Three Kingdoms period. This is a similar problem Kyix had with her Samurai Settler outfit, which we decided to form a narrative around the outfit almost depicting a samurai getting lost in Elven lands.

I haven't seen the Helm of the Hammerhand in so long, so Li, you have been a great refresher of it! Plus, I never thought I'd see it in this kind of use (not Rohan themed) because of its very prominent horse carving. But I guess on an outfit inspired by a member of the Lü family, it makes sense as Lü Bu was famous for riding the Red Hare into battle, and the horse on Li's helmet could be a nod to that.

Also, the dragon emblem on her chest could be interpreted as a demon, which is also quite appropriate as Lü Bu is likened to a demon on the battlefield. Now I'm not sure how historically accurate that is, but I'm almost 100% certain that in the games, he has been referenced as such. Thus his daughter would believably be attempting to bear that same infamy.

Head: Helm of the Hammerhand

Shoulders: Embossed Mantle of the Abyss (red);

Chest: Breastplate of the Slayer's Raiment (white);

Hands: Supple Gloves of Bard's Honour (white);

Feet: Anorien Battle Boots (walnut brown).

The Gathering at Bingo Boffin's

Alas, all great things must come to an end.

Not an outfit post, but I thought this deserved a place on the blog. I never got around to following Bingo Boffin on his adventure because I was too focused on end-game content. However, recently I've been stuck at outfitting due to the lack of new clothe pieces. I sought out Mr Boffins hoping his adventure would provide me some new and interesting armour/cosmetic rewards, but what I found was much more valuable.

I remember when the first Hobbit movie came out, I made a new toon just to re-xperience stepping into the wonderful yet dangerous world of Middle-earth for the first time, just like Bilbo had. Little did I know I would be much more satisfied feeling like a complete amateur adventurer on my almost maxed level Hunter, Eadyth. 

Even though I rushed through what was meant to be taken weekly (like I did with my first season of Gotham), I managed to grow very fond of the many companions I met along the way, Willem Whisker definitely being my favourite.

Yet, so many other characters who joined us were colourful (both in personality and in clothing - yes, I'm speaking about Theodore): barterers, treasure hunters, Dourhands, elves, horse-lords, skin-changers, distant kin, and even an old foe from the past now redeemed.

However, with so many friends met along the way, I have to admit I don't know many of them that well, as some were just passing acquaintances. Despite that, I think I would have appreciated each and every one of these characters as Eadyth would, were they real. 

It's moments like this too that remind me of my inevitable need to leave all my friends behind as Bingo has. The last 5 years in my high school have been the best years of my life, and there are a great many people I wish I didn't have to leave behind. I won't lie that I had not my share of ill-fortunes: falling into darkness, not knowing who I was, dealing with traitors. Thank Eru I didn't face a dragon! But if I've learnt one thing from my adventures with Bingo, it's that "it is difficult to say goodbye, but we had better leave now or we won't." 

Despite that, the fellowships made throughout the journey proves that truly special companions are those that will be remembered for long, especially when hobbit meets dwarf, skin-changer, or even great eagle! 

Perhaps I should have a gathering as Bingo has to celebrate the companionship I've had with my very own unique set of fellows, while not skin-changers or hobbits themselves, noteworthy in their own special ways. But when I do leave, I wish them all the best in their future adventures, and may they be filled with unusual happenings and great companions as well. We will see each other again - I don't leave to the Undying Lands, after all.

Singer of the Sutcrofts

Isenbran, friend to and song-singer of the Rohirrim, travels the land of the Horse-lords in search of battle, but more importantly, in search of heroes of whom he writes epics and lays about. Armed with a hammer and shield of Rohan, along his trusty theorbo, he roams the vast green lands.

My apologies, I didn't initially want to post a Rohan-themed outfit next, but I thought that my Hobbit deserved some attention. The base of this outfit was the breastplate (yes, this is the heavy-armoured Hobbit minstrel I mentioned in my previous post) that I got a long time ago when Isenbran just reached level 75, I believe, from one of the quests I completed in my desperate rush to get my first war-steed. Also, notice how I've been using alliteration in titles so far; have a guess/personal bet how long I can keep this up!

At the time I was creating this outfit, I particularly enjoyed putting light armour on heavy-armoured classes, and vice versa. I wondered what it would look like having a fully armoured minstrel charge into the middle of the battlefield, especially during epic battles at Helm's Deep, since minstrels are such hard hitters anyway. I was satisfied with how it looked - it was different - and decided to keep the breastplate on.

The Map-maker's Travel Pack was intended for another minstrel character I made to play with a friend, but since she stopped playing I had stopped playing that minstrel as well, so I thought maybe Isenbran could use that back piece in an outfit. I was surfing through my wardrobe when I accidentally clicked on it, then suddenly I saw a battle-ready minstrel. All I needed was a helm, and thankfully I had one in the wardrobe at the time as well that fit the Rohirric theme of the breastplate. With that, my outfit was completed. I keep hands and feet exposed as to not forget his roots as a humble hobbit, but just look at how well he fits in among the big folk of Rohan!

Head: Enduring Great River Helmet of Agility (olive);

Chest: Utred's Decorated Breastplate (red);

Back: Map-maker's Travel Pack (dark green).

Roving Rohirrim

Eadyth has always dreamed of leaving her father's farm and exploring the lands of Rohan. Finally given her own horse, she takes only her trusty bow, a quiver of arrows, and her father's old helm with her on her much unexpected journey.

When the Surcoat of Nárië was released, I just had to get my hands on it. Not necessarily for outfitting at that time, but just because it looked cool and I was sure to be able to use it some time in the future. A few months passed and I had finally got into Rohan. Wandering around the beautiful greenery throughout the lands, I was still wearing the same old grey-ish lightweight outfit I used throughout the Great River. I looked through my vault and here sat a chest piece with the perfect colours when dyed crimson.

The helm, of course, was one of the many quest rewards you get in Rohan, designed specifically for the region. To be quite honest, I don't particularly love the look of some of those pieces, but I still manage to find good uses for them, such as the heavy armour chest piece on my Hobbit minstrel (yes, you read that right). Nonetheless, I think the helm compliments the outfit beautifully, not only cosmetic-wise, but to tell a story: Eadyth's story.

Green, particularly olive in LOTRO, has always been the colour that comes to mind when thinking of Rohan, but I always wanted to challenge that, just as Turbine has done; you see Rohirrim wearing all sorts of colours: blue, white, orange, red, yellow. I wanted to create an outfit that said "Rohan" without having green as the base colour. I think the subtle hints such as the horse-designed bow and the Rohirric helm helped me achieve that, and now I firmly and honestly believe that somehow we can all make those other work well in a Rohan-themed outfit.

Head: Cysthelm (red);

Shoulders: Potent Skirmish Shoulders of the Mark (sienna);

Chest: Surcoat of Nárië (crimson);

Back: Sturdy Quiver (olive);

Hands: Padded Gloves of Kingstead (olive);

Feet: Arrow of the West Boots (umber);

Bow: Legendary Hunter's Bow of the Third Age.