Happy Halloween!

Elf of the Wood

After joining the kinship Elves of the Wood, Eadyth decided that she would have to make herself fit in as much as possible. How she managed to do this was by constructing an outfit that disguised her as an elf as much as possible. It also helped that her skills with a bow was akin to her elven kin-mates. 

Unfortunately, the name doesn't use alliteration this time, but it describes the outfit perfectly, as this is what Eadyth is attempting to resemble. Her use of greens and browns and golds accurately match the trees and woods of Lothlórien, making her truly look like one of their kind. The outfit was largely based around the head-piece that I found really elegant and reminded me of the elves, especially due to the golden ear-like pieces on the sides. The helm, being pointy at the front, sides and back reminded me of the dwarves in Peter Jackson's films calling elves "pointy-eared princes/princesses."

It's safe to say that it is almost essential you use some sort of leaf motif in creating elven-themed outfits. Some outfitters choose to be subtle about it, like with this outfit, having them placed on gloves and feet, whereas other outfitters may choose to simply bombard the chest plate with a huge gold tree. I don't think I was ever a fan of that particular breastplate skin (I think you guys know what I'm talking about), but who knows, I might just use it for a male character one day.

I enjoy wearing this outfit when in a fellowship with fellow kin-mate Cantiflas simply because he wears a green ranger outfit most of the time. It gives a sense of unity between us when we both wear green, but there are also the differences in the actual pieces of the outfit that help distinguish one from the other. For example, the ranger outfit he wears uses more round shapes, such as the round shape of what I think is the Woodland Ranger's  Hood, whereas mine have more sharp edges. But I think it also helps that Eadyth is a woman and Cantiflas is a Hobbit.

I'd like to thank my friend Endoviel for once again helping me take pictures. I am truly lucky to have friends from different levels who are so willing to help me sustain this blog by taking better pictures than I could if I did it alone.

P.s. Check out that majestic horse-elk! 

Head: Ceremonial Helm of the Shield-wall (olive);

Shoulders: Shoulders of the Swift Arrow (dark green);

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

Back: Sturdy Elven Quiver (sienna);

Hands: Majestic Marchwarden's Gloves (dark green);

Legs: Leggings of the Guard (olive);

Feet: Aculf's Leather Boots (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.