Valar Guild

April 5, 2015 Sunday Meeting

5pm EDT (UTC/GMT - 5)

AIM: Valar Guild Meetingplace

Back to News
Transcript work by Ar-Pharazon and Varda.

Attending: (4)
    Arien-(Valar)/AriehnV, ArPharazonV, Iryenth/Gilraen-(V), VardaValar1 (presiding).

Before-meeting
Meeting begins
Membership:
    Easter, so quite a few people are away from the games enjoying family and friends.
Web:
    Games Site news for games, see Gaming
Gaming:
Tolkien:
    RP
    Earendil
    Elendil
    Grond
    Elbereth
    Born of Hope fan video movie comments, link.
After-meeting:
    Gaming continued.
       Flashgames links on Kongregate, reviews: Reactance, Crush the Castle, Brain Builder
       SWTOR: gaming time set 3:30pm Tuesdays Republic, server The Ebon Hawke, other days about the same time when fortunate. (update, Monday got together too)
top

Before-meeting
You have just entered room "valarguildmeetingplace."
VardaValar1 has entered the room.
VardaValar1: Aiya Phar. Five minutes yet. :-)
ArPharazonV: Aiya!
VardaValar1: Gaming? :-)
VardaValar1: Might see if you can spot Arien out there? I'll pop over to LotRO.
ArPharazonV: I'll take a look.
VardaValar1: Thanks
ArPharazonV: Urwendi: last online 1 day ago
ArPharazonV: Just about to log out of WoW, though I may return later for the Darkmoon Faire if the meeting goes quiet.
VardaValar1: It probably will. Easter means lots of folks are away from gaming enjoying family and friends.
ArPharazonV: Yep, 't was a small raid compared to usual. Good thing raids are flexible now.
VardaValar1: Good to hear
Iryenth has entered the room.
Iryenth: Aiya
ArPharazonV: Aiya
VardaValar1: Aiya Gilraen :-)
VardaValar1: Happy Easter to you and the Eagle. :-)
ArPharazonV: Happy Easter to all!
Iryenth: and to you
VardaValar1: Happy Easter to the King of Numenor. :-)
VardaValar1: Hi from Gil-galad in LotRO. :-)
ArPharazonV: Hi!
top

VardaValar1: Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo!
VardaValar1: Eru hantale. :-)
VardaValar1: Membership:
VardaValar1: Lots of folks are away for fun with family and friends for Easter. Here's hoping all are having a good day.
top

VardaValar1: Web:
VardaValar1: I was a slacker on the Tolkien Site this week.
VardaValar1: Eonwe, however, put up lots on the Games Site.
VardaValar1: Gil-galad waves bye, he has to go.
top

VardaValar1: Gaming:
VardaValar1: WoW:
VardaValar1: Bored? See what's going on This Month in WoW.
VardaValar1: See what Blizzard tried to fool us with this April first.
VardaValar1: What does it take to create Gorehowl in the real world? Check out Azeroth Armory: Forging Gorehowl.
VardaValar1: As always, don't forget to check out the latest hotfixes.
VardaValar1: LotRO:
VardaValar1: There was a hotfix for some instances this week.
VardaValar1: StarCraft 2:
VardaValar1: The Legacy of the Void Beta is going! See the release patch notes then see the 2.5.0 patch notes!
VardaValar1: Diablo 3:
VardaValar1: Get your First Look at Season 3, which starts April 10th.
VardaValar1: Hearthstone:
VardaValar1: Blackrock Mountain is live and Blackrock Depths is open! See the 2.4.0.8311 patch notes.
VardaValar1: Heroes of the Storm:
VardaValar1: If you're considering the Founder's Pack at all, time is running out. It's ending April 7th.
VardaValar1: Any group games we left out that we played this past week?
VardaValar1: StarCraftBroodWar: Fangorn, Varda, Sauron, and Bilbo
ArPharazonV: " Can only be used in the Americas (includes AUS and NZ) and Southeast Asia. " Well, there goes any doubt I might have had ;-)
VardaValar1: StarCraft 2: Sauron and some others.

VardaValar1: What can only be used there, Phar?
ArPharazonV: Founder's Pack.
ArPharazonV: Guess I don't have to worry about whether or not I should get it!
VardaValar1: That's weird.
VardaValar1: Suppose another will come out for the rest of the founders?
ArPharazonV: I'll check the EU version of the blog real quick.
ArPharazonV: Can only be used in the EU gaming region.
ArPharazonV: Right, it was a different version of the pack, nevermind!
VardaValar1: There you go. Not forgotten. :-)
VardaValar1: Any other business, news, comments?

ArPharazonV: D3: Season 2 running out on.. *checks blog to make sure*
ArPharazonV: Good time for browser not to respond.
VardaValar1: oops
VardaValar1: Fitting.
ArPharazonV: Nope it's just battle.net. Hmm.
ArPharazonV: Here we go.
ArPharazonV: And season 2 ended today.
ArPharazonV: Hope everyone got what they wanted!
VardaValar1: Good luck!
top

VardaValar1: Tolkien:

VardaValar1: In important breaking news from Sauron-(Valar),
VardaValar1: bunny ears have been put on all dragons and fell beasts.
VardaValar1: They are currently sulking in hiding, hoarding chocolate to cheer themselves
VardaValar1: Nazgul are about the only ones frantically racing about to locate them.
ArPharazonV: Balrog too?
VardaValar1: Probably. He seems to be off in a sulk too.
VardaValar1: Sauron's going muhahahaha
VardaValar1: Truly evil, that one.
VardaValar1: Anything else odd going on where you folks are, in Valinor and Rivendell?
ArPharazonV: I don't know why, but there appear to be easter eggs hidden in these caves... I guess they're not so Forgotten after all.
ArPharazonV: How they got here? I dunno.
VardaValar1: hehehe
VardaValar1: Some people claim there is no magic in Tolkien's fantasy world. They should try to figure out those eggs in your caves.
ArPharazonV: Exactly! We shouldn't be connected to the outside!
ArPharazonV: Yet here they are.
ArPharazonV: That easter bunny gets everywhere.
VardaValar1: Might be the outside connecting to you guys, like a one-way mirror

VardaValar1: In other Tolkien news
ArPharazonV: Could be. Stranger things have happened.
VardaValar1: Eonwe is working up a post, thinking about doing it with a little time skip. The rp folks have not been ignored.
VardaValar1: Aye, in our kitchen alone, Phar.

VardaValar1: Topic for chat for today is the war cry of Earendil, used by Men such as Aragorn. [Note: error, but Earendil is still a good topic.]
VardaValar1: All that yelling. What are they going on about?
VardaValar1: Is there some reason to yell his name going into battle?
VardaValar1: If we look up, he just seems to be a morning/evening star.
ArPharazonV: Always good to have a symbol to rally behind.
VardaValar1: What could he possibly be a symbol of?
ArPharazonV: A symbol of the men and elves of the west, and their allegiance with the Valar.
ArPharazonV: A symbol of the light of the Silmarils.
VardaValar1: Winning too, maybe.
ArPharazonV: Probably :-)
VardaValar1: vs hopeless odds. No one else came back from attempting that voyage to make their case with the Valar.
VardaValar1: And redemption for all the elves and men.
AriehnV has entered the room.
ArPharazonV: Sounds about right.
VardaValar1: His coming had long been awaited by the Valar.
AriehnV: Aiya all and happy Easter all :-)
VardaValar1: Aiya Sunshine, and happy Easter! :-)
AriehnV: whose coming>?
VardaValar1: Earendil's
ArPharazonV: An unbreakable union of Man, Elf and Maia.
VardaValar1: And all those Vanyar, training for a fight, sharpening their swords down into slivers.
AriehnV: *nod nod*
VardaValar1: *tosses that sword away, grabs the next*
VardaValar1: The question was why is Earendil's name a war cry, a rallying cry?
VardaValar1: Aragorn didn't just yell "fight!"
AriehnV: ah good question that
AriehnV: Aiya Elenion ancalima!
AriehnV: thats one
AriehnV: and whats the Earendil warcry?
ArPharazonV: And Aiya, Arien :-)
AriehnV: or this one?
AriehnV: aiya Phar :-)
ArPharazonV: Well, Earendil was an ancestor of Aragorn, and a commander in the War of Wrath.
VardaValar1: Well, that's a greeting after a srot
VardaValar1: *sort
VardaValar1: Aiya Eärendil Elenion Ancalima!
VardaValar1: Frodo was greeting the light of Earendil, brightest of stars, found in the phial's water.
VardaValar1: Earendil was also Elrond's father, as well as Elros' who was a long-distant ancestor of Aragorn's, aye.
AriehnV: well light is a weapon against the enemey .. especially the light of Earendil
VardaValar1: Right!
VardaValar1: and after Earendil's successful plea, the Valar went with a massive host from Valinor and overthrew Morgoth.
AriehnV: both Frodo and Sam used it as such in Shelob's lair
VardaValar1: Aye, Arien.
ArPharazonV: Well it was ultimately the light of a Silmaril.
VardaValar1: They greeted the light that brought down Morgoth. Had to be scary for those that were on his side.
AriehnV: which is ultimately the light of the two trees of Valinor :-)
VardaValar1: and carried by a great hero through the sky in warning above, all the time.
VardaValar1: Gil-estel, the Star of High Hope.
VardaValar1: The people of Middle-earth took it for a sign.
VardaValar1: So using the name as a war cry would also be invoking that sign.
AriehnV: mmh I think if someone greets that it hardly can be someone on the side of Morgoth ^^ , so i think if somebody used it as greeting it was kind of reassurance to himself as well as a challenge against the enemy i should think
VardaValar1: I think you're right though, that it was used by the hobbits as a sort of war cry along with the phial.
ArPharazonV: Unless the someone on the side of Morgoth wants you think otherwise... ;-)

VardaValar1: Elendil was used as a war cry by Aragorn.
AriehnV: Invoking his name as the one who defeated Sauron before . let the name alone put fear into the enemy
AriehnV: reminding himself it was possible
VardaValar1: He came over from Numenor leading the Faithful (to the Valar and the friendship with the Elves), founding the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor.
ArPharazonV: Another of his ancestors, and again as a symbol of allegiance between Elves and Men, and one who commanded the battle against Sauron.
VardaValar1: Aye

VardaValar1: I'll mention that Elbereth was also called upon, as the Valie that could hear everyone.

ArPharazonV: Aragorn sure had a large history to draw his symbols and battlecries from.
VardaValar1: True. :-)
VardaValar1: Earendil was hugely important for redemption. Without his action, Morgoth could still be walking among us.
VardaValar1: Here on Morgoth's Ring.
VardaValar1: I'm done. Any other comments? War crys?

ArPharazonV: What cries did the enemy use?
VardaValar1: Grond was one.
ArPharazonV: That was more... cheering for the battering ram, wasn't it? :-)
VardaValar1: The ram's name hearkened back to Morgoth's hammer's name.
VardaValar1: Aye. The only time I know for sure it was used was during the ramming session.

VardaValar1: We could guess they might call on Sauron's name
AriehnV: "For Sauron!" or just "Sauron!"
ArPharazonV: "Big Eye Man!"
VardaValar1: hehe
VardaValar1: Nine-fingered Sauron vs Nine-fingered Frodo.

VardaValar1: Pippin I think it was, was told he shouldn't call Frodo the Lord of the Ring.
ArPharazonV: Sounds like Pippin.
VardaValar1: Gollum wasn't the only one Frodo was close to in some ways. Good thing he was mostly on our side.
VardaValar1: Any other comments, business, membership news, etc?

AriehnV: did i mention that i watched finally "Born of Hope"?
AriehnV: I cant remember
ArPharazonV: For those interested, My Little Pony season 5 has started? ;-)
VardaValar1: Good to hear.
VardaValar1: Oh good! Interesting to watch.
VardaValar1: Do you happen to have the url handy?
AriehnV: hold on i ll find it
VardaValar1: Thanks. Others will probably like to look at it again or the first time.
AriehnV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l97GiM--jY
VardaValar1: Thank you. :-)
AriehnV: its really well made :-)
AriehnV: and acteds
VardaValar1: Lot of love went into that.
AriehnV: I can imagine
ArPharazonV: I'll have to watch it some time!
AriehnV: It really is worth it
AriehnV: interesting about the life of the Dunedain
VardaValar1: Just right to mention with Gilraen here in the channel.
AriehnV: :-) yes she is featuring in there as well
ArPharazonV: Did they ask her permission to be featured? :-)
VardaValar1: Hey, Gilraen! Is it ok with you?
Iryenth: Depends on how good the film is.... I'll have to check it out
VardaValar1: hehe - ok
VardaValar1: Sounds fair.
VardaValar1: *picks up a hammer*
VardaValar1: *ker-whump!*
top

VardaValar1: After-meeting!
AriehnV: *sparkles ray on it*
VardaValar1: Ohh, it's shiny!
VardaValar1: Might re-use that one.
VardaValar1: I like sparkly things.
ArPharazonV: Sparkly things are nice.
AriehnV: especially on dark background *nods*
VardaValar1: Exactly. Makes them really show up.
VardaValar1: Although sunshine does well agains a range of blues.
AriehnV: kind of like beacons , hm?
ArPharazonV: Space was well designed, then.
VardaValar1: Eru didn't make any trash. :-)

VardaValar1: Phar, are you about ready with your gaming news? Arien might have some to add along with yours.
ArPharazonV: Moment, I'll find out what I want to give for flashgaming :-)
ArPharazonV: Allright, I've got 3 of em. Might as well start with those then!
ArPharazonV: My flashgaming for this week was plentiful, among other reasons because I had not completed some of the "badge of the day" games yet on Kongregate.
ArPharazonV: I'll give 2 games from there and one from another site!
VardaValar1: Oh, Bilbo is enjoying playing from Kongregate too. :-)
ArPharazonV: http://www.kongregate.com/games/ApprenticeChief/reactance for those who like bullet hell games with upgrades, can be pretty challenging, but with some practice should be doable, and I liked unlocking things.
ArPharazonV: Simple graphics, you flying a small spaceship and firing on other enemies while avoiding their bullets and asteroids.
AriehnV: how do you control movements in these congregate things?
ArPharazonV: Depends on the game, but it's mostly mouse with extra functions for the keyboard, or sometimes alternate options.
VardaValar1: Oops, di'dn't give the LotRO patch notes:
ArPharazonV: http://www.kongregate.com/games/ArmorGames/crush-the-castle This is a special one! I'd played others in the series on this site or others, but it's the first in the series and apparently I hadn't done it on Kong yet.
VardaValar1: https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?566332-Update-15-3-Release-Notes
VardaValar1: Done. :-)
ArPharazonV: Dating from 2009, it's one of the first in the genre, and probably served as major inspiration for Angry Birds, a game that most of you will be familiar with.
ArPharazonV: Being the first, it's lacking some features and physics, but still good fun.
ArPharazonV: In it, you have to fire stones (and later bombs) from a trebuchet to bring down flimsily constructed castles and kill the people inside.
ArPharazonV: Requires a bit of luck though!
ArPharazonV: and for the third game...
ArPharazonV: something rather different!
ArPharazonV: http://www.onemorelevel.com/game/brain_builder A puzzle game with various levels and minigames that give you a good brain workout :-)
ArPharazonV: For if you just want to poke your brain and not worry about shooting enemies or stuff like that.
VardaValar1: hmm, we could use a good Gilraen article.

ArPharazonV: Allright, other games.
ArPharazonV: Hearthstone: Played the first wing of Blackrock Mountain, got it done on normal (with class challenges) on the first day. But some fights took a few tries with different classes, and I was lucky a few times as well.
ArPharazonV: I don't really think my collection is big enough to try heroic, even after all this time. Missing some important legendary cards, for example. Maybe in the future!
ArPharazonV: But it only takes normal and the class challenges to unlock all the cards, so that's fine.
ArPharazonV: Diablo 3:
ArPharazonV: I got my seasonal Witch Doctor to level 70 on monday, on time for the season's end, and got some unique transmogrification awards for doing so.
ArPharazonV: Now taking a bit of a break until season 3 starts next week, when I'm thinking of making my first monk for the occasion.
ArPharazonV: Witch Doctor, pet-style, was a lot of fun, and I'm not sure if I'll enjoy the monk as much, but I'll definitely try!
ArPharazonV: WoW: Got another pet from the old raids! A gargoyle from Mount Hyjal. Not the most aesthetically pleasing, but still fun to have and use.
AriehnV: nice one never seen that one actually
ArPharazonV: Also got my first piece of Mythic Blackrock Foundry loot from a follower mission. We're not doing mythic yet in our actual raids, but are making good progress on The Blast Furnace, which will be the 9th out of 10 bosses on heroic. So it's just a matter of time :-)
ArPharazonV: The pet or the raid, Arien?
AriehnV: the pet
ArPharazonV: Yeah, it's pretty recent. But look me up some time and I'll use it!
AriehnV: cool will do :-)
VardaValar1: :-)

AriehnV: Are you done Phara ?
ArPharazonV: Yeah, I think so. Go ahead!
AriehnV: I played STO and SwotR last week and a bit WoW although rp is most what i am doing there these days
VardaValar1: Didn't happen to run into Sauron or Bilbo in SWTOR?
AriehnV: a) not really enough time to do both and b) the questing content is a bit too worn out for me
VardaValar1: come to LotRO... ;-)
AriehnV: i havent seen them for a while to be honest Varda
VardaValar1: Maybe the timing
AriehnV: i usually seem to be online when noone else is
AriehnV: which is why i had a look onto that other server
VardaValar1: That will make it even harder to meet up. Which one?
AriehnV: Jedi Covenant
AriehnV: is he playing more Empire or Republic?
VardaValar1: They swap between. I can go ask.
AriehnV: its okay i can look myself in a moment :-)
VardaValar1: He says mostly light side
VardaValar1: He suggests sending him an in-game mail, try to get together
VardaValar1: You can play with strangers on Ebon Hawke as easily as on another server. ;-)
AriehnV: anyway interesting thing is in SwotR they have an event running which involves Rakhgouls and Rhakgoul plague
AriehnV: not sure how long but it seems there is a questline with a raid boss at the end but you have to be high level to get that one
AriehnV: lucky thing is that a vaccine against that plague is available at med droids :-)
AriehnV: STO:
AriehnV: they have something on that is called Delta recruitment .. that is you can make a fourth character without paying and while levelling that up you earn extra rewards and exprerience (reminds me of the season feature in Diablo 3)
AriehnV: They unlock different tiers of rewards as you level up
AriehnV: Normally you get only 3 free character slots but as Delta recruit you can get that as fourth :-)
ArPharazonV: Sounds fun!
AriehnV: it is actually :-) Sto has a nice habit of combining space and ground combat with the space combat a lot more fun , but the storylines in the episodes are good fun :-)

more SWTOR:
VardaValar1: Pardon, Sauron says Republic, which isn't necessarily light side. *cough*
AriehnV: and another thing to mention is that as Delta recruit there is an exclusive story arc and questline which brings in achievements and rewards . i dont want to go too much into detail for anyone wanting to play
AriehnV: hehe true that Varda
AriehnV: i play my SwotR characters mostly as light though .. my Sith are both dark , one more than the other
VardaValar1: He likes to reverse his character. Light on Empire, dark on Republic.
VardaValar1: I'm more likely to play light on Republic.
VardaValar1: Do you mostly play Republic or Empire?
AriehnV: Republic more
ArPharazonV: but the dark side is so much more... tempting, isn't it?
VardaValar1: No :-)
AriehnV: depending on how i feel i play empire and sith ^^
AriehnV: thats it from me anyway
AriehnV: i ll try to contact him
VardaValar1: Email is good too. He checks it often. [NOSPAMSauron (dot) Valar (A T) g m ail (do t) com]
VardaValar1: Thank you both for the gaming news.
VardaValar1: Arien and Sauron met up in SWTOR. :-)
ArPharazonV: Great :-)
VardaValar1: So looks like Tuesday around 3:30 Eastern, if I got their time right for get-togethers.
AriehnV: aye
ArPharazonV: Ah, that's nice. Should do for both timezones.
VardaValar1: Kind of like our meetings. :-)
AriehnV: yeah so for two or three hours :-)
AriehnV: so i have a bit tirme for rp and wow too :-)
VardaValar1: Very good. :-)
AriehnV: and if i can make other evenings i can contact him via mail or in game to let him no since i cant really set any other days but at least tuesdays seem to be constant days off
AriehnV: so .. stayed a lot longer than intended hehe but bed time now :-D
ArPharazonV: Namarie!
AriehnV: good night and have a happy rest easter and say hello to the rest of the gang Varda :-) and Namarie !
AriehnV has left the room.
VardaValar1: Good night and namarie, Sunshine. :-)
VardaValar1: Think this computer needs a restart, poor overworked thingy.
VardaValar1: Namarie :-)
ArPharazonV: Namarie!
VardaValar1 has left the room.
ArPharazonV: saving and sending transcript
top