December 27, 2020 Sunday Meeting
5:00
P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Discord:
Valar Guild/meeting_place
Back to News
Transcript work by Varda.
[times are Central Time from Varda's Discord. Add one hour for
Eastern.]
["slight smile" is the same as we are used to using as a regular
smiley]
Attending (and
spoke): (8)
Discord: Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Ciaran
(Before), Elrond (Before), Eonwe, Frodo/Twisted Elm, Irmo, Varda
(presiding)
Before-meeting
Meeting begins
Membership news:
Web:
Gaming:
General reports: World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Lord of the Rings Online
Tolkien:
Topic: Celebrations in Tolkien's world.
After-meeting:
Flashgaming Reviews by
Ar-Pharazon.
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Before-meeting
Eonwë Valar12/24/2020
Merry Christmas Eve all.
[2:20 AM]
Auros on LotRO is now at lvl 16 Wit. He's getting wittier by the day
:}
December 25, 2020
Elrond12/25/2020
Merry Christmas everyone!
Eonwë Valar12/25/2020
Merry Christmas :}
December 26, 2020
VardaYesterday at 2:43 PM
Merry Christmas, and grats on the Wittiness. : )
CiaranYesterday at 4:21 PM
hi wachya doing tooday
December 27, 2020
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:01 PM
Aiya, and happy winter veil!
[4:01 PM]
or... winter solstice
[4:01 PM]
Yuletide?
VardaToday at 4:02 PM
Aiya!
IrmoToday at 4:02 PM
Hey all
VardaToday at 4:02 PM
Aiya Phar and Irmo : )
[4:03 PM]
Soo many gaming events for this time of year. : )
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:03 PM
ah yes, http://www.cotclassic.com/comic/1999-12-25/
is what I was looking for
COTC Classic
Jamie Robertson
1999-12-25
Visit the post for more.
[4:03 PM]
wow, 21 years old already
VardaToday at 4:04 PM
hehe, there you go.
[4:05 PM]
Yule Festival in LotRO. : )
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:06 PM
Seems less inventive than winter veil
VardaToday at 4:06 PM
Aye : )
[4:06 PM]
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Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo!
[4:06 PM]
Membership:
[4:06 PM]
Here's hoping you all had a wonderful time this week!
[4:07 PM]
And we're looking forward to New Year's festivities
[4:07 PM]
Much boom and smoke. : )
[4:07 PM]
Gaming events : )
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:07 PM
No fireworks in RL here
[4:08 PM]
also, Arien poked
VardaToday at 4:08 PM
Plenty virtually!
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:08 PM
True!
VardaToday at 4:09 PM
I have to make a quick run to say bye to Elwing
FrodoToday at 4:09 PM [Note: Shows to the group at this stage
as Twisted Elm.]
Hello!
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:09 PM
Aiya!
FrodoToday at 4:12 PM
stopping playing games for a long while but I wanted to find an MMO
that my 6 year old boy and I could enjoy
[4:12 PM]
Lotro is very friendly so it seemed like a good choice
[4:12 PM]
We're really enjoying exploring and playing together
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:13 PM
The joys of being a gamer dad
FrodoToday at 4:13 PM
It's lovely to be able to re-enjoy things with the family without
having it being a distraction but instead a bonding activity
Arien ValarToday at 4:14 PM
Aiya Glaedelig Jul
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:14 PM
Aiya!
FrodoToday at 4:15 PM
I think he'd really enjoy some instances but I need to find some
people that are willing to tolerate someone with the mechanical
skills of a 6 year old!
Arien ValarToday at 4:15 PM
Welcome to the Valar guild new Brother or sister
FrodoToday at 4:15 PM
Hello hello!
VardaToday at 4:16 PM
Aiya Frodo!
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:16 PM
...Ah.
[4:16 PM]
My cat's name is Frodo. Is this going to be weird?
VardaToday at 4:16 PM
Click on your name to change the nickname just for this channel to
Frodo.
FrodoToday at 4:16 PM
Ahaha
IrmoToday at 4:17 PM
You will have found the armor you requested in your mailbox Frodo
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:17 PM
Is it a mithril vest?
VardaToday at 4:17 PM
Good job on the nicknaming and the armor!
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:17 PM
K, enough name jokes.
FrodoToday at 4:17 PM
That is so kind of you. I'll make sure we get some little present in
the mail back to you as a thank you.
VardaToday at 4:17 PM
Elwing says bye, she's driving home now.
IrmoToday at 4:17 PM
No need really....
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:17 PM
Namarie Elwing!
VardaToday at 4:18 PM
Fangorn says hi and bye as he heads for some short time of working.
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:18 PM
and to Fangorn!
FrodoToday at 4:18 PM
6 year olds are also excellent at farming / grinding because he
could happily just shoot things all day.
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:19 PM
I knew I needed kids for something.. even if it's just skinning
raptors.
1
VardaToday at 4:20 PM
Very practical. : )
[4:20 PM]
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:20 PM
I believe fishing (in WoW) is also quite popular
VardaToday at 4:21 PM
Fishing in LotRO is also good for cooking and for some quests.
[4:21 PM]
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Web:
[4:21 PM]
We need your art, articles, stories, poems. Email Varda when ready
to get them popped into the site. : )
[4:21 PM]
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Gaming:
[4:23 PM]
I don't see Eonwe so you get me quoting Eonwe. Feel free to add in
extras!
[4:23 PM]
World of WarCraft:
[4:23 PM]
This week's bonus event: Pet Battles.
[4:23 PM]
Check out the latest hotfixes.
[4:23 PM]
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/23580183/hotfixes-december-22-2020
World of Warcraft
Hotfixes: December 22, 2020 - WoW
Here you will find a list of hotfixes that
address various issues related to World of Warcraft: Shadowlands and
WoW Classic.
[4:24 PM]
Any other WoW news?
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:24 PM
Presents now under the tree for winter veil!
VardaToday at 4:24 PM
Yay!
[4:24 PM]
Still have quests offered there?
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:24 PM
Yep, but they're same as always
[4:25 PM]
Also, blizzard store sales for in-game!
[4:25 PM]
Including the Woof Pack, a dog-variation of last year's Cat Pack.
VardaToday at 4:26 PM
heh
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:26 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HyNwnKBu0g
YouTube
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft Holiday Sale
VardaToday at 4:26 PM
Overwatch:
[4:26 PM]
I see some people playing it right now. : )
[4:26 PM]
A new blog is out: Snow Much Fun: Behind Penguin Mei and Toybot
Zenyatta.
[4:27 PM]
https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/news/23595154/snow-much-fun-behind-penguin-mei-and-toybot-zenyatta/
Overwatch
Snow Much Fun: Behind Penguin Mei and Toybot
Zenyatta
The artists behind Penguin Mei and Toybot
Zenyatta talk tin robots, changing faces, and Antarctic wildlife.
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:27 PM
(never trust a penguin)
VardaToday at 4:27 PM
: )
[4:28 PM]
All the games have their versions of quest fun for this time of
year. Here's hoping you all had the chance to enjoy it!
Lord of the Rings Online:
[4:28 PM]
In LotRO, we even had some crossover with the new Elderslade area
for missions, scaled to the character's level.
[4:29 PM]
New horse and other goodies available. (I grabbed the new horse of
course.)
[4:29 PM]
We've had a number of folks coming in that haven't been around for a
while. We hope they have a good time and stick around!
[4:30 PM]
This past week's members that came into the kin branches:
[4:30 PM]
Landroval server:
Arien
Celebrian
Dis
Elwing
Eonwe
Fangorn
Frodo
Irmo
Lenwe
Meriadoc
Miriel
Nar
Varda
Ithil server:
Dis
Eonwe
Falco
Fangorn
Varda
Anor server:
Fangorn
Varda
Arien ValarToday at 4:30 PM
ah Frodo
VardaToday at 4:30 PM
Take a look at that mass in Landroval. : )
Eonwë ValarToday at 4:30 PM
Heya all.
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:30 PM
's many!
[4:31 PM]
Aiya!
VardaToday at 4:31 PM
Aiya Eonwe and Arien : )
[4:31 PM]
Frodo has been with us since 2015, so we're delighted to see him
back. : )
[4:32 PM]
Any other mentions folks would like to make about their game,
including Lord of the Rings Online? : )
Arien ValarToday at 4:33 PM
nothing new here else
[4:33 PM]
just the old trot
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:33 PM
Level 60 \o/ further details to be given post-meeting
VardaToday at 4:34 PM
Huzzah Phar!
[4:35 PM]
Ready for...
[4:35 PM]
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Tolkien!
[4:35 PM]
Can we name any festivals or celebratory
traditions from Tolkien's books? Most will be from LotR, but there
are others.
[4:35 PM]
It's ok to look them up!
[4:36 PM]
This is not a test. : )
Eonwë ValarToday at 4:36 PM
Yule :}
VardaToday at 4:38 PM
heh
[4:38 PM]
There was a tradition in Gondor before meals
Eonwë ValarToday at 4:38 PM
It is on the calendar as days outside the normal months.
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:40 PM
I prefer Friday the First.
[4:40 PM]
...which for us is actually next week
VardaToday at 4:42 PM
Yule days or Yuletide was the name in the Shire
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:42 PM
Right.. there's also Lithe, I think?
Eonwë ValarToday at 4:42 PM
Sounds right. Don't have my book in front of me right now.
VardaToday at 4:43 PM
Rohirrim and Gondor celebrated Yule
[4:43 PM]
Durin's Day is the first day of the year, so that would correspond
with our New Year's about to come up.
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:44 PM
Didn't the 25th of march become the first day of the new year?
VardaToday at 4:45 PM
Lithe days if I remember correctly was for the elves
Eonwë ValarToday at 4:46 PM
I remember Lithe being on the Hobbit calendar as well.
[4:47 PM]
One sec, I have to dig for my books.
VardaToday at 4:48 PM
There's a "first fruits" ceremony mentioned in the Akkalabeth of the
Silmarillion.
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:48 PM
Is that the one on the Meneltarma?
VardaToday at 4:48 PM
in “Aldarion and Erendis” we learn about the specially consecrated
boughs of Oiolairë that the wives of ship-captains used to bless
their vessels, incurring the protection of the Valar.
[4:49 PM]
The above is a quote from
[4:49 PM]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/religions-middle-earth/
Eonwë ValarToday at 4:50 PM
OK, got my books, Quoting Appendix D:
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:51 PM
Throw the book at us!
Eonwë ValarToday at 4:51 PM
"(Hobbits') months were all equal and had 30 days each;
but they had 3 Summmerdays, called in the Shire the Lithe or the
Lithedays, between June and July.
VardaToday at 4:52 PM
moment of standing silence in a cavern behind the falls of Henneth
Annûn;
“‘So we always do,’ (Faramir) said, as they sat down:
‘we look towards Númenor that was, and beyond to Elvenhome that
is, and to that which is beyond Elvenhome and will ever be…'”
Eonwë ValarToday at 4:52 PM
The last day of the year and the first of the next year
were called the Yuledays.
[4:53 PM]
The Yuledays and Lithedays remained outside the months, so that
January 1 was the second and not the first day of the year. Every
fourth year, except in the last year of the century, there were
four Lithedays. The Lithedays and the Yuledays were the chief
holidays and time of feasting.(edited)
[4:54 PM]
The additional Litheday was added after Mid-year's Day, and so the
184th day of the Leapyears was called Overlithe and was a day of
special merrymaking.
In full the Yuletide was six days long, including the last three
days and first three days of each year."
[4:59 PM]
Above that it talks about the Steward's Reckoning, also with 5 days
outside the months, treated as holidays, and given the names:
yestarë, tuilerë, loëndëm yavierë, and mettarë.
[4:59 PM]
King's Reckoning before it had 3.
[5:01 PM]
Elves had 3 days outside the normal calendar every twelfth year, but
it doesn't say if they celebrated them as anything special or not.
[5:01 PM]
*3 extra
VardaToday at 5:02 PM
The elves did celebrate the rising of Valacirca at night.
Eonwë ValarToday at 5:03 PM
and 3 "middle days" between yavië and quellë (autumn and 'fading' in
their 'months')
[5:08 PM]
That seems to be the most relavent to the topic.
VardaToday at 5:09 PM
Thank you, Eonwe. : )
[5:09 PM]
We have arrived at the hour. Seems fast!
[5:10 PM]
May you all have a wonderful rest of the year!
[5:10 PM]
gavels make sparks off the newly metallic hammerpad
[5:10 PM]
the hammerpad adds colors
[5:10 PM]
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After-meeting!
[5:10 PM]
Free chat. : )
IrmoToday at 5:11 PM
Happy rest or 2020 and may 2021 be a better year for all of us
VardaToday at 5:11 PM
Yay! : )
Arien ValarToday at 5:14 PM
Agree fulloy with that and see you next year Irmo (or before
in game )
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:15 PM
Sorry for bit of afkness, apparently our dishwasher's got problems.
Eonwë ValarToday at 5:18 PM
On a side-note of gaming: I'm pleased by how easy it was to get my
alts on WoW through the Shadowlands intro so they can get
working on their professions. Actually had enough stuff from my main
to get my Tailor, Enchanter, and Jewelcrafter up to the 50+ range of
skills, so for the first time in a long time, I have enchants and
socketed jewels in my gear this early in the expansion, hehehe.
VardaToday at 5:18 PM
Nice, Eonwe. : )
[5:19 PM]
Hope that dishwasher problem was an easy fix, Phar. As if. : )
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:21 PM
It's not, we might need to get a mechanic.
Arien ValarToday at 6:02 PM
:/
[6:02 PM]
grats Eonwe
[6:03 PM]
time for the sun to go down .. eh up
[6:03 PM]
Namarie all and i ll see you next year stay safe and
probably catch you here at some point
Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 6:03 PM
namarie!
Eonwë ValarToday at 6:06 PM
Sleep well Arien :}
VardaToday at 6:35 PM
Namarie Arien : )
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Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 7:07 PM
Personal gaming report!
[7:07 PM]
For flashgaming.. 2 old, 1 new.
[7:08 PM]
https://www.kongregate.com/games/synapticon/spellstone
is the first game; I really play it multiple times a day and have
done for years, but it came up as a badge this week, so I might as
well put it in the spotlight
Kongregate
Spellstone
Spellstone is a fantasy card game with beautiful
hand-drawn art and rich lore! Collect hundreds of striking cards to
battle through a compelling story to unrav...
[7:08 PM]
Multiplayer cardgame, fantasy, with some hearthstone inspirations,
but rather different gameplay.
[7:09 PM]
Build a deck of 15 cards, all you have to do each turn is pick one
card out of 3 from the 15 to add to your board.
[7:10 PM]
They will then automatically buff and debuff and attack the opposing
card, attacking the enemy hero instead if there's no card there. So
build up your forces, but try not to fall behind because things can
snowball
[7:11 PM]
Comes with different heroes, factions, tribes, a story campaign,
collectible champions to level up, arena, weekend events... might
not be for everyone, but I like collecting and I like the story, so
it's nice for me
[7:12 PM]
https://www.kongregate.com/games/ArmorGames/i-love-traffic
is the second game! A time management game where you have to control
the traffic lights in order to let enough cars through without
crashing into each other or letting them queue up too far.
Kongregate
I Love Traffic
I am a cursed human being. When I drive my car I
end up hitting a large majority of traffic lights and end up waiting
a long time. One day while waiting at an...
[7:13 PM]
Gets more complicated as you get through the 20 levels
https://www.kongregate.com/games/VasantJ/medieval-cop-how-the-grump-stole-christmas
is the last game, new to me! A christmas special in the point and
click puzzle Medieval series I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. In a
replay (with a twist!) of the Grinch story, you play the Grump, who
has to steal presents from several houses. Each present comes with a
minigame or riddle to solve, and failing one reduces your health,
which resets with each house.. you may want to save often.
Kongregate
Medieval Cop - How the Grump Stole Christmas!
The Grump, a grouchy, solitary creature who
attempts to put an end to Christmas by stealing Christmas-themed
items from the homes of the nearby town in Rightia...
Despite the vagueness of the riddles/questions, still a fun few
minutes for Christmas.
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Blizzard gaming:
[7:19 PM]
Heroes of the Storm:
2 levels got, up to 439! Got two of my tanks to level 8, Sonya and
Stitches.
[7:24 PM]
Hearthstone:
to level 38 on the reward track now
[7:24 PM]
Still doing my quests, too!
[7:26 PM]
Weekly brawl is Wacky Waxy Winter Veil, where Greatfather Kobold has
put wrapped up strong minions on the board; releasing them from the
opponent gets them in your hand to use. Was a bit lost at how to
handle this, but found a shaman deck that lets you evolve your
minions a lot, removing that deathrattle and setting you up with a
nice board from the start.
WoW:
[7:30 PM]
Completed Ardenweald, alongside the quest dungeon there. Made it
from 58 to 60 along the way!
[7:30 PM]
Still love the place, and there are some amazing quests near the
end.
[7:31 PM]
While much of the endgame is still out of reach due to not having
completed Revendreth yet, I was able to do the weekly brawl again,
as well as the pet weekly.
[7:32 PM]
During the latter, reached 5000 pet battles total, which was
completely unexpected
[7:35 PM]
And while poking the Uldum invasion, because I still haven't gotten
all paragon rewards there, I got a new toy, the hell-bent bracers.
Gives you a cosmetic buff about flexing and arm power while showing
you topless with bracers. Bit weird, but hey, it adds to the
collection.
[7:40 PM]
Had a bit less time this week because of Christmas-related
shenanigans, so didn't get too much done otherwise, though I did do
some more Winter Veil stuff. Turns out you do get a different
present from the Greench quest at 60, which can contain extra stuff.
Haven't gotten the Flames yet though.
[7:41 PM]
But have opened my gifts, getting a new pet raptor called Jingles,
and a new toy called a Wreath-A-Rang, which is basically a wreath
you can throw at someone and they'll throw it back.
[7:42 PM]
Like the football and other items.
[7:43 PM]
And after that it was time to get a whole bunch of alts to Ironforge
as well, to get them their gifts
[7:43 PM]
15 characters done so far, will do the last 5 tomorrow. Always nice
to visit the alts.
[7:43 PM]
Though I have 3 that dropped under level 10 since the scaling
change, making them ineligible for several of the gifts. I'll have
to correct that during the next year.
[7:44 PM]
And that's it! Next week I'll get to Revendreth, hopefully complete
it, get my covenant etc going... and maybe even raid!
[7:45 PM]
Thus concludes my report for the week
VardaToday at 7:55 PM
Thank you, Phar : )
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