Valar Guild

September 13, 2020 Sunday Meeting

5:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Savings 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-V, Eonwë, Falco, Irmo, Pallando, Shelob, Varda (presiding)

Before-meeting
Meeting begins
Membership news:
    GSMU (Games Site Mass Update) emails went out. A copy is available at the bottom of the News page.
Web:
    Anniversary Page has a new screenshot for the boat theme. Link is available at the bottom of the News page.
Gaming:
    Tolkien topic 1 (tangent of LotRO news): ancient spiders
Gaming (reboot):
    General reports: World of Warcraft, Heroes of the Storm, Lord of the Rings Online, Hearthstone, Eve Online
     GSMU emails are out
Tolkien:
    Topic 1: During Gaming section: Spiders: including Ungoliant, Shelob, Mirkwood spiders, Angband spiders.
    Topic 2: Topic for next time mentioned and became a topic this time: Epic events in Tolkien's works. "We recognize an epic moment when we see it. Can we think of some from Tolkien's works? From there, we may even be able to define "epic"!"
After-meeting:
    Chat continued
    Flashgaming Reviews by Ar-Pharazon.

top

Before-meeting
September 8, 2020
Eonwë Valar09/08/2020
OK my friends, the GSMU mail has gone out to everyone listed as active on the Membership page:  http://valarguild.org/varda/guild/members.htm
[1:19 AM]
If you didn't get that e-mail you either never gave us an e-mail or you're currently not listed under "Active". If either is the case, you can remedy that by contacting Varda.
[1:20 AM]
Check your junk mail and spam folders too.
[1:22 AM]
I am now accepting GSMU responses through E-mail, Forum, or Discord. Make sure you tell me it's you though in any case where your Account name isn't indicative of your Guild name.

September 9, 2020
Eonwë Valar09/09/2020
I crit the Lich King for almost 11 million, lol.
[3:48 AM]
Looks like I just have a cloak from Rotface to get for transmog from 25H ICC. Then Invincible's Reins for mount.
[3:50 AM]
Looks like an absolute minimum of 3 more weeks of ICC running.

September 13, 2020
VardaToday at 3:59 PM
Thank you, Eonwe.
[4:02 PM]
@Bounder Hurray! It's meeting time! Come say hi!

IrmoToday at 4:02 PM
Hi!

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:02 PM
Aiya!

VardaToday at 4:02 PM
Aiya Irmo! Just saw you go off LotRO. : )
[4:02 PM]
Aiya Phar : )

IrmoToday at 4:03 PM
Yeah, excuse me, I was actually watching a movie

VardaToday at 4:03 PM
No worries at all

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:03 PM
Just about to lose a battleground, don't worry about me

VardaToday at 4:03 PM
Keeps one from keeling over of boredom while crafting
[4:03 PM]
nooo - stay alive!

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:03 PM
I'm fine, I'm guarding the stable
[4:04 PM]
barely seen any combt
[4:04 PM]
*combat

IrmoToday at 4:04 PM
Great movie I can totally recommend: "The bookthief"

FalcoToday at 4:04 PM
Anya

VardaToday at 4:04 PM
Thanks. We'll have to check on that one.
[4:04 PM]
Aiya Falco!
[4:05 PM]

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Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo!
[4:05 PM]

Membership:
[4:05 PM]
Very happy to see all of you. : )
[4:06 PM]
Here's hoping you all received your Games Site Mass Update letter (with news too).
[4:06 PM]
If not, we have a copy on our News page on the bottom of the page.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:06 PM
Yessaree. If Eonwe shows any sign of life in the meeting I'll whisper him.

VardaToday at 4:07 PM
http://valarguild.org/varda/guild/NewsArchives/extras/2020/GSMU2020.htm

Eonwë ValarToday at 4:07 PM
heartbeat
[4:07 PM]
heartbeat

VardaToday at 4:07 PM
heheeh

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:07 PM
There he be!

VardaToday at 4:07 PM
You can also just leave him a message on a side whisper. No waiting required!

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:07 PM
In that case I'll poke him after this new BG attempt

VardaToday at 4:07 PM
Cool. : )
[4:08 PM]
Any other membership stuff anyone would like to mention? Birthdays, anniversaries, howdies, etc?

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:09 PM
Fladrif: Last online 2 days ago!

VardaToday at 4:09 PM
He's still around. Yay!
[4:09 PM]
Anyone seen our Sunshine?

ShelobToday at 4:10 PM
Nay, I have not seen her around.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:10 PM
Just poked her, but she's signed as away,.

VardaToday at 4:10 PM
Thanks!
[4:10 PM]
Aiya Shelob. : )

ShelobToday at 4:10 PM
Maybe mommy ate her?

VardaToday at 4:10 PM
Hard to reach that high.
[4:10 PM]
Maybe while in the tunnels at night though.

ShelobToday at 4:10 PM
That is where she dwells.

Pallando-ValarToday at 4:10 PM
Aiya

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:10 PM
Aiya!

VardaToday at 4:11 PM
So do you. Eyes Shelob
[4:11 PM]
Aiya Blue Wizard!

ShelobToday at 4:11 PM
I don't like Galadriel's Phial. Sunshine be a tad bit brighter. I like that less.

VardaToday at 4:11 PM
Tough. : )
[4:11 PM]

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Web News:
[4:12 PM]
We have a screen shot for the theme in our Anniversary page. It's ok to start early on sending stuff, because Oct 4 comes so fast!
[4:13 PM]
You can reach the odd pages like that on the bottom of the News page. Or here:
[4:13 PM]
http://valarguild.org/varda/guild/NewsArchives/extras/2020/Anniv2020/anniv23rd.htm
    23rd Anniversary of the Valar Guild
    Year 2020, 23rd Anniversary celebration of the Valar
    Guild Tolkien fan club and gamers' group.

[4:13 PM]
Any cool links or other web news anyone would like to pass along?
[4:14 PM]
Poor Shelob. I'm the original light-bringer. hands over an umbrella
[4:14 PM]

top

Gaming: Became Tolkien topic 1: ancient spiders
ShelobToday at 4:14 PM
That may be Varda, but you make it, you're not made of it, like Arien is. ^^

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:15 PM
Well, her boat is.

VardaToday at 4:15 PM
She's only the steersman, so to speak.

ShelobToday at 4:15 PM
It's close enough as to make no difference. ^^
[4:15 PM]
Anyways, I have a tiny bit of gaming news.

VardaToday at 4:16 PM
Varda can take any form that fits her personality, as a Valie. Could be a huge ball of light?
[4:16 PM]
Go ahead, Shelob.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:16 PM
I'm called The Golden, how's that?

VardaToday at 4:16 PM
Pretty bright too. : )

IrmoToday at 4:16 PM
Illusions of Grandeur Phar

ShelobToday at 4:16 PM
I started playing LotRO again, under my new name, and both Varda and I were amazed that my name in quenya was not yet taken.

VardaToday at 4:17 PM
Hehe Irmo
[4:17 PM]
Especially on a server that is big on the lore like Landroval.

ShelobToday at 4:17 PM
I was pleasantly surprised to find Ungwetari as part (mentioned really) of the High Elf intro.
[4:17 PM]
Hey, Ungwetari, Ungwetari is being mean and stuff.
[4:17 PM]
And I was like. Yeah. I like that.

VardaToday at 4:18 PM
But that spider of hers saved Thranduil, at least at first. : )

ShelobToday at 4:18 PM
Aye. Just goes to show I bow to no one.
[4:18 PM]
But that was it

IrmoToday at 4:19 PM
At his moment I would like to impersonate Ugolainat and dance on Shelob a bit

VardaToday at 4:19 PM
Try a bowing spider in the Moors. It's hilarious.

IrmoToday at 4:19 PM
Ugoliant
[4:19 PM]
Ung... never mind

ShelobToday at 4:19 PM
Ungoliant, but who's keeping track, eh?

VardaToday at 4:19 PM
heh, we know who you mean.

ShelobToday at 4:20 PM
I didn't know you could shape shift though Irmo

IrmoToday at 4:20 PM
I can't

VardaToday at 4:20 PM
A Vala can change shape, but our bodies usually reflect our inner nature.

IrmoToday at 4:20 PM
But deram... anything
[4:20 PM]
dream

ShelobToday at 4:20 PM
I left Ungoliant behind a long time ago though.

VardaToday at 4:20 PM
We are spirit that puts on bodies like clothing.

ShelobToday at 4:21 PM
Right about the time she started eating everything around her, including my siblings.

VardaToday at 4:21 PM
Good to have lots of legs to run away with.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:21 PM
Until she grew so large she got permanently stuck in that.. ravine, thing?

ShelobToday at 4:21 PM
I heard this rumor that she ate herself in the end.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:22 PM
Mouth last?

ShelobToday at 4:23 PM
I would reckon that at some point she ate her heart and ceased to function.

VardaToday at 4:24 PM
She was in a ravine but not stuck there.
[4:24 PM]
Silmarillion "Of the Darkening of Valinor"
[4:24 PM]
Ravine, ravenous. Hmmm

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:25 PM
That was just my extrapolation, Varda

VardaToday at 4:25 PM
She had crept towards the light of Valinor because she hungered for it.
[4:25 PM]
Maybe really big bites? : )
[4:26 PM]
You got me to look in the book, trying not to be swallowed by it now. : )
[4:26 PM]
Good stuff

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:26 PM
Oh, I have it here next to me... I keep it beside me for the art thing.

VardaToday at 4:26 PM
Very good!
[4:27 PM]
tries not to keep reading
[4:27 PM]
For those little mistypes in Discord, we can edit. But maybe not as fun for the reader. : )
[4:28 PM]
We are in Gaming, lest I forget.

Arien  ValarToday at 4:28 PM
Aiya delayed

VardaToday at 4:28 PM
Aiya Arien!

Arien  ValarToday at 4:28 PM
sorry for that

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:28 PM
I try not to edit

VardaToday at 4:28 PM
No worries. You arrived precisely when you got here.

Arien  ValarToday at 4:28 PM
got distracted by some scarlet scume ^^

VardaToday at 4:28 PM
I usually don't edit, but we can.
[4:29 PM]
It says "edited" and I have to remove it from the transcript, meh.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:30 PM
"Thither, as it was earlier told, Ungoliant had fled from the whips of the Balrogs, and there she dwelt a while, filling the ravines with her deadly gloom, and there still, when she had passed away, her offspring lurked(...)"
[4:30 PM]
"Passed away" can mean 2 things, really.

VardaToday at 4:30 PM
True
[4:31 PM]
Apparently she's the source of Mirkwood spiders too.

ShelobToday at 4:31 PM
Actually, that is once removed.
[4:31 PM]
Mirkwood's spiders are Shelob's brood.

Arien  ValarToday at 4:31 PM
her offspring i believe

VardaToday at 4:32 PM
Have to wonder where their father came from.

ShelobToday at 4:32 PM
Probably another one of Ungoliant's brood, or her brood's brood.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:32 PM
Well, where did Ungoliant's first mate come from then?

ShelobToday at 4:32 PM
After all, it stands to reason that Ugoliant is the source of all spiders/

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:32 PM
...not the naval kind

ShelobToday at 4:32 PM
spiders*

Eonwë ValarToday at 4:33 PM
Presumably would've started with a spider at some point.

VardaToday at 4:33 PM
There it tells more

Eonwë ValarToday at 4:33 PM
Thorondor was hardly the start of all Eagles, but he was the King of all Eagles, and one of the Great Eagles.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:34 PM
Mythology is full of monsters that seem to reproduce asexually.

VardaToday at 4:34 PM
"For other foul creatures of spider form had dwelt there since the days of the delving of Angband, and she mated with them, and devoured them;..."
[4:34 PM]
So there were others.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:34 PM
Who was Grendel's father?
[4:35 PM]
Ah, alright

ShelobToday at 4:35 PM
Thanks Varda

Eonwë ValarToday at 4:35 PM
The previous king before Beowulf, if the CG movies from a decade of so ago with Angelina Jolie as Grendel's mother is to be believed.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:35 PM
Hah

VardaToday at 4:35 PM
"...her offspring abode there and wove their hideous webs..."
[4:36 PM]
So that's probably when Shelob showed up.
[4:37 PM]
If you've seen spiders hatch, the spiderlings eat each other. So there were probably a fair number of places that the eggs were left.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:37 PM
If you think human life is hard...

Eonwë ValarToday at 4:37 PM
Not a fan of spiders personally, so I try not to watch them hatch.

VardaToday at 4:37 PM
Our Tolkien chat seems to have come early, yay us!
[4:37 PM]
Back to

Arien  ValarToday at 4:37 PM
hehe

VardaToday at 4:37 PM

Gaming!
[4:37 PM]
Eonwe, would you like to take it away?

ShelobToday at 4:38 PM
Sorry about that!

Eonwë ValarToday at 4:38 PM
By all means.

VardaToday at 4:38 PM
We love a good Tolkien chat. Thanks!

Eonwë ValarToday at 4:38 PM

World of Warcraft:
[4:38 PM]
This week's bonus event: Battlegrounds.
[4:38 PM]
A new Afterlives cinematic is out: Aftertlives: Ardenweald. ---
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/23507728/watch-shadowlands-afterlives-ardenweald
    World of Warcraft
    Watch Shadowlands Afterlives: Ardenweald - WoW
    Find your way into the groves of the keepers with our latest animated short— Afterlives: Ardenweald.

[4:39 PM]
If you're looking to make sure you've got all the mounts you can get, check out the blog Burning Crusade: Mounts, Pets, and More. ---
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/23523203/burning-crusade-mounts-pets-and-more
    World of Warcraft
    Burning Crusade: Mounts, Pets, and More - WoW
    As the last of our ongoing series of articles featuring many of the collectibles in World of Warcraft, we’ve focused on the Burning Crusade.
    The fel-infused lands of Outland are waiting to be explored.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:39 PM
It broke my bear druid's heart

Eonwë ValarToday at 4:39 PM

Heroes of the Storm:
[4:39 PM]
A new patch came out this week. ---
https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/heroes-of-the-storm/23513939/heroes-of-the-storm-live-patch-notes-september-8-2020
    Heroes of the Storm Live Patch Notes - September 8, 2020
    Our next Heroes of the Storm patch is live and brings a new Nexus Anomaly, ARAM mode, new skins and mounts, along with D.Va and Gazlowe reworks and more! Read on for more information.

[4:39 PM]
Other new blogs:

Be Prepared- The Craftwars Patch is here ---
https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/heroes-of-the-storm/23509395/be-prepared-the-craftwars-patch-is-here
    Be prepared—the CraftWars patch is here
    What if we told you it was time to settle who’d win a fight between your favorite Warcraft and StarCraft heroes?
    Now, what if we told you that you’d be the one to settle that grudge?
    No more time for hypotheticals—the CraftWars event has arrived in-game today, and the ultimate...

[4:40 PM]
(Not to be confused with the Kraft Wars, which would have us battle Macaroni and Cheese)
[4:40 PM]
The Arts-and-Crafts of War: Heroes Artists Discuss New Craftwars Patch ---
https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/heroes-of-the-storm/23509396/the-arts-and-crafts-of-war-heroes-artists-discuss-new-craftwars-patch
    The Arts-and-Crafts of War: Heroes artists discuss new CraftWars patch
    Starting today, you can see the clash between StarCraft and Warcraft play out in the newly dropped CraftWars patch with new skins, mounts, and more. To take in the creation tale of this mighty patch, we sat down with the artists.

[4:41 PM]
Become Unstoppable During the Gladiator's Medallion Nexus Anomaly --- 
https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/heroes-of-the-storm/23513930/become-unstoppable-during-the-gladiator-s-medallion-nexus-anomaly
    Become Unstoppable During the Gladiator’s Medallion Nexus Anomaly
    Break your bonds and unleash your fury with the newest Nexus Anomaly: Gladiator’s Medallion.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:41 PM
The Star- and Warcraftswars...

Eonwë ValarToday at 4:41 PM
I yield the floor to Varda for

LotRO news.

VardaToday at 4:42 PM
Thank you.
[4:42 PM]
Farmer's Faire is still going, but not for much longer, think tomorrow.
[4:42 PM]
Here's the list of those that were on LotRO this past week:

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:42 PM
Dem farmers gotta get back to work.

VardaToday at 4:42 PM
Landroval:
Aranuir
Eonwe
Erkenbrand
Fangorn
Hurin
Irmo
Lenwe
Nar
Nimrodel
Shelob
Varda

Ithil:
Varda

Anor:
Varda
[4:42 PM]
More taters! More taters!
[4:42 PM]
Pallando has Eve Online news.
[4:46 PM]
Pallando, let us know when you're back and ready and you can break in with Eve news.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:47 PM
I've got a small

Hearthstone thing.

VardaToday at 4:47 PM
Any other gaming news?
[4:47 PM]
Go ahead, Ar-Pharazon the Golden. : )

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:47 PM
The Forbidden Library event's into its second week in Hearthstone, and with it a new solo adventure! First chapter of a feature called the Book of Heroes, wherein you follow the tales of each of the 9 original heroes of the game.
[4:48 PM]
This one's about Jaina, and the other 8 will follow over the next year or so
[4:48 PM]
And that's my news!

Eve Online:
Pallando-ValarToday at 4:48 PM
So, Eve has new updates coming. There's going to be t0 and t6 abyssal diving, as well as new abyssal arenas
[4:49 PM]
And destroyers will be able to go into abyssal space in solo or duos (I'm testing this on the er, test server right now)
[4:50 PM]
https://www.eveonline.com/article/qgci27
EVE Online
Depths of the Abyss Update | EVE Online
New Abyssal tiers, NPC groups and more


VardaToday at 4:50 PM
No wonder you're busy!

Pallando-ValarToday at 4:50 PM
There's some changes to structures coming, but that's not interesting for anyone here I don't think.

VardaToday at 4:51 PM
We have members who read the transcript later, and you might be surprised.

Pallando-ValarToday at 4:51 PM
As for the Triglavian Invasion, it proceeds. We lost a system last week, but have saved several more, including one going into Redoubt any minute now.

VardaToday at 4:52 PM
Sounds like a net gain.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:52 PM
Depends if they'll come back to saved systems.

Pallando-ValarToday at 4:52 PM
They do not.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 4:52 PM
Well, then yes

VardaToday at 4:54 PM
Sounds as if you'll be busy with the one going into Redoubt?
[4:54 PM]
Don't let us cause any disasters with distracting you here!

Pallando-ValarToday at 4:55 PM
It is. The lost system wasn't terribly important from a global sort of view
[4:55 PM]
Unfortunate but not a terrible thing
[4:55 PM]
I'm not in that system myself right now

Eonwë ValarToday at 4:56 PM
Sounds like an interesting event.

Pallando-ValarToday at 4:56 PM
It has had its moments

Eonwë ValarToday at 4:56 PM
Is there an indication of the endgame on this event yet?

ShelobToday at 4:56 PM
Are those systems knocked out of the network, or are they permantently dangerous, or what happens exactly?

Pallando-ValarToday at 4:58 PM
There's some hints

VardaToday at 4:58 PM
Endgame, always moving.

Pallando-ValarToday at 4:58 PM
The current popular theory is that when the event ends the systems that have fallen will gain some sort of exclusive gate network
[4:58 PM]
Maybe permanent connections to abyssal sapce, special wormholes, no one's too sure.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:00 PM
...Which.. would be a good thing?

ShelobToday at 5:00 PM
But wouldn't that be good?

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:01 PM
...eh
[5:01 PM]
So when they take a system into Final Liminality, they start harvesting the sun.
[5:01 PM]
And the sun goes from a blue or yellow to.. red and black.

ShelobToday at 5:01 PM
So it becomes permantly uninhabited and worlds will not be harvestable I guess?

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:02 PM
Also, they start forcibly "bioadapting" the populations of the planets in order to prepare them for.. whatever's next.

ShelobToday at 5:02 PM
Permanent nuclear winter is what's next on those worlds.

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:02 PM
So while at a sort of meta-level of "interesting game mechanics".. yeah! It's super cool what's going on.

ShelobToday at 5:02 PM
Ice caps hundreds if not thousands of feet thick.

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:03 PM
At the level of "the people inside the universe" it's... not so cool.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:03 PM
Well, until there's no more water to freeze.

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:03 PM
There's always something to freeze

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:03 PM
Also, if the Trigs take a system, concord leaves: this means that some number of systems have been turned from HighSec into Nullsec
[5:03 PM]
removing all police functions and safety

ShelobToday at 5:03 PM
There's a lot of water molecules in the air though.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:04 PM
Oh, sure. There's a moon out there with seas of methane.
[5:04 PM]
But it's not exactly ice.

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:04 PM
Oh! and The Trigs set up sentry guns on every gate, station, and belt, and shoot anyone not friendly to them.
[5:04 PM]
and they have roaming lfeets that camp all of this..

ShelobToday at 5:04 PM
Auch!

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:04 PM
So.. yeah. It's not great when they take a system, at least for any inhabitants.

ShelobToday at 5:04 PM
Now that is painful.
[5:04 PM]
Did they attempt to take Jita?

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:04 PM
Not yet.
[5:04 PM]
Jita's sun is of the type that interests them.

ShelobToday at 5:05 PM
Maybe Jita is the endgame trigger?

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:05 PM
Niarja is probably the most interesting system that's fallen.
[5:05 PM]
Severing the trade connection between Jita and Amarr.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:05 PM
I take it this Jita thing is like sector 001 of the game?

ShelobToday at 5:05 PM
Oooh, snap.
[5:05 PM]
Serves them slavers right. ^^
[5:06 PM]
Jita has become the major trade hub of the game
[5:06 PM]
It didn't start out as such.

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:06 PM
Has been for a good 15 years, yes.
[5:06 PM]
Ever since the superhighway was removed.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:06 PM
Ah, but mechanically it doesn't have any lore significance that would trigger an event?

ShelobToday at 5:06 PM
As with everything in EVE, it was a completely player based event.

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:06 PM
Correct.

ShelobToday at 5:06 PM
Wasn't scripted or anything.
[5:07 PM]
But CCP can take advantage of that anyways.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:07 PM
True.

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:07 PM
Jita would be very interesting.
[5:07 PM]
I suspect it won't happen, or if it does, it'll be on rails.
[5:07 PM]
But we'll see.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:07 PM
Yeah, sounds like it'd attract a large amount of defenders.

ShelobToday at 5:07 PM
That's why I think that if Jita happens, it will be bad, bad, bad there.

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:07 PM
At any rate, things proceed, we need your help to save Varda's light in EVE, contact me for details.

ShelobToday at 5:07 PM
Because everyone and their mother has ships in Jita.
[5:08 PM]
ANd if they don't, there's a gajillion on the market in that very system.

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:08 PM
I'd also be happy to help introduce people to abyssal diving with the new destroyers filaments in t0-2 when that hits.

VardaToday at 5:08 PM
ohhh : )

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:08 PM
joins game helps Trigs take Jita leaves game

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:08 PM
Ar-Phar would try and take the lights of the Valar for himself, wouldn't he..

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:09 PM
Yeah that looked better with asterisks.

VardaToday at 5:09 PM
heh, might take a while to build up to that.

ShelobToday at 5:09 PM
Now, Phar, that is exactly why you got put into stasis before.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:09 PM
I have to admit that this part of my personality contributes to my choice of Pharazon
[5:10 PM]
Though I've not really gladly played the evil side for quite some years.

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:11 PM
That's the thing. Jita would easily have as many attackers as defenders.
[5:11 PM]
Plenty of Eve players like being the bad guys.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:11 PM
Heh, yes.
[5:11 PM]
Some people just want to see the world burn

Pallando-ValarToday at 5:12 PM
That's it for me for now.. expect big news in the next month or so though

VardaToday at 5:13 PM
Phar was originally trying to rebuild the rep of Ar-Pharazon. : )

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:13 PM
Well, I didn't pick him to redeem him.
[5:13 PM]
I didn't even know he had to be redeemed. Other than the story way of course.
[5:14 PM]
But I'm glad that me being slightly less evil in my narrative preferences throughout the years has helped redeem the name

VardaToday at 5:15 PM
You found out early on.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:15 PM
I did.

VardaToday at 5:15 PM
And you redeemed the name. : )

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:16 PM
Thank you

VardaToday at 5:17 PM
We did have a topic for Tolkien, but it seemed that we had a wonderful spontaneous chat earlier.
[5:17 PM]
It's now a bit past the hour and many need to leave.
[5:17 PM]
I can still pass along the topic for those curious? We can hit it next time if we like.

ShelobToday at 5:17 PM
I'm interested

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:18 PM
Lets us prepare

VardaToday at 5:18 PM
We recognize an epic moment when we see it. Can we think of some from Tolkien's works? From there, we may even be able to define "epic"!

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:18 PM
Purple gear, right?

VardaToday at 5:18 PM
That can also help our own righting for the site.
[5:18 PM]
Teal! Gold!(edited)

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:19 PM
Not in WoW. And Hearthstone. And Heroes of the Storm. And many games that have stolen the colorscheme from WoW.

VardaToday at 5:19 PM
Go go LotRO. ^^

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:19 PM
Bah, if you aren't in full oranges no group.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:19 PM
Oranges for legendary!

VardaToday at 5:19 PM
Legendaries are gold which we could call orange, heh.

ShelobToday at 5:20 PM
Phar, you've named only Blizzard games, obviously they would have the same colour scheme.

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:20 PM
I forgot what color Artifacts were, but I'm pretty sure they're the same color as heirlooms, so going by color on that loses some of the implications.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:20 PM
Hence the other many games I mentioned.
[5:20 PM]
I've played like 3 or 4 cardgames and rpgs on Kongregate alone that use the same color pattern.

ShelobToday at 5:20 PM
I do think that Blizz stole it first though.

VardaToday at 5:20 PM
How can you steal it if you're first?

ShelobToday at 5:21 PM
WoW is a collection of stolen ideas. Which is why it (still) is such a great game.

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:21 PM
There is nothing new under the sun.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:21 PM
Yeah, alright. If an older game has it I stand corrected. But the point remains that an awful lot of games use that order, so it works for my definition of epic

ShelobToday at 5:22 PM
Did I say stolen? I meant observed and repurposed.

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:22 PM
Or to put in a modern context,... "Simpsons did it."

ShelobToday at 5:22 PM
Which is epic in and of itself!

VardaToday at 5:22 PM
We stand on the shoulders of giants. : )

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:22 PM
heh

ShelobToday at 5:22 PM
If we could safely stand on Melkor's shoulders, aye.

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:23 PM
But yeah, I don't think Blizzard directly lifted anything, but they are known to put their own spin on "nouns" like characters, events, etc., and refine systems to their liking.

VardaToday at 5:23 PM
We stand on turtles?

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:23 PM
Turtles all the way down.

VardaToday at 5:23 PM
Aye! : )
[5:24 PM]
Everyone lifted from Tolkien.

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:24 PM
I would feel safer on Fastitocalon's back than Morgoth's shoulders.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:24 PM
And Tolkien lifted from Norse mythology.

VardaToday at 5:24 PM
Right.
[5:25 PM]
Bringing together the many threads into a new tapestry. Just don't use the exact same pattern.
[5:26 PM]
We try to be original at least.
[5:26 PM]
Bring together odd combinations and try for a new thing in the blend.
[5:28 PM]
the gavel makes a run at the hammerpad
[5:28 PM]
for once the hammerpad is caught by surprise. What no weird stunts first?
[5:28 PM]
whopppp!

Arien  ValarToday at 5:29 PM
epic moments .. i can think only of one .. imagine Bilbo , Gandalf, Galadriel, her husb and  Frodo coming into the pPort of Tirion

VardaToday at 5:29 PM
the victorious gavel returns to the shelf to the sound of the hammerpad's cheer

Arien  ValarToday at 5:29 PM
standing on board the ship

VardaToday at 5:29 PM
I will take the Ring. That's epic

ShelobToday at 5:29 PM
The epicness that is Turgon and the construction of Gondolin.
[5:30 PM]
The fact that it remained hidden from Morgoth for a few hundred years even though Morgoth ruled the entire land around it.

VardaToday at 5:30 PM
After-meeting.
[5:30 PM]
Free chat, including fun with the topic. : )

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:30 PM
The forest of a thousand masts sailing west!

VardaToday at 5:30 PM
Gollum's keeping the One Ring secret from Sauron for so long.

ShelobToday at 5:31 PM
Well, he was holed up in a cave for most of it.
[5:32 PM]
Also, wasn't it Eonwë who wrestled with Morgoth and was like, "nah bro, this time you're going down"?

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:32 PM
Here's a "duel of epic lines" so to speak...

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:33 PM
I thought that was T.. thinks not Turgon...

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:33 PM
That would've been Tulkas. That totally sounds like him.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:33 PM
Yeah!
[5:33 PM]
Actually, Tulkas was the first time.

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:33 PM
Why just the other day, he was like "Dude..." and I was like "Pshaw!"
[5:34 PM]
But those are not the epic lines to which I wish to refer this day...

Arien  ValarToday at 5:35 PM
Three Rings for the Elven Lords under the Sky
seven for the dwarf lords in the Halls of stone
nine for mortal men doomed to die
one for the dark lord on his dark throne in the land of Mordor where the shadows are

VardaToday at 5:36 PM
The elves coming from the Helcaraxe and blowing their trumpets on arrival, just as the Moon first rose.

Arien  ValarToday at 5:37 PM
one ring to rule them all one ring to bind them  one ring to enthrall them alll and in darkness bind them
in the land of Mordor where the shadows are

VardaToday at 5:37 PM
(Sil at the end of "The Flight of the Noldor")
[5:37 PM]
o sorry, Arien. : (

Arien  ValarToday at 5:37 PM
Epic words

VardaToday at 5:37 PM
Aye!

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:37 PM
Ones we all remember

VardaToday at 5:37 PM
So much history there.

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:37 PM
Saruman thinks he gets a mic drop moment when he announces to Gandalf, "(White) serves as a beginning. White cloth may be dyed. The white page can be overwritten; and the white light can be broken."
[5:38 PM]
Gandalf then tells him, "In which case it is no longer white. And he that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom."

ShelobToday at 5:38 PM
Ah, Morgoth trembling upon his throne at the sound of Feänor at his gates of Thangorodrim!

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:38 PM
Now there's a duel of epic lines.

ShelobToday at 5:39 PM
Gandalf is full of those.
[5:39 PM]
Like the time Frodo told him it would've been better had Bilbo killed Gollum when he had the chance.

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:40 PM
I have one more epic boast to share.
[5:41 PM]
Again, two halves.
[5:43 PM]
Boromir: "Believe not that in the land of Gondor the blood of Numenor is spent, nor all its pride and dignity are fogotten. By our valour the wild folk of the East are still restrained, and the terror of Morgul kept at bay; and thus alone are peace and freedom maintained in the lands behind us, bulwark of the West."
[5:45 PM]
Aragorn: "If Gondor, Boromir, has been a stalwart tower, (the remaining Dunedain of Arnor/Rangers of the North) have played another part. Many evil things there are that your strong walls and bright swords do not stay. You know little of the lands beyond your bounds. Peace and freedom, do you say? The North would have known them little but for us.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:45 PM
Yuh-uh! Nu-uh!

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:46 PM
"Fear would have destroyed them. But when dark things come from the houseless hills, or creep from sunless woods, they fly from us. What roads would any dare to tread, what safety would there be in quiet lands, or in the homes of simple men at night, if the Dunedain were asleep, or were all gone into the grave?"
[5:50 PM]
That's it for my epic boasts.
[5:51 PM]
Well, boast of the epic variety, that I am quoting. Not my boasts personally.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:52 PM
Suuure.

VardaToday at 5:52 PM
Boasts - sometimes it's a warning of treading the path of hubris.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:53 PM
Sometimes they're attempts at picking up women.

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:55 PM
"You know, I lead the Armies of the Valar..." lol. I think there are only a handful of lines that can beat that.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:55 PM
Hey, I've got a boat, wanna see it?

ShelobToday at 5:56 PM
Boast Phar, not boat.

VardaToday at 5:56 PM
hehe

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:56 PM
having a boat is a boast!

ShelobToday at 5:56 PM
Almost though. I commend you.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:56 PM
Okay, let me elaborate...

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:56 PM
You should've mentioned the rest of the navy to go with it.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 5:56 PM
"Look, I've got hundreds of em! Which one would you like to see?"

ShelobToday at 5:56 PM
Now that would be a boast Eonwë!

VardaToday at 5:56 PM
The trick is to hit the fine line that Aragorn did, when he defended and educated, but was not being overproud. Very difficult.

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:57 PM
Aye to what Varda said.

ShelobToday at 5:57 PM
I almost ate The One Ring.
[5:57 PM]
But then I got distracted.

VardaToday at 5:57 PM
oops

Eonwë ValarToday at 5:57 PM
Actually, I have a pretty good comparison for that I'm now going to use.
[5:58 PM]
Boromir's boast was all about "If we fall, you guys are done for." Which to be fair, is true to an extent.
[5:59 PM]
Aragorn's boast, particularly with his "we have played another part," is similar to Manwë telling Melkor "many others have laboured here no less than thou."

VardaToday at 5:59 PM
Boromir may genuinely not have known. It was an education for him to be at the Council. Just seeing how the others reacted when Bilbo offered to carry the Ring.
[6:00 PM]
Good comparison, Eonwe.
[6:00 PM]
You aren't the only one in the trenches, buddy.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 6:00 PM
It could also mean "Yeah, your bulwark isn't as watertight as you think."

VardaToday at 6:01 PM
True.

ShelobToday at 6:01 PM
Boromir was blinded by the flashiness of the White City.
[6:01 PM]
I do remember him talking disparagingly of rangers before.
[6:02 PM]
So he must have been aware of their existence.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 6:02 PM
His brother was sort of one.

Eonwë ValarToday at 6:02 PM
Aye, the point being that while Gondor definitely gets to stand front-and-center as the last Numenorean kingdom still standing and thus the direct focus of any major offensive, there are other powers in Middle-earth who have been dealing with the servants of the Enemy too. They haven't been on vacation these many years.

VardaToday at 6:02 PM
Faramir was head of the rangers of the South.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 6:03 PM
We sure he wasn't talking about those?

VardaToday at 6:04 PM
They were part of Gondor's defenses, so maybe not. Boromir seemed to think well of Faramir.
[6:04 PM]
But it might have helped him understand what Aragorn was saying.

Eonwë ValarToday at 6:05 PM
One would hope there'd at least be loyalty amongst siblings. Even Fëanor's sons managed to hang together.

ShelobToday at 6:05 PM
Well, that is kind of because Fëanor forced his sons to take the same oath he did.
[6:05 PM]
An oath that was bitterly regretted by his eldest son in the end.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 6:06 PM
Still, Faramir's activities weren't too far from Aragorn's, even if more organized.
[6:06 PM]
And they'd fall under a similar contrast of boasts.

Eonwë ValarToday at 6:06 PM
They worked together for that purpose, yes, but I don't think we ever got the indication there were problems amongst the seven that would make them openly hostile to eachother.
[6:07 PM]
The entire rest of the world, maybe.

VardaToday at 6:07 PM
Boromir did seem to learn from what they were telling him.

ShelobToday at 6:08 PM
Perhaps, but what Faramir did was under the banner of Minas Tirith, and the north was beyond that, and exactly as Eonwe said, Minas Tirith was the first to suffer the brunt of a major assault.
And if you lose your hands to an orc with an axe, you're not likely to notice a little spider like me nibbling at your feet. Just to give you an example.

Eonwë ValarToday at 6:09 PM
And Boromir was proud, but I don't think he was stupid.

ShelobToday at 6:09 PM
And he had good reason to be proud.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 6:09 PM
I assume I would notice a spider like Shelob nibbling at my feet.
[6:09 PM]
For a start, she'd block my view.

Eonwë ValarToday at 6:09 PM
He was heir to the Steward, it would be natural for him to view everything through the lens of protecting Gondor.

ShelobToday at 6:10 PM
And Boromir had that one absolutely "redeeming" character trait that so many evil characters lack. He was able to recognize he was wrong.

Eonwë ValarToday at 6:10 PM
Aye.

ShelobToday at 6:11 PM
Not if I nibbled at your feet from behind Phar.

VardaToday at 6:11 PM
Aye. Boromir showed a lot about redemption.
[6:11 PM]
Shelob was rather large to be nibbling feet. : )  But was sure a problem for Frodo.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 6:12 PM
Who'd want to nibble a Hobbit's feet?
[6:12 PM]
Way too hairy.

ShelobToday at 6:12 PM
Hmmm... extra protein.
[6:12 PM]
But you know what I mean.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 6:12 PM
Tangents'r'us.

ShelobToday at 6:12 PM
At any rate... It's way past bedtime!

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VardaToday at 6:12 PM
For sure.

ShelobToday at 6:13 PM
Namarié everyone!

VardaToday at 6:13 PM
Aye, and we are in After-meeting precisely to free you to leave at need.  : )
[6:13 PM]
Namarie!

Eonwë ValarToday at 6:13 PM
Sleep well,
[6:13 PM]
Reminder to everyone that as mentioned at the top of the meeting the GSMU is going. September 30th is the deadline.

Arien  ValarToday at 6:14 PM
Namarie all  yeah got the mail

Eonwë ValarToday at 6:14 PM
And I want to make sure I mention that Oromë says hi.

VardaToday at 6:14 PM
Hi Orome!

Arien  ValarToday at 6:14 PM
hi Orome

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 6:14 PM
Namarie!
[6:15 PM]
And Aiya Orome
[6:15 PM]
Eonwe! Yes! Whispering now.

VardaToday at 6:15 PM
He is welcome to LotRO any time. : )
[6:16 PM]
(You knew I was going to say that! Couldn't disappoint!)

Eonwë ValarToday at 6:16 PM
He's welcome in WoW Lothar too :}
[6:16 PM]
We also have a bnet community if anyone wants to be able to chat cross-realm.

VardaToday at 6:17 PM
and Discord to chat across everything!
[6:19 PM]
That Bnet community is really nice.
[6:19 PM]
Plus Scatha set us up on Steam if any need.
[6:20 PM]
I'm going to go grab some of that supper that everyone else has been eating. ; )
[6:20 PM]
Made it early.
[6:21 PM]
Back later!

Eonwë ValarToday at 6:21 PM
Enjoy :}

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 6:21 PM
Enjoy!
[6:21 PM]
Gave Eonwe my games.

Eonwë ValarToday at 6:24 PM
Thanks :}

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Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 6:25 PM
Personal gaming report!
[6:25 PM]

For flashgaming, 3 old ones.
[6:26 PM]
https://www.kongregate.com/games/Xdragonx10/penguin-overlords is the first, and one of my favorite action upgrade games, so I've probably linked it before
    Kongregate
    Penguin Overlords
    Made a game in a day, feel free to check it out: http://www.kongregate.com/games/Xdragonx10/save-the-moon
    NOTE Make sure you set your storage settings to u...
[6:29 PM]
Got levels filled with turtles, on which you have to unleash penguins.
[6:29 PM]
But the penguins come on timers, so you have only a certain time to kill all the turtles.
[6:30 PM]
Or well, it's health, not time, but the health decreases with time
[6:31 PM]
Anyway, kill turtles, collect money from them, upgrade your penguins with mechanical parts, get some other upgrades like boosts, and beat all the levels!
[6:31 PM]
And nice music too

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 7:03 PM
https://www.kongregate.com/games/Lutgames/straw-hat-samurai is the second game! A samurai action game where you have to conquer the map with your samurai, slicing and shooting your enemies with sword and bow in side scrolling levels.
    Kongregate
    Straw Hat Samurai
    It#39s a samurai game with lots of slashing and blood!
[7:03 PM]
After unlocking certain points, you can send in your army and it gets a risk-like element, as you try to conquer the map with your forces and outnumber them.
But you can also still use the lone samurai to conquer areas
[7:05 PM]
There's also spaces with loot chests, where you can choose between health and dodge. I advise the dodge, because apparently health resets anyway when you die,, but the dodge seems permanent.

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 7:24 PM
https://www.kongregate.com/games/morbidware/nether-runner for the last game! A sidescroller running game, with upgrades. Dodge bullets, defeat the monsters, and save your girlfriend from being kidnapped!
    Kongregate
    Nether Runner
    Get your Evil Book and Tiny God and be ready for war with the forces of the Netherworld!
    It#39s doomsday and it#39s all your fault! Save mankind (and your really...

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[7:27 PM]
Blizzard gaming:
[7:31 PM]
Heroes of the Storm:
No new levels, still 427. With the patch, no more brawls, so just AI games by me this week  There's also a new event but it doesn't come with any quests.
[7:31 PM]
So looks like Storm'll be boring from now on
[7:32 PM]
Hearthstone:
No new levels, though I did get the card back. Faerie dragon themed, as I expected from the graphics
[7:32 PM]
Will be using it for my druid fights for a while.
[7:32 PM]
Brawl is one where spells cost health instead of mana.
[7:33 PM]
A lot of fun can be had with that; especially with the demon hunter who's got a card called Blur, making the hero damage immune for one turn.
[7:33 PM]
If you use that and a card draw deck, you can do some serious damage very early on!
[7:33 PM]
I used one and got unlucky with card draw, so it took me quite a few turns, but did manage to win in the end.
[7:34 PM]
WoW:
[7:34 PM]
So much stuff!
[7:35 PM]
Let's start with raiding. Mythic Stormwall Blockade down, leaving only mythic Jaina for the mount. We had a bunch of tries on her, but it's quite a tough fight to learn. The new stacking mechanic makes things very complicated.
[7:35 PM]
Trying again next tuesday
[7:35 PM]
Did my last horrific vision (planned, anyway) getting both the cloak to 125 corruption resistance with this week's malefic core, and getting enough mementos to buy the cloak appearance.
[7:36 PM]
I only needed about 1600 mementos, so I 1-masked it and still got out with way too many, just thought I'd play it safe
[7:36 PM]
Lot easier with only 1 mask too!
[7:36 PM]
If you outgear the place and just want to 1-mask I advise the one that spawns a mob below 50% sanity. You'll never see it
[7:37 PM]
Weekly quest is battlegrounds! I spread out all 4 over 4 days in order to get the maximum honor and conquest. Not only did I hit the conquest threshold again, but I also got enough honor for the Battlemaster achievement, to get 100k from battlegrounds
[7:38 PM]
Which got me 3 new rank 4 essences!
[7:38 PM]
Let's see, what else...
[7:39 PM]
I got a new mount from expedition salvage, the Twilight Avenger! I was going after the pets, but mount doesn't hurt
[7:40 PM]
Got my sixth druid tier 3 piece, the shoulders, from the BMAH  Only cost me 210k gold, which is pretty cheap for that particular piece. Just helm and gloves left, gloves should be relatively cheap, though they're both pretty unique looking.
[7:40 PM]
I got another rank 4 essence from Uldum Accord, from the paragon supplies. Double rep gain, yay!
[7:41 PM]
Questing: Made major progress!
[7:41 PM]
First off I completed the questline to find Saffy and Grizzek, getting their mechanical parrot pet Feathers as a reward!
[7:41 PM]
Then I finally, at least, continued Nazjatar.
In doing so I unlocked world quests, my last mission champion (which I used to get my 5th(!) rank 4 essence in a single day from an expedition mission), and 4 new rank 1 essences, including the Memory of Lucid Dreams, generally considered one of the best in the game.
[7:43 PM]
Even at rank 1 I found it worth using for feral spec.
[7:44 PM]
Upon unlocking the Nazjatar world quests, I immediately embarked on completing as many of them as possible in order to get revered rep, which is a necessity for Pathfinder achievement.
[7:45 PM]
And with double rep gain... it's gone really fast. Between an emissary, a lot of one-off quests, some rep gotten from leveling champions, and just plenty of daily and world quests, I'm only 3k out from revered, and it's only been a few days
[7:45 PM]
I should get it in 2 days or so.
[7:45 PM]
Along the side I've also started on the Mechagon questline. I've not unlocked world quests there, but am not far from it, and with Nazjatar almost at revered I should be able to spend some more time there too.,
[7:46 PM]
So Nazjatar shouldn't be a problem for Pathfinder. Getting revered with Mechagon.... might be more problematic. I'll just need to unlock the quests as soon as possible
[7:47 PM]
Despite the lack of world quests on Mechagon, I do hope it won't be too much slower.
[7:47 PM]
Oh, and after a long grind, my necklace is now 95.
[7:47 PM]
I doubt it'll see 96 before the prepatch
[7:48 PM]
And that's my report for the week!

Ar-Pharazon-VToday at 9:00 PM
namarie!

VardaToday at 10:11 PM
Namarie

Eonwë ValarToday at 10:31 PM
Sleep well.

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