April 25, 2021 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, Eonwe,
Fangorn/Treebeard, Gimli, Irmo, Shelob, Varda (presiding)
Contents:
Before-meeting
Meeting begins
Membership news:
Web:
Gaming:
General reports: Eonwe: Lord of
the Rings Online, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo Immortal
goes to alpha. Varda: more LotRO
Mentions: Shelob boardgame: 1822: The Railways of
Great Britain; Gimli: No Man's Sky. Varda: StarCraft2, No Man's Sky.
Ar-Pharazon: Guild
Wars
Tolkien:
Topic:
from Irmo: Who but the elves and Aragorn (and Gandalf, duh)
would have knowledge not only of the healing power of Athelas, but
would actually know how to use it to be able to heal with it?
My thesis though, is not only the herbs, but to know the words of
the incantation.
After-meeting:
(non)Flashgaming Reviews by
Ar-Pharazon.
Angmar map linked by Phar: Middle-earth
Hobbit Poster for sale, with magnifying lens to show more
detail.
RP - new posts. Auros asks the group
whether to keep their presence completely hidden or as Telperos
says, not. Scattered discussion.
RP - we buried the arrow-ridden orc
top
Before-meeting
Eonwë Valar — 04/24/2021
Hmm, I've completed two campaign missions on my table, and my
missions have not increased in level so far as I've seen.
Eonwë Valar — 04/24/2021
Well, decided to blow a whole bunch of gold to get my Legendary to
ilvl 235. Now going to have a maxed level legendary. Yay me I
suppose, heh.
April 25, 2021
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Yay, got reign of the battle bound Warhound from the Pitlord in the
Maldraxxus arena. Didn't know that was a thing, heh.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Salutations.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Greetings : )
[4:01 PM]
@Bounder Rejoice! It's that time when we get to come say hi to each
other and shoot the breeze! Maybe with arrows.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Aiya!
Gimli — 04/25/2021
Heya
Varda — 04/25/2021
Thank you to Auros : )
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
Aiya Varda and Eonwe and Phari
[4:01 PM]
Aiya Gimli what a rare splendour in our humble halls
Varda — 04/25/2021
Aiya Gimli, Phar, and Arien!
Shelob — 04/25/2021
Aiya everyone!
Varda — 04/25/2021
and eeek a spider!
[4:02 PM]
Aiya Shelob : )
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
Aiya Shelob
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
doing the Falling with Style world quest... it seems to me like some
of the rings are unreachable even from the start.
Shelob — 04/25/2021
I'm kind of busy with my boardgame.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Which boardgame?
Shelob — 04/25/2021
So you need to worry about pricking you Phar.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
And Aiya all!
Irmo — 04/25/2021
Heya heya heya
Gimli — 04/25/2021
Hehe, been playin no mans sky lately
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
aiya Irmo
Varda — 04/25/2021
Aiya Irmo : )
Shelob — 04/25/2021
1822: The Railways of Great Britain
Irmo — 04/25/2021
Egads there is too many Dutch people here .. again...still...
Varda — 04/25/2021
Never too many unless they quit using English and leave me out. ; )
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
The Dutch are always overrepresented on any online game or medium.
Irmo — 04/25/2021
I vote kicking eithewr the spiderthingy or Phar, 2 is a nice number
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
I suppose we've got nothing better to do.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Oh, you have lots of great things to do. Thanks for being here!
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
I was talking in general, but yes
Varda — 04/25/2021
Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo
[4:05 PM]
just to make the meeting sound like a meeting. : )
[4:06 PM]
Membership:
[4:06 PM]
Oh, that's what we're already doing.
[4:06 PM]
Any other membership news we'd like to mention?
[4:07 PM]
Anyone lurking is welcome to break in and say hi!
[4:07 PM]
Pallando is in a fight!
[4:07 PM]
HIs group was fighting the #1 or #2 team.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
No excuse, I get in fights during the meeting all the time.
Varda — 04/25/2021
We do, don't we. Ahh gaming.
[4:08 PM]
top
Web:
[4:08 PM]
Lots of nothing put up.
[4:08 PM]
top
Gaming:
[4:08 PM]
Eonwe, do you have a report you'd like to make?
[4:10 PM]
Eonwe has quite a bit up on the Games Site for news
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Sure.
Varda — 04/25/2021
hands over the gavel
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Lord of the Rings Online:
[4:11 PM]
Update 29.5 came out this week. --- https://www.lotro.com/en/content/update-295-release-notes-0
The Lord of the Rings Online
Update 29.5 Release Notes
[4:11 PM]
LotRo's 14th Anniversary is going and all the festivities that go
with it, but in between all that Anniversary-ing you should check
out MadeOfLions' Dev Diary – 2021 Retrospective: Gísli's Favourite.
--- https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/dev-diary-%E2%80%93-2021-retrospective-g%C3%ADslis-favourite
The Lord of the Rings Online
Dev Diary – 2021 Retrospective: Gísli's Favourite
[4:11 PM]
World of Warcraft:
[4:12 PM]
This week's Bonus Event: World Quests.
[4:12 PM]
Next week's: Wrath of the Lich King TImewalking.(edited)
[4:13 PM]
Check out this week's hotfixes. --- https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/23646890/hotfixes-april-22-2021
World of Warcraft
Hotfixes: April 22, 2021 - WoW
Here you will find a list of hotfixes that
address various issues related to World of Warcraft: Shadowlands and
WoW Classic.
[4:13 PM]
Also, Daisy the Sloth is now available free for WoW players. --- https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/23639754/daisy-unlocked-claim-yours-today
World of Warcraft
Daisy Unlocked! Claim Yours Today - WoW
Thanks to your generous donations, we’ve reached
our stretch goal of $1 Million USD and Daisy the Sloth is now
unlocked for everyone playing modern World of Warcraft!
[4:14 PM]
Overwatch:
[4:14 PM]
Jeff Kaplan, long time guy at Blizzard (19 years!), has left, and so
Overwatch will have a new game director. See the announcement here.
--- https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/news/23665015/new-leadership-for-overwatch/
Overwatch
New Leadership for Overwatch
[4:14 PM]
Diablo Immortal:
[4:14 PM]
Diablo Immortal is entering Closed Alpha. For more details, see the
announcement. --- https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/diablo-immortal/23657317/diablo-immortal-closed-alpha-the-crusade-begins
DIABLO IMMORTAL CLOSED ALPHA — THE CRUSADE BEGINS
Learn more about the Diablo Immortal Closed
Alpha. Get all the details and answers to your most pressing
questions about the limited public Closed Alpha.
[4:15 PM]
That's everything I have. I yield the floor back to Varda.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Thank you, Eonwe
[4:15 PM]
19 years is an eternity to get to work for a games company. Good for
him!
[4:16 PM]
Games and their marketing seems to be something artists could go
into, too.
[4:16 PM]
As LotRO branch handler, this is my
report to you, the guild at large. This list tries to give
recognition to the Lord of the Rings Valarites that showed up in kin
during the week, for keeping us alive and doing well. Thank you,
all!
[4:16 PM]
Thank you also for the way you help each other. We try to pass along
info and help over a tough spot if we know about it.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
So formal.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Special thanks go to Irmo for putting stat food in the kin house.
[4:17 PM]
Others have done good things too, but him I caught.
[4:17 PM]
(and oops lost the formality!)
[4:17 PM]
Landroval server:
Arien
Celebrian
Dis
Eonwe
Fangorn
Frodo
Irmo
Nar
Nimrodel
Varda
Ithil server:
Dis
Eonwe
Falco
Fangorn
Varda
Anor server:
Arien
Fangorn
Varda
[4:18 PM]
I and others have been enjoying the new content. Surprise, Bilbo
actually gets in trouble.
[4:18 PM]
Missions are quick story runs with fighting and give rewards.
[4:18 PM]
Nice for when people don't have a lot of time for the bigger
instances.
[4:19 PM]
Any other comments on the new LotRO content?
[4:19 PM]
I know some of you have been playing it, but that last wall of text
may have put you off!
[4:20 PM]
StarCraft 2 people that I know of
this past week were Fangorn, Eowyn, Faramir, and Ciaran
[4:20 PM]
No Man's Sky for Gimli and Sauron
[4:20 PM]
Any others we want to mention?
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
More Guild Wars for me, will add more in the
personal report
Varda — 04/25/2021
Thanks
Gimli — 04/25/2021
I also dab a little bit in Conan exiles
Varda — 04/25/2021
If you ran with a Valarite, please mention that person too
[4:21 PM]
Like it, Gimli?
Gimli — 04/25/2021
Yea, only if it’s a pve play though, don’t care for the pvp
Varda — 04/25/2021
Any other news, comments, suggestions, requests?
[4:25 PM]
If Pallando is available and alive, how is it going? You were cut
off in mid-comment on the side
[4:25 PM]
He's probably catching his breath. : )
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
I've seen enough war movies to know that being cut off mid-message
is generally a bad sign.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Yep : )
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
But the timing is generally impeccable.
Varda — 04/25/2021
top
Tolkien!
[4:27 PM]
Irmo, you had a topic you wanted to mention?
Irmo — 04/25/2021
Yep! Thank you! Here we go: As I was chatting with Eonwë in LOTRO
today: a rare happy occasion) I was once again questing to
gather kingsfoil (athelas). And I realized there are at least 6
quests like that. And I started wondering…
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Well, it's a weed, so it has to be around everywhere...
Irmo — 04/25/2021
Apart from the high-(ly literate)elves and Aragorn (hands of the
healer and that jazz), who else in Minas Tirith, Osgiliath and
neighbour regions would actually know how to use kingsfoil as a
healing method in the first place?
[4:27 PM]
I came up with some conjectures of my own, but I won’t give
spoilers. For this occasion my topic would be: Who but the
elves and Aragorn (and Gandalf, duh) would have knowledge not
only of the healing power of Athelas, but would actually know how to
use it to be able to heal with it?
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Knowledge of it must have passed on through some channels. I imagine
the rangers of Ithilien could make good use of it.
Varda — 04/25/2021
A number of the rangers might know in the North, not sure about the
South
[4:29 PM]
but the South had a huge library and Faramir was a bookworm (thanks
Gandalf!) so he may have had some understanding of it.
[4:29 PM]
Only the king could use it to its greatest extent, but others found
it helpful.
[4:30 PM]
See the comment by Ioreth
Irmo — 04/25/2021
Remember Ioreth of the Houses of Healing hardly remembered its use
Varda — 04/25/2021
True. An old man remembered?
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Always listen to the ramblings of old men.
Irmo — 04/25/2021
It is kinda funny that in game even the apothecary of an obscure
village in Blackroot Vale actually sends us out for
gathering athelas, for instance.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Agreed that it is overdone in the LotRO game. They need other
healing herbs to send us for.
[4:32 PM]
They do send us for thistles once at least. : )
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
somebody said that an aunt used it when she had a cold or some such
and found it helpful .. was that Ioreth or someone else? And the
Keeper in the houses of heling knew it had some benefit when you
just put bowls in the room of a sick person
Shelob — 04/25/2021
In response to Irmo's (very much earlier) suggestion to kick one of
the Dutchies (and not him), I think he should not have worried,
since I am much to preoccupied to actually pay much attention to
chat here.
Varda — 04/25/2021
aww, we can use all the Tolkien chatters we can get, since all of
you here know at least the lore from the LotR (or can Google).
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
I suppose people might have known about the stuff, then, in a more
general somewhat helpful way, but its true potential could only come
out through the king, so they might not have considered it worth
using for such serious cases.
Treebeard — 04/25/2021
Hello
Varda — 04/25/2021
Aiya Fangorn!
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
fragrant herbs for the cleansing draught in Dol Ringwest ..
sounds like Athelas or?
[4:34 PM]
aiya Fangorn
Irmo — 04/25/2021
So generally I agree that Faramir (bookworm extraorinaire) would
have had the knowledge and spead it to his lieutenants like Mablung
and Anborn. But for the rest I would asume the knowlegde of the use
of Athelas forgotten omongst men of the West (and you know I love
you spiderthingy )
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
But honestly, after looting lembas from orcs in Amon Hen in the
Fellowship game, the homogenity of supplies in videogames doesn't
surprise me anymore
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
What about Imrahil?
Varda — 04/25/2021
If Shelob plays a Beorning in LotRO, does that make a
spidemanbearthingy?
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Maybe it was Orc lembas, Phar :}
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Possibly. But could it swing from a web?
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
orc lembas swinging from a web .. interesting picture :0
Varda — 04/25/2021
Imrahil, good question. Maybe. He wondered if no one in the area
knew any "leechcraft" (medicine) since he could see Eowyn was alive.
[4:37 PM]
Orcs might have lembas from looting?
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
maggoty bread?
Varda — 04/25/2021
At least there's protein.
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
Imrahil ould have learned i think .. he had elven blood in him right
? maybe he was not trained in using it
Irmo — 04/25/2021
Imrahil had the bloodline for using it... but the inclination? He
always seemed to me more a general than a scholar
Varda — 04/25/2021
Some lore might have passed down.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
They all did seem big on their lore.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Imrahil did know a little. Reason Eowyn was saved instead of left
too long in the field.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
I think the main thing people didn't know was its potential in the
hands of a king.
[4:39 PM]
Considering they hadn't had one in a while.
Varda — 04/25/2021
The ones we're mentioning also seem to have been related, somewhat.
[4:39 PM]
Aye to that, Phar.
Irmo — 04/25/2021
My thesis though, it is not only the herbs, but to know the words of
the incantation: and that only the leves, Aragaorn and maybe faramir
would know
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
How much did the king even really get called to use it?
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
he came on the evening after the battle of Pelargir
Irmo — 04/25/2021
lves is elves
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
"I have a cold. Summon the king!"
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Until Aragorn. We're not given much indication the previous kings
spent much time in the Houses of Healing, as a healer at least.
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
or battle of minas Tirith
Varda — 04/25/2021
It was special to handle Black Breath. Would have been really useful
during the plague winds from Mordor.
Irmo — 04/25/2021
There is power in words and music, and only thereby would athelas
really heal deadly wounds
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
but he did not want to be known as king .. shame we have no Aragorn
just now .. sigh
[4:42 PM]
here in our so called real life
Irmo — 04/25/2021
nicely put Arien
Varda — 04/25/2021
But maybe we do and he/she is hidden like Aragorn was!
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Can you imagine queen Elizabeth going around the UK healing people
with covid?
Irmo — 04/25/2021
Shut up Phar
[4:44 PM]
No nightmare images before bed
Varda — 04/25/2021
Aragorn was healing only special things from the evil
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
haha
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
well she is around Aragorns age at the time or ?#
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
heh, yes
Varda — 04/25/2021
And anyone with a healing ability now would be mobbed. Maybe they
could find a way to heal en masse from a balcony? Like scattering
rose petals into the wind?
Irmo — 04/25/2021
Well, it might just be that without incantation, athelas is just an
"herb" in the hands of any iliterate...
Varda — 04/25/2021
It cleared the air somewhat. Might have been anti-bacterial too?
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
sounds like it
Varda — 04/25/2021
But I agree that it is overused in LotRO.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
It's possible/probable that its healing properties weren't
necesarily of the medical kind in the first place.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Just something to have around and make the place feel healthier?
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
So for the "practical" use of everyday medicine, it was just a
nice-smelling herb.
Irmo — 04/25/2021
Ok folks, I am off to bed...btw I am working on an article on the
reeves and thanes of Rohan...almost ready...and whether or not they
died on the Pelennor...and whether or not they are actually
mentioned in the books That will be forthcoming soon
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
hmm a friend of Ioreth or so did use it against headache or
something she mentioned it
[4:50 PM]
sleep well Dreamlord
Varda — 04/25/2021
Sounds intriguing! Looking forward to reading it when it comes up.
[4:50 PM]
Rest well!
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Sleep well Irmo :}
Irmo — 04/25/2021
Namarië
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
namarie!
Varda — 04/25/2021
The War of the Ring was rough on an awful lot of territory.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
A headache is not on the level of a stab wound :} But I'm not saying
it didn't have any properties useful on a mundane basis, just that
it might not have been something with more evident medical
properties for serious physical conditions. Otherwise, there
would've been reason to know and remember it. The Black Breath isn't
exactly something that inflicts the average person every other
Tuesday.
Varda — 04/25/2021
I'm glad. : )
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Given the idea that the theme is that supernatural threats
manifesting in physical form is on the decline in the Third Age, it
would make sense that as threats like Balrogs, Morgoth's influence,
Nazgul, etc. aren't even really something that comes up sporadically
in the Third Age, herbs that would've had effect on these things
would lose their place in the tomes of knowledge.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
That's why we have rambling old men and lost scrolls in cellars and
dungeons. They always turn up somewhere!
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Then again, I did write an article for our Encyclopedia on Athelas,
and there are instances in early versions of the tales where athelas
was used in the First Age as an actual healing herb.(edited)
Varda — 04/25/2021
http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/articles/a/athelas.htm
Athelas
Tolkien-inspired article on the plant, athelas.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
I would say antiseptic properties are likely in the mix of its
physical benefits at the least due to that.(edited)
Varda — 04/25/2021
Probably true
[5:01 PM]
We have reached the hour.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Perhaps anti-inflammatory.
Varda — 04/25/2021
a gavel holds a leaf by goop on top of the hammerhead as it hops
in camouflage to the hammerpad
whomp!
[5:02 PM]
thanks to athelas, there is never damage to the hammerpad
[5:02 PM]
top
After-meeting!
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Part of its value might've been in how many good properties it holds
in a single plant.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
King of gavels.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Free chat, including what we were already talking about. : )
[5:02 PM]
"It's good to be king."
[5:03 PM]
Aye. Like willow for aspirin. : )
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Sure is
Varda — 04/25/2021
Just don't get stuck in a hole.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
At least it's got wifi.
Varda — 04/25/2021
I wonder if Sauron was the original mustache-twirling Grand Vizier
for Ar-Pharazon?
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
I like to think so.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Good thing! Hey, Valinor isn't all bad even there.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Eminence grease.
[5:05 PM]
Grise. Sorry.
Varda — 04/25/2021
: ) and runs to look that up
[5:08 PM]
Éminence grise (literally, "gray eminence") was the
sobriquet of Père Joseph (1577-1638), the Capuchin monk who served
as secretary to Cardinal Richelieu, Chief Minister under Louis
XIII. Richelieu's ambition for French domination of Europe aligned
neatly with Joseph's hope to convert European Protestants to Roman
Catholicism.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Just a short note: There is a new post to the RP that went up after Phar's post.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Merriam Webster.
[5:08 PM]
grise 'to shudder with fear*
[5:08 PM]
Thanks Eonwe!
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
of which Frali understood probably only half xD
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Basically the scheming power behind the throne.
Shelob — 04/25/2021
@Varda I do have a spiderbearmanthingy in LotRO. :)
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
i am guessing Auros was asking whether they wanted to search the
houses for anything useful?
Varda — 04/25/2021
Gray fur as of a squirrel or rabbit. That would be agouti.
Shelob — 04/25/2021
Not Ragouti?
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Short version: Calion shared what they saw in the building. Auros
says "we should leave everything as is". Telperos says he has no
qualms using up the enemy's supplies. Auros put the question to
everyone.
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
so one wants it the other one does and Auros is being democratic and
lets the majority decide
[5:11 PM]
the other one does not i mean
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
I'm sure Quesselome (wow, had to dig deep in memory) would like that
straw.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
He's gauging the opinions of the group to make a final decision.
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
aha
[5:12 PM]
good clear and i have to fly off i fear
[5:12 PM]
early start
Varda — 04/25/2021
Good post, Phar
[5:12 PM]
Namarie Arien and thanks for coming!
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
Namarie for now
Varda — 04/25/2021
I liked the Frali post too.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Don't need people sneaking off stealing peach preserves when they
get a case of the munchies and getting chased down months later
because there's a trail of jam spilling out behind them.
Arien Valar — 04/25/2021
:)
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Do our horses' opinions count? https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/54f9603c-34bb-4fa7-a833-e8541a0ae558
Yarn
I'll ask my horse.
Varda — 04/25/2021
: )
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Sleep well Arien.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Namarie!
Varda — 04/25/2021
If you're one of the Rohirrim. : )
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Our horses are always of one opinion: "Neigh!"
Varda — 04/25/2021
hehehe
[5:15 PM]
And I stand on my feet.
[5:15 PM]
Can't say, "I need more data"?
[5:16 PM]
5 days is a lot
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Talking about Fainan's response for the RP? What more data is
needed?
Varda — 04/25/2021
Sure hope they invented indices. checks "forge"
[5:20 PM]
Our new elf buddy seems to figure 5 days tops.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
The problem being that Frali apparently already has that "feel" for
the sword, so it renders that idea moot, and leaves me trying to
find a different path, heh.
Varda — 04/25/2021
But Frali doesn't realize what's going on. Could use some guidance.
[5:23 PM]
Am I still here?
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
yes
Varda — 04/25/2021
That came through.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Your star still shines brightly :}
Varda — 04/25/2021
: )
[5:23 PM]
But Frali doesn't realize what's going on. Could use some guidance.
[5:24 PM]
So Telperos wants to use things like straw, but Auros is concerned
about leaving signs of our presence.
[5:24 PM]
So Auros wants us to choose between the two approaches.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
But he does, inasmuch as he needs to. Arien has directly related it
to Frali's feeling with the sword. Not much guidance to be had.
Varda — 04/25/2021
He doesn't know you're carrying it or what you're looking for.
[5:26 PM]
If we stay any length of time, our horses will leave sign. : )
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Just blame the orcs
Varda — 04/25/2021
We also left an arrow-ridden orc body.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Our horses aren't trained to take it outside like dogs? :}
[5:27 PM]
Auros doesn't have much to go on either, other than "a feeling." If
Frali already has that sense of the sword, that's about what Auros
is going on.
Varda — 04/25/2021
They might see it outside. And hoofprints, boot tracks, etc.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
My apologies for the bad joke.
Varda — 04/25/2021
So Fainan might want to know how Auros wants to hide our presence of
five days.
[5:28 PM]
I started it. : )
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Sweep it over?
[5:29 PM]
We're elves. We should know how to cover our tracks.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Hold onto that one, Varda. That would be a good question to ask, and
could lead into our accomodations for the night.
Varda — 04/25/2021
We might have to shovel and cover not only what we're not
mentioning. But really, they will notice the loss of stores, straw.
[5:30 PM]
Agreed.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
I have that post drafted already :}
Varda — 04/25/2021
One of my enormous posts is now up.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
The straw at least is above eye level. I'm working off the idea that
if the person coming walks into the basement most intent on his
scrolls and finds his shelves empty, he's going to notice that
easier than something thrown into a hayloft.
Varda — 04/25/2021
No match for the beauty of what y'all wrote, but since we're in
Discord, our characters might be able to have a conversation.
[5:34 PM]
Read, put back in the same place, more or less. I wonder how they
keep out rats?
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Orcs need to eat?
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Varda, could you shorten that up? I don't think I can get through
all those words right now....
Varda — 04/25/2021
hehehehehe
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
:}
Varda — 04/25/2021
Kept it nice and elven without jokes about piles of stuff to hide.
[5:36 PM]
More fun to read but out of character. : )
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
:}
[5:44 PM]
Bah, I should've ridden through Angmar last night, evidently.
[5:44 PM]
On LotRO.
Varda — 04/25/2021
In cool news, Gimli is downloading LotRO onto his traveling laptop.
: )
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
And I don't have my Atlas easily accessible.
[5:45 PM]
Quick reminder of the terrain of Angmar: hilly/rocky, crags and
ravines....?
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Traveling through Middle-Earth while you're traveling through Earth.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Not a good enough map of Angmar on LotRO? We did have some links
from a previous discussion.
[5:45 PM]
It's a matter of time. : )
[5:45 PM]
Ancient pre-history!
[5:46 PM]
Need Phar to give us a term.
[5:46 PM]
Third Age!
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Well, I can go get my Atlas.
[5:47 PM]
Not very easily accessible either, but still
Varda — 04/25/2021
We did have some links
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
The map of Angmar in LotRO is too basic, ironically. I was just
talking last night with Nob about the new Ered Luin map possibly
being too difficult to spot objectives on, and now I want that
topographic look for Angmar, heh.
[5:49 PM]
(Of course, a toggle between the two would be the real desire.)
Varda — 04/25/2021
That's been discussed.
[5:50 PM]
So many want both old and new versions of everything and forget that
it takes server space.
[5:50 PM]
Was the link to the maps in your stuff for the forum?
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Not by name. If it's there it's buried in a link to the meeting
minutes.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Might be good to make it a special link
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Noted :}
Varda — 04/25/2021
It was from Phar if that's a help. I've been digging for it
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Hm? I do have one giant map bookmarked, but I don't think that's
what we're after.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
If someone wants to dig up for me the exact meeting minutes later,
I'll make sure the main topic in the discussion thread is duly
updated.(edited)
[5:52 PM]
I need more a description of the landforms than a map really.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
So I'm not sure what link we're talking about.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Something I would've got a better feel of if I'd rode through there
last night like I did with Eregion.
[5:53 PM]
I just wasn't expecting to need a feel for the terrain of Angmar
right now, heh.
Varda — 04/25/2021
diggity dig
[5:54 PM]
Well, so you need your Atlas for terrain.
[5:54 PM]
Phar, could you link it?
[5:54 PM]
If it's the wrong one, it's still handy for the forum story links. :
)
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
https://www.amazon.com/Middle-Earth-Hobbit-Poster-inches/dp/B07451HJB3
is the only one I can think of that I linked in the past.
[5:55 PM]
Not much about terrain, honestly
Varda — 04/25/2021
Thank you
[5:56 PM]
That was the one I was looking for.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Ah, good
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Ok, I'll just kick that can down the road then. Hopefully by my next
post I'll have something better to give.
Varda — 04/25/2021
I"m in LotRO but inside an instance which is refusing to give the
outside with Angmar
[5:58 PM]
The Atlas is over here on my bookshelf. What would you like to know?
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
It can wait.
[6:00 PM]
Telperos has added his two cents :}
Varda — 04/25/2021
heh
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Such as it is.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Good one. Some characterization there too.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Might not be a full answer to Fainan's question, but it's a start.
Varda — 04/25/2021
But still, how are we supposed to be more or less invisible?
[6:01 PM]
Can't we just rifle through stuff fast as we can for five days and
run for it?
[6:01 PM]
We can set up ambushes for fun and profit.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Leave an IOU.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
The idea is for the group to either discover what we need or not in
five days, then get out of Dodge, yes. Whether that's where we the
writers take it or not is a different question.
[6:03 PM]
5 days is our safety zone. Anything after is borrowed time.
[6:04 PM]
Of course by day four we would be in the "cover our tracks" mode,
inasmuch as our presence there can be erased.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
aw, not leaving a note then?
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
We'll send Calaron a nice fruit basket :}
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Empty bottle with "You have good taste in wine."
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
I hate to cut this short, but I am officially on borrowed time now,
so I need to go rather than have fun with what we're doing right
now, hehe.(edited)
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Has it been five days already?
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
I'll try to have Auros better address Fainan's question when I have
some time to think more, Varda.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Could always still ride through Angmar
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
I'll probably end up doing that, hehe. More entertaining than the
daily covenant thing in WoW right now.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Tempus fugit
[6:08 PM]
Namarie!
[6:08 PM]
Besides, maybe our group will come up with an answer during the
week, not just Auros.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
If I don't catch any of you on later tonight, take care all, good
night, sleep well, and have fun.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Cheer to you!
[6:09 PM]
races for the refrigerator raid
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
namarie!
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
The simple answer to the question of course is that Auros isn't
expecting to be invisible, just to not do anything they can't
"erase" :}
[6:10 PM]
Or try not to
[6:10 PM]
Anyway, off I go :} I'll still be logged in here but I'll be afk :}
Varda — 04/25/2021
Ahh, my wee little line of entry caused so much trouble. : )
[6:13 PM]
Erasure is something we should be able to handle mostly, long enough
for the orcs to mess up our trail. : )
[6:13 PM]
They might wonder which of them took the extra stores.
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Probably blame each other.
[6:15 PM]
Maybe we can leave.. like... an orc trail in the room?
[6:15 PM]
Some hairs from the corpse.
[6:17 PM]
top
Right, personal gaming report!
[6:17 PM]
(non)flashgaming:
[6:17 PM]
Some puzzle games this week
[6:18 PM]
https://www.kongregate.com/games/PasKuda13/coloruid-2-html5
is the first one! An html5 version of a game I know I've played
before and might have linked before.
Kongregate
COLORUID-2 [HTML5]
Fill each level with a single color, by painting and merging
existing colors within a limited amount of moves.
[6:19 PM]
Get each level changed to one color, by painting, spreading and
merging areas of the same color.
[6:19 PM]
Some good planning needed to get it done with limited moves
[6:19 PM]
Working your way out from the center's usually a good bet, though
[6:22 PM]
https://www.kongregate.com/games/KekGames/rhomb
is the second game. Get each of the rhombus shapes to its
destination, untangling the web of tracks as you go, without them
crashing into each other.
Kongregate
Rhomb
Untie a knot of rhombuses.
[6:23 PM]
Several new mechanics introduced along the way
[6:25 PM]
https://www.kongregate.com/games/Ferociter/warper
is the third game! A platformer puzzle where all you can do is warp
3 spaces in a cardinal direction. Use walls, gravity and other
features of the levels to time and warp your way to the flag!
Kongregate
Warper
A skill-based puzzle game about a teleporting
robot.
Warp your way through over 70 different levels,
filled with mind-warping puzzles and challenges.
When a l...
top
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
Guild Wars:
Getting more difficult now Finished the last 2 missions in
Kryta, actually failing one of them through not being careful
enough, though still got the bonuses done for them.
[6:36 PM]
Then I took the boat to the Crystal Desert, which consists of 3
parallel missions, leading to 2 more missions and character
ascension, which, other than story purposes, also unlocks entrance
to some elite explorable areas which are basically the toughest
areas in the game.
[6:38 PM]
Basically the post-story endgame areas, expensive to enter,
repeatable quests, and dropping some unique items. So basically
something to grind when you've done everything else
[6:39 PM]
Anyway, I'm just repeating the missions as I go, so I was already
ascended, but still doing those 3 parallel trials for nostalgia.. or
at least trying to.
[6:39 PM]
The first one... I got done, but didn't manage the bonus because of
the timer of the last phase.
[6:40 PM]
The second one... no. Facing classthemed teams of opponents, I can't
get through. Henchmen just don't do the trick. Pretty sure when I
did it back in the day that I was with other players
[6:40 PM]
Unlockable heroes from later campaigns might do the trick, but for
now I'm skipping it.
[6:40 PM]
The third one is my next goal, though, and looks doable
[6:41 PM]
Oh, speaking of other players, you mentioned Valarites earlier...
not sure if any other Valarites play, but if they do, the realms
should be connected globally so it should be possible if anyone
wants to group up.
[6:42 PM]
Oh, and apparently there's the umptieth anniversary going on for
Guild Wars, and conveniently through browsing the wiki this week I
discovered that there is a free storage pane that can only be
acquired during the anniversary.
[6:43 PM]
Using an anniversary token I'd randomly gotten from a mission last
week, so very convenient indeed
[6:44 PM]
While bags are pretty small (though more on that in a moment!) the
account storage pages are a lot bigger, and just getting that free
anniversary one freed up most of my active inventory, which means I
shouldn't have trouble looting stuff during missions for some time
[6:45 PM]
I admit the timing felt as convenient as Bilbo's expedition arriving
before Durin's Day was over, making me not have to wait another
year, but I'm happy it was!
[6:46 PM]
But.. bags! Searching for more inventory upgrades online, I came
across a feature I'd seen pass by without really paying attention to
it: the Zaishen order.
[6:47 PM]
An international guild of npcs, they take care a lot of guild and
pvp stuff, as well as consumables such as the entrance scrolls I
mentioned earlier, payable with Zaishen Coins.
[6:49 PM]
Said coins you get for Zaishen Challenge Quests, which are similar
to daily or covenant quests in WoW: Each day, according to a fixed
calendar, you can get 4 quests taking place seemingly randomly
across the 3 campaigns and expansion.
[6:51 PM]
A mission, such as what I'm repeating currently for the first
campaign. A bounty: A specific target to kill in one of the
explorable areas. Not sure if they can be in missions as well, but i
don't think so.
[6:53 PM]
Third one's a pvp quest in a certain area, and the fourth one is a
Vanquish: clearing all enemies in a certain explorable area in hard
mode.
[6:54 PM]
Any case, by doing those you collect coins, which you can also spend
on permanent upgrades for your belt pouch, bags and equipment pack,
increasing your inventory by quite a bit.
[6:55 PM]
So I'm thinking I'll poke around in those a few days a week, after I
get through my mission repeats, at least for the missions and
bounties that are available in the campaign I own
[6:56 PM]
It needs a lot of those coins, of course, but I'm not in a hurry...
even if it takes years, might be a fun project, and I will be
getting the other campaigns during that time.
[7:00 PM]
Blizzard gaming:
[7:02 PM]
Heroes of the Storm:
I got a level gasp Sonya to level 9!
[7:02 PM]
Me from 452 to 453.
[7:05 PM]
Hearthstone:
Level 56 on the reward track. Slowing down a bit, but the gold
rewards per level have gone up from 50 to 75.
[7:06 PM]
Got a random legendary card as reward along the way, Tavish
Stormpike, a hunter card for a beast deck. Looks interesting!
[7:10 PM]
Demon Hunter got his level, up to 36 now. Didn't get a gold card
reward, which is sad, but it seems gold core cards now come from
victory progression achievements for each class, which of course I'm
also working on along the way.
[7:11 PM]
So either way, still slowly going forward
[7:12 PM]
Brawl is Valeera's Bag of Burgled Spells: Randomness inside
randomness. Rogue vs rogue but with random spells from all classes,
and each spell played summons a random minion of the same cost. So
yeah, gotta be pretty lucky, though a bit of smart improv also
helps, of course.
[7:14 PM]
Raiding: Still going. Not killed Denathrius again, though we did get
the bossfight before him tonight. Plan is to go for final bosses on
normal difficulty next tuesday, gear up people a bit more. We'll get
around to it again eventually, if only to get those new and
returning people their achievement
[7:15 PM]
For old raiding, had our first Throne of Thunder run, but no new
pets. I suspect those original raidpets have a much lower droprate
than the ones added for the Leashes achievements later.
[7:15 PM]
Still, gives us something to do.
Weekly is world quests! And still doing a lot of those for anima and
callings. In fact, got all 20 in the first 3 days.
[7:16 PM]
Getting some anima stockpiled! I've got plenty to upgrade
conservatory to tier 4 now, but would like to finish the quests for
the tier 3 legendary spirit first. It should hatch on tuesday.
[7:17 PM]
In the meantime still stacking anima; should get enough for tier 5
as well in about a week if not sooner, after I have that set aside
I'll start buying cosmetic stuff from the vendors. Lots of stuff to
collect!
[7:20 PM]
As for the command table, with my first followers hitting 40 this
week, I've done a few more campaign quests to up the difficulty. And
started seeing the mount missions, at difficulty 60... a bit too
tough generally for my followers, though it's on the edge... and
while they've already failed one, it'll be back later, and I've now
sent them out for another
[7:20 PM]
Just keep trying and leveling and they'll all be mine!
[7:22 PM]
And another benefit of more difficult quests is that you get more
anima for them as well... bigger tokens, which means the sanctum
achievements make it pretty much worth triple the previous reward.
[7:22 PM]
But more difficult to get, which is something I'll have to change by
leveling them more
[7:26 PM]
Got my last two rewards from Undying Army supplies! Micromancer Pet,
and the Colossal Slaughterclaw mount. So I'm done with unique supply
rewards from them now, and only have 1 pet from each of the other 3
factions to go.
[7:28 PM]
And got 4 more pets: Toenail, also from the Undying Army, after
getting to 250 pet charms again. Daisy the sloth which Eonwe
mentioned earlier; her clinging to your back doesn't work with cat,
bear, or stagform, alas, but it works okay for my non-druid alts,
but also with treant form, which seems the most natural environment
for her, so that's nice for raidbreaks
[7:29 PM]
And 2 pets from the Conservatory: Bloodfeaster Spiderling, a
Revendreth pet, as well as Plaguelouse Larva, a Maldraxxus pet.
[7:29 PM]
Effort paying off on several fronts!
[7:31 PM]
And finally, found the time between all other stuff to level my
rogue alt from 25 to 29. Actually quite fun to play with his poison
build, am questing mainly through Darkshore at the moment, very
smooth killing with his daggers, and the rotation's pretty simple. I
guess it helps that my main cats around for his quests, the
mechanics are similar
[7:31 PM]
Gameplay wise possibly my favorite of the 3 alts I'm leveling.
[7:33 PM]
And that's my report for the week!
Varda — 04/25/2021
Thank you, Phar : )
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
I guess he seems a bit burstier than my cat, though, and mobs seem
to melt away during the daggery onslaught... but that should change
at higher levels of course.
Varda — 04/25/2021
O wow. We can now track pages in LotRO, like quests?
Ar-Pharazon-V — 04/25/2021
namarie!
Varda — 04/25/2021
Namarie, Phar
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Greetings all who are still here.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Salutations!
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Track pages in LotRO?
[10:24 PM]
Bah on that 30 post limit for LotRO AH.
Varda — 04/25/2021
: )
[10:55 PM]
Various pages such as Crystal Journal have to be located. Only this
last update did they make it findable with a white arrow tracker on
the radar.
[10:55 PM]
Lore pages of various kinds are a quest found for many zones.
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Ah
[11:02 PM]
Running around Angmar now. The landscape seems to be less rugged
than Eregion. Sure, there's some cliffs, but overall it feels
"smoother": hilly, not a whole lot of sheer ridges.
[11:03 PM]
Barring the actual mountains, of course.
Varda — 04/25/2021
Now that's research for writing, visiting the place. : )
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
:}
Varda — 04/25/2021
Nighty night : )
Eonwë Valar — 04/25/2021
Wow, this Ulkharn thing in Angmar actually killed me.
[11:50 PM]
I guess being 50 levels above the zone is pointless against a rare
archnemesis.
April 26, 2021
Arien Valar — 04/26/2021
And post Three guesses what Frali wants
Eonwë Valar — 04/26/2021
:}
Eonwë Valar — 04/26/2021
We have a couple of new posts :} Hopefully this better addresses the
question at hand :}
Eonwë Valar — 04/26/2021
If only we had a wheelbarrow, then that would be something....
[7:43 AM]
And with that reference, I bid you all good day :}
April 27, 2021
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:34 AM (4/27/2021)
Pardon, rereading the RP
discussion, I noticed Varda's mention of the "arrow-ridden orc
body." No, we buried it.
top