December 5, 2021
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.]
Attending (and typed): (7)
Discord: Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Falco,
Fangorn/Treebeard, Ioreth, Sandalf13, Varda (presiding)
Before-meeting
Meeting begins
Membership news:
Web:
Update on the Games site
Gaming:
LotRO Brawler Class report by Falco
World of Warcraft, Diablo 3, Heroes of
the Storm, Hearthstone,
Lord
of the Rings Online, FFXIV
Tolkien:
Topic
1: Time contrast.
Topic
2: Reading the names of the dead in memorial and how it
helped the story.
After-meeting:
Topic 3: Using "cal" for "light" in
some of the gaming character names and how it got odd.
(non)Flashgaming
Reviews (plus) by Ar-Pharazon. Includes Blizzard games.
top
Before-meeting
Varda — Yesterday at 4:00 PM
Aiya!
[4:00 PM]
It's that time!
[4:01 PM]
@Bounder Hurray! Time to meet up with buddies and say hi, talk
gaming and Tolkien, in the Valar Guild channel meeting_place. See
you there!
[4:01 PM]
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Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo!
[4:01 PM]
Membership:
[4:02 PM]
Many of us have just been through the fun of Thanksgiving and now
are setting our sights on Christmas and related activities and
special days.
[4:03 PM]
This translates to special gaming events and unusual times for
gamers to show up who usually can't and ones that usually can to
find their times mixed up.
[4:04 PM]
Fangorn and I just drove back a little while ago from meeting up
with family for early Christmas fun. : )
[4:05 PM]
Meriadoc plans to join us for Christmas, so you may get to see him
pop into LotRO then.
[4:05 PM]
Any other membership news?
[4:08 PM]
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Web:
[4:09 PM]
Tolkien
Site:
[4:09 PM]
Nothing new at the moment
[4:09 PM]
Games
Site:
[4:09 PM]
Eonwe, do you have anything to mention?
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 4:10 PM
If I didn't already mention it, LotRO Player tables are updated to
have Brawler among the character class options, and Level 140 as
the max level.
[4:11 PM]
*LotRO Landroval is now lvl 140.
[4:12 PM]
Other than that, nothing else to mention,... yet.
Falco — Yesterday at 4:12 PM
Aiya
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 4:13 PM
ominous music
[4:13 PM]
Heya Falco.
Varda — Yesterday at 4:13 PM
Aiya Falco!
[4:13 PM]
Thank you, Eonwe. : )
[4:13 PM]
On to
[4:13 PM]
top
Gaming!
[4:13 PM]
Falco and I are both on Anor of LotRO at the moment. : )
[4:14 PM]
Falco, did you have any membership or gaming news you'd like to
mention?
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 4:14 PM
*Side note on LotRO: I notice our kin island has alot of real
estate....
Varda — Yesterday at 4:14 PM
Our islands are huge. : )
[4:14 PM]
We have one on Landroval and one on Anor.
[4:15 PM]
Different ones. We cover both islands!
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 4:15 PM
I'm sitting around on Landroval :}
Varda — Yesterday at 4:15 PM
Falco, any comment on the Brawler
class in LotRO? I haven't tried it yet and you're well
along.
[4:16 PM]
Eonwe, cool, I'll be there shortly.
Falco — Yesterday at 4:18 PM
It's an interesting class
[4:18 PM]
The class is fun to play but a little behind due to the LI Changes
Varda — Yesterday at 4:19 PM
uh oh.
Falco — Yesterday at 4:19 PM
31.1 is supposed to fix that next week
Varda — Yesterday at 4:19 PM
What role does it seem to play well? Tank, dps, healer?
[4:19 PM]
O good!
Falco — Yesterday at 4:20 PM
You only get to pick from Red or Blue. Yellow can apply to
both
[4:20 PM]
I'm going Red for now
Varda — Yesterday at 4:20 PM
Sounds like the best one for leveling. Thanks!
[4:21 PM]
Guess I'd better turn the gaming gavel over to Eonwe for now. : )
[4:21 PM]
hands over the well-worn gavel
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 4:22 PM
Receives gavel
[4:22 PM]
Gaming:
World of Warcraft:
[4:22 PM]
This week's Bonus Event: Pet Battles.
[4:22 PM]
The PvP Brawl: Cooking Impossible runs through Tuesday, December
7th.
[4:23 PM]
Check out this week's hotfixes. --- https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/23739169/hotfixes-december-3-2021
World of Warcraft
Hotfixes: December 3, 2021 - WoW
Here you will find a list of hotfixes that
address various issues related to World of Warcraft: Shadowlands,
Burning Crusade Classic, and WoW Classic.
[4:23 PM]
Make sure you finish up your Anniversary stuff quickly. It's about
to end.
[4:23 PM]
Diablo 3:
[4:23 PM]
Check out the Season 25 preview, which also mentions the update
2.7.2 patch. Season 25 begins December 10th. --- https://us.diablo3.com/en-us/blog/23746130/season-25-%7C-the-lords-of-hell-%7C-preview-blog-12-3-2021
Diablo III
Season 25 | The Lords of Hell | Preview Blog
Season 25 will begin on December 10! Read on to
learn more about Soul Shards and new balance changes in Patch
2.7.2!
[4:24 PM]
Heroes of the Storm:
[4:24 PM]
A new PTR patch is up. --- https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/heroes-of-the-storm/23748175/heroes-of-the-storm-ptr-patch-notes-november-30-2021
Heroes of the Storm PTR Patch Notes - November
30, 2021
Our next Heroes of the Storm patch has just hit
the Public Test Realm and will be available for playtesting until
December 6, PST.
[4:24 PM]
Hearthstone:
[4:24 PM]
Out this week: Patch 22.0. --- https://playhearthstone.com/en-us/news/23751629/22-0-patch-notes
22.0 Patch Notes
This patch prepares the Tavern for Fractured in
Alterac Valley and introduces updates for Mercenaries,
Battlegrounds, Duels, and Arena.
[4:25 PM]
Lord of the Rings
Online:
[4:25 PM]
A new blog is out: A Guide to Getting Help in The Lord of the
Rings Online. --- https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/guide-getting-help-lord-rings-online
The Lord of the Rings Online
A Guide to Getting Help in The Lord of the
Rings Online
[4:26 PM]
That's it for my gaming news. I return the gavel to Varda :}
Varda — Yesterday at 4:26 PM
Thank you. : )
[4:27 PM]
For the LotRO gamers' report, those seen in kin in any of our
branches this past week:
[4:27 PM]
Landroval server:
Bregalad
Eonwe
Ioreth
Luthien
Nar
Thranduil
Varda
Anor server:
Eonwe
Falco
Varda
Shadowfax server:
Varda
Treebeard server:
Varda
[4:27 PM]
Ioreth, Eonwe, and Varda are currently in Landroval. : )
[4:28 PM]
Ioreth says FFXIV is down (has been at
least two days that I know of, maybe more) and she's trying to
coax a fellow player from there to try LotRO. : )
[4:28 PM]
Go go Ioreth!
[4:32 PM]
Any other gaming news? Comments? Requests? Suggestions? Need an
invite to some branch? We have two inviters on right now to be
helpful as part of our meeting.
[4:34 PM]
Ar-Pharazon has had to be late for the meetings lately due to
health stuff, but is usually here anyway. : )
[4:35 PM]
On to
[4:35 PM]
top
Tolkien!
[4:35 PM]
Eonwe had a comment related to last week's
topic. Go ahead!
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 4:36 PM
Sure.
[4:39 PM]
Just wanted to comment in relation to my quote last week that,
while parts of the HoME suggest a ratio of 1 Valian Year to 10
Years of the Sun, the part I quoted uses a ratio of 1:144, to keep
in perspective the time frames involved. So basically an entire
human life would be lived in less than a Valian Year, most
certainly a miserable fate for a mortal so "blessed".
Varda — Yesterday at 4:40 PM
Thanks for working out the math.
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 4:41 PM
Parts I didn't quote make it clear he's going by the same numbers
as in the LotR appendices, hence the Elven yen = 144 Years
of the Sun.
[4:42 PM]
The Valian Year "just so happens" to coincide with the Elvish
aging rate.
[4:45 PM]
I then started re-re-re-re-(etc)-reading the Orc stuff that
appears round about that part too, hehehe.
[4:47 PM]
Anyway, that's it for my comment.
Varda — Yesterday at 4:47 PM
Thank you, Eonwe. Good comment.
[4:48 PM]
Those of us on Anor server are attempting to locate the lost
crafting stations.
[4:48 PM]
This happened during the move from Ithil server to Anor server.
(SSG shut down Ithil for underpopulation.)
[4:49 PM]
Some characters apparently moved to Landroval carrying some
crafting stations, but we're digging through ones left to see if
we have a few more before blowing LotRO points to begin again for
the missing.
[4:49 PM]
Back to Tolkien!
[4:50 PM]
In a side chat, some mention was made of the
custom of the Rohirrim reading the names of the dead in memorial.
[Note: this was done after the Battle of the Pelennor Field]
[4:50 PM]
That is also a custom done in some groups in modern times. I know
it's done by some in the US.
[4:51 PM]
In Tolkien, it helps us track what happened to some of the
characters who we otherwise would not know about
as they did not come across the sight of a hobbit in the main
stories.
[4:52 PM]
An interesting way of tidying up loose ends like that, in a
beautiful way.
[4:53 PM]
I assume it's also done in other countries, so if some of you know
of this being done, feel free to mention it during the week.
Our meeting comments on the Tolkien subject are still added to the
transcripts from between main meetings, as so many have
difficulties with the time.
Also,
the rp.
[4:53 PM]
I need to be sure to post this coming week! : )
[4:54 PM]
Anything else anyone wants to mention before we close? Coming up
on the hour, but we have time for a bit more.
[4:55 PM]
Sorry to have missed Arien today. Hope she's doing well.
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 4:55 PM
Calasulo
the High Elf in his Rivendell Green Duster in the screenshot
channel :}
Varda — Yesterday at 4:55 PM
We'll see a lot of odd missing folks during this month.
[4:55 PM]
Ahh, thanks, Eonwe.
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 4:56 PM
Funny how far levelling by crafting can get. Most of my characters
besides Auros are doing that right now, heh.
Varda — Yesterday at 4:57 PM
To the screenshot, you might mention the character's name and
server under it? Nice shot.
[4:57 PM]
True about the crafting, especially during crafting weekends!
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 4:58 PM
It went above it, but there you go, adjusted :}
[5:01 PM]
And thanks :}
Varda — Yesterday at 5:02 PM
Above is fine. : )
[5:03 PM]
Rivendell green is quite a dark dye. Nice
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:04 PM
Aye, best green in my opinion.
[5:06 PM]
Maybe I should be planning a story set in the Fifth or Sixth Age
starring Auros, sometime in December. I could call it "Auros Saves
Christmas" lol (No, I have no actual intention of writing that
story, so you all can rest easy) :}
Varda — Yesterday at 5:07 PM
But... ok. : )
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:07 PM
:}
Varda — Yesterday at 5:07 PM
We have reached the hour!
[5:08 PM]
the gavel dances between Eonwe and Varda
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:08 PM
Don't give me a chance to give myself any ideas on that story,
lol.
Varda — Yesterday at 5:08 PM
accidentally trips over the hammerpad
thweenk!
[5:08 PM]
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After-meeting
has been declared!
[5:08 PM]
Free chat. : )
[5:09 PM]
including Auros' Christmas. ; )
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:09 PM
Hehehe
[5:09 PM]
Actually....
Varda — Yesterday at 5:09 PM
heh
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:09 PM
I guess I did technically write that story already, just not the
same Auros, hehehe.
Varda — Yesterday at 5:10 PM
http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/fiction/authors/Eonwe/stories/SantaTolkien.html
Eonwe's Christmas
A Tolkien-style version of how Santa really
came to be.
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:10 PM
Well, an Auros Christmas story anyway, hehehe.
Varda — Yesterday at 5:10 PM
Yay!
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:10 PM
Yeah, that one :}
Varda — Yesterday at 5:11 PM
It was Eonwe, leader of the armies, handing out toys under a nom
de plume! sorta. : )
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:14 PM
:}
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:16 PM
Aiya, catching up.
Varda — Yesterday at 5:19 PM
Aiya Phar.
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:20 PM
Heya Phar :}
Varda — Yesterday at 5:20 PM
Reminder to self, go back and work on links for Narn i Auros stories.
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:21 PM
Pre-merry early christmas?
[5:21 PM]
And yeah, I keep forgetting I should post as well
[5:24 PM]
And as someone who has most of his
characters starting with Cal, Calasulo sounds like one of my
own...
Varda — Yesterday at 5:25 PM
: )
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:25 PM
"Cala" being "light" as in Calaquendi :} Older form "Kal" or
"Kala" used in the name for my Man Captain "Kalasul" and my Night
Elf Priest in WoW.
[5:26 PM]
I adjusted the name for more modern Quenya, hence the "o" at the
end as well.
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:26 PM
(taken from internet) His chosen royal name of Pharazôn which
means "Golden" was in Adûnaic; his name in Quenya was Tar-Calion
with Calion meaning "Son of Light".
[5:27 PM]
Hrm. That puts an interesting spin on my altnames, if they've all
got "light" in their names... except, ironically, the paladin
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:27 PM
Not arguing, just pointing it out. Calasulo -> "Cala" meaing
"Light" "Sul" meaning "wind" or "spirit" or "breath"
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:27 PM
For one thing, Calectronica my mechagnome would be "electric
light"
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:28 PM
As in, Son of the Valie of Light and the Lord of the Breath of
Arda :}
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:29 PM
...It also means my Lightforged priest called Calluminar is kinda
redundant.
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:30 PM
hehehe
Varda — Yesterday at 5:32 PM
He's very bright.
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:33 PM
The redundancy just indicates how bright your priest is? :}
[5:33 PM]
Doubling down on the Light, hehehe.
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:33 PM
That might be it
Varda — Yesterday at 5:35 PM
: )
[5:35 PM]
Called away for supper - cheers!
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 5:35 PM
Enjoy :}
[5:35 PM]
Sup well :}
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:35 PM
enjoy!
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 6:00 PM
Ok, so in the next story, "Auros Conquers the Martians"..... :}
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 6:02 PM
I've heard worse
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 6:03 PM
:}
Ioreth — Yesterday at 6:04 PM
peers over fence
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 6:04 PM
Heya :}
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 6:04 PM
Aiya!
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 6:27 PM
They need to make Void Elf and Night Elf Paladins, so I can have
yet more Paladin characters I don't have time to play :}
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 6:28 PM
void elf paladin
[6:28 PM]
is that like a lightforged warlock?
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 6:30 PM
Sure. Probably not as bad as a Forsaken Paladin, but certainly
more dangerous.
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 6:30 PM
hehe
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 6:31 PM
Probably about as Anathema as an Undead Druid,
[6:31 PM]
Give or take.
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 6:31 PM
Void Elf Druid might be fun.
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 6:33 PM
I find myself not caring as much about lore-appropriate race/class
combos anymore. That probably went out the window a long time ago,
but certainly the grouping up disparate groups under a single race
banner weakens the walls of the divide a bit.
[6:35 PM]
Not saying it's the best way to go, but I wouldn't be terribly
upset if the walls came down. (edited)
[6:37 PM]
I'm also ready for the faction divide to be gone, so make of that
what you will. (edited)
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 7:20 PM
Well, they did hint during one of the 9.2 interviews that with
Jaina etc working together now, factions working together is more
on the future table
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 7:25 PM
Aye, I think I remember that.
Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 7:36 PM
Sorry everyone! I was caught up in a business meeting (belive it
or not,,on a Sunday!) and was unavailable for the meeting time. I
hope to join all of you next Sunday at the regular time. I hope
that you are all well and doing good work. I apologize for my
absence!
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 7:36 PM
Aiya
Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 7:40 PM
Aiya, Ar-Pharaon-V
[7:41 PM]
If any of you run in to Varda, please inform her of my "excuse"
and send along my apology.
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 7:41 PM
Heya Sandalf. No worries. She'll see it here next time she comes
in too :}
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 7:44 PM
Right, now that I've got some stuff done...
[7:44 PM]
top
personal gaming report!
[7:44 PM]
(non)flashgaming: 3 old ones today
[7:45 PM]
https://www.kongregate.com/games/flori9/stop-the-darkness
is the first! A builder game where you have to develop the map
with buildings, collect resources, research technologies and slow
down and stop the darkness that is slowly consuming the map from
the outside.
Kongregate
Stop the Darkness
A mini strategy game. Upgrade the land to stop
the darkness. Build villages, towers and more. The available
upgrade is based on the adjacent areas and areas bo...
Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 7:46 PM
Thank you all, and Namarie. The Eisely Branch of the Lincoln
Public Library is closing in five minutes, and I must flee the
premises. Have a wonderful week!
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 7:46 PM
Map is randomly generated each time, so gotta be a bit lucky
perhaps. Also, there's 2 ways to win, see if you can find them!
[7:46 PM]
Namarie
[7:47 PM]
https://www.kongregate.com/games/bontegames/red
is the next one, one of the color-themed bontegames, where you
have to turn each level red, with a new mechanic to figure out
each level
Kongregate
red
Red, another puzzle game for you!
Can you make the screen red in all 25 levels?
Each level has its own logic.
You can also get the FREE mobile version with
5...
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 7:47 PM
Take care Sandalf :}
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 7:50 PM
https://www.kongregate.com/games/taccommandeur/hat-wizard-christmas
for the last one, a platformer where you play a wizard who can
throw hats at people and then switch places with them. Christmas
style, with gifts to collect! This one I might have linked more
recently, I lose track
Kongregate
Hat Wizard Christmas
Santa put Faust#39s goons on the naughty list,
but then they stole all the presents from his storage. Now you
have to use your hat to get back the presents and s...
top
[7:50 PM]
Blizzard gaming:
Hearthstone:
level 167 on the reward track. New expansion coming this week, so
starting at 1 again.
[7:52 PM]
Got a new hero skin for the gold rewards, this one being Medivh
for the mage.
[7:54 PM]
There's an expansion feature to collect Honor, rank up in classic
pvp rank style, and get all the rewards, up to 7200 honor. It got
started early by accident, but they stuck with it, and so far I've
gotten to the Sergeant rank. I was worried about getting 7200 in
one month, which is when the faction race concludes, but
apparently the honor can still be gotten afterwards for the
duration of this expansion. So I figure if I get like 70 a day,
it'll be easy enough. That's still several matches though.
[7:56 PM]
Brawl is murlocs! Choose a class, get some random class spells and
a whole lotta murlocs. There's a few classes that have more
synergy with murlocs if you happen to get the right spells, but
I've had some success with the warlock myself for some extra
murloc drawing.
[7:57 PM]
Oh, and got level 45 on the demon hunter, more progress there
[7:58 PM]
No new mercs, but got Varden Dawngrasp, Tavish and Malfurion
himself to level 30. Several more on their way up as I've got
level 30 quests for them.
[7:59 PM]
Bounty-wise, made my way into Winterspring for the level 30
bounties. Getting tough, but still managing so far, though I'm
getting regular losses along the way. Good thing for resurrection
points!
[8:00 PM]
World of Warcraft:
Raiding: Bit more heroic pushing, but less success when it comes
to people being online. We're not giving up yet, though holiday
break is coming soon
[8:01 PM]
Weekly is pet battles! Still doing those. Tried to finish it
tonight, but long queues and unlucky matchups. Trying again
tomorrow.
[8:03 PM]
In Torghast, with the Box complete, and me still far from able to
flawlessly complete layer 12, I decided to go for the vaults
through layer 9 instead. Easier runs, no torments, easier to get
into the vaults, where you can get unique (cosmetic) rewards. Done
two vaults now, but no rewards for it this week. Though I did see
a broker there selling shoulder cosmetics for 1000 phantasma...
maybe I should start saving for those in the future, just in case.
[8:04 PM]
Tried worldbosses one more time, and while I was early enough to
grab a green dragon once, overall interest has faded too much to
get them with a sub-50 alt.
So instead I went back to the alt-leveling! Got my paladin to 48,
ready for Shadowlands.
[8:05 PM]
After that I hopped on the rogue, sending him to the broken isles,
and starting his own class campaign.
[8:07 PM]
Got him from level 30 to level 35, too, unlocking , among other
things, a new poison type as well as a passive poison/leech
talent, should prove useful in questing and survival
[8:08 PM]
And along the way I got all 3 rogue artifact weapons (though
assassination will remain my default play spec), and several
followers, including Vanessa VanCleef and Garona, for those who
know their Warcraft lore
[8:10 PM]
I'm enjoying the rogue. He's no cat-druid, but there's something
cathartic (pun not intended) about just slicing up stuff with
poisoned daggers rather than claws.
[8:10 PM]
And that's my report for the week!
Namarie
Eonwë Valar — Yesterday at 8:12 PM
Sleep well ;}{
Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 8:13 PM
You too!
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