Valar Guild

June 5, 2022 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.]


Attending (and typed): (6)
    Discord:
Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe (Way-After-meeting), Ioreth, Sandalf13, Varda (presiding)
Before-meeting
Meeting begins
Membership news:
Web:

    Foreword by Sandalf
    A Case of Influence: Aragorn as Sherlock Holmes essay by Sandalf
Gaming:
    Valar Guild Games Site link
    World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Diablo Immortal, Lord of the Rings Online
Tolkien:
    Topic: In the movies, Pippin and Merry get Treebeard to take them out of Fangorn Forest, but work it so that he goes where he can see the destruction of the rowan forest and see that Saruman did it. This is probably necessary for a visual medium like a movie, but what happened in the book instead?
After-meeting:
    (non)Flashgaming Reviews (plus) by Ar-Pharazon. Includes Blizzard games.

Links to the place showing why the link is in the chat:
    Link: Besom definition, as it was used by JRRT describing Treebeard's beard when angry.
 
top

Before-meeting

Varda — Yesterday at 4:00 PM
Aiya!

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:00 PM
Aiya!

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:00 PM
Aiya!

Varda — Yesterday at 4:00 PM
@Bounder Huzzah! Time to get together and chat about gaming and Tolkien, say hi to old and new friends!
[4:01 PM]

Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo!
[4:01 PM]

Membership:
[4:01 PM]
Aiya Sandalf and Phar

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:01 PM
Hello old friends! Hello New Friends!

Varda — Yesterday at 4:01 PM
Yay!
[4:01 PM]
Any membership news we'd like to pass along?

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:02 PM
Ehr.. hmm... after several months I finally got my glasses' frame fixed. Does that count?

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:02 PM
Just a saying I just remembered from your greeting above: When my little girls were in Brownies and Girl Scouts, They learned an old rhyme...and sang it at home...
Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver, and the other is gold.
[4:02 PM]
The boys didn't learn anything like this in Boy Scouts.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:02 PM
Nice : )

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:02 PM
And remember to keep your enemies closer!

Varda — Yesterday at 4:02 PM
I was in the Bluebirds, similar to Brownies, heh. (edited)
[4:04 PM]
Any sightings of fellow members? Love to have Fladrf pop in again sometime. Don't think Sandalf has met him yet.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:05 PM
I assume he's been around, but my bnet friendslist is acting up... hang on, let me open the launcher.

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:05 PM
I have not...

Varda — Yesterday at 4:05 PM
Ouch on programs acting up.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:05 PM
Offline for 2 days. Yes he's been online.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:05 PM
He does some fine role-play in this chat. You'd enjoy it. : )
[4:06 PM]
Ah good. Hope all is well for him.

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:06 PM
There used to be a group called "Camp Fire" for boys and girls, but the last I heard, they went kaput.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:07 PM
Aye, the Bluebirds grow up to be Campfire Girls.
[4:09 PM]
It changed:
[4:09 PM]
https://campfire.org/about/
    jenne
    About Camp Fire: A National Youth Development Organization
    Camp Fire is an innovative leader in youth development since 1910. We help kids and teens thrive NOW with the life skills they need for success. Apply now.

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:09 PM
I am glad to see they are still around. The Lincoln chapter did, in fact, close back in the nineties...but even the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts are struggling right now, I hear.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:11 PM
On to more news
[4:11 PM]

top

Web:

[4:11 PM]
It is a pleasure to announce that we now have some of Sandalf's work online.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:11 PM
Huzzah!

Varda — Yesterday at 4:12 PM
Enjoy reading and commenting here in the meeting place so he can read it, whenever that works, avoiding "phone tag". ; )
[4:13 PM]
You can see that there's a lot more to come. Here's the Foreword:
[4:13 PM]
http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/papers/Sandalf13/Foreword.htm
[4:13 PM]
From there, you can pop over to his author's page and whichever other essays are up, including:
[4:13 PM]
http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/papers/Sandalf13/1AragornSherlock.htm
[4:14 PM]
He has some compelling insights in here! Some may be reaching a bit, but boy, does he make a good case. (pun intended).
[4:14 PM]
Enjoy, everyone!

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:14 PM
Thanks! I hope you enjoy reading the work so far...

Varda — Yesterday at 4:15 PM
I did. : )

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:18 PM
skims through a bit We do have too little information on Aragorn's chin...

Varda — Yesterday at 4:19 PM
Go ahead, Phar.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:19 PM
No, that was just a quick observation.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:20 PM
Ooops, pardon, re-read your sentence. : )

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:22 PM
It's funny, I was reading an article in the newspaper just this week about how Viggo Mortensen and his acting is a bit nutty, including examples from LotR

Varda — Yesterday at 4:22 PM
He gets deep into the character. : )

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:23 PM
Deep enough to break a tooth and a toe

Varda — Yesterday at 4:23 PM
Aye!
[4:23 PM]
And he worked to make himself look weathered like Strider. Camped out. Slept with his sword camping. Amazing.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:24 PM
Maybe not quite as badass as Boromir climbing a mountain in full gear to get to the shooting site, but still!
[4:24 PM]
...Let's not mention he did it because he didn't like helicopters.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:24 PM
That's because he didn't want to... O not mentioning. : )
[4:25 PM]
I watched way too many "making of's".

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:25 PM
Same :)

Varda — Yesterday at 4:25 PM
You'd think we were Tolkien fans!

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:25 PM
I was in a Marine heliocopter once on a three-week summer training camp...we made a touchdown at Virginia Beach...pretty cool, but I do not know if I would enjoy getting to a battlefield site in a copter...

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:25 PM
I remember watching the full LoTR trilogy with all the different audio commentaries.
[4:26 PM]
Never got around to doing the same thing for The Hobbit yet, but I intend to.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:26 PM
Fangorn went out to rigs offshore in a helicopter sometimes.
[4:26 PM]
Phar, something to look forward to!

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:26 PM
I have never seen The Hobbit movie. I thought it was too ridiculous to watch...am I missing anything?
[4:26 PM]
Fangorn is a BRAVE man.
[4:27 PM]
How can one make THREE movies out of one SLIM volume?

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:27 PM
By dropping in a lot of background stuff.
[4:27 PM]
Including Dol Guldur.

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:27 PM
Non-canonical, to be sure.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:27 PM
PJ always does beautiful images. The acting was excellent. The story that Bilbo saw in the books is all he sees in the movie, but the appendices with what Gandalf was doing meanwhile are added in.
[4:27 PM]
Plus non-canon stuff, aye.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:28 PM
Still, a lot of it was based on the timelines etc.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:28 PM
But some is from like a one-line mention, like the monsters in the ground. I at first thought that was trash, but it's in the books.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:28 PM
It wasn't completely made up.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:28 PM
Aye, the timeline was used heavily.

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:29 PM
I just could not stomach the idea of Thranduil telling Legolas to check out the Ranger, Aragorn....heck, the kid was only 10 years old, and didn't even know who he really was/is,

Varda — Yesterday at 4:29 PM
It didn't help that it was started by one director (del Toro) and nearly complete when PJ was surprised to be put on the helm after being told never again.
[4:29 PM]
Agreed on that bit with Thranduil. It was not expected to make the cut, but they had problems coming up with a good transition out. argh
[4:30 PM]
They had to work to make each dwarf a recognizable character. The book was not a great deal of help there.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:30 PM
"But you cannot be 80!" "Actually, I'm only 10."

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:30 PM
You are right, as usual.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:31 PM
hehe
[4:31 PM]
Even a stopped clock is right twice a day? ; )

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:31 PM
See? Aragorn does, in fact, look like an elf! It would be great to be in my forties and look like a ten-year-old.

Arien  Valar — Yesterday at 4:31 PM
Aiya all :)

Varda — Yesterday at 4:31 PM
hahah - no it wouldn't.
[4:31 PM]
Aiya Sunshine!

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:32 PM
Aiya Arien!

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:32 PM
Ah, but imagine being 10 and looking like a 40 year old.

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:32 PM
Oy Weh. I don't want to even think about it.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:32 PM
That would be bad.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:32 PM
Which I suppose would be Aragorn's problem in The Hobbit

Varda — Yesterday at 4:32 PM
Living backwards could do it. Had a movie or two like that.
[4:33 PM]
Any news from Arien before we switch to gaming? : )

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:33 PM
Wasn't there a movie about Benjamin Buttons, or something like that, back in the early 2000? With Brad Pitt?

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:33 PM
Aiya Arien!

Varda — Yesterday at 4:33 PM
Sandalf's essays are coming online now. : )

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:33 PM
Yep, I saw it a few years ago.

Arien  Valar — Yesterday at 4:33 PM
i faintly remember a StarTrek episode with a race like that

Varda — Yesterday at 4:33 PM
That was it, Sandalf.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:33 PM
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:34 PM
Aye

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:34 PM
Good movie...but sad, very sad.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:34 PM
Agreed. What I'd call a Once-watch.
[4:34 PM]
Must watch, but only once.
[4:35 PM]
Eonwe has not made it in yet (might be work-related), but he gave us his news on the Games Site.
[4:36 PM]
It's a good spot to check out, in case you haven't. He made the webwork from scratch and it's both complicated and big!
[4:36 PM]
http://valarguild.org/gaming
    The Valar Guild Games Site
    Valar Guild Games Site
[4:36 PM]
It's reached in one click from the Valar Guild index, same as the Tolkien Site or the News.
[4:37 PM]
http://www.valarguild.org/
    Valar Guild
    an international society of Tolkien appreciators and
    gamers.

Arien  Valar — Yesterday at 4:37 PM
aye he does a great job

Varda — Yesterday at 4:37 PM
That way you only need one url and can jump to anything.

top

Gaming:
[4:37 PM]

World of Warcraft:
[4:37 PM]
This week's Bonus Event: World Quests.
[4:37 PM]
The PvP Brawl: Southshore vs Tarren Mill runs through Tuesday, June 7th.
[4:38 PM]
The Darkmoon Faire is running through Saturday, June 11th.
[4:38 PM]
Patch 9.2.5 is live. Check out the patch notes.
[4:38 PM]
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/23801631/shadowlands-925-content-update-is-now-live
    World of Warcraft
    Shadowlands: 9.2.5 Content Update Is Now Live - WoW
    Log in now to experience the Shadowlands 9.2.5 content update!

[4:38 PM]
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/23789456/updated-may-31-shadowlands-925-content-update-notes
    World of Warcraft
    [UPDATED MAY 31] Shadowlands 9.2.5 Content Update Notes - WoW
    The Shadowlands 9.2.5 content update arrives to World of Warcraft on May 31!


Ioreth — Yesterday at 4:39 PM
I'm getting a non HTML version of that first site - it's just an outline, no pictures

Varda — Yesterday at 4:39 PM
Odd. I show a picture.
[4:39 PM]
and aiya, Ioreth : )

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:39 PM
Aiya Ioreth!

Varda — Yesterday at 4:39 PM
Also check out the World of Warcraft News and Development Updates.

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:40 PM
aiya Ioreth!

Varda — Yesterday at 4:40 PM
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/23813076/world-of-warcraft-news-and-development-updates
    World of Warcraft
    World of Warcraft News and Development Updates - WoW
    Catch up on the latest World of Warcraft release dates, news, hotfixes, and more.


Arien  Valar — Yesterday at 4:40 PM
aiya Ioreth

Varda — Yesterday at 4:40 PM
A talent preview blog for what's coming in Dragonblight has been posted.
[4:40 PM]
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/23797209/world-of-warcraft-dragonflight-talent-preview
    World of Warcraft
    World of Warcraft: Dragonflight Talent Preview - WoW
    Dragonflight provides an opportunity for some major updates to classes in World of Warcraft with the re-introduction of talent trees. In this preview, we take a first look at the prototype trees for the Druid and Death Knight classes.

[4:41 PM]
Check out the latest hotfixes.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:41 PM
Druid talentz, oh yes. Mark of the Wild, aka the Pink Paw, is returning!

Varda — Yesterday at 4:41 PM
: )
[4:41 PM]
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/23800887/hotfixes-june-2-2022
    World of Warcraft
    Hotfixes: June 2, 2022 - 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.

[4:41 PM]
Hearthstone:
[4:42 PM]
Patch 23.4 is out.
[4:42 PM]
https://playhearthstone.com/en-us/news/23797164/23-4-patch-notes
    23.4 Patch Notes
    Patch 23.4 brings the new Voyage to the Sunken City Mini-Set, updates to Battlegrounds, a ton of Mercenaries, and more!

[4:42 PM]

Diablo Immortal:
Check these out:

Diablo Immortal: The Story So Far
[4:43 PM]
https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/diablo-immortal/23805084/diablo-immortal-the-story-so-far
    Diablo Immortal: The Story So Far
    Diablo Immortal launches on June 2, read the story so far to become acquainted with what’s to come in this hellish, new chapter in the Diablo saga.

[4:43 PM]
Diablo Immortal Known Issues, Hotfixes, and Patch Notes for PC Open Beta
https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/diablo-immortal/23789255/diablo-immortal-known-issues-hotfixes-and-patch-notes-for-pc-open-beta
    Diablo Immortal Known Issues, Hotfixes, and Patch Notes For PC Open...
    Stay updated on any known issues and the upcoming hotfixes and patches the team will be implementing to the PC Open Beta version of Diablo Immortal.


Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:43 PM
I wanted to play Diablo Immortal, but can't in Netherlands or Belgium  Did get it installed, but the play button says it can't!

Varda — Yesterday at 4:43 PM
Snatch Up Diablo Immortal Goodies For Your Favorite Games

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:44 PM
Maybe they'll change their minds in the future.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:44 PM
ugh, Phar! Wonder what's going on?
[4:44 PM]
Maybe so.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:44 PM
It's lootbox laws here.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:44 PM
https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/diablo-immortal/23789254/snatch-up-diablo-immortal-goodies-for-your-favorite-games
    Snatch Up Diablo Immortal Goodies For Your Favorite Games
    In celebration of Diablo Immortal’s launch, Skarn’s forces have placed Immortal-themed goodies in Diablo III, Hearthstone, and Call of Duty: Mobile for you to collect!


Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:44 PM
In most games with lootboxes those are removed or restricted for our countries due to our gambling laws, but for D:I they just decided to not make it available.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:44 PM
Lootbox laws? LotRO had to change things to handle that problem.
[4:45 PM]
ouch

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:45 PM
Guess I won't be making my demon huntress yet!

Varda — Yesterday at 4:45 PM
It's not like they're taking your lunch money. O well.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:45 PM
Also has me worried about Warcraft Arclight Rumble, but I do believe that's less "gatcha" overall than D:I, so maybe it'll still be available.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:46 PM
Good luck!
[4:46 PM]

Lord of the Rings Online:

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:46 PM
Thanks :) Continue on!

Varda — Yesterday at 4:47 PM
Hobnangians was going. A kind of tennis match with groups. The ball is a live chicken. Gets crazy.
[4:47 PM]
LotRO players present in the kin branches this past week:

Landroval server:
Dis
Eonwe
Fangorn
Ioreth
Lenwe
Nar
Thranduil
Varda

Anor server:
Eonwe
Fangorn
Varda

Shadowfax server:
Arien
Varda

Treebeard server:
Varda
[4:47 PM]
Any other gaming news? Eve? Others?

Starcraft 2: played this past week by Fangorn and Eowyn, Faramir, and Ciaran.
[4:48 PM]
I know Sauron has been mining asteroids in Eve Online. : )
[4:48 PM]
Any other gaming news?
[4:50 PM]
(I see Sandalf typing)

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:50 PM
Sorry to break in...I apologize, but I must leave early tonight to meet some old friends for dinner at McDs...I leave Wednesday for my 50th Lafayette College Reunion, in Easton, PA. Then on to NY on Sunday. I will be here next Sunday for our meeting, but I will be in NY. I plan to drive about 1,000 miles on Wednesday, to somewhere in mid-Ohio, then drive on to Easton on Thursday. The reunion begins Thursday afternoon. Have a great week, everyone, and Namaste! Also sei gesund!

Varda — Yesterday at 4:50 PM
Ah fantastic!

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:50 PM
Enjoy, and namarie

Varda — Yesterday at 4:51 PM
And I have a tiny Lore-master in the intro to join yours when you're ready.
[4:51 PM]
Namarie, Sandalf!

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:51 PM
hums 1000 miles song

Varda — Yesterday at 4:51 PM
On to
[4:51 PM]

top

Tolkien!

Sandalf13 — Yesterday at 4:51 PM
Namarie all!

Varda — Yesterday at 4:51 PM
In the movies, Pippin and Merry get Treebeard to take them out of Fangorn Forest, but work it so that he goes where he can see the destruction of the rowan forest and see that Saruman did it. This is necessary for a visual medium like a movie, but what actually happened?

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:52 PM
wracks brain I wanna say... the ents already agreed at the meet? moot?

Varda — Yesterday at 4:52 PM
Heh, I should say, happened in the books?

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:53 PM
Also, we don't actually see most of that happening, there's a bit of a timegap between the moot and running into em at Isengard.
[4:53 PM]
Though I wanna say the huorns at Helm's Deep were also there in the books.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:53 PM
It's in The Two Towers, "Treebeard", for those with nearby books.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:53 PM
Note, I might be completely wrong about all this.
[4:54 PM]
Other side of the house...

Varda — Yesterday at 4:54 PM
Yes, the huorns did indeed go to Helm's Deep.
[4:54 PM]
Arien, are you able to join in?

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:54 PM
I'll go collect it.

Varda — Yesterday at 4:54 PM
Looks as if you have time. : )

Arien  Valar — Yesterday at 4:56 PM
what Phari said .. Fangorn took Merry and Pippin along . and there was at least one night between their arrival at Wellhall or what was and the actual moot
[4:57 PM]
there was a few hours between leaving there and the Thing

Varda — Yesterday at 4:57 PM
Aye, a night was needed to sleep and think.
High speed!

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 4:59 PM
Hah, just read a line about the Ents at the moot seeing that Merry and Pippin are not orcs... wasn't that referenced in the movie?

Varda — Yesterday at 4:59 PM
Yes : )
[4:59 PM]
The movie didn't do all that bad, in a lot of ways. : )  Details slide from memory easily.
[5:00 PM]
But it had to change some things for a visual medium. That had to happen here, as it was mostly talk.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:00 PM
Looks like there were about 3 days of moot while the hobbits stayed at Bregalad's place.

Varda — Yesterday at 5:01 PM
And the audience in the theater falls asleep. : )

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:01 PM
And then the Ents go to war!

Varda — Yesterday at 5:01 PM
Aye
[5:01 PM]
It all starts with chat while staying with Treebeard at his place.
(you can go there in the LotRO game!)
[5:02 PM]
Treebeard listened to the tales of the hobbits' adventures and told them information as well. He took what they told him and compared it to what he had seen

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:02 PM
Looks like there were indeed several Ents who already had witnessed the Orcs' treecutting, so Treebeard's discovery in the movie was kinda... don't want to say "moot".

Arien  Valar — Yesterday at 5:02 PM
the ent song

Varda — Yesterday at 5:02 PM
It made him think!

Arien  Valar — Yesterday at 5:02 PM
was that in the movie?

Varda — Yesterday at 5:02 PM
heh
[5:03 PM]
hmm. I'm not sure if I'm remembering the animated or PJ's for the song, or in my own head.
[5:03 PM]
I made up music for a lot of the poems in the book.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:04 PM
We go, we go, we go to war, to hew the stone and break the door ♪

Varda — Yesterday at 5:04 PM
They sing themselves.
[5:04 PM]
Aye, that song is in my head. : )
When Treebeard started listing it all, he realized how it had mounted up.
[5:05 PM]
Orcs daring to pass through his woods so freely.
Treebeard realized that Saruman was to blame and had been spying out the ways through the woods, discovering secrets.
[5:06 PM]
Orcs are cutting down good trees, some left to rot as Orc-mischief,  but
the rest is going to Orthanc to feed the fires there so that a constant smoke is over Isengard.
The reminders from the hobbits make him think about the destruction of even singing groves and he becomes angry.
[5:07 PM]
I think he became so upset, because the anger is partly at himself.
Since you have the book, you can see the wonderful description of when he gets upset.
[5:08 PM]
Like me to type some of it here?

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:08 PM
I'm leafing back, since I assume it's pre-moot.

Varda — Yesterday at 5:08 PM
Aye, cause of the moot.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:08 PM
But feel free for those who have not the book in their hands :)

Varda — Yesterday at 5:08 PM
This line is why I think he's angry with himself.
[5:08 PM]
"'...I have been idle. I have let things slip. It must stop!'"
"Treebeard raised himself from his bed with a jerk, stood up, and thumped his hand on the table.
The vessels of light trembled and sent up two jets of flame.
There was a flicker like green fire in his eyes, and his beard stood out stiff as a great besom.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:09 PM
Ah, found it :)

Varda — Yesterday at 5:09 PM
Yay!
I had to look up "besom".
[5:10 PM]
    "The term is now mostly reserved for a traditional broom constructed from a bundle of twigs tied to a stout pole."

Arien  Valar — Yesterday at 5:10 PM
well i have to play tree and leaf you

Varda — Yesterday at 5:10 PM
    "In Scotland, besoms are still occasionally to be found at the edge of forests where they are stacked for use in early response to an outbreak of fire."
[5:10 PM]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Besom
    Besom
    "A besom is a broom, a household implement used for sweeping. The term is now mostly reserved for a traditional broom constructed from a bundle of twigs tied to a stout pole. The twigs used could be broom (i.e. Genista, from which comes the modern name "broom" for the tool), heather or similar. The song "Buy Broom Buzzems" from Northern England ..."

[5:10 PM]
Namarie, Arien. : )

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:10 PM
Namarie, Arien!

Varda — Yesterday at 5:10 PM
We are almost done, so you're not missing much more. : )
[5:11 PM]
Thought you'd like the Scottish reference though. : )

Arien  Valar — Yesterday at 5:11 PM
hroom hroom yes me likes

Varda — Yesterday at 5:11 PM
hehe
[5:11 PM]
Digression: Treebeard mentions that elves gave them the ability to talk.
[5:11 PM]
Anyway, we are over the hour. : )

Arien  Valar — Yesterday at 5:11 PM
Namarie :)

Varda — Yesterday at 5:11 PM
the gavels march, singing the ent song
Namarie,Arien!
[5:12 PM]
takes them a minute to realize the hammerpad is rolling alongside, humming it with them
whappity whappity whappity
[5:12 PM]

top

After-meeting!

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:12 PM
Gavels can't be hasty!

Varda — Yesterday at 5:12 PM
hehe

Arien  Valar — Yesterday at 5:12 PM
:)

Varda — Yesterday at 5:13 PM
In a side note, our very own Treebeard is in the chat talk channel. : )
[5:13 PM]
I need to see about making supper. : )
Maybe Ent-draught.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:13 PM
Hroom hroom hroom, a besom is a broom.

Varda — Yesterday at 5:13 PM
Have to wondr what's in that ent-draught for it to shoot up like flames.

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:13 PM
Enjoy!

Varda — Yesterday at 5:14 PM
Aye!
[5:14 PM]
Cheers : )

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:14 PM
Chlorophyll?

Varda — Yesterday at 5:14 PM
Scary green pigment!
[5:14 PM]
I'll check out your gaming news after a bit!

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:15 PM
Sure! I'll do my weekly wordle and stuff, then go hit up hearthstone.. and then follow with the report
[5:15 PM]
*daily wordle

Varda — Yesterday at 5:16 PM
: )
[5:17 PM]
O, here's an old article from our beginnings:
[5:17 PM]
http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/articles/f/Fangorn/Fangorn.htm
    Fangorn/Treebeard
    Article on Tolkien's character, Fangorn.
[5:18 PM]
(Even has pictures.)
Namarie again!

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 5:18 PM
Any pictures of besom-beard?

Varda — Yesterday at 5:19 PM
Yeppers : )

top

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 6:28 PM
Personal gaming report:
[6:29 PM]
For (non)flashgaming, have some
https://www.kongregate.com/games/baba_s/economical
    Kongregate
    Economical
    2D puzzle action game where saving coin is important!
    Aiming for a goal using items.
    Make a way with blocks.
    Break a block with a hammer.
    etc...
    Item is use...

[6:32 PM]
A puzzle platformer where you collect coins and spend them to build rocks/platforms, or break rocks with hammers. Get through the level, collect keys to unlock locks, and get to the flag.
You get higher scores/medals for having certain amounts of coins remaining at the end of the level, so... be economical!
[6:33 PM]
Did i say flag? I meant treasure chest.
[6:38 PM]

top

Blizzard gaming:
[6:39 PM]
Hearthstone:
Level 83 now on the reward track. Still 700 gold to go for the mini set, which is now out, so maybe next week? If not, the week after.
[6:40 PM]
Brawl is old but fun, murlocs  Choose a class, get a few class spells and a whole ton of random murlocs, as well as the shaman quest to summon 10 of em.
[6:41 PM]
Some classes synergize better with them, like paladins, warlocks and shamans, but since there's a lot of randomness abound, it's possible to win with any quest. I've seen demon hunters, and won a nice game myself as druid.
[6:44 PM]
For mercenaries, patch brought a lot of new ones. Tyrael came in for free, to celebrate the Diablo: Immortal release, and there's a whole bunch of other new mercs as well, such as several naga and the league of explorers.
[6:45 PM]
After picking up Tyrael, I got a new nr 18 task on a mercenary who's always been ahead on tasks compared to any other, for me, which is Rathorian; why his last task took so long to show itself, I don't know
[6:46 PM]
As I always try to complete a story task before doing an 18 task, I dove into Blackrock Mountain bounties some more, killing 25 elementals for the quest and completing the Garr bounty.
[6:47 PM]
From the pack reward from the level 18 task, I got one of the new mercs! A naga called Lord Slitherspear, this is actually a rare occasion with a mercenary who's native to Hearthstone and hasn't shown up in WoW.
[6:49 PM]
In fact, he's the only naga mercenary - out of 6 added in this patch - to be Hearthstone only.
Still, I'm sure the others will come eventually
[6:50 PM]
And lo, he actually showed up in the task list the same day! I didn't level many mercs this week, but did get the starting levels on Slitherspear and Sky Admiral Rogers.
[6:51 PM]
*The next day.
Diablo:
as mentioned before, I can't get into Diablo: Immortal. It's too bad, I wanted to reproduce my favorite ranged character Caliona; after a ranger in Guild Wars, a hunter in WoW and a demon hunter in Diablo 3, I was looking forward to sending her into Immortal as the same and unlock that promotion reward set, only available for a month after release.
[6:54 PM]
Since that month is after release "in your region", maybe there is a chance that if we do eventually get the game, we'll have a month.. but both of those are big ifs.
[6:57 PM]
But I did get into Diablo 3, to unlock the Immortal-release-related pet and wings. Pet looks cute, a walking blood rose, and the wings actually seem to suit the Necromancer's Trag'oul set better than the Trag'oul wings you could unlock in the first place.
[6:59 PM]
But that might just be my opinion
[6:59 PM]
WoW:
[7:00 PM]
In raiding, heroic Anduin's still a pain. We're starting to get into the second intermission now though, so making progress.
The nerf coming with the patch... wasn't as helpful as we'd hoped.
Still, every bit helps.
[7:02 PM]
Hit honor level 95 through the weekly brawl
Weekly quest is world quests, always a nice change from instances and battleground and the like.
Lets me fly all over the place doing a few WQs a day and collecting lots of anima.
[7:04 PM]
Headed into Torghast, into the Twisting Corridors for the first in a long time. Normally I do the available wings and adamant vaults, but with the patch, all wings are now permanently available, so it kinda removes any pressure to do what's available
[7:05 PM]
I like Twisting Corridors. 18 floors rather than 5, giving lots of anima powers. Ended up with over 200k health, nearly 100 anima powers, and more ridiculousness.
[7:06 PM]
But it takes rather more hours than I expected at my current gear, though it didn't really feel difficult. I completed it on layer 5, but will leave 6, 7 and 8 until later... it seems better to abandon the whole of Torghast until I complete the story up to Zereth Mortis (after getting my alts through the covenant campaigns). So... this should give me a couple of extra hours a week to alt.
[7:07 PM]
Finally, yes, more alting!
[7:09 PM]
Finished the tour of Oribos with my mage, Caldaera, and after arriving at Bastion I switched to Alcaria, my paladin. Alc hasn't leveled yet, but she's delved a bit further into Bastion now, hitting a side questline which led to 2 other side questlines out in the field  Including helping a young Larion getting his toys back!
[7:10 PM]
But yeah, Alcaria's close to 51 now... and we'll see what more of Bastion next week brings!
And that's my report for the week

Ar-Pharazon-V — Yesterday at 7:38 PM
namarie!


June 6, 2022

Eonwλ Valar — Today at 12:42 AM
Heya all. Sorry I missed the meeting. Long day Saturday led into Sunday.

@Sandalf13
The boys didn't learn anything like this in Boy Scouts.
Eonwλ Valar — Today at 12:44 AM
In response to this, here's one I like:
    "As iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."

top