Dec. 20, 2024 Tuesday

Tolkien Site: Stories

New story by Eonwe-(Valar): "Narn I Auros: Second Impressions"

Dec. 17, 2024 Tuesday

Tolkien Site: Stories

New story by Eonwe-(Valar): "Narn I Auros: Protestations"

Dec. 15, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

• When: 5 P.M. Eastern Time
• Where: The Valar Guild's Discord server in text channel "meeting_place".

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (5): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Pengolodh, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week.
• Gaming:
  • Return to Moria
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo IV
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Overwatch II
  • Heroes of the Storm
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Starcraft 2
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: How does JRRT use build-up in the Lord of the Rings books? As long as the books are, they keep interest as everything keeps escalating. What are some examples?
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.
  • More Tolkien chat.

Dec. 8, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

• When: 5 P.M. Eastern Time
• Where: The Valar Guild's Discord server in text channel "meeting_place".

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (5): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Leod, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • Removed the art section for The Bohemian Weasel today at her request, to prevent potential scraping of it by AI. See letter below.
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Hearthstone
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Diablo II
  • Overwatch II
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Starcraft 2
• Tolkien:
  • Topic by Leod: Valar that have made appearances in popular media.
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Letter from The Bohemian Weasel-(T):

"... As you're probably aware, in the last year there's been a terrible rise of 'AI' bots scraping every image they can get their hands on. To this end I've removed a lot of my work from online sources and will later replace it with protected work that can safely be put back up online. But for now I'm afraid I'll have to ask if you can remove my work from your websites, the sooner the better please. Generative AI is ruining all our nice things.

Hopefully I should have some protected versions (treated with 'Glaze' software) which will be safe for you to reinstate, but it'll take a while to 'Glaze' all that work."

Her art folder is now deleted from our website. Maybe someday in the future a version of it will return.

Dec. 1, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

• When: 5 P.M. Eastern Time
• Where: The Valar Guild's Discord server in text channel "meeting_place".

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (5): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Sandalf, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week.
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Starcraft 2
  • Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: Fangorn had a way of looking at both sides, even when the person, such as Saruman, had deeply wronged him
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Nov. 24, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

• When: 5 P.M. Eastern Time
• Where: The Valar Guild's Discord server in text channel "meeting_place".

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (5): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Leod, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week.
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • EVE Online
  • Starcraft 2
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Hearthstone
  • Diablo IV
  • Diablo II
  • Overwatch 2
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: The special nature of lembas, despite their seeming to be common in fan fiction and gaming.
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Nov. 17, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

• When: 5 P.M. Eastern Time
• Where: The Valar Guild's Discord server in text channel "meeting_place".

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (6): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe (presiding), Sandalf, Varda
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week.
Gaming:
• World of Warcraft
• Warcraft Rumble
• Diablo IV
• Diablo Immortal
• Overwatch 2
• Heroes of the Storm
• Lord of the Rings Online
• Hearthstone
• Tolkien:
  • Topic 1: Some ancient cultures washed guests' feet as a gesture of hospitality. You think Hobbits considered this, or did they "nope" that one before it ever got started?
  • Topic 2: If an Elf took off his/her shoes in the rain, would he/she be likely to enjoy the squish of the mud in between his/her toes, or would he/she simply walk atop it like solid ground?
  • After-Meeting:
    • Non-flashgaming.

Nov. 10, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

• When: 5 P.M. Eastern Time
• Where: The Valar Guild's Discord server in text channel "meeting_place".

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (6): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Eowyn, Sandalf, Varda(presiding)
• Web:
  • "Narn I Auros - A Worthy Quest". New short story this week, by Eonwe-(Valar)
Gaming:
• Lord of the Rings Online
• World of Warcraft
• Hearthstone
• Diablo IV
• Diablo Immortal
• Starcraft 2
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: What types of military forces do we see in the Silmarillion, Hobbit, LotR?
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Nov. 9, 2024 Saturday

Tolkien Site / Stories:

    "Narn I Auros - A Worthy Quest" by Eonwe-(Valar). Laikendir calls Farothel to his house, but why? A friendly chat, or something more? Will it prove to be a peril Farothel wishes to avoid?

Nov. 6, 2024 Wednesday

Gaming / LotRO:

    Legacy of Morgoth has arrived:

• The Song of Waves and Wind continues. Speak to Jaith outside the Meeting-hall of Dar Laja in Umbar Baharbel to begin Chapter 10.
• Discover Near Harad. This is a challenge level 150 region, with 4 new zones packed with new quests, Deeds, Missions and Delvings
• More than 350 unique quests added.
• A new raid will debut at a later date that is associated with this content, and included with your purchase.

Nov. 3, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

• When: 5 P.M. Eastern Time
• Where: The Valar Guild's Discord server in text channel "meeting_place".

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (7): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Leod, Sandalf, Shelob, Varda(presiding)
• Web:
  • "Out with you! - a wight's report". New short story by Arien-(Valar)
Gaming:
• EVE Online
• World of Warcraft
• Diablo IV
• Hearthstone
• Warcraft Rumble
• Diablo Immortal
• Starcraft 2
• Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic 1: How does "corruption" show up as a theme?
  • Topic 2: Why do they call the plot of The Lord of the Rings a "reverse quest"?
  • Topic 3: We keep hearing about themes. JRRT put it to rest for what the main theme was in two of his Letters: 203 and 211.
• After-Meeting:
  • Tolkien chat continues, with aging in elves.
  • Non-flashgaming.

Nov. 2, 2024 Saturday

    Tolkien Site / Stories:

• "Out with you! - a wight's report" by Arien-(Valar), emailed Oct. 31, 2024. The Barrow-downs incident from the wight point of view.
• Stand-alone short story for the 27th Anniversary of the Valar Guild, great for Halloween as well.

Oct. 27, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

• When: 5 P.M. Eastern Time
• Where: The Valar Guild's Discord server in text channel "meeting_place".

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (6): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Leod, Pallando, Varda(presiding)
  • Guild-friend Mosby added reactions.
• Web:
  • No new content.
Gaming:
• EVE Online
• World of Warcraft
• Hearthstone
• Diablo IV
• Diablo III
• Overwatch 2
• Starcraft 2
• Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: How does JRRT bring across the idea of a hobbit hole's being comfortable?
• After-Meeting:
  • Most of the Tolkien chat occurred here, since it started late.
  • Non-flashgaming.

Oct. 20, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

• When: 5 P.M. Eastern Time
• Where: The Valar Guild's Discord server in text channel "meeting_place".

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (7): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Celebrian, Eonwe, Sandalf, Shelob, Varda (presiding).
  • Side chat greeting from Hurin in Discord.
• Web:
  • Games Site webwork on member tables and State of Gaming by Eonwë
Gaming:
• World of Warcraft
• Hearthstone
• Warcraft Rumble
• Diablo IV
• Diablo Immortal
• Overwatch 2
• Heroes of the Storm
• Lord of the Rings Online
• Starcraft 2
• Tolkien:
  • Topic 1: What is something that Frodo may remember fondly from his travels?
  • Topic 2: Who kept libraries and what were they like?
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Oct. 14, 2024 Monday

News from Eonwe:

Eönwë Valar: Issues with the code for the Games Site appear to be resolved, the State of Valar Gaming Report is visible and not just up, and the Member Tables are working properly. Please make sure your gaming info is correct.

Oct. 13, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

• When: 5 P.M. Eastern Time
• Where: The Valar Guild's Discord server in text channel "meeting_place".

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (6): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Pallando, Sandalf, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • "In Your Dreams". New short stand-alone short story by Eonwe-Valar, posted Oct 7. "Love, Light, Hope... Sleep." Written for the 27th Anniversary of the Valar Guild.
Gaming:
• EVE Online
• World of Warcraft
• Hearthstone
• Diablo IV
• Diablo Immortal
• Overwatch 2
• Lord of the Rings Online
• Starcraft 2
• tabletop (with at least two Valarites)
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: How did Grima Wormtongue gain so much influence in Rohan?
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Oct. 7, 2024 Monday

Tolkien Site / Stories:

"In Your Dreams". New short stand-alone short story by Eonwe-Valar. "Love, Light, Hope... Sleep." Written for the 27th Anniversary of the Valar Guild.

October 6, 2024 Sunday

Last day of the chat marathon.

Sunday Meeting

• When: 5 P.M. Eastern Time
• Where: The Valar Guild's Discord server in text channel "meeting_place".

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (7): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe (presiding), Fangorn/Treebeard, Leod, Sandalf, Shelob
• Web:
  • Anniversary page". Email your fun stuff to Varda (NOSPAMvarda.elentari@gmail.com) through December to be added, and be sure to give your name in the guild for credit.
Gaming:
• World of Warcraft
• Diablo IV
• Overwatch 2
• Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: Three themes.
  • Topic 1: Lights
  • Topic 2: Potable Delights
  • Topic 3: Eucatastrophe
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

October 4, 2024 Friday

HAPPY 27th ANNIVERSARY, VALAR GUILD!

The Anniversary Page needs your additions, wherever you prefer to add them such as screenies, art, articles, stories. Email your item to NOSPAMvarda.elentari (AT) g mail (dot) c o m.

Gamers! In Lord of the Rings Online on Landroval server, we will have our two horse rides heading into towns to shoot off fireworks while doing a /yell Happy 27the Anniversary, Valar Guild! One is at noon and one at 5 P.M. Eastern time (/servertime).Come to whichever time works for you or even come to both! We start at the West gate of Bree. Bring fireworks! Fainan is happy to share, but it's also fun to use some you've been hanging on to all year.

If something happens to Varda's internet connection, take whichever of you is around and do the ride anyway! Even if you're the sole person to do the honor!

In any branch or any game (not everyone has LotRO, sadly), any of us can shoot off fireworks or light effects for the anniversary solo or with friends at times that work for you. Try to take screenies and email the best to Varda for the Anniversary page.

October 2, 2024 Wednesday

Tolkien Site/Stories:

New story ""Making Acquaintance" by Eonwe-(Valar) for his Narn I Auros series. "On a nice summer day, Auros finds he and his friends aren't the only ones playing by the stream."

September 29, 2024 Sunday

The chat marathon for our 27th Anniversary begins at the meeting today! The idea is to have someone in meeting_place holding it "open" from one meeting to the next, leave comments, and hopefully even chat with others!

Sunday Meeting

• When: 5 P.M. Eastern Time
• Where: The Valar Guild's Discord server in text channel "meeting_place".

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (8): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Leod, Lenwe, Pallando, Sandalf, Varda (presiding)
  • Side chat: Ioreth on phone Discord.
• Web:
  • Anniversary page" beginning. Email your fun stuff to Varda (NOSPAMvarda.elentari@gmail.com) to be added, and be sure to give your name in the guild for credit.
Gaming:
• World of Warcraft
• Hearthstone
• Warcraft Rumble
• Diablo IV
• Diablo III
• Lord of the Rings Online
• Starcraft 2
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: Topics picked for the Tolkien theme for our Anniversary.
  • Topic 2: Eucatastrophes.
  • Topic 3: Maiar in Middle-earth.
  • Topic 4:Not quite Maiar, but working with Valar.
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Happy double birthday to Bilbo and Frodo! (book)

A Poll is online on our Discord to vote for the 27th Anniversary theme. Our anniversary is October 4.

September 29th meeting begins the annual chat marathon!

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (7): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Eowyn, Fangorn/Treebeard, Sandalf, Varda (presiding)
  • GSMU (Games Site Mass Update) ongoing. Check your email or contact Eonwe by email or Discord.
• Web:
  • The Anniversary page is beginning. Email your fun stuff to Varda (NOSPAMvarda.elentari@gmail.com) to be added, and be sure to give your name in the guild for credit. :) Go to our Discord in the #polls channel to vote for your preferred Anniversary theme.
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo IV
  • Overwatch 2
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Starcraft 2
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: Today, September 22, is the double birthday of Bilbo and Frodo. What are some unusual things associated with this particular birthday? Note that Ring history becomes involved.
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (5): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe (presiding), Sandalf, Shelob
  • GSMU (Games Site Mass Update) began this week. Check your email.
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week. Send something. :)
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Hearthstone
  • Diablo III
  • Overwatch 2
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Starcraft 2
• Tolkien:
  • Topic 1: new LotRO LotR lore videos posted by Shelob.
  • Topic 2: Tolkien Lightning Round, run by Eonwe.
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

September 11, 2024 Sunday

"We still remember, we who dwell..."

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (5): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe (presiding), Sandalf, Varda
  • GSMU (Games Site Mass Update) begins this week. Check your email.
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week. Send something. :)
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Hearthstone
  • Diablo IV
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Starcraft 2
• Tolkien:
  • Topic by Arien: The Istari
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (5): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe (presiding), Sandalf, Shelob/Ungwetari
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week. Send something. :)
• Gaming:
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • World of Warcraft
  • Hearthstone
  • Diablo IV
• Tolkien:
  • Topic 1 by Shelob: LotRO Tolkien lore videos by Shelob
  • Topic 2 by Shelob: What was the purpose of the Rangers of the North and in what way did their actions influence events leading up to, as well as after, the War of the Ring? Excluding Aragorn.
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (5): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Shelob/Ungwetari, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week. Send something. :)
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo IV
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Overwatch 2
  • Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic 1: Did Tolkien's works give you any difficulty when you first started?
  • Topic 2: What type of Fantasy could Lord of the Rings be categorized under?
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (7): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Leod, Pallando, Sandalf, Varda (presiding)
  • Side chat: Ioreth on phone Discord.
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week. Send something for the Anniversary. :)
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Hearthstone
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Diablo 2
  • Starcraft 2
  • Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: What helped Frodo choose between going to the Black Gate or Cirith Ungol?
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Gaming: Lord of the Rings Online:

Update 41.1 release notes.

Includes new Reward Track

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (7): Anarion, Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Falco, Lenwe, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week. Send something. :)
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Hearthstone
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Diablo 2
  • Starcraft 2
  • Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic 1 : How did Valar and Maiar travel to Middle-earth?
  • Topic 2 from Anarion-(V): Was Gandalf one of those to leave Middle-earth on the last ships at the end of RotK? Or was that a movie thing?
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (7): Anarion, Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Sandalf, Shelob/Ungwetari, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week. Send something. :)
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo 4
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic : How did JRRT turn the expected "tropes" around?
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Gaming / Lord of the Rings Online:

New Legendary servers are open: Mordor at noon and Angmar at 6PM EST. They are the first 64-bit servers, and Mordor is the first European server. Both are running a Ringwraith Event.

Varda has built kin branches for us on each server, for your benefit if you wish to use them. Landroval will continue to be our main server.

For both new Legendary servers, We are using the User Chat of "Valar". Varda's main is still "Fainan" to help us get together. The kin name is "Valar Guild". Varda will also be available on Discord, the Discord Sunday meetings, and email to help you join a branch if you wish. Leod has joined the Angmar kin branch.

These servers include the "Veil of the Nine" challenge that occurs at intervals broadcast in World Chat. At that time, the Nazgul may appear across the world during your adventures as they search for the Ring-bearer; they need a group to take them on. If a character is struck down, then he cannot be revived at that spot but must retreat. Look for the 12 lesser rings that may help in such a battle. Also, for any character level 10 or above, servants of the Nine are hunting you down as an ally of Elrond and the Dunedain.

Both servers start out with the highest level being 50.

Mordor server is a check to see if a European-based server will work out well, not using another group to handle it as Codemasters did, to keep the code the same across the worlds. It will remain open as long as it is financially viable.

Angmar server, once it catches up to regular server content, will offer transfers to a non-legendary server of your choice, including our own Landroval and Crickhollow. Since it is a 64-bit server, I expect it to continue to be used in some fashion possibly as a new regular server. The 64-bit makes a good experience from what I've seen, although the Ringwraiths and their helpers are so commonly seen as to be lore-breaking.

Gaming / Lord of the Rings Online:

Update 41 "On the Wing" includes:

• Birding hobby begins
• "Hard Tack of Thorin's Hall": Crafting event, this time for Food and Prospector
• Lore-master changes
• "Before the Shadow" expansion content is now free to VIP's same as that offered in the LotRO store. Bundles with cosmetics and other benefits remain available in the LotRO store.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (6): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Fangorn/Treebeard, Sandalf, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week. Send something. :)
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Hearthstone
  • Diablo 4
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Overwatch 2
  • Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic : What was the main goal of the Nazgul during the War of the Rings? What else did they do during that time?
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (6): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe (presiding), Leod, Sandalf, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week. Send something. :)
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo 4
  • Hearthstone
  • Heroes of the Storm
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Rift
  • Warcraft Rumble
• Tolkien:
  • Topic : Can we see how Tolkien contrasted courage through loyal service with arrogant desire for glory?
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (6): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe (presiding), Leod, Sandalf, Varda (After-meeting)
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week. Send something. :)
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Overwatch 2
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Guild Wars
  • BDO
• Tolkien:
  • Topic 1: (continued from last week) Which was first: genealogy or maps?
  • Topic 2: Hiking and Tolkien.
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (7): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Falco, Sandalf, Shelob/Ungwetari, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • Nothing new this past week. Send something. :)
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Hearthstone
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: The concept of loyal friendship is strong in Tolkien's work. It includes loyalty in the form of self-sacrifice of all sorts, defending to he death, cheering up when sad. Can we think of any examples, and this can be from any book, short story, poem, art, et cetera?
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (7): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Falco, Leod, Sandalf, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • New story by Eonwe-(Valar), posted June 25: "No End To Toil":
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Overwatch 2
  • Hearthstone
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic 1: quick mention: "The Hunt for Gollum"
  • Topic 2 by Sandalf: "Tolkien spent a lot of time on his various genealogies, and they are so complex and interrelated. What came first? His genealogies, or his writing?"
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (5): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe (presiding), Leod, Sandalf
• Web:
  • Nothing new this week. Send something. :)
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo IV
  • Overwatch 2
  • Hearthstone
  • Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic from Arien: Were there any sports in Middle-earth?
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (6): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe (Before and After), Sandalf, Shelob/Ungoliant, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • Nothing new this week.
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo IV
  • Hearthstone
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: What made each of the Fellowship members "that guy?" to be one of the Companions? This can be something in their background or something they did while in the War of the Ring.
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (7): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Sandalf, Shelob/Ungoliant, Pallando, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • New story by Eonwe, posted June 8: "To Show One's Quality"
• Gaming:
  • Eve Online
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo IV
  • Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: The Nordic and Christian ideas Tolkien used may have come together in "bravery against all odds". Comments?
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Gaming / Lord of the Rings Online:

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (6): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Leod, Sandalf, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • No new content this past week. Feel free to send some.
• Gaming:
  • Mists of Pandaria: review by Eonwe
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo IV
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic 1: Tom Bombadil and Jack Black?
  • Topic 2: Unseen history in Tolkien's works.
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Gaming / LotRO

    Official schedule of events for the year.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending:(4): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe (presiding), Sandalf
• Web:
  • No new content this past week. Feel free to send some.
• Gaming:
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo IV
  • Hearthstone
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Heroes of the Storm
• Tolkien:
  • Topic 1: RP
  • Topic 2: All that glitters...
• After-Meeting:
  • Non-flashgaming.

Gaming / LotRO

Update 40.1 release notes.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending:(6): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Pallando, Sandalf13, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • No new content this past week.
• Gaming:
  • Comicpalooza Convention in Houston, Texas next weekend.
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo 4
  • Hearthstone
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Eve Online
  • Starcraft 2
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • 
    
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: Is there little to be said for the good times?
• After-Meeting:
  • More chat
  • Non-flashgaming.

Gaming: Lord of the Rings Online

    Update 40: Beneath the Surface. The epic story continues beneath Umbar Baharbêl, inside the Umbar-môkh, also called the Neaths.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending:(9): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Eowyn/Cenedra, Leod, Fangorn/Treebeard, Sandalf13, Shelob/Ungwetari, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • No new content this past week.
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Hearthstone
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Eve Online
  • Starcraft 2
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • 
    
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: Anniversary theme-picking.
• After-Meeting:
  • More chat
  • Non-flashgaming.

Namarie to Bernard Hill, who played Theoden in the movies. He died this morning, at the age of 79.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending:(7): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Falco, Leod, Fangorn/Treebeard, Sandalf13, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • No new content this past week.
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Diablo 4
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Overwatch 2
  • Heroes of the Storm
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Starcraft 2
  • 
    
• Tolkien:
  • Topic 1: Bernard Hill's passing into the West.
  • Topic 2: Werewolves, vampires, and possession, oh my. This is in Tolkien?
• After-Meeting:
  • More chat
  • Non-flashgaming.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending:(7): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Leod, Pallando, Sandalf13, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • No new content this past week.
• Gaming
  • World of Warcraft
  • Eve Online
  • WoW continued
  • Diablo IV
  • Overwatch 2
  • Hearthstone
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Blizzcon
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Starcraft 2
  • World of Warcraft (our guild)
  • 
    
• Tolkien
  • Topic: How did weather affect events in Tolkien's work?
• After-Meeting
  • More Tolkien chat
  • Non-flashgaming.

April 21, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending:(6): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Pallando, Sandalf13, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • No new content this past week.
• Gaming
  • World of Warcraft
  • Hearthstone
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Overwatch 2
  • Heroes of the Storm
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Eve Online
  • Starcraft 2
  • 
    
• Tolkien
  • Topic: Suggestions for the Valar Guild's 27th Anniversary theme.
• After-Meeting
  • More Tolkien chat
  • Non-flashgaming.
  • RP posts

April 14, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending:(8): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Leod, Fangorn/Treebeard, Pallando, Sandalf13, Varda (presiding)
  • New Member: Léod-(V). Welcome to the Valar Guild!
• Web:
  • Tolkien Site: Article:
  • "Léod" by Léod-(V), posted April 8.
  • Tolkien Site: Stories:
  • "In the Eye of the Beholder" by Eonwe-(Valar), posted April 9.
  • "At First Sight" by Eonwe-(Valar), posted April 13.
• Gaming
  • World of Warcraft
  • Hearthstone
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Diablo IV
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Overwatch 2
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Starcraft 2
  • 
    
• Tolkien
  • Topic: By the time of the War of the Ring, did Radagast still live at Rhosgobel?
• After-Meeting
  • More Tolkien chat
  • Non-flashgaming.
  • RP post by Eonwe

April 13, 2024 Saturday

• Tolkien Site: Stories
• "At First Sight" by Eonwe-(Valar), for his Narn I Auros series. "While making deliveries, Farothel, Auros, and Dinmir get to know some of the folk of Dinmir's new town." Emailed and posted April 13, 2024.

April 9, 2024 Tuesday

• Tolkien Site / Stories
• "In the Eye of the Beholder" by Eonwe-(Valar), in which young Auros has a bit of fun in a hairy situation. Part of his Narn I Auros series. Emailed April 7, posted April 9. Enjoy!

April 8, 2024 Monday

Welcome to the Valar Guild, Léod-(V)!

In the books, Léod was the Lord of the Éothéod and father of Eorl the Young.

Some of Leod-(V)'s favorite characters are Glorfindel, Bombadil, Radagast, and the rangers. He's read the H, LotR, Sil, BoLT1, Tolkien Companion, and Smith of Wooten Major. He's read part of Roverandom. He has Histories of Middle-earth as reference books. As a gamer, he has been playing daily in STO and LotRO. He sometimes plays BDO, ESO, Star Trek Online, and New World. The kin he used to play in on LotRO Landroval became empty so he did his homework looking up other kins and found us interesting. He's 55 and lives in Kentucky, so his time zone is Eastern. He is in our kin on Landroval and in our Discord server, so you should probably have a chance to meet him. He passed his test very well in LotRO (as Tyriah, a Gondorian Guardian) and Discord with Varda.

He also made the following article for the Tolkien Site:

• Tolkien Site / Articles
• "Léod" by Léod-(V). Emailed and posted April 8, 2024.

April 7, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending:(6): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Pallando, Sandalf13, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • No new content.
• Gaming
  • World of Warcraft
  • Hearthstone
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Diablo IV
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Eve Online
• Tolkien
  • Topic: Petty Dwarves, why did they have that name?
• After-Meeting
  • Non-flashgaming.

April 1, 2024 Monday

Gaming: Lord of the Rings Online

    LotRO has re-opened.

March 31, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending:(7): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Pengolodh, Sandalf13, Fangorn/Treebeard, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • No new content.
• Gaming
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo 4
  • Diablo 3
  • Hearthstone
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Starcraft 2
  • Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien
  • Topic: Humor: What activities might the tourism boards advertise for competing vacation spots such as Mordor and other Middle-earth locations?
• After-Meeting
  • Non-flashgaming.

Gaming: Lord of the Rings Online

The gaming worlds are still all down. The company is investigating the problem.

March 30, 2024 Saturday

Gaming: Lord of the Rings Online

The gaming worlds are all down. The company is investigating the problem.

March 28, 2024 Thursday

Gaming: Lord of the Rings Online

Update 39.1.1 is live. Here are the release notes

March 24, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending (6): Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Falco, Pallando, Sandalf13, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • No new content.
• Gaming
  • World of Warcraft
  • Hearthstone
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Diablo 4
  • Diablo Immortal
  • Overwatch 2
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Starcraft 2
  • Eve Online
• Tolkien
  • Topic: Humor: What activities might the tourism boards advertise for competing vacation spots such as Mordor and other Middle-earth locations?
• After-Meeting
  • Non-flashgaming.

March 17, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

March 13, 2024 Wednesday

Gaming news: Lord of the Rings Online:

Update 39: Arenas of Conflict went live today.

Discover the 12-man raid entrance just east of Khutra along the small southern road towards the beach, going to the cave entrance.

March 10, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

    Summary of the meeting:

• Membership:
  • Attending: Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Sandalf, Shelob/Ungwetari, Varda (presiding)
• Web:
  • Stories: Until It's Gone by Eonwe-(Valar), posted in his Narn I Auros series on March 9, 2024.
• Gaming:
  • World of Warcraft
  • Diablo 4
  • Warcraft Rumble
  • Overwatch 2
  • Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien:
  • Topic: Is Tolkien's work too short? And what about coffee?
• After-Meeting:
  • Math humor
  • (Non)-Flashgaming (plus) by Ar-Pharazon

March 9, 2024 Saturday

Tolkien Site / Stories:

    "Until It's Gone" by Eonwe-(Valar) for his Narn I Auros series, set after "First Impressions". You don't know what you have...

March 3, 2024 Sunday

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

Summary of the meeting:

• Attending
• Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Eowyn/Cenedra, Sandalf, Shelob aka Ungwetari, Varda (presiding)
• Web
• New story: "First Impressions" by Eonwe, posted Feb. 29, 2024.
• Gaming
• World of Warcraft, Diablo 4, Diablo Immortal, Lord of the Rings Online
• Tolkien
• Topic: Tolkien showed us heroes. What is a hero? Who are some of the heroes in Tolkien's works? How do his heroes have different approaches to acting as heroes?
• After-meeting
• (Non)-flashgaming plus

Feb. 29, 2024 Thursday

Tolkien Site / Stories:

    "First Impressions" by Eonwe-(Valar) for his Narn I Auros series, set after "Saying Goodbye". Dinmir inspects her new shop and meets her neighbor.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript

New version of the transcript programmed and done by Eonwe-(Valar)

Tolkien Site / Stories:

    "Saying Goodbye"" by Eonwe-(Valar) for the Narn I Auros series.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript
    Summary of the meeting:
        Attending (and typed): (6)
            Discord:  Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Pallando, Sandalf13, Varda (presiding)
        Web:
            Tolkien Site / Stories:
                "Bravado" by Eonwe-(Valar). "Some things take great courage." Stand-alone short story for Valentine's Day (not related to any series).
        Gaming:
            Eve Online, World of Warcraft, Diablo 4, Diablo Immortal, Overwatch 2, Lord of the Rings Online
        Tolkien:
            Topic: Heroes are often associated with rescuing others. What rescues or rescue attempts can we think of in Tolkien's works?
        After-meeting:
            (non) Flashgaming Reviews (plus) by Ar-Pharazon. Includes Blizzard games afterwards.

Sunday Meeting

Meeting Transcript
    Summary of the meeting:
        Attending (and typed): (6)
            Discord:  Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe, Pallando, Sandalf13, Varda (presiding)
                (Sightings of Fladrif and Nob.)
        Before-meeting:
            Skiing
            Groundhog Day
        Membership news:
            Ar-Pharazon is now Uncle Phar. :)
            Mastering a skill, how long does it take?
        Gaming:
            World of Warcraft, WoW Classic, Hearthstone, Diablo 4, Diablo Immortal, Overwatch 2, Lord of the Rings Online, Eve Online, Vanguard (Eve spin-off), more Eve
        Tolkien:
            Topic: What motivation kept the Fellowship members going against so much set against them? Especially Frodo?
        After-meeting:
            Tolkien chat continues.
            (non) Flashgaming Reviews (plus) by Ar-Pharazon. Includes Blizzard games afterwards.