“I have errands to run in Bree,” Mirabella replied. Unlike her husband, who was loud and boisterous, she was quiet and rarely spoke more than a few words at time. It was nice to get away from the house, and if Bree was to be her new home, Danyelle wanted to see what else the world had to offer.

Since moving in, Danyelle found herself with chores and studies. Unlike the boarding school, the lessons in Bree were informal and geared more towards practicality than scholarly learning. She could read and write quite well, and arithmetic came easily to her, but gathering berries that weren’t poisonous and hunting were wholly new and difficult tasks.

Mirabella eschewed a horse or carriage, choosing to travel the entire distance on foot. Although there was the odd bear, brigand and boar along the road who seemed ready to accost the young woman, they steered clear of the deadly lore-mistress and her fierce sabercat.

Bree was larger than Danyelle expected, but still just a speck on the map compared to Minas Tirith. There were lots of people coming and going, and Danyelle enjoyed seeing the dwarves and elves and hobbits, very few of whom ever came to Gondor.

Her hostess led her to the Scholar’s Stair Archives in one Bree’s many side streets. While Mirabella conversed with a fellow lore-master, Dalton Willow, Danyelle noticed a group of children about her age who were gathered around a table, which was piled high with books and parchments.

She looked on, but said nothing.

“What are you playing today, Tabon?” Mirabella called from across the room.

“It’s a new game called Wage Slave,” the boy replied.

“A game?” Danyelle chimed in curiously.

“Yes, it’s a role-playing game.” He motioned to the books, papers and bone dice on the table. “We create characters and play in a fantasy setting, assuming their personalities, characteristics and abilities. In this game, we play low-paid workers in a post-industrial society who man cubicles in an office.  The first campaign has us working for the Pineapple faction as we battle the evil conglomerate known as Microsquish.”

“Is it fun?”

Tabon shrugged. “We just started playing it. Carrak got a crit on his TPS reports, so he leveled up from Program Analyst I to Program Analyst II, but Loren failed his roll and got transferred to the basement.”

“That doesn’t sound very exciting,” Danyelle observed.

“I guess not,” Tabon shrugged. “But it beats getting chased by goblins or standing around watching spring barley grow. I think it picks up at higher levels.”

The other boy had not bothered to look up from the table to see the girl with whom he was talking, and didn’t notice when they left.

Her business with Dalton complete, Mirabella led Danyelle around Bree, showing her the craft hall, the jail, the skirmish camp and the rest of the town’s highlights. They were in town for most of the morning and afternoon, finally returning to the Osgood Manor to get ready for dinner.

Waiting in the main hall were two elves, a dwarf and a hobbit. Although Danyelle had never met them, she knew them to be her sister’s companions from the letters the two had exchanged: Vraeden and Voontak Xur, Braggar Ironheart and Salvatina Bunce.

The dwarf and hobbit greeted her with warm, enthusiastic embraces; the elves were typically reserved, if formal and courteous.

“Where is Cayleigh?” Danyelle asked excitedly.

“Speaking with Angelos,” Vraeden replied in her soft, melodic voice. “They will be done soon.”

“Tell us all about Minas Tirith,” Sally chimed in.

They talked for some time, until Danyelle found an excuse to go to her room. She heard voices from down the hallway. From Angelos’s study.

“She’s too young!” Cayleigh’s voice carried, even through the thick oak door.

Angelos snorted. “She’s older than you were when you set out on the road.”

“Someone needed to provide for her. We had no money, no home, no food!”

“And now you have all three.” Although Cayleigh was clearly agitated, it sounded like Angelos was trying to be the voice of reason. “She will not stay here, under my roof. Not for much longer.”

“Because you will force her out?”

“I would never force her out,” Angelos said. “Danyelle will leave on her own. She is tired of sleeping in someone else’s house and living under their rules. She has the same wanderlust that you have. I cannot keep her here, either in good conscience, nor under any legal pretense. And I will not turn her loose on the world untrained.”

“The world is too dangerous for her.” Cayleigh’s voice was soft. Danyelle wanted to run in to the room, but she dared not move.

“Was it too dangerous for you?” Angelos shot back evenly. “Look around you, Cayleigh! The forces of Mordor are on the move. There are goblins and crebain between here and Rivendell. The Ettenmoors are overrun with orcs and spiders and wargs. Sauron’s armies are marching on Rohan and Gondor. There is nowhere safe anymore.”

The two fell silent for a long moment.

“If she wants to marry the cobbler’s son and spend her life making babies, that is certainly her choice,” Angelos said gently. “But I’ll tell you right now: that’s not the path she will follow. She will pick up a sword and follow you to Fangorn and beyond.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“She needs to be trained. If not by me, then by one of the masters who will teach her which end of the sword to hold and which end to point at the orcs.”

Even through the door, Danyelle heard her sister’s heavy sigh. “Very well.”

Sensing that the substantive part of the conversation was over, Daneylle went back down the hall to her room, trying her best to move silently. She changed into a soft cotton dinner gown and waited until she heard Angelos and her sister return down the hallway to the great room. Danyelle emerged to find her the others waiting for her.

It had been several months since Cayleigh had been able to stop by and see her last. Danyelle was almost a head taller now, owing to the fact that the pair had spent the bulk of Cayleigh’s developing years begging for food, while Danyelle’s formative times had been spent in a boarding school which provided a warm bed and regular hot meals.

Yet Cayleigh’s muscles were strong and compact after months and then years of adventure and battle. Danyelle held her sister close for a long time.

Over the years, they had certainly had their differences, and Danyelle sometimes felt that her sister had left her to fend for herself at the school. As she got older, she realised that Cayleigh was trying to provide for her in the only way she knew how.

The companions ate around the Osgood’s table, the dwarf and hobbit providing most of the tall tales of the road. Cayleigh barely spoke at all, which was something everyone seemed used to.

Angelos and Mirabella were the perfect hosts.

After the meal, the group shared stories and songs until the sisters retired to their room. They made small talk for most of the evening, catching up on one another’s lives. Danyelle noticed more scars on her sister’s weather-tanned skin. Even the safe haven of the Osgood family, Cayleigh’s eyes had become steely and hard. Although they never spoke of it, Danyelle felt as if a part of her sister’s heart had been buried with her beloved in the crypts below the mansion.

“Before I leave, we will go see the master-at-arms,” Cayleigh said nervously. “We live in the country now, and there are many dangerous creatures about.”

“Will you teach me?” Danyelle asked eagerly.

“No,” her sister shook her head. “I’m not a very good instructor. Besides, you’re not built to fight the way I do.”

“What should I do?”

“I don’t know,” Cayleigh frowned. “You’ll have to figure that out for yourself.”

Cayleigh blew out the bedside candles and the girls fell asleep, one of them eager for the dawn, the other wishing for the coming days to pass quickly and be gone.

If you would like to submit your works for Lost Texts send a description and your story to our email. Feel free to send along screenshots to go along with your story as well!

A little cart incident at Bree’s North Gate and Hob gets up-close and personal with the shrubbery.

By kyrazar

Your screenshots could be featured on CSTM as well! Join the Share Your LOTRO Screenshots Flickr group and submit your screenshots. Each week we will pick out a screenshot to share with the community!

Each week we ask you to share your successes in Middle Earth with the rest of the community. Post a comment letting us know what you’ve accomplished this past week.

• Don’t forget to add your character name, what server you play on and, if you like, add your Kinship if you have one.
• Please keep your posts brief. We won’t be able to read full novels of your adventures. At least make it so we can easily sum it up!
• Do not be afraid to post any of your achievements. We don’t care if you just saved Archet or finished up Hytbold. We want to hear from you!

Comments for this thread will be closed after recording as this is a weekly thing. If you missed this week’s cut off, don’t fret! A new thread just like this one will appear next Friday.

See this guide on PVMPAndang’s YouTube Channel

Mae govannen!  This story isn’t exactly a sequel to a previous series I have submitted to CSTM, but many of the same characters will appear.  The Long Road Home was my first submission to CSTM, and leads into the story here. It’s not necessary for this series, but there is some background in my first series.

[/Shameless self-promotion mode]

The ride from Gondor to Bree was long.

It was dangerous, too. But Danyelle didn’t fear the bandits or the orcs or the other hazards of the road. Her companions were revered by the goodly folk and feared by rest.

She had been sitting in her letters class when the message arrived from her sister that she was to come all the way from Minas Tirith to the backwoods town of Bree. She was to leave all that she had known behind. At first, she thought the messenger to be a kidnapper or someone who had a score to settle with her father or sister, perhaps.

That inkling vanished when the herald turned out to be Captain-General Calebril Isarawyn, a legendary warrior in the armies of the Free Peoples. He and his retinue were resplendent in their shining armour, their battle flags flying from their saddles.

So renowned were they, even the captains of Gondor bowed to them.

Captain-General Isarawyn presented a locket that had once belonged to Danyelle’s mother, along with a handwritten letter from her sister, Cayleigh, instructing her to gather her things and make the journey across Eriador.

The teachers and her friends at the boarding school were sad to see her go, although the honour guard of high-ranking and esteemed warriors stepped Danyelle up a peg or five in prestige among her classmates.

Even with the swiftest mounts, the journey would be long and perilous.

The first days of the trek were difficult for Danyelle, who had never lived outside of the city since she and Cayleigh had been orphaned those many years ago. Sleeping on the hard ground reminded her of being homeless, begging for scraps of food and finding a warm, dry spot to lay down where ever they could. The strange sounds of the birds and the woods and the streams were so different from the hustle and bustle of the streets, and it took her some time to get used to them.

Her companions tried their best to make the journey easy on her. Once they were outside the walls of Gondor, they changed from their polished, ceremonial armour into well-worn, but equally well-maintained armour that was functional rather than pretty.

“Don’t call me ‘Captain-General’,” their leader said kindly around the campfire one night. “I hate that. ‘Calebril’ will be fine.”

Although there was some amount of distrust among the races, no one doubted Calebril’s fealty to the cause of the Free Peoples, nor his skill in battle. He was a mighty champion who, according to the stories whispered in quiet reverence, had been fighting the minions of Mordor for over three millennia. His fair Elven skin and flowing golden locks belied the strong, corded muscles that wielded a pair of swords which seemed to sing as they cut through foes.

Also in the party were two other elves, Calebril’s daughter, a rune-keeper of no small repute, and her husband, a hunter who spoke sparingly but was always kind to Danyelle. Their fourth companion was a large, profane man who told bawdy stories around the campfire, and who stank of sweat and ale. He carried a shield that was outweighed Danyelle by a stone or two and a longsword that was nearly as tall as she. Despite his apparent disdain for social niceties, Danyelle found herself liking the big man who charged headlong into battle with little regard for his own safety.

As their days on the road lengthened, the elves and the man taught her the basics of swordplay and archery. They showed her how to hunt and clean animals to eat, and how to gather food in the wilderness.

“One day, you will have to make your place in this world,” Calebril told her. “Even if you never leave Bree, you must have skills to share and contribute to those around you. You have survived with your wits and your cunning, but these alone will not help you in every situation.”

“What can I do?” Danyelle asked.

“Anything you want, young lady,” the elf replied. “Your sister has made quite a name for herself as a warrior. Even if she had not been taken in to Commander Osgood’s house, her renown is formidable in her own right.”

“What if that is not the life I want?”

“You must find your way in the world as you see fit,” Calebril said gently. He waved his arm at their companions and the open road. “This life we have chosen is not for everyone. It is hard, especially for the short-lived peoples. Many leave their families behind, knowing they will probably not live to have children of their own. We have buried many friends; orcs and brigands do not show mercy. But you have a life ahead of you, and I sense that yours will be one of great things.”

“What would you do, if you weren’t fighting?” Danyelle asked.

“I am a painter, although I’m not a very good one.”

She didn’t believe those words for a moment. Even though she had only known him for a matter of days, Danyelle sensed that he was the kind of elf who excelled at whatever he put his mind to. And if he was half as good with a brush as he was with a blade, his oils were worthy of museums.

Danyelle spent the next couple of days thinking on what the Elven champion had told her, and wondering what lay ahead in her new life.

They finally arrived in Bree, the five companions riding through the homesteads to where she would be living. Her new home was a magnificent, well-groomed manor. A handsome man and equally beautiful woman waited on the steps as they dismounted. From her companions’s stories, she knew them to be Commander Angelos Osgood, and his wife, Second-Marshall Mirabella Osgood. Danyelle looked around for her sister, but Cayleigh was not there.

A great scar ran down Angelos’s face and he was missing two fingers from his sword hand. Mirabella leaned on her staff and smiled warmly.

“Hail, Captain-General!” he called formally.

“Well met, Commander,” Calebril replied, the laughter of old friends in his voice. They clasped one another in a warm embrace. Danyelle had heard stories of Angelos and his family, of their nobility and of their ferocity in battle.

“Angelos, this is Danyelle, Daughter of Renton.”

“Welcome to Bree, my dear,” his deep tone was surprisingly gentle.

“Thank you, my lord,” Danyelle bowed. “I am honoured to be here.”

“Call me, Angelos, and call my wife Mirabella,” he said in a booming voice. He was stern, yet kind. Danyelle instantly found herself desperately wanting to not disappoint this man. “We don’t stand on formalities here. Your sister sends her regrets. She is on her way back from Rivendell.”

Danyelle was a little disappointed, but she knew that Cayleigh would not have gone on unless the need was great, and she wanted to hear stories of the cities of the elves.

The Osgoods’s retainers led the companions into the house, and showed Danyelle to the room she would share with Cayleigh. A hot bath and change of clothes awaited her before she met the others for dinner.

“Will you be joining us in the field, Angelos?” Calebril asked at the great table. “We could use you in Dunland. Someone needs to cleanse the warrens beneath Orthanc.”

“My sword is always ready,” he said, a trace of bitterness in his voice. “But my hand doesn’t like to hold it anymore.”

“Your presence is needed more than your blade,” Mirabella chided him gently.

“That it is,” Calebril nodded in assent. “We have scores of fighters but no one to lead them. We need someone to plant the banner on a hill and hold the line for all to see. And no one’s standard strikes more fear into reavers and defilers than the eagle crest of the Osgoods.”

“They follow you,” the other man replied.

“Only because I charge headfirst into long odds,” the elf replied. “I am no grand strategist and you know it. I lead with my swords, but that will not win this war. You see the big picture.”

“I only see half a picture now, Calebril,” Angelos said softly.

“My friend,” the elf set his goblet on the table and looked his compatriot in the eye. “Your family has been among my staunchest allies for a dozen generations. Men, dwarves, elves and the halflings will rally to your call, as they did for your father, his father and his father before him all the way back to Kael Osgood. There are other captains of men who are good leaders, but they are young to this war. The forces of Mordor and Isengard are up to something. I don’t know if it has to do with Elrond’s secret mission or something else, but we need you, Angelos. I need you.”

The other man snorted, but committed to nothing. Danyelle remained silent, watching the exchange and wanting to hear the story of Angelos’s missing eye and half hand. They retired late in the evening, the elf trying desperately to convince his friend to take up his sword again.

When she awoke the next morning, her four companions had already departed, returning to a war that had been raging for centuries.

Although they had left without taking their leave, Danyelle found her name on a note attached to a perfectly-balanced greatsword that seemed to be made just to fit in her hands. In Calebril’s flowing cursive, it said simply:

Follow your heart.
Strike true.
Sleep whenever you can.

If you would like to submit your works for Lost Texts send a description and your story to our email. Feel free to send along screenshots to go along with your story as well!

Merric and I are officially on vacation for the next two weeks!

What this means is there will be no news posts, no store sale post and no podcast. We have a few scheduled posts here and there so it won’t be complete silence on the blog. When the big LOTRO news story is dropped and not covered here, it’s simply because I’m not reading up on LOTRO. At all. I’m sipping a fancy drink on a beach and pretending I live like that all year round.

Catch you guys in two weeks!

Unfortunately, there is no prices listed for their new items. I am not able to get into game and get these for you at this time but feel free to help out by posting in the comments below!

See the forums for the store offer update post by QuartermasterU.

New to the LOTRO Store:

• Quest Pack: Wildermore – 150+ quests & deeds for level 85 Characters. (free to VIPs)
• +5 Hope Tokens (90min) x1/x5
• 100% Craft Crit
• Random Relic Pack – Contains 1 random relic from tier 2-8
• Relic Bundle – Contains 10 random relics from tier 4-6
• Premium Relic Pack – Contains 5 random relics from tier 7-9

Item updates:

• 100% XP boosts now include War-Steed XP

Price changes:

To match their new mithril pricing, the following 2 items have had their prices changed.

• Reputation Acceleration – raised store price to 250 TP for base
• Slayer & Skill Deed Acceleration – raised store price to 150 TP for base

Other Price Changes:

• 100% Mark Boosts: x5/x10 = 450/875
• 100% Infamy & Renown x5/x10 = 675/1300
• 100% Craft XP x5/x10 = 675/1300

Removed from the Store:

• Relic Packs Tiers 1-6
• Daily Task Limit Increase (converted to mithril coins)
• Task Reset (converted to mithril coins)
• +5 Hope Token (40 min) x5
• +5 Hope Token (40 min) x20
• 25% War-steed XP Boost
• 25% War-steed XP Boost x5

Other Updates:

Usage lines have been added to Equipment Dyes and Recipe Books to make clearer what they deliver.

Other Pricing changes:

This price change was active through the Anniversary Festival and will continue for future releases.

• Reveller’s Gilded Bundle 2495 1795
• Reveller’s Gilded Bundle – Account Wide 3495 2495
• Reveller’s Gilded Mount 1995 1295
• Reveller’s Gilded Mount – Account Wide 2995 1995

• A new launcher (which I think is a huge step forward)
• The new region of Wildermore
• The continuation of the Epic STory
• Mounted Combat updates
• Lalia’s Market
• Hobbit Gifts
• Housing Upkeep and Foreclosure changes
• A new alert panel
• Changes to rest experience
• and more!

Of course there are some hidden gems in them as well to bring a smile to your face, so check them out and let us know what you’re looking forward to (or dreading) the most!

• Official Release Notes
• PDF Version
• Known Issues

This week Goldenstar’s Dum group had a group of 4 Dums and decided to return to Carn Dum to clean up some older quests they’ve had in their logs for a long time.

Merric keeps forgetting his universal tool in his vault. He may have said something else but this is all I remember.

Town Crier

Official News

• Update 11 Launching May 13th
• Update 11 Video Developer Diary
• Dev Diary- Volume III Book 10
• Dev Diary- Mounted Combat 2.0
• The Road to Mordor- A Wildermore dev chat
• Scheduled Server Downtime- Monday, May 13, 2013
• LOTRO Support on Twitter

Developer Bites

• Forums Consolidation and Streamlining
• Spring Festival is scheduled to begin May 21st!

Store News

• Weekly Store Sale Starting May 10, 2013

CSTM News

• LOTRO Update 11 Fan Trailer

Community News:

• Goldenstar was a guest on Warriors of the Westfold
• Supergirl of Lorien- Top 11 things I would change when I rule Middle Earth
• Zachary Quinto vs. Leonard Nimoy- -The Challenge

Weekly Poll

• Poll- Player Council Members

Raise Your Glass

Letters

JP:

Hey GS,

It me again. I was inspired by you guys and made a  Hobbit Hunter on Landroval named Aehro (pronounced “Arrow”), he’s 20 now and in The Council of Secret Fire; thanks for the link.

I also made a couple of Creeps: A Weaver named Yipreth and a Warg named Yipsnarl. I wanted to see what night you guys played your creeps and maybe meet you guys out on the Moors.

Thanks again for the great podcast, hope to see you in game.

Best,

-JP

Kazren:

Hi, Goldenstar,

I found a place where they have “lifetime” LOTRO accounts for sale.  I wrote to Turbine to ask if it was legal, they never answered me.  Is it legal for me to buy a lifetime account?  It seems to me Turbine wouldn’t like that too much, since they lose their yearly subscription if someone has lifetime.  Do you know anything about this?

Thank you,

Kazren

Kirabel:

Hi Merric & Goldenstar,

I hope you don’t mind that I write to ask you guys for a bit of a favour.

Our kin, Aurora Australis, has been a strong and active kin on the Elendilmir server since 2007 thanks to our leaders, Barn and MrsBarn.

In January 2012, Barn swallowed a chicken bone, which unfortunately perforated his bowel and was the start of a massive and heartbreaking journey for their family. A string of infections and operations followed, and he nearly died (he was given his last rites). Throughout this time, MrsBarn stayed strong for their two children and was pregnant with their third, giving birth to their daughter, Aurora, at the same time as Barn was having surgery.

Now, a year and some months later, it looks as though Barn can head home to be with his family, but they are trying to raise funds for medical equipment as well as some modifications to their home, as it will still be quite some time while Barn goes through rehab and continues to recover. I was wondering, if it’s ok with you guys, to please include a link to their fundraiser page in your show notes, and I ask people to please donate if they are able. Any little bit helps.

More information can be found on the fundraiser page at:

https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/4UqB4

There is a Youtube clip on there which explains the whole story (you need to turn captions on so that the text shows).

I know it’s asking a lot of you and your listeners, but I figured it didn’t hurt to ask for a little help for some fellow members of the LOTRO community, if possible.

Thanks for your podcast, which I love listening to every week, even now when I’m taking a LOTRO break!

All the best,

Kirabel

Aurora Australis

Elendilmir server

Player Achievements

Donations:

• Caitlyn D.
• Guy B.

Contact Us

• Visit our blog at www.casualstrolltomordor.com
• We welcome your email to podcast@casualstrolltomordor.com
• We are available to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus & Steam
• Please leave us a review on iTunes and we would really appreciate it!
• Listen to us live every Saturday at 9:30 pm Eastern

Recorded May 11, 2013

The LOTRO Game Servers will be brought down on Monday, May 13, 2013 for the release of Update 11: Treachery of the White Hand. Maintenance will begin at 7:00AM Eastern US time (Click here for your local time) and is expected to take approximately 4 hours. Patch notes will be available during the downtime.

Source: LOTRO Forums

By homesteaders6

Your screenshots could be featured on CSTM as well! Join the Share Your LOTRO Screenshots Flickr group and submit your screenshots. Each week we will pick out a screenshot to share with the community!

Turbine

• Problem #1: Players have to spend trait points in the movement tree in order for their steed to move in an acceptable manner
• Problem #2: Players feel a distinct disconnect when their class mounts a War-Steed. Skills and traits don’t do enough to reinforce the identity of the class.

And although the first problem was something that they felt was a “no-brainer” (They removed the movement tree and built it into the war steeds),it took a bit longer for them to resolve the second issue.

Eventually they came to the conclusion that they would replace the movement tree with class-specific trees.  This meant designing 8-10 new traits for each of the 9 classes “…for a total of 80+ traits.”  And although the traits will be new for mounted combat, they will be familiar in their nature. (Buffs, enhancements, taunts, fears, capstones, etc.)

Other changes were also made to “polish” the other trait lines:

• Heavy War Steeds lost 0.5 meter per seconds off their max speed, but gained Armour and Endurance.
• The Light War Steed had their max power and power regeneration increased.
• Some skills were improved or altered in order to fill in any “holes” in the remaining trees.
• DPS and power usage were further balanced

Original Version
PDF Version

It is not every day that you get to work with an amazing voice artist and actor like Middle-Earth Network Founder, Tyler Michael Jonsson but that is what I found myself doing this week to create this trailer.  I had already written the script to sound a certain way but thankfully Tyler took it in a slightly different direction and got really into it and that made it sound far better than I could have imagined.  It is a really rewording thing to write something on a page and have an actor bring it to life.  I already had the music picked out before Tyler did the voice and actually had him listen to it while he recorded.  I feel that this allowed for a much more authentic performance as it is really hard to be listening to the voiceless music while reading the script and not want to start yelling it out.

Pineleaf also made an appearance in this as the Lore Master that joins us as an ally.  I have to give him a lot of credit as he had very short notice and yet still was more than willing to help.  The video itself was easy enough to capture but I did learn that orcs don’t like living camera men as we both died many times to bring you this information about the death st…I mean Wildermore.

This is the first time I have worked on any kind of a trailer and I have to say that it was a ton of fun to make this and I hope you all enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed creating it.  I really am thankful to LOTRO and its players for creating such an amazing community to play and create in.  Thanks!

• Don’t forget to add your character name, what server you play on and, if you like, add your Kinship if you have one.
• Please keep your posts brief. We won’t be able to read full novels of your adventures. At least make it so we can easily sum it up!
• Do not be afraid to post any of your achievements. We don’t care if you just saved Archet or finished up Hytbold. We want to hear from you!

These shout outs will appear in tomorrow tonight’s recording of A Casual Stroll to Mordor Podcast. You are welcome to join us live at 9:30pm Eastern! First time joining us live? See our post on how to join CSTM’s live broadcast. Comments for this thread will be closed after recording as this is a weekly thing. If you missed this week’s cut off, don’t fret! A new thread just like this one will appear next Friday.

Yesterday Turbine released a new developer diary by Jeff “MadeofLions” Libby talking about the epic story additions coming with Update 11 (on Monday!).

The dev diary gives some insight of the situation we are facing heading into this story. Book 10 will contain fifteen chapters and begins at the crossing of the Entwash, in the Sutcrofts (where Book 9 left off).

MadeofLions also went into some discussion of their previous attempts to add optional content into the Epic storyline such as the epilogue following Volume II.

Players who wanted the Epic to be soloable didn’t like it because they felt that this was a section of the Epic that wasn’t soloable. Players who preferred the original style where most Books ended with group content didn’t like it because it seemed to be happening after the real meat of that Volume was over. ‘Well, it’s optional!’ we said, pleasing no one.

With Book 10, we will be getting new set of optional session plays that unlock as you play. They are intended to give additional story and background to what is happening but if you don’t like session play, you can completely skip without feeling lost or confused.

You will take on the role of seven different characters over the course of the Volume III Interlude, beginning with Halbarad, the leader of the Grey Company. From a development perspective, these Interludes posed some interesting challenges quite different than the ones posed by a traditional Epic quest line. Each chapter needed to be a self-contained experience and provide up front all the necessary information to tell you who you would be playing and why you should care. A number of skills already exist for Rangers, and these will be familiar, but some new ones will help to flesh out the abilities of characters you play for the first time.

I’m interested to see how these work and it gives players an interesting option. Those of us engrossed in the story will likely really enjoy any extra meat to the story via the new session plays while those who skip the quest text to jump into the action of the quest will likely not want to engage. It’s not interrupting the storyline being told, it’s like footnote or reference to more reading material that you can choose to read or not. I certainly will be trying the session plays myself as that’s the kind of player I am. What about you?

Read the complete dev diary on LOTRO.com

The following items are on sale from May 10 – 16. Below you will find the sale listings as well as our recommendation on purchasing.

Free Sample of the Week

Skill and Slayer Deed Boost x1
Use Coupon Code SSD4
1/Account

This guy will unlock caps on your class deeds and double your use of the skill and will also double the kills you have for your slayer deeds at the same time!

Limited Time: Obsidian Steed

This steed has 250 health and allows you to travel 68% faster than running on foot, making it faster and stronger than many other mounts! You will also be granted a set of War-steed cosmetics inspired by the Travel Mount.

Store Location: Travel & Housing -> Mounts -> Store Exclusive
Levels: 5+
1,995 TP

See our post with pictures of the steed.

Weekly Sale

Rune-keeper Class
25% Off

Start A New Character of the Rune-keeper Class!

• Great for solo or group play
• Change your role in battle by dealing damage or healing
• Launch deadly attacks from a distance
• Use words of power to summon the elements
• Benefit from amazing power regen

795
596

Store Location: Account → Classes
Levels: All

CSTM RECOMMENDATION: A good deal if you were curious in trying out the RK. If you have not yet purchased Moria, I would suggest buying the Moria expansion pack (not quest pack) or if possible find a retail box somewhere (< $25) instead. The expansion includes both the warden the rune-keeper and two character slots and is a better deal for the price than buying them all piecemeal like this.

Warden Class
25% Off

Start A New Character of the Warden Class!

• Use powerful combo attacks with the unique Gambit System!
• Swiftly block, parry, and evade your opponents!
• Deal devastating blows & hold multiple enemies at once!
• Restore your own morale!

795
596

Store Location: Account → Classes
Levels: All

CSTM RECOMMENDATION: A pretty good deal if you were curious in trying out the Warden. If you have not yet purchased Moria, I would suggest buying the Moria expansion pack (not quest pack) or if possible find a retail box somewhere (< $25) instead. The expansion includes both the warden the rune-keeper and two character slots and is a better deal for the price than buying them all piecemeal like this.

Character Slots
25% Off

Create one additional character on each game world! Ten character slots avalable!

595
446

Store Location: Account → Character Slots
Levels: All

CSTM RECOMMENDATION: More characters are more fun! A sale is a great time to pick up an additional slot and give a new class a try or pick one up for some cheaper extra storage! There are 10 character slots available to purchase in the store and it will be applied to all servers.

Slayer Deed Accelerator (30+ 60 mins)
25% Off

Doubles the rate at which you complete slayer deeds for 30 or 60 minutes. Single and 5 stacks available.

75-450
56-338

Store Location: Buffs & Boosts → Advancement → Deed
Levels: 5+

CSTM RECOMMENDATION: These are great ways to finish up deeds quicker and reduce the grind. If you’re like me and find the idea of killing 320 wargs to earn a virtue a chore than you will definitely like these little boosters.

Descriptions of this new zone is shared by Turbine employees

• Aaron Campbell, Senior Producer
• Jesse Smith, Senior Content Designer
• Lauren Salk, Senior Content Designer
• Lucas Slominski, Associate Concept Artist

I have to say the description of the story arc for this area really has me excited! There’s an evil ice giant guy who is bad news in this zone. They gave some description of why this ice giant is up in northern Rohan pertaining to a secret of Morgoth that Saruman has found. I have no clue on the canon of such things but I’m still flipping excited to be like “AHHH ICE GIANT RUNNNNNN!!!”.

See the video on LOTRO’s YouTube channel.

The epic story continues as you are called to the remote region of Wildermore!  This Eastern Rohan area has been hard hit by an unnatural and deadly winter. A Stone Giant named Núrzum, under the control of Saruman, is rumored as the source of this icy tragedy. Throughout Wildermore, villages have suffered ravage and townsfolk have become refugees. Follow in the chilly footsteps of evil as you attempt to restore this once thriving region.

This update includes new epic story and five new areas to explore in the Wildermore region.

Writhendowns

All word from Wildermore has ceased and rumors point to the worst. You must find and aid the town of Scylfig, which suffers from a strangely deepening winter and an Uruk-hai threat.

The Fallows

Uruk-hai invaders have torched the region’s farms, slaying many and driving the survivors from their homes. You must ride into the smoldering remains to help drive out the evil tides of Núrzum’s raiders before meeting with the brooding Reeve of Wildermore.

Whitshaws

As the brutal winter rages, many folk have gone missing, and the small village of Dunfast is in dire need of protection. You must follow in the wake of Núrzum’s destruction, but can you find him in time? Face marauding Warbands as you race to save the people of Dunfast.

High Knolls

The town of the High Knolls, Byre Tor, long held out against the powers of Núrzum, but now has fallen to the beastly enemy.  Venture among forbidding crags in search of the city’s hunted refugees, but use caution, for whispers warn that the Knolls are thick with Saruman’s minions!

Balewood

In the unruly, northern expanses of Fangorn Forest, the Darkness has taken hold.  In the Balewood, violent Huorns and Wood-trolls prowl and Saruman’s Uruk-hai linger. You must gather young Ents to rally against the growing corruption.

The Wildermore Quest pack is free to VIPs.  See below for official screenshots released for these regions.

It also includes mounted combat revamp with new class specific traits, housing changes, the addition of Hobbit presents and what is described as “New VIP Benefits”.

Improved offerings for VIPs, including a custom character portrait frame, improved bonus experience system and better Hobbit presents.

See Andang’s video overview of the Wildermore region from the Bullroarer Public Test Server.

See all of the official screenshots in our Flickr set.

Today (May 6th) is the final day of the Anniversary Festival! Make sure you turn in all your tokens and buy up all the goodies you were hoping for!

All the festival items including the horses, costumes and furniture will not be available again until  next year! The anniversary tokens will not expire so if you simply wish to keep a stash for later, that will work.

You can use our Anniversary Festival Guide to help you make sure there wasn’t a special item you missed!

Dums went to Enedwaith to take care some small fellowship landscape quests.Hoppy was able to join us and we killed a lot of foxes. Goldenstar was a judge with Cari from LOTRO Reporter for the Dawning Eclipse 6th anniversary party on Windfola which was a ton of fun. We now own a nintendo DS and am taking recommendations of good games either for Goldenstar or Baby Hobbit. We got it specifically for Kingdom Hearts which Goldenstar loves!

Note that we are going on vacation soon. There will be a show next week but no show on May 18th or May 25th while we are out of town.

Town Crier

Official News

• Update 10.1.1 Release Notes
• New Anniversary Rewards
• Anniversary Festival Extended Until May 6th
• LOTRO “The One Fund” Cloak
• Developer Notes: Foreclosure and Escrow

Developer Bites

• Hobbit Presents will not replace Lotteries
• Bullroarer Update 11 B2 Notes
• Bullroarer update 11 B3 Notes
• Focus Schedule (2)
  • (Laila’s Market)

Store News

• Obsidian Steed Available Through May
• Weekly Store Sale Starting May 2, 2013

Weekly Poll

• Last week: Opinions of Mounted Combat and Its Future
• This week: Poll- Player Council Members

Riddles in the Dark

Riddles in the Dark is a bi-weekly podcast series by Dr. Corey Olsen (The Tolkien Professor) and David Kale. Discussion will focus on the themes, characters, and events of Middle-earth and lay the groundwork for intelligent speculation about how the book may be translated to film. Each episode will culminate in the hosts making a specific prediction about the upcoming films, to be proven or disproven when the films are finally released.

More information on RITD can be found at http://www.mythgard.org/exclusives/riddles-in-the-dark/

What will Bolg’s role be in The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug?

A. He is commander in chief of the orc armies (book answer).
B. His activity is limited only to Dol Guldur.
C. He leads away missions.
D. He has no defined role.

Bolg was the son of Azog,[1] who succeeded his father as leader of the northern Orcs after Azog was killed by Dáin Ironfoot at the Battle of Azanulbizar in Third Age 2799.[2] This started Bolg’s hatred towards the Dwarves and after the Great Goblin was killed during an encounter with Thorin and Company in T.A. 2941, his hatred for them grew even more. [source]

Raise Your Glass

Player Achievements

Donations:

• Stephen W.
• Michael S.

Contact Us

• Visit our blog at www.casualstrolltomordor.com
• We welcome your email to podcast@casualstrolltomordor.com
• We are available to follow on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus & Steam
• Please leave us a review on iTunes and we would really appreciate it!
• Listen to us live every Saturday at 9:30 pm Eastern

Recorded May 4, 2013

By Tulon2

Your screenshots could be featured on CSTM as well! Join the Share Your LOTRO Screenshots Flickr group and submit your screenshots. Each week we will pick out a screenshot to share with the community!

Do not use this space to dump on someone specifically for negative experiences. Those will immediately be deleted. You have been warned.

• Don’t forget to add your character name, what server you play on and, if you like, add your Kinship if you have one.
• Please keep your posts brief. We won’t be able to read full novels of your adventures. At least make it so we can easily sum it up!
• Do not be afraid to post any of your achievements. We don’t care if you just saved Archet or finished up Hytbold. We want to hear from you!

These shout outs will appear in tomorrow tonight’s recording of A Casual Stroll to Mordor Podcast. You are welcome to join us live at 9:30pm Eastern! First time joining us live? See our post on how to join CSTM’s live broadcast. Comments for this thread will be closed after recording as this is a weekly thing. If you missed this week’s cut off, don’t fret! A new thread just like this one will appear next Friday.

The following items are on sale from May 3 – 9. Below you will find the sale listings as well as our recommendation on purchasing.

Free Sample of the Week

+100% Infamy/Renown x1

Use Coupon Code: RANK3

1/Account

This is a new scroll released with Update 10.1 that allows ability to be used by free players or monsters in the Ettenmoors.

Limited Time: Obsidian Steed

This steed has 250 health and allows you to travel 68% faster than running on foot, making it faster and stronger than many other mounts! You will also be granted a set of War-steed cosmetics inspired by the Travel Mount.

Store Location: Travel & Housing -> Mounts -> Store Exclusive
Levels: 5+
1,995 TP

See our post with pictures of the steed.

Weekly Sale

Select Quest Packs

20% Off

Quest Pack: Evendim:Unlocks over 200 quests and 3 instances for levels 30-40
Quest Pack: Forochel:Over 100 quests for levels 40-50
Quest Pack: Eregion:Over 100 quests & 2 instances for levels 48-53
Expand your journey! Explore new areas starting North of Bree and move on to greater adventures. Get access to new reputation factions, new deeds, and level your character through more Iconic lands in Middle-earth.

595-695
476-556

Store Location: Account → Quests & Content → Quest Packs
Levels: All

CSTM RECOMMENDATION: If you were looking to pick up a few zones you are missing, this is a great opportunity! 20% off isn’t the best sale we’ve seen for quest pack content but it’s still better than paying full price. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a quest pack sale so don’t hesitate!

Skirmishes

20% Off

A Skirmish is a randomized re-playable instance that earns your character Skirmish Marks, which can be bartered for hundreds of items including crafting items, legendary items, armour, weapons, cosmetics, upgrades for your soldier, and more!

In addition to the free Skirmishes you can play, try adventuring into these premium Skirmishes:

• Storm on Methedras- Assault the mountain hold of a familiar enemy! (Level 20-75+)
• Attack At Dawn – Confront an attacking force and protect Esteldin! (Level 30+)
• Stand at Amon Sul – Help defend Weathertop! (Level 25+)
• Thievery and Mischief – Drive brigands from snowy Bree! (Level 30+)
• Defence of the Prancing Pony – Prevent brigands from burning down the Inn! (Level 35+)
• Ford of Bruinen – Repel waves of Sauron’s forces in the Trollshaws! (Level 40+)
• Survival: Barrow-downs – Fight the Barrow-wights, Barrow-crawlers, Barghest &amp; more! (Level 45+)

195
156

Store Location: Account → Quests & Content → Skirmishes
Levels: 25+

CSTM RECOMMENDATION by Pineleaf: Obviously my general response for skirmishes is Thumbs up, but you could guess that I am a bit biased in favor of skirmishes.

For more information about skirmishes, be sure to check out Pineleaf’s amazing Skirmish Primers!

Instances

20% Off

Instance Cluster: Rohan
With shadows rising in the East, Gandalf the Grey wonders what has become of the enemies and allies who partook in the great battle at the Lonely Mountain so long ago . . . and which ones might come together again in these dark times.
Contains:

• 3-Man: Iorbar’s Peak
• 3-Man: Seat of the Great Goblin
• 3-Man: Webs of the Scuttledells
• 6-Man: The Bells of Dale
• 12-Man: Flight to the Lonely Mountain
• 12-Man: The Fires of Smaug
• 12-Man: The Battle of Erebor

Instance Cluster: Isengard
Gather your companions and battle in five dangerous areas deep within Isengard! The Isengard Instance Cluster includes Fangorn’s Edge (3-man), Pits of Isengard (3-man), Dargnakh Unleashed (3-man), The Foundry (6-man) and The Tower of Orthanc (12-man).

195-1,495
156-1,196

Store Location: Account → Quests & Content → Raids & Instances
Levels:All

CSTM RECOMMENDATION: These are the latest and greatest instances the game has gotten and not bad to pick them up at 20% off. Note that if you have interest in other parts of these expansion packs (Rohan or Isengard) that you may want to look into purchasing the expansion. Depending on what all you want to pick up, it may be cheaper overall to buy the entire expansion over buying the pieces individually.

+100% Mark Acquisition (90 min)

20% Off

Earn +100% Skirmish Marks for 90 minutes! Skirmish Marks have many in-game uses!
- Can be redeemed for a very wide variety of items including armor, jewelry, weapons, crafting shards, single-use recipes, reputation items, cosmetic items, decorations, relics, and both minor and major class quest items
- Can also be spent on improving your character and personal skirmish soldier while in skirmishes
- 5 and 10 -stacks available

400 850
320-680

Store Location: Buffs & Boosts → Advancement → Skirmishes
Levels: 20+

CSTM RECOMMENDATION by Pineleaf: When you consider how many skirmishes I have completed, I’m not in the front of the line to get mark boosts. One of the members of my regular Wednesday group does use these consistently, so I know that some players find them useful. It all comes down to: are you willing to spend points to earn more marks? Remember that these only affect the marks earned within the skirmish (capturing control points, fending off counterattacks, saving defenders, and completing encounters). They do not help with other sources (barter, quest rewards, and deed rewards). These can also be purchased for destiny points if you are a VIP member.

Legendary Level Cap Increase

20% Off

Unlock an additional 10 item levels on a Legendary Item via this universal Scroll of Delving. Only one scroll can be used per Legendary Item. 1 use.

195
156

Store Location: Store Location: Goods & Services → Legendary Items → Scrolls
Levels: 50+

CSTM RECOMMENDATION: These items are useful as they increase the levels on your Legendary Items by 10. They are available to earn in game through melding at a Relic-master, through some quests, and at the LI Skirmish Vendor.

Legendary Item Stat Upgrade

20% Off

Use this upgrade and gain a Star-lit Crystal to your inventory which increases your Legendary item’s stats. Please note that a Legendary item’s stats can only be increased a total of three times. Single and 3-stacks available.

495-1,195
396-956

Store Location: Goods & Services → Legendary Items → Scrolls
Levels: 50+

CSTM RECOMMENDATION: These are the Star-lit Crystals introduced with Update 7. Up to three Star-lit crystals can be used on every upgradeable Legendary Item These get a meh just because they can be earned in game if desired. Star-lit Crystals can drop from the final encounter in any instance or Skirmish above level 50. In addition, each boss in a raid has a chance to drop crystals.