Guest: Sigrum Stonebeard of Elendilmir

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

Sig Stonebeard is the ultimate outdoorsman. Hunter of beasts, tracker, survivalist and an expert of sitting at the campfire roasting meats and telling stories. That being said, you can imagine your best chances meeting him would be letting him find you, preferably grilling some recently caught game which you'd be willing to share. Finding him yourself? I doubt it, unless he wishes you to ;)

Sid of WARSTEEDS.com said about his outfit: "I've been working on this outfit for a long time, tweaking, making small changes and it's finally perfect." And I can only agree. This outfit combines look of a woodsman and a classy fighter, looking realistic, practical and still very lore-appropriate. And I can't stop looking at the screenshots, they tell a story by themselves!

Dwarven hunters have been a rare breed until now. However, with The Hobbit premiering at the end of November, I think we will see many more of them. Kíli, Thorin's nephew and the youngest dwarf in the company, has been pictured with a bow, shooting arrows at the enemies with deadly precision.

Hopefully this will also inspire more high quality dwarf hunter's outfits, but Sigrum has raised the bar very high :) Match with both steeds - the warsteed and hunter's class mount is also perfect. Interestingly enough the outfit looks great on both huge war pony and rather slim body build of the standard pony. I personally have found it very hard to achieve good looks matching both types of steeds.

Please let us know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simly rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Reinforced Leather Dunlending Jacket, olive dye (Dunland quest)
Head: Adventurer's Hat, sienna dye (Skirmish cosmetics barter)
Shoulders: Pauldrons of the Wandering Bard, olive dye (Level 58 minstrel Ettenmoors set)
Hands: Warrior's Buckled Gauntlets, olive dye (Dunland quest)
Feet: Hill-Man's Cracked Leather Boots, olive dye (Dunland quest)
Back: Trapper's Backpack, olive dye (Skirmish cosmetics barter)

Warsteed: a light warsteed wearing the "Maurader" set (gear on the warmount is the same quiver from the Steed of the Hunter set)
Mount: Steed of the Hunter (Store)

Lone rider

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

A true burglar doesn't show her face. If you've met this one, her identity is probably still hidden from you, unless you belong to a very limited group of people she travels with. We know she is a hobbit (unfortunately the height difference is hard to conceal), but that's where the information ends. Her attire serves as mimicry in the dusty Lone-lands, where she currently wanders.

I bought the Steed of the Burglar for my little burg Grulka, although it definitely doesn't have not one of my favorite mount designs. Despite that, I can't deny that it's interesting and original. I tried to create a matching outfit around the chestpiece, because it has the same pattern as the pony's blanket, but I'm not entirely sure about the result. The whole outfit seems a little messy to me and I liked the version in full Pathfinder's set much better, but not original at all. I'm curious about your opinions on this one :)

Please let me know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simply rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Jacket of Determination, umber dye (world drop)
Legs: Dwarf-make Outrider's Leggings, olive dye (T3 crafted)
Head: Ceremonial Helm of the Whirlwind, olive dye (Moria level 65 champion purple set; also available from skirmish barterer or from limited sale in the store)
Shoulders: Ceremonial Pathfinder's Shoulders, olive dye (Moria level 65 hunter purple set; also available from skirmish barterer or from limited sale in the store)
Hands: Ceremonial Pathfinder's Gauntlets, olive dye (Moria level 65 hunter purple set; also available from skirmish barterer or from limited sale in the store)
Feet: Ceremonial Pathfinder's Boots, olive dye (Moria level 65 hunter purple set; also available from skirmish barterer or from limited sale in the store)
Back: Cloak of the Algraig, olive dye (Store)

Mount: Steed of the Burglar (Store)

Emotes:
./fidget
./lookaround

Guest: Grimthold of Estel

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

Let me introduce Grimthold, a great champion and fierce defender of Bree. Wherever battle calls he will be there. No matter the cost he will stand and fight to protect what he cherishes. He is a champion, a deadly machine, a well trained warrior that fights against Sauron's hordes with merciless ferocity. Always in the front row of the melee he is the first to jump in and slice everything around. He lives by the sword and surely will die by it. His motto is: "Kill them before they kill you!"

Grimthold said about his outfit: "I wanted my champion to have a real plate armor, something totally crazy with a lot a metal plate. I found some nice stuff for the shoulders, the helmet, the gauntlets and the boots (that I LOVE!!) but couldn't find anything for the chest and leggings... so I decided to go with the Ost Dunnoth pieces for chest, legs and boots that went not bad all together. The first version of my "battle ready" champion was with no cloak and the helmet. He now wears a cloak and withdraws his helm when he is not in the middle of a battle. This way he has a more civil outfit that doesn't scare children:) Later I decided to keep the cloak always on. So here is the final version of my super heavy champ, at least the most heavy I could have made him. I switch helm/no helm whenever I feel the need for role-playing purposes or just because I prefer a look over another."

I saw this outfit on forums a few days before Grimthold sent it to me and it stunned me. Such a perfect heavy warrior's gear! The combination of silver and gold is amazingly well balanced and Grimthold definitely knows how to make astonishing screenshots :) I hope you'll enjoy this outfit as much as I did!

Please let us know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simly rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Lesser Blade of the West Breastplate, gold dye (Ost Dunnoth champion level 65 set)
Legs: Lesser Blade of the West leggings, gold dye (Ost Dunnoth champion level 65 set)
Helm: Gongarab, white dye (The Tower of Orthanc, T1 Saruman chest drop)
Shoulders: Hyrde-Axle, default dye (Dunland quest)
Hands: Ceremonial Dragon-scale Gloves, white dye (Skirmish barter)
Feet: Lesser Boots of Dundirith, white dye (Ost Dunnoth guardian level 65 set)
Back: Cloak of the Westfold, default dye (RoI pre-order)

Mount: White-clad Horse of the Gap (RoI pre-order)

Ghost rider

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

He rides the plains of Eriador, always accompanied by gruesome shriek, and yet he is not a Nazgûl. People say he sold his soul to the power of evil to acquire superhuman strength and fear resistance, but the wise know different. Maney was once an ordinary warrior, champion of his unit, but he felt so powerless. When he was seventeen years old and saw his dear brother and fellow die at the hands of remorseless barrow-wight, he has made his decision.

Maney started training really hard, spending every waken hour practicing his skills with a sword, endurance and courage. He sought challenges and was always there where people needed a savior, especially against undead servants of the worst evil. Soon, however, people started to fear him for his unnatural skill and introversion, caused by deep grief. They started calling him a Ghost rider, and he gratefully assumed this role. And so he rides and rides, knowing only in his heart who is on the side of good or evil.

I love dark outfits. Sometimes I miss the "evil" part of gaming in LOTRO (don't get me wrong, I don't torture young players in other MMOs ;)) and so I try to simulate this side in Middle-earth too. That's why my personal favorite in Yule Outfit Contest 2011 was Kemendin with his Herne the Hunter. Coincidentally, my today's outfit is also a dark-themed rider, inspired by Marvel's Ghost Rider series. It might resemble the Loki inspired outfit we created more than a year ago together with my fiancé, because the goat mask is very unique :), but the theme is different.

On Saturday night I spent a few hours leveling my champion from level 11 to 18, just to get Cleave. This skill looks so amazing on screenshots that I knew my ghost rider should be able to perform it. Then I spent an hour trying to retouch the mobs' names out of screenshots (you can see the very unprofessional result on the first and third screenshot - I just hope not at the first sight :)). However, I hope I have managed to capture the atmosphere I wanted for this outfit.

Please let me know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simply rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Dwarf Steel Breastplate of Might, black dye (world drop; same skin is available from heavy armoursmith in Thorin's Hall)
Legs: Tattered Leggings of the Dunland Sage, black dye (Dunland quest)
Head: Visage of the Goat, black dye (Store)
Shoulders: Noriel's Folly, black dye (Great River quest)
Hands: Snow-dusted Travelling Gloves, black dye (Yule festival)
Feet: Boots of the Great Bow, black dye (Moria level 60 hunter teal set)
Back: Flames of the Deep, black dye (Skirmish trader - cosmetic items)

Mount: Steed of Night (Store)

Emotes:
./mountrearup (Store)
./lookaround
./smoke
Cleave (Champion level 18 skill)

Apprentice of the lore

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

Ladriell, Cenlieg's apprentice, has been riding through Forochel for two days already. Her master sent poor gal to search for their fellowship to the west, where Cenlieg's raven has headed before he got stuck in wargs' den. Luckily, Ladriell found them just before the sun set, as they settled in Pynti-peldot for the night. The fellowship has entered heavy snow storm the day before, so their advance has been slow and painful.

Her friends welcomed her, but she knew there's more danger that she must face alone - master Cenlieg is a wise, but old lore-master. Hence he stayed in Kauppa-kohta, waiting for his apprentice, whom he considered dear as own daughter. She ate fine deer with their fellows and set off for a journey back, to accompany Cenlieg. No night is dark enough for Ladriell to ride through, if her dear teacher's life is endangered!

It's really hard to compete with Hymne's matching outfit for the Steed of the Lore-master - her color match is unbeatable! I also bought the mount last week when it came out (it will be available in store until August 16th) and started building an outfit around it - but damn, the blanket color is really hard to achieve with dyes. However, I love the other details - maps and scrolls are just perfect for my Eriador Cartographile :)

After a while I surrendered trying to get a perfect match and started composing something which I simply liked both matched to the horse and alone. In the end I settled for this robe, as its small details match other small details of the horse - the sleeves, the sienna patches... and thanks to metallic details, it adds a little fierceness to the whole composition (as the steed itself is very feminine and gentle).  Although some people call this robe a bath gown :), I really like it and the patterns on it.

I've always considered Forochel one of the most beautiful areas in LOTRO, but I don't think I've ever appreciated the sunset and dusk there. Today, while taking screenshots of the outfit, I managed to catch a glimpse of the wonderful lilac shadows on the land, and I felt like in paradise. I hope that it helped to underline the outfit's color scheme and derive attention away from the not-so-matching color of the robe and the horse :)

Please let me know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simply rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Ceremonial Wandering Bard's Robe, navy dye (Skirmish cosmetics vendor - Rift light)
Head: Hat of the Learned Master, sienna dye (Ettenmoors Lore-master trader; shares similar appearance with Stone-reader's Hat)
Shoulders: Ceremonial Shoulders of the North Star, Evendim blue dye (Skirmish cosmetics vendor - Rift heavy)
Hands: Traveller's Road-worn Bracers, sienna dye (Dunland quest)
Feet: Embroidered Shoes of the Dunland Healer, sienna dye (Dunland quest)
Back: Map-maker's Travel Pack, umber dye (Skirmish vendor; also available from Store)

Mount: Steed of the Lore-master (Store)

Cluck cluck

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

Everyone in the Shire has already headed for the Farmer's Faire. The biggest happening of the season excites all hobbits, because they can either sell or buy the best food available and please their stomachs to the greatest extent! Freyjuska has also been looking forward to the Faire all year long, not only to fill her belly, but also to sell eggs from her own hens.

Wearing her best dress, elegant town hat and signature cloak, Freyjuska gathered the best of the best eggs she could find in the coop and set off for the Bywater market. Her pony Dandelion was running fast like the wind, but careful, not allowing even a single egg to be smashed. The more they sell, the more treats they will be able to buy, and Dandy knows Freyjuska won't forget about her belly as well and get her the sweetest carrots. Let them come!

I did it! The famed Cloak of the Cluck is finally mine! I've wanted it for years now, but never got enough patience to finish all the Flying the Coop quests. Today, I've heard my kin is organizing a chicken run tomorrow (when I'm unfortunately away) and along with Farmer's Faire spirit all around me it boosted my will to finally finish the series.

I was missing four of the Flying the Coop quests: Evendim, Bree-land, North-downs and Trollshaws. The first three were easy as pie, but the Trollshaws were a real torture. I failed it 5 times (3 of which I even had escort) and successfully completed it on 6th attempt, thanking heavens for the perfect guide I found on the forums (I highly recommend reading it before trying Trollshaws run for the first time!).

Although I completed the quest solo in the end, I'd like to thank all the guys who have made getting the cloak possible (thanks to them I had fun and didn't lose faith):

Bobojsza - for shooting my way to the Aurochs Yearling near Esteldin
Danariel - for responding to my maddened clucking under the High Moor and accompanying me up 'till death tore us apart :)
Fardor - for willing to escort me up the High Moor twice, trying to invent tactics to avoid stealth lynxes and cheering me up when I got munched again

Thanks guys!

Please let me know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simply rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Fine Short-sleeved Dress, turquoise dye (Anniversary gift box; long-sleeved version available for Mathom house reputation)
Head: Wide-brimmed Spring Hat, turquoise dye (Spring festival)
Back: Cloak of the Cluck, default dye (Flying the Coop quest series)
Hand: Basket of Colourful Eggs (Farmer's Faire festival)

Mount: Springtime Pony (Spring festival)

Housing items: 
Chicken Coop (Farmer's Faire festival)
Giant Pumpkin (Fall festival)

Emotes:
./point
./mood_happy
./mood_calm

Late watches

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

If anybody says Shire is a safe haven of Middle-earth, his words are long past due. Bindbole Wood, a landmark in northern Shire, has recently been infested with horrible spiders and goblins, troubling peaceful hobbits and careless travelers. Especially at night, the road passing through Overhill is very dangerous. Luckily, many hobbits have also been trained by the Rangers in recent past, to be able to defend their homeland from allies of the enemy. One of them is Wasabito, a skilled warden born in Overhill, who keeps an eye on his hometown and lumberers working in surrounding forest.

A pre-order option for the upcoming expansion, Riders of Rohan, has become available last week. Of course I had to buy it, for the amazing Rohirrim cosmetics, if for nothing else. I'm a little disappointed that the Armour of the Eastemnet set does not dye, so it remains mostly olive. It's such a pity Turbine limits use of excellent pre-order cosmetics again, as they did with Rise of Isengard :(

Enough complaints - despite it's colour limitations, the Eastemnet set looks gorgeous. So does the steed - it looks sturdy and agile at the same time, fitting for a Rohirrim horse. But the best about the whole ensemble is that the armour looks amazing on all races and genders. It makes even male hobbits look sexy, so I had to make use of it :) I added burgundy accessories (to match the steed's harness) and the horrible Cloak of Vigilance, which I usually hate. Here, however, it seems to bind the pieces of the outfit together and the braided blonde fur matches the mount as well.

Don't forget to check out all the cosmetics which come with Riders of Rohan pre-order on Cosmetic LOTRO - Hymne did a great job collecting and previewing them (even the weird horse-mane cloak rewarded for the ingame deed following pre-purchase - and I mean, there's really horse mane sticking out of it!).

Please let me know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simply rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Hauberk of the Eastemnet, default dye (Riders of Rohan pre-order, all editions) 
Shoulders: Hardened Steel Dunlending Pauldrons, olive dye (Dunland quest)
Hands: Hyrde-folme, burgundy dye (Dunland quest)
Feet: Polished Boots of the Dunland Shieldman, burgundy dye (Dunland quest)
Back: Cloak of Vigilance, burgundy dye (Store)

Mount: Steed of the Eastemnet (Riders of Rohan pre-order, Heroic or Legendary edition)

Emotes:
./mountrearup (Store exclusive)
./look
./think
./charge

Guest: Eodread of Nimrodel

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

This mysterious traveler hails from Gondor, specifically Pelargir. He has traversed the borders of Gondor and Harad, and feeling the heat, found an armour to protect himself, but to keep cool in the harsh heat. With his favourite horse Jade they roam the lands of Middle-earth, helping those in need and punishing the allies of evil.

This outfit might be less original than the previous creation of Eodread, but I love it because of the chosen dye. I've never noticed how awesome and nomadic does the OD burglar set look in white. The little details such as dagger on gauntlets or little daggers hanging around the waist make it one of the most valuable sets for cosmetic purposes and each and every part of it can be nicely matched.

Please let us know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simly rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Lesser Secret of the West Breastplate, white dye (Ost Dunhoth burglar level 65 set)
Legs: Lesser Secret of the West Leggings, white dye (Ost Dunhoth burglar level 65 set)
Head: Lesser Secret of the West Helmet, white dye (Ost Dunhoth burglar level 65 set)
Hands: Secret of the West Gauntlets, white dye (Ost Dunhoth burglar level 65 set)
Feet: Cry of the West Boots, white dye (Ost Dunhoth captain level 65 set)

Mount: Prized Algraig Horse (Algraig reputation)

Meadows

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

Freyjuska, an experienced hunter of Fallohides, has never been a very feminine hobbit. She wore her jacket and pants since she'd first left her parents' hobbit hole, changing only for similar and better suited equivalents for different battle situations. However, she grew tired of fighting and decided to take a vacation for some time, to visit her favourite places in the Middle-earth and enjoy them, without piercing enemy heads this time.

She took out her most beautiful and prized pony Amarië, given to her by the Galladhrim, and rode her across all the beautiful meadows. From the Delving Fields to Heathfells, they both just breathed in the wonderful smell of flowers and trees and for a while lived for the atmosphere.

Sometimes they took a break, so that Freyjuska could pick up flowers - and of course, Frey wouldn't be a hobbit, if they didn't stop for a fine mug of ale from time to time :) Nothing could match her favourite beer from the Bird and the Baby Inn, so she got one right after they'd returned back home. "Traveling is great, and so is a bit of rest. But nothing can match seeing home and knowing I'm ready to fight some more battles very soon!" Freyjuska told her friends and had another sip.

I gotta say I adore the new spring festival cosmetics. The person who designed them should get a bonus, or at least a pie from all hobbits of Middle-earth :) When I saw the brimmed hat in Hymne's spring cosmetics preview, I immediately fell in love with it and knew I gotta use it for Freyjuska. It's so cute and unusual - although almost everyone seems to be wearing it right now :)

I saw the hat and the cloak stand out beautifully in many colours - rose and purple are perfect match, sea or Evendim blue really make the pattern stand out. However, when I tried olive dye on them, it really clicked to me - although I'm not a big fan of greens. It seemed so cheerful and gentle at the same time! This outfit became Freyjuska's historically first feminine attire ever, and think it will last her through many seasons, not just spring :)

Please let me know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simly rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Elegant Dress, olive dye (Store)
Head: Wide-brimmed Spring Hat, olive dye (Spring festival) 
Back: Simbelmynë Cloak, olive dye (Spring festiva) 
Hand: Giant Flower (Spring festival gift boxes, now it's not bound in contrast to last years' festival)

Mount: Steed of the Galladhrim (Galladhrim reputation mount)

Emotes:
./spin (Grey Company vendor)
./dance_hobbit (Festival dances)
./mountrearup (Store)
./drink

Home, sweet home

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

Sidgrid is still a very young elf, only a few hundred years old. As one of scarce elven youth, she is a little bit spoiled - however, she works very hard in her studies in order to please her family and satisfy her hunger for knowledge. She is the best rune-keeping apprentice dwarves of the Blue Mountain have seen in recent years and enjoys time spent in snowy land with her friends and teachers. Nevertheless, when she returns home to Duillond for holiday, her heart fills with joy.

Here we caught her setting off for a morning walk with her dear companion, rare Perlino horse named Buttercup by her dwarven gal friend in Thorin's Hall. There are just a few things more beautiful in the Middle-earth than Ered Luin in sunrise and Sidgrid, along with Buttercup, can never get enough of it. It's even worth to wake up early, and that's a lot for our spoiled little girl :)

...and when the sun goes down again, Sidgrid gets back to practice - for the runes are not only tools for her, but also company in which she can reflect upon the day she's spent roaming the flowerbeds of her homeland. Time when she has to go back to school at Thorin's Hall is still far away, so she can enjoy all the delights of Duillond and not think about anything else. What a peaceful holiday :)

A few days ago I tweeted happily that I won a Perlino Steed in @CraZyMuffinIPC's giveaway. I was excited because as an European who spend all her luck in lotteries last year, I had no hopes I could get my hands on this mount. I also promised I'd make a matching outfit, so here it comes, as the final outfit for Galloping Gala celebration. This wonderful event ends today and it was a great fun to concentrate on mount matching outfits all time long - they provide a great inspiration for any outfit fan.

Back to the Perlino Steed - I felt a little like when I had been searching for matching outfits for the Steed of the Rune-keeper (1, 2) back then - I simply couldn't find matching pieces for the lighter shade of blue on horse's blanket. I didn't want to match darker shade of blue, because the steed seems optimistic to me and dull navy wouldn't do it good justice. I also experimented with bright red the horse carries as gems, but on the outfit it was very disturbing. So I settled down with complimentary shade of Evendim blue.

I didn't want the outfit to be gloomy or monotonous, so Fine Shirt and Trousers came very handy - the shirt & pants combo is very lively decorated. It might create impression of unbalance when dyed in bright colours, but I think in blue it serves well. I chose the cloak to match white patterns on the sleeves and common light shoulders from Skirmish camp to bind with the shirt's warm-coloured hem. I'm quite happy about this outfit, considering how easily it can be assembled.

Edit: I realized Helegrod level 65 armour pieces would match the steed nicely with undyable blue parts. However, I couldn't use them because I only have the ugly hunter set and am out of basically any skirmish currency except for marks :(

Please let me know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simly rate below the post's title :)

Chest and legs: Fine Shirt and Trousers, Evendim blue dye (Bree outfitter)
Head: White Rose Circlet, default dye (Spring festival)
Shoulders: Esquire’s Light Shoulders of Eruilan, Evendim blue dye (Skirmish light armour barter)
Back: Elf-lord’s Cloak, Evendim blue dye (Store)

Mount: Perlino Steed (PAX East 2012 giveaway, lotteries)

Emotes:
./look
./yawn
./dowse (Treasure Hunt event)

Captain of the Greenway Garrison

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

In the days of Elendil and his descendents, the North Road ran from Fornost down through Andrath until it became the South Road at Tharbad. From there it continued all the way to Minas Tirith in Gondor as the primary trade-route between the North and South Kingdoms. The wars with Angmar and Rhudaur that brought the North-kingdom to an end also caused trade between north and south to fail. 

Disused for a thousand years, particularly north of Bree, the Greenway is overgrown with grass and is little travelled except by refugees from the war-torn south. Brigands and ruffians lie in wait alongside the ancient highway waiting to prey on the weak and unguarded. Few now dare the treacherous wilds through which the Road runs.

It's been no secret that criminality has been rising over centuries along the Greenway. With recent years' increase of traffic, caused by warriors and merchants passing north-east towards Rhovanion, the situation has become even worse. The veterans of old battles, seeking to find their purpose when they no longer had strength to fight the armies of Sauron, came up with an initiative very well accepted by Bree-land and North-downs authorities.

They will guard the Greenway, riding along and searching for ruffians, thieves and murderers, protecting everyone trying to pass along the lands the Greenway runs through. It will no longer be dangerous to roam the beautiful fields, because brigands will run or hide on simple sight of the dangerously looking guards. So was the Greenway Garrison formed, with Maney as its captain, to protect the innocent and unleash their rage on all thugs causing trouble.

Since today's Update 7 release, we are able to purchase Rift cosmetic armour in the skirmish camp. After about 4 years since Rift offered the top gear, these armour sets are still some of the most beautiful items available ingame. Of course, I ran to the first skirmish camp to spend my last medallions on what I consider the best plated armour available ingame - the pieces of North Star set.

Playing around with the combinations, I realized I could make it a mount matching outfit. I wanted to make both Rift based outfit and matching outfit for the Reveller's Gilded steed, but in both cases I wanted to avoid superficial combinations of pieces which obviously go together well, but everybody would use them the same way.

So I ended up with combination of silver plate to match white parts of horse's harness, gold dye to match golden gilding and a shade of reddish pink on the cloak to match pink parts of mount's blanket. I think it lets both the horse and the armour shine in their own way.

Check also other outfits I made & guest submissions using Rift cosmetics!
Guest: Lookdyss of Snowbourn (dwarf guardian)
Guarding home (hobbit guardian)
Doom Hunter (dwarf hunter)
Guest: Vindrayeth of Snowbourn (elf hunter)
Guest: Dwalfor of Snowbourn (dwarf guardian)

Please let me know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simly rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Carn Dûm Breastplate, gold dye (Drop from Carn Dûm)
Legs: Ceremonial Leggings of the North Star, gold/default dye (Skirmish cosmetic barter - Rift heavy)
Head: Strong Westfold War Helmet, white dye (T7 crafted)
Shoulders: Ceremonial Shoulders of the North Star, gold/default dye (Skirmish cosmetic barter - Rift heavy)
Hands: Ceremonial Gloves of the North Star, gold/default dye (Skirmish cosmetic barter - Rift heavy)
Feet: Boots of the Brazen Call, gold dye (Moria level 60 captain teal set)
Back: Pendevig-clog, red dye (Drop from Skûmfil)Mount: Reveller's Gilded Steed (Store exclusive, limited offer until May 24th)

Emotes:
./lookaround
./shakefist
./mountrearup (Store exclusive)

Watchman of the Brandywine Bridge

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

"I can't believe it!" Wasabito yelled in joy when he heard the news. He's spent many years helping the Wardens of Annúminas encamped in Tinnudir. Being the only hobbit, hence small-folk in the squad, he was gathering intelligence about the tomb robbers and Angmarim movements, intercepted some of them and thus helped saving many lives, even the Rangers' ones. For this honourable service, he was given his own Steed of the Dusk-watch by the Wardens and was officially pronounced the Watchman of the Brandywine Bridge. Can there be a bigger honour for a hobbit patriot, born in Buckland, who used to look up to the Bridge's watchmen with admiration since he was a little lad?

For you, coming from far away and not understanding the honour within this duty, let us read from the ancient parchments:
"The Bridge of Stonebows, as the Brandywine Bridge was once called, was built originally by the Men of Arnor as a causeway across the Baranduin River on the Great East Road. When the founders of the Shire were granted their land by the king of Arthedain, the price was simple: to maintain and care for the Bridge so that travel into the West would never be impeded. The hobbits of the Shire performed their duty, even long after the North-kingdom failed, and maintained the great stone bridge, denying none passage, man, elf, or dwarf. Though the river's name was changed to the Brandywine and the bridge itself became "the Brandywine Bridge", the hobbits of the Shire continue to care for and keep watch on the Bridge."

From now on, Wasabito is responsible for guarding the Bridge and overseeing the maintanance. He will only let the righteous pass. He will guide the lost children back to their mothers and lost merchants to their destinations. From time to time, he will have a good beer or two with his good friend Gundering Grubb, but he will never drop his guard. There's this weird feeling in the bones that his warding skills might be once needed even in these peaceful lands...

I'll be quite honest - I don't like the Steed of the Dusk-watch. For me, it has weird, boring colour scheme and it lacks the personality of Nuts :) However, what I really like about it are the glittering bronze-like parts of its harness, so I wanted to make those the main matching element of this outfit.

Most of outfits matching this steed work with the Wardens star, which is very fitting, as the mount was originally meant to be second reputation reward mount for Wardens of Annúminas fraction. However, I wanted to be different, so I incorporated just a little star detail on gauntlets. Otherwise I left the stars for the pony to bear :) I tried to match all the shades of blue blanket as far as I could, so it came handy that the pieces I chose dyed navy in various intensity.

Please let me know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simly rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Ceremonial Spear-shaker's Jacket, navy dye (Skirmish cosmetic vendor - Helegrod medium)
Legs: Leggings of the Great Bow, navy dye (Moria level 60 hunter teal set; I used this because I didn't have warden's Leggings of the Hall-warden, which would fit the outfit better)
Head: Extravagant Festival Cap, navy dye (Yule festival)
Shoulders: Ceremonial Spear-shaker's Shoulders, navy dye (Skirmish cosmetic vendor - Helegrod medium)
Hands: Worn Ranger's Gauntlets, navy dye (Quest: Volume III, Book 5, Chapter 1: Separate Ways)
Back: Summer Travelling Cloak, navy dye (Summer festival)
Mount: Steed of the Dusk-watch (also called Warden's Steed; Anniversary event)

Emotes:
./think
./toast (Anniversary event)
./look
./mountrearup (Store exclusive)

A tale of acorns and nuts

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

When Accornia and her fellow pony Nuts set off for their journey, it seemed that despite his name, Nuts was actually the sane part of the duo. "You're totally nuts," he told to his young mistress (he could, because she had a rare gift of understanding the animals). "We can't go to Forochel! Not alone! I know I've been born there, but when your uncle brought me to Hobbiton, we had traveled with a lot of other hobbits and dwarves!"

Accornia stayed firm. "I am a guardian, I will protect you. You worry too much, Nuts!" she smiled. That almost drew Nuts totally nuts: "I'm not going anywhere! The monsters roaming all the way through Evendim and Forochel are dangerous, they would surely eat us in a bite!" But all his reasoning was useless. Accornia stood with her arms akimbo and uttered: "Ok, I'm going alone then!"

Of course, Nuts couldn't let her go. They were equally old, sixteen, but while a pony is already experienced and wise at that age, a hobbit is still just a kid. So they traveled together through Shire first, passed Oatbarton, Dwalling and dangers of Men Erain, until they finally entered Forochel. They hadn't met a single evil beast, except for one angry squirrel enraged by their presence. "What a relief," Nuts thought just before they met his family and Accornia's distant relatives. "We haven't been devoured after all!"

I don't think I have ever considered using crafted medium armour from the Lossoth before, because of the dull undyable navy parts. Exactly the same parts I now knew I gotta use to match the Steed of the Forochel! I think it's pretty difficult to build a matching outfit around, because its fur is deep black on the bottom and blueish-grey under the blanket. On top of that, the blanket itself is rust and Evendim blue... hardcore combination, for everyone besides the Lossoth themselves :)

This outfit is not aiming to be pretty, but rather promotes usability and tries to fit the environment. I'm happy I won the Forochel pony on a hobbit, because hobbit girls are the best models for fluffy Forochel cloaks, which make them look totally adorable. And when I was going through the screenshots I took and saw the topmost one, I immediately had the story of acorns and nuts in my mind :))

Please let me know what do you think about the outfit in comments, or simly rate below the post's title :)

Chest: Burnished Dunlending Chestpiece, black dye (Dunland quest)
Shoulders: Leijona Shoulder Guards, black dye (T5 crafted)
Hands: Leijona Gloves, black dye (T5 crafted)
Feet: Leijona Gloves, black dye (T5 crafted)
Back: Cloak of Mammutti, navy dye (Lossoth reputation barter)

Mount: Steed of Forochel (Anniversary event)

Emotes:
./mountrearup
./hail

Note: The night/late watches screenshots were brightened and saturated to achieve the same colour palette as the daylight screenshots.