A minstrel's tale

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and gray
Look out on a summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul

Now I understand what you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they'll listen now 

Don McLean - Vincent

It was a chilling, serene autumn night when a bard entered the Prancing Pony. He asked old fella' Barliman for a pint, drank it quickly as always and started playing for his small steady audience. "Strange that we don't even know the guy's name," murmured elderly and slightly drunk lady. Just as herself, the minstrel has been spending time at the Pony since anybody could remember. Old Barliman even claims he knew him as a child, when he was just a little boy accompanying his rich, but ever-drunk father.

Anyway, nobody's ever seemed interested enough in knowing him better, and he returned the favor. Never talking to anyone except for a drunken remark from time to time, he kept coming every evening and played the lute. For an unknown reason, after many years, the elderly lady decided to ask him about his name that particular night - perhaps he seemed a little more sad than usually. His answer was bitter: "It doesn't matter. Not anymore."

Then he walked out of the Pony, saluted goodbye towards his second home (or maybe first) and disappeared. Since then, nobody's ever seen the lonely grumpy minstrel again. People started asking about him, Barliman even offered a free pint for information about the bard's whereabouts, because they all missed the atmosphere his lute created. Who knows, maybe one day our unknown fellow will return - or not?

This outfit originally started as jolly white-and-gold female rune-keeper's one. I'm not exactly sure when it suddenly started to be "a sad unrecognized artist's" outfit - I blame it on Don McLean's song dedicated to Vincent Van Gogh that came to my mind when I started making the night screenshots :) However, I tried to experiment with quite strange white-gold-subtle green combination and finally found a purpose for the mystery cloak I got some time ago. I promise the next outfit and its story will be more optimistic :)

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

Chest: Radiant Westernesse Armour, white dye (T5 crafted)
Legs: Radiant Westernesse Leggings, white dye (T5 crafted)
Head: Songmaster's Hat, gold dye (Mirkwood minstrel level 65 set)
Shoulders: Songmaster's Shoulders, olive dye (Mirkwood minstrel level 65 set)
Hands: Gauntlets of Fleetness, white dye (world drop)
Feet: Ceremonial Boots of the Seven Stars, gold dye (Skirmish cosmetics barter)
Back: Padded Cloak of Mystery, gold dye (Skirmish cosmetics barter - the back pattern is random reward from Padded Cloak of Mystery Box)

Lazy sunday afternoon

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

Heathfells are one of the most beautiful areas in the Middle-earth. Huge fields of lavender and colorful trees - what a grace! It's just a pity that they are infested by evil creatures, including maddened Draig-luth and cunning hounds. Nevertheless, Brewbelly decided to spend her Sunday afternoon there, even if it meant cutting her way through enemies.

It wasn't even so bad in the end. A few archers here, a few silly puppies there, and she was right in the middle of lavender field, enjoying herself. Her only companion was her theorbo and countless songs she played, reminding herself of the good old times when she was still a careless hobbit lass, not knowing anything about servants of Sauron. "What good times that were! But they'll return anyway," she conformed herself and took a nap.

Dunland Caretaker's Cloak is another beautiful mantle I've wanted to include in my outfits for a long time. Its gentle lavender color soothes any kind of outfit, but it's really difficult to match because of pastel blue accents. However, the lovely hobbit outfitter's merchandise, Long Fancy Robe, shares the same shade of blue. Dyed violet, both items matched really nicely except for the robe's salmon pink belt and gold hem. I tried to accent those with the shoulders and the helm.

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

Chest: Long Fancy Robe, violet dye (Outfitter vendor in Michel Delving)
Head: Ceremonial Helm of the Shield-wall, white dye (Moria warden level 60 set; also available from skirmish barterer or limited sale in the store)
Shoulders: Shoulders of the Sun-lands, violet dye (world drop)
Hands: Traveller's Road-worn Bracers, violet dye (Dunland quest)
Feet: Ceremonial Shoes of the Stone-student, black dye (Moria lore-master level 60 set; also available from skirmish barterer or limited sale in the store)
Back: Dunland Caretaker's Cloak, default dye (Dunland quest)

Guest: Daerundros of Laurelin

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

Daerundros said about her outfit: "Gold and white are a color combination that often fits together in harmony, like two sides of the same coin. A mixed blend of items, this outfit is designed to provide comfort while still retaining grace and elegance. After a few months of not coming up with any suitable outfits, I got bored of an old outfit I did for Daerundros and decided to create a new one in more brighter, cheerier colours. I like to think this is the type of outfit one would wear outdoors on a sunny day in Rivendell or Lothlórien. The shoulder pads are perhaps the most attention-attracting element for the outfit, as they are arguably the most striking feature. I intended that from this point on the rest of the outfit would come to the viewer's attention, as one looks down at the chest piece, then the gauntlets, then the leggings, and finally, the boots, all of them heavily accented with stylized elven features. It is heavily inspired by the Golden Mallorn trees of Lothlórien, but also pays tribute to the white city of Gondolin."

Daerundros is a very stylish elven lady, who has submitted some very elegant outfits in the past. Now she's back with very noble attire for her huntress.

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

Chest: Fine Elven Campaigner's Armour, white dye (T5 crafted)
Legs: Resplendent Steadfast Leggings of Lothlórien, white dye (T6 crafted)
Head: Balladeer's Hat, default dye (Moria minstrel level 60 set)
Shoulders: Songmaster's Shoulders, white dye (Mirkwood minstrel level 65 set)
Hands: Footman's Gloves, gold dye (T6 crafted)
Feet: Songmaster's Shoes, white dye (Mirkwood minstrel level 65 set)
Back: Cloak of the Boar-clan Warrior, white dye (Dunland quest)

Meditation in the dusk

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

Ladriell has set off for a difficult quest. Her beloved raven flew out to stretch his wings a little, and didn't come back! It's been a few days already, so young lore-master knew there was something wrong. They were staying in Thorenhad when she let the raven go, so she started searching the surrounding hills.

There were so many fierce beasts that she lost all hopes to ever see her raven again. She stopped counting how many vile hawks has she killed, when she caught a glimpse of white feathers. The raven was watching her, and luring her deeper into the valley! She communicated with him in her mind, but he didn't want to reveal his plan. Only when they reached the most beautiful meadow inside the colorful forest, he told her: "I brought you here to find what I saw - peace in mind. You, my dear master, will be much wiser when you rest a bit and concentrate only on leaves shimmering in the sunset - it will help you become a better lore-master." She listened, and spent long hours alongside her friend, because she realized he was not the lost one - she was.

I wanted to make an outfit featuring Angolgol ever since I've obtained it in Tâl Methedras, but somehow I couldn't find items with the right color scheme. When I got the Robe of the Stone-student, I thought it could match, and I was right! The turquoise and greyish-blue clicked perfectly on both pieces. I didn't want the outfit to be too solemn though, so I decided to bring gold accents to the front with shoulder and head piece.

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

Chest: Ceremonial Robe of the Stone-student, turquoise dye (Moria lore-master level 60 set; also available from skirmish barterer or limited store sale)
Head: Hat of the Stone-student, turquoise dye (Moria lore-master level 60 set; also available from skirmish barterer or limited store sale)
Shoulders: Shoulders of the Swift Arrow, turquoise dye (Mirkwood hunter level 65 set; also available as drop from level 75 skirmishes)
Hands: Ceremonial Gloves of the Stone-student, turquoise dye (Moria lore-master level 60 set; also available from skirmish barterer or limited store sale)
Feet: Embroidered Shoes of the Dunland Healer, black dye (Dunland quest)
Back: Angolgol, default dye (Dunland quest)

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)

Fire storm

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

The fire controls him. He controls the fire. And sometimes he loses control entirely and that's when the lightening comes. Freygald has been known amongst his kin as a little unstable dwarf, not really the one you would like to make mad. When he's angry, he doesn't stop until there's nothing else than burning ground. Lucky for his fellows, things that make him angry the most are enemies and lack of beer.

Those who haven't denied a good pint to Freygald have known him as the most devoted friend, willing the sacrifice everything for success of the mission. Despite his fiery nature, he is very wise and knows a lot about rune magic. He taught many rune-keepers now considered masters of their art, and none of them knows how old Freygald is. Even for a dwarf, he's seen a lot of years pass by and that might also be the reason for his occasional madness. After all, the whole world is mad, so its his only weapon.

When character slots were on sale last week, I didn't hesitate and bought another two (so I have 14 characters at the moment). I realized the only reason I made so few dwarven rune-keeper outfits was that my only dwarf was a champ, and I had no chance to have the beautiful RK skills on dwarf's screenshots. This is now a matter of the past - let me introduce my new character, Freygald :)

I've had this robe for a while now without making an outfit proudly presenting it. I hope I have achieved that now. I haven't used any shoulder piece, because the shoulders of this robe are very elaborate and it would be a pity to cover them. I'm not happy about the satchel though, but what can I do for level 7 rune-keeper :)

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

Chest: Robe of the Learned, red dye (Helegrod rune-keeper set, skirmish barterer)
Head: Hat of the Learned Master, red dye (Ettenmoors Lore-master trader; shares similar appearance with Stone-reader's Hat)
Hands: Ceremonial Gloves of the North Star, red dye (Skirmish cosmetics vendor - Rift heavy)
Feet: Reinforced Leather Dunlending Boots, crimson dye (Dunland quest)
Back: Preserver's Cloak, crimson dye (Dunland quest)

Guest: Aisana of Elendilmir

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

Aisana is an elven hunter, who is devoted strongly to the forces of light. As a young child, she had a dream of majestic deer who revealed a prophecy of her life - to kill the servants of evil in order to protect the pure. Since then, she's spent a lot of time protecting those in need, but the place she often returns to is her beautiful home, Lothlórien. There she sometimes spends a little time dressing up - she's seen a lot of darkness, but deep in her heart she is still a little girl who wants to be charming.

I love this guest submission really much. Even though the screenshots quality is not very good, I see an amazingly well matched outfit, which is battle ready yet still elegant. Unfortunately Aisana has a really old computer, but she managed to capture the atmosphere of Lothlórien perfectly and used daylight to the screenshots' advantage.

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

Chest: Town-saver's Jacket, Ered Luin blue dye (Warden Rift level 50 set; ceremonial version available from skirmish barterer)
Legs: Elven Warrior's Leggings, Ered Luin blue dye (T5 crafted)
Head: Threadbare Hat of the Dunland Healer, Ered Luin blue dye (Dunland quest)
Shoulders: Town-saver's Shoulders, gold dye (Warden Rift level 50 set; ceremonial version available from skirmish barterer)
Hands: Irman's Gloves, black dye (Barad Gúlaran - Udúnion drop; shares appearance with world drop Gauntlets of the Sun-lands)
Feet: Enduring Boots of Fleetness, rose dye (world drop; many other boots share the appearance)
Back: Fine Quiver, Ered Luin blue dye (Anniversary gift-box)

Damn you, fresh savory mushroom soup!

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

Had Wasabito known what rigmaroles await him after he agreed to help Daisy Sandyman, he would have never even come her way. He thought he would deliver a few pies here and there and get enough goods in return, and instead he has to chase for some stupid savory 'shroom soup now! He couldn't find it, so he set off to his old buddy Gerebert's house - they were apprentices of Shire's expert cook Mrs. Underhill together and Gerebert always had good eye on rare recipes.

However, Gerebert has gone amiss (as dear Esilia mentioned to everybody else but poor Wasabito) and his dump dark house was full of miserable trash, spiders, and for worse - rats! Several pests attacked him and he almost pooed his pants, but in the end he held it! "The recipe, finally!" Wasabito thought, and then found out it was a stupid journal! "Oh goodness," he cried, running out from the infested house to the fields around Tuckborough, thanking for the lantern he'd brought to show the way out. There he swore revenge to the pests and evil fellow who asked him for this useless soup. "He will get the good old mushroom & onions one, I bet he won't even tell the difference!" cursed Wasabito, shaking his fist towards the wind.

My last outfit before vacation was a well-armed hobbit lad, and today there's a hobbit lad again - but this time a plain fellow of Shire. He simply enjoys the Farmer's Faire, running from trouble to trouble (I've heard he recently decided to go to Maggot's farm to hunt some mushrooms, fool!). The faire's cosmetics are cute and very good looking especially on hobbits, so I wanted to make use of it.

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

Chest: Farmer's Fancy Tunic and Trousers, gold dye (Farmer's Faire festival)
Head: Straw Hat, gold dye (Skirmish cosmetics vendor)
Shoulders: Ceremonial Spear-shaker's Shoulders, default dye (Skirmish cosmetics vendor - Helegrod medium)
Back: Cook's Trappings, gold dye (Store)

Emotes:
./cower
./shakefist
./mood_fearful

Guardian of Imladris

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

The southern passage into Rivendell is called the Gates of Imladris and establishes a clear bastion of civilization and safety in an otherwise wild land. Nevertheless, the Elves of Rivendell guard this approach carefully, and it is not entirely safe for travellers to approach unannounced - those who pass this way with ill intent in their hearts are rarely seen or heard from again.

Sidgrid is a guardian of Sindarin origin. Her family had kept out of politics and wars for generations, being scholars of the times old forgotten. However, their firstborn child had spirit of a warrior, and they didn't object to her joining the Guardians of Imladris. She began her training as a very young elf back in the Second Age and finished it far sooner than her brothers in arms. Over the centuries, she became the leader of the Guardians, who are the key to keeping the pass to Rivendell safe. However brave and experienced, she is still an elven lady and even her unpiercable armour shows that.

An elven female guardian - that's quite an unusual combination. Hard to dress as well - elven maidens tend to look comical in bulky heavy armour, it squeezes them so they look like they were wearing an oversized can. Here I wanted to create a distinguishable heavy outfit, which would look protective and feminine at the same time.

I wanted to use the Helegrod items which are now available in store as cosmetic armour. When I started matching the Dragon-scale breastplate dyed Ered Luin blue, I realized the shoulder part of the piece is violet... I was like - what?! In the default red dye, I've never noticed that, although I don't understand why - now when I look at the chestpiece, the violet is striking my eyes :) However, I started searching for a complimentary colour and ended up with pastel green.

I also used a hooded store cloak - I have to say I hate this kind of hoods and use them very rarely in my outfits. However, here it seemed fitting and served much better than any of the helms I've tried. The whole outfit ended up being cheerful and battle-ready at the same time, I hope.

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

Chest: Ceremonial Dragon-scale Breastplate, dark green dye (Store)
Legs: Leggings of Orod-na-Thôn, dark green dye (world drop; also available from Rivendell heavy armoursmith)
Shoulders: Hardened Steel Dunlending Pauldrons, violet dye (Dunland quest)
Hands: Gloves of Forbidden Love, grey dye (Great River quest)
Feet: Rusted Boots of the Dunland Berserker, dark green dye (Dunland quest)
Back: Hooded Cloak of the Silver Birch, violet dye (Store)

Emotes:
./charge
./look
./roar
./lookaround
./swordsalute
./kneel

Inspiration: Rían of Bëor and Simbelmynë

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

Simbelmynë, translated as Evermind, is a beautiful white flower that grows in any season on graves and tombs. Gandalf once said about it:
"How fair are the bright eyes in the grass! Evermind they are called, simbelmynë in this land of Men, for they blossom in all the seasons of the year, and grow where dead men rest."

Gandalf, The Two Towers III 6 The King of the Golden Hall

Who knows if they are not tears of poor Rían, great-grandmother of Elrond Half-elven. She was born into House of Bëor in F.A. 450 and was known to everyone for having gentle heart. She loved neither hunting nor war, her love was given to trees and to the flowers in the wild, and she was a singer and maker of songs. When she was just 5 years old, she fled before the Battle of Sudden Flame with other women and children to safety. Six years later, her beloved father died.

When she was 20 years old, she married Huor of the House of Marach (and a brother of Húrin). Three years later, when Rían was expecting their firstborn son, poor Huor was slain by a poison arrow in the fifth battle against Morgoth, Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Rían, struck by grief, gave birth to Tuor and entrusted him to Sindar (Grey-elves) of Mithrim for fosterage. She went to Haudh-en-Nirnaeth (Hill of Tears) to seek tidings of her husband. All she found were thousands of dead bodies and weapons of soldiers who died alongside Huor, never seeing his own body. On this moment she pined away, laid down on the mound and died of grief at the age of 23.

This lore inspiration is a very sad one. It was a pure chance that I chose it - I read about simbelmynë in connection to this year's spring festival. Then I wanted to read something more about various characters of Silmarillion, seeking inspiration for my next outfit, and the first name I picked up on wiki was Rían. The strong coincidence shocked me - as well as very difficult life of Elrond's great-grandmother. In the story, she was just as old as I am now when she died, having endured so much in her short life.

I'd like this outfit to be my tribute to her, picturing her in her happy years, let's say just before marrying Huor, still being a joyful maiden and enjoying the most beautiful part of her life. The beautiful flowers she loved and wore gracefully on her dress later became symbol of remembering fallen heroes of all battles. Let us remember her as well.

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

Chest: Simbelmynë Dress, gold dye (Spring festival)
Head: Hat of Deep Lore, white dye (Moria level 60 lore-master purple set; shares appearance with minstrel's and rune-keeper's Moria pieces)
Back: Cloak of the Northern Lights, gold dye (Store)

Emotes:
./hail
./dance_elf2

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)

Guest: Tasmanian of Crickhollow

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

"It's lovely to live on a raft. We had the sky up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to lay on our backs and look up at them, and discuss about whether they was made or only just happened."

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain

Summer has come to Middle-Earth! And what can make a better spent early summer day than fishing on Brandywine? Correct answer is: for a decent hobbit, nothing (providing there is some elevenses, luncheon and a good snack packed on the boat). Tasmanian spent such day with his two buddies and caught a few tasty fish - pity they didn't last long enough to let anybody besides these three find out! :)
Evvy is a supplier of cute hobbit outfits - can't wait to see another one! :)

Chest: Fisherman's Vest, gold dye (Outfitter vendor)
Head: Straw Hat, gold dye (Skirmish cosmetic vendor)
Back: Fisher's Backpack, gold dye (Skirmish cosmetic vendor)

Guest: The Citadel by Argendauss

Rate:

{[["☆","★"]]}

Argendauss' reputation as a captain of Free People precedes him. His is most renowned for his versatility - his fellows can always rely on his blade, shield and morale-boosting speeches. To stand as a citadel against waves of enemies, he is properly equipped by armour made of steel and gold, which even the most precise blows with a spear cannot pierce.

Argendauss said about this outfit: "The inspiration for the outfit was the Shield of Endless Heroics, a drop from the Erulian Campaign of skirmishes. It has this sky blue coloring to it that was a challenge to match, but I found that the Cloak of the Silver Star and Head-Cage played very well with it. The chest piece I've chosen even has very faint lines tinted light-blue running across the center of it, though those lines look more silvery in the screenshots I'm submitting. For the rest of the outfit, I have silver and gold. I had to do gold because Head-cage is gold even when dyed white. The pieces from OD all have this fantastic metallic gold coloring which I was happy to incorporate into the outfit."

Chest: Breastplate of the Rallying Shout, white dye (Moria level 60 captain purple set; shares appearance with T6 crafted Armour of the Galadhrim)
Legs: Lesser Defender of the West Leggings, white dye (Ost Dunhoth warden level 65 set)
Head: Head-cage, white dye (Drop from Grand Stairs, Igash)
Shoulders: Lesser Cry of the West Shoulder Guards, white dye (Ost Dunhoth captain level 65 set)
Hands: Stoutheart's Gauntlets, white dye (Moria level 60 captain purple set; shares appearance with T6 crafted Gauntlets of the Galadhrim)
Feet: Officer's Boots, white dye (T6 crafted; available as T6 crafted heavy armour under different names)
Back: Cloak of the Silver Star, white dye (Store)
Shield: Shield of Endless Heroics (Drop from Erulian Campaign skirmish raid)