Lazy sunday afternoon

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{[["☆","★"]]}

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)

Guardian of Imladris

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{[["☆","★"]]}

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

Thuringwethil, Woman of Secret Shadow

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{[["☆","★"]]}

"Once we were many, now I alone remain. This is the book of my nights that I write in my seclusion during long days in my silent hall which sunlight never enters. For I am vampire, the vampire I suppose these days, the last of my kindred. 
There was a time, in the Spring of Arda, when I enjoyed the feeling of warm light on my wings. The light of Illuin and Ormal and nothing less, and the light of the oldest stars. I was a spirit of the air, a servant of Manwë. A faithful servant I was and as messenger swifter even than Eönwë. I wore white wings like a swan. I weep now to remember my innocence, yet if I lived those times again I would make the same choices."

Thuringwethil's Memoirs, fanfiction.net

Thuringwethil was a Vampire servant of Sauron at the beginning of the First Age. She was his messenger, known for changing form into a bat to find valuable intelligence. For this, she is thought to be a Maia. However, she was caught in the battle between her master and Lúthien at Tol-in-Gaurhoth ("Isle of Werewolves"). She was probably slain by the Hound of Valinor, named Huan. He brought Thuringwethil's hide to Lúthien, which she used to sneak to Angband ("The Iron Prison").

I never knew vampires were mentioned in the Middle-earth's lore, until a reader of this blog,  Beorneoth, mentioned it in the comments on an outfit I've created based on wish for vampire theme. I was excited to find that Tolkien indeed mentioned vampires and werewolves in Silmarillion. It's a huge pity they didn't survive the First Age, but who knows - maybe Thuringwethil's brood is still hiding in the deep caves sunlight never penetrates and waiting for the right time to change the course of the war. 

As I mentioned earlier this week, I've created this outfit with remote inspiration from the True Blood series. In the Season 4 finale, Jessica appears disguised as a Red Riding Hood during Halloween's night. It's one of the most beautiful costumes I've ever seen - although it doesn't really shine on static pictures. The real beauty strikes when she moves, covered in the velvet cloak. Cloak of the Galadhrim available in LOTRO resembles it very much. Unfortunately, I don't know of any red & black top which could simulate the lace corset, so I used red & violet combination instead. I also love the body shape which this outfit creates on an elven maiden.

This is also my first outfit to promote LOTRO Fashion's colour of the week during the Fashion Week! If you want to recreate it, grab a free crimson dye off the store with our exclusive coupon code!

Do you like the outfit? Please let me know in the comments! :)

Chest: Elven Cloth Shirt, crimson dye (Light armoursmith in Rivendell; short-sleeved variant)
Legs: Tattered Leggings of the Dunland Sage, crimson dye (Dunland quest)
Shoulders: Padded Mantle of the Dunland Soothsayer, crimson dye (Dunland quest)
Feet: Rhydhid-lhopan, violet dye (Dunland quest)
Back: Cloak of the Galadhrim, crimson dye (Quest: Vol. II, Book 7, Chapter 9: The Worries of Lord Celeborn)

Northern light

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{[["☆","★"]]}

Ladriell is currently venturing thought cold lands of Forochel, slowly gaining the trust of its distant people. She and her companions run errands for the Lossoth, help them with provisions in these fierce long nights and in the meantime, admire beautiful northern lights shining up the sky and showing hope in the future. Sometimes just one look at sky above Jä-rannit makes Ladriell's heart rejoice.

I fell in love on the first sight with this year's festival cloak. It is so beautiful and rough at the same time, although its violet and golden shades are hard to combine. I rarely use violet dye, but this time it was perfect - I aimed for gentle, feminine, yet very protective outfit for my lore-mistress. Do you like it? Please let me know in comments :)

Chest: Tattered Robe of the Dunland Sage, violet dye (Dunland quest) 

Shoulders: Vibrant Calenard War Pauldrons, violet dye (T7 crafted) 
Hands: Heavy Plated Dunlending Gauntlets, violet dye (Dunland quest)
Feet: Embroidered Shoes of the Dunland Healer, grey dye (Dunland quest)
Back: Cloak of Autumn Nights, default dye (Fall festival)

Inspiration: Arwen Undómiel

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Arwen Undómiel, daughter of Elrond the Half-elven and future Queen of the Reunited Kingdom ruling side by side with King Elessar, has been one of the most inspiring female characters in the Middle-Earth. Her everlasting beauty (truly one of an Evenstar) and goodness have always raised affection in Aragorn and admiration in all the people (or hobbits) she's ever met.

This outfit, modelled by Sidgrid, is my tribute to her. It's very simple, maybe the simplest on this site so far, but it instantly popped into my mind after I saw this picture from Arwen's unfinished journey to Grey Havens. The Elf-queen's Dress and Harbringer's Cloak are both so intriguing that they don't need any supplemental accessories to advance their beauty.

Chest: Elf-queen's Dress, burgundy dye (Store)
Back: Harbringer's Cloak, violet dye (Mirkwood pre-order bonus)

Guest: Silaneth of Snowbourn

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{[["☆","★"]]}

Well, this happens when bear pet is naughty, girl gets new cloak :D

Chest: Stone-reader's Robe, default dye (Moria lore-master epic set)
Shoulders: Shoulders of Stone-student, violet dye (Moria lore-master purple set)
Hands: Stone-reader's Gloves, default dye (Moria lore-master epic set)
Feet: Stone-reader's Shoes, default dye (Moria lore-master epic set)
Back: Warm Bear-fur Cloak, default dye (Quest: Winter Cleaning)