Well, It has been many months since my last post. I would attempt to defend this but alas there is little excuse. I have been playing much more, and my time has been sucked up with many things. Surgery, a new car purchase, work, life you name it, and most of all actually playing the game. I still haven’t gotten Yuyuki to where I want her though she is getting closer. She made 60 on Sep 21 09, and I was very happy about it. I am now focusing on trying to get her radiance armor, She has her boots, but that’s all. She has successfully completed the turtle 2x’s (got the turtle head but not much else), Fil Gashin 2x’s (got the lesser armor coin but not the radiance gloves), and Grand Stairs about 10X’s, (got the boots on my third time through). She did run the Forges once, however we had a minstral in War Speech, and the boss with the trolls reset so we wouldnt have made the time cut off for hard mode.

Yuyuki has been working on the elven areas, and is also amassing second age weapons and leveling them up. Still no first age weapons, or tokens for them. I have completed up to 2.5.4 waiting on a group to run 2.5.5, and I am still trying to finish off volume 1, which is sadly behind, at 13.7 I think. Alas the other thing that I am trying to get done are my traits. I have one trait to ten the others are about 7/8 with the exception of Zeal which is down around a 5 or something.

Yuyuki just this past week 2 manned the bounties, and I was pretty happy about that. I still think that the drake and dhit are pretty tough for a two person group, I did it with Yuyuki (Champ) and a friend/Kinleader who was on a 60 captain. The captain died during the drake, and left me solo with about 2k moral whilest the drake had about 6k left. It went down to the wire, and I killed the drake with 200 or so moral left.

I also got Kindred level with the miners of moria, which I was excited about but at the same time sorta shot myself in the foot with. I bought the next expansion, and understand we’ll be getting a goat with that, so since it’s scheduled for release Dec 1st, doesn’t make sense for me to buy a goat when I will get one for free. Not that moria is really that conducive to mounted travel since everything agros you at 60, but once the expansion comes out I am confident that at least some areas will be grey to a 65 and therefore travel through at least some portions of moria will be made quicker.

I am experimenting now with weapons again, and mostly with second ages as I get them made. I have looted on second age champions rune and did level it, though it wasnt a decent rune, and I melted it down in the end. I am trying to get Yuyuki to the trait level and with the proper gear to both off-tank and DPS, two seperate builds. At this point the DPS portion is coming along fine if a little slow on the traits. The off-tank are the weapons I am experimenting with. I have foregone the one handed sword, tried a one-handed axe, a spear and a plan on trying a club. The stun ability of the club is nice, but the highest DPS is the spear, not in normal numbers but the spear has a chance to apply common damage, which when taken with the rest of the DPS pusshes it just a bit higher than the compitition. I am wondering what the reality is behind the stuns with the club though. Although it might be a bit lower in overall DPS a stunned opponent cannot attack and therefor it might be a better overall weapon for normal cases. I don’t think it would matter much against something like the turtle or what have you but its worth thinking on.

Well thats the short catch-up anyway. Once I get my traits where I want them and a full stable of first age weapons (doesn’t hold breath) I can start working on Nimorial, or Takiwa. The two most ignored characters ever.

As it turns out not much worth writing about. Her character is getting to a stronger place by going back and completing deeds. It isn’t glamorous, its not even all that fun, but it is necesary, and I do see the need… ergo, I’m grinding through some deeds. I went back to the Shire, killed wolves, and slugs, and bandits, I went to Bree again and killed trees and spiders and orcs, and am still there for collecting some flowers, and finding some locatins etc. I have helped some kinmates run through some of 1.4 and 1.5 and 1.6, books 5 and 6 are somewhat annoying to me on a personnal level, not really sure why it bugs me as much as it does but it does. Seems like the natural progression takes you to angmar, and yet book 5 is in the misties, its very confusing. especially because the quests are the same level so it seems like it is one of those there is no wrong answer type things. I like the misties, more than Angmar to be honest, it’s just a setting… but the snowy mountains, when I don’t feel the cold, is way better than the depressing scenes of Angmar, with dead hills and trees everywhere.  I think my only critical part about the misties is there are way too many mobs way to close together in certain areas. Some places it makes sense, like the goblin camp, other places like the valleys between the mountains its stupid. Like the mobs are on a grid, I count them and run between all of them.
Need to get some time maybe this weekend and finish 5 and 6 maybe we can whirlwind that with the same group. The only resounding question Yuyuki has is How do I get into Goblin town? So far the answer has not come to her, nor is it likely for a while.

I’d like to thank everyone that has read my simple entries, my blog holds no candle to most,  I am not picturesque, nor comic like, mostly from posting at work vice home, but really because I get too caught up playing to remember to take screen shots. There are many styles here that are wonderful and I am honored to be placed among many such wonderful blogs. I would also like to thank the numerous people that have helped me struggle with wordpress and with in-game issues, with which this would not have been possible. And of course I would like to thank the guys at Turbine that have put together a great game, and the blog, and the forums, and everything else that makes this a wonderful game to play.
Now if I can just get my kin to read it!
EDIT: Fixed spelling, GRRRR!

Horay, I haven’t been this excited since I got my horse, and before that bow use ability. A Kinmate brought me to Eregion so I could begin my Volume two quests, and get my first Legendary item. A sword of unsurpassed beauty, at least in the eyes of this Elf.

Some people might think it’s somewhat silly to place such emphasis on a weapon, it is after-all only a tool that the Champion uses to accomplish their feats right? To this myth I say no. While the Champions skill is learned through practice, adversity, and a certain ammount of luck, the weapon transcends usage as a mere tool of the trade and become somewhat more. A trusted ally, much like ones stead, a freind that the Champion has relied upon too many times, in too many desperate situations not to earn a special status. And thus my item begins. It is early yet for me to have formed this relationship with my sword, but what I did realize immediately was that this is the sword with which I will start that relationship. I have already imbued the sword with my blood, and some other trinkets that I picked up along the way to begin its rise to Fame and Glory, after all some people might not know what warrior completed a certain feat, but they do know the name of the blade, blades such as Glamdring the Foe Hammer the survivor or gondolin kings, and Sting have a following of their own, and for good cause. After all it is not everyday that a sword kills so many Orcs, or slays so many spiders. And it is also of note that the enemies of the free peoples of middle earth also track the lore of these items, for though they are my enemy they are at least smart enough to know their foe’s and mark them, and accord them special precendence.

I will bare this blade proudly and honor it, as it keeps the free peoples of midddle earth, myself included safe from evil.

Well Yuyuki was a busy Elf this past weekend. It felt like all I did was play and it was great. I made some huge progress, and it really showed. I am now in Angmar, and wow is that place a depressing cesspool of malcontent. Not to worry however, as I am cleaning it up, one quest at a time. When I went to Bree and got my level 45 training, I noticed that I had a mission, so I took up the challenge and accepted it. Near as I can tell its my latest class quest, though I can’t for the life of me figure out why its a full five levels above me, and RED. As I have yet to attempt it, I cannot comment on the relative difficulty, but I am certainly eager to try it this evening. OK well I was on last night, and began my class quest. I should say that it became two quests, each with three parts. I have gotten the first phase done for one mission, and started the first phase of the second mission, though since I haven’t really ventured into the Misty mountains yet, I can’t complete that one. I have begun collecting things I will need for the later stages mostly scarred warg claws, at least I think that’s what they are, I have also begun looting things for a kinfellow for his class quest, cloudy eyeballs, which sounds gross. I keep them in a jar with a spill proof lid, so the eye goo doesn’t mess up the rest of the bag, so there is that.

I would like to say hello to our two newest members to GMS Grand Master Slackers. We do not recruit, I’ve never seen our members send out blanket messages about membership or anything else. And I must say that I like it alot. The group is mostly friends, and I feel honored to share in the friendship, and hopefully are two newest members feel the same way. Its funny that we have met both people just in the course of play, a little help here or there, and then a small discussion about them even including them and then an invite, thus far we have only had one rejection and that was because none of us realized he was in another Kinship, I can tell you however that the Kinship that he is a member of is quite lucky to have a great player on there roster.

This was really a finish up from yesterday which I didn’t get a chance to publish, so look for the next great post about Yuyuki here within a few minutes, or by the time most of you read this, the next post should be complete, and I am so excited I can hardly sit in my chair, at work, for another 8 hours, till I can get back home and play with my new toy, oh wait… another time another post.

Well Yuyuki has had a fairly eventful past few days. I finally finished my Artisan level crafting quest, SOLO (much running was involved, but I didn’t die so I did something correctly). I also got up to the TOMB of Elendil quest in Evendim (couldn’t find a fellowship to run it), as well as knocking out several of the fellowship quests in the surrounds mostly north east. I still haven’t killed the named tree thing, we got close… but without a healer, it was a hard fight that we didn’t win. I am about halfway up to 40 after last-nights play session.

I am slowly catching up to the low group in my Kinship. Who knows since they are all taking vacation together, I might even surpass them. Then again I might run through and complete some of the quests in my log that I never got too, like great barrows, and lone-lands. This vacation has lead to an interesting dynamic which I have not had to deal with before (that being trying to get a group together to complete fellowship quests). I have learned alot in the last few days with reference to the Fellowship system in LOTRO, all of it to my benifit. I was suprised at how easy the Fellowship system is to use, though I didn’t get the fellowship that I wanted, and it is arguably easier to just type out what your looking for in LFF, it is still a neat and very robust system. Again it was brought to my attention yesterday just how difficult it is sometimes to get everyone in the fellowship to the same part of multiple quests.

I had my largest repair bill to date yesterday at 75S, up to the dying twice in a row, I was actually doing pretty well on money.

I am still a fairly low character but it has been bugging me for some time. I run an ELF Champion, and I would like to get weapons that look elvish in shape. I have so far seen no swords that look like the one Arwen carried about in the movies, nor the single handed long knives/short swords Legolas carried about either. Are anything like these in game? Are they properly scaled? I have taken to using a two handed greatsword vice the dual wielding of a knife and sword, as it’s much easier on my energy bar, the damage though it’s slower hits and crits much harder, and the weapon looks less stupid holstered on my Elves back that on my characters hip. It goes quite nicely beside my bow and quiver as well.
Yuyuki

Well it has been a while since I wrote about Yuyuki and her trials and tribulations. I was out sick with pnumonia, which afforded me the luxiury of 5 days of play time, needless to say I leveled quite a bit almost to 37 now, well about halfway anyhow. I got up to 5.8G… I am now back around 1.8G after purchasing Hamburger, my trusty steed.

     Hamburger and I have been getting quite aquainted, we visited Rivendell and then explored the Trollshaws, which was a bit hairy at level 31, but we did acrue a nice chunk of Dwarf Iron which helped me with my weaponsmithing, as well as some Platinum which we passsed onto our friend and fellow Elf Kinsman Lossehelin.

      It was nice to see Rivendell again, It speaks to the soul of everything to be cherished in this world, and renewed my sense that there is some hope in this world. I spoke with many poeple in Rivendell, Elrond, a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, and I tell you I have never met an older Hobbit, he looked to be on death’s doorstep, though was still pretty cheerfull. I spoke with Gimly the Drwarf, who is quite excitable, and the ranger Aragorn again, he certainly can move quickly for a man. Soon they will be off on their quest to save the middle earth I only hope that my small part in moving their own quest along will not delay them overly much.

      I met a great group of people that really helped with my training and allowed me to finish a good portion of missions in the southeastern regions around Estildin. We (Hamburger and I) then proceeded through the northdowns and explored Evendim. My what a watery place of ruins. Each time I get further from Bree I fear for the World of Men. It seems that they too are approaching the end, I see nothing but people scrounging about in ruins, and the only thing seperating light from dark is what the individual does. Is he a Tomb Raider or a Ranger the line is thin. Having explored the dangerous parts of Evendim and realising I would need some assistance. I finally met back up with Lossehelin and we proceeded back to Estildin to complete a Jewlers quest he had been sent on, which was also very difficult.

      My first impression of the area to the north of Estildin is grim. After completion of the jewlers quest we both headed back to Evendim. Lossehelin and I were seperated for a while in Evendim, not wanting to waste time, I went back to an island I had found during my initial exploration of the area. I began to curtail some of the vicous creatures on the island. I met up with another adventurer and after suffering grevious wounds killing the dam and sire of the salamanders, I left the Island to meet back up with Lossehelin and continue the other quests of Evendim we had recieved. Completing 14 quests there took into the late evening hours, But Lossehelin has recieved some training, and said something about finding a stable. I hope his dealings with the horse master in Bree go as easily as mine did.

Yes I am feeling a bit better about my finances thus far, I last night, passed having 3 gold. Granted I think I am about 5 silver above that mark but still, I am feeling better about progressing through to level 35 and getting my horse than previously. I don’t yet feel the need to purchase a house, but I might cojoin the horse and the house into one, after all how can I have Hamburger my trusted steed, and not have a rail to hitch him to? I am on the verge of Level 29, having knocked out a large number of Fellowship quests just outside the Lone-Lands over the weekend. I still need to get weathertop done, and I need to go back and kill more trolls and trees to get some things knocked out for that, deeds mostly, but I am thinking I am almost to the point of moving on. In the meantime I have gone back to the shire, and am running all the missions there, though they are very low level and knocking out some deeds that I need to complete for my character progression, Slugs and that sort. I really like the shire, and it almost makes me wish I had created a Hobbit, almost but not quite. The Elf girls are where it’s at! Feeling a bit under the weather so I didn’t play much over the last few days, but I did get a new computer chair for Father’s day so YEAH, I get to build that tonight before playing.

Well after sending my DXDIAg results both 32 and 64 bit to tech support, they told me to reload LOTRO. I was pretty skeptical but figured what the heck. I haven’t got anything to lose really and if it works then I will get audio too. If it doesn’t work I can fire a ticket back to tech support and hopefully get them to take for action my issue. So I played on the wife’s computer while I uninstalled, then downloaded the 9 GB HD client and then had to wait for it to gather its patches and updates. Well once it finished I logged off LOTRO on the wife’s computer, having at this point been spoiled by how rich the sound was on her computer, and logged into LOTRO. And the results are…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………,

HOORAY TECH SUPPORT!!!!

After the reload, which seemed much more substantial than my initial loading of LOTRO for some reason, my sound was great. Now I can have my cake and eat it too, my wife’s computer is certainly not the gaming machine that my new build is and the graphics on that were bad enough that, had this not worked, I was considering just saying fooey to audio, and going with the MUCH better graphics of my new gamining rig.
Thanks goes out to Tech support for upping my game play experience through this simple though time protracted process.