Summerdays Horse, and Defeat of Chieftain Taun

Summerdays Horse

Summer Festival is here! Finally!

Read the CSTM guide. Go. Do. Enjoy. I will talk more about it soon. For now, here is a pretty picture of my new pretty horse. He is already in the Horse Gallery; go see some of the rest… All the Steeds

I have an exciting tale to bring you. One I have been waiting FOREVER to write.

Defeat of Chieftain Taun

(last mentioned in steed-of-burglar-and-cheating-in-moors)

It was the 22nd of August and the horde had overrun the Ettenmoors. I had joined forces with the Free People in hopes of holding back defeat a while longer. As I approached the Lumber Camp, there were twelve Free People, mostly defeated, and I saw the horde as thick as night. In reality, their numbers were nearly double ours in the area. I saw no creeps fall before I was cut down and had to retreat.

Whispers came that there were spies in our midst. Apparently, there had been “lurkers” following the movement of the freep raid and reporting on strength and position. The raid leader gathered our forces. The creeps had every single position in Ettenmoors… where should we go? What should we do?

I sent a message to raid leader HeartofFire that the creeps would never expect us to attack the main stronghold of Dargazag and claim victory over our Gift of the Carrock while they had every keep and outpost. I did advise HeartofFire that my military strategy was lined with an ulterior motive. I had a personal vendetta and deed that I was hunting the elusive Chieftain Taun and I knew that he was comfortably protected deep within Dargazag at that moment. A friend had told me not 15 minutes prior that though there were a half dozen friends here tonight, the Creeps were a wall of enemy and we would be cut down before we made it anywhere near Chieftain Taun.

No words came in reply to my request, but I suspected (no, I hoped very much) that we might make an attempt, even though success was slim. Third Marshall Ballblitz took the rest of the team on a circuitous path south and west. Patient. Waiting. Going in circles. Sloughing off spies. Crossing further into enemy territory quickly and waiting. We were alone. The calls came out from the spies, “Where had the raid gone?” The queries were met with silence or misdirection. The known leader HeartofFire was being watched; so he waited at Ost Ryngdyr, watching across the battlefield as our team approached the enemy stronghold.

We struck quickly from our secret position and moved rapidly through Dargazag. Every orc and troll in the place wanted to make our entry more difficult, but we were committed and could not turn back. Surprised, Taun met our team at the final hall.

As the creeps were alerted to our presence, our team of Macmerkin, Nidh, Ballblitz, Memyr, Lillyn, Dischord, Jaremir, Vickson, Chiefbigbow, Kitarald, Ozman, Ironhands, and myself defeated the notoriously elusive Cheiftain Taun!

With spiders and dogs working around the corner, Tyrant Durgrat also fell, then a hard fought run back across the Ettemoors brought glory to the Free People! (…at least for the moment.)

For our effort, seven of us that had never met all the Chieftains before (me), shall now be known as “Conqueror of Dargazag”. Yay team! Yay deeds!

Ettenmoors: Dana's scrapbook

What a summer! I have been spending more time the past 2 weeks watching Olympics than actually questing. It is one of the few sporting events I watch and in typical fashion, I do it to excess.

Since Ettenmoors is about to get a facelift and remodel, I looked back through my Moors photo file and pulled some of the better ones. I don’t have much witty commentary today; so as followup to the previous <ettenmoors-75-rk-armor-audacity>, here I bring you… my Moors scrapbook. The picture above is where I am standing on a hill in the north, looking down the Hoardale River toward Tol Ascarnen and STAB (south TA bridge).

This next shot is an older one, where I am in Moria armor, before I got the original level 65 Moors armor. I am riding Minas Ithil and meeting Malendar, Arkenstone’s #1 Moors RK who is riding the black PVP steed, Mahogany Bay. Stout Mini Firawing welcomes me; she knows what is in store and has her lightning blue track shoes laced up.

It did not take long to meet up with and make friends with Tharros, the #2 Arkenstone Moors Hunter. He explains what the Moors flags are for and why he is carrying it on his back.

I am well flanked between Tharros and Malendar as we ride toward TA. The fact that I ride out front is more young exuberance, and definitely not because I was “leading” anything.

Friend an fellow RK Nidrad and I are dressed as twinsies.

Going out as a pocket healer to two excellent hunters is a safe place to be sometimes, as I follow Tharros and Woodstalker into battle. This shot was taken before the Commendation armors, back when all high end armor wasn't dyed Rust color.

Heading to Grothum, hunter Woodstalker senses the horde coming our way. Burg Audrelier throws his stealthy protection over us to help us hide or turn the tide.

Sometimes, full Raid versus Raid is the only way to go when the Creeps dominate the land. The Creep raid had taken TR and The Freep Raid presses the door to try to win it back.

And, sometimes, the Freeps win the day and route all there is to see. (Blue dots on the map are Freep controlled; Red dots are Creep controlled.)

Midnightgirl and I are out to save the day!... or at least rescue the hobbit Alf Earthenway from an untimely demise at the hands of goblins in Grothum.

Guardian Corinthianz and I watch from a higher vantage point near the Lugazug entrance waiting to see if the horde is coming to flank us. Dressed in bright gold, one would think he might attract more attention. That should be a requirement that Guards dress as flashy as possible, lol!

A bonnie Bonie burg might be small and favor riding a goat, but she packs a punch!

Tyrant Barashish cannot hold Tirith Rhaw against an assault of a coordinated small team of Auderelier, Corviss, Ioteleth, Midnightgirl, Lillyn, and myself. Like all the keep bosses, at this pre-Rohan update, a small strike force will take them out unless they have more than minimal Creep support.

Amidst a break in the swarming warg pack, Commander Cherrypop and I both go to rez fallen comrade Azarath.

Deep within the heart of the Creeps at Dar Gazag, I stop for a photo op with the Creep trainers, Dolith and Gavran. It is a bad day for the Creeps when the Freeps are standing in their stronghold.

If you ever wondered what happened to Mordirith’s Crown, the Creeps salvaged it and use it to bolster the horde. Claiming and bringing it back to Ost Ringdyr is celebrated throughout Middle Earth (until they reclaim it).

Like the Crown, the Free People have a symbolic object of victory that they will try to keep protected. Here is a picture of story text associated with each.

In case you think that the Devs don’t have a sense of humor, stop by and visit the “Dummies” in the Moors. You can take out your frustration there versus cursing in open forums. J Kudos Kelsen, Jalessa, and Orion.

You'll Yule festival!

Alrighty then! I am alive and well in my new bloggy home! I’m ever so glad that you have made your way here too.

I have so many things in my head to write about… but the first one that I didn’t want to overlook was Yule festival!  “But Dana”, you say… “This is February; it isn’t Yule fest time”. Too-true, too-true… Yule fest did end only three weeks ago due to the unusually long fest duration and we haven’t had another fest, so it still counts. Besides, I really liked some of the pictures. J

Beginning:

To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall… Now dash away, Dash away! Dash away all!

Lead on Cremello Szand! Festival has begun!

So many things to do, so many things to see! Dalyn, put us in the mood with a lil holiday jingle and welcome visitors to Frostbluff.

Abominable 2011

“Mr. Bumble… <poke, poke>. Mr. Bumble, time to wake up…I saw some fresh deer wandering by… the red-nosed ones are extra sweet. Time to get up and play at festival!”

Snowman Army 2011

“Mwah-ha-ha-ha! My snowman army grows larger! Last year we were relegated to the far field. Now we move closer to take over the town. Our numbers grow. Good work to my minion Virgil Greenfield for paying the people to build the army that will enslave them. Beware!”

Dancing

Time to go out with friends and do a lil line dancing! Irialeth, Cherrypop, and I bring the dancing to the people, dancing overhead at the entrance to Frostbluff.

New Horses

Festival steeds! Some of my favorite steeds! Every festival the lil danas and I go out to pick up our festival horses. The strangest thing happened this festival. Hengstacer offered two new steeds this past Yule. That had not happened before. In festival’s past, Hengstacer offers a newly designed tack for the current festival as well as the previous year’s festival. This Yule, there were new two steeds plus the last year’s steed. I’m not sure if someone got overzealous and it came out in err, but there it is. J The grey one with white covering is the first 2011 Yule steed (offered beginning 12/20), and the brown one with blue covering was the second 2011 Yule steed (that showed up at the farm around the first week of January).

A Goat!

I forgot I even had this goat. Goats are a bit unnatural as a steed, but I like them all the same. As I was recalling fond memories of Yule, I came across this picture of me on a Fleet-Footed Goat riding through Frostbluff, so I must have gotten it as a Christmas present from the lotro store and forgotten. What WAS in that Mystery Drink anyway??? I’m going to have to check the stable when I get home to see if I got any other steeds.

A Property Guard

Some of this is coming back to me now. There was a good sale, and who could pass up a good sale? Somechick the “Elf Female Property Guard” was part of the Christmas shopping. She is free to roam, but mostly she just stands there in the yard making sure no dwarves or goats try to swipe mail from the mailbox. You go Somechick! When the lil danas finally move out of my house, it is good to know Somechick will still be there making sure the property is guarded.

Consumables

Oh consumables. The snowballs were fun. You earn them, you throw them, you earn the experience of having the skill to always gather a snowball to throw. Very useful. …but, oh the shocker of three of the other festival skills. Those three were tied to the same Cooldown timer, and that timer was 5 minutes. Since you need 300 for deed completion, that would be 1500 minutes worth of consumabling for EACH of those three. To get all three, it is 4500 minutes. Really? Working alone, that is 75 Hours minimum to complete the consumable deeds? Really? Which silly person came up with that as a reasonable deed?

I express my shock and dismay.

I gave it a shot, working on it several times with others such as Nimitar, Chupachup, Daweirdo, Weimar, Ariahnnas, and Thenarch, but alas, I did not finish those three. I made it about halfway with another 50 each of the three consumables that I stored in the vault for later use. If two other people did the same, and we worked on it another 13 hours, I would finish. But, really? Those will remain the only three festival deeds I have ever skipped.

Danadalyn advises that sometimes one can consume a lil bit too much. Wise words lil dana.

Theatre

The theatre. The theatre is a lot of fun! I look forward to another story from the hobbits next year. Last year, the lil danas and I must have watched or performed that show a hundred times. It does sum up their attitude though. The show is about how Gandalf, the villain, led poor Bilbo off on an adventure. Gandalf is the bad guy, the dwarves are bad guys, yada yada.

Claus was busy with whatever-it-is-he-does and missed last year’s festival. This year’s extra duration Yule let him join in the frivolity. Here is a shot of “the star” meditating backstage.

As much fun as it is to actually perform, sometimes, it is better just to hang out with friends and watch others perform. Here Isilibel, Belile, and I wait in the audience and watch Candykane star as the hero of the show and silence the critics with her moving emotes.

Friends

One thing I have always liked about festival, is that often I see friends I don’t normally see. Festival has a way of bringing people together. Sometimes, I meet new friends there also. Here are a few from Yule.

Tanais. I nearly always see Tanais at festival. She is my friend, and one of the leaders of the Swords and Spirits. I first met Tanais in the theatre last year.

Saeiranos. I met Sae at this Yule festival. She joined the Riders of Rohan during festival and I am glad she is around.

Lynrial. Here is Lynrial talking to Danaish. I’ve known Lynrial longer than nearly anyone else in Middle Earth.

Sparowen. I met Sparowen at the 4th Anniversary party when we were playing in the beer brawl.

Lynrieth. I have known Lynrieth almost as long as I’ve known Lynrial. Mebbe longer.

Nimitar. Here is Nimitar chatting with Danaszar. There are not many that are more determined to make the most of festival than I am. Nimitar of one of those people... without even having to ask, I’m pretty sure he completed his 300 festival consumable deeding.

Cherrypop. Where did I meet Cherrypop? She has always been here hasn’t she? I believe I met and hung out with her at one of the earliest festival I ever attended. She has been my friend as long as I can remember. She is notable as one of the highest ranking RKs in the moors, and her name makes a warg’s fur stand on end and defilers turn grey with dread. I gave Cherry the red skirt in the picture for Christmas. It was lovely but I am not fashion-wise enough to know how to match it. Within a day, Cherry had assembled the ensemble below. Mad skills.

Lobelia, the grinch who nearly stole Christmas

Well, you can’t have festival without a lil drama.

Our heroine, Danadalyn, upon entering Frostbluff could immediately sense something amiss. Why does the guard want ME to bother these poor people who are sitting around town? Why not just put them to work? If they really have nowhere to go here in town, why not head to Bree? There seem to be lots of people doing nothing there. Learn a trade, mebbe? Then you too could stand around Galtrev crafting basement. At least it is warm.

Ah, Danadalyn confronts Banker Archbluff. He blames me for the plight of the poor? Why is it everyone else’s fault Archie? You know what… someone has been messing with your mind… You haven’t been talking to someone named Sarah Oakheart have you? No?

Hmm….

Donning her riding cap, Danadalyn rides toward the Shire.

Yes, as expected, Lobelia might be behind this.

Hmm… she is using an old Shire law, “Whosever resides in the Hill at Bag End shall be charged with the planning of festival activities and shall preside over said activities…”.

Lobelia is pilfering money out of Frostbluff with the help of Mayor Goodnough to line his pockets and bankroll some project.

How to stop her?

Ah-ha!

The Great Smials holds the library of Shire records and the Book of Festival Law. If enough signatures can be signed on this petition, we can vote her out of festival planning. That is a start. But, how to get Lobelia to admit she was wrong and return the money to those citizens of Frostbluff?

I need a bit of help. Time to call on the big man.

With a bit of Yule magic, Danaclaus pulls out a bag of “Dear Danaclaus” letters written by good lil hobbits during the yule season. With a hearty chuckle, he pulls one out of the stack and acknowledges that this opened letter was delivered to him by mistake and that he was returning it to its rightful owner. The letter was written by Lobelia and addressed to Mayor Goodno. Perhaps you can get it to its destination, Danadalyn?

Ha! Caught in the act by your own words. You intended to split the festival profits between yourself and Mayor Goodno! Time to do the right thing Lobelia. Do it for the lil ones like Marigold. (whispers… “show the sad panda face Marigold”). Thus, festival is saved and the people said “Hurrah!”.

End

Fear not, Angels are all around you. Sometimes you just need to look up.