Turbine Inc has given us another look at an important place in Middle Earth.

In the protected Valley of Rivendell, near the western slopes of the Misty Mountains stands the legendary House of Elrond, home to generations of noble Elves and a refuge for certain weary travelers in these dark days. Often called “The Last Homely House,” this large and beautiful dwelling has been a tranquil yet well-protected and strongly-guarded refuge for as long as most memories can recall. Indeed, the Valley of Rivendell has been the home to Elrond and his people since well before the beginning of the Third Age, more than 3,000 years past. The house itself is expansive, with a seemingly endless array of rooms, libraries, gardens and other tranquil spaces. The dominant room in the home is the Hall of Fire, a large, pillared room so-named for the tremendous hearth in which a roaring fire is ever-burning. The Hall of Fire is a place of quiet reflection for most hours of the day, but is also a vibrant gathering place for lively song and storytelling in times of celebration. It is said that old Bilbo Baggins himself, now a resident of the House of Elrond in Rivendell, often frequents the Hall of Fire for a bit of writing, and, if truth be told, even more bits of napping.

It is here, within the House of Elrond, that the Fellowship of the Ring was recently formed, and from which the journey to destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom is about to depart. Elrond, the wise counselor and master of Rivendell remains here, available to provide guidance and counsel to travelers from distant lands. Adventurers who find themselves in Rivendell would be well-advised to spend as much time as can be spared there to enjoy and explore the house and its grounds, for there are also many celebrated guests staying under Elrond’s care and protection at this time. Much can be learned from speaking with those who dwell within, as well as from spending time in the expansive library and marveling at the collected treasures displayed throughout.

The design of Rivendell and its surrounding valley for LOTRO was inspired by drawings made by Professor Tolkien himself. Rivendell, as home to the Elves, the most ancient of all the races in Middle-earth, is a place of extreme reverence and historical significance, so great care was taken in crafting the details of Rivendell and this remarkable dwelling. Throughout the home, there are many areas designed for social interaction with other adventurers and for the sharing of knowledge, gained both in the wilderness of Middle-earth, and also discovered in the ancient books in the home’s library, which chronicle much of the events of the history of Middle-earth. Rivendell is a hub of activity for many in-game events, and as such will no doubt be a favored destination of those familiar with The Lord of the Rings and the significance of the region.
Thats all for todays (or yesterdays) update.

Its that time again folks, when Turbine grace us with another LOTRO sneak peak, this week, its a place called Agamaur (aka The Red Swamp)

North of the Great East Road, as it leads from the barrens of the Lone-lands to the Last Bridge, north also of the ruins of Ost Guruth, home of the scavenging Eglain, lies a vast marsh known as the Red Swamp. The swamp had not always been this way. Once, it had been a small lake beside a green meadow, but tales tell that a great bloody battle between the Hillmen of Rhudaur and the armies of Arthedain and Cardolan took place upon that site. The blood of the fallen tainted the water of the lake, corrupting it and the lands around it.

Little did the Men of Arthedain realize that within the lake, which now lies in the northern reaches of the Red Swamp, slept a powerful creature of nature. This once-peaceful being fell beneath the corruption of the swamp and awakened as something hideously destructive, slaying with abandon to feed her bloodlust. The Eglain of Ost Guruth say that the Dead have arisen within the bounds of Agamaur, the northern reaches of the swamp, and that evil men now dwell within the ruins of Garth Agarwen, worshiping the power which dwells there. It is also said that the shades of the Men of Arthedain can be found somewhere within the swamp, cursed by a great Power for failing to reclaim the swamp from the corruption which taints the land.

The designers of LOTRO were able to take advantage of a stretch of land with little to no history or description and combine it with themes from the lore to create Agamaur and the rest of the Red Swamp, a treacherous questing arena for the truly daring. Players of The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar would be wise to gather friends before venturing into the marshes of Agamaur, for the dangers which prowl the Red Swamp are far beyond the measure of a lone adventurer.

And so you have it, Turbines depiction of this location.

FYI, when this little bitty was realeased to the via the forums, it was getting a lot of heat, claiming it was too WoW/DnD/Warhammer-ish. But personally, I think it is a nice change to rolling hills and rivers.

Well Hello, I would like to introduce myself as one of the new writers here at lotro.us. I’m a big fan of Tolkien, and he even inspired me to write my own fantasy book. But lets get off that and on to LOTRO!

If you haven’t noticed last Friday, LOTRO, and Turbine announced the new Founders program. It is a new innovative program with goodies for Turbine and the player base. First they get money. Good I say. Second we get the ability to pre-order the game, for 49.99, all the way up untill 30 days after the launch on April 24th (I know it isn’t exactly “pre”-order AFTER the launch, but oh well, good for the players I say). We then get the ability to play in open beta, come March 30th. Also, if we do this, our player actually rolls-over to the live game, but there is a level cap so we can’t grind up to level 50 in open beta, and then use that avatar in live. It’ll most likely be a level 20 cap, I’m guessing. We also get a Ring of Agility, and an Enchanted Cloak of Regeneration. Theres still more! We also, if we pre-order, and become a founder(no cost just a title), get to choose either a lifetime membership(yes you heard it lifetime membership, this counts for account month upkeep, but it won’t stop for expansions, nor will it buy the expansions), for only $199.99, or we can get a reduced cost of $9.99 per month, for the lifetime of your account. The rest of it can be read here…. http://www.lotro.com/preorder
Beside the Founder’s program we also got the specs for the game. And they are located here…http://www.lotro.com/index.php?page_id=104

I would like to say, it is very awesome they made the range sogood, the low specs are good enough for bottom line computers, but still the top of the line can take advantage of the great graphics of the game.

-Izzy

Writer~Contributer

As travelers head east toward the Misty Mountains, leaving behind the barren Lone-lands and the treacherous hills of the Trollshaws, the roar of the River Bruinen, or “Loadwater,” fills the air. At the Ford of Bruinen, where the Great East Road crosses the mighty river as it approaches the Valley of Rivendell, the swift waters can be easily crossed at these shallows just below the picturesque falls. Many adventurers, however, tell tales of sensing the presence of great and natural power emanating from the river, protecting the hidden valley of the Elves, which lies just beyond the ford.

The approach to Rivendell is at once awe-inspiring, tranquil, serene, and also potentially dangerous for travelers through this land. The Ford of Bruinen is well-known to readers of The Lord of the Rings as the location where Frodo made his last flight to cross the waters of the Bruinen in the hopes of making the safety of Elrond’s home in Rivendell. It is also well-known that the Elves of Middle-earth, and especially those that dwell in the valley of Rivendell, are fiercely protective of their home against the darkness encroaching on the lands. Travelers would do well to declare their friendly intentions as soon as the roar of the Bruinen is heard, for the guards of Rivendell seldom make their presence known and can strike swiftly and silently at any they do not welcome as friends.

The adventures of Bilbo Baggins, as chronicled in The Hobbit, nearly ended rather abruptly in the area known as the Trollshaws when he and his companions encountered three trolls named Bert, Tom, and William. Bilbo and the dwarves narrowly escaped becoming a meal for the hungry trolls after Gandalf intervened and set the trolls to arguing over the best way to prepare a feast of Hobbit- and Dwarf-meat. As the sun rose, and the argument continued unresolved, the light of the dawn turned the trolls to stone, where they remain to this day.

Adventurers today in the Trollshaws, an area not far from the Great East Road as it makes its way out of the Lone-lands, will come upon the three statues that remain chillingly lifelike, despite the more than seventy years of time that has passed since the dim-witted trolls were tricked by the wandering wizard. Travelers should know, however, that recent tales have been told of larger, more fearsome breeds of Trolls that no longer fear the effects of the sun, so while this tranquil, shaded glen may provide a moment of entertainment to witness the fates of poor Bert, Tom, and William, remember that perhaps future encounters between Trolls and adventurers will not end so well for the unwary.

Situated prominently high above the fine stonework floor of Thorin’s Hall, adventurers will come upon the great, empty Throne of Thorin, named for Thorin II, known also as Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain, the last of the line of Dwarf-kings to sit within these halls in Ered Luin. More than 150 years ago (in TA 2845), Thorin ascended to the throne of Durin’s Folk after the disappearance of his father, Thrain II. Thorin, however, was a King in Exile, his people having been forced from their rightful home by the great dragon Smaug. It is from these halls that Thorin and Company set out to reclaim their kingdom beneath Lonely Mountain (picking up a certain Burglar along the way). The throne, crafted by the greatest of the Dwarf-artisans, is a work of art unto itself, carved from the very rock that forms the foundation of the towering Blue Mountains overhead.

Thorin’s Throne is one of the many discoveries players will find when adventuring within Ered Luin. Thorin’s Hall, and the nearby Silverdeep Mines, are areas which serve as an important crossroads and meeting place for many of the races of Middle-earth. Dwarves and Elves frequent the area, along with the mysterious Rangers; many familiar faces from the pages of The Lord of the Rings have also been seen throughout the region on unknown business in these troubled times.

Thorin’s Throne and the surrounding halls demonstrate many dramatic architectural and crafting styles, with a scope to suit the grandeur of Middle-earth’s greatest craftsmen, the Dwarves. All around are impressive works of stone, intricately carved from beneath the roots of the towering mountains, then meticulously crafted down to the finest of detail. The Dwarf-mansion of Ered Luin is both a practical, common space for adventurers as well as an artistic marvel for exploration and discovery.

The great halls of Thorin, delved beneath the Ered Luin in western Middle-earth are amongst the greatest wonders of craftsmanship and building found anywhere in the world. It has been nearly 80 years since Thorin himself journeyed away from this Dwarf-mansion of soaring stone to reclaim his rightful place beneath Erebor, in his noble quest to Lonely Mountain to defeat the dragon Smaug (a well-documented adventure, indeed!). Though Thorin was never to return to this place, having fallen in the Battle of the Five Armies after successfully reclaiming his throne, Thorin’s Halls in the Blue Mountains remain a vibrant center of activity in the region.

Dwarf characters new to Middle-earth will begin their grand adventures here in the Ered Luin, within Thorin’s Halls and down into the darkness of the nearby Silverdeep Mines. The region, situated along the western shores of Middle-earth, not far from the Grey Havens of the Elves, and also quite close to the Shire of the Hobbits, is designed as a vibrant crossroads of many of Middle-earth’s diverse races. The Ered Luin, also known as the Blue Mountains, is an area rich in the history of Middle-earth, figuring prominently throughout the ages, however, there are very few adventures documented in detail here within The Lord of the Rings books, making it a perfect place for new players to discover never-before-experienced regions as they begin their exploration of the lands.

In the high North Downs, stretching to the north and east of the Fields of Fornost, where the last king of Arthedain fought a losing battle against the Witch-king of Angmar and the North-kingdom ended, lay the scattered remains of the once-great city of Fornost Erain, the Norbury of the Kings. In the legends of the Men of Bree, these ruins have become the haunt of spirits and robbers and have an ill-omened name, Deadman’s Dike. Little is it known that Rangers also go there at times to venerate their ancestors and remember their great deeds.

This watch-tower, its name long-forgotten, once overlooked the eastern reaches of Fornost of which little now remains. Though crumbling and decrepit, it still stands as a grand testament to the architects of Arnor, a monument both carved from the living stone upon which it rests and built from stone blocks and mortar. The ruined tower yet watches over the eastern gate of Fornost, which still stands amidst crumbling walls, bearing the charge of the Seven Stars, though the courtyard beyond has become home to cursed shades, tainted by failure and betrayal.

While in general the North Downs is a largely unexplored territory, that is not true of the place where this tower resides. In the histories of Arnor, the North-kingdom of the Dúnedain, Fornost plays a key role. This is where the kings of Arthedain set up their throne after the decay of Annúminas and held against two invasions by the Witch-king of Angmar and his allies in Rhudaur, only to fall at last. It was briefly held as the seat of the Witch-king’s power in Arthedain, until a captain of Gondor and his Elvish allies drove him out again.

One day’s journey east of Bree on the Great East Road, travelers will find the Forsaken Inn, and it is likely to be the last outpost of civilized life they will encounter for some time to come. The Inn itself is in disrepair, with a variety of cobbled-together wall fragments and a severely neglected roof – however, any roofed structure (even one with only half of its roof still intact), is a welcome sight in these lawless lands.

Since it is only briefly mentioned in the pages of The Lord of the Rings, the Forsaken Inn had to be designed from the ground up for The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar to reflect a once-popular travelers’ lodge, now all but consumed by the ages and the elements. In creating this all-but-forgotten social gathering place, the design team at Turbine has scripted a number of pivotal moments of plot development, as well as numerous task offerings and trading opportunities, to make the Forsaken Inn an important hub of activity. The region around the Inn, now known as the Lone-lands, is an expansive grassy wilderness between Bree and the Trollshaws. Once a pivotal kingdom of mighty Arnor long ago, in these darkening days this wilderness is not to be traveled lightly, despite its noticeably sparse population. The surrounding hills are home to brigands and shadowy characters of many sorts. Operating amongst the ruins found in several places throughout the region, these marauders understand the value of the artifacts that can be unearthed throughout the area and fiercely guard the ruins. These brigands also prey upon the unwary, and an adventurer who strikes out on the Great East Road to Rivendell without first knowing the dangers of the surrounding lands makes an all-too-easy target.

Forest, the River Withywindle is a place of strange happenings and of dark and ancient legends. When adventuring in unknown areas within the Old Forest, travellers would be wise to avoid these winding, slow-moving waters, though doing so may prove difficult – The Withywindle has a way of drawing the unwary toward its deceptively tranquil surface and into its dark depths. It is also said that strange creatures of the forest – and even the very willow trees themselves along the Withywindle’s banks – are agents of its ancient evil.

As readers of The Lord of the Rings are no doubt aware, the Old Forest and the journey to the banks of the Withywindle represent some of the strangest and most exciting locales for brave adventurers to explore in all of Eriador. Taking the lead from Professor Tolkien himself, leaving the relative safety of Buckland and travelling the winding paths to the Withywindle in LOTRO is a journey full of unexpected twists and turns, where nothing is truly quite what it seems. Adventurers should travel with caution, keeping an eye out for strange beasts and even the menacing movements of the trees on all sides. Unexpected pitfalls abound for the unwary all through the wood. However, the ancient voices of the Old Forest are not all in opposition to travellers. A keen observer will find the home of Tom Bombadil and Goldberry along the river’s banks –but beware, for the wickedness of the Old Forest lies all around, even in these rare areas of friendliness and apparent safety.