Echoes of Eventide

Eventide, a poetic word to describe the time of day between late afternoon and evening. In this case, specifically, sunset.

With the exception of the cloak and circlet, this is the first time I've used many of these pieces. I had purchased the Ultimate Edition of Before the Shadow before I left LOTRO in early 2022. Two cosmetic sets came with the top tier package, the Valiant Armour of the Dúnedain and the Armour of Flowing Silver. I didn't have the chance to experiment with those sets back then, nor was I able to explore the alternative leveling path through Cardolan and Swanfleet. I've been prioritizing this blog and uploading new outfits over experiencing the new story, but I hope to create a new character and adventure through the new intro zones.

This appearance is centered upon the chest from the Dúnedain set. As gorgeous as it is, it was also difficult to integrate into an outfit. Almost every piece contains undyeable copper accents, limiting the number of colors that don't clash with those accents. Initially I worked with browns and other earthen tones. I made something that I loved. However, when I was taking screenshots in daylight, those coppery tones took on a slightly reddish hue. I was devastated and ended up scrapping the initial outfit. 

Back to square one, I started digging through the plugin ItemTreasury with great determination. After a few days, I found a perfect middle ground with pieces that turned a delightful warm copper through the use of Sunset Orange. (I'm going to age myself here and describe those colors as if they were the Crayola crayons of bittersweet and burnt sienna. I have no other way of putting a names to those colors). Did you know that the heavy crafted Minas Ithil pieces take on two colors when dyed? The fabric sections dye the true color and the plate sections dye a muted version of that color.

Head: Circlet of the Night Watcher (Black, bartered from the Lore-master class vendor in Dol Amroth)

Shoulders: Attacker's Pauldrons of the Rising Moon (Sunset orange, crafted from the Shoulder Guards of the Rising Moon metalsmith reputation recipe)

Back: Worn Cloak of the Ranger (Sunset orange, reward from the Vol 3 Epic Quest Separate Ways)

Chest: Valiant Chestplate of the Dúnedain (Black, Before the Shadow Collector's Edition box)

Hands: Attacker's Gauntlets of the Rising Moon (Sunset orange, crafted from the Gauntlets of the Rising Moon metalsmith reputation recipe)

Feet: Morgul Explorer's Sabatons (Sunset orange, bartered from Torodon in Echad Uial)

Weapon: Sealed Reforged Captain's Halberd of the Second Age, level 100 (Crafted from recipe of same name)

Simple Fashion - Dresses, Part 3

Honestly, I'm surprised that I never posted another installment for dresses before leaving in 2021, especially under the Simple Fashion tag. For those of you new to Material Middle-earth, my Simple Fashion category is designed for mostly minimalist outfits using as few cosmetics as possible. Most will use two or three pieces and, on the rare occasion, four. In addition to dresses, I've tackled hauberks, tunics, and robes. To find all of those easily, either click the Simple Fashion tag at the bottom of this entry or follow this convenient link here, covering everything created under this umbrella category over the years.

Without further ado, here are three dresses.

 

Head: Circlet of Fresh-picked Flowers (Turquoise, Farmers Faire barter reward)

Shoulders: Ascot Scarf  (White, Farmers Faire barter reward)

Chest: Picnic Dress (Turquoise, Summer Festival barter reward)

Lavender Resolve

“She danced along the edges of life, like lavender in the wind, delicate yet resilient.” – Unknown

Lavender. The least used color in my shared storage. Why use it now? I've used rose, purple, violet, indigo, and shire plum on multiple occasions, but I've only ever used lavender one other time. That and...I hade sixty-something vials collecting dust. While I was mixing and matching the pieces seen here, I had a flashback to a particular heavy armor outfit from Cosmetic LOTRO called "The Rose." I've wished the community embraced purples and pinks. In a game where colors have primarily been masculine, earthen tones, I've believed there's always been potential for softer, more feminine colors to be used in a way that preserves strength, authority, and resiliency.

Verdant

 

It's been a cold, bitter winter this year and I've been yearning for warmer weather. And every year, the season has felt like it's getting progressively longer. Even the trees felt like they've taken forever to bloom. To scratch that itch, I decided to make something green, something floral. In the end, this outfit, at it's core, became a delightful and eclectic mishmash of Spring Festival and Midsummer Festival pieces. 

Shadow of the Vale

 

Between 2012 and 2021, I've uploaded over 200 outfits to Material Middle-earth. I'm still astonished by that number. It wasn't always a labor of love. Not all of these outfits came together easily or naturally. There were some that were a genuine struggle that took days or even weeks to feel like they were complete. And there were some, though not very many, that never felt worth uploading.

This particular appearance was one of them. I don't know why—in fact, I don't remember why—I left this one in a folder labeled "Unfinished Ideas" in 2020. In that folder, there are screenshots of outfits that never made it beyond the in-game dressing room panel. Perhaps it took the full three year absence to appreciate the unique blend of contrasting styles and armor types seen here.