Winter Series - Steel-clad Santa

It began with a simple shout-out in GLFF meant to relieve a bit of boredom waiting for this year's festivities to start. I jokingly dared someone to cosmetically challenge me for the holiday season. I seriously wasn't expecting to hear anything. Then BAM! A single tell rolled in from an anonymous player--"Make a Santa that rides to war in Rohan!" My initial reaction? Forehead met palm with a loud smack. Good grief. I kinda dug myself a hole and I had to find a way to climb out of it. It took about three days, but here we are...a chainmail-wearing, pauldron-toting, backpack-slinging interpretation of St. Nick that can still deliver gifts to children scattered across the open plains of Rohan. Isengard and Mordor beware!

I would have loved to take these screenshots in the Wildermore, but I don't have any males from the Race of Man capable of riding war-steeds, let alone passing the Hollin Gate. I found myself trekking through the Trollshaws to the Misty Mountains for some snowy scenery. It must have been a stroke of luck crossing the zone borders because it started to snow heavily. It was the perfect weather for an off the wall holiday post!

Why use the Hauberk of the Greenwood? This outfit needed a broad base and I couldn't find any particular heavy armor with any combination of red, green, and white other than that hauberk. Pieces fell in one at a time, making this feel oddly symmetrical in both a vertical and horizontal fashion. I loved that some elements from the many depictions of Santa were still present at the end. The traditional reds and whites, the fluffy trimmings on the boots and hat, the bright greens I once saw in a robe he was wearing as a kid. Despite the armored appearance, I believe this came out good : )

~ Happy Holidays from Material Middle-earth! ~

And remember, if you hear jingling on the rooftops tonight, that's not Santa's reindeer. That's his chainmail hauberk!

A reindeer wandered into sight as I was taking this final photo. A little of that holiday magic at work?

Head: Wintry Yule Cap (Red, Yule Festival sack of presents version)
Shoulders: Potent Wildermore Pauldrons of Battle (Red, T8 Wildermore metalsmith recipe)
Back: Wintry Yule Backpack (Dark green, Yule Festival token reward)
Chest: Hauberk of the Greenwood (Dark green, LOTRO Store or lockbox reward)
Hands: Ceremonial Town-saver's Gloves (Crimson, cosmetic skirm vendor medium Rift armor)
Feet: Ceremonial Ajokoira Shoes (Red, T5 Lossoth reputation tailor recipe)