When I was deeding on my hunter some several months ago, I felt inspired by the landscape existing between Stangard in the Eorlsmead and Haldirith in Thinglad to make a suitable outfit. The area is rich in earthen tones and shades of grey while maintaining a somewhat simplistic atmosphere. It's been at least a year, perhaps two, since I completed any quests out here and I had forgotten how beautiful it was. In recent weeks, I returned to take pictures of this outfit, which I hope caught the feel of the Great River zone.
The central piece to this outfit, the Potent Battle Armor of the Mark, was sitting in my storage for at least six months. I recall becoming frustrated several times working with this chest piece because of the inherent clipping in the shoulder, hand, foot regions. There's something about it that differed from many of the hauberk and tunic-like pieces found in the game. It's not quite skin-tight. It took time to find combinations of gear bulkier than the chest to circumvent ninety five percent of the clipping, and even then it was only minimally visible in both the underarms and back of the boots. I don;t know why, but this aspect of clothing is endemic to the Eastfold tier of crafting.
I can't believe that it's the end of August already. This means I've somehow managed to keep up the weekly pace of outfits for an entire year without burning myself out. Go me! With so many friends and kinship members leaving LOTRO shortly after Helm's Deep release, I haven't had to face the predicament of balancing dungeon grinding for gear, leveling alts, and outfitting simultaneously. I've been able to move through the game at my own pace and enjoying it, right up to Western Gondor. Despite the inherent loneliness, not having the stress of playing has definitely made this hobby easier to pursue.
See you next week with a new outfit!
Shoulders: Ceremonial Spear-shaker's Shoulders (Walnut brown, skirm camp cosmetics vendor--Helegrod medium armor)
Chest: Potent Battle Armor of the Mark (Umber, T8 Tailor recipe)
Hands: Ceremonial Spear-shaker's Gauntlets (Walnut brown, skirm camp cosmetics vendor--Helegrod medium armor)
Feet: Disused Boots of the Dunland Soothsayer (Umber, Dunland quest reward)
This is beautiful! I think I remember Emridir wearing this when you ported me to Mirkwood that one afternoon, and thinking that I quite liked it. It fits so well with the surroundings. I absolutely LOVE the screenshots where he is holding the arrow in one hand and the bow in another.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Makaia! I'm glad to hear this works with the environment. It makes life interesting creating an outfit to fit the surroundings versus finding the surroundings that jive with the outfit :)
DeleteThat first screenshot (my favorite one) was a royal pain to get. I don't know how many times either the arrow or the bowstring disappeared during the animation.
Wonderful! Male elves are imho the only race who can wear this chest piece without too many deformations or strange lumps (still bleeds through the boots though). There's not a lot to be done with this piece as dye colors don't alter it much but it's perfect like this for a hunter. Love that bow too!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Hymne! I feel that same way about that chest piece. Even after the model updates, male elves have been able to wear it best. The boots were a tough choice, but anything with a folded cuff hid the clipping best.
Delete