Northern Lights - Faewynn of Gladden

This week's cold weather outfit was inspired by a bit of lore and a casual nighttime stroll through Forochel for some Lossoth recipes. Did you know that Forochel (or properly known as the Ice Bay of Forochel) is only the southernmost fragment of the land once known as Forodwaith? This region was once the great frozen expanse north of the Iron Mountains in the First Age. The land itself was unnaturally frigid, due to its closeness to the Gap of Ilmen, where the moon disappeared as it traveled around the world, the Helcaraxë, the icy waste connecting Aman and Middle-earth, and the evil cold generated by Melkor himself. At the end of the First Age, the War of Wrath occurred (the final battle between the Valar and Melkor) and the world shattered. Beleriand sunk into the sea along with most of the Iron Mountains and Forodwaith. However, Melkor's cold lingered well after the war.

Sometimes it's nice to learn about the history of a region!

A Warm Yuletide - Satella of Gladden

By far, my most shameless winter and holiday outfit to date. Why I say that? This outfit was heavily influenced by the mountie dress uniform a friend wore for Halloween. So, not only do you have an ensemble using Christmas colors, you have, arguably, LOTRO's first reinterpreted and embellished mountie. At least the traditional brown felt campaign hat isn't in the game, because that would be too much! This year, I've given you the perfect blend of security, hilarity, and holiday cheer...and a "virtual" tribute to one of the world's well known police forces!

Winter Windsinger - Morghann of Gladden

One of the common associations with winter is the need to wear warm, and often insulating, clothing. This week, instead of focusing on that particular association, I've opted to portray the season in another style. Questions like "If winter were a person, what style he/she wear?" or "How would winter perceive itself in terms of colors?" or even "What kind of personality does winter have?" were rolling through my mind. I'll admit, it's a bit of an abstract place to start, but I'd like to think the final product justifies the process. Here you have a relatively simple, elegant ensemble using a minimal amount of colors in an almost pastel, unimposing fashion.

Yule Festival 2014 Cosmetic Rewards and Steed

I was going to wait until the start of the Yule Festival to post this year's new cosmetic rewards, but as pictures are popping up all over the LOTRO forums and Twitter, I'll post them now. Please bear in mind that these screenshots are from Bullroarer as well as the currency costs listed below. Once this festival goes live, I can confirm the token costs.

I do have a bit of good news regarding these new barter additions. Unlike most cosmetics from the past two years' festivals, the cosmetics are neither overdone in terms of design and nor are they the same reskinned robe we've been seeing since the Summer Festival of 2013. It's about time, I say! On top of it, the new robe includes two different skins--a knee-length one for females and an ankle-length one for males. It's based on another unique cosmetic recently posted here. Even though it is reskinned, I'm overjoyed a different model was used! Even the steed caparison has a unique skin!

The Yule Festival runs from December 16, 2014 to January 15, 2015 this winter season.

As usual, to the left of each individual cosmetic is a version dyed evendim blue to demonstrate dye application.

Robe of Winter Winds - 35 Festival Tokens (female appearance)

Midnight Chill - Nathrien of Gladden

Today kicks off the first outfit featured in this year's Winter Series. Versus doing something in a traditional blue and white theme, I've decided to try something new and experiment with skins that have gone unused in the two to three years they've been in storage. The first being the Battered Dunlending Chestguard (or any the Dunland pieces sharing this skin), which features a chain mail undergarment covered with a fur-lined coat, topped off with a strap-laden leather jerkin. Until this post, I've never been able to match it very well with anything else. The second piece, the Yule Hoodless Cloak, displaying a blizzard-like pattern and a highly unique white trim with a difficult to match silvery sheen. This sheen is only found in this cloak and often stands out in any outfit, even at a distance. If it were a pure white, I'd have used it a very long time ago.

Here's winter for you...in a sleek, efficient, combat-oriented style!