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!

Feathered Scholar - Cirilyn of Gladden

Hopefully this will be my last swan-themed outfit. I've released one every week for the past four Saturdays and I wouldn't be surprised if you're wanting to see something else (I know I am). Turkey Day has come and gone for me and I would have very much liked to make a turkey-themed ensemble...but somehow it wouldn't feel quite lore appropriate, would it? I don't think turkeys even exist in Middle-earth! I hope those of you who celebrated the holiday enjoyed yourselves fully!

Aaaaand back to the outfit...

Studded Ranger - Aerthain of Gladden

Here's that particular outfit I mentioned last week, the one that somewhat resembles one of Hymne's previous outfits, The Passing of the Grey Company. It's a rare sight having an earthen-toned outfit featured on this blog, let alone a Ranger one. This would be my first Ranger-themed creation. I usually find them a little overdone, especially after seeing multiple blog posts over the years and an inordinate amount of hunters wearing the Ranger or Grey Company sets from the epic books. They were a dime a dozen and I'm not fond of looking like everybody else (just like with those undyeable pre-order cosmetic sets). However, the Medium Nadhin Jacket gave me the opportunity to make something that I felt would stand out of that particular crowd.

Sea-bound Swan - Aldebaraan of Gladden

I feel like I've been periodically synching up with other LOTRO fashion bloggers. About a week after finishing the draft for this in early August, Gloredh from Wandering Around Arda had posted something strikingly similar in concept. In case you're wondering why I didn't post this immediately, I have a carefully arranged schedule of posts that last for weeks and sometimes months. If I had, that schedule would have needed some serious rearranging. Therefore, I think it's much easier just to add each new outfit I make to the back of the queue. Next week's post will be something visually similar to one of Hymne's outfits. This was also another one done shortly before she posted hers. Hopefully, the one after that will actually feel original! (It's always awkward when you feel like you've copied someone else.)

Swan Keeper - Lanael of Gladden

I've always had a fascination with such a lore-rich and beautiful landscape--this time with Dol Amroth. You see, Lothlórien was the last area to leave me feeling truly enamored. The towns in Rohan and Dunland never inspired me. Even though they were well designed, they were missing that special spark, that spark that moved me to create an outfit the moment I entered one. When I had my initial encounter with this city during beta, it was love at first sight. I stopped questing immediately to locate both the skirmish camp and bank. Testing the content was supposed to be paramount, but I was already neck-deep in my wardrobe before I remembered that tiny fact.

Order of the Swan - Emeridir of Gladden

It's been several months since Update 14 released and the wave of swan-themed outfits began. I too jumped on the bandwagon and made half a dozen, but I've had multiple creations scheduled between July and now. My automatic blog schedule has finally made its way into swan territory...hopefully this and upcoming ones still feel relevant! Besides, for the United States, Thanksgiving comes at the end of November. Instead of turkey-related outfits (Middle-earth has no turkeys, sadly), I'll have a month's worth of swan inspired ensembles.

This was an old outfit of mine. I remember stumbling across The Starry Mantle's Knight of Dol Amroth sometime in 2012 and feeling inspired to create my own interpretation of the Swan Knights. I don't exactly recall my reasons for choosing the pieces I did, except for two of them; blue and silver being the emblematic colors of Dol Amroth and wanting to portray armor typically worn by Men in an elvish style. Why an elvish style? It was rumored the Princes of Dol Amroth had elvish blood, though little of it, running through their veins. Since we've come this far both geographically and storywise, I thought I'd revive this ensemble in its originally conceived state.

Harvestmath Series - Soothsayer

I have to start this post by saying that in no way, shape, or form, has the art department at Turbine come close to the level of design and form-fitting gear that Rise of Isengard provided to the community. No bodies were distorted while wearing that expansion exclusive gear. No arms or legs clipped through clothing while moving. Shoulders did not float above the model. There were three distinct sets for each armor class obtained as quest rewards. Never has an expansion made a character's appearance so individualized within its own content. When I ran my alts through Dunland and Isengard, I made sure to collect whatever I hadn't on previous runs. Did you know that Massive Black was the company to create a majority of the RoI expansion concept art?

Harvestmath Festival 2014 - Cosmetic Rewards and Steed

The Harvestmath Festival, which has started a day early, will be running until November 2, 2014. I'm pleased to say, despite the reskinned robe and "tablecloth" steed, these patterns are fantastic! For the first time since the 2013 Yule Festival I can say I want these new rewards. But I still hope that someday we'll return to dresses and tunics. Honestly, these would have made wonderful patterns for them.

To the right of each cosmetic is a dyed version to give you an idea of what areas apply the color change. Also, if you are new to LOTRO this year and are wondering what was added for rewards in previous years, follow these links to the 2013 Harvestmath Festival and the 2012 Harvestmath Festival.

Also, I have an event to advertise at the bottom of this post. After you're done looking at the cosmetics, take a look at the information provided and learn about one of Crickhollow's annual events!

Robe of the Autumn Sun (24 Fall Festival Tokens)

Harvestmath Series - Gularan Caretaker

Halloween is around the corner, which means the time for costumes and disguises is here! To kick of the season, I thought I'd introduce something along the lines of an Angmarim. Specifically, this costume would be something between what an Angmarim High Priestess and an Angmarim Commander would wear. The robes, the spiked garments, the typical blacks, reds, and whites...all of the trimmings that would make the wearer look like one of the corrupted Men under the dominion of Sauron.

It might not be the most innovative outfit for the season, but it at least attempts to reclaim a class of enemy NPCs not seen after progressing past Mirkwood, at least storywise. As far as I know, the last Angmarim-like creature to be included in LOTRO is the roaming Priestess Bethan, a high level warband found to the west of Marton. I don't miss the punting, fearing, and blood pacts, that's for sure...but I've gotten tired of Orcs and Uruk-hai!

Harvestmath Series - Harbinger

Black, when used in the right proportions and places, can work wonders for any fashionable ensemble. The greatest strength of this dye is the ability to make all other colors appear brighter and draw the eye towards them. Unfortunately, that strength is also its Achilles' heel. The darkest colors will sometimes reveal subtleties in undyeable areas normally not noticeable. Half the time, those other colors don't match or blend together very well. (It's something I often see in LOTRO's major hubs where unprecedented numbers of players have dyed their clothing black.)  This is why I avoid making outfits more than seventy-five percent black. However, I thought I'd make a simple one for this week....and besides, this a great way to kick off the upcoming Harvestmath season!

My Cosmetic Adventures Away From LOTRO Pt. 2

For those of you that had been following Material Middle-earth last year in September, you may recall a similarly titled post. In that particular entry, I explored other games and their cosmetic systems while taking a break from LOTRO. Whereas I talked about RIFT, Neverwinter, and World of Warcraft last year, I'll be taking you through Guild Wars 2, The Elder Scrolls Online, and Star Trek Online this year. If you've never played any of these games or are merely curious how cosmetics and/or character customization are handled elsewhere, I encourage you to read this.

Please keep in mind this entry is image heavy, with pictures taken on maximum settings for each game. If you have a slower running computer, I'd suggest clicking on the post title that way this entry loads by itself. Especially while this is the featured content.

Don't worry...I'll be back to LOTRO outfits on Saturday. This is a once a year post.

Guild Wars 2

I started playing this when Update 13 was released for LOTRO. I turned my attention to Guild Wars 2, taking in the bright colors and diverse landscapes, immersing myself fully in a strange new world to avoid LOTRO's agonizing grind. It didn't take long to discover the cosmetic opportunities this game offered. (Is it sad I initially judge games on that criteria?) Guild Wars 2 offers a total of 403 dyes for customizing your outfits! And you know what's even better? Once you unlock a dye, it becomes account bound and has an UNLIMITED number of uses. Having this sheer number of colors allows you to have bold and bright, neutral, earthy, and even completely pastel outfits. If you direct your gaze to the picture below, you'll get see the range of colors offered.

The color customization panel found in the Hero (character) Menu.

Even though that on the left panel is showing the nearly completed set of common colors, there are still divisions for starter colors, uncommon colors, and rare colors. Looking at the equipment panel in the center, you'll also notice that anywhere from 1 to 4 areas can be dyed on each piece. As far as I know, very few skins have undyeable areas. By the way, you can change colors anytime, anywhere.

How do you collect dyes? It's actually simple. You can spend laurels, an in-game currency earned by completing your account-wide dailies, at vendors for unidentified dyes. You can purchase them from the Black Lion Trading Post (auction house, essentially) for copper, silver, and gold. You can earn them from level up rewards. You can also buy unidentified dyes from the Gem Store, which periodically appear there. Anything you have will automatically be added to your Hero Menu.

Simple Fashion - Hauberks

This is the latest in my Simple Fashion series and last installment under this theme, at least for a while. I've covered all the basic and purely cosmetic categories at this point--tunics, dresses, robes, and now hauberks--and will continue posting my usual outfits as we move into the autumn and winter seasons. I was hoping to make a Summer Series since I was unable to make one last year, but this theme required too much time. Simple as it seems (no pun intended), designing minimalist outfits takes just as much effort, if not more than my usual creations. Regardless, being able to provide multiple ideas in a single blog entry feels like a significant accomplishment to me!

I've also been heavily scaling back my time with gaming and blogging rounds. I don't know if I'm feeling burned out, bored, or reaching a point where games retain less and less interest with each passing week. Luckily, it won't be affecting my posting schedule, not for a while anyway. Next week starts my annual Harvestmath Series, which is dedicated to seasonal outfits for this time of year!

And without further ado, here are your ideas for three of the lesser used hauberks in LOTRO.

Shoulders: Ceremonial Shoulders of the Brazen Call (Turquoise, skirm camp cosmetics vendor, Heavy Moria Armor)
Body: Dwarf-make Hauberk (Turquoise, Thorin's Hall outfitter)
Hands: Stonefists (Umber, world drop)
Feet: Boots of Durin's Guard (Turquoise, Guardian class vendor in Twenty-first Hall)**

**Skin also available from the Guardian vendor for Medallions of Lothlorien at Echad Andestel. You can cross-class barter for these, unlike the vendor in Twenty-first Hall.

Advance Scout - Satella of Gladden

Despite having Dunland cosmetics for over nearly years, I didn't start exploring the outfitting possibilities until recent months. Since May 2014, I've been relentlessly using them in my creations. If only I had done that back in late 2011. Not going to lie here, but there are days where I feel cosmetically behind the times! Sure, I've used a piece here and there (or one pair of bracers shamelessly) but I ignored too many landscape rewards in of lieu hard-earned raiding gear from Dar Narbugud, Barad Guldur, and Orthanc. Funny how I've begun to appreciate the very pieces that have virtually fallen off the radar. All of my characters that I've actively played are well past Dunland, falling somewhere between the Westemnet and Western Gondor, which makes whatever I've collected from the Isengard expansion more valuable.

Elven Mettle - Faewynn of Gladden

When I make an outfit, I do my best to confine myself either to the lore of books or the lore of LOTRO (I do make the distinction) and avoid the films. I've never been a big fan of Jackson's interpretation and constant lore-breaking, but sometimes images, no matter how brief, get burned into my mind. Two images from The Two Towers during the Helm's Deep scenes became the inspiration for this elven battle outfit (the one here and then the other) reminiscent of the Mirkwood days.

Student Creates a LOTRO Fashion Based Study

Greetings everybody!

It's bright and early on a lovely Monday morning and I have a bit of news for the cosmetic community. During my internet rounds late Saturday evening (prior to me crawling into a warm bed) I stumbled upon an article from Casually Strolling Through MMOs. Aralath of the Imladris server, a PhD student from Iowa State, is studying dress, fashion, and characters both created and played by female gamers in LOTRO. If you're interested in participating, please direct your attention to the Studying Dress in LOTRO article at CSTM. You'll find all the information you need there.

I, unfortunately, will not be able to participate in this wonderful project. My life is too hectic between work and my responsibilities as a non-profit volunteer. This is why my blog posts are automated and written weeks in advance...I never know if I'll get to the computer on a specific day or time to make an entry. I'm usually working when the weekly outfit is posted on Saturdays!

Spread the word to your cosmetic-loving female friends and make this study a success!

~Nathrien <3

Steel Waylayer - Cirilyn of Gladden

Steel blue, LOTRO's most recent dye color, has been creating mixed feelings with the playerbase since Update 13. Some think it's too dark or too black, some think it's too close to navy, and some think it's too steely to be considered blue. Personally, I've liked it. I've liked it so much that I dragged myself though the terrible U13 grind for the dye and nothing else. To me, it's been a color of depth and expertise, of seriousness and stability. Depending on how dark it dyes, I've even affiliated it with aggressiveness. I've even surprised myself with how often I'll associate emotions with color and then incorporate those feelings into my outfits. That's exactly what I did. I built a combat outfit, which has been a rarity here at Material Middle-earth.

Simple Fashion - Robe Ideas

The latest installment of my "Simple Fashion" series focuses on three robes. Robes, unlike some tunics, won't use up your hands and feet slots, which allows for better outfit customization. You'll find styles ranging from the simple to the elaborate as well as the seasonal to the year-round. When working with robes, it's always a good idea to keep your race and gender in mind, as these will most likely dominate your outfit. Certain areas look broader or even somewhat stretched. Specific skins, the pre-Moria styled ones and a couple of recent additions, will look significantly different on one gender. These effects can range from having a closed or open lower hem and varying lengths (i.e. floor length robes on males could be knee high on females). It can be challenging at times, but this category of fashion can be rewarding!

Before I get to the outfits themselves, a few weeks ago Ellishul of The Elven Tailor migrated to The Elven Adventurer on Tumblr. If you have an account with that networking site, drop by and show her some wonderful support! Even if you're not with Tumblr, she's making some fantastic posts that you don't want to miss. The move seems to be working very well for her.

Head: Circlet of Adamant (Sea Blue, LOTRO Store)**
Shoulders: Shield-master's Shoulders (Umber, classic skirm camp vendor,  level 65 heavy BG armor)
Chest: Lore-keeper's Robe (Turquoise, classic skirm camp vendor, level 65 light BG armor)
Feet: Glossy Leather Boots (Walnut brown, Bree-town outfitter)

**I have actually purchased a second copy of this piece on the AH. It either dropped from a lootbox or it was a leftover from an old my.lotro.com lottery. I haven't been able to confirm this yet.

Farmers Faire 2014 - Steed and Cosmetics

This year, the 2014 Farmers Faire runs from September 1 to September 16. Once again, we have another unremarkable and reskinned robe and cloak in addition to another blanketed steed. It continues to irk me seeing a lack of creativity in Turbine's art department, especially when there is a year-long period between the appropriate seasonal festivals (from summer to summer or spring to spring, for example) to conceptualize and implement original game art. We've been seeing the same robe skin for well over a year now, and I frankly question if we'll ever move out of this cycle and break the cosmetic curse plaguing the LOTRO festivals. I understand that game progression towards Mordor is paramount, but it doesn't mean the aspects intended to provide players a temporary reprieve shouldn't be given the same care and consideration.

Despite my disappointment, what's done is done. Perhaps Turbine should let the players design new festival cosmetics from this time forward. I've even gone and made a suggestion on the LOTRO forums to bring back the old designing contests. If you are dismayed with the direction of festival rewards, I implore you, make your voice heard on the forums. Offer suggestions or constructive criticism. The only way we're going to make any headway is by coming together as a group.

Anyway, beneath this small wall of angsty text are pictures of the new rewards. To the right of each individual cosmetic is a version dyed black to demonstrate where colors change with dye application. Beneath each picture is the name and barter cost of the respective piece.

Robe of Bounty - 35 Farmers Faire Tokens

Eorlsmead Marksman - Emeridir of Gladden

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.

Secret Melody - Nathrien of Gladden

This particular ensemble has been sitting in Outfit 7 since the Isengard instance cluster was released in 2011. I don't know why I never posted this and neither do I know why I let this use up valuable outfitting space for an extended period of time. Either way, I needed to rotate it out of my wardrobe and get this robe combination preserved on my blog. Makaia from Style of Middle-earth (stop by and say hello to her!) had gotten a sneak peak of this before it disappeared into the recesses of my cosmetic vault. Sometimes, I wish there had been an eighth outfit option...or the thirty-nine RIFT has! I had grown reattached to this for the short time I was actively using it.

Flower Girl - Pennycandy of Gladden

My hobbit mintrel is a character I have no intention of leveling. I had created her for one reason originally--Turning of the Tide's own Hobbits to Isengard event, which I held back in September 2013, long before Sapience held it for each server. To tell the truth, Forgotten Darkness of Gladden was the first community, that I know of, to run that event in early 2012. Community events or not, I decided to keep little level 8 Pennycandy and use her as an additional model. So far, she's provided me with a significant amount of practice in clothing hobbits casually. I highly doubt I'll have any battle-ready outfits for that race.

Nomadic Easterling - Aerthain of Gladden

Ah, my next steel blue creation. Unlike my last attempt, Midnight Magic, the blueish properties of the dye are more noticeable. The more I've been experimenting with the color, the more I've come to the conclusion steel blue is best used on place, chain mail, or scale mail. Not to stereotype the dye, but eighty percent of the cloth and leather skins look too metallic. If you've got a muted or darker base on light armor, you'll have a bluer shade.

Simple Fashion - Tunic Ideas Pt. 2

Over the past few weeks I've discovered more tunics across several characters that haven't seen the light of day or received a good dusting off. These are many specialty tunics in the game, ones that either don't merit year-round wearing due to their seasonal nature or are overlooked because they come from a zone skipped during the race to level cap. Today, I'll shed some light on cosmetic gear falling into those categories.

If you missed the first "Simple Fashion - Tunic Ideas," you can follow the link provided.

Shoulders: Strong Eastemnet Skirmish Pauldrons (Rivendell Green, T8 tailor recipe)
Chest: Rohirrim Tunic and Trousers (Rivendell Green, Riders of Stangard token barter reward, kindred standing)
Hands: Gloves of the Eorlingas (Default, Rise of Isengard pre-order cosmetics)
Feet: Treiglur-lhopan (Walnut brown, Rise of Isengard instance cluster drop)

Cosmetic Guide to Dol Amroth Class Armor

Multiple players have been asking on the forums and in world/glff chat where else they can obtain the Dol Amroth class armor skins that came with the release of U14. As a result, I picked up this project in the hopes of creating some sort of guide. Here, I'll list as best as possible the alternative methods to collecting these armor skins. Because this post is strictly for skins, I won't be including dye colors. I'll admit there are some pieces that I don't know. I never bothered to get one of each class to level 95 or subbed long enough to have the entire cosmetic library at my fingertips. However, I'll do my best. Just to warn you, you will see *multiple* pieces listed that share the same skins. 

If you see a piece that's incorrect or an alternative item with the same skin, please leave a comment below.

And by the way, only half of these sets are cosmetically original. I know my blogs and outfits well enough to know some of these have been lifted from other sites and slightly altered, whether it's by dye color or a single piece. If that is the case, I will provide links to the original creators and the specific outfits beneath each set to give credit where it is due.

Hunter ("Of the Liberator" set)

Head: Helm of the Shadow-walker (Barad Guldur level 65 medium armor from skirm camp)
Shoulders: Treasure Hunter's Shoulder Guards (T6 Tailor light armor recipe, or its level 54 or 58 crafted equivalent)
Chest: Battle Armour of the Mark (T8 Metalsmith recipe, guilded or RoR landscape barter)
Hands: Eastemnet Battle Gauntlets (T8 Metalsmith recipe, level 80)
Feet: Woodland Ranger’s Boots (Volume 3 Wildermore Interludes)

OUTFIT ADAPTED from The Starry Mantle by the designers.

Snowbound - Pennycandy of Gladden

It's been a while since I've dressed up a hobbit, especially this little darling. I don't know what it is about them, but no matter what I put on a female hobbit, I feel all warm and giggly and melty on the inside. It's like a cuteness overload! (D'awww!!!) And speaking of warm and fuzzy, I felt compelled to create a winter-friendly outfit for one. Versus using evendim blue, which I abuse to no end, I opted for the darker ered luin blue to make a bolder contrast between the lighter and darker colors, and to make the fur stand out. Have a character heading towards the Misty Mountains or Forochel? Look no further!

Despite the fact that summer is in full swing, sweltering heat and disgusting muggy days included, a little bit of winter apparel makes the weather seem cooler. Any more 90°F days (32°C), and I'll be praying for the snow! Gloredh of Wandering Around Arda used the same location and temperature-related reasons in a recent outfit, Ambassador to the Elves.

Summer Festival 2014 - New Cosmetics and Steed

The Summer Festival has gone live one day early, much to my surprise! This means this festival will run from July 21 to August 8, 2014. Unfortunately, we're all getting the usual cosmetics. Old-style robes and blanket steeds with new skins. I think you all know by now how disappointed this makes me. However, I'll still collect the robe and cloaks.

If you are new to LOTRO or to this blog, you can find pics of the 2012 Summer Festival rewards here. I was away last year and unable to take pictures of 2013's new rewards. If you're interested in seeing those, visit Cosmetic LOTRO.

To the right of each cosmetic is a dyed version. I chose crimson this time to make patterns more distinguishable.

Robe of the Wedmath Celebration (20 Summer Festival Tokens)

Crimson Valiance - Aldebaraan of Gladden

For once I left the safety of the starter zones on this mule character. It wasn't easy making it to the southern regions of the Trollshaws, as everything had purple names. Despite that, this was the place most connected to the outfit...and it was worth dying a few times on the way for several screenshots. Anyway, I had been toying with the idea of another elven sentinel's garb. Unlike my first one, which was fully dyed indigo, I thought something reddish would do nicely. It's great for characters of an elven heritage or any allied character while progressing storywise from Rivendell to Mirkwood. With the exception of the Mines of Moria, it'll help your character blend in wonderfully with the high volume of elves you'll encounter on the way.

Dyeable Erebor Armor Sets...And It's About Time!

Much to my surprise this morning, I discovered accidentally that the Erebor armor sets are one hundred percent dyeable with the release of Update 14. I was in the middle of making outfits, testing out orange on some chest pieces, when I mistakenly clicked on an Erebor chest piece. A million red flags rose in my head and I dropped what I was doing to fly to the nearest skirmish camp. Every piece on every set dyes the selected color. I'm praying that this is no mistake and that these sets will permanently stay like this. However, the "In Defense of Erebor" deeds still gate them. (Honestly, I would have preferred ceremonial sets to avoid this requirement. I've only done the deed on one character.)

For those of you unable to log into LOTRO today, I'll provide some fabulous screenshots. Keep in mind that I'm dyeing these sets in the most contrasting way possible to show which areas will change color in relation to the original. To the left is the original color of any given set and to the right is the newly dyed version. The matching class will be listed beneath the appropriate picture.

*THIS POST IS IMAGE HEAVY. PLEASE CLICK THE "READ MORE" LINK AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST TO SEE EVERYTHING*

Heavy Armor Sets

Captain

Midnight Magic - Andalost of Gladden

At first glance, you may think this outfit is black. In fact, the main dye use here is steel blue. Because this robe has a darker base, steel blue actually transforms into an alluring midnight blue. (Finding a background that didn't make it appear a true black wasn't easy.) Once U13 went live, I started experimenting with the new dye color despite not having it yet. I figured that I'd make a couple of outfits ahead of time, that way I could start displaying them once I had the recipe. This is one of those preemptive creations. I have a couple more on the way, each working with lighter shades of steel blue.

Simple Fashion - Dress Ideas

It's been about a month since my first "Simple Fashion" installment. This week, I'm bringing you some ideas for various dresses obtained in the game. Last time I checked, there around 40 dresses in LOTRO, most of which are long-sleeved, short-sleeved, or sleeveless versions of the same dress. If you discount the alternate variations, you're looking at, maybe, sixteen distinct dress skins between in-game rewards and the LOTRO Store. Honestly, it would be nice to have more in the game, even if it means you see them casually worn or used in RP settings.

Just like last time, no big stories or multiple screenies of one outfit...only three outfit ideas focusing on dresses. And for clarity's sake, I turned off the bloom effect in each of the pictures.

Head: Urdol-helm (Indigo, Isengard instance cluster reward)
Shoulders: Shoulders of the Mighty Verse (Indigo, Moria Minstrel trainer barter item or Lalia's Market)
Chest: Elf-queen's Dress (Indigo, LOTRO Store or Spring Festival random gift-box reward)

Force of Nature - Faewynn of Gladden

When it comes to the elements, only one class in LOTRO comes to mind--the Lore-master. There is no better class when it comes to controlling the raw power of nature. They have an unrivaled command over fire, water, earth, air...and I was hoping to create an outfit representing that. It might not be the most original compilation, as the Ceremonial Robe of the Seven Stars is often dyed white, but it's one of the few appealing colors. That insanely saturated electric green isn't easy to color coordinate, as it often drowns out everything else. The trick is to use earthen tones, turquoise, or match it with equally saturated pieces.

Although it somewhat removes the creative aspects of outfitting, you can find various pieces featuring the same green across the other ceremonial Annuminas and Helegrod sets. Sometimes when you dye gear from Ost Dunhoth yellow, you'll create a similar color. Thought I'd offer a few alternatives if you're brave enough to use this robe!

Dol Amroth Armor Sets - "Essence" Gear Preview

Good morning everybody! I haven't been to bed yet, but I wanted to get some screenshots of the upcoming level 100 gear from Dol Amroth on the blog for you. Keep in mind that this is only Beta Build 2 for Update 14. As it stands, there several few things you'll need to know about the sets I'm posting:

1) As of 6/27/2014, the sets have been named Light Nadhin, Medium Nadhin, and Heavy Nadhin.
2) Right now, these are the skins for the level 100 essence (slottable) gear. Don't know about essences yet? Follow the link provided.
3) As of 6/27/2014, these CAN be dyed. (Woohoo!)
4) The head, shoulders, and boots cost 10 Silver Tokens of Dol Amroth and 10 Golden Tokens of Dol Amroth apiece. The chest, legs, and hands cost 20 Silver Tokens of Dol Amroth and 20 Golden Tokens of Dol Amroth apiece.

I do not know if we'll be getting new skins for the class specific gear, but they're currently using the same undyeable skins as the Erebor armor sets. I suspect that this will not change. However, enjoy the screenshots!

Light Nadhin set

Shieldmaiden's Return - Satella of Gladden

This is a bittersweet post for me. My champion, the only character that had some semblance of a background story, has returned to her home of Aldburg. If you had asked me almost four years ago if I expected to see this historic town in LOTRO, I would have said never. Not once was it mentioned in the LOTR Trilogy, and even then, only briefly in the legendarium's Appendices. As I write this, I recall memories of my character's adventures across Middle-earth--Moria, the Golden Wood, Dunland--along with each and every outfit she wore. I'd have to say, of all of my toons, this one's story has progressed the most. A shield-maiden, barely known, that ventured from Aldburg some years ago into the heart of Eriador returns a seasoned soldier, clad in the garb of the races she encountered.

Battle-hardened Hunter - Emeridir of Gladden

At the drafting of this outfit, I had blown the remainder of my mithril coins on cosmetics from Lalia's Market. It was either use 'em or lose 'em. They've been sitting there unused for well over a year, about the time many of the obsolete items were converted into tokens. Mainly, I went after some hard to get cosmetics, such as various ceremonial pieces from the Ettenmoors, the Lancer's Hauberk (once exclusive to the original Codemaster's servers), gear from classes I've never leveled past 65, and a few odds and ends. I felt it necessary to go all out and make the best, if not interesting, ensembles I possibly could.

Simple Fashion - Tunic Ideas

As I promised in April, I'm kicking off my "Simple Fashion" series by displaying three outfits revolving around a certain type of gear. This installment will be focusing on tunics. There isn't anything long and complicated about these, nor do I have any tips or stories to tell. Besides, tunics are too often brushed aside after their respective seasons and collect dust for the remainder of the year. This post is about simple ideas attempting to revitalize overlooked cosmetic gear, using a minimal number of pieces. By no means are these finalized...they're just building blocks I'd like to share.

If this type of post seems well-received, I will have a similarly styled post for dresses and/or robes in the future!

Head: Turquoise Summer Circlet (Rose, LOTRO Store dyeable version)
Shoulders: Padded Mantle of the Dunland Soothsayer (Rose, Dunland quest reward)
Chest: Simbelmynë Tunic & Trousers (Ered Luin Blue, Spring Festival token barter reward)

Dusk Walker - Morghann of Gladden

Material Middle-earth is back in business with a complete overhaul of the layout and graphics in addition to an updated contact page, tagging system, and screenshot guide. Please feel free to browse around, adjust to the new layout, and offer suggestions.

Definitely taking a walk on the wild side with this outfit, that's for sure! I try not to use more than 3 different colors in an outfit because it can be artistically disastrous. However, there are several distinct colors in this ensemble and it works wonderfully! I honestly had no concept for this outfit today. It haphazardly fell together while I was both mixing and matching between light and medium armor and assigning random colors to each piece. The T5 crafted medium chest and leggings, both from the Elven Campaigner's set, were the building blocks to this outfit. I'd have to say those two pieces are arguably the most appealing and coordinated pieces of all the crafting professions in LOTRO. Elegant designs, a pleasing mishmash of colors, and dyeable areas that don't overwhelm either piece. Safe to say, this was one of my more unique creations.

MME Updates Continued

Good morning everybody!

I'd like to apologize for the condition of this blog over the next several days. I'm starting to implement some of the changes I mentioned about a month ago. I'll be starting with a complete tag overhaul, which will involve modifying two years worth of outfit posts and streamlining the system I've been using. Some tags may stop working after updating enough of them. After all, in my early blogging days, tags were picked at random but weren't very consistent. Second, you may notice new pages or layout errors...I am starting to teach myself HTML because of Blogspot's limited resources. Since I don't speak any of the programming/coding languages yet, I thought this would be a good place to start. Third, I might be changing over some of the graphics found here, most likely moving towards a more Gondorian theme to match the direction that LOTRO is heading.

Thanks for your patience!

~Nathrien

UPDATE 5/27/14 @ 6 PM EST: All tags have been reorganized and 80% of posts have been retagged. Please refer yourself to the header above to the "Finding and Outfit" page if any of the tags confuse you. I've got brief explanations beneath each category. Also, a brand new contact form has been uploaded and added to the header as well!

UPDATE 5/28/14 @ 8 PM EST: I've started playing around with template designs (manual HTML editing involved) and I may have found one that suits my needs. Changed the size of the content window to accomodate monitors 1600 pixels wide, which was an issue on the old format. Pages in the header bar below the blog logo are still a work in progress...the new template kinda messed up the text arrangement. That'll be next on my list, along with updating the "Taking a Screenshot" guide. I have also decided to use a general Middle-earth theme versus a Gondorian one. I thought it would be more prudent to have something that won't change with every expansion.

UPDATE 5/29/14 @ 5 PM EST: Added a new blog banner, as the old one was outdated and no longer matched the new layout and theme. Also, I've temporarily removed the "Taking a Screenshot" page and begun to rewrite it.

UPDATE 5/31/14 @ 1 PM EST: After four days of work, I've posted the new screenshot guide. I hope it lives up to everybody's expectations! And this should conclude the renovation of Material Middle-earth. *wipes sweat from brows*

Aurora Maiden - Lanael of Gladden

I think in this latest stretch of my cosmetic compilations, you'll be treated to some outfits I never quite felt finished until recently. I started playing LOTRO in 2010, just after it went free to play. Not quite sure what I was doing at that point of the game, I bought a couple of cosmetics from the store in addition to the Lone-lands and North Downs quest packs. I used one of those store items here, the Cloak of the Northern Lights, and this was only time it's been used in any of my outfits successfully. It still hasn't felt quite right anywhere else because of the rainbow of colors and the limited dyeability. Even so, I love to just look at it in the dressing room window!

Spring Festival 2014 Cosmetics and Steed

When I sat down today, I was surprised to see this year's Spring Festival active. Unlike with Hobnanigans or the 2014 Anniversary Festival, this was simply dropped on us without hint of a date. However, if you had been watching the recent TTHTI (Take The Hobbits To Isengard) livestreams, Sapience had made a vague comment that this would arrive sometime at the end of May. Honestly, a date would have been nice to have prior to this preview of the cosmetic rewards. Oh well : )

But, while we're on the subject, the 2014 Spring Festival runs from today, May 20th, to June 3rd. I wasn't around last year for this event, so if you're interested in seeing the cosmetics from 2013 and 2012, please drop by Cosmetic LOTRO and say thank you to Hymne.

In the pictures below, you'll find I've dyed each piece red through the dressing room panel to demonstrate how they'll dye. Beneath each picture, you'll find the name and token cost for each cosmetic. Sadly, we've got another reskinned robe and "tablecloth" steed.

Trellis-weave Robe (18 Spring Leaves)

Blue Serenity - Nathrien of Gladden

Whenever I find myself stumped cosmetically and never know what direction to take, sometimes I'll ask in kinship chat for a random piece of gear or a specific color. Believe it or not, getting a random response actually helps me focus. If it's a color, I'll hunt for pieces that dye well. If it's specific gear, I'll search for similar stylings or matching set armor. It's certainly a challenge but it's also fun to let someone else provide you with the foundation of your next creation and not deviate from it.  At a friend's request, I focused on ered luin blue.  : )

Memories of Edhelion - Aldebaraan of Gladden

After the Elven tutorial to LOTRO, you'll find yourself standing before the gates of a razed and abandoned Edhelion. This area has seen relatively few changes over the years and is rarely visited once the main game begins. In the early days of LOTRO, you eventually revisited this refuge as you made your way to Skorgrim's Tomb, northeast of Edhelion. Update 2, I believe, changed the format of the intro and rearranged some locations. The tomb was moved, and a few NPCs were added to the town during the intro. Once the new intro was completed, there was never reason to return and this area became nothing but a distant memory...

...unless you were an avid Inn League daily completionist. : )

Hobnanigans Cosmetic Rewards

For the past six or so years, the community has been crying for Hobnanigans to make a return. Officially, today marks the first live re-release of the game! It will be running this week from May 9 to May 11, even though it's active at this very moment. I've been having a very enjoyable time, indulging in half a dozen games thus far. It's certainly an event nobody should miss, despite the bugs that pop up occasionally. I'm sure as time goes by, the kinks will be ironed out.

According to jwbarry, from the LOTRO Forums, "The intent is that this gets run once every month or so. Some of the prices are set to be earned in a single weekend, some are set to take a longer season to acquire." It's not the first half of that statement that worries me...it's the latter.

The barter costs are so high that it's absolutely discouraging to get anything other than recipes and single use items. Recipes and other single use items range from 10 to 25 Hobnanigans Tokens. Housing decorations range from 60 to 300 tokens. Pets cost anywhere from 150 to 1200 tokens. Cosmetic items range from 150 to 600 tokens. There is something VERY IMPORTANT to note here. Some items require special tokens, which you trade up for with your normal tokens. These special ones require anywhere from 150 to 1200 Hobnanigans Tokens each, driving prices sky high. Liking that pet with that teal name? Collect 600 tokens for it, in addition to the special token requiring another 1800 tokens. Yup...essentially 2400 tokens for a single item. But, let it be said there's a chance the winning team will get one of those special tokens. However, I haven't seen anything other than the White Chicken Token (valued at 150 Hob Tokens) drop.

The way the game works, from what I've learned, is that you'll earn tokens no matter what. Everybody gets five tokens for participating in each 10 minute match, and then additional tokens if you win. Winning a game will net you ten additional tokens. It is going to take a long time to earn the cosmetic rewards and cosmetic pets, so I'm hoping that winning will provide a generous reward.

Below are the cosmetics offered and the required currency totals. Keep in mind that not all pieces are dyeable.  However, anything that is dyeable will feature a violet version to the far right. I won't be featuring the pets here, as I only post clothing and implements. : )

Blue Chicken Cloak and Red Chicken Cloak (300 Hobanigans Tokens each)

Walnut Wizard - Faewynn of Gladden

An awesome dynamic pose due to a bug! Did you know the staff should be in her hands during this animation?

Welcome to this experiment of mine, an experiment not in hues, but in tones of brown. You'll notice how I've tried to cover the entire spectrum, going from white, to cream, to brown, to umber, and finally black. I've backtracked through my blog and this would be the first time I've actually concentrated on a specific color. Making it was the easy part. Taking screenshots...that's a different story.

There's currently a visual bug or an animation glitch where your characters will not grab hold of their weapons during an out of combat skill animation. The Champion's blade wall? You swing an invisible glowing sword while your actual weapons are strapped to your character's side. The Warden's Battle Preparation skill results in your spear/javelin gambit using invisible weapons. The Lore-master's signs of power skills result in the animation pictured above. Oddly enough, these bugs don't show up while in combat. I've bugged this, but I don't expect it to be fixed anytime soon. However, it's great for getting some unique poses without a weapon obscuring your character!

Spring Series - Lord of the Dragonflies

It's been a crazy two weeks for me and I wasn't able to make a special post this past Monday, April 21st, but I would like to take a moment and wish Material Middle-earth a Happy Second Anniversary!

Anyway, I'm more than certain there's no such thing as the Lord of the Dragonflies in the lore. It's just that I've been so hellbent on using that Cloak of the Dragonfly, I had to name this outfit after it. That cloak is probably the most unique-looking one in the game due to the crazy assortment of colors found in it. I've literally spent the past two months focusing on it, making it the central piece to an outfit. That seems to be the only way to work with it, otherwise it looks shoehorned when added to a nearly finished outfit. Kudos to those of you have successfully integrated the Cloak of the Dragonfly into your creations!

Woodland Sentinel - Morghann of Gladden

Have I ever been a major stickler for the lore? Sometimes, yes. Sometimes, no. When it comes to dressing up my characters, I've never adhered to it. Your character doesn't need to be an elf to wear something elvish nor a dwarf for something dwarvish. Sometimes it's about your character's background. Sometimes it looks too good to pass up! If you're like me, sometimes you'll get sick of using the same model for specific colorings and stylings. For some reason, my cappy always wears something in indigo, violet, or purple that's suitable for the race of Man. I've decided to shake up the status quo and throw on something green and elvish. *GASP*

Let it be said, however, that I have the utmost respect for those outfitters who willingly and consistently remain within the confines of the lore.

2014 Anniversary Festival Rewards & Steed

Beautifully themed pattern this year...except that we have another robe. I'm feeling a little let down again regarding festival cosmetics, as all we saw last year were robes, robes, robes, and, you guessed it, robes. I was hoping that we'd be seeing new dresses and tunics this year, as those are far easier to accommodate cosmetically in our outfits. What's done is done, and there no sense in me getting all huffy and puffy over these. I'm already well on my way to collecting these pieces of gear!

...and can we talk about the beauty of the latest tablecloth steed?

Beneath each picture is the name of the piece and it's respective token cost. The far right screenshot in each cosmetic set is dyed red to reveal the dyeable potions.

Reveller's Robe of the Odogil (10 Anniversary Tokens)

Update 13 & MME Plans

Today's a big day for LOTRO. The patching for Update 13 is well under way and I wanted to take a few moments to discuss my plans for Material Middle-earth for the next several months. As some of you may know, Aaron "Rowan" Campbell, the new Executive Producer for LOTRO, released his latest letter addressing the community and upcoming changes to LOTRO. I'll mention a couple of points from it, as they are relevant to this blog and all things cosmetic. If you're looking for other information, you'll find it in the letter.

Rowan's April 2014 Letter:
New Class, Housing, and Upcoming Locations:

First of all, it excites me to hear about Beornings being our new class. All I can think about are the new skill animations for blog pictures...is that bad thing? I've been blogging for LOTRO for so long now, that I tend to see many things from a cosmetic viewpoint. (Minimal details have been released regarding the class, but as it stands, the Lore-master has some competition.) I sit here wondering how the bear forms will appear, even though the transformation has been explicitly mentioned as a possibility. Will we be able to choose the color of our fur or will our hair color at creation dictate it? Although this might sound like too much, will the bear forms look substantially different from Lore-master pets? I'm trying to not get my hopes up and make a proverbial mountain out of this mole hill sized but of information, but I can't help it!

Secondly, hearing that there will be no major housing updates makes me sad. This isn't to say there won't be any changes to the system, but who knows what they will be. As some of you have noticed, the full title for this blog is "Material Middle-earth: A LOTRO Outfitter's & Housing Blog" and I had hoped to feature player houses again, something I haven't done in well over a year. Originally hearing about the major updates former EP Kate Paiz mentioned in her letter I decided to put houses aside and wait. Nearly a year went by and only the storage and upkeep systems changed. I had been hoping for a free-hook system, allowing players to place their decorations wherever they'd like. I was even hoping for updates that would revitalize the housing community, making neighborhoods places where you'd frequently encounter other players. I've even been eagerly awaiting the day where the Hytbold furniture is properly categorized by hook type. I might not display homes any longer, as too many are left abandoned or have foreclosed as it stands...and that would lead to a slight alteration in the blog's name.

Lastly, I'm glad to hear mentioning of the Blackroot Vale, Osgiliath, Dol Amroth, the Dead Marshes, Minas Tirith as future locales. As someone who chooses specific places to take screenshots of outfits, these places will create many more opportunities not only for myself, but for the lore fanatics. Maybe this means we'll get some Gondorian fashion to compliment the zones! I'll admit, I'm having second thoughts about the Dead Marshes, if it's only to check on the status of Sam and Frodo. It sounds to me that'll be more of an instanced space for the Epic questline. Honestly, I wonder if that means we'll get a glimpse at Emyn Muil, the craggy, rocky labyrinth on the far side of Nen Hithoel. I hope so! I'd also jump at the chance to see the Swan Knights!


Upcoming Plans for MME:
Blog Format, New Outift Series, Potential Contests, Retirement:

Lately, I've been thinking this blog could use a graphical facelift and possibly some reorganizing. I'm not entirely sure how flexible Blogspot is in terms of customization or if I'll need to go learn a specific web-based language. My roots are so deep at Blogspot, that moving would be detrimental. I remember the the very first layout of this blog, filled with blues, purples, blacks, and golds...all done with MS Paint. Some three months down the road, with the announcement of Rohan, I changed the theme slightly, using PSP 7, to fit the upcoming expansion area and that's what I still have running here. Now that we're on the path to Gondor, I find myself wondering if I should make my blog more Gondor-friendly or something a bit more universal and pleasant. Something is certainly in the works. I'm also going to be looking at a more efficient tag categorizing system to make the sidebar more user friendly, and updating the screenshot guide.

Speaking of something new in the works, I've been tinkering with a once-used posting style. I don't know how many of you were around when I posted outfits for the Harvestmath season in 2012, but I'm planning on reviving entries featuring three outfits. Please note that these special posts will be themed on a specific type of gear (i.e. robes, dresses, or tunics) and will contain simplistic outfits using two to three pieces each. These are for those ensembles that don't deserve six screenshots each or a full-length entry. You'll know it when you see it. Those posts will be titled "Simple Fashion -- [insert style here] Ideas" and will appear every one to two months. I'm hoping this will revive some interest and transform seasonal/festival rewards into year-round attire.

The very first post for MME was a cosmetic contest for Forgotten Darkness. Unfortunately, it was one of a kind. I've gotten lazy in that regard and there have been no other contest outfits featured here. Time willing, I might display some server-based contest winners here. I've been invited to judge several player-sponsored events on Gladden and a couple on other servers. I've even been known to hand out a few prizes myself. This is a BIG maybe, as I've already got a lot on my plate. Outfit submissions are still out of the question...I know for a fact I can't accommodate those players, as much as I'd like to. I've seen many beautiful cosmetic displays over the years!

Depending on what comes along with Update 14 (if the quarterly update schedule holds true that would be late July), I might not retire from my cosmetic career entirely. With all these ideas and tidbits Turbine has been dropping, I've found my levels of interest in LOTRO slightly increasing. I still have enough materials to get me through July and August. Despite the game-altering changes that arrived with Helm's Deep, there are definitely some new and exciting possibilities approaching. Time will tell!

Spring Series - Floral Queen

Here's the next installment in this year's Spring Series. You've probably noticed, or you will now that I've told you, these season-themed outfits are brightly colored and very casual. For the most part, I've been on this lengthy stretch of outfits geared towards combat and adventuring. This week, and perhaps next week as well, I'm showcasing a social outfit. I've caught wind that some RPers from Landroval and Laurelin follow this blog and I'd hate to leave them feeling excluded. I've attended various events myself, such as the weekly Ales & Tales and the Eriador Music Society's concerts. Many players come well dressed and sometimes in large groups wearing the same outfit!

Kheledûl Contessa - Lanael of Gladden

Originally, I had planned out the nine outfits that would lead to the retirement of Material Middle-earth. With the recent change in plans, I've been able to sneak several additional ones into my posting schedule. The one you see here this week is one of them. : )

The outfits featured here have been rather extravagant the past couple of months. I've been asking myself if it's absolutely necessary to fill every available cosmetic slot when I make something. Looking back at the past few posts, I've pretty much used every space. I've tried to follow the adage less is more, but it doesn't always work. Based on experience, filling spaces for the sake of filling spaces has resulted in fashion overkill. This week, I've opted to keep this one simple and let the beauty of this Long-sleeved Dwarf-make Dress speak for itself. If anything, Brosh's Cloak was included because it matched the stylings and coloration of the dress so well.