Beacon of Calmindon

The name of this outfit is borrowed from Calmindon, the great First Age lighthouse sitting in the Númenórean Bay of Rómenna. I may not be the best at recalling the lore from the Unfinished Tales or The Silmarillion, but I believe it was erected as a warning not to defy the Ban of the Valar. For the Númenóreans, it meant they could never sail so far west that their own lands would disappear from view, for attempting to see or visit the Undying Lands was forbidden. This lighthouse, along with Númenór, was sunk into the sea towards the end of the Second Age by Eru Ilúvatar, when the Númenóreans corrupted by Sauron and Melkor challenged the ban and tried to forcibly reclaim the immortality they felt they were denied. Only the Faithful, a very small group of Númenóreans loyal to the Valar, were allowed to escape destruction and found the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor some years later.

I think that's enough of a history lesson for now. Hopefully, I interpreted the lore correctly.

So why did I focus on this lighthouse so intently? Calmindon only has a handful of mentions in the lore, most of which refer to its construction and clandestinely to its purpose. It has aggravated me to no end, on multiple occasions, when Tolkien creates something with seemingly little purpose and provides it with a proper name. I had and still have no idea what Calmindon looked like. Instead, I built this outfit on the standard image and function of a lighthouse--a lofty beacon of light that serves to guide lost ships home in the darkness. I knew white had to be a part of this outfit, and a blinding white at that. I knew two specific pieces needed to be used, the Urdol-helm and the Gwir-palvais, because any bright light shining directly on them creates a pronounced glowing effect. I wasn't sure what contrasting shades to use to represent the "darkness," so I defaulted to black.

And I have to say it was fun using the dwarven mirrors of Lumul-nar for dramatic effect!

The Harvestmath Festival is in full swing, so I've been told. I haven't had time to log into LOTRO the past two weeks, due to a hectic schedule. (Thankfully, I took this entry's pictures a few weeks ago.) Hopefully, I'll be able to find time and snag that new dress before the end of the festival. I won't be doing the seasonal previews any longer, as they require me to give up a substantial amount of time, which is already dedicated to my character's outfits and leveling. However, if you are looking for previews, please keep an eye on Wandering Around Arda. Gloredh has been delivering some beautiful screenshots of them!

As usual, thank you for stopping by and reading (or, perhaps, just looking at the pictures)!

Head: Urdol-helm (White, Isengard instance cluster reward)
Shoulders: Gwir-palvais (White, Isengard instance cluster reward)
Chest: Robe of Erebraw (Default, ToO Rune-keeper class vendor at the Ox-clan Camp)
Hands: Lesser Mark of the West Gloves (Crimson, Novice's Quartermaster in Harndirion - Rune-keeper Armor )
Feet: Westemnet Campaign Shoes of Fate (Crimson, T9 Tailor recipe)
Special: Student's Rune-satchel of Dagor (Crimson, T2 Tailor recipe)