Ward of the Neldoreth

With very few chances to play LOTRO between January and September, I missed out entirely on two festivals. Luckily, I was able to procure the new Nárië cosmetics from this year's Summer Festival from the auction house. I've yet to get my hands on the New Bloom cosmetics from the Spring Festival. I've been keeping an eye out for those, hoping I can grab them without having to wait for the next one. It pleased me greatly to see more surcoats and tunics making their appearance in the game. Even the Fall Festival had a new dress! I've even wondered what the Yule Festival has in store this year!

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)

Harvestmath Series - Harvest Reveller

The theme from the 2012 Harvestmath Festival revolved around beer and pretzels. Other than the pretzel embroidery on the tunics and dresses, there were handheld items that fit in your weapon slots like silver been steins and giant pretzels (which is great for the RP community). I never knew why, so I did a little research using the two images in unison. Initially, all I could find was some obscure reference to board games called "Beer & Pretzels" and "Wiz-war" because the two items were traditionally consumed while playing them and then a Three Stooges 1933 short film called "Beer and Pretzels." Believe me, I sat there for ten minutes scratching my head and making faces at my monitor while thinking there's got to be more to this. It couldn't be more than a random choice, could it?

Musical Series - Joyous Bagpiper

Lithe Festival 2012

The Summer Festival is BACK! I wasn't around last year for this festival, so all these cosmetics are new to me. However, I've done some poking around to see what's actually new. Basically, it's all the green pieces in the following pictures. To start collect these fabulous pieces, use the festival horse at the Michel Delving stable and then talk to the race master, Dodder Twofoot. Unfortunately, the festival tickets are bound on acquire again, which means no stacking all of them on one toon. It sure made it easier to collect the needed tokens for the Farmer's Faire...anyway, enjoy these cosmetics!

From left to right, we have the following:

1) Summerdays Tunic and Trousers (18 tokens)

2) Summerdays Dress (18 tokens)

3) Summerdays Hooded Cloak (15 tokens)

4) Summerdays Cloak (15 tokens)

If you love several shades of green, then you'll have to don these during your adventures across Middle-Earth! I can't believe how beautiful the tunic and dress look. The designers did a wonderful job keeping the pieces steamlined and ever so subtly detailed. Even the cloaks look wonderful :) If you dye these pieces, only the white portions will change. And I must say almost all the colors work with these pieces! Personally, I love what burgundy and rust do to these.

Fleetfooted Defender - Cirilyn of Gladden