Lord of the rings online

Zharaza resumed epic quests. This time I braved imprisoment. Treacherous Lheu Brenin, be he cursed sold me to Isengard.

And then it was long run. Go there, talk here, rush over here, kill 10 rats, carry weapons, talk to orc, carry armour, talk to orc, carry armour… Finally, I managed to plot escape (before that poisoned some Orcs) and exact revenge upon treacherous Falcon clan.

Now epic takes me to Theodred and his riders, their doomed assault against Isengard. I know how it would go, yet I have to take this burden. After that – quickly do everything in Nan Curunir, finish all Dunland deeds and forget this too big and too long region for good.

Of course, Zharaza was terrified to know that Saruman the Wise, friend of Rohan, ally to Dunlendings has turned into evil jailor who abandoned wisdom. No doubt, it is the Ring he wants to make. And no doubt, Sauron the Kind must be informed about such treachery…

I am happy to be that close to finishing Dunland. It takes really too long. And is a bit of tragic. I enjoyed Acca’s story, it was really nice. I realise Theodred’s line is really impressive, yet sad.

The day has ended. More adventures awaits me.

Lord of the rings online

Zharaza did some 5 missions, completed meta-quest, chose to receive toon-advancing items. Well, received reputation tome plus 1000 virtue xp. Virtue xp is worthless, would gladly exchange it to, say, 1 gold. Or 10 taskboard items.

Stormsong managed to talk about great and shiny land of freedom – Mordor. About Orcs, who are warriors in quest for honour and glory. About Orcs culture where worst insult is “One who does not read books”.

And that was it. I am still unwilling to sent Zharaza to prison and grind maybe 30 quests there. These are un-interesting, even if lore appropriate.

So the day has ended, a bit lazy in Lotro.

Lord of the rings online

Zharaza turned in taskboard items.

Stormsong ran few instances, grinded LI xp runes – still not enough to get LI reward track to lvl.100 and get mountaneering goat. I sent Naktieskarys to one instance. Champion performed poorly, yet looted another rune and hurray – mount is mine. With this, activities ended.

And only then did I get info about incoming update. Changes are mostly irrelevant for 99% population.

What us relevant: LI xp runes are almost wiped from instances. Now there is absolutely no way to advance LI track at any speed. High levels needs tens of millions xp for one level. Low levels need less, yet de facto would not be able to use runes (because of absence). Then, raids in landscape cannot share quests and benefit from kills. What to do with raid-level Roving Threats, our developers did not explain.

In short, yet another significant decrease of quality of life. Which is logical for people who did not, are not and would not playing their own game, have little ideas on how things actually work. Did they ever try to get some 10 million just for one “reward track” level and get worthless “tracery token”? Of course, not. They see Excel datasheets only. Not players’ reaction.

Speaking on players – ill famous Lotro haters forum went off. When adress is typed, it finally shows “Offline” text. Good to hear this hate and mocking has ended.

As for me – well, LI “reward” track does not exist for me. To get some 10 million xp for one level is near to impossible. Rewards are some 30% usable (runes, high-quality Scripts), other 70% are trash (tracery tokens). I wish developers abandon this “track” and wipe out all LI xp runes.

And so the laaaazy day has ended.

Lord of the rings online

Felt a bit lazy, so Zharaza just turned in taskboard items for Theodred riders. Yes, that’s just 7 times – but still better than zero or boring repeatables.

Stormsong ran two Moria instances to grind LI experience runes. These two instances provide a really nice income of LI runes. Nice and easy. Grind all runes, deposit to shared vault, use on lvl.45 toon – enjoy Reward track advancing.

No more activities. Dunland means just too much quests. Endless ones.

Lord of the rings online

My Zharaza was active. Dunland has so many quests and deeds one could easily get lost. Do this in settlement A, then explore region A, after that move to settlement B and explore it…all while doing Dunland slayer deeds.

Helping Falcon clan is done, I have to return to Lheu Brenin (spoilers: and go to prison for some 18 quests…). I decided to finish what I can – so now am questing for Rohirrim while turning in tasks. After all, Theodred riders are task-repeatable faction.

Which left me with one choice: should I move to Nan Curunir before imprisoment or should I escape first? I was more inclined towards “escape first”, wise folks told the same. It’s decided then: prison-escape tandem first, ruining all around former prison later. So it started – go there, kill that, return to kill more then kill some more… What is good – valuable taskboard items, I hoard them to reach Kindred with Theodred as soon as possible.

When I finish all, except Nan-Curunir, I would have to go to prison. Treacherous Falcon clan, you deserve to be exterminated, all of you!

Stormsong was approached by one former kinnie. Asked why I left – I reluctantly told. Let “the past be in the past”, as Elsa sang. Turns out there were more events when I left and now they are active. Good for House of Wrath.

And so weekend has ended, quite good and active in Lotro.

Lord of the rings online

Enedwaith finally done, I could turn in some tasks, then practice torturing unlucky Training Dummy and finish some class deeds. Things are just perfect with these deeds.

And then I decided to move to Dunland. First stop – Stag Clan village. Nearby Outcasts wanted to attack village, so I dealt with them.

Village itself: weak clan, no defenses of village, old leader who respects traditions (and his people doesn’t). I aided them: killed some animals, then wolves, then collected various stuff – luckily, no droppings – and finally, it waas ceremony time. From it, I knew how evil Horselords drove Dunlendings from their rightfull lands and that this should never be forgotten. Also, it became clear Dunland is not united for various clans fight amongst themselves and Stag clan was probably the weakiest. Settled in the lands nobody wanted.

To make things worse, some villagers were killed and I knew about incoming attack. Unlucky Stag clan, you have more troubles to face.

But this is for future questing. I do not force-rush through region. Let me enjoy moments, explore world as curious Zharaza.

The day has ended. War with evil clans and Rohirrim has just begun.

Lord of the rings online

Final three daily quests. Kill 12 half-orcs, kill some half-orcs and some wargs, loot equipment on half-orc bosses. And behold, Kindred with lame Algraig reached! Also, “World renowned” deed finished, I got 70 Lotro points and “Steed of Eriador”.

Long grind in Enedwaith is over. No more thoughts about cursed Algraig. There is no background about them, they have almost zero stories. Some primitive, superstitious groups with their beloved herds. That’s all about lame Algraig.

Then I took some well-deserved rest, turned in Elderslade taskboard items. On Stormsong ranted about Mordor space agency (MASA) that started launching manned flights to the Moon. Orcs constructed huge catapult, Goblins – enormous ballista. First to land becomes Lieutnant of Mordor-II, i.e. Moon…

Zharaza continues to have existential problems and World reacts to it in a Lore-appropriate way. Good, at least one non-disruptive toon of mine…

And so short day has ended, quite good in Lotro.

Lord of the rings online

I have one thing to confess to myself. One truth. The truth that I am burned out with Lotro.

Last days and weeks, looking at my own posts and my own deeds I noticed Lotro became a work. I had to finish this deed, I had to do this and that, because I had to finish farming region. And then I had to go to next region and farm it. Calculate how much more orcs left to kill, where exactly is this cursed Hobbit lamp and how many quests do I have to do to get to Kindred.

Work. Not fun.

I talked to ones I always trust – my kinnies. They were quick to diagnose and to advice. They reminded me simple truth: it is online game, not work. It should be about fun.

For me there was only one fun: to one-shot any monsters around. And well, occasionally role-chat. I know, one decision is to take a break (so far – not taking it). Another decision – try to do things I like. Tried to finish Missions, visited Dwarf locations. It was kind of good.

Next, was existential crisis for Zharaza. He is Stout-axe, raised in Lugash and of course, knows that Sauron the Great is really kind to Stout-axes and Mistress Zoreth is nice too. Just these orcs, who abuse every Stout-axe, clearly against direct orders from Barad-Dur… Now, Zharaza starts to think what does freedom really mean (“Were we free at Lugash?”), plus he starts to think about Lord Sauron. Stories in Lugash were true (“Nazgul cannot lie”), yet there, in free peoples’ lands, there are other stories. What if these are true?

So, right now I have to slow down, to spend more time chatting or doing little things. Must overcome burnout and find meaning in Lotro, other than grind for the sake of grind.