I Remember When...

[Donnamira]

My second character, back in open beta, was an elf loremaster. I was doing the quests out of Duillond and Celondim, and was starting to venture out of the elf-controlled areas. I was running along a road, and there was a path that led up a hill. There were walls around the top of the hill, and I could see lights glowing. As I got to the top of the path, I saw dwarf guards. I approached them with great caution, because I didn't know if they would attack me or not. Were they good guys or bad guys? If they were good guys, could I still go in there, being an elf and elves and dwarfs not getting along? That was my first sight of Gondamon, creeping up one of the steep back door paths in the dark.

The first time I went into the old forest and saw a tree move, I almost wet my pants. I was seeing it through mist, so mostly I was seeing the outline of the tree. It got up and walked, and then it attacked the poor fools ahead of me. I screamed out loud like a little girl.

Beating the boar for the level 40 cooking quest, with my level 30 guardian. I used every buff I had, food, potions, destiny points, and it still took me many tries. I kept aggroing drakes and having to run for my life.

Getting kindred standing with the Mathom House with my loremaster, and getting the turtle pet. It bounces back and forth like a child's pull-toy being pulled fast over cobblestones.

Seeing the Brandywine Bridge for the first time, and Crickethollow. I keep coming across places, people, details, that show me I'm in Middle Earth, not some knockoff but the real thing at last. I've been wanting to go to Middle Earth for 30 years.

Wondering how anyone ever afforded stable horses, or wax.

Searching every novice woodworker npc to see if they sold rowan hafts and hammers, before I learned they were made by tier 1 woodworkers and I had to actually trade with other people to get them.

Selling my first stack of boiled light leather, offering a price of twice what the vendor NPCs would pay, having the other person think I meant silver instead of copper and still happily paying that price, and realizing I had a lot to learn about how in-game economies worked.

Dying over and over in the Great Barrow and having my equipment break. Fighting the guy for the first half of the key, only to have him bug out and leave us all stuck in combat, with no power left.

Having the guy from the level 15 captain's quest show up to help in the level 30 guardian's quest, and having him say he was helped by "a young captain," and thinking, "Hey, that was me!"

Teaming up with another level 12 hunter to get that level 15 warg in the chetwood. We successfully coordinated using our traps and our cries to keep him off us while we whittled him down.

I finished the starter quests in Archet with my hobbit hunter, got my map, and was ported to Little Delving. I tried the postal quest a couple times, got spotted by a nosy hobbit every time, and decided to see what this map did. Clicked on it, and was sent back to Archet. I had no idea how to get back to the Shire, so I ended up doing my low-level quests in the Breelands.

Dying over and over again trying to solo the quest to steal a turtle egg and bring it to the platform in the orc camp. I'd fight from the camp to the turtle nest to clear the way, grab an egg, run back, dodge aggro all the way back to the camp, and then be beat on so severely I couldn't get five feet inside the door. I finally got it, and it took me far too long to remember to swing the camera around to watch the turtle rampage.

Doing Black Fire with my minstrel, remembering other times I'd done it and people died over and over. I tend to solo, so this was the first major quest where I'd been the only minstrel and where we were going to wipe badly if I didn't do my job right. We got through the whole quest with no deaths, and no we-almost-wiped moments. I was so focused on my job I didn't notice the first hill blowing up, and that's not subtle.

[Aloro]

I remember my wife and I running all over North Downs trying to find Esteldin, back in Closed Beta. We finally got lucky and saw somebody on a rental mount ride by, and we ran in that direction.

I remember how shocked everyone was by the hostile deer in Evendim. Heh. Deer had always been critters until then.

I remember the first time my wife and I found the Rammas Deluon (the line of statues across Malenhad that prevent passage until a certain point in the epic story). We had no idea those statues were worse than the other (common) kind, which they resemble. We ran full speed into it and both were defeated, and just started laughing and laughing... then we tried to get our friends to run into it.

[JebusJM]

I remember when I got so close to the High Pass on my level 20. /drool

[maxmckay]

I remember getting my first teal item (fortified ash Bow) and thinking I was king of the world.

Trying to hunt down the right mobs for that ONE drop i needed for my 1st single use scroll for woodworking.

Critting my first Ornate BlackAsh bow for myself on the first attempt then burning through 3 scrolls for my wifes ornate black ash staff *chuckles*.

Sneaking around EL as a Elf Hunter just exploring and wondering at everything around me. Grouping up for the first time to get some group quests done in there.

My wife telling me that Yes at 14th lvl we could actually live to do a run through the shire and make it to bree alive from EL.

Meeting one of our best friends (moirain) for the first time in EL and learning that a Guardian can REAALLLYYYY help in allot of situations.

stalking wolves in the old forrest and swearing about the darn flowers that I didn't think existed. Taking a wrong turn and suddenly surrounded by 20 bears and a lake....didn't end well lol.

Doing the Horse quest for the first time swearing the horse riding challenge at the end was more difficult then getting my RL drivers license!

Seeing the vista from weather top and just smiling. Wandering around bree exploring every nook and cranny wondering if I could find places that the hobbits had been to. Meeting gandalf and strider priceless.

Stopping for a break in the trollshaws and wondering what the trail was for and finding the stone trolls from the hobbit...blew my mind!

My first troll encounter at night on the road into the trollshaws and running away screaming "It's trying to eat me!!!!"

Our first run into CD....chaos lol

The deer attacking me in evendim for the first time I've hated those things ever since even now if a furry critter eyeballs me wrong it dies! I swear the bunnies are next they've been plotting!

So many great memories and people I've met and am still meeting.

[Exmond]

I remember when walking a random bear noise would play and there would be no bear...

Then the bear become a mod, and his reign of terror swept the land.

[Dunford]

I remember seeing a rainbow in the sky for the first time when I was in Tuckburough during closed beta and watching it the same way you would a real rainbow for several minutes.

I remember the first time I ran through the Shire thinking, "I want to live here".

Crossing the last ridge line after a harrowing run through the High Moors to see the vale of Rivendell spread before me like a glowing tapestry.

Sunrise on the top of Weathertop and running to each of the main compass points to see the view.

Discovering a snowman on the top of one of the hills in Ered Luin. He looked like such a jolly fellow!

I remember my wife's hobbit character and my captain character sitting in the chairs on the porch of Thornleys house watching the sun go down on the last day of beta before the character wipe thinking... "Good bye, I'll see you on the other side". It was sad and exciting at the same time.

[Galan]

I remember back at the end of Closed beta (1...or was it 2) our kin was collected in Hobbiton for pictures and next thing we know we were being jumped by Patience on a warg. Soon to be followed my a many other assorted monsters.

I also remember the first time I actually looked at the sky in this game, I've spend hours just staring at the in game sky.

[skorpion352]

i remember near the end of open beta trying to get to rivendell by going through the midgewater marshes and weather hills,. then realisingthe next day that it was easier to take the road that went past the forsaken inn

[IronJake]

... doing the introductory scene on my first hobbit and turning around and running away when I saw the Nazgul on the horse. Ran all the way back to the starting area and wasnt until months later that I got to read/hear the whole introductory scene.

... Seeing that first silver node in north Breelands and being excited for my jeweller

... the scary old forest and laughing out loud in real life when I told my daughters I got killed by a tree!

... the poor hobbit by the stables in Bree that kept dropping out of the sky repeatedly - felt sorry for them but always would try to talk to them.

... Very first monster play attempt and running from the trolls when I first saw them. Never realized they were on "my" side ;P

... Being part of my first full raid creep-side in the moors (Thanks Invicti)

... Getting a random drop of "silver voice gloves" from a normal mob in the southern trollshaws. Thought it was just a myth that could happen.

[Neoglaurung]

...the Lonelands weren't mob infested and were indeed very 'lone.'
...I got to see the infamous Floating Tree Oasis in the weather hills.
...Bree ooc wasn't eternally besieged by gold sellers.
...Angmar was still being developed.
...I got to see the North Downs for the first time
...the capes were monochromatic *sigh* I miss them.

[Lonya]

OMG I remember Ghost Bear...

and how at 4am during closed beta hearing it coming from 5.1 speakers made me jump out of my chair, spinning my character around, looking frantically for what was attacking me!

I remember seeing my first purple mob and thinking I actually had a chance to maybe, possibly hit it...

then finding out, nope, not a snowballs chance but it could sure hit me fast and hard. Which made my first run to Riv (lvl 10) scarey, especially when making a wrong turn and running into a mountain drake.

I remember fondly how awestruck I was when I logged in for the very first time, even in beta when textures weren't quite as rich as they are now I was captivated.

There are so many memories of I remember, everytime I read this thread, I'm reminded of others. Great thread.

[AgamemnonV1]

GHOST BEAR THREATENS TO ATTACK!

[annie]

I remember way back in closed beta, the feeling of satisfaction after running my level 14 guardian (first ever character) up to rivendell. But the most satisfying part was my stellar ability to get past all those purple aurochs. First time I had ever seem them.

It wasn't until the higher levels that I found out they were passive.

Ahh, the good old days when none of us knew anything.

[memiki]

I love this thread it brings back so many memories.

The first week I was not sure this was the game for me. But said well it is beta I will stick with it. When they offered the founder and life membership, it was instant YES!!

I remember when I would stand at the Combe gate and wish I could get through it.

I remember looking up at the sky, and going WOW, look at the awesome clouds and making a mental note to self not to look at sky when on auto run while I am limping away from falling off a cliff.

This was also my start in my career of cliff falling.

My first view of Rivendell. I couldn't believe it. I just kept going wow, wow It was and is still the most awesome sight. I never tire of standing on the hill looking at it.
Same with Misty Mountians they are great.

My favorite memories of the Old Forest were "I hate this place". But I kept going back. The first time a tree chased me I thought I was having a heart attack. Then I got a friend of mine to go in with me, hehe not telling her about the trees. I said oh lets walk up this path. Since she usually went ahead of me anyhow, I stood back a bit, smiling going, I will be right there . hehehe. I still hear her screams. It was so funny.
Also how we use to get lost in there. I would say we are doomed to play the whole game here we will never get out of here.
or the time we tried to carry the water out. OMG, it was so funny us screaming and running with the bucket and dragging everything behind me, her trying to help until we died AGAIN.
It was a place you loved to hate but for me it called me back and back, well until now the way it is now.

So many memories.

[Neoglaurung]

Oh geez, you just reminded me. The death horse of Ered Luin. /nostalgia I rode it even though I'd received plenty of forewarning that the stable was pathed to go straight of the cliff, missing the bridge entirely. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-crunch.

[djheydt]

Lots and lots of times when I'd reach a new area for the first time and see something exquisitely Lore-appropriate, and realized that Turbine had gotten it right, once again.

First example: making a new Elf character, and going through the opening instance, and the appearance of Master Elrond -- so wise, so noble, so beautiful, They got HIM right.

Then, starting a dwarf character and landing at the Silverdeep gate, and there was Gandalf, and they got HIM right, and then standing there talking to hm, GOOD GOD, THAT'S THORIN OAKENSHIELD! But he's DEAD! and watching their conversation for a bit and realizing they're about to start out for the Lonely Mountain.

All the people and critters and places, each come upon with a shock; as, Bag End,the Stock-brook, the Golden Perch, the Forsaken Inn Weathertop...

Saeradan the Ranger, with his male pattern baldness.

More recently, the salamanders of the Barandalf. They are huge amphibians (there were amphibians that size in the Devonian and Carboniferous), with their colorful shiny skins like real salamanders -- but they are also spirits of fire, as alchemists thought in the Renasissance. Yet once more, Turbine did its homework.

Gollum, and the various hints that are dropped before you actually see him.

[3029929]

I remember when i thought you and your fellowship members had to stay together
I remember when i thought that fellowships were a permanent deal
I remember when I did the Great Barrows with a level 40 hunter in strength stance who who not only refused to tank hetold me to tank (being 20 levels lower than him) while he spammed swift bow
I remember when I saw the white tree trinkets that i thought sombody had been to gondor
I remember when I fought a nazgul and our healer had to use sylvan shadows to come back and rez us all
I remember when we had the dev event on roheryn and I got the killing blow on one of the Bosses they put on the TA lawn
I remember when I did a Urugarth run with 3 guardians 2 champs and a captain
I remember watching the insane flame war between the mellowship and conviction over the balrog fight
I remember watching our kinship leader who had been lvl 50 since book 10 be beat by a champ in the kin who turned 50 that day
I remember when our kinship leader said that in the rift we needed to keep the elf chick healed then somone else said he means the one over there not him and the leader agreed with the guy.
I remember never doing weathertop or setting foot on it
I remember going to dwarf "hell" (Gabilzan) with a champ and LM from my kin when i was lvl 24
I remember when somone in our kinship traded their helm gem to the wrong trader in the rift and had to beg some devs to change it for him
I remember getting Stonebiter on my first try
I remember being proud of actually having a full set of purple items at lvl 45
I remember feeling pimp having a full set of purple items at levl 7

aaaah good times goood times

[Rippentuck]

Many of my LotRO memories are contained within the link in my sig, a chronicle of events since the day my brother and I took our two hobbits to Rivendell at lvl 15, while waiting for open beta to end.

A lot of those screenshots (some being from open beta before the high-res textures) are pics of discoveries of various new things.


Rip

[Forjo]

I remember when I first made this thread -- I was really feeling nostalgic that day.

Today I remember creating our kinship -- and wondering whether our alts would count to make the minimum membership.

-Forjo

[Northwoods]

There's something symmetrical about resurrecting a thread that all about nostalgia.

-- the first time I stepped outside the Archet gates to hunt wolves in the tall grass, and just stood there, looking at the scenery.

-- the fishnet padded leggings

-- Amdir of the Ever-Changing Voice

-- when three grey mobs in Chetwood could bring a L30 to his knees in seconds

-- when there were no user-controllable horses

-- opening night of Ered Luin, and emerging from the dwarf intro into Thorin's Gate for the first time, thinking I've never see so many dwarves in one place before

[Elderban]

I remember when...

...My first character made it all the way from Thorin's Hall to Bree at Level 6. It was dark, there was a lot of dread all the way there (I don't think the dread is implemented any more), and everything that was a higher level than me scared the **** out of me. I just kept running...

...I first saw in to Rivendell. Breathtaking!

...There was no reputation/reputation items.

...There was no Evendim or Forochel

...There was no PvMP.

...You could actually do quests in the Ettenmoors without getting ganked by player creeps.

...You could actually do quests in the Ettenmoors as a creep without getting ganked by player freeps.

...There was no map to the Old Forest.

...There were no gold spammers.

...Killing Andraste for Book 1, Chapter 10 actually required a full fellowship.

...You could sneak out and around the ruins for the quest "Our Greatest Find" to avoid all of the goblins after you grabbed the statue.

...Every plant looked the same.

...You couldn't move items around on your desktop or couldn't resize anything in your UI.

...There was no housing.

...I would sneak in to higher level areas just to check them out even though I had no chance of surviving there.

[DarkCntry]

I remember...

• Taking my level 10 and with 5 other regular beta testers running all the way to Rivendell without dying.
• Taking a now level 15 through the N. Downs with those same tester friends to see the entrance way to Angmar, only to be chased back out by the dozens of aggros.
• Finding the backdoor to Angmar and getting about 30 paces into an open area before dying.
• Killing my first Signature alone, stupid Warg :P
• The intros for all of the races, and the lasting effect doing them had on the world (OMG ARCHET IS RUINED!!!).
• Stepping into the Moors, running out, getting one-shotted by a random Dorf and Elf patrolling near the lumbermill.
• Running into the first battle-garment Troll in Angmar, then getting launched 6 miles away from it.
• Destroying a piece of siege equipment in Angmar.

And probably hundreds of other things....

[Northwoods]

Dread drone

[Jeffor]

RUnning to Rivendell at level 8. Previously I had never been much past Hobiton. I took quite a while and I had to stand in the Ford of Bruinen until the sun came up cause I couldn't find my way in the dark. I felt like a real adventurer that night! Speaking of which I also remember when Rivendell was attacked by an army of Drakes and Boromir wouldn't help me kill them so I could see what the Misty Mts looked like!

I also remember entering the Shire for the first time. Little Delving is a wonderful little place.

[Koenigcitizen]

I remember you did not have to be kindred with anyone to have a great deal on repairs and discounts.

Just go see your friendly grocer in Bree!!!!!!


Please bring back the Bree Grocer!!!! The town hall was always packed and it was a great way to meet new people!!!!!!!