Take the Hobbits to Isengard!

[Star-Man_1976]

World (Server) - Name, Race, Class, Level - Place of Death

Gilrain - Vogter, Dwarf, Guardian, 30 - Galtrev, Dunland.

Elendilmir - Almergard, Hobbit, Guardian, 11 - Low Hollin, Eregion.

Evernight - Berrelberth, Hobbit, Minstrel, 10 - Carreglyn, Dunland.

Crickhollow - Annathstan, Man, Champion, 60 - SURVIVED!

See you on Withywindle next Friday.

[PirateNell]

I do believe that our time today was:

1 hour
2 minutes
11 seconds

Crickhollow rocks!!

..and I saw at least one chicken there

[Bel-Astarte]

I do believe that our time today was:

1 hour
2 minutes
11 seconds

Crickhollow rocks!!

..and I saw at least one chicken there

Crickhollow definitely rocked the clock, and did so WITH chicken!

Congratulations!

[job2]

1hr 2minute is a great time.

It took me 45 minutes as a lvl 95 hunter with a 31% speed boost. No lag, ran straight as I could, through half orc camps and western tal bruinen.
Being only behind by 17 minutes is something else, just having someone on /follow has to add a couple minutes, even in the best of situations.
No server cannot afford to get Hadacar hung up on the gates and bridges because Crickhollow nailed it.

Congrats QUICKhollow!

[EyeSlayer600]

1hr 2minute is a great time.

It took me 45 minutes as a lvl 95 hunter with a 31% speed boost. No lag, ran straight as I could, through half orc camps and western tal bruinen.
Being only behind by 17 minutes is something else, just having someone on /follow has to add a couple minutes, even in the best of situations.
No server cannot afford to get Hadacar hung up on the gates and bridges because Crickhollow nailed it.

Congrats QUICKhollow!

Why, thank you!

[Archiril]

could times be improved by having toons along the path just kill everything?

[Garan]

could times be improved by having toons along the path just kill everything?

The best way to improve times would be to limit the number of characters near Hadacar. Lag is by far the greatest issue and getting all of the other characters to either move far, far ahead or stay far, far behind would enable Hadacar to move unfettered by lag and drastically improve speed. Realistically, there is no reason a fellowship of 95s couldn't eliminate every potential threat long before it could get near Hadacar so every character beyond the bare minimum is actually hindering the progress. Will any server actually manage to move Hadacar away from the masses and enable him to move at significantly greater speed? Nope. Everyone (admittedly, myself included) wants to be as close as possible and no one wants to be told that they are one of the extra players that should move away.

Ironically, as the event progresses and becomes a bit stale and draws fewer on lookers, the smaller population servers will actually have a much greater chance of limiting lag as there will be fewer "locals" and far fewer people willing to make their umpteenth alt on another server just to follow along yet again. As the number of characters decreases, the odds of improved performance increase. For once, small population is a plus.

[NynofArk]

We were actually discussing this as well. Yes it would be easier for a group of lvl 95s to get him to Isengard, but then it's a Raid/Kin event and not a Server event. And sort of tosses out the whole reason for doing this in the first place. Yes the lag is horrible when we're all grouped up, but being part of the group is what makes it a server activity. And while the goal is to get him there the quickest, it's also supposed to be fun. I've rolled little toons to participate on other servers while I wait for him to come to Arkenstone and while Crickhollow may have had the fastest run it actually was the least fun. Why? Because of the high hunter and captain speed buffs that made them outpaced everyone.

The best part of the entire run (other than just being there and listening to it on Twitch) was the fact there were quite a few higher ups who helped clear the way for the younger set to make it and I greatly appreciated it because it made you feel like you were part of the event, and not doing it on your own. So that part was fun, but knowing that we weren't anywhere near Hadacar and that the chances of catching up were pretty nill sort of stunk.

So would it be better for some of the group to go ahead and kill things? Yes it would, and it should happen to some extent. But we also need to remember that it's a server event, if you've got little ones in the group please try your best to keep them alive too (but not at the expense of Hadacars life!) and help it be fun for everyone.

[Boraxxe]

I tried to see what could be achieved as a L95 just running the route to get a good time.
With a 10% speed buff I managed 53 minutes.
With a Hunter leading the way, you could get a 15% speed buff.
If any server beats 55 minutes, I will be truly impressed.
Crickhollow at 1:02 is looking like a tough one to beat.

[frickinmuck]

I've rolled little toons to participate on other servers while I wait for him to come to Arkenstone and while Crickhollow may have had the fastest run it actually was the least fun.

I can't help but agree, as an observer it wasn't nearly as fun as the crazed frenzy of large groups that were immediately present on the other servers. But there was a tradeoff in the utter excitement of seeing them do an amazing job of it, and it was exciting to see them get the fastest time.

[Archiril]

I was a level 7 on the Crickhollow and got left behind i tried and failed to catch up.

[PirateNell]

I was a level 7 on the Crickhollow and got left behind i tried and failed to catch up.

Yes, it would definitely increase the fun for everyone if a few high-levels stayed with the end of the line to help the little guys make it all the way. Since I was running my Guardian, I used a couple of +10 run speed buffs to help keep up. It's a given that some classes are going to be faster, but you can mitigate for that. I deliberately didn't bring my Hunter because I thought she might be too fast and I hate running circles.


Odd things did happen during the run. My computer handled the main group lag pretty well but sometimes the layer-switching was confusing. Twice I was hit with a loading screen, after which I found myself way way behind the main group. I lost them completely near Galtrev and had to make my own route while looking for them. I got all the way to Isengard before realizing that I was then ahead of them. I started back, but suddenly they were there ..popping into sight a few at a time. 0,o

I think it would spoil the fun if the run was too tightly organized. You can't plan for the lag, and on the larger servers (like Crickhollow) it's hard to establish a leader. In fact, at the beginning of our run there were a few individuals who had researched and timed the fastest route. They tried to assert themselves and lead us, but the Hobbit was picked up by another group who did the run 'by the seat of it's pants'. They did a pretty good job, but I think we could have been even faster.

These massive events are always confusing and frustrating. If you want to have fun it's good to leave your ego at the door, stay flexible, and roll along with the group. You might feel pretty battered at the end, but if you don't forget that what you really did was battle Physics and win - the thrill will remain.

[Bel-Astarte]

Truly, the main thing of this event is the fun and inclusiveness for the community.

That hopefully will include all the lowbies who turn out as well, whether true lotro newbies, or guests from other servers, like ME!!!

[Sapience]

Truly, the main thing of this event is the fun and inclusiveness for the community.

That hopefully will include all the lowbies who turn out as well, whether true lotro newbies, or guests from other servers, like ME!!!

This is exactly the goal. What I've discovered, is I hear a lot of things that maybe get lost in the forums, or from people who don't post in the forums at all, but drop by the Live Stream and ask a question or join in the chat. Also, the community has been incredibly polite, even while being clearly competitive between servers, during the runs both in game and in the chats.

I've updated the OP with Crickhollow's time as well as adding Vilya, Siranon, Meneldor, and Vanyar to the schedule.

[Sapience]

Withywindle official time: 2 hours 3 minutes 33 seconds with 0 deaths and 1 reset (stuck).

Also, our most viewed stream to date with more than 600 people watching at one point.

[Star-Man_1976]

World (Server) - Name, Race, Class, Level - Place of Death

Gilrain - Vogter, Dwarf, Guardian, 30 - Galtrev, Dunland.

Elendilmir - Almergard, Hobbit, Guardian, 11 - Low Hollin, Eregion.

Evernight - Berrelberth, Hobbit, Minstrel, 10 - Carreglyn, Dunland.

Crickhollow - Annathstan, Man, Champion, 60 - SURVIVED!

Withywindle - Fredwisegard, Hobbit, Warden, 22 - Goeolhad, Eregion.

[Lohi]

Also, our most viewed stream to date with more than 600 people watching at one point.

This is probably because we got the LotRO newsletter which had a link to it, showed up in my mailbox while the run was underway.

[Bel-Astarte]

That's not fun.

Hope everyone had a grand time anyway.

[Yula_the_Mighty]

I watched part of the run on Twitch. Cool service. Everybody looked like they were having fun. I left soon after the one hour mark. Sapience got hung on the terrain in Dunland - Bonevales. Not sure how they managed to accomplish this task on the road. The only way out was a Milestone recall all the way back to the Prancing Pony. At level 10, Dunland way over level for his hobbit.

[HomingEagle]

Sapience will you be keeping these hobbit toons to take them into Mordor? Perhaps starting from Isengard?

I know this maybe a long way off. (heres hoping that's true). So, just dropping the suggestion before you decide to delete them.

[Tardall]

It was fun, thanks for the event Sapience.

BTW: had the reset not happened, we probably would have come close to Crick's time. Oh well, it's all part of the game / challenge.

[Dunfalach]

Lol. I too tried this once when I was a lowly hobbit with my kin. I died. :/

I'm pretty busy RL at the mo but if I can when you're on Dwarrowdelf I'll bring my lvl 95 dwarf guardian, I'm sure he'll do his best to protect you from stampeding horned beasts (which is how I died...)!

Looks like Dwarrowdelf won't be till sometime late March at the earliest. But if I catch the announcement and it's at a time I can do so, I'd love to join in. My elf hunter is currently a 49. At my present rate of play, he might make 50 by then.

[Moors-Battlemaster]

So after all this is done, it's back to Amarthiel in the moors? Right? Right????

[Star-Man_1976]

World (Server) - Name, Race, Class, Level - Place of Death

Gilrain - Vogter, Dwarf, Guardian, 30 - Galtrev, Dunland.

Elendilmir - Almergard, Hobbit, Guardian, 11 - Low Hollin, Eregion.

Evernight - Berrelberth, Hobbit, Minstrel, 10 - Carreglyn, Dunland.

Crickhollow - Annathstan, Man, Champion, 60 - SURVIVED!

Withywindle - Fredwisegard, Hobbit, Warden, 22 - Goeolhad, Eregion.

The Hobbit Minstrel Odver has come to Gladden to gladden you up for awhile, and also to join the the Take the Hobbits to Isengard challenge. I need Light Hides or Light Leathers to make myself a better armour, or an already crafted armour, and wonder if anyone is willing to donate some for me?

[Bel-Astarte]

The Hobbit Minstrel Odver has come to Gladden to gladden you up for awhile, and also to join the the Take the Hobbits to Isengard challenge. I need Light Hides or Light Leathers to make myself a better armour, or an already crafted armour, and wonder if anyone is willing to donate some for me?

Send me a message on LilyRose-I think we may be able to get you properly kitted between us.

Welcome to Gladden!