The Grey Gardens of Dagorlad

[Brethwyn_EU]

It just crossed my mind; Cordovan said in his latest interview, and it has also been stated before, that they were planning to expand on the flora system with further updates, but.. Dagorlad, which most probably will be the new region coming with Update 20 in March, should be void of any flowers! Except weeds and reeds, and the rare Ashbloom. Okay, maybe I just answered my own question, but it still seems weird to continue with the flora system into Dagorlad, mostly void of any vegetation. It was stated in the Release Notes of U19 about North Itihlien, that it had always been a flowery region, and that's why they added it. Dagorlad would be the exact opposite. Thoughts?

[Murtanion]

It just crossed my mind; Cordovan said in his latest interview, and it has also been stated before, that they were planning to expand on the flora system with further updates, but.. Dagorlad, which most probably will be the new region coming with Update 20 in March, should be void of any flowers! Except weeds and reeds, and the rare Ashbloom. Okay, maybe I just answered my own question, but it still seems weird to continue with the flora system into Dagorlad, mostly void of any vegetation. It was stated in the Release Notes of U19 about North Itihlien, that it had always been a flowery region, and that's why they added it. Dagorlad would be the exact opposite. Thoughts?

I think people are taking this too narrowly. After listening to the interview I was under the impression that "Expanding" upon the flora system could simply mean that there are more uses for Flora, more Items, perhaps a new upgrade path for the current Flora gear. Basically anything to keep the grind upgrade progression in tact.

In the event that we do end up with "Flora" in Dagorlad I would imagine we would need a rare item, such as the Ashbloom, from Dagorlad region and the other items would continue to be harvested in Ithilien.

[greetingsdownunder]

Dagorlad:

Perhaps a shiny moss flower
Or Tundra flowers in the mountain side.
or cave flowers like those from East Rohan

[ThePinion]

Moss, lichens, mushrooms, and flowers can be found in *some* parts of the new area, but there are absolutely large swaths of the area where nothing grows or will ever grow again.

[Hallandil]

Moss, lichens, mushrooms, and flowers can be found in *some* parts of the new area, but there are absolutely large swaths of the area where nothing grows or will ever grow again.

You mean like that massive radioactive waste dump looking series of pools outside the Black Gate that is basically one massive evil doormat? Noticed it during the epic instance.

[siipperi]

Moss, lichens, mushrooms, and flowers can be found in *some* parts of the new area, but there are absolutely large swaths of the area where nothing grows or will ever grow again.

Those must be some special shrooms if rangers giving out lootz for them

If Cordovan's hint of "dungeons in U20" stands correct, hoping to see more awesome instances from you & the team.

[Dolamrothdame]

Those must be some special shrooms if rangers giving out lootz for them

Well for some reason the supply of pipeweed from the Shire has fallen off quite a bit of late. Rangers are good at improvising when needed.

[virtualray]

Maybe we'll collect candles from the dead in the water My preciousess

[TharbadThief]

Moss, lichens, mushrooms, and flowers can be found in *some* parts of the new area, but there are absolutely large swaths of the area where nothing grows or will ever grow again.

If I recall correctly, the desolation and poisonous, contaminated environment 'stretched away for miles'. If we're really going to gather moss 'extracts' and whatever from those lands, colour me uninterested. (again)

[NeebPlayer]

Dagorlad is the garden of Mordor, guys. Unfortunately, facts are facts.

[Arnenna]

Moss, lichens, mushrooms, and flowers can be found in *some* parts of the new area, but there are absolutely large swaths of the area where nothing grows or will ever grow again.

I can understand maybe a few patches of strangled moss as we begin to leave the Camp of the Host and make our way toward the Black Gate - for a little bit of distance, and again, maybe around the edges of the Dead Marshes. The Battle Plain and Nomans Land would be as you say - dead and void of life. What concerns me about that is the large sterile areas are likely to take the larger proportion of land mass in the new area, which means lots and lots of players scrambling over the remaining small areas trying to pick up bits of moss, lichens or mushrooms.

While my preference would be to NOt spend another update picking things up at all in this barren region, I think handfuls of sludge or gunk would have been more fitting than flora. We would likely all begin to despair as we proceed along the journey through Dagorlad, seeing we all think we're on a suicide mission, and stopping to smell the roses (or pick up moss) would be furthest from our minds.

[Nosdracir]

I can understand maybe a few patches of strangled moss as we begin to leave the Camp of the Host and make our way toward the Black Gate - for a little bit of distance, and again, maybe around the edges of the Dead Marshes. The Battle Plain and Nomans Land would be as you say - dead and void of life. What concerns me about that is the large sterile areas are likely to take the larger proportion of land mass in the new area, which means lots and lots of players scrambling over the remaining small areas trying to pick up bits of moss, lichens or mushrooms.

While my preference would be to NOt spend another update picking things up at all in this barren region, I think handfuls of sludge or gunk would have been more fitting than flora. We would likely all begin to despair as we proceed along the journey through Dagorlad, seeing we all think we're on a suicide mission, and stopping to smell the roses (or pick up moss) would be furthest from our minds.

Lichen is an extremely hardy plant/symbiosis. There could easily be plenty of it scattered all over the place in tiny bits. Of course we'd be pushing it to extinction in gathering it.

Moss and mushrooms both need wetter environments. Alkali versions of both, I presume.

Certain arid environment plants only flower after a (rare) rainstorm. Maybe we'll end up with a mad rush after every in-game rainstorm to pick flowers.

Did the Entwives live in the land that became Dagorlad, or visit it? Could be some interesting pockets if they did. Hopefull enough pockets to prevent rare flower camping.

[Esterian]

It just crossed my mind; Cordovan said in his latest interview, and it has also been stated before, that they were planning to expand on the flora system with further updates, but.. Dagorlad, which most probably will be the new region coming with Update 20 in March, should be void of any flowers! Except weeds and reeds, and the rare Ashbloom. Okay, maybe I just answered my own question, but it still seems weird to continue with the flora system into Dagorlad, mostly void of any vegetation. It was stated in the Release Notes of U19 about North Itihlien, that it had always been a flowery region, and that's why they added it. Dagorlad would be the exact opposite. Thoughts?

In the software industry you "plan" 6 month+ ahead. Those plans are already in a final state and only polishing is doable.

[Radhruin_EU]

Moss, lichens, mushrooms, and flowers can be found in *some* parts of the new area, but there are absolutely large swaths of the area where nothing grows or will ever grow again.

The idea of flowers growing anywhere out there seems off to me. Beyond the desolation before the Black Gate, the land's still meant to be 'barren and pitiless' - okay, I wouldn't argue with lichens growing on rocks etc. but flowers would relieve the pitilessness in a way that would appear to clash with the concept of the place. It's not like Ithilien, where the hobbits are cheered by the sight of flowers growing: the atmosphere Tolkien's trying to project is one of unrelieved gloom and slowly mounting horror as they draw closer to the Gate. So I'm with the OP on this.

[Mar-Evayave]

Moss, lichen, weeds, and mushy/goopy stuff (all of which being toxic) makes sense for Dagorlad, especially the Dead Marshes (which we have already visited).

It was dreary and wearisome. Cold clammy winter still held sway in this forsaken country. The only green was the scum of livid weed on the dark greasy surfaces of the sullen waters. Dead grasses and rotting reeds loomed up in the mists like ragged shadows of long-forgotten summers.
--Passage of the Marshes, The Two Towers

Even weeds can have flowers, though, so it's not out of the realm of possibility. How far this would extend into the rest of Dagorlad... *shrug*

Inside Mordor, Gorgoroth should be entirely devoid of any plantlife. Southern Mordor is less bland, moist enough for farming because of the Sea of Nurnen.

While the plantlife type may vary from place to place, as far as I am aware, the only place where it would be completely inappropriate for plantlife would be within Gorgoroth.

[cdq1958]

Flora = plants, fauna = animals, basically. The flora system need not be limited to flowering plants. [English is a weird language. Germanic roots with overlays of Greek, Latin and any other language whose words/phrases convey the desired meaning.] I seem to have a recollection that we have been collecting herbs for medicine and other purposes from the beginning, at least for the over 6 years that I've been playing.

I expect the Dagorlad to look like the Brown Lands, excepting the parts near the Black Gate and the Ash Mountains. Barren, pitiless, yet not sterile.

[Hallandil]

Flora = plants, fauna = animals, basically. The flora system need not be limited to flowering plants. [English is a weird language. Germanic roots with overlays of Greek, Latin and any other language whose words/phrases convey the desired meaning.] I seem to have a recollection that we have been collecting herbs for medicine and other purposes from the beginning, at least for the over 6 years that I've been playing.

I expect the Dagorlad to look like the Brown Lands, excepting the parts near the Black Gate and the Ash Mountains. Barren, pitiless, yet not sterile.

Is this a good point for the biology nerds to step in and point out that ironically "picking flora" in Dagorlad won't actually be plants.

Mushroom are Fungi and lichen/algae are Polyphyly, which neither are plants :3

[cdq1958]

Is this a good point for the biology nerds to step in and point out that ironically "picking flora" in Dagorlad won't actually be plants.

Mushroom are Fungi and lichen/algae are Polyphyly, which neither are plants :3

Oh so true .

[Palenen]

It would be HUGEly, HUGE!, Very cool to see them tie the world together. All the way to the Anduin. Very cool to traverse The Dead Marshes. Even if it did look like P.J.'s. heh. Don't follow the lights!