Hidden Nuggets we see all the time...

[Berephon]

Ahhh... okay. Well, I was close, kinda-sort-of. I'll take one demerit on my "Master of Lore" title. Or did I get close enough to shave a half-point off?

I shan't whack you with the +5 Lore-hammer of Mastery.

[Spectus]

Was that actually the sword's name?!?! UGHHHHHH I watched the movie not 2 weeks ago yet I can't recall if that was actually it or not...................

It was, indeed. The sword's original name was Narsil. Then, when it was finally reforged, Aragorn renamed it Andúril, 'Flame of the West.' In the books, it was reforged prior to the Fellowship leaving Rivendell. In the movie, Elrond has it reforged when he realizes Arwen is dying, and takes it to Rohan and hand-delivers it to Aragorn, begging him to accept his heritage as Isildur's heir. Personally, I prefer the original version. And the original version gives us the opportunity to enjoy one of the game's coolest quest arcs.

[whitewarden1]

When you respawn there are weird markings on the big stone in the respawn circle. I always wonder what they mean.

[Beleg]

http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Rally_Point



The runes in the picture translate as "kaew": The runic 'k' is actually meant to represent a Sindarin 'c', however the elvish 'c' is almost always pronounced as a 'k'. With this in mind, the letters "kaew" would actually appear in Sindarin as "caew".

So, what does this mean? Well, "caew" can be used to refer to a resting-place, which seems particularly apt given that the stone circle is where you go to rest after retreating from battle.

[Berephon]

http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Rally_Point



The runes in the picture translate as "kaew": The runic 'k' is actually meant to represent a Sindarin 'c', however the elvish 'c' is almost always pronounced as a 'k'. With this in mind, the letters "kaew" would actually appear in Sindarin as "caew".

So, what does this mean? Well, "caew" can be used to refer to a resting-place, which seems particularly apt given that the stone circle is where you go to rest after retreating from battle.

Correct. It should be noted that the Angerthas pictured here does not actually have a c-rune. Odd, though, that Art chose to use the Angerthas rather than Tengwar for a Sindarin word.

[oldbadgerbrock]

Correct. It should be noted that the Angerthas pictured here does not actually have a c-rune. Odd, though, that Art chose to use the Angerthas rather than Tengwar for a Sindarin word.

Is that really so odd? According to Appendix E the Cirth were used in Eregion. The land in the original release of LOTRO was entirely within Eregion.

The Tengwar were devised for writing with brush or pen, and the squared forms of inscriptions were in their case derivatives from the written forms. The Certar were devised and mostly used only for scratched or incised inscriptions.
[…]
The Cirth were devised first in Beleriand by the Sindar, and were long used only for inscribing names and brief memorials upon wood or stone. To that origin they owe their angular shapes, very similar to the runes of our times, though they differed from these in details and were wholly different in arrangement. The Cirth in their older and simpler form spread eastward in the Second Age, and became known to many peoples, to Men and Dwarves, and even to Orcs, all of whom altered them to suit their purposes and according to their skill or lack of it. One such simple form was still used by the Men of Dale, and a similar one by the Rohirrim.

But in Beleriand, before the end of the First Age, the Cirth, partly under the influence of the Tengwar of the Noldor, were rearranged and further developed. Their richest and most ordered from was known as the Alphabet of Daeron[…]Among the Eldar the Alphabet of Daeron did not develop true cursive forms, since for writing the Elves adopted Fëanorian letters. The Elves of the West indeed for the most part gave up the use of runes altogether. In the country of Eregion, however, the Alphabet of Daeron was maintained in use and passed thence to Moria, where it became the alphabet most favored by the Dwarves[…]

In the chapter ‘A Knife in the Dark’ in The Fellowship of the Ring, Strider finds a stone atop a cairn at Weathertop with scratches on it that he believes are a G-rune accompanied by three strokes, which he interprets as meaning that Gandalf had been there on October 3rd. For some unfathomable reason LOTRO’s Art department placed an ungwe, the tengwa representing the ‘G’ sound, on the stone instead of the rune that is both described and depicted in the text.

[Berephon]

Is that really so odd? According to Appendix E the Cirth were used in Eregion. The land in the original release of LOTRO was entirely within Eregion.




In the chapter ‘A Knife in the Dark’ in The Fellowship of the Ring, Strider finds a stone atop a cairn at Weathertop with scratches on it that he believes are a G-rune accompanied by three strokes, which he interprets as meaning that Gandalf had been there on October 3rd. For some unfathomable reason LOTRO’s Art department placed an ungwe, the tengwa representing the ‘G’ sound, on the stone instead of the rune that is both described and depicted in the text.

Indeed, that latter is even more strange (and clearly incorrect.)

[Rimlegwen]

From the quest "A peculiar tomb" (bestowed at the Haunted Inn in Mirkwood), written on the third gravestone: "Here lieth Beremud, age 41, who took his own life on July 4, TA 2461".

I was questing for Mirkwood rep on my Captain and discovered this little tidbit. Now I wonder if this is indeed the Beremud from the "Webs of the Scuttledells", a poor dead sod who just went walking again to do the Dark Lords' bidding (against his own conviction, if I remember the rest of the quest correctly), or if someone just decided they liked the name enough to reuse it .

(Not a piece of lore per se, but nevertheless that would be a nice little piece of consistency...)

[Daeross]

Unfortunately, I ran out of room for my favorite "nugget" of all...

The best part in this scene, though?
There are tengwar on the blade as there should be. There's also some on the cross-guard. Pesky things are just hard to screencap...

Far as I've been able to figure out, on the blade it says Narsil, and on the cross-guard, bellas (strength) and what looks like coru (wily) or curu (cunning), though due to the hardship of getting a good screencap, I can't be sure.

[Geindir]

In the movie, Elrond has it reforged when he realizes Arwen is dying, and takes it to Rohan and hand-delivers it to Aragorn, begging him to accept his heritage as Isildur's heir.

Who would have thought it was such a short way from Rivendell to Rohan *insert sarcasm* And itsnt it amazing how reforging a broken blade can save a dying elf *end sarcasm* Ialways hated that bit in the movie

[Elrantiri]

And itsnt it amazing how reforging a broken blade can save a dying elf *end sarcasm* Ialways hated that bit in the movie

The whole point of her 'dying' is that she chose human mortality over the Elven immortality. As she is halfelven and (I guess) therefore influenced by the waning of the Elves yet does not have the immortality of the Elves, her choice would render her very weak. Therefore, I'd expect she is much more influenced by the evil growing because of Sauron than regular Elves and other races for that matter. Also, she can no longer leave Middle Earth for Valinor and will die if Aragorn loses against Sauron. Thus her fate depends on the outcome of the War.
Realizing this, Elrond has the sword reforged to aid Aragorn and hopefully turn the tide of the war. Elrond knows about the Corsair and Aragorn appearently does not, they start talking about the ghosties and the rest you probably know.

On top of this, the scene with Aragorn and Sauron using the Palantir adds more onto this situation as Sauron tries to demoralize Aragorn by 'showing' that Arwen is dead, meaning he would no longer be able to fight for her and their future together. This scene would not make much sense if Aragorn did not know that Arwen was dying as Elrond told him.

I get that some will always like the books over the movie (and perhaps vice versa), but I still think they did a pretty good job with the films.

[Whiteberry_Laurelin]

I just saw this thread. Wonderful idea!

I recently made a screenshot quiz that might be interesting for some of you. It contains a few nuggets too I'm working on a Part II.

http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.p...-location-quiz

[Taravith]

Yep, In my post above if you follow the link to our blog, I give details the exact objects they are from actually. Namely the Sutton Hoo belt buckle, and a Petersen P51 oval brooch. The textures are literally tweaked photographs of the originals. There are also a few other archaeological treats from early medieval england and norway.

http://thekhazadguard.wordpress.com/...igns-in-lotro/

This made me squee SO hard.
Q&As between the art team and people with your kind of knowledge would be so interesting.

And a sort-of contribution to the thread, when I first started playing I couldn't wait to go visit Tom Bombadil, and I was able to find him without using the map once, just getting my bearing from my memories from the book.

I was also very impressed by Moria - although it's not exactly hidden, I've loved finding the "remains" of the Balrog, the broken bridge and Gandalf's hat.

Beyond the easter egg aspect of it, it is heartwarming indeed to see that the devs do care about the material.

[Belias_Lassiter]

Hey there, this is my first post in a forum ever.... I am more sort of a listener any way I was just riding through nude melek in moria and i heard singing, i guess that is not new but try to pay attention to the words its almost as if they sing the ring rhyme in black speech, would be cool if some one could go have a listen.

You are correct. I didn't notice it til my 3rd character made the trip through, but the chanting in Nud Melek is indeed saying at least a part of that.

(Or at least it was back in 2011. Haven't been that way since the latest revamp.)

[Phede]

Don't know whether this qualifies as a "nugget" but it's definitely well hidden.

Try using the /thank emote on Rue Goodbody in the Mathom House.

I was pretty pleased to discover this "secret", it indicates to me that hobbits aren't quite as narrow minded as they would like us to think ...

(Here's a link to a spoiler screenshot: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ps1e732235.jpg)

[Cala_Romello]

So, I'm sure that this has been mentioned before, but I was reading the Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth in Morgoth's Ring, and came across this little tidbit:

'There is one thing that Men call "hope",' said Finrod. 'Amdir we call it, "looking up". But there is another which is founded deeper. Estel we call it, that is "trust". It is not defeated by the ways of the world, for it does not come from experience, but from our nature and first being. If we are indeed the Eruhin, the Children of the One, then He will not suffer Himself to be deprived of His own, not by any Enemy, not even by ourselves. This is the last foundation of Estel, which we keep even when we contemplate the End: of all His designs the issue must be for His Children's joy. Amdir you have not, you say. Does no Estel at all abide?'

So, who are the two Rangers in the Man/Hobbit opening instance? That's right: Amdir and Aragorn.

What was Aragorn known as during his childhood in Rivendell?



Things like this make me love this game even more.

[Urwendil]

​
That section of the Athrabeth is somehow very important for me, and yes, Amdir and Estel accompanying the Man/Hobbit characters at the beginning is a great catch
​

[Eadreid]

Another unfortunate Bear comes a cropper at the hands of those evil bunnies This time in Wildermore

[Eadreid]

Found a 2nd unlucky bear in Wildermore

[Degth]

Another unfortunate Bear comes a cropper at the hands of those evil bunnies This time in Wildermore

I came across this last night and I couldn't stop laughing.
Bunnies! Scourge of Middle-Earth! Oh my....LOL

[Eadreid]

I came across this last night and I couldn't stop laughing.
Bunnies! Scourge of Middle-Earth! Oh my....LOL

See if you can find the 2nd one

[zalladi]

Probably already found, though not sure if this was posted in the thread, but running through the epics on one of my alts, I found a small secret in Volume 3, Book 2, Chapter 15: An Echo of Days Past.

Since the instances format is similar to Lumil-Nar, I travelled back up the ramps from the start position, and at the top stood that same 'mysterious old man' (who appears consistently throughout the epics), whom walks off and disappears as soon as I get to the top. Quite a nice secret to see, and good to know that little nuggets like these do exist in the game.

Unfortunately I couldn't snab a screenshot as he walked off too quickly, and it can't be found in a reflecting pool, but keep a lookout if you ever level alts.

[Aestivan]

Correct. It should be noted that the Angerthas pictured here does not actually have a c-rune. Odd, though, that Art chose to use the Angerthas rather than Tengwar for a Sindarin word.

Cirth are easier to carve into stone and in any case were invented by the Elves in Beleriand and refined by Daeron, minstrel of Thingol, King of Doriath.

Remember letter values are phonetic, and Sindarin "C" is always pronounced "K".

[Dekkameron]

There is also a troll that occasionally is seen in the Rushock bog.

Indeed there is!

[Cala_Romello]

Unfortunately, I ran out of room for my favorite "nugget" of all...

So, I was recently replaying the Breaking of the Fellowship instances, and took the opportunity to take a screenshot of Andúril's sheath. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get the whole blade in the shot (at least, not so it's legible), but here it is.



This is written in the Sindarin mode of tengwar, but it reads in the Common Tongue. Unfortunately, I can't decipher the middle word, but what I can make out is:

I am Andúril, [unclear] in Imladris: Narsil restored

Judging from the context, I would say that unclear word is 'forged' or 'made' or something along those lines, but the Tengwar don't add up. From what I can see, they are ando, calma, malta, númen, númen. The values for those letters are (n)d, kh, m, n, n. For the life of me, I can't figure it out.

Regardless, it matches what was described in Bk. II, Ch. 8:

'"Here is the gift of Celeborn and Galadriel to the leader of your Company," she said to Aragorn, and she gave him a sheath that had been made to fit his sword. It was overlaid with a tracery of flowers and leaves wrought of silver and gold, and on it were set in elven-runes formed of many gems the name Andúril and the lineage of the sword.'

If Berephon would like to chime in and let me know the middle word, that would be awesome. I'm going nuts over it. Regardless, great work again, Turbine.