Bingo Boffins and Episodic content

[greendarner]

Wondering if there is some special significance to the item? There must be if the Dourhands chased Spalvi down to get it back.

Are you joking/being sarcastic? The Rothstone is an heirloom of importance to Skorgrim, which the leader of the Dourhands group explains when we encounter them in Helegrod. Perhaps, oh, like that little bauble that Thror and Thorin were so attached to, the Arkenstone? I'm not jeering/sneering at you, I genuinely don't know if you were joking or not. If you have not done any of the Epic books Intro section, the significance of Skorgrim isn't as obvious, but he's also making many appearances in the Epic Volume I quests.

Short story: Dourhand dwarves are sort of like a political faction with ancestor (Skorgrim) worship. They oppose the mainstream dwarves (Longbeards). They seek to bring back Skorgrim (as an undead wight, though I'm not sure they know that). At the point of Bingo's story, the dwarf party that enters Moria AFTER the Fellowship has not yet departed. We are between the two groups. However, we may find that the dwarves have opened Moria before we get there, unless WE fall into a hole too. (Ugh, no!)

I'm also not so sure about whether this is meshing well with the Epic Vol. I story line at all. Or maybe the Fellowship hasn't departed yet, but then it seems odd that the dwarves heading for Moria are already making departure plans. And that Elrond would let a little hobbit head into the Misties while the Fellowship is planning their departure. Maybe Elrond sees Bingo as bait. Of course, Bingo doesn't meet Elrond in our quest line, but he surely knows about Bingo's arrival and would have known when he went up to Gloin's camp. Ah well, more suspension of disbelief.

[Feirlain]

Hmm...did anyone else think to themselves during this weeks episode...Spalvi is still evil!

I mean seriously - he has you wasting time on his 'problem' while poor Bingo is probably getting munched on by Moria monsters!

[Thoroval]

I must admit to being slightly disappointed. I was hoping there were more than 7, but I tried every target I could think of/find... I even abandoned the quest just to try more in the south... Nope, just the 7. I totally thought MoL would've made up something for all types.

[Gwinthilnel]

Are you joking/being sarcastic? The Rothstone is an heirloom of importance to Skorgrim, which the leader of the Dourhands group explains when we encounter them in Helegrod. Perhaps, oh, like that little bauble that Thror and Thorin were so attached to, the Arkenstone? I'm not jeering/sneering at you, I genuinely don't know if you were joking or not. If you have not done any of the Epic books Intro section, the significance of Skorgrim isn't as obvious, but he's also making many appearances in the Epic Volume I quests.

Short story: Dourhand dwarves are sort of like a political faction with ancestor (Skorgrim) worship. They oppose the mainstream dwarves (Longbeards). They seek to bring back Skorgrim (as an undead wight, though I'm not sure they know that). At the point of Bingo's story, the dwarf party that enters Moria AFTER the Fellowship has not yet departed. We are between the two groups. However, we may find that the dwarves have opened Moria before we get there, unless WE fall into a hole too. (Ugh, no!)

I'm also not so sure about whether this is meshing well with the Epic Vol. I story line at all. Or maybe the Fellowship hasn't departed yet, but then it seems odd that the dwarves heading for Moria are already making departure plans. And that Elrond would let a little hobbit head into the Misties while the Fellowship is planning their departure. Maybe Elrond sees Bingo as bait. Of course, Bingo doesn't meet Elrond in our quest line, but he surely knows about Bingo's arrival and would have known when he went up to Gloin's camp. Ah well, more suspension of disbelief.

Sorry its been quite some time since I did those epic quests, didn't remember the Rothstone or it's significance.

[Lady_Lethargy]

I must admit to being slightly disappointed. I was hoping there were more than 7, but I tried every target I could think of/find... I even abandoned the quest just to try more in the south... Nope, just the 7. I totally thought MoL would've made up something for all types.

Yeah, I was hoping there would be more. I did it on two toons, but just the same seven titles. Oh well, at least we're finally getting out of Eregion. I bought all the stuff I needed from Bert Bartleby at Gwingris like two weeks ago and I'm ready to move on.

[HunterGreen]

Sorry its been quite some time since I did those epic quests, didn't remember the Rothstone or it's significance.

I don't think the Rothstone is specifically mentioned before now. greendarner is simply inferring that if it belonged to Skorgrim (who definitely is mentioned, and more) it must be important to the Dourhands. But you're right to wonder how it's important.

[TharbadThief]

Theodore's voice acting this week was brilliant Had to open and close the quest window at least 10 times so that I could listen his "Umm..err. hmh. krhm. ummh.." again and again.

[Lady_Lethargy]

Theodore's voice acting this week was brilliant Had to open and close the quest window at least 10 times so that I could listen his "Umm..err. hmh. krhm. ummh.." again and again.

Same here.
Theodore is great.

EDIT: Also, I want his hat.

[Urwendil]

I found this week's episode below standard(s of the top notch MoL storytelling we've been used to). It felt too obvious of a filler. The story wasn't convincing: I talk to two arbitrary elves and Theodore, why not Haley, who eventually comes up with the name etc. etc.

So be it, you don't get peaks upon peaks even in the best stories. Looking forward to the Moria episode

[HunterGreen]

I found this week's episode below standard(s of the top notch MoL storytelling we've been used to). It felt too obvious of a filler. The story wasn't convincing: I talk to two arbitrary elves and Theodore, why not Haley, who eventually comes up with the name etc. etc.

So be it, you don't get peaks upon peaks even in the best stories. Looking forward to the Moria episode

We have had a lot of "kill X Ys" in a row too. I think from a storytelling perspective, having Bingo in absentia this long is turning out to be one of those ideas that sounded better on paper than it played out. Eregion's got a lot of rich potential with its history, but we need Bingo to be awestruck about it to frame it. He could be commenting on how pleasant it is, like bits of the Greenfields, and then as a result of our questing he could find out about the terrible tragedies that led to its abandonment, and he could be struck with another one of his signature moments of realization as he comes to know more about the world. That would have been a great framing for some quests in Eregion that would also have given us more to do than count kills. Without him there, the best we get is a little hint of fumbling treasure-seeking, and a lot of repetitive looking-for-Bingo stuff. I hope we get Bingo back soon and use him to make a story more central to the tone of previous chapters.

[Thoroval]

I think from a storytelling perspective, having Bingo in absentia this long is turning out to be one of those ideas that sounded better on paper than it played out. Eregion's got a lot of rich potential with its history, but we need Bingo to be awestruck about it to frame it. He could be commenting on how pleasant it is, like bits of the Greenfields, and then as a result of our questing he could find out about the terrible tragedies that led to its abandonment, and he could be struck with another one of his signature moments of realization as he comes to know more about the world. That would have been a great framing for some quests in Eregion that would also have given us more to do than count kills. Without him there, the best we get is a little hint of fumbling treasure-seeking, and a lot of repetitive looking-for-Bingo stuff. I hope we get Bingo back soon and use him to make a story more central to the tone of previous chapters.

I've found Spalvi a poor substitute for Bingo. And really nothing about the history of the area we've been the past couple of quests. Also, I haven't been left with a sense of Spalvi's struggle to put his past behind him. I thought we'd get that this week since we're in a bit of a lull, but he seems rather indifferent to leaving a lifetime behind. "Been this my whole life. Now I'm not. /shrug New name. Moving on." I guess he really hasn't struggled with it and I'm not sure why. Struck me as a bit odd.

[Witch0King]

I've found Spalvi a poor substitute for Bingo. And really nothing about the history of the area we've been the past couple of quests. Also, I haven't been left with a sense of Spalvi's struggle to put his past behind him. I thought we'd get that this week since we're in a bit of a lull, but he seems rather indifferent to leaving a lifetime behind. "Been this my whole life. Now I'm not. /shrug New name. Moving on." I guess he really hasn't struggled with it and I'm not sure why. Struck me as a bit odd.

I don't think so. If I'm allowed to speculate I'd say he grew up with dourhands who I doubt are nice in general towards each other. Running into our character and Bingo was probably his first encounter with real kindness. He might do something heroic to redeem himself. And IIRC we saved his life too, that alone might have been enough to turn him.

[Thoroval]

I don't think so. If I'm allowed to speculate I'd say he grew up with dourhands who I doubt are nice in general towards each other. Running into our character and Bingo was probably his first encounter with real kindness. He might do something heroic to redeem himself. And IIRC we saved his life too, that alone might have been enough to turn him.

Regarding Spalvi, you're right. We did save his life rather than just outright kill him which is what he likely expected given his background. I was just left with this overpowering "Why/how can you do such an abrupt about face?" that I also had when Finn (TFA) turned his back on everything he'd been raised and trained for nearly his entire life. I've even gone back through all the quest dialog (I screenshot everything) and I really don't get much of a sense of an internal struggle from Spalvi. Not saying it's bad. I'm just left wanting more. Perhaps that's yet to come as we travel through Moria.

[Banaticus]

I hope we get Bingo back soon and use him to make a story more central to the tone of previous chapters.

I'm sorry to break it to you, but Bingo's dead. One of two things happened to him.

1. He got stuck in that hole. We then dropped heavy metal things on his head, walked away, and left him for a couple days while it was snowing. He's not coming back from that.
2. He really did fall into an underground river, in the middle of winter, where there's plenty of ice, and was then washed a few miles downstream, probably banging his head along the way (presuming he was even able to get enough air to breath, which is doubtful). Let's say that the water was as warm as 41F (5C), he would only have 20 minutes max before hypothermia set in. At that point, he wouldn't be able to dog paddle and keep his head above the water, leading to banging around against rocks in this underground river and probably aspirating a lot of water. He's not coming back from that.

Unless Gandalf flew into the underground river, shouted "YOU SHALL NOT PASS" then plucked Bingo from the river, Bingo's gone.

I was just left with this overpowering "Why/how can you do such an abrupt about face?"

Because he was doing soul searching and wondering about what it meant to be a Dourhand and what his life was like before he met us? True, we sparked the series of events that led to him leaving the Misty Mountain Dourhand clan, but that may have only provided the impetus for mental decisions that he'd been working over in his head for a long time. We don't know his mental thoughts from before we found him. In any case, perhaps being left for dead by his clanmates was the final straw that broke the camel's back. I'm willing to give the author my suspension of disbelief on this issue. Not for Bingo, though, Bingo's dead. This is an example of either: Anyone Can Die or Put On A Bus.

Also, I have a great last name. I'm using it now. I would have been happy to suggest to Spalvi that he could use it. I really don't need to go find seven random creatures then kill them to come up with a new last name. In any case, a last name isn't all that important. Take Strider and Gandalf, for instance. No last names there but they seemed to cope with it just fine. If he really wants one, but can't think of one, perhaps he should go out and do something to see if it sparks a thought, instead of asking us to go kill animals to see if us taking action sparks something in his mind.

Edit:
I killed a boar (foraging tusker) and it didn't come up with a Spalvi name prompt. Also, I killed a wood troll and that didn't have a prompt either or maybe it was the holly tree ent -- one of them didn't give a prompt. Anyway, I killed:
tree, troll, the lore-master bog pet things that look like stalkers in Half Life but with 4 legs, giant firefly, bird, human, pig, worm, half-orc (9 mobs, the quest completed with the half-orc).

[HunterGreen]

I'm sorry to break it to you, but Bingo's dead.

Just in case you mean this, I think you're confusing which is more important, realism versus the narrative through-line. Best we can hope for is that when Bingo comes back, there's a better explanation for his survival than "I fell down and the next thing I remember, I was in this cave and all wet!" (Perhaps he stayed and explored to avoid going back to Spalvi. Don't blame him.)

[Banaticus]

Perhaps he stayed and explored to avoid going back to Spalvi.

Yeah, a little hobbit with no food, no water, no shelter, no fire, no appropriate clothing, no wilderness survival training, and no tools, who we've already seen can't even swim, somehow managed to wander around a snowy mountain filled with worms, giants, trolls, lynxes, peikko, <edit>bears, wargs, wolves, evil dwarves, evil humans, and even a dragon if he went East from that spot then made it up behind the Giant's,</edit> and those four-legged bog strider things, and possibly ride in an underground river, all by himself, and came out just fine. He probably made the rookie mistake of thinking that he could eat snow/ice to keep hydrated, not knowing that the body burns more calories/water melting that snow into water than it gets from the snow/ice. Bingo's dead. If this was real life, by this time, the search would be called off.

[Feirlain]

Yeah, a little hobbit with no food, no water, no shelter, no fire, no appropriate clothing, no wilderness survival training, and no tools, who we've already seen can't even swim, somehow managed to wander around a snowy mountain filled with worms, giants, trolls, lynxes, peikko, <edit>bears, wargs, wolves, evil dwarves, evil humans, and even a dragon if he went East from that spot then made it up behind the Giant's,</edit> and those four-legged bog strider things, and possibly ride in an underground river, all by himself, and came out just fine. He probably made the rookie mistake of thinking that he could eat snow/ice to keep hydrated, not knowing that the body burns more calories/water melting that snow into water than it gets from the snow/ice. Bingo's dead. If this was real life, by this time, the search would be called off.

*Spoiler Alert!*

Spalvi was lying about Bingo falling down the hole. Actually it was one of the Eagles that sported off with Bingo and it terrified Spalvi - so he made up that story.

Bingo is eating elf cakes and smoking Old Toby at Echad Dunnan while we follow Spavi's directions in a 'search' for him. Bingo will, of course, wander off just before we arrive. Most likely into that interesting doorway by the brakish pond at the top of the 'very long' mountain stairs. ;D

[HunterGreen]

Yeah, a little hobbit with no food, no water, no shelter, no fire, no appropriate clothing, no wilderness survival training, and no tools, who we've already seen can't even swim, somehow managed to wander around a snowy mountain filled with worms, giants, trolls, lynxes, peikko, <edit>bears, wargs, wolves, evil dwarves, evil humans, and even a dragon if he went East from that spot then made it up behind the Giant's,</edit> and those four-legged bog strider things, and possibly ride in an underground river, all by himself, and came out just fine. He probably made the rookie mistake of thinking that he could eat snow/ice to keep hydrated, not knowing that the body burns more calories/water melting that snow into water than it gets from the snow/ice. Bingo's dead. If this was real life, by this time, the search would be called off.

I meant explored the cave complex he fell into.

But yeah, you're right. The idea of a lone, unprepared, unprovisioned hobbit falling into an unknown, dangerous cave in the Misty Mountains, and then managing to find his way through it and out to the other side, that's just utterly impossible in Middle-earth. The very idea of it!

[Banaticus]

that's just utterly impossible in Middle-earth. The very idea of it!

Happening to stumble on a millenia-old uberly powerful magical artifact is the only thing that enabled Bilbo to survive that. Are you suggesting that Bingo has also found some sort of One Ring or other ancient artifact?

[Silmelin]

Happening to stumble on a millenia-old uberly powerful magical artifact is the only thing that enabled Bilbo to survive that. Are you suggesting that Bingo has also found some sort of One Ring or other ancient artifact?

If I remember correctly Bilbo would have been able to get out just fine without a magic ring if he fell into a cavern where no Gollum lived, no goblins where guarding the door at the exit, and if the cave system hadn't been like a labyrinth

[Sito_Origami]

Am I really the first one to post about THE LONG DARK?

Am I also the only one not to understand what we're supposed to be doing? I kill stuff but how do I know if Ketill is finished his map???

[Sito_Origami]

Are we supposed to be in the goblin camp? Cause I followed the quest arrow across the way to the Cooling Chamber and there are nothing but burrowers and beetles there. Been killing them for half an hour. I look at the quest map and I'm in the "red zone". The quest text says you have to be in Gazatmur, though. Tried to get there from the Dolven View and found nothing but dead ends.

[Sito_Origami]

I went back to the Cooling Chamber and found the back way into Gazatmur, and apparently you can kill a couple of Goblins and you're done. I think the quest map needs to be updated since I was in the shaded zone on the map over by the Cooling Chamber (which is exactly where the quest arrow led me) and that is apparently the wrong place...

[Lunasa]

I went back to the Cooling Chamber and found the back way into Gazatmur, and apparently you can kill a couple of Goblins and you're done. I think the quest map needs to be updated since I was in the shaded zone on the map over by the Cooling Chamber (which is exactly where the quest arrow led me) and that is apparently the wrong place...

I also was a bit puzzled by this quest.

Even though I did go directly to Gazatmur, only after the 7th goblin the quest got updated. Since it took so many kills (and there were a bit too few goblins due to many players doing the same quest) I was not entirely sure that I am in the right place. Usually in this sort of quests we get a message on the screen after each kill, and especially after the last kill, but none in this quest.

[Fratonia]

I also was a bit puzzled by this quest.

Even though I did go directly to Gazatmur, only after the 7th goblin the quest got updated. Since it took so many kills (and there were a bit too few goblins due to many players doing the same quest) I was not entirely sure that I am in the right place. Usually in this sort of quests we get a message on the screen after each kill, and especially after the last kill, but none in this quest.

The quest updates when you are ready to go back to Ketill but it's not very obvious. I think I killed a few more goblins than I needed before I noticed that I was done already.

The library was a bit more complicated because some funboys parked their LM farm trains in there killing all the mobs as soon as they respawned.