Black Book of Mordor question

[Erionor]

With the epic quest line, you could always pick it up at any point in the middle e.g. in Angmar, you could pick straight up at book 6 to unlock the Rammas Deluon, or pick up at volume 2 to get your LI and unlock Moria.

Can I do the same with the Black Book of Mordor? I stopped playing the story in the middle of Mordor because I got bored with the zone. I moved on and levelled up to 120. I would like to pick the story back up in Northern Mirkwood with Book 6. Is this possible, or do I have to complete the whole lot to be able to progress?

For me, LOTRO is at its best in rolling hills and enchanted forests, and when battling orcs, undead and other classic LOTR enemies (rather than Merrevail and the like).

Thanks in advance for all replies

[Laurelinarien]

Can I do the same with the Black Book of Mordor? I stopped playing the story in the middle of Mordor because I got bored with the zone. I moved on and levelled up to 120. I would like to pick the story back up in Northern Mirkwood with Book 6. Is this possible, or do I have to complete the whole lot to be able to progress?

I'm not 100% sure BUT I think you can pick up Book 6 without being limited by the previous books, while you would need the previous ones to move on to the Vales' Black Book. (Source)


Alas, MoL has said that in Minas Morgul the Black Book will conclude and we will need full completion of the storyline to access the Epilogue.

[Erionor]

I'm not 100% sure BUT I think you can pick up Book 6 without being limited by the previous books, while you would need the previous ones to move on to the Vales' Black Book. (Source)


Alas, MoL has said that in Minas Morgul the Black Book will conclude and we will need full completion of the storyline to access the Epilogue.

Thanks for the reply. Shame that some content will be locked behind BB completion. Does owning the Mordor expansion unlock the Vales Black Book, or do you need the Vales quest pack? I have everything except Vales and Wildermore.

Hmm... still not too clear then. I’ll have to go and see Thranduil and see if the quest is available I think. I’m not buying MM right away, as I still have loads of quests from 115-120 to do. Not having the expansion doesn’t stop me levelling

If anyone else has skipped any black book quests, please shout up and let me know!

[Laurelinarien]

Does owning the Mordor expansion unlock the Vales Black Book, or do you need the Vales quest pack? I have everything except Vales and Wildermore.

Well, I think the Black Book in Vales is free for those who bought Mordor. Ofc, if anyone can give you a more certain answer it'd be better! I haven't had the experience myself since I do own both expansions. But I seem to recall the devs saying that BB is open for all players who bought Mordor (and now Minas Morgul), regardless of quest packs.

[Erionor]

Well, I think the Black Book in Vales is free for those who bought Mordor. Ofc, if anyone can give you a more certain answer it'd be better! I haven't had the experience myself since I do own both expansions. But I seem to recall the devs saying that BB is open for all players who bought Mordor (and now Minas Morgul), regardless of quest packs.

Great, thanks again!

[OldMadeOfLions]

Can I do the same with the Black Book of Mordor? I stopped playing the story in the middle of Mordor

The Black Book of Mordor has a new on-ramp, so if you just want to begin playing the new Minas Morgul chapters you just need to talk to Gandalf in Grimbeorn's Lodge in the Vales of Anduin, and complete 'Interlude: Shades in the Swamp.' You'll miss a lot of the story that took place in the first ten chapters, but I think I provide enough context clues as you go ahead that you'll mostly pick up what you need. I still recommend seeing it all, obviously. At Level 120 or above, I think you'll find most of the earlier chapters to be a breeze, so you could catch up fairly quickly.

MoL

[Erionor]

The Black Book of Mordor has a new on-ramp, so if you just want to begin playing the new Minas Morgul chapters you just need to talk to Gandalf in Grimbeorn's Lodge in the Vales of Anduin, and complete 'Interlude: Shades in the Swamp.' You'll miss a lot of the story that took place in the first ten chapters, but I think I provide enough context clues as you go ahead that you'll mostly pick up what you need. I still recommend seeing it all, obviously. At Level 120 or above, I think you'll find most of the earlier chapters to be a breeze, so you could catch up fairly quickly.

MoL

Thank you for this response!

Are you able to answer the initial question about whether I can start on book 6?

Thanks again.

[OldMadeOfLions]

Are you able to answer the initial question about whether I can start on book 6?

I thought I did: you need to do Chapters 1-10 in order, or start with 'Shades in the Swamp.' Chapter 6 isn't an on-ramp, so you'd need to do 1-5 first.

MoL

[Daniyel]

Hello,

I had completed BBoM CH1-10 (I have 92 classpoints)

But gandalf STILL didn't have CH11.1 for me.

I had to do Interlude in order for it to show up.

WAI?

[OldMadeOfLions]

I had to do Interlude in order for it to show up. WAI?

Yep, working as intended! The Interlude is what sets up all the starting positions for Minas Morgul, so I guess technically it's "1-10 + Shades" or "Just Shades" to get started.

MoL

[Altair6]

Hello,

I had completed BBoM CH1-10 (I have 92 classpoints)

But gandalf STILL didn't have CH11.1 for me.

I had to do Interlude in order for it to show up.

WAI?

Yes.

[scorrp10]

At 115, pretty much all of Udun goes grey. By 120, Udun and Dor Amarth are grey and Lhingris is mostly grey. By 124, all of Mordor should be grey, at which point knocking off those book chapters should be real fast and easy as mobs no longer pester you. And I highly recommend you do it. There is a certain grand dark majesty to Mordor.

But heck, my main's colors are black and crimson and I liked Talath Urui the most...

[Daniyel]

Yep, working as intended! The Interlude is what sets up all the starting positions for Minas Morgul, so I guess technically it's "1-10 + Shades" or "Just Shades" to get started.

MoL

P.S <3 the quests and story great job!! =)

[Erionor]

I thought I did: you need to do Chapters 1-10 in order, or start with 'Shades in the Swamp.' Chapter 6 isn't an on-ramp, so you'd need to do 1-5 first.

MoL

Thank you for the clarification and apologies if I misunderstood anything.

I sped through book 3 last night, and I do really like the landscape, quest design and monsters, especially Lhingris with the amazing spider designs. To be clear, I’m not complaining about having to complete the storyline, as usually I take my time and soak up every bit of lore I go through, but I literally just don’t like Merrevail as I find them to be lore- and immersion- breaking - they are the only thing that puts me off playing what is otherwise my absolute favourite game of all time. Normally I can skip them as they haven’t been part of the actual epic before (at least not that I can remember), but this time it is unavoidable as they are key to the story.

I will have to grit my teeth and go past the Lhaereth storyline as quickly as I can, then I will slow down a bit and look forward to enjoying the rest

[Laurelinarien]

I thought I did: you need to do Chapters 1-10 in order, or start with 'Shades in the Swamp.' Chapter 6 isn't an on-ramp, so you'd need to do 1-5 first.

MoL

@MoL: I haven't finished the whole Black Book yet but this morning before work I reached the first cutscene (after the Bright Company instance), and I already want to say thank you, for a beautiful storyline.. I know what's left of it won't disappoint .

[MarkNH]

Yep, working as intended! The Interlude is what sets up all the starting positions for Minas Morgul, so I guess technically it's "1-10 + Shades" or "Just Shades" to get started.

MoL

This appears to be bugged (bug report just submitted).

Characters who haven't completed books 1-10 can start the interlude but in the 2nd quest the 2nd objective is "talk to Elrond outside the Beorninghus".... but Elrond isn't there (there is a quest ring on the radar but no Elrond, presumably because 10.7 where he arrives at Beorninghus hasn't been completed).

(Duplicated on 6 accounts, various races, all VIP, all level 120, all currently also on BBOM book 2)

[gildhur]

I'm just now entering Minas Morgul itself, but GOOD LORD, this story. I have already been blown away by the Black Book chapters at several points. The way you've weaved new ideas (Lindelen, oath-stones) into current story (Karazgar, BBoM) and tie it into the very roots of the story (Earnur, Glorfindel's Company) you've been crafting for us since the very beginning by taking us through a battle thousands of years before is MIND-BLOWING. You have truly outdone yourself again, MoL.

[OldMadeOfLions]

Characters who haven't completed books 1-10 can start the interlude but in the 2nd quest the 2nd objective is "talk to Elrond outside the Beorninghus".... but Elrond isn't there (there is a quest ring on the radar but no Elrond, presumably because 10.7 where he arrives at Beorninghus hasn't been completed).

Can you double-check that you have the main 'Interlude: Shades in the Swamp' quest wrapper underway or completed? Elrond is waiting for you to either complete 10.6 or to be at least underway Objective 1 of the Interlude. My first suggestion is to make sure the Interlude didn't fall out of your quest log, because everything seems like I expect it to be on my end.

MoL

[MarkNH]

Can you double-check that you have the main 'Interlude: Shades in the Swamp' quest wrapper underway or completed? Elrond is waiting for you to either complete 10.6 or to be at least underway Objective 1 of the Interlude. My first suggestion is to make sure the Interlude didn't fall out of your quest log, because everything seems like I expect it to be on my end.

MoL

Thanks for the reply, you were correct, somehow the wrapper had disappeared, I went to see Gandalf inside the Beorninghus who offered me the wrapper again and now Elrond is where he's supposed to be.

[OldMadeOfLions]

Thanks for the reply, you were correct, somehow the wrapper had disappeared, I went to see Gandalf inside the Beorninghus who offered me the wrapper again and now Elrond is where he's supposed to be.

Awesome! Sometimes quests get updated to a different version in order to fix an under-the-hood bug, and they can drop out of your quest log. That must be what happened here.

MoL

[Stryker1487]

The Black Book of Mordor has a new on-ramp, so if you just want to begin playing the new Minas Morgul chapters you just need to talk to Gandalf in Grimbeorn's Lodge in the Vales of Anduin, and complete 'Interlude: Shades in the Swamp.' You'll miss a lot of the story that took place in the first ten chapters, but I think I provide enough context clues as you go ahead that you'll mostly pick up what you need. I still recommend seeing it all, obviously. At Level 120 or above, I think you'll find most of the earlier chapters to be a breeze, so you could catch up fairly quickly.

MoL

Do you happen to know where the new on-ramp is for the entire Epic Mordor Story? Book 1:1?

[LagunaD2]

Do you happen to know where the new on-ramp is for the entire Epic Mordor Story? Book 1:1?

You start at the Camp of the Host, and do a fairly short epic quest line in The Wastes.

That leads to the battle at the Black Gate, the destruction of the Ring, and finally entry into Mordor (which starts the Black Book chain).