Hidden Nuggets we see all the time...

[Berephon]

lol. Am I the only one who thinks that's incredibly lame?

It was meant to be.

[Berephon]

Well I think I looked through this entire thread thusfar and don't believe this was mentioned: In the Shire, I believe it's on the east side of Brockenborings, is a huge statue of Bandobas "Bullroarer" Took swatting Glorfimbul the goblin leader's head with a club.

Taken from the literature: Bandobras was famous for averting a goblin invasion of the Shire at the Battle of Greenfields, and personally slaying the goblins' leader, Golfimbul (apparently he knocked the goblins head off and into a hole thus saving the Shire and inventing golf in the same day)

P.S. > I too would enjoy fishing and maybe some tavern games

Good catch! The statue in Michel Delving is of the Fallohide brothers who founded the Shire.

[Berephon]

I can't help but think the NPC names Aphlanc (bridge west of Trollshaws) and Aslak (Earth-Kin camp in Ram Duath) are a little joke about the "Aflac" goose from the insurance commercials? Both NPCs are right by large groups of clawbeaks that make a very similar noise...

I wish I could say that was so, because it would be funny, but it isn't. Aphlanc is Sindarin and Aslak is Finnish (or is supposed to be anyway). We do follow a very strict guide for naming (with some rare exceptions, such as the Inklings characters), with specific guidelines for every race and culture, pulling from real-world languages, as Tolkien did. But I guess you could say that's a nugget in itself.

[Berephon]

Additional thanks to Ginko and DreamMaster for their supportive words. I agree . . . this thread is awesome. Thanks again to Adder for starting it. (Fellow lore-monkies, please keep this thread alive!)

[Laire]

Thanks for answering, Berephon. Poor Isildur... first his dad and brother die, then he ends up being betrayed by our favorite little golden ring, and he doesn't even get some sort of memorial/tomb in the capital of Arnor.

Hmm, maybe I need to slow down.

NO! Don't do that. Otherwise I might have to do something drastic... like suggest that Faramir actually brought Frodo and Sam to Osgiliath.


Aslak is Finnish? The Earth-kin language looked quite familiar! My mother is what can only be known as a pure-bred Finnish woman, so I'm going to have to point out the Earth Kin to her and see if she can translate any of the names. I am glad that you added Finnish- or something like it- into the game, seeing that Tolkien loved the language so much.


I also agree that this should be made a sticky. It is a fabulous thread.

[Chrysoprase]

Good catch! The statue in Michel Delving is of the Fallohide brothers who founded the Shire.

O rly? When I was looking at it, it looked to me like a statue of two hobbits building something. I thought it was a statue of two hobbits building a statue. Sounds like something hilarious that a hobbit would put in their town

"Here's the statue we made of us two building this statue!" Come on, you know that would be awesome.

[ManticoreFalco]

That sounds like an MC Escher print.

While this is hardly a lore-cookie, I just love that the Dwarves and the Earth-kin are related. That always gives me a good laugh.

[Berephon]

NO! Don't do that. Otherwise I might have to do something drastic... like suggest that Faramir actually brought Frodo and Sam to Osgiliath.

AAHHHHH!

Aslak is Finnish? The Earth-kin language looked quite familiar! My mother is what can only be known as a pure-bred Finnish woman, so I'm going to have to point out the Earth Kin to her and see if she can translate any of the names. I am glad that you added Finnish- or something like it- into the game, seeing that Tolkien loved the language so much.

I should also note that many of them are Medieval Finnish, and while many are still around today, like any language, there are changes. But it would be interesting to know if we named any of these big guys something inappropriate. . . .

[CortexWayne]

I saw that somewhere... it's in the Vale of Thrain at 17.7 s 101.9 w

[gildhur]

It was meant to be.

lol. No, I meant that the Warcraft "Lich King" is lame, not your joking reference to it. It's just way too close to Witch-King to be a coincidence.

[Sonofman]

I don't remember it exactly, but i am fairly certain that the Burglar ability "Touch and Go" is a part of a line from the Hobbit. At least it struck a cord when I got it. ,,, Burglars in general reek of lore and I love playing mine, especially when I am referenced in regards to Bilbo by the NPC's... I love the amount of burgling quests I have had!

[Berephon]

lol. No, I meant that the Warcraft "Lich King" is lame, not your joking reference to it. It's just way too close to Witch-King to be a coincidence.

I figured . . . I just didn't want to go too far down that road.

But I digress from the topic (just couldn't resist it.)

[Sonofman]

I have also noticed all the names for woods that you can gather are lore worthy... Many references in the text to Yew and Rowan and such...

[Berephon]

I don't remember it exactly, but i am fairly certain that the Burglar ability "Touch and Go" is a part of a line from the Hobbit. At least it struck a cord when I got it. ,,, Burglars in general reek of lore and I love playing mine, especially when I am referenced in regards to Bilbo by the NPC's... I love the amount of burgling quests I have had!

"A very ticklish business, it was," he said. "Touch and go!"

That is Gandalf telling Bilbo about how he snuck into the gate to Goblin-town and followed the goblins down into the caves to rescue Bilbo and the dwarves.

Gandalf also uses the phrase in LotR when talking to Frodo about the latter's experiences in the Barrow-downs.

I didn't name the skill, so I can't say whether or not there was a reference intentionally being made, but the line does appear in both works.

[Berephon]

I have also noticed all the names for woods that you can gather are lore worthy... Many references in the text to Yew and Rowan and such...

*That* I did have a hand in.

[Sonofman]

More! beCause this is fun...


I really like how there is a spider tunnel going toward Carn Dum that you can take if you do not want to brave the front gate... While this is not lore based, it pays homage and turns Angmar into a Mordor-lite... Can't wait to see how terrible Mordor itself will be... I think....

I have also noticed the Pale-folk are very Gollumish... hehe... though if they are the game precursor to Gollum, I hope Turbine fixes the Jackson err and makes Gollum dark-skinned....

[Berephon]

More! beCause this is fun...

Yes, it is!

I really like how there is a spider tunnel going toward Carn Dum that you can take if you do not want to brave the front gate... While this is not lore based, it pays homage and turns Angmar into a Mordor-lite... Can't wait to see how terrible Mordor itself will be... I think....

Angmar is, in many ways, the Mini-Me of Mordor . . . I hope we have a much higher level cap by the time we get to Mordor. . . . *shiver*

I have also noticed the Pale-folk are very Gollumish... hehe... though if they are the game precursor to Gollum, I hope Turbine fixes the Jackson err and makes Gollum dark-skinned....

I usually get asked before a concept is done what an appearance for a lore character should be, and even when I don't get asked, I usually see the concept before it is finalized and get to make recommendations. Rest assured, if or when this becomes an issue, I will give the appropriate recommendation.

[Alakranus]

I remember in the Hobbit when Bilbo, Gandalf and the dwarves are in Rivendell with Elrond and he notices the moon letters on the map. It finally registered with me that my scholar has been using Undeciphered Moon Letters...nice little detail!!

[Sonofman]

Rest assured, if or when this becomes an issue, I will give the appropriate recommendation.

I whole-heartedly believe you...

How does one get a job like yours Berephon? hehe I am jealous, though I do my part, teaching kids to appreciate things (I promise my 6th grade art class does not have LOTR art projects... I promise)

Three of my burglar friends and I snuck into Urugarth last night and happened upon the dead watcher tenticles....

I am so afraid... I did not think they would play that card so early...

[Berephon]

[QUOTE=Sonofman;990189]I whole-heartedly believe you...

How does one get a job like yours Berephon?

Quite by accident, I assure you. I had been laid off in 2003 from an IT Help Desk job when my employer sold the division I worked for. I learned that with the cuts in IT across the board and a degree in English/Creative Writing, it wasn't easy to find a new one. Ended up selling appliances at Sears, then electronics at Target. In the midst of this, I was following the development of Middle-earth Online, and then its rebirth as LotRO, and Patience posted a job description on the forums for a writer/copyeditor with Tolkien knowledge. I said, "Hey, I can do that!" and here I am.

You can also check out the job postings at www.turbine.com

hehe I am jealous, though I do my part, teaching kids to appreciate things (I promise my 6th grade art class does not have LOTR art projects... I promise)

What? Why not?

Three of my burglar friends and I snuck into Urugarth last night and happened upon the dead watcher tenticles....

I am so afraid... I did not think they would play that card so early...

Hehehe.

[steelsnake]

Talking about which... the first time I made a run to Rivendell (when it first opened to players) I didn't encounter any Trolls. Next time it was night... erm. I had quite forgotten they're only active at night Loved that.

Yet on the other hand I can't quite figure out why the Trolls in Dol Dinen and the southern parts of Taur Gonwaith (sp?) are there night and day... can someone enlighten me please?

Btw, checked: The cart wrecking hobbits in Bree don't say anything anymore. However, the human cart-wrecking crew at the north gate in Combe still squabbles about what to do now.

Sometimes it's just fun to stand around and listen to what NPCs talk about. The serving girl at the Forsaken Inn, the men sitting at the table near the Wood Gate in Bree, the woman yelling at the brigands in Bree, various hobbits all over the Shire, the elf and the dwarf squabbling over prices in Gondamon... NPCs carrying on conversations is just a lovely touch. And just wonderful to just stand around and listen.

Sometimes I spend hours just gawking, listening and having fun without even touching a quest. Love that.

[gildhur]

Three of my burglar friends and I snuck into Urugarth last night and happened upon the dead watcher tenticles....
I am so afraid... I did not think they would play that card so early...

Then you definitely won't be prepared when the royal flush is played a bit further upstream.

[booga75]

little nuggets that may go unseen by lore fanatics here, as it isn't even related to LOTR.

i've noticed a lot of Asheron's Call references here & there. darktide, wintersebb, morningthaw, leafcull, etc. saw those names on mobs, and got that old fuzzy nostalgic feeling. that was one of the greatest things personally. it really made me feel like i was..A) playing a turbine game and..B) that i was home

[Sonofman]

(I promise my 6th grade art class does not have LOTR art projects... I promise)

... thats what I tell my principle!

All the job listings art-wise were for computer artists... Oh well, guess I'll stick with the cloak design contest...

Now.. something you will want to tell the coders that is a little anti-lore is the fact that you can't burgle trolls!! I know Bilbo failed at it and was caught, but at least he could attempt it... hehe...

Then you definitely won't be prepared when the royal flush is played a bit further upstream.

EKK!

[frodobodobingo]

I can't remember where, sry. BUt there's a dude named, Jarred Mason.

serious.

as in Mason Jar


classic.