#all th good poses r seen as romantic

[m3tr0n0m333]

I wish I could draw inherently intimate poses between two characters platonically without people assuming its romantic

[asgardian--angels]

Hello! Earlier today I saw your post about LOTRO and on a whim downloaded it. I'm gonna be honest and say I don't really know much about the whole LOTR universe outside of like, the movies, but the way you wrote about it was really passionate and interesting. I haven't played yet since it's 3AM but I was wondering if you had any tips or anything?

Hi there! Wow, I’m honored that you liked my post enough to download the game! I really hope you like it. I’m not sure if you mean that you have or have not seen the movies, but honestly just that alone is enough to comprehend the game. They do an excellent job of keeping things coherent for any potential audience they may get as players. For those who are superfans, there’s a LOT of easter eggs and thoughtful, witty references to the deep lore (doing, of course, what they can with limited copyrights, aka. they can’t use Silmarillion material that wasn’t referenced in LOTR). Having an in-depth knowledge of background history and culture of Middle-earth regions and races always makes the experience richer (because they are very accurate and I get excited about that). But for those who aren’t long-time fans, so long as you have heard of Middle-earth and know about the general plot then you should be good to go! 

The game takes place during the time of LOTR, and runs parallel to the book/movie events of the Fellowship of the Ring undertaking the journey to Mount Doom and Sauron waging war on the Free Peoples for control of the One Ring. You start out as a small person in a wide world, and eventually grow in prominence as a hero so that you are known throughout Middle-earth and travel to far-flung lands to help the Free Peoples. Sometimes you interact with the protagonists (Frodo, Legolas, Aragorn, etc) and directly move the plot along, but often you are doing the deeds that the great lords can’t afford to - staving off the darkness that tries to take hold under the noses of kings and armies. You save lives, reunite families, hold off invasions, and bring peace wherever you go. You end up being the front line against evil that creeps in from all sides, while the Fellowship undertake their appointed tasks far away. 

That’s basically the gist of it. You’ll start off in tamer, more familiar regions - the Shire, Bree-land, Thorin’s Halls, and work your way to the plains of Rohan, the walls of Minas Tirith, and to Mordor itself. It’s an incredible journey, and you make countless friends along the way. Those relationships are one of LOTRO’s best features - people you help will come back to help you, paths cross again in unexpected ways, and your actions have lasting influences. 

As for advice for a new player, hmmm…. I would recommend lotro-wiki  as a primary resource for learning aspects of the game, reading relevant lore, helping you find things or places you need, etc. You’ll start off the game in a closed-world intro until level 6 or so, where you’re taught the ropes - how to attack, interact, use the UI, and so on. But once you’re let loose, I say don’t feel the need to rush. Explore the world a bit - well, the parts where you’re on-level otherwise you’ll be DOA. But there’s a LOT to discover, and just wandering around your starter region, seeing what different NPCs do, can help you get your bearings. Turn off world chat lmao. You’ll be bombarded with stuff you don’t want, and it will clutter your gameplay (this is an option in your chat box, under filters, if you right click the general tab). Then you can actually hear yourself think! Follow the tutorials, some of the information can be difficult to find again if you skip it. Know also that there’s a lot of things you can do that isn’t given in tutorials. Emotes, dances, cosmetic clothing, pets, kinships, and much more, are things that you find in time, but if you know it sooner, you can get tricked out from an early level ;D If you are confused or don’t know how to do something, just ask. People will help! Additionally, I will say that for a first time player, hunter class may be a good idea (*boos from the crowd*). It’s generally regarded as an easy class, as it is ranged with high damage, and you will have teleport abilities and run speeds unmatched by any other class. However, choose what you want, and know that you’ll have a chance to play multiple classes with more characters!

Knowledge of the lore isn’t necessary for almost anything in the game - even if you RP, it rarely delves into serious Middle-Earth history lessons. Most people know something of ~generic fantasy worlds~ with elves, orcs, halflings, etc, at this point, since they’re all based off Tolkien. And I am sure for an unfamiliar player, the dialogue/plot will be even more interesting and exciting cause you will be learning about Middle-Earth - some of the best parts too, the little things, the day-to-day lives, the thoughts and feelings, hopes and apprehensions, of a world living in an age of war and uncertainty for the future of their existence, one with beings both young and very very old, all with different perspectives. Read NPC dialogue. It’s all incredibly well-written and enjoyable, and I’ve cried so many times at touching words. They’re not all happy endings, but they’re good stories. Knowing you have the power to make a difference fills you with such hope and strength!

Most of all, feel free to contact me in the game (or here) if you would like help, a tutorial or tour, or just someone to hang out with! Folks are very friendly. I hope you decide to join the Landroval server, which is where I am! It’s known as a social/laid-back roleplaying server that has a solid reputation for hospitality. There is also a chat channel - advice, I think - where you can ask your questions to the server world. Attend concerts, listen in on roleplaying (the Prancing Pony is best for that), participate in annual events like festivals or treasure hunts. Get the quadpack (contains major regions like Moria that you will need when you hit around level 50) during the Christmas sale. Buy other regions in-game with lotro points! 

You’ll form a lasting bond with Middle-Earth and your place in it. Let me know how you’re liking it once you get settled! If you’d like to find me in-game, my most played characters are Namadith, Gorthauron, and Farrokhbulsara. Just send me a message using your mailbox, or add me as a Friend in your social panel, which will then alert you when I am online. You can then invite me to a fellowship or send me a tell (a DM). And after a while, if you find that you’d like to have company, you can join a kinship and be part of a community (maybe even ours, Dwarrowdam!). 

look at the fun you will have

lava t-posing

romantic sunsets

t h e o r b

or just gazing mysteriously into the fire as its flickering light dances in your eyes, taking you back to days long past when the world was young and you had everything to gain and nothing to lose, before your reckless abandon cost you that which you held most dear, setting you on a vendetta that would take you across seas and over mountains, to avenge th