Strayed Captain

While here in EU we’re (again) waiting for the patch to arrive, Update 2 is alive and kicking over the Pond. So I logged on Landroval and proceeded to Tinnudir as I was questing there before the update anyway. Spoilers ahead!

What’s New?

The first thing you’ll see if you arrive by Hunter or Warden travel is a Vault, yes they now have a vault in Evendim, although its security is questionable at best – the Tinnudir Keep would surely serve a little better. Another thing new in Tinnudir is a crafting area next to the Keep but as far I could see there weren’t any superior facilities in there.

Quests

There are many new quest and the pace of them is pretty quick. I’ve started a new mission in Tinnudir at a new Ranger whose name is Orchalwë. He sent me to investigate some of the ruins – though he calls them estates – around Parth Aduial or as he called it the Fields of Twilight. What’s especially good about the first quest I received was that Orchalwë gave me his journal to guide me – I have proceeded to the first ruin and after finishing the task I got the rewards immediately. Then I read the journal and another quest was bestowed upon me. On to another ruin, finish another quest and read the journal again. No need to run to Orchalwë after each finished quest. Orchalwë further serves as kind of a Quest-General, he will send you on a series of quest into the ruins, then into Ost Forod and then into Eavespires where I stopped yesterday. Apart from Orchalwë’s quests I’ve also paid visit to the Colossus as I’ve heard that you can actually climb on it. Well, you can, you need to accept a quest from Sardan (something about a ballista) and following the chain after 3 quests you will be able to get on top of the Old King’s Crown. Amazing view from up there, even during the night.

The quests flow pretty quickly mainly because there is now a quest in pretty much every place. On top of that each quest rewards some reputation (it’s about 900-1200 per quest) and killing goblins and Tomb-robbers now gives reputation upon kill. You will also get some barter coins which fortunately are barterable between themselves (that is one silver coin is 5 bronze coins and you can barter silver for bronze and bronze for silver). In two days (5-6 hours of playing by my estimate) I’ve gone from level 36 to 38 which isn’t much but I’ve also gone from Acquaintance to Ally, which is just crazy. I’ve also gotten some parts of a new hunter set. There are new sets for each class (featuring some rehashed designs) which can be acquired – at least partially – through questing and several parts are available for barter at the Ranger Cannuion. Definitely check the rep vendors at Tinnudir keep they got tons of new stuff.

Certain places are now more covered with quests than before: Ost Heryn (where you might or might not have been dealing with an Elite Oathbreaker) now has 3 quests inside. Nan Orngon east of Ost Forod where I’ve never been before has 4 quests. The entire Thief-taker’s bane chain has been redone. It doesn’t start on Tinnudir but rather in Ost Forod. You are sent on Rantost to contact some spies among the Tomb-robbers and after you finish several quests for them you can proceed to the Thief-taker’s Bane instance. It’s now solo and actually a little too easy, I’m quite certain you can finish it without even helping the rangers. In Eavespires there is now about twice as much Gauredain and they’ve spread to Even-rills. The Dol Haerdir encampment is larger and getting to the riddle marker now does not require going through the whole camp though you’ll still do the whole round for other quests. And that’s just the beginning, unfortunately I have already been questing in Evendim before the revamp and so I can’t really take advantage of all the new quests. But I always liked the area and I’ll be definitely bringing any new alts through. I’m hoping we’ll see other areas being revamped as well, it certainly won’t hurt.

In the last week all I’ve been doing is questing and grinding Enedwaith Reputation on my Warden, she’ll be Kindred with Algraig tomorrow but as far as Grey Company is concerned it looks like two weeks if I can be bothered which I probably can’t (I can only hope there are ways to get some reputation in the upcoming book).

Anyway, the last stop on her journey are the Gloomglens and especially Maur Tulhau, the hobbit village. As with pretty much everything you encounter in Enedwaith the names are neither Westron (English) nor Sindarin (Elvish), instead they are in the language which has not been named (Dunlendish perhaps?) but which bears a striking similarity to Welsh. Now I’m not going to teach you Welsh, mainly because I don’t know any (unless you count the hundred words of which meanings I am aware )

What I’m going to show you is how the Hobbits in Maur Tulhau are connected to the Hobbit families further north in the Shire. Let’s start from the top shall we?

Iolo Brochtû (Brockhouse family)

broch – badger (also called brock) and tŷ – house

the Maer – Mayor, see? Welsh is easy – of Maur Tulhau related to the Brockhouse family; Brockhouses can be found all over the Shire and Bree-land, probably the most notable member of the family is Viola Brockhouse the leader of the Woodworker’s Guild, currently residing in Esteldín.

Caradog Henbuch (Oldbuck family)

hen – old and buch – buck (see it almost translates itself)

the name Oldbuck is not found in today’s Shire but descendants of the family are, Oldbucks used to live in Marish, which is the area south of and including Stock, and the first Thain was of that family; Oldbucks later crossed Brandywine and established Buckland and they’ve also changed their name to Brandybucks. The majority of the Brandybucks family can be found there.

Coid and Violed Isbrun (Underhill family)

is – under and bryn – hill

A Forge-master and what I’m guessing is an accomplished gardener. The Underhills can be found mostly in Bree-land and some are in the Shire. You may be familiar with Constable Underhill from Combe, whom you helped early in the epic story.

Iago Glennudh (Banks family)

glennydd – banks, plural of glan – bank, shore

an agricultural visionary (yes he’s the one for whom you collect boar droppings), this was the first Hobbit whose name I tried to translate – Banks? Interesting … then I found that Iago means James. James Banks? Who is he? Does he work for Turbine? Is it some kind of Easter Egg? Then I found there is a family of Hobbits called Banks and it sprouted from there. There are only two Bankses in the game though – Alric, Inn League Taxidermist from the Bird and Baby Inn, and Opal, skirmish weapons barterer from the camp at Glâd Ereg in Eregion.

Rhosun Turio (Burrows family)

turio – to delve, to burrow and Rhosun I’m fairly certain is a variant of Rosie

The Banks family is a fairly numerous one, the most adventurous of them is probably Ham Burrows who is freezing up north in Forochel with at least one other Hobbit (he’s a again a skirmish Barterer). The cooks among you may remember Esmeralda Burrows who charged you to prepare some delicious food during your first crafting quest (but I’m not sure she will be in the game much longer).

Adsiltia and Aled Madcorf (Goodbody family)

mad – good and corff – body (my guess is the word corpse is related to that)

a Relic-master and a … someone (not going to tell you). Goodbodys can be found in the Shire and are actually of the few who do not live outside of it (if Lorebook is up-to-date that is), you may be familiar with Opal Goodbody who is in charge of catering (I guess) around the Party Tree and who also sends you a letter any time there is a new festival.

Cadel and Kened Balchtrod (Proudfoot family)

balch – proud and troed – foot

Cadel is provisioner on the main “square” of Maur Tulhau, Kened whose surname is Baltrod which I guess is just a “typo” is again … someone. The Proudfoots (Proudfeet!) are another fairly numerous family closely related to Bagginses. If you like horses and racing you sure do know Carl Proudfoot the Race Master and there is also Postmaster Proudfoot who is basically the chief officer of the Shire Quick Post.

Lili Gardhur (Gardener family)

garddwr – gardener

Lili is the healer vendor of Maur Tulhau. Gardeners are about as rare as Bankses – only three of them in the game. There is also one Ted Gardener the Vault-keeper of Bree but last time I checked he wasn’t a Hobbit.

Avan Brocktull (unknown)

Avan is the Stable-Master of Maur Tulhau and I haven’t been able to identify him unfortunately. The word twll stands for hole (or smial in this case) and this is where Tulhau comes from (meaning smials). He may be somehow related to the Brockhouse or the Longholes family but who knows?

Rhus Cornchúthur (Hornblower family)

corn – horn and chwythwr – blower

Rhus (Rees) is the first Hobbit you’ll probably encounter in Enedwaith (safe for occasional hobbit corpses), he’s sitting on a slope in front of Maur Tulhau and he would be probably blowing his pipe if the darn Hobbits were actually into something else than marigolds. Can’t smoke those, no sir!

Hornblowers are a small family the most notable member of which is probably Holly Hornblower the pie-baking enthusiast from Hobbition.

Gwin Curhonod (Maggots)

Gwin is a Hobbit captured by the Bugan of Khoblún Utot. The only connection I can make is farmer Maggot – the word cynrhonyn means maggot – but the famous farmer is the only one of that name.

And that would be all, allow me now to share my sources:

• Welsh-English Lexicon
• LOTRO Lorebook and the list of Hobbit families