Rescuer of Nurz Gashu

I love Titles, I collect them with passion.
Thus I hope I will be able to overcome my legendary laziness and create a series of posts showcasing at least some of them.

Rescuer of Nurz Gashu shall be the first of the series, if it ever comes to be.
I must say I do enjoy the skirmish (mosly). While quite dull and boring while solo, you get to look at in from a completely new perspective if in duo or bigger fellowship! Only `but` is the annoying dialogue at the end... do I really have to stand there for a minute every time listening to it, is that neccessary? Well, at least I get a decent chance of finally getting Kindred with Eldgang on my Rune-tard.

Anyway, beware: Silirien the Flame of the Rift! or something. Burning hot, as usual.

Elf of the First Age

I've always loved artificial women - a strange statement out of mouth of anyone, yet even stranger when it comes from a girl (many of my gamer friends pondered upon my declared inability to play male characters; I truly don't enjoy that at all, don't know why).

Lord of The Rings story lacks outstanding female characters (there's Eowyn and Galadriel, and that's about it; and don't get me started about Arwen!), while The Hobbit has none - apart of course the legendary Luthien. And along with Luthien, other Tales fortunately do mention some outstanding females (Morwen comes to mind), but never warriors. Come to think of it now, this makes Eowyn truly unique, she's the only female (to my knowledge) mentioned by Tolkien that held a blade and fought.

Fortunatelly, Turbine didn't take lack of female warriors in Tolkien's work as a bane on them, but rather as a lack in description, and did introduce some remarkable female characters in their stories. One of them has dominated the story of Shadows of Angmar (Amathriel/Naruhel), the other had a role far less visible, but still of great importance both story- and lore-wise.

Glathriel, female elf warrior whom players meet deep in the Rift of Nurz-Gashu and with whom they try to stop an awakening Balrog, whom she guarded for centuries.
We know little about her, apart from what we can gather from her brief tale: she took part in the War of the Valar at the end of the First Age (Gorrem in his brief description of the design writes: An Elf from the 1st age of Middle-Earth. that means she's REALLY old.), to which she refers at "the breaking of Thangorodrim", when The Mountains of Oppression were destroyed as Ancalagon the Black - a dragon bred by Morgoth to be the greatest and mightiest of all dragons, and the first of the winged 'fire-drakes' - crashed upon them as he died. That's when she first engaged Thaurlach , one of Morgoth's Balrogs - in fight, and followed him east to the lands that would later become Angmar. The Balrog than hid somewhere in the land he turned to wasteland with his fire and Glathriel couldn't find him, but she waited for him to awake.

If what she says is true, she tried to pin him down for the whole Second Age, as - by her account - when Thaurlach has awaken, she defeated him "with the aid of the wizards". She also mentions that this happened when "the Dark Power rose again". This would mean that he stayed in slumber while Saurons rise to power during The Second Age and during his War with Elves, if - naturally - we take the wizards she mentions as the Istari (who arrived in the Middle-Earth in the Third Age when Sauron formed a new army and began to command from Dol Guldur -hill of dark sorcery- in southern Mirkwood). Gandalf seems to confirm that, saying that saying that "two others of my Order, who have since vanished into the East, aided her in imprisoning the Balrog". Those would be the Blue Wizards, vaguely mentioned in Tales. The wizards "deemed Thaurlach should be imprisoned where he could await his judgment at the end of days", but Glathriel feared that the Balrog might sought to escape, and she chose to stay and guard him. Her foresight, as it is revealed when the players find her, was true - they arrive just in time to see Thaurlach break free.

When, after an epic battle, Thaurlach is finally thrown down, Glathriel accompanies players to Rivendell where she meets with Gandalf and Glorfindel. There seems to be one problem here though: Gandal says that the chain the Balrog was chained with, named Angithron, "was forged when this world was young" - well it was not quite young at the beginning of the Third Age... Nor could Thaurlach have awoken "by his master's call", as his master was Morgoth, who was defeated in The War of the Valar. Maybe Gandalf ment Sauron, who - as Morgoth's successor - could potentially become Balrogs' new master? Still, world would not be young when Thaurlach was chained, as it seems to be during the Thrid Age when the Istari came, and his true master's call could never have awakened him, as the master was no more. Unless we assume that the Blue Wizards were sent to Middle-Earth much earlier...

It is there in Rivendell where, I think, Glathriel's origins are revealed - she seems close to Glorfindel, a sword-mate for sure. They couldn't fight together at the Thongorodrim, as Glorfindel died during the Fall of Gondolin, and king Turgon's armier left the Hidden City only once before, and barely interacted with other elves during the brief and Tragic Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Judging by this, and by the fact that her battle-cry is "For Gondolin, for Nargothrond!" I would like to assume that she is from Gondolin as well, one of the House of Golden Flower like Glorfindel, who managed to escape after he perished in his clash with Balrog. And if you look at the original design by Gorrem more closely, you'll see that her armor is decorated with many aquatic ornaments - the shell on her belt, the wave-like design of the plates... Nodlor of Gondolin lived under blessing of Ulmo, King of the Sea and Lord of Waters.

At first Glathriel desires to stay in Middle-Earth and fight on against The Shadow, but Glorfindel tells her that this is no longer the deed of the Eldar, as their time is fading and "the duty of great deeds has fallen to others", she than leaves for the Grey Havens and on to the West, to find her peace.



Transcript of the story of Glathriel as revealed in LotRO I've posted before in this post.

Original image can be found here.

Just in time

6-maning Balrog is not a great achievement nowdays (as it has been 3-manned back in old good 50 days anyway), but we were down there on business (hunting for Broken Chain Link for a Watcher run). Good fun!

Still, one thing worries me. With b7 (I think, maybe even earlier) they managed to bug that encounter again. The jumps - which used to be really painful - don't do anything anymore. You can even spot that on the movie - there's a missing part of the animation, Balrog doesn't land, he just appears on the ground...
Also the change to LM that came with MoM (the one that makes them unable to remove diseases/wounds outside their fellowship) could be fatal, especially for non-lvl-60 groups: the Balrog casts loads upon loads of nasty diseases that can only be removed by LM due to the amount of the deadly effects that appear and Glathriel gets affected by them as well. Players can not control her, tell her to move or sod away and if she gets them... well... even for her few thousands morale, they are deadly. I hope someone bugs that!

Unfortunately, you can't see much of me in that film, 90% of the time I'm hidden somewhere beyond Cal's left lower corner, but you can spot me on few occasions.

Wig-Feld

...GIEF!



...and it has nice stats too... Purrfect for Sil, Agi and Fate! and some morale too, but that's never been a priority for her.



It wouldn't match the planned Annumins set, true... but who would drop this baby to look like a limone?

Raids'R'Us first Balrog down

First Balrog to go down under the swords, arrows, songs and knowledge of lore of Raids'R'Us members!



Roggie ain't a very hard boss to bring down if all members know what to do and do it before Raid Leader even speaks up. But for this kind of coordination and tactics knowledge, practice is needed. Long, irritating and costly practice. But it payed off, we got two weapon gems! And second Blade of Thaurlach for the Raiding Hall (first one Sil ninja'ed from Silver Blades' raid just a week or two earlier ^^).





Glathlírel says, ''Strangers... you were sent to me by the Eldgang?''

Glathlírel says, ''Then it is as I have feared. There is little time, but you must know the peril you face! Prepare yourselves and listen to my tale.''

Glathlírel says, ''Long ago, at the breaking of Thangorodrim, Thaurlach flew to this land and I gave chase.''

Glathlírel says, ''At his coming, all was beset with brimstone and flame, and he eluded me.''

Glathlírel says, ''For long years he lay hidden, until the Dark Power rose again and Thaurlach awoke from his secret slumber.''

Glathlírel says, ''He was revealed to me in that moment, and I struggled with him in battle.''

Glathlírel says, ''With the aid of the wizards I threw down my foe: defeated, but not slain.''

Glathlírel says, ''Thaurlach sued for pardon at the feet of the wizards.''

Glathlírel says, ''They deemed he should be imprisoned where he could await his judgment at the end of days.''

Glathlírel says, ''Long have I here waited for Thaurlach to seek his freedom, that I may end his menace for good if he sought to escape!''

Glathlírel says, ''When I open this seal, the true test of your will shall begin!''

Glathlírel says, ''First, I must remove the seals.''

Glathlírel says, ''Now to open the locks....''

Glathlírel says, ''You have come just in time! Thaurlach is stirring. There is something amiss!''







Gandalf says, ''Indeed it is...a link from the chain Angithron that was forged when this world was young.''

Gandalf says, ''A Balrog lies defeated.''

Glorfindel says, ''Ai!''

Glorfindel says, ''A Balrog of Morgoth!''

Glorfindel says, ''You are mightier than I first perceived.''

Gandalf says, ''Yes, one which was awakened long ago by his master's call.''

Glorfindel says, ''You speak, then, of Thaurlach, Glathlírel's Bane. My heart is heavy still from her loss.''

Glathlírel says, ''Then let your heart be lightened, Glorfindel, for I have returned!''

Glathlírel says, ''Mithrandir speaks true. I was with the adventurers when the Balrog fell.''

Glorfindel says, ''And even more wonders, Glathlírel! When you did not return...we feared....''

Glathlírel says, ''I found aid unlooked for in the North.''

Gandalf says, ''Two others of my Order, who have since vanished into the East, aided her in imprisoning the Balrog. Alas, for the treachery of the Enemy.''

Glathlírel says, ''I remained in Nûrz Ghâshu as the warden of the Balrog until another of Morgoth's servants sought to free him.''

Glorfindel says, ''And with the aid of these heroes which you mention, you were able to overcome Thaurlach?''

Glorfindel says, ''I will compose the song of their triumph myself, and it will be known to all the Elves that yet dwell....''

Gandalf says, ''I think not, Glorfindel...''

Gandalf says, ''For even among the Elf-lords, you still keep secrets...battles and deeds enough for a thousand songs.''

Gandalf says, ''No...not until the world has changed should this tale be told in full.''

Glathlírel says, ''The Dark Lord of Mordor would be troubled by the death of Thaurlach...''

Glathlírel says, ''But I fear he would gain much knowledge of hidden things that should remain lost were the full tale known.''

Glorfindel says, ''Your deeds will not be forgotten among the Wise.''

Gandalf says, ''Certainly not! It is the responsibility of the Wise to keep such lore until its chosen time.''

Glorfindel says, ''And it is well that you have returned out of the darkness, Glathlírel.''

Glathlírel says, ''It seems that Imladris will require my sword and more if we wish to continue the fight!''

Glorfindel says, ''We have fought many battles, but alas, our time has passed...''

Glorfindel says, ''The duty of great deeds has fallen to others. The time of the Elves is fading.''

Glathlírel says, ''Then it seems there is little left for me here...''

Glathlírel says, ''I will travel to Mithlond and join our kin where I may find peace.''

Glorfindel says, ''And what do you make of this, Mithrandir? What now should be our course?''

Gandalf says, ''Our course?''

Gandalf says, ''What should have been done two thousand years ago has been done...''

Gandalf says, ''All that is left now is to plan for the journey to come, and I have much to do before that journey begins.''

Glorfindel says, ''Creatures such as Thaurlach do not easily fall, my friend. You have brought hope unlooked for to our struggle against the Shadow, both in the East and in the North.''



Actually, only when I read the dialogue again, it stroke me how utterly irrational Glorfindel sending
Glathlírel away was: the war is at hand, The Nine have just awaken and there ain't that many that can match them. And here we have 
Glathlírel, a hero of the Old Days, returning miraculously and Glorfindel... sending her away?! Than why did he, Elron or Galadriel stay behind, if it's an Age on Man?



OK, I know that if he didn't, the cat-fight between her and Silirien would be unevitable, but seriously.. it's not that Sil stays at Riv all the time. He could have send
Glathlírel away after the war!



Men >.> Just so typical...

Enmity of Drakes

Long since gone, yes.



But every time I see those raging spirits attacking huge monsters, I feel amazed - looked too good not to take a screen shot.



And the spirits match my dress, too...