Wandering Sage

The word Enedwaith referred both to the land between the rivers Greyflood and Isen and west of the Misty Mountains, and to the people that once dwelled there. The name itself means “middle-folk, middle-region”. In the Second Age, the Enedwaith people were a pre-Númenórean population descended from the Haladin of the First Age. In spite of this, the colonizing Númenóreans did not recognize them as distant kindred due to linguistic differences. They exacted tribute from the Enedwaith and decimated the land’s forests in order to obtain the lumber necessary for their ships. Though the indigenous people were subjugated or displaced, the land of Enedwaith never belonged fully to either Arnor or Gondor, but the main road between the two kingdoms ran through it, and cities and monuments were built along it, such as Tharbad. Eventually, Arnor fell and Gondor’s authority in Enedwaith was forsaken. The land returned to the wild, and to the descendants of the Enedwaith: the Dunlendings in the east and a wild fisherfolk along the coast. The old works of Gondor and Arnor were abandoned and fell into ruin.

This woman from the South-lands is a wandering sage keenly interested in the history of the Enedwaith for, like many Gondorians, part of her heritage can be traced to the pre-Númenórean folk who were absorbed into Gondor long ago. She has made the arduous journey north to study the ruins and meet with the folk of the region to learn all that she can of Gondor’s past. She wears a long linen tunic topped with a quilted silk doublet, and over these a richly-dyed surcoat of soft suede, embroidered with golden thread. A tall, cylindrical, brimmed hat shields her eyes from the sun, and upon her back is a fine leather pack loaded with several small tomes, parchment, quills and ink, and other scriveners’ materials which she will use to record her findings or to take rubbings of maker’s marks and other inscriptions found in the ancient stonework she visits.

This is an outfit that I’ve been wearing on my Lore-master for quite a while now, ever since Frostbluff was first introduced for the Yule festival. I really love those Frostbluff cosmetics with all their wonderful little details (like the corset-like lacing seen in the above screenshot) and I think this robe look great with this funny, infamous old hat. Besides, I like to think that any wandering sage worth his or her salt needs some kind of quirky signature headwear!

• Head: Woodruff’s Hat (quest reward — North Downs [23] All’s Well); purchased — LOTRO Store; or looted — world drop/general), burgundy
• Shoulders: Quilted Shoulder Guards (crafted — tailor T2; purchased — Bree-land light armour vendor; or looted — world drop/general), burgundy
• Back: Map-maker’s Travel Pack (bartered — skirmish camp cosmetics quartermaster/cosmetic items; or purchased — LOTRO Store), umber
• Chest: Frostbluff Robe of Thanks (quest reward — Yule festival [1] Good Deeds at Yule-time), burgundy
• Hands: Elven Cotton Gloves (crafted — tailor T3; purchased — Rivendell light armour vendor; or looted — world drop/general), black
• Feet: Slippers of Fém (quest reward — Angmar [43] Crannog’s Challenge), burgundy

Tips: The Frostbluff Robe of Thanks is rewarded for following the “help the poor” questline during the Yule festival to completion. The robe and matching dress arrive in the mail about a month after the end of the festival. The light elven gloves I used in this outfit can be found in many guises; just make sure you don’t use one of the pairs that has a tiny sea-blue border at the gloves’ opening.

TP Giveaway: Don’t forget to comment on one of the outfits posted this week so that your name can be entered in a draw to win a code for 1,550 Turbine Points. I’m making the draw on Monday, 4th June, so make sure to comment before then!