Flet-runner

The Elves of the Golden Wood kept vigil upon the borders of their forest-realm from wooden flets or platforms built high in the branches of mallorn trees. The flets were built with openings around the great boles of the trees, and were furnished with movable screens that could be positioned to provide shade or shelter from the wind. They were reached by long white ladders of hithlain, the wondrous rope of Lórien, which could be drawn up to the surface of the flet to ensure that trespassers could not climb up.

Flets were also used as residences by the Elves of Lothlórien, but this was not universal. Most flets used as dwellings were found in Caras Galadhon, the fortress-like city of trees which was the heart of the Golden Wood. The idea of living upon flets was introduced by Amroth, once the king of Lórien, who built one high in the mallorn tree crowning the hill that bore his name. He chose to dwell upon a flet because of his love for Nimrodel, who may have been the first to build a home in this style in the branches overhanging her beloved river Silverlode.

This maiden of the Galadhrim is a flet-runner, one of the march-wardens who keep watch from high perches on the borders of Lórien. She knows by heart the location of each flet around the Golden Wood’s perimeter and may spend months at a time stationed at a particular flet before moving to another. She is armed with one of the renowned bows of her people, for the lofty flets offer an excellent position to fire upon intruders. She also wields two curved knives in the event that she must descend to the forest floor in defence of the borders. Her attire is light and loose, a combination of soft, muted greys, greens, and deep blues, perfect camouflage among the silvan shadows, especially at night. Ever vigilant, her keen eyes peer out from under the shadow of her elven hood.

Flet is an archaic English word originally meaning, “the floor, the ground”. It later gained the sense of “a dwelling, a habitation”. The flets of Lothlórien embody both senses exactly. In Sindarin, they were called telain (singular talan). I was inspired to make this outfit by the in-game title “Flet-runner”, which can be earned by completing the Flet-funner Challenges deed. The deed begins with the quest “At Home Among the Trees” (level 60) bestowed by Celechest in Caras Galadhon. As many readers are no doubt aware, the long-standing bug which prevents weapons from being displayed when you execute skills outside of combat can make taking outfit screenshots difficult if you want to show off your weapons. It was even harder trying to figure out a way to get them to display on the Lórien flets, since there are no mobs up there to enter combat with. At first I tried to enter combat with an animal on the ground and climb up the ladder into a flet. But this immediately took me out of combat and my weapons were sheathed. Finally I figured out a cunning solution! A few of the flets have sentinel elves patrolling around their bases. I went to Talan Brethil, which has a sentinel, and lured a boar over to the sentinel, who immediately attacked it. I was then able to climb up to the flet, remaining in combat until the sentinel had dispatched the boar.

• Head: Hat of the Hopeful Melody (bartered — skirmish camp classic quartermaster/Barad Guldur – level 65 light), steel blue
• Shoulders: Shoulders of the Hopeful Melody (bartered — skirmish camp classic quartermaster/Barad Guldur – level 65 light), white
• Back: Elegant Elven Quiver (purchased — LOTRO Store), olive
• Chest: Long-sleeved Lórien Tunic and Pants (bartered — Cerin Amroth barterer/Galahdrim reputation), grey
• Main hand: Anghigil (quest reward — [50] Volume 1, Book 8, Chapter 6: A Watchful Eye)
• Off-hand: Boar-tooth Dagger (quest reward — [35] Boar-tooth Dagger)
• Bow: Flightsong (looted — Urugarth/Akrûr)

Tips: The hood in this outfit is great to use with cosmetic tunics because it has a piece which covers the throat and upper chest (where tunics leave your character’s skin exposed). The quiver may also be available from the Cosmetic Loot Boxes available during LOTRO’s anniversary event. Another tip for getting weapons to stay in your hands for screenshot purposes is to execute a self-targeted skill just as you are sheathing your weapons after combat. I find that wound-removal skills are especially good for this (I’ve tested successfully on guardians and champions so far). You will find that your weapon(s) remain in your hands and will stay there until you hit a loading screen or until you use an emote or enter stealth.

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