Maps and screenshots from the North Ithilien region and LOTRO update 19!
I’m a bit late to the party this time, since the beta for LOTRO’s update 19 has been on Bullroarer for a few weeks already. Still, got to add those new maps! And a few screenshots from the new area! In this update, we’ll head into North Ithilien. There are also new “after the battle” versions of Minas Tirith, Pelennor Fields and Osgiliath, as well as a new housing area on the Cape of Belfalas.
The usual disclaimer: If you want a pristine game experience with no ruined surprises about the new regions, you should probably stop reading now, if not before! Not least because I have added some screenshots at the bottom of the post.
You can see larger versions of all the maps by clicking on them. As always, you can find the latest patch notes on Turbine’s Bullroarer forums.
North Ithilien
Ithilien is the eastern lands of Gondor, lying between the river Anduin and Mordor’s Mountains of Shadow (Ephel Dúath). North Ithilien is the area north of the river Morgulduin.
Ithilien means Moon-land, and was said to be a fair area with many gardens and woods. The main city in the area was Minas Ithil, which was captured by Sauron and renamed into the unpleasantly-sounding Minas Morgul.
My first impression of the new area? It looks very nice (see screenshots far below), but it is also not a very huge area. Which is a worry, since the end-game in U19 seems to be related to picking flowers in the new land, to barter for new armour and other items.
Now imagine hordes of bored level 105s crashing into the thin strip between Anduin and the mountains, running like wildcats between spawned flower nodes, in order to get the likely tons of materials necessary to grind out the rewards? Fun…
March of the King map, showing the new area in relation to Minas Tirith and Mordor
Main North Ithilien map
After battle maps
Update 19 brings “new versions” of Minas Tirith, Osgiliath and Pelennor Fields, after the main battle against Sauron’s armies on Pelennor. Below are the maps of the new versions, which are rather much safer than the old lands (no more roaming monsters). The after-battle version of Minas Tirith also seems far more stable and less prone-crash than the before-battle version.
Minas Tirith after battle
Pelennor Fields after battle
Osgiliath after battle
Mordor map
Interestingly, all the new maps are found in the “Mordor” tab in the map display. Even more interesting is the very early-stage map of Mordor, which can be found in the current beta of Update 19.
Mordor – early version map
Edit October 20: Of course, now that the update is live, we can see the final item. This is the Mordor map released with U19 (although, we cannot enter these lands yet)
Mordor map – U19 version
Cape of Belfalas map
LOTRO got a new housing area! The cape of Belfalas has been made into a seaside holiday resort of sorts, aiming for that lush relaxed feeling that only a house near the battle to end all battles can provide.
If you got the Mithril Coins (MC) to buy the houses, that is, these will cost quite a bit. Currently, prices range from 137 MC for the cheapest houses (which are still larger than what you can get in the old housing neighbourhoods), to an eyewatering 890-ish MC for the premium kinship houses. The latter are located on separate islands, though.
Here is a map of the housing area.
Cape of Belfalas housing area
Screenshots
Alright, time for a few screenshots of the new areas.
Remember, don’t watch these if you don’t like spoilers.
Here we go…
Outside Osgiliath, after battle.
Minas Tirith! Finally in daylight!
More daylight on Minas Tirith!
The White Tree of Gondor finally getting some sunshine
View from the Minas Tirith spur of rock. Did I mention daylight yet?
View of Pelennor Fields from above. Aragorn’s pavilion below, Osgiliath in the distance
Remnants from the battle on Pelennor Fields. Dead orcs and mumaks litter the landscape too.
Nice scenery in North Ithilien
Old ruins, rivers and woods in North Ithilien
Sunset in North Ithilien, with Cair Andros and the river Anduin in the distance.
Aragorn’s camp in the northest area of the map, with Dagorlad ahead
Interior of Aragorn’s camp
Hey, treasure. That’ll buy a few biscuits!
Old statue near Henneth Annûn
The Cape of Belfalas, the new housing area! The lighthouse to the left.
Stage in the new housing area. There sure are a lot of stages in LOTRO by now.
View from the kinship house on Tol Falthui, one of the islands in the Cape of Belfalas. This’ll cost 890+ MC to buy, but at least the view is nice, and you’ll own an island.
View from the top of Tol Lochû, the other kinship island. Tol Falthui can be seen in the back
Galloping across Tol Falthui. Those gardens below scream for their own hobnanigans fields.