The Laurelin hobbit calendar

Date: Every Friday
Time: 7:30PM UK time (usually 2:30PM servertime)
Location: Green Dragon Inn, Bywater, Laurelin server

Weekly hobbit gathering at the Green Dragon inn in Bywater, running ever since May 18 2008. This is an event for and by hobbits, although a few visiting traveling dwarves are always welcome. It is also a 100% in-character event, so don’t go talking about things not belonging in Middle Earth!

Come along for songs, dances, poetry, tales, riddles, news and much grand roleplaying! And do offer yer own entertainment, if yer like!

At other times over the year, GDF will move to other inns in the Shire. The new years party is usually held at the Plough and Stars in Brockenborings, while we always escape Bywater when the mayor hosts the Farmer’s faire in the late summer.

Event guidelines:

Green Dragon Friday is an in-character roleplaying event aiming to replicate a lively hobbit night at the inn. We try to enable a healthy lively hobbit roleplayer community here on Laurelin. To help us do this, please follow these guidelines:

Short version:

• Be a hobbit!
• Be in-character, talk about things belonging in Middle-Earth. That also goes for entertainment!
• Avoid forced emotes, unnatural pets inside, spamming with emotes, etc.!
• Take part, be active!
• Try avoid multi-boxing!
• Keep news and events relevant for Shire hobbits!
• Acknowledge what others are doing, spread out if things are too busy!

Longer version:

• While travelling dwarves are welcome to stop at the inn for a refreshing ale during their travels, we ask that elves and menfolk do not attend the event. Men and elves were rarely (if ever) seen in the Shire villages, and especially not the inns. However, if yer have quests to do at the inn, by all means come inside to finish them
• Be in-character – be a hobbit! Keep player interactions (chats, emotes) and entertainment in-character, basically by talking about the things that hobbits in Middle-Earth would. Don’t discuss real-life modern-day things, game mechanics, etc.
• Avoid using forced emotes, setting off fireworks inside, bringing pets that wouldn’t belong in an inn, throwing 3000 snowballs, emote spamming, etc.
• Be active and engage with the others. It is better to participate than to just stand around waiting for others to entertain you (however, feel free to come observe things the first few times).
• Avoid multi-boxing with lots of alts. Yes, we know that you love to pull off that fat sound of a many-musician band. However, when the room is full of similarly-clad robots marching in line (if they move at all), who don’t respond when you talk to them, things get rather creepy and the immersion we look for is often ruined.
• Entertainers are very welcome! Just sign up with the hobbit hosting the event, preferably by a /tell. Note that we absolutely love solo bards/performers – a lone lute-player is often better suited for the inn setting than a huge band. Also note that we absolutely love other kinds of entertainment than music: Poems, stories, riddles, the latest news from the Shire… lovely! If you want to play music, it is grand if yer aim for a folksy hobbity vibe, with reels, jigs, waltzes, hornpipes and the likes.
• Gossip and news is very welcome! This helps bring life to the event and the roleplaying in the Shire. Just remember to keep things in-character. Related to events: We generally don’t advertise events held on other servers, events not of hobbit interest, events not held in the Shire or events not of a roleplaying character.
• The inn can sometimes be busy, especially near the entertainment fireplace. It is good if you keep this in mind when interacting with others, go into crowds to talk to someone, etc. Some examples: If someone is reciting a stirring poem from the battle of Greenfields, it is probably good to wait a bit to run up and say hello to them. If someone is regaling the crowd with an exciting tale, it can undermine the mood if you move two feet away from them and talk about things not related to the tale at all. If you’re doing a deep discussion with just one other person there, it could make sense to move away from the busiest part of the inn, for instance to the bar or another corner. This is mostly a matter of acknowledging what is going on at the inn and making an attempt of not undermining the roleplaying efforts of others.

Additionally, we ask that participants follow the roleplaying rules and policy for Laurelin, with regard to player names, chat behaviour and harassment.

Lastly, while the above may sound like a long list of rules, don’t worry too much! Them hobbits are a friendly and tolerant lot, eager to welcome new visitors to the inn. See yer there!

Questions about the event?

Contact: Lina, Grand Order of the Lost Mathom.

Unless other events are on: The Grand Order goes on adventure! We’ll meet up and see if there are adventuring opportunities.

Date: Saturdays
Time: 7:30PM UK
Location: Meet outside Songburrow Hall

The December OAKS concert is with Rock and a Hard Place. Details in the Gazette!

Date: Saturday December 3
Time: 8:30PM UK time / 3:30PM servertime
Location: Oldfurlong, Town Square, Shire Homesteads

Yule love it!

Yule is getting nearer, and what better thing to do than to make a large drawing to greet yer friends a very merry yuletide? Not much! So here we go!

Date: Sunday December 4
Time: 7:30PM UK (2:30PM servertime)
Location: 2 Silver Street, Tham Orbarad, Cape of Belfalas Homesteads

We will have two meetups again this year to help make the drawing. The first will be Sunday December 4, while the second is on Tuesday December 13. See below for details!

What will happen this year? Will there be ballets with purple snow beasts or surprise parties for old lonely hobbits? Will Shire animals fight in the fields, or will them youngsters sigh over a lack of snow in the Shire? Take part to find out!

This first meetup is inside a festive Yule house in far-off lands. How to get there, yer might ask?

• The safest option for low-levels is to go to Bree and visit the Broker’s office, just North-West of the South Gate. Chat with Nothwen inside the Office, and you can find the correct village (Tham Orbarad) and address (2 Silver Street).
  https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Broker%27s_Office_(Bree)
• You can also visit a Far-Ranging Stable master in the homesteads, and they will allow yer to ride to the Cape of Belfalas.
  https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Far-ranging_Stable-master 

OOC

Once again, I’d like to make a yule video with as many hobbit players on Laurelin as possible. The video will be released December 24th, in the Hobbity Yule Calendar.

Preparations

This first video shoot is the most action-packed one, while the second on Tuesday Dec 13 will be lazier. For this first video shoot, please remember:

• Have two outfits ready:
  – One festive hobbity yule outfit, so you look ready for a party
  – And most importantly, a burglary ruffian outfit. You’re to be culinary robbers!
  – For the ruffian outfit, it is good if you wear cooking or gardening utensils, like a rolling pin, a shovel, Treebeard’s ladle, or similar.
• Do not have any pets summoned
• DISABLE ALL SPEED BUFFS! Hunters, I am especially looking at you and the “Find the path” skill, please disable it.
• Bring festival trick consumables, like D.R.A.G.O.N, spider legs, snowballs, doom-shrooms or similar.
• Be prepared to follow orders.
• Try to avoid speaking in /say, use the raid (/ra) instead
• Join the creative chaotic fun!

In addition to the video shoots, I’d also love it if all hobbits sent me an individual screenshot of themselves in-game, in a festive/merry/yule motive. I can use those in the end credits of the video.

Formatting of the screenshots:

• The higher resolution, the better.
• Use widescreen format (16×9 or similar), don’t cut out just a small picture of yourself.
• Don’t add any effects or text to the images. Turn off UI elements, NPC names, etc.
• Make sure the screenshots aren’t too dark.
• Send the screenshots to me before end of December 20th, at the very latest! Use this email:

For inspiration, here is the yule video from last year.

Rehearsal for The Brandy Badgers! New song notes are available in the usual place!

Date: Every other Monday
Time: 7:30PM UK time , 2:30PM servertime
Location: Michel Delving square

We’ll have a kin tea for the Grand Order, with a guest! Come along to sample the Foreyule treats from our larders and join the gossip and banter!

Date: Thursday December 8
Time: 7PM UK time / 2PM servertime
Location: 4 Brookbank Street, Songburrow

Date: Every Friday
Time: 7:30PM UK time (usually 2:30PM servertime)
Location: Green Dragon Inn, Bywater, Laurelin server

Weekly hobbit gathering at the Green Dragon inn in Bywater, running ever since May 18 2008. This is an event for and by hobbits, although a few visiting traveling dwarves are always welcome. It is also a 100% in-character event, so don’t go talking about things not belonging in Middle Earth!

Come along for songs, dances, poetry, tales, riddles, news and much grand roleplaying! And do offer yer own entertainment, if yer like!

At other times over the year, GDF will move to other inns in the Shire. The new years party is usually held at the Plough and Stars in Brockenborings, while we always escape Bywater when the mayor hosts the Farmer’s faire in the late summer.

Event guidelines:

Green Dragon Friday is an in-character roleplaying event aiming to replicate a lively hobbit night at the inn. We try to enable a healthy lively hobbit roleplayer community here on Laurelin. To help us do this, please follow these guidelines:

Short version:

• Be a hobbit!
• Be in-character, talk about things belonging in Middle-Earth. That also goes for entertainment!
• Avoid forced emotes, unnatural pets inside, spamming with emotes, etc.!
• Take part, be active!
• Try avoid multi-boxing!
• Keep news and events relevant for Shire hobbits!
• Acknowledge what others are doing, spread out if things are too busy!

Longer version:

• While travelling dwarves are welcome to stop at the inn for a refreshing ale during their travels, we ask that elves and menfolk do not attend the event. Men and elves were rarely (if ever) seen in the Shire villages, and especially not the inns. However, if yer have quests to do at the inn, by all means come inside to finish them
• Be in-character – be a hobbit! Keep player interactions (chats, emotes) and entertainment in-character, basically by talking about the things that hobbits in Middle-Earth would. Don’t discuss real-life modern-day things, game mechanics, etc.
• Avoid using forced emotes, setting off fireworks inside, bringing pets that wouldn’t belong in an inn, throwing 3000 snowballs, emote spamming, etc.
• Be active and engage with the others. It is better to participate than to just stand around waiting for others to entertain you (however, feel free to come observe things the first few times).
• Avoid multi-boxing with lots of alts. Yes, we know that you love to pull off that fat sound of a many-musician band. However, when the room is full of similarly-clad robots marching in line (if they move at all), who don’t respond when you talk to them, things get rather creepy and the immersion we look for is often ruined.
• Entertainers are very welcome! Just sign up with the hobbit hosting the event, preferably by a /tell. Note that we absolutely love solo bards/performers – a lone lute-player is often better suited for the inn setting than a huge band. Also note that we absolutely love other kinds of entertainment than music: Poems, stories, riddles, the latest news from the Shire… lovely! If you want to play music, it is grand if yer aim for a folksy hobbity vibe, with reels, jigs, waltzes, hornpipes and the likes.
• Gossip and news is very welcome! This helps bring life to the event and the roleplaying in the Shire. Just remember to keep things in-character. Related to events: We generally don’t advertise events held on other servers, events not of hobbit interest, events not held in the Shire or events not of a roleplaying character.
• The inn can sometimes be busy, especially near the entertainment fireplace. It is good if you keep this in mind when interacting with others, go into crowds to talk to someone, etc. Some examples: If someone is reciting a stirring poem from the battle of Greenfields, it is probably good to wait a bit to run up and say hello to them. If someone is regaling the crowd with an exciting tale, it can undermine the mood if you move two feet away from them and talk about things not related to the tale at all. If you’re doing a deep discussion with just one other person there, it could make sense to move away from the busiest part of the inn, for instance to the bar or another corner. This is mostly a matter of acknowledging what is going on at the inn and making an attempt of not undermining the roleplaying efforts of others.

Additionally, we ask that participants follow the roleplaying rules and policy for Laurelin, with regard to player names, chat behaviour and harassment.

Lastly, while the above may sound like a long list of rules, don’t worry too much! Them hobbits are a friendly and tolerant lot, eager to welcome new visitors to the inn. See yer there!

Questions about the event?

Contact: Lina, Grand Order of the Lost Mathom.

All welcome to the Grand Yule Market! Merchants flock from near and far to the Yondershire ((Represented by a Belfalas house)) to sell their wares. You are welcome too! For travellers bring coin, and coin brings happiness for the canny merchant.

Date: Saturday December 10
Time: 7PM UK time / 2PM servertime
Location: 2 Silver Street, Tham Orbarad, Cape of Belfalas homesteads ((RP-wise, this will be somewhere in distant Yondershire))

Event details:

OOC details:

Serve up the mulled wine!
Raise the yule tree!
Let us celebrate the start of yule together!

Date: Sunday December 11
Time: 7:30PM UK (2:30PM servertime)
Location: Songburrow Hall, Songburrow, 4 Brookbank Street, Shire homesteads, Laurelin server

Yule is near, and what better way to celebrate than meet yer fellow hobbits and greet the festive season welcome? The Grand Order is happy ter invite our friends over to our kin hall Sunday December 11. We’ll put up our yule tree, have some mulled wine and enjoy some yule music!

Biweekly hobbit market in Michel Delving, held at the ovens and crafting area!

Time: 7:30PM UK time
Location: Michel Delving ovens and crafting area

Especially good for young hobbits setting out on their journeys in Middle Earth, since they can get quality goods fer reasonable prices. More information here!

Contact: Tibba and Nimelia, Grand Order of the Lost Mathom.

Be quick on the draw!

Yule is getting even nearer, and what better thing to do than to make a large drawing to greet yer friends a very merry yuletide? Not much! So here we go!

Date: Tuesday December 13
Time: 7:30PM UK (2:30PM servertime)
Location: Frerin’s Court, Thorin’s Gate, Ered Luin

This is the second meetup for this year’s hobbit Yule drawing.

What will happen this year? Will there be ballets with purple snow beasts or surprise parties for old lonely hobbits? Will Shire animals fight in the fields, or will them youngsters sigh over a lack of snow in the Shire? Take part to find out! Gather near the big statue in Frerin’s Court on Tuesday, and we’ll take it from there!

OOC

Once again, I’d like to make a yule video with as many hobbit players on Laurelin as possible. The video will be released December 24th, in the Hobbity Yule Calendar.

Preparations

For this second video shoot, please remember:

• Dress up festive for Yule
• Crafters? We might shoot some scenes of yer preparing things for Yule. Definitely of cooks preparing food
• If you have pig pets available, we might use some of them during the shoot
• Lanterns/torches or other light sources are grand, have them available
• Be on time, so we can start early with instructions (and so you don’t get hit by chat bugs when loading in late…)

Conduct:

When we shoot the video, please remember to:

• DISABLE ALL SPEED BUFFS! Hunters, I am especially looking at you and the “Find the path” skill, please disable it
• Do not have any pets summoned, until called on
• If you need to go AKF, run away from where we are so you don’t interrupt our shoot
• Try to avoid speaking in /say, use the raid (/ra) or our dedicated chat channel instead
• Be prepared to follow orders
• Join the creative chaotic fun!

Screenshots

In addition to the video shoots, I’d also love it if all hobbits sent me an individual screenshot of themselves in-game, in a festive/merry/yule motive. I can use those in the end credits of the video.

Formatting of the screenshots:

• The higher resolution, the better.
• Use widescreen format (16×9 or similar), don’t cut out just a small picture of yourself.
• Don’t add any effects or text to the images. Turn off UI elements, NPC names, etc.
• Make sure the screenshots aren’t too dark.
• Send the screenshots to me before end of December 20th, at the very latest! Use this email:

For inspiration, here is the yule video from last year.

After a fine gathering last week of enthusiastic poets, several grand presentations, and an unexpected visit by a dwarven herald, the Fed Poets Society will meet again Wednesday, December 14 at 7 Bells ((7pm UK Time))

This is a half hour earlier than last meeting in deference to those who need to nap.

Do you long to catch images, feelings, or perhaps even experiences in a net of delicious words?

Then please join the Fed Poets’ Society on the second Wednesday of every month, at Number 6 Harrow Road, Elderglen, Shire Homesteads.

This month we will look at our works in progress, discuss poetry’s toolkit, and take in suggestions for our opening poem and closing quote. As it is Yule, the poetry theme will be Yule feasts and food. (I am looking at you, Master Fidgit)!

Start time: 7:00 Bells ((7:00pm UK time))

Tea and treats will be served!

We will gather in Sootcrest, in the Shire Homesteads to enjoy merriment, fine company, festive entertainment, scrummy food and ale a-plenty!

Specific details will be added closer to event time.

Date:    15th December, 2022

Time:    7.00 PM ((GMT/2:00 PM server time))

Location: 4 Brookbank Street, Sootcrest, Shire Homesteads

Date: Every Friday
Time: 7:30PM UK time (usually 2:30PM servertime)
Location: Green Dragon Inn, Bywater, Laurelin server

Weekly hobbit gathering at the Green Dragon inn in Bywater, running ever since May 18 2008. This is an event for and by hobbits, although a few visiting traveling dwarves are always welcome. It is also a 100% in-character event, so don’t go talking about things not belonging in Middle Earth!

Come along for songs, dances, poetry, tales, riddles, news and much grand roleplaying! And do offer yer own entertainment, if yer like!

At other times over the year, GDF will move to other inns in the Shire. The new years party is usually held at the Plough and Stars in Brockenborings, while we always escape Bywater when the mayor hosts the Farmer’s faire in the late summer.

Event guidelines:

Green Dragon Friday is an in-character roleplaying event aiming to replicate a lively hobbit night at the inn. We try to enable a healthy lively hobbit roleplayer community here on Laurelin. To help us do this, please follow these guidelines:

Short version:

• Be a hobbit!
• Be in-character, talk about things belonging in Middle-Earth. That also goes for entertainment!
• Avoid forced emotes, unnatural pets inside, spamming with emotes, etc.!
• Take part, be active!
• Try avoid multi-boxing!
• Keep news and events relevant for Shire hobbits!
• Acknowledge what others are doing, spread out if things are too busy!

Longer version:

• While travelling dwarves are welcome to stop at the inn for a refreshing ale during their travels, we ask that elves and menfolk do not attend the event. Men and elves were rarely (if ever) seen in the Shire villages, and especially not the inns. However, if yer have quests to do at the inn, by all means come inside to finish them
• Be in-character – be a hobbit! Keep player interactions (chats, emotes) and entertainment in-character, basically by talking about the things that hobbits in Middle-Earth would. Don’t discuss real-life modern-day things, game mechanics, etc.
• Avoid using forced emotes, setting off fireworks inside, bringing pets that wouldn’t belong in an inn, throwing 3000 snowballs, emote spamming, etc.
• Be active and engage with the others. It is better to participate than to just stand around waiting for others to entertain you (however, feel free to come observe things the first few times).
• Avoid multi-boxing with lots of alts. Yes, we know that you love to pull off that fat sound of a many-musician band. However, when the room is full of similarly-clad robots marching in line (if they move at all), who don’t respond when you talk to them, things get rather creepy and the immersion we look for is often ruined.
• Entertainers are very welcome! Just sign up with the hobbit hosting the event, preferably by a /tell. Note that we absolutely love solo bards/performers – a lone lute-player is often better suited for the inn setting than a huge band. Also note that we absolutely love other kinds of entertainment than music: Poems, stories, riddles, the latest news from the Shire… lovely! If you want to play music, it is grand if yer aim for a folksy hobbity vibe, with reels, jigs, waltzes, hornpipes and the likes.
• Gossip and news is very welcome! This helps bring life to the event and the roleplaying in the Shire. Just remember to keep things in-character. Related to events: We generally don’t advertise events held on other servers, events not of hobbit interest, events not held in the Shire or events not of a roleplaying character.
• The inn can sometimes be busy, especially near the entertainment fireplace. It is good if you keep this in mind when interacting with others, go into crowds to talk to someone, etc. Some examples: If someone is reciting a stirring poem from the battle of Greenfields, it is probably good to wait a bit to run up and say hello to them. If someone is regaling the crowd with an exciting tale, it can undermine the mood if you move two feet away from them and talk about things not related to the tale at all. If you’re doing a deep discussion with just one other person there, it could make sense to move away from the busiest part of the inn, for instance to the bar or another corner. This is mostly a matter of acknowledging what is going on at the inn and making an attempt of not undermining the roleplaying efforts of others.

Additionally, we ask that participants follow the roleplaying rules and policy for Laurelin, with regard to player names, chat behaviour and harassment.

Lastly, while the above may sound like a long list of rules, don’t worry too much! Them hobbits are a friendly and tolerant lot, eager to welcome new visitors to the inn. See yer there!

Questions about the event?

Contact: Lina, Grand Order of the Lost Mathom.