Post Sections ⇅
- Explore the Grimfens
- Explore the Defences of the Lone-lands
- Explore Weathertop
- Explore Garth Agarwen
The Explorer of the Lone-Lands Deed is a so-called ‘meta-deed’, one that completes after finishing sub-deeds. It is divided into four distinct sections, one of which should be left until you are either a higher level or can recruit a friend or two to help you complete them. I’ll tackle the soloable parts first, then we can move onto the trickier bit. Rather than split this into four separate guides, I decided to do “one guide to rule them all”, so you can clear the Lone-lands exploration deed without leaving the page.
Many Places to Visit
This is not the Chicken Play deed! If you want that then see LOTRO-Wiki
As you can see from the post sections menu, there are a lot of places to visit, which span most of the region. I found it easier to clear the deed group-by-group, rather than a West-to-East journey. Tackle it in whichever way you’re happiest and most comfortable.Explore the Grimfens
Where are the Grimfens?
The Grimfens are actually in the area marked as Harloeg on the Lone-lands map. Both of your exploration locations are found in the boggy area of the map, not the forest area.
Ost Haer
Coordinates: 37.6S, 28.0W
Ost Haer is a safe camp. The shades here, while not exactly friends, are at least quest-givers, and share a mutual interest with you. You’ll also find Glaednoth, who has some repeatable “Bounty” quests that grant 
reputation points. As the Ally to Kindred path with the Eglain is…painful to complete, you’ll want to clear these multiple times. Just don’t ask for some “Sickle-fly Pudding”.
Nearby Slayer Deeds: Gaunt-men (Wight) Slayer, Troll-slayer (in the wooded part)
Nindor
Coordinates:37.9S, 29.6W
You can see Nindor pretty much as soon as you turn and head West from Ost Haer. Just follow the eerie green glow! If you’re within aggro range, a few Wights and crawlers may try to stop you, but it’s nothing much.
Nearby Slayer Deeds: Gaunt-men (Wight) Slayer
Explore the Defences of the Lone-lands
Barad Iachiant
I hope you’re ready for a trek, because the Defences of the Lone-lands has nine different locations!
Coordinates: 35.8S, 38.3W
Right, to get started, Barad Iachiant is a bit fiddly if you are trying to intentionally tick it from the Explorer of the Lone-lands Deed. If, however, you’re clearing Goblin-slayer or doing quests in and around Minas Eriol, you’ll likely map it inadvertently. Win-win!
The Lornspan
Coordinates: 34.7S, 35.5W
The Lornspan is a bridge high up the hills along the southern edge of the Lone-lands. There are two ways of reaching it.
The first is to head to the Eglain Camp (34.4S, 36.9W). Go through the tiny camp and head East along the narrow path.
The second is to venture into Mithrenost (another entry for Defences of the Lone-lands), then head West.
Video: How to Find the Lornspan
Ost Laden
Coordinates: 34.5S, 37.5W
Ost Laden can be reached by two routes: from the South through Minas Eriol (coords) or slightly West of the Eglain Camp (34.4S, 36.9W).Nearby Slayer Deeds: Goblin-slayer, Spider-slayer
Mithrenost
Coordinates: 34.7S, 34.4W
You’ll know Mithrenost once you hit the doom clouds and a hoard of Dourhand Dwarves. This fort can be reached by crossing The Lornspan from the West, or through the hills Mithrenost sits on.
Thandobel
Coordinates: 33.8S, 32.7W
All that remains of Thandobel is a ruined tower and small portions of broken walls.
It lies due North of Mithrenost and features in the quests for the Dwarves of Iorvinas. You’ll find a few Dourhands here and the occasional roaming half-orc. But that’s pretty much it.
Ost Cyrn
Coordinates: 33.6S, 30.9W
Ost Cyrn is totally overrun with Orcs and, as such, causes massive headaches for the Eglain based at Ost Guruth. As it is almost exactly due South of Ost Guruth, it is also really easy to find.
It is a multi-level fort, making it an ideal location for completing the Lone-lands Orc-slayer Deed. Couple this with a back-and-forth to Glumhallow and you’ll clear it pretty quickly, even considering the travel time.
Naerost
Coordinates: 30.7S, 33.9W
Naerost is massive! It’s so big you can see it from the Southern edge of the map as you exit from Thandobel.
It lies in the Shadow of Weathertop but is held by Half-Orcs and Brigands. Various Lone-lands quests bring you here so be ready for a fight, especially once you’re properly inside.
Amon Ros
Coordinates: 30.9S, 31.7W
Amon Ros is found just West of Ost Guruth and several quests from that fortress bring you here. It is also a favourite of people clearing the Lone-lands Spider-slayer Deed.
If you are deeding here, please be aware that others may be attempting to clear quest objectives, so don’t make their life harder just so you can get your 
LOTRO Points faster.
Ost Guruth
Coordinates:
Ost Guruth is the largest safe haven in the Lone-lands. You will find vendors, crafting facilities, a mailbox, stables and reputation vendors within the fort. A skirmish camp is just outside the eastern wall, but is still on top of the hill. The Epic questline with Radagast the Brown brings you to Ost Guruth also.Defences of the Lone-lands Deed Map
Explore Weathertop
Echad Sûl
Weatherfoot
As such, it’s great for the Goblin-slayer part of the Slayer of the Lone-lands Deed. Though this location is probably not as good as Barad Iachiant and/or Minas Eriol.
Glumhallow
Glumhallow is a series of Orc camps just West of the Weathertop ‘hill’ itself. Due to its size it’s a favourite of those trying to clear the Lone-lands Orc-slayer Deed. Fear not – if others are there, there are other places to take Orcs down, especially at Ost Cyrn.
Here is one of the other camps at Glumhallow.
Weathertop
Until today, I had not managed to find the easy route to the top of this hill. It’s quite embarassing, to be honest! You can take an almost direct route from Candaith’s Camp heading as as the Craban flies, pretty much. Though that route is very steep.
However, a much more rational path is here: From Echad Sûl, travel directly due South, until you reach…wait for it…a path! Then just turn left (East) and follow it up. Now, I really feel stupid!
Weathertop in Lore
Weathertop is a really crucial location from a Lord of the Rings lore persepctive. It is here that Frodo is stabbed with a Morgul-blade when he and his companions are attacked by Nazgûl on their way to Rivendell. It is Aragorn’s quick-thinking and gratuitous use of fire that keeps them at bay. You can find more lore about this on LOTRO-Wiki. As that tower used to belong to the Free Peoples, in LOTRO, you will work with Candaith to take it back from Enemy forces. Though, you’ll be grateful to learn, not from Nazgûl!Weathertop Exploration Map
Explore Garth Agarwen
Right, this is where the Explorer of the Lone-lands Deed gets a bit tricky. For that reason, although the Garth Agarwen Exploration Deed appears first in the overall deed log, I decided to tackle this last. Garth Agarwen is a higher-difficulty area of the Lone-lands, originally designed (I think) for groups to tackle in the early days of LOTRO. Some of this deed is technically soloable – and if you’re a Lore-Master or Captain then may well be so. But three locations are not actually on the landscape, but in group instances.Solo Locations
Garth Agarwen Deed Map
The Circle of Blood
As soon as you leave Ost Guruth and head East, you reach the delightful Circle of Blood. I believe the ground was permanently stained after an ancient battle, so any water on it takes on the colour. Joy.
The only positive thing is that this is a spot to keep revisiting for Bog-Lurker Slayer. The downside is that, outside of Agamaur, it’s the only place to hunt for Bog-Lurkers, so other players may be there too. And there aren’t that many. Your best bet is to go into Agamaur, as parts of it are Solo-friendly and the Lurkers there are somewhat more numerous.
Nan Dhelu
The Outer Gates
Okay, this is where it starts to get tricky. The Epic will eventually transport you to Radagast’s second delightful base at Agamaur. In the event you have not mapped the Outer Gates beforehand, you can reach the Eglain base at the edge of this area by taking the Red Pass.Warning: Many of the enemies in Garth Agarwen are at least signature difficulty and L27-30+. If you want to journey here unimpeded, ensure you’re at least L38.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Many quests here are Small Fellowship and Fellowship – but not all. This can make reaching Kindred with the Eglain really difficult for newer players. There are solo “hacks” that make it feasible. But, the Lone-lands used to be the last Free-to-Play region, so this was, I think (at some point at least), “end game”.
It’s usually easier to finish Eglain reputation when you’re a much-higher (and better-equipped) level. If you can find a friend, or a willing player on World Chat, then even better.
Group Content Locations
The next three locations will appear as markers on your map once you’ve ticked them off the deed, but they cannot be reached on the landscape. Instead, you have to run six-person instances in a group – at least if you’re a low-ish level. Once you’re significantly over-levelled you may be able to solo them. I have run into issues attempting this before, especially with certain bosses where the mechanics can still kill you. But I did manage these Garth Agarwen Exploration locations with minimal hitches.
Garth Agarwen Gate
- Instance: Garth Agarwen: Fortress
Explorer of the Lone-lands Deed Rewards
× 100 Marks- 3 × Rejuvination Potions
2,000 Virtue XP- +900 (The Eglain)
TL;DR Exploration Deed is lot of work for an Early Zone
Considering this is the fourth of the early zones in the classic Shadows of Angmar base pack, clearing the Explorer of the Lone-lands Deed is really involved! But, in one sense, it helps to set the scene of the various stories your LOTRO character is involved in. Weathertop is a key moment for the group that would become the Fellowship of the Ring. The Defences of the Lone-lands gives you insight into structures that used to be there before Enemy forces destroyed it all. And Garth Agarwen introduces the darker side and paves the way for your continued struggle against Angmar and its allies.Hopefully this guide has been helpful for you and I’ll see you soon for more LOTRO goodness.
