7 Reasons to Enjoy Elladan and Elrohir's Missions
My Review

7 Reasons I Enjoyed Elladan and Elrohir’s Missions

1. The Beauty of Elven Lands

With a lot of recent LOTRO content focusing on the Dwarves of Middle-Earth, and the lore of The Lord of the Rings after the War of the Ring shifting to the Age of Man, it can be easy to forget about the Elves. The Missions for Elrohir and Elladan take you into three Elven domains: Rivendell (or Imladris), Eregion and Lothlórien, all of which play important roles in LOTR lore for different reasons. LOTRO capture these lands really well, so I’ll let screenshots to do the rest of the talking in this section

Imladris / Rivendell

Eregion

Lothlórien

I have not had chance to take some shots during the Lothlórien Missions themselves yet, but I may just leave these ones in place anyway. Enjoy the Golden Wood!

2. How Elladan and Elrohir Interacted

Having Fun

In Chapter 1, the two brothers decide to see which of them can slay the most insects during their investigation at the Bruinen. Admittedly, Nazgûl-chasing cannot stay fun, but given Elves can be seen as serious and distant, this is a lovely touch.

Remembering Mother

I won’t spoil the conversation between the brothers for you, go run their Further Adventures yourself. However, Chapter 3 takes place in the Redhorn Pass, where their mother Celebrían was captured and tormented by Orcs. In this chapter you get some insight into their feelings.

Giving/Taking Advice

There are a few instances where you understand why Elrond sent both his sons on their mysterious errand. They need each other. But neither are know-it-alls. They listen to each other, willing to both give advice and encouragement – or receive it. Given LOTRO has little voice acting on the whole, the speech bubble conversations are written really well.

3. Variety of Other Characters

4. Variety of Enemies

The Further Adventures of Elladan and Elrohir story is not a brigand-and-orc gauntlet. In fact, considering that Eregion and Lothlórien are threatened by Orcs, it is refreshing that you do not face these at all. Nor brigands, for that matter. LOTRO have mixed up the types of foes in much the same way as they have the twists – so nothing is the same at any point.

Apologies here, I kept the floaty names on so I could document what happened when in each chapter. I’ll declutter them on my next run.

Critters

Poor Bloated Maggot Elladan!

Drakes

Snow Foes

Wolves & Wargs

6. Twists

To anyone unfamiliar with the term “twists” in LOTRO, these are specific combat mechanics applicable to particular Missions. After fighting Orcs, insects, grims and wargs all over Middle-Earth, you become accustomed to roughly how they fight. What Twists do is warn you that they will behave in ways you may not see from them on the landscape.

While Twists are not unique to Elladan and Elrohir’s Missions, it’s the variation that I found interesting. From needing to interrupt a call for reinforcements, to standing by hot braziers to warm up – for only five Missions, there was something to think about. It’s not just pure carnage!

Twists in the Elladan and Elrohir Missions

Hmm, I’m pretty sure I’ve forgotten where my corruption-removal skill is on my Guardian (Sting). I’d better put that back on my quickbars! Here’s the Wiki’s list of Corruption Removal Skills.

7. Small Touches

In any short story, the difficulty in writing it is finding the balance between focusing on the the core narrative and yet not making the journey detailed enough. Here are a few “small touches” LOTRO have done really well in the Elladan and Elrohir Missions.

Helping a Bear Cub

Although it turns out to be part of the story, initially the sons of Elrond simply assist the bear cub. Not all heroic deeds are against Dark Lords or evil Sorcerers.

The Vulnerable Elf

I featured this Sentinel earlier, but she deserves another mention here. Again, it is lovely to see how flawed the Undying can be. Here she is actually admitting she would hinder your progress if she joined you. It sounds sad, but it is good to see that others, even the most gifted, can be vulnerable.

Humorous Anger

Do you think it’s wrong to provoke an enemy who has not directly attacked you yet? Dinoda…. Elladan does not!

Understated Elrond

When you return from your long, dangerous, emotional and tiring trek, Elrond says that you had an “rather eventful journey”! Nothing quite like understating what actually happened, is there Elrond?

Further Reading for Further Adventures

In case you landed here looking for help with Chapters 2-5, you can find specific guidance on the Wiki:

• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5

TL;DR Many Reasons to Enjoy the Elladan and Elrohir Missions

The Further Adventures of Elladan and Elrohir take you from Rivendell to Lothlórien and back again within about 1½ hours of gameplay! Yet the story is written really well, how the brothers interact is touching, and you travel through some of LOTRO’s most beautiful scenery. The combat mechanics vary enough to keep that side of it interesting, while also taking in locations and events critical to LOTR lore. I highly recommend you run Elladan and Elrohir’s Missions at least once – but do not rush them! You’ll reach the end soon enough. Enjoy the journey and see the tokens and XP as bonuses, rather than the aim of it all. And do take a look at other LOTRO Missions to mix up your levelling experience too. Have fun!

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