A Beginner’s Guide to the Quests and Story of LotRO

So I made my character… now what?

Well, there’s a lot to be done. But one of the key features of LotRO is its intricate quest system and delicately woven story. This guide will help you become familiar with both.



The Story of LotRO Story? What story?

If you’re one of the millions who have read the books or seen the movies, The Lord of the Rings has a deep and intricate timeline that follows the trials and hardships of many different characters in the fight against the Dark Lord Sauron. There’s plenty of info on the lore of Lord of the Rings to be found at the Encyclopedia of Arda.



How is that handled in the game though?

Through the use of quests and cinematic events, the story crafted by the Turbine and numerous Tolkien Experts will be played out by you, the player.



Okay, so where does my character fit in?

As a dwarf, elf, hobbit, or human, you are one of the many free people of Middle-Earth. Your character’s path does not follow in the footsteps of the books’ characters, but rather down a different path that was only oft alluded to in JRR Tolkien’s notes and appendices. Without spoiling much of what you’ll see in LotRO, there is a mounting dark force on the rise in Angmar, and it is up to you and the friends you make in the game to thwart it.








I’m familiar with the books, but when does my character begin his “life”?

Well, that all depends on your race. As an elf, your very first steps will be taken centuries before the Fellowship from the books is formed, and as a dwarf you’ll begin just before The Hobbit’s events take place. The cinematics of each race’s beginning quests will bring you up to date, along with the men and hobbits, just as Frodo and Sam are leaving the Shire. It is at this point that the game’s story truly begins.



Questing in Middle-Earth



Okay, so I get the story bit, but how does LotRO’s quest system work?

As you travel throughout Middle-Earth, you’ll meet many a varied Non-Player Characters (NPC), all of them ready to give you tasks to complete. These tasks are called quests, and NPCs that have one for you to undertake will be denoted by a golden ring above their head. Also, you’ll see nearby quest-givers on your Mini-Map, also denoted by a golden ring. You’ll receive your 1st quest very early in the game, and thousands more as you continue on.

One of the many quest-givers in Middle-Earth.



Why do I care about quests? Can’t I just go around and kill things, or make stuff?

Sure you can, but you’d be missing out on a lot of the content that’s been put into the game. Not to mention some of the best rewards (both money and items) are given out when completing a quest. Also, you’ll find gaining a level to be a lot more friendly if you help out the NPCs with their numerous tasks.



I have a quest, but I forgot what to do. How do I check what needs done?

For just such a situation, you have your Quest Journal (default key = “L”). Pressing L will bring up the Quest Journal, and it’s here that you’ll be able to keep track of all of your current tasks, as well as ones that you’ve completed over the course of your character’s life.





The Quest Journal



Each quest is color coded according to the difficulty it will be for your character’s level. Gray is the easiest, then comes green, then light blue and blue. White is even with your character’s level, yellow is slightly above, and orange, red, and purple are considerably above your current level.



You said something a bit back about rewards? And money too? Do tell!

Yes, you heard me right. Some of the best items and a lot of money are there for the taking, if a player is dutiful enough to complete some of the quests. Aside from using the Quest Journal to figure out what needs done, you can also see what rewards will be given upon a quest’s completion.



Is there anyway to keep track of them without having the Journal open?

Of course there is! When you highlight a quest, the menu down at the bottom of the Journal gives you several options. “Add to tracker” will make that particular quest’s objectives show up on your main screen off to the right on the “Quest Tracker”.





The Quest Tracker



What do these little symbols by the name of the quest mean?

Those symbols indicate different types of quests in LotRO. The symbol that looks like a bunch of people means that the quest will likely require a Fellowship (group of players) in order to be completed. The golden ring means that the quest is an “Epic” quest, while having both on the same quest means that it is an Epic quest which will likely require a Fellowship to complete.



What the heck is an “Epic” quest?

Epic quests, more often than not will be quests that directly relate to the main story of LotRO. They are catalogued in your Quest Journal under categories similar to a book (i.e. – Prologue, Chapter 1, etc). They often involve a private instance, where the story can play out, and many will require a fellowship to complete, though certainly not all of them.



I’m playing with some friends, and we want to quest together, but how do the members of my Fellowship and I share quests?

If the particular quest you want to do is shareable (meaning there are no prerequisites that must be completed first), all you and your fellows must do is simply highlight the quest in your quest journal and click the button labeled “share”. If any of the Fellowship’s members can take on that quest, they’ll be prompted to do so.



I can’t find the place my quest is asking me to go to… help!

First, breathe. Second, read the quest again. Every quest has been handcrafted to promote exploration but at the same time to make sure to give the player enough information to go by. After reading the quest, take a look at your map. If you still have no idea in which direction to set forth, try asking in the Out of Character Channel (default command = “/ooc”) and ask for a little help. There are thousands of other players out there, don’t be shy!



Is there anything else I should know?

Essentially, it’s important to remember to take as many quests as your journal can hold (40), and to take the time to read the quests’ directions. The experience, money, and rewards gained from doing quests are nothing but beneficial to the status of your character. Also remember that not every quest is intended to be done by yourself. Find some friends and tackle the ones that give you fits. Last but not least, the grand and epic story the developers have crafted is only going to be played out if you’re diligent enough to do the quests. So go forth, and make JoBildo proud.