…but I did anyway. And you know what, I think they came out pretty spiffy.
One of the most engaging things about writing about LotRO is being able to go in-game and recreate the scenes I see in my head. I’ve done a lot of writing as a hobby, and the thing I always wished for was to be able to see things with more than just my mind’s eye. It’s this sort of balance of drawing inspiration from what I see vs. being able to recreate what I have in my mind. I have character art. I have action scenes. I have a way to block out in my head the locations of various points that are relevant to the story, because they exist outside of my brain. And I can go and visit them, and refine what I’m producing. Of course, I also have the advantage of readers who are passing familiar with all the people and places I’m describing.
So, when it came time to write the fight scene between Celebarad and the Brigand Captain, I hauled his butt out to Evendim and went and bashed Percy Alroyd around Rantost a handful of times. Trouble is, Percy spawns with more than just a greatsword, and I am a perfectionist, so “a handful of times” is a bit of an understatement. And it wasn’t much of a fight, the guard having outmatched him by 20-odd levels, but it let me stick him on auto, and swing the camera around while fraps snapped a shot every second. Anyway, now that the big climax is out of the way, I can finally share these screenshots. I’m really pleased with the way they came out, and hope they’re a nice little insight into how that fight played out. And, actually, you know what, I think they’re the first real look anybody’s had of Celebarad, so far. That picture of him in the title image of BaDFH really doesn’t do him justice.
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I think Percy had actually spawned with a Great Hammer in this shot. But you can’t tell, so it’s okay.
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See, he doesn’t look like he’s really ready to be hit right now. Shouldn’t have left the shield in the boat.
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The real reason he left the shield in the boat is that I felt it would detract from the tension of the fight if he weren’t just a little outmatched by Percy…who has that damn hammer again. Drat!
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Percy seems particularly thick looking here. I only just noticed that, but it’s a nice contrast. Elvish guards, as guards go, are on the scrawny side.
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It’s bizarre how much I love that cloak, and how perfectly it suits this outfit. Nice and simple, but still quite striking, I think.
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And here is a bonus shot of moping on the lakeshore. He mopes like a champ. Not that champs are mopey, but, I mean you know. A more general kind of champ.
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And here is a shot from the Lone Lands, of all places, the result of me lagging in the middle of trying to pull a troll. Nice shot! Wouldn’t have got it otherwise.
The Hobbits in the Stories 