One of the nicest features of the

Lord of the Rings Online is the inclusion of tons of

features that have nothing to do with questing, leveling, grinding or

other such things. You can get drunk and party your pants off, or farm

pipeweed which has no other use than to smoke it and blow cool smoke

rings, you can lounge around in inns and taverns playing music... or you

can go exploring for the weird little spots that have nothing to do with

anything.

Some of these spots have no real "reason" to be in the game. They don't

necessarily advance the lore, there are few or no quests attached to

them, and they're just kind of there. Some of them are

located in remote, unpopulated spots. Others are smack-dab

in the middle of things but are so below-the-radar that you have to know

they are there and actively look for them to find them. All of them, in

one way or another, add that ineffable "flavor" that sets LotRO apart

from other games. And there's at least one such place in every region.

ERED LUIN

The Greenhouse

This spot is located inside a door between the entrance to Thorin's

Hall and the skirmish camp. Obviously, the Dwarves need a place to grow

their own food and such, and probably don't want to have to import

everything from the elves living to the south. But there's an air of

tranquility in the greenhouse, a serene ambiance that belies the

imposing and austere stone structures surrounding it.

THE SHIRE

Methel Stage



This one sees a bit more foot-traffic on RP servers, where large

musical events can be organized for characters of all levels. On non-RP

servers, the stage largely sits empty, waiting to be filled with the

Hobbit versions of Sha-Na-Na and the Jimi Hendrix Experience while the

barefoot, pipeweed-smoking organic farmers from all around gather to

watch.

BREE-LAND

The Mess Hall

Bree-land has the most "hidden gems" of any region, and it's hard to

narrow down the choices. The Mess Hall, one of my personal favorites, is

located more or less centrally in Bree-town, just north of the boar

fountain. There are no NPCs inside, and no quests associated with it.

It's a cozy little place with lots of seating and plenty of food laid

out, but no one to eat it. It seems to be custom-designed for

roleplaying purposes - there's a nice big window overlooking the streets

of Bree, a couple of ovens you can use to cook low-tier food, and a

counter to stand behind to sell it to customers.

Ost Alagos

So you're roaming around between Nen Harn and the Midgewater Marsh

looking for sickle-flies for the slayer deed. Everything is around level

20 or so, and it's been going well. All of a sudden, this crazy jagged

ruined fortress looms before you. You approach cautiously and discover

that the place is crawling with level 50 elite orcs. Looking around, you

find a small band of stranded campers (just below the I in "Weather

Hills" on the map) with a handful of quests for the place. Bree-land

just got crazy.

Freeze Tag Arena

This is an old favorite, located just southeast of the Bree-land

Festival Grounds and not marked on the map. There are two arenas - the

one set of ruins nearest the festival grounds is for regular tag, and

the one further southeast is for freeze-tag. Take a group of friends and

head in - you'll find an NPC and a Tag Beacon. When the beacon is used,

the tag match starts, and anyone inside is in the game. One player will

be designated as "It" and be marked with an arrow over his head. Run

speed buffs are disabled here, but you can totally cheat by finding

hard-to-reach places along the tops of walls. The matches last as long

as there are people inside still playing the game. There are no rewards,

deeds or titles associated with the tag games, so the only real

incentive to come here is to take a break from the grind and have some

fun.

An interesting side-note: these ruins are located next to the

Hobnanigan field. Hobnanigan was apparently something like soccer, but

played with chickens and sticks. It hasn't been seen since the Summer

Festival in 2008, but the Hobnanigan field has remained in place,

abandoned, ever since.

LONE-LANDS

The Wolf Pack

This is pretty much on the border between the Lone-lands and Bree-land,

up in the Weather Hills. Just northeast of Weathertop is a river, and on

the north bank of the river you will find Gondrinn - a little rotunda of

stone columns that looks like some ancient Roman was planning on

building something important there and then bailed. Follow the pass

leading west from Gondrinn, up the hill a ways, and you will see a pack

of wolves begin to gather. They all run up and cluster together in a

group, guarding the upper entrance to the pass. Against what, no one

knows, but it's cool to watch.

NORTH DOWNS

Etten Caves

There is one quest from someone, somewhere, to head into the Etten

Caves for some reason. Just the one quest. And the place is huge and

kind of awesome. It's not marked on the map - head to Taur Gonwaith,

south of Esteldin where all the trolls are, and look for a hill marked

with standing stones forming arches. Etten Cave is at the top of that

area. It's crawling with trolls, so go in prepared.

EVENDIM

Annuminas - Ultimate Fighting Trolls

This one is kind of entertaining. Head to Annuminas, battle your way

through Tirband and Clorhir and look for the bridge leading to Tyl

Annun. Just when you reach the end of it, look for a set of stairs on

the left leading down. There's a bunch more ruins down there, filled

with trolls and Angmarim. Clustered away in there, you'll find a couple

of brutes going at it with clubs while the Angmarim cheer them on. I

imagine it's something like larger-scale cockfighting - one of the

Angmarim wearing a leather vest and a porkpie hat, taking bets and

writing wagers in a little black book while shouting out the odds

through a haze of pipeweed smoke.

TROLLSHAWS

Echad Gauradan

There's one quest out of Echad Candelleth that has you scouring the

ruins in the south for Gauredain casters. This quest is the end of a

long and rather tedious chain, and can be completed by running around

the ruins and waiting for respawns. But there's a cool cave at the very

back of the ruins with winding, circular paths, crazy blue-green-purple

lighting and a lot of man-hours in design work. It's worth exploring

just because it looks cool.

MISTY MOUNTAINS

Gollum's Cave

This one takes some effort to find. It's in the bottom of the third

layer of tunnels in Goblin-town. Just outside the cave, there's a crazy

mural depicting, presumably, Gollum menacing a bunch of cowering

stick-figure goblins, painted by some unknown hand. Inside Gollum's

cave, you'll find his tiny, vacant island bathed in eerie green light,

way out in the middle of a pool surrounded by giant salamanders. The

salamanders were not mentioned in the book... but one can easily imagine

how living on that tiny rock for hundreds of years, eating nothing but

cold, slimy, blind fish snatched out of the nasty water (and the

occasional strangled goblin), and with nothing in the world except one

awesome gold ring, could potentially drive a person somewhat stir-crazy.

FOROCHEL

Basically Anywhere In Forochel At Night

There's not really any secret caves or anything in Forochel that

qualify as a "hidden gem." Basically, the whole night sky, with the

constantly-shifting Aurora Borealis effect, looks epic no matter where

you are in that frozen wasteland.

ANGMAR

Gate of Gath Uior

This one falls more under the category of "lost treasure" than "hidden

gem." Back in the days before the Instance Join Panel, when the level

cap was 50 and the Rift of Nurz Ghashu was something people actually

still did, you had to run this crazy gauntlet of giants, cargul,

gaunt-men, uruks, trolls and other horrible things just to get to the

base camp, where you could summon anyone not brave or foolhardy enough

to make the run themselves. Now that you can just form the group and

join from wherever, this madhouse dash is no longer necessary. And since

hardly anyone runs the Rift on-level anyway, the death march through the

Gate of Gath Uior is a thing of the past, a relic of a forgotten age.

Sadly, the same can be said for much of Angmar's content.

EREGION

The Peak of the Hollin Ridge

I've always liked the simple, rugged beauty of Eregion. Makes me

nostalgic for some reason. Anyway, this location unlocks a hidden title

deed if you can make it there. You start at the east end of the Hollin

Ridge, look for a couple of choice jump spots along the southern face,

and run along the secret path to the hilltop gazebo on the western peak.

When you reach your goal, you earn the title "Ridge-runner," and you are

rewarded with a grand vista overlooking all of Eregion.

MORIA

The Tavern Above 21st Hall

I call this one "Tavern On The Beam." As far as I know, there's only

one way to get here: drink from the Moria Keg and cross your fingers.

Much of the time, you will end up in more mundane places throughout

Moria - Chamber of the Crossroads, asleep on the edge of the well, or

stranded on some rocky ledge somewhere dangerous. But if you're lucky,

you'll find your way to the most exclusive tavern in the game. If you

have no milestone or other travel skills available, there's only one way

down: plummet to your death in front of the Auction House waaaaay down

below.

LOTHLORIEN

Caras Galadhon - Galadriel's Garden

At the end of Volume II Book 6, you hang out in Galadriel's Garden for

a few minutes, talking with the Lady as she foretells your future by

looking into her fabled mirror and having a brief chat with Gwaihir,

Lord of the Eagles. You have to poke your head in to complete the Caras

Galadhon exploration deed later on, sometime after you've earned Friend

standing with the Galadhrim. After that, the beautiful garden remains

largely ignored, which is a shame because it was clearly a labor of love

for the builders. The golden glow of daytime infuses the place with a

comfortable summer afternoon vibe, and the purple twilight colors of the

night sky give it an air of deep and profound mystery. Regardless of

time of day, it's a breathtaking place.

MIRKWOOD

Ost Galadh - Minas Glorelloth

There's a hidden deed associated with finding this spot, as well as the

opposite corner of the ruined fortress. You have to be a master of

parkour to reach Minas Glorelloth, picking a circuitous route along the

high walkways and leaping across long gaps to reach the northeast corner

tower. From the top, you command a nice view of Mirkwood's treetops, and

when you find both tower tops you gain the title "Master Ascender."

Mirkwood is no less gloomy and dark up here, but there are no

tree-trunks blocking your view, and that's worth something.

ENEDWAITH

The Fishing Hole

Tucked away in a corner of the Gloomglens, just beside the entrance to

Maur Tulhau, you'll find a buch of rocks you can climb. Scamper up

there, edge your way around the boulder up top and you'll find a quiet

little pond where the Stoor anglers hang out. You won't catch anything

especially noteworthy in the pond (nothing you won't find at any other

prime fishing hole, anyway), but you will earn the title "the

Fisher-king" for finding the place. A detail I find particularly

endearing: the little sparrow on the dock that flutters away for a

moment and comes back to hang out. There's also usually a couple of loot

bags here.

DUNLAND

Tal Methedras - Snow Village

There are a lot of awesome little corners in Dunland - my own personal

favorites are the Pit of Avardin and the Peaceful Glade in Dunbog - but

this one is particularly cool (lame pun intended). The first time you go

to Tal Methedras, take a detour off the path and head up the hills to

the right to find the village of happy snowmen hanging around their

igloos and Lossoth-themed snow forts. All is happy and well. Later on,

after things take a bad turn there, you can return to the snow village

to find it all smashed up with broken snowmen. Back when Rise of

Isengard launched, they talked a great deal about the phasing technology

that went into the villages of Dunland as you adventured along - this is

one of the best things they did with that.

Found any weird, lesser-known spots that you would like to share? Let

us know in our forums!