I claim that I have a fairly good orientation and map-understanding in real life. With a map of an area at hand, I rarely got lost; without, I generally at least make it back the way I came. Not that this matters much any more in the days of GPS everywhere.

LotRO’s  maps are not very detailed, though. Nevertheless, with a bit of trial and error, I generally get from A to B in reasonably short time. In fact, traveling is one of the things I thoroughly enjoy in that game. I often take my pony and travel manually, instead of relying on stable masters.

I said “I generally get from A to B in reasonably short time”. Generally. It doesn’t work that well in the Trollshaws. I’ve traveled there quite a bit now (my Warden is 45… I should make an update post on that soon), but eastern Trollshaws is still terra incognita to me. I can make it from the ford to Rivendell without too many issues, maybe taking a wrong turn once or twice. On the other hand, I just can’t manage to descend the mountain on my way back. I’m not sure I’ve ever made it without issues. In fact, most of the time, I take a wrong turn somewhere, run into a dead-end, and can’t find my way back. I then run in circles until I inevitably plunge to my death.

I've gotten used to that message.

I don’t know what it is about that area, but I don’t think I’ve only fallen to my death once anywhere else. In Trollshaws? It’s probably a dozen by now. At least the respawn point is at ground level.

Not that I’m complaining. I could just take the fast travel and be done. I like the exploring though. And one day, I’ll make it down that mountain from Rivendell, all the way to the ford, without as much as a sprained ankle, and that day I will laugh at that stupid mountain, and shout, “I finally beat you! How does that feel like?”.

Ahem.

Of course, the time after that, I’ll fall to my death yet again, just for taunting the mountain. But it will have been worth it.