So here in Europe, Book 8: Patch 1 was released today, and as can be expected, within seconds of logging in, the trade channel was being spammed with the newly craftable ‘reforged’ 2nd Aged items, while the advice channel was full of frantic messages from players desperately seeking those all important new crafting recipes! (Note: For those who still need to know, the Lothlorien Vineyards is where you will find a Lothlorien Craft Guild representative for Guild recipes, while single-use recipes are traded by an Elf at the docks nearby). All of this crafting drama inevitably ended with the Auction House flooded with all the new craftables (with a hefty price-tag attached), and a drastic price-increase for mithril flakes.

After the excitement of crafting my own 2nd age for the first time and helping a small group out with a Carn Dum castle boss, I was advised by a kinnie to head towards Esteldin. With a Level 60, there is not normally any need to head towards the North Downs (despite spending so much time there during the middle-portions of the levelling experience), but a return visit is now highly recommended: hidden behind a pillar near the stable-master in Esteldin is a quest-giver, who provides access to five bounty-quests, (which I can only assume is new with the Book 8 patch but wasn’t mentioned in the patch notes!?). Each of these quests is designed for a Level 60 in a small fellowship, is repeatable every 5 hours, and, for each quest completed, rewards you with extremely valuable Item Experience (IXP) runes with IXP values far exceeding those normally found in Moria.

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