Now What? Now Where?

My intention was to play a variety of classes and races in Lord of the Rings Online. I wanted to try out the classes before committing to one class. I played a champion up to level 3 and a minstrel up to level 7. I'm just having too much fun with my hunter. Eventually I want to play a loremaster and minstrel up through the levels. But for now, me and my hunter are happy.

Pluck, my little hobbit hunter, dinged level 18 this weekend. I'm having troubles finding quests in the Shire and Bree-land that are appropriate for his level. But where to go now? North? East? South? I like to explore and discover things on my own, but travel time at low levels just sucks. Run, Pluck, run.

I didn't see much in game telling me where to go next. One quest had me going northwards and another to the east. Online sources weren't much help either. The official LotRO Lorebook had no info. The Google maps of the regions are kinda sorta neat but I'd like some actual info. I tried another site, Lotro-Wiki.com, and eventually found the answer I was looking for: Lone-lands. Pluck is heading eastward, which is the direction the Fellowship went. Coincidence?

I completed all of the Book 1 epic quest line. I'm enjoying this feature. Ask me again my third or fourth time through the epic quest line and I may be singing a different tune. Othrongroth was difficult (chapter 11). No joke. I tried it at level 16 with another level 16 hunter and a third level 26 hunter. We made it past the first few groups but wiped hard. If only we had another hunter or two. We tried different tricks such as advanced trap tactics and ping-ponging mobs between us. Luckily a minstrel was looking for a group for chapter 10. We helped her, and then she joined us on another try of Othrongroth. What a difference a healer makes. We had a few tight spots, but thanks to insane DPS and a kick ass healer, we finished the chapter. Woot!