Forgotten LOTRO Lore: Silver Deep Guard House

lore_SDGH1If you have spent any amount time around Thorin’s Gate in Erin Luid, especially down by the Stable Master, you have no doubt noticed a nearby doorway. If, like me, you enjoy exploring the world of Tolkien, you have wandered over to the door, your mind already busily imagining what sort of mysteries could lie behind it. Could it be a vault full of forgotten dwarven treasures? Another underground tavern? Or even the hall where all the female dwarfs have been hiding all these years?

Instead, upon trying to open the door you receive an error message informing you that the door is locked. No quest, level or reputation requirements can help you. The door is locked, and nothing you can do will help you pass through it.

lore_SDGH2If this has happened to you, then you too have stumbled upon the mystery of the Silver Deep Guard House.

Located at 15.1S, 103.6W in Thorin’s Gate(1), the locked door is thankfully not a developer error, and sadly, not a secret SoonTM to be added expanded Dwarf area. Rather, it is a leftover from an early version of the Dwarf starting quests.

Prior to the November 2010 revamp of the Dwarf starter area, the Guard House was part of the ‘Guards of the Silver Deep’ quest in the Epic Intro. A ill dwarf could be found in the Guard House, who was cured by recovering mushrooms from the Rockbelly Pit, a part of Thorin’s Gate which remains part of the Epic Intro.(2)(3)(4) The Guard House contains two rooms, both with fireplaces and assorted furniture, connected by hallways in the distinct Dwarven housing style. After finishing the Dwarf/Elf intro and being teleported to the main word, there is no way to regain access to the Guard House.

lore_SDGH3Since the Guard House was closed, players have requested that it be opened up again, as a possible new area for Dwarf-based role-players to use.(5)

Do you remember exploring the Guard House when it was part of the Epic? Do you have any suggestions for what Turbine could do with it if they opened it back up again?

 

7 comments

  1. Dazillion /

    I like this game plenty but would give all the Turbine points to roll it back to pre-Isengard days.

  2. Goblinbane /

    Lotro without Rohan (also Dunland, Great River and Gondor)? Whats the reason to remove almost half of the game? Your sentiment to old times? For me (solo player who likes to explore new places and read all stories) it is bad idea. There would be almost nothing to do in lotro cause you reach these 65th level in a blink of an eye. And Dunland has really great plot and stories in the game. Rohan has best music and awsome experience of huge open areas.

    Lotro ending at lvl 65? And what then? Making the same instances all the time with toon that has the same level and equipement since 2011? Sorry, but for me running in group and killing pixel warriors is boring. Like many other players I prefer stories and exploration. So I would then leave lotro long ago and went to explore some new games.

    Also many regions in the “old Lotro” had badly designed questlines, Just recently Turbine improved ND, TS and MM which are now much better then they were. Same with Moria and Evendim.

    For me Lotro has became much better game in last years. But of course I can understand that it is not true for those who love instances and raids. I almost never play them and dont understand what is funny in them. Cant understand why people make Sammy dozens times or big battles – not my playstyle at all. I will rather play with worse equipment then repeat dozens times the same things. Personally I would prefer that Lotro changed all of them and fellowship areas (like Limlight Gorge) into solo places. But ofc I understand that there are also players that prefer such content, so have fun all 🙂

  3. Bogglindane /

    I would give all the Turbine points from my lifetime account for a rollback.

    Many regions in the “old Lotro” hat wonderfully designed questlines. Unfortunately, Turbine just recently botched up ND, TS and MM, which are now a joke compared to what they once were. Same with Moria and Evendim.

    Now, there is almost nothing to do in lotro until you reach these 65th level in a blink of an eye. Then you have to trudge through the lordawful Dunland plot and stories, which are still better than the mind-bogglingly awful Rohan. The only good thing one could say about the Helms Deep expansion is that the Professor didn’t have to live to see it. Now all that’s left in the game are a couple of die-hard Turbine Defenders, which make up ridiculous reasons about how this is a change for the better.

    But I suppose if one is unable to make any friends in and outside the game, and is unable to master even the easiest of classes, like the hunter, to be accepted into a group, then you will envy everybody else who is able to enjoy an MMO together with like-minded persons.

    Why such people wouldn’t just pick a single-player game in the first place, but rather try to spoil a great multi-player experience for everybody else, is beside me. Well, some people are just antisocial, I guess.

    • Goblinbane /

      Hahaha, what a fail from your side in last sentences. I am officer in a largest kin on my server that is making 6- and sometimes 12-mans almost every day, I just dont like that whole raiding – running and killing dozens of mobs in 15-30 minutes is not for me. I prefer RPG (stories, exploring new regions) then killing pixels just for killing pixels. Now I am exploring and experiencing stories in other MMO waiting for new content to explore in Lotro.

      And claiming that ND, TS and MM or Evendim questlines were better just shows how pathetic your arguments are. I see you loved to swim through the lake or run from Rivendell and back to TS…. Or change regions every 2-3 levels just to come back and finish after a few more levels made in other region… So great for story, lol

      Me die-hard Turbine defender??? Oh lol… I have written here so many negative comments about Turbine that I should be rather called Turbine hater. But when I see people crying that almost half of the game should be deleted, I can only facepalm.

      How I am spoiling your multi-player experience???? You cant play raids because of me?? You cant play in fellowship (*here I could be like you and write that you just probably cant master your toon enough to solo quests 😉 )

      It is you and such like you, who all the time demand the game to be made only for you. But Turbine stats shows that raiders were always minority – less then 10 prc of playerbase.

      You don’t like Lotro? You do not like when story is more important then slashing pixels? You want game only with raids? Go somewhere else (for example to FPS games) and stop crying 🙂

      In case of keeping Lotro as it was in 2011 the game would be already long dead… I see in my kin how many people comes back with every new region added, plays it and dissapears to apear again after half year or longer.

      • Andang /

        Please keep from attacking individuals (not quite to there yet but this conversation could turn into that really quickly). It is fine to disagree with someone but everyone has a right to say what they think and they shouldn’t be attacked over it even if you think your opinion is 100% right.

        We try to keep a safe, family friendly environment for people to talk about the game they enjoy by sharing opinions both for and against the game.

        Thanks,
        Andang

  4. I was being nosy today, since I rarely ever play dwarves, and decided to try that door in the dwarf intro area. Imagine my shock and amazement when I was able to get inside the guard house! I have never seen this room before and right now I’m so glad I decided to try it. It’s actually rather cosy in there.

    • Baingladion /

      Hello Bella! I’m excited for you being able to enter the Guard House. Were you doing a quest at the time? I, too, decided to try a Dwarf and wandered past the door. Nostalgia set in from my early days and I tried to get in. The door opens, but I was unable to enter. Curiosity has me in it’s grip now.

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