Hello, dear forum community. As anticipated on Discord, the novelty of discrete Palantír frames was probably my favourite update that came with the new patch, and I think it goes to make each faction even more distinct than it used to be. A very welcome choice, indeed.
Given that a couple of remaining factions have yet to have their own frame done, I take the chance to share a few ideas I had for Lothlórien and the overall thought informing my proposal. I don’t know if the team have already planned something before or if they’re looking into it now, but I feel like submitting any suggestion which I believe is worth putting out there for all to see. I hope it’ll spark some interest, and I thank everyone for reading this in advance.
I would cut through any further ado and aim straight for the point:
The ideas
· The soul of the concept lies in differentiating the Golden Wood from their less wise cousins residing in the Woodland Realm. In the latter faction’s case, its frame shows a lush vine/branch growth climbing around the borders of the bigger sphere of the Palantír, and red leaves that mainly spring from the edge of the smaller one. In my opinion, it just displays nature as it is, and, in it, I also perceive a wild nuance that greatly accords with sylvan Elves and their unpredictability; in other words, it’s the pure and untamed forest, hiding in its width both good and bad (the corruption brought about by the Necromancer).
Lothlórien, on the other hand, should signal to players one major difference: its sacred spirit and the mystique associated with that, and with the magic sustaining this peculiar wood against the tide of time and the encroaching evil. This realm is far from ever being unguarded or slightly tainted by demonic forces at work (until the War of the Ring, at least). Its survival depends integrally on the sorceress who’s both source and guardian of the above-mentioned sanctity.
Therefore, in order to summarise: we’ve got order, visible and tangible magic, and a clear dominating power that rules over the entirety of the land.
· The green, the forest does occupy a fundamental role in the life of Lórien Elves, but it’s not all, and they certainly do not seem to suffer the danger and peril that might lurk inside whatever environment. The whole forest is their house and they live in perfect harmony with it. There is no passive or active type of relationship in the Elves-woods dualism/exchange; it’s even.
· Whether it be Galadriel or Melian, the image of powerful enchantresses is deeply embedded in their tradition and history. A recurrent trope, we could call it, which I deem vital to include in the iconography pertaining to this Elven-kingdom.
The design
Hence, moving on from conceptual considerations, we’ve come now to the actual graphics.
· My proposal would still have elegant boughs interweave around the edges of the frame, this time embellishing either sphere with a coronal motif of golden leaves, but, differing from the Woodland Realm, these winding branches should also coexist with some kind of Elven-architecture, in the form of columns, perhaps. This is to indicate their more advanced craft, if we can say that, and the balance between nature and whatsoever artificial, made object. It’s even a further hint at the long, very long history of the Sindar, dating back to the lost glories of Doriath. Realms of that kind were renowned for building majestic halls and honing their art to incredible levels of finesse; so, we’re not simply talking about ‘Elves living on trees’.
· The leitmotiv lying in mighty, female, and arcane fairy-like figures would be portrayed by means of two face effigies, fashioned after an unidentified Elven-maid with a tiara on her head (similar to the statue found on the eaves of Mirkwood in The Desolation of Smaug); it could either have been made to honour the Lady of Light or Queen Melian, who knows? The two sculpted visages are to be placed at the upper left and right sides of the larger sphere, the left one looking left and the right one gazing right (their position, or our view of them, would not be frontal, of course, but rather lateral for both statues).
· To complete the characterisation of the concept, let’s just lay Nenya, the Ring of Water, on the very top of the bigger sphere, at the exact centre or middle, in between the two effigies. The Ring’s towering presence will convey the proper sense of holy preservation and the secret behind the Golden Wood’s timeless beauty.
Here is my concept. I tried to draw some sketches of it, but they look quite awful. Nonetheless, I can make some effort and provide that, in case someone wanted a more direct visualisation of the written design. Thank you all for the attention!
