Appreciating the Squirrels in LOTRO (2021 update)

 Appreciating the Squirrels in LOTRO (2021 update)

Black Squirrel of Mirkwood

“Time was when a squirrel could go from tree to tree from what is now the Shire to Dunland west of Isengard.” – Elrond, The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, Book Two Chapter 2: “The Council of Elrond” by JRR Tolkien

Wanderer of woodland, gatherer of acorns and pinecones, fur so varied they may compete with the woven robes of Saruman of Many Colours! With Squirrel Appreciation Day coming soon (21 January), I thought it would be apt to update an older entry from this blog and take another quick look at the squirrels of LOTRO. I will also be running “The Tale of the Trollshaws Squirrel” again on Thursday 21st January 2021. Details can be found here.

In LOTRO we find many types of squirrel, all non-combat creatures (“critters”) across the landscape:

Enedwaith Squirrel

VARIOUS AREAS
Red Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Red_Squirrel
Grey Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Grey_Squirrel           

NORTH DOWNS/ELDERSLADE
Northern Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Northern_Squirrel

FOROCHEL
Silvan Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Silvan_Squirrel 

TROLLSHAWS
Silver Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Silver_Squirrel 

ENEDWAITH
Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Squirrel           

LONE-LANDS 
Striped Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Striped_Squirrel 

THORIN’S GATE / MISTY MOUNTAINS
Winter Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Winter_Squirrel

MIRKWOOD
Black Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Black_Squirrel 

The most recent areas have the following: red squirrels in the Wells of Langflood and northern squirrels in Elderslade.

As well as the landscape squirrels, there are also squirrel pets which players can have besides them as they adventure – one for Lore-Master only (non-combat pet) and five types for all characters (cosmetic pets). These pets do not enter combat when you do.

LORE-MASTER NON-COMBAT PET
Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Item%3ATome_of_the_Squirrel 

COSMETIC PETS
There are currently five squirrel cosmetic pets, two added recently. Details on how to get them can be here: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Squirrel_(Cosmetic)

Brown Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Brown_Squirrel
Dark Grey Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Dark_Grey_Squirrel
Night Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Night_Squirrel
Red Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Red_Squirrel_(Skill)
White Squirrel: https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/White_Squirrel 

There is one squirrel that deserves mention. Part of the Flying the Coop series of quests, the Bree-land quest (https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Quest:Instance:_Flying_the_Coop_--_Bree-land) has George the Rooster (at Sanderson’s Farm) sending you out into the wild, looking for animals to talk to after he tells you about his fear of wolves taking over the Shire. In the Southern-most part of Nen Harn you find a bold Grey Squirrel who has visions of grandeur in mind:  

"Wolves? Ha! We fear no wolves! They will not withstand our onslaught. They will be the next to fall!"

"After we destroy the helpless red squirrels, we shall conquer the wolves, and then the world! No one can stop us!"

-- Grey Squirrel, Nen Harn, Bree-land [21.6S, 42.6W]

Quite the charmer! And perhaps a little nod to the real-life issues of the introduction of greys into the UK which had previously been a red squirrel domain. Something close my heart and home!

A squirrel also plays a part in another storyline, “Confront the Old Took” in Adelard Took’s library in the Great Smials, the Shire.

There is also a squirrel wandering around the Haunted Burrow during the Harvest Festival.

There is a barter item from Radagast in Rhosgobel called the Whistle of the Lone-Lands (https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Item:Whistle_of_the_Lone-lands). This is based on an earlier quest where you saved animals with him. When you use it, five non-combat pets will be called for 90 seconds – a raven, fox, rabbit, frog and a squirrel. These can be summoned alongside your normal cosmetic pet (and also Lore-master pets).

Finally, just outside of Aldburg in Eastfold, Rohan (68.9S, 61.4W), lies a small ruined house with some rather furry occupants! This house lies close to the “Goldilocks” house, two fun Easter Eggs put in by the developers.

Further reference: http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Squirrels