Level 150 Raids

Raids

Corsairs of Umbar: Similar to how The Anvil of Winterstith was briefly referenced at the end of Black Book of Mordor Chapter 9.2, the Depths of Mâkhda Khorbo was mentioned in Song of Wave and Wind Chapter 8.2. While it is possible to continue with the questline, the pivotal moment is somewhat lost in translation. In fact, raiders have grown accustomed to the dialogue being entirely skipped over in Tier 2 and higher runs. Despite the company losing a couple of their team members to World of Warcraft on the brink of working on the instances, Orion stepped up as content lead to begin work on both of these raids. This one specifically was available four months after the expansion released.

Hidden Entrance: As the raid introduction states, the ship bearing Azagath, Belondor, and Nakasi sails northwest into the shadow cast by Makhda Khorbo. You enter the depths of a long-hidden cavern leading to an iron-wrought gate. In a calming voice, Azagath greets you on top of the balcony and sends his shade along with some henchmen to deal with you. 

 
"Why are they talking?" - Adire

As you reach the dry docks, you will notice Azagath commanding Belondor and the best members of his crew stay behind as he goes deeper to retrieve an artifact. While you aren't informed at this time what the artifact might be, clues will be revealed from exploring the chamber in the next chapter of the Epic. Only when you do the raid for the next expansion does he reveal what it does. Meanwhile, a sort of gauntlet is made around the iron stairwell to block your path. 

  
"I say we just run all the way to Belondor" - Adire

Flooded Docks: Azagath ends up betraying Belondor by sacrificing his crew for his own ambitions. As you chase after the dastardly duo into the flooded docks, a surprise lies waiting for your arrival. Umshûra the Glutton, a form of Watcher in the water, bursts out with tentacles sprawling all down the side. Even the sea creatures seem to obey his voice as they burst out to attack. 

  
"That's a lot of crabs" - Fred

You focus your attention on the nearby slapping tentacles as they make swipes at your group. Then a small crushing tentacle will inch its way near one of the abandoned boats. Strike it down and the force of boat will collide right into the beast's head. 

 
"Over here Resolina" - Adire

Although the beast is defeated, Azagath and Nakasi managed to escape. The quests that follow shows how much Belondor regrets losing his crew in the encounter. There are also a number of optional quests such as Something Spoils The Fish that shows the impact of the fight on the world. 

Legacy of Morgoth: A lot of things were different about The Temple of Utug-bûr raid for this expansion. For starters, the raid was only going to have three tiers instead of five. The jumps between the tiers would be dramatic where T2 would feel like the original T3 and T3 would be similar to the original T5. There were going to be three separate wings developed simultaneously beginning a month before the expansion would release. The first tier of the raid released on February 27th, but the additional tiers were constantly being postponed. The second tier was March 13th and then pushed to March 20th. A flood of players shared their complaints on the Official Discord causing them to temporarily disable the final encounter on T2 briefly. The third tier was pushed to April 10th and then April 17th when Orion expressed complications with the mechanics.

The entire conclusion of Chapter 13 in The Song of Waves and Wind pretty much explains the whole situation. Great amalgamations of elves lied dormant in a sealed temple until the earth-shattering event of Sauron's defeat broke it open. Azagath allied himself with a powerful Tharduth who bred the Utugi to be unleashed in Middle-Earth. The developers went all out in creating a "lobby" area where you can barter for legendary tracery tokens, essences, portents, or upgrade your raid gear. The raid has its own economy where even the skill to port there requires the tokens from within. There are non-bound decorations and theme music you can barter. There are also three weekly quests for completing T1, T2, or T3 of either raid in Corsairs of Umbar or Legacy of Morgoth. If you completed one T3 raid, you received a total of 2,750 ember, 3,500 ancient script, 6,000 virtue experience, and other knick-knacks.

Dhórgruth: Through a small crack in the rock lies an old barracks where the Utugi gather under the command of Kulkorth. Prepare for a long fight when you encounter him as he sends out a lion named Bashâru and a jackal named Tamâkh to protect him in battle. Though there is someone that is even greater than him deeper in the chambers. Maluchon, the Pale Brother has you cycling between the outer and inner chamber as you try to take down his spirit Kanâshu to break the strong force field around him.

 
 
"Your bones will litter the floor below" - Maluchon, the Pale Brother

Thûr Hin: The hallways in the Lair of Children has a smell of a thousand soldiers arming themselves. They are lead by two Utugi - Khablag and Daikhag. Legolas and four of his elven friends head into the fray but need your assistance to stay alive. Because the brutes do not consider you a threat, Daikhag decides to leave to prepare other matters. He returns while Legolas is wounded but does not necessarily need to fall to end the encounter.  

  
 

"I should have not motivated Legolas" - Adire 

After discovering a crack in the floor, you encounter Kormoltur, Lord of Terror sitting on this throne. He calls you toys and tells you he is old beyond years. I wonder if he had some board games or something to keep him busy all those years. He challenges you to use your "sticks of metal" against his Utugi. However, he wishes to extend his entertainment by keeping everyone alive with a blessing of strength. This lasts for five minutes and will not replenish if you fall by other means (like touching the green ooze around the arena). To protect the raid against Kormoltur's "Whisper of Blood" ability, someone needs to steal a part of his power from the great statue and generate a shield.

  

"Such small weak things" - Kormoltur, Lord of Terror

Inner Sanctum: As you approach a large gate, you see Azagath speaking with a Tharduth. He intends to free Garash, consume its power, and become Morgoth's will manifest. They carry Natathal to the sarcophagus. Azagath then keeps your group preoccupied with his shadows of cunning, malice, and mettle. Don't confuse the two shadows that start with an M like I did my first time. "Azagath's Will" appears during the second phase of the fight along with some slugs. 

  
"Yes, my Lord Azagath, wet Natathal with your blood" - Tharduth

Once you get deeper in the chamber, two ancient evils appear - Thahar and Sagush. However, the one you should be worried about is Gârash, the Emptiness. He will try to consume any type of blisters that spread during the fight. Thankfully, you have your friends to aid you in battle. Glorfindel will help you destroy any blisters that pop up from the ground and Gandalf will provide you with hope to continue the fight. Be careful since the battle can get pretty chaotic with all the moving parts.

 
 
"You are too late, my offering is made." - Azagath