While adventuring in Lord of the Rings Online I’ve occasionally found some loot that will be useful in a couple of levels time and popped it in the bank until I can actually equip it. Typically I’ll then forgot about it entirely, only finding it again when my bags, vault and shared storage are all stuffed full of the general detritus of questing and I’m destroying or selling all the stuff I’d been hanging on to “just in case” (low-level crafting materials, piles of potions, shoelaces, several keys that don’t seem to fit any locks but you never know, back issues of Middle Earth Monthly magazine, that sort of thing). If I’m lucky it’s still useful, if not it’s just another bit of junk to take to the Thorin’s Hall Oxfam shop.

What I really need is some sort of reminder system. There is a precedent in other fantasy literature, but I’m not sure that would fit so well in the setting of LotRO; what I’d really like to do is trade in my skirmish soldier, who’s excellent at taking a beating from waves of attackers but rubbish at reminders, in exchange for a valet.

“I see sir has reached level 36, and would offer my most sincere contrafibularities on such an achievement. I’ve laid out out the Reinforced Elven Gloves of Fleetness that I believe sir to now be capable of donning, previously stored in the second bag of the inventory, and the next time we reach a town with a suitable banking facility I should recommend withdrawing the Shining Steel Sword stored therein, in the third chest of your main vault. Might I also suggest procuring a quantity of Pristine Leather in order to utilise your somewhat incongruous needlework skills to embroider a set of shoulderguards with superior statistical benefits to your current garments? I’ve also taken the liberty of dropping a note in the post to your colleague Melmoth, a jeweller of some note, to accept his most generous offer of letting him know if there might be some trinket that he might produce for you, with a request for a nice new bracelet, enclosing a number of uncut gemstones you liberated from a variety of goblinoids on your journey as a token of thanks.

Now I believe a Mr Fink-Nottle of the Evendim Fink-Nottles has a number of tasks that you now qualify to assist with; with your permission I shall secure the hire of equine transportation in order to convey us there promptly.”

Mind you, it wouldn’t take long to become a bit too dependant on such an assistant…