Inscribed Collar

Runes

Another form of writing we encounter in Tolkien's work are Runes, sometimes referred to as 'The Runes of Daeron'. They are also known as cirth (singular certh). Runes were particularly favored by the Dwarves. Like Tengwar, the runes are phonetic and may be used to write different languages. An excellent overview on runes may be found at the website of The Tolkien Society. You can find the fonts as well as some excellent information at Dan Smith's Historical Runes Fonts [1]. A brief synopsis may be found at The Encyclopedia of Arda. [2]

Runes are encountered in many places in LOTRO. The above 'rune-inscribed collar' is an example of Black Speech, the language of Mordor. This collar was sloughed off by a Warg who has established himself among a pack of wolves living in some ruins on the fringes of the Shire. (See the quest text below.)

An identical collar can be found in the Vales of Anduin, where it was dropped by another Warg, this one from Gundabad.

The runes are mirrored around the center. The part that can be made out appears to say IRE MELO PALAN or IRE MELO PALAKH.

-ire = ?

melo = to love

palan = abroad, far-off