Tolkien Legendarium feats & lore discussion thread (Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Silmarillian)

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The Forge Towers found in the Unseen World (Barad Silme) are "pale reflections of the Two Trees" and "memories of a lost kingdom."

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These Unseen Towers are unknown in their origin or fall, but reflect memories of Mordor's distant & violent past and the lost Elvish land of Eregion.

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The Queen of the Numen can see into both the Seen World and Unseen World, allowing her to know things only known by spirits (of the past and the future).

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The Sea of Nurnen is an inland sea that exists within Mordor, which some believe to be haunted. Since the Dark Lords return, it's waters have become bitter and undrinkable to Men. Within this sea a many-tentacles horror is said to dwell, powerful enough to capsize and sink the great slave barges the Uruks use to transport their slaves.

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Great Beasts are distant relatives of the Mumakil (olliphants) who can grow to 35 feet (over 10m) in height. They are so strong that no other creature in Mordor (save for perhaps a Graug or a huge Caragor pack) can hope to bring them down.

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In an interview, Michael de Planter of Monolith Software says that the Wraith is what allows Talion to not only survive in the physical world, but to see into a new world usually unseen; the Wraith World.

Wraith And Ranger: Shadow Of Mordor's Talion

The hero of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is the powerful fusion of a wraith and ranger, which creates enticing narrative and gameplay opportunities.

www.gameinformer.com

"He reawakens from death, and there is this spirit of vengeance within him," says Michael de Plater, director of design. "[The wraith is] the main [force] that gives him the power to not only continue to move in the world that he's familiar with, the physical world, but now to see into the world that is normally unseen - into the wraith world."

 

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Gandalf, along with the council of wizards and good magic, had driven out Necromancer from the south of Mirkwood.

It was in this way that he learned where Gandalf had been to; for he overheard the words of the wizard to Elrond. It appeared that Gandalf had been to a great council of the white wizards, masters of lore and good magic; and that they had at last driven the Necromancer from his dark hold in the south of Mirkwood.

With the Necromancer gone, the Forest of Mirkwood will now grow more wholesome. Although they are happy with this victory, Gandalf and Elrond still lament that the Necromancer remains in the world, and Elrond doubts this dark nemesis will be banished in this age or for many to follow (he may find himself surprised at what is to come)...

“Ere long now,” Gandalf was saying, “the Forest will grow somewhat more wholesome. The North will be freed from that horror for many long years, I hope. Yet I wish he were banished from the world!”
“It would be well indeed,” said Elrond; “but I fear that will not come about in this age of the world, or for many after.”

 

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In a letter to his American publisher of the time, Tolkien refers to the scale of Bilbo next to Smaug in the drawing of his, saying Bilbo looks much too big (which undersells Smaugs size). However, he says that this can be explained by Bilbo being in a different plane, and therefore invisible.

Actual size – only important if other objects are in picture – say about three feet or three feet sixinches. The hobbit in the picture of the gold-hoard, Chapter XII, is of course (apart from being fat inthe wrong places) enormously too large. But (as my children, at any rate, understand) he is really in a separate picture or 'plane' – being invisible to the dragon.

In another letter to Milton Waldman, Tolkien says that the motive of the rings was the prevention of decay and the preservation of what is desired and loved. However, as the Rings increase power, they approach an existence closer to magic, which is easier to corrupt. The rings also have other powers more directly derived from Sauron the Necromancer, which includes rendering the material body invisible and making the invisible world visible.

The chief power (of all the rings alike) was the prevention or slowing of decay (i.e. 'change' viewed as a regrettable thing), the preservation of what is desired or loved, or its semblance – this is more or less an Elvish motive. But also they enhanced the natural powers of a possessor – thus approaching 'magic', a motive easily corruptible into evil, a lust for domination. And finally they had other powers, more directly derived from Sauron ('the Necromancer': so he is called as he casts a fleeting shadow and presage on the pages of The Hobbit): such as rendering invisible the material body, and making things of the invisible world visible.

 

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In the same letter as the lattermost above (Letter 131 to Milton Waldman), Tolkien describes Gandalfs nature as an incarnate Maiar, sent to Middle-Earth to counter the threat of Sauron, and embodied in physical bodies capable of being. affected by weariness, pain and the fear of mortality. The binding of the Istari was to limit their power in the physical plane, so they could train, instruct and advise the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth to resist Sauron (and other evils, such as Smaug) with their own strengths (and thus not to do the job for them).

There are naturally no precise modern terms to say what he was. Iwd. venture to say that he was an incarnate 'angel'– strictly an γγελος:2 that is, with the otherIstari, wizards, 'those who know', an emissary from the Lords of the West, sent to Middle-earth, ast he great crisis of Sauron loomed on the horizon. By 'incarnate' I mean they were embodied in physical bodies capable of pain, and weariness, and of afflicting the spirit with physical fear, and of being 'killed', though supported by the angelic spirit they might endure long, and only show slowly the wearing of care and labour.
Why they should take such a form is bound up with the 'mythology' of the 'angelic' Powers of the world of this fable. At this point in the fabulous history the purpose was precisely to limit and hinder their exhibition of 'power' on the physical plane, and so that they should do what they were primarily sent for: train, advise, instruct, arouse the hearts and minds of those threatened by Sauron to a resistance with their own strengths; and not just to do the job for them. They thus appeared as 'old' sage figures. But in this 'mythology' all the 'angelic' powers concerned with this world were capable of many degrees of error and failing between the absolute Satanic rebellion and evil of Morgoth and his satellite Sauron, and the fainéance of some of the other higher powers or 'gods'. The 'wizards' were not exempt, indeed being incarnate were more likely to stray, or err. Gandalf alone fully passes the tests, on a moral plane anyway (he makes mistakes of judgement).

 

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Though dwarves as a race are strong, the dwarves of the Iron Hills are particularly strong, with all of them wearingchain mail and an armour of flexible metal mesh, and wield a two handed mattocks as well as a short broadsword and a round shield.

Dain had come. He had hurried on through the night, and so had come upon them sooner than theyhad expected. Each one of his folk was clad in a hauberk of steel mail that hung to his knees, and his legs were covered with hose of a fine and flexible metal mesh, the secret of whose making was possessed by Dain’s people. The dwarves are exceedingly strong for their height, but most of these were strong even for dwarves. In battle they wielded heavy two-handed mattocks; but each of them had also a short broad sword at his side and a round shield slung at his back.

The dwarves of Dain are very strong, all carrying heavy burdens of supplies and huge packs in addition to their weapons (and armour) over a rapid march from the Iron Hills to Erebor.

Bard, of course, refused to allow the dwarves to go straight on to the Mountain. He was determined to wait until the gold and silver had been brought out in exchange for the Arkenstone; for he did not believe that this would be done, if once the fortress was manned with so large and warlike a company. They had brought with them a great store of supplies; for the dwarves can carry very heavy burdens, and nearly all of Dain’s folk, in spite of their rapid march, bore huge packs on their backs in addition to their weapons. They would stand a siege for weeks, and by that time yet more dwarves might come, and yet more, for Thorin had many relatives. Also they would be able to reopen and guard some other gate, so that the besiegers would have to encircle the whole mountain; and for that they had not sufficient numbers.

 

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Lingwiloke is the term used by most elves for sea serpent (or fish-dragon). They are also known as lhimlug by the Noldor.

LOK- great serpent, dragon. Q loke (-/') dragon; anguloke dragon[ANGWA], ramaloke winged dragon [RAM], uruloke fire-dragon [UR], fealoke spark-dragon [PHA Y], lingwiloke fish-dragon, sea-serpent
[LIW]. Cf. N Ihug, amlug, Ihimlug.

 

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MECCG features a couple of sea-serpent cards. The car Sea Serpent features a sea monster called the neniloki, which has multi-chambered lungs allowing it to swim beneath the waves for an hour or more. It's long throat could be used to store water which it could unleash in devastating blasts of spray. The art depicting it shows it to be far bigger than a small ship (of still decent size).

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The other card is Rain-Drake, with the implications that these creatures live deep below in the roots of the world.

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From MERP; Water-Drakes are air-breathing dragons who've adapted to aquatic environments. They can dive underwater for up to an hour, and their long throats allow them to store water to spew out devastating sprays. Rain-Drakes range from 20 feet to 40 feet (around 6m long to 12m long), and are found in the eerie underdeeps. Water-Drakes proper range from 30 feet to 70 feet (around 9m to 21m). Among other habitats, they can both be found in magical & enchanted places.

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Water-Drakes can swim at speeds of up to 20 knots (or about 21 miles an hour, or approximately 37km/h, or over 10m/s). They move almost silently and can fit through tight squeezes, and can detect their prey via sonar. Then it will strike with a burst of speed and uncanny precision, attack with a deadly spray of water (similar to a waterbolt spell) and attempt to eat prey with a mouth full of 4 inch long teeth (or around 10cm long). Were-worms are dragons who posses the power to change their shape, of which there are twi kinds; Sand Drakes and true Were-Worms. Similar to a charmeleon, a Sand Drake can camoflage with their surroundings. They reach sizes of 15 feet to 25 feet in length (or approximately 4.5m to 7.6m).

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True Were-Worms reach sizes of approximately 40 feet to 70 feet (or around 12m to 21m), as they can grow and shrink to around 50% of their mass. They are powerful spellcasters (much like Cold-Drakes), although Were-Worms focus their own powers on shapeshifting, being able to take on any form they see or can envision. This page also shows us art of a Sand-Drake attack, shattering stone as it battles a brave warrior.

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Nightfall On Middle-Earth is a concept album by Blind Guardian which retells The Silmarilion. To give some examples of their songs, Nightfall retells of the Darkness after the deaths of the Two Trees and the stealing of the Silmarils, and Feanors distrust of the Valar. The Curse of Feanor deals with the Curse of Feanor and his oath of vengence against Morgoth. Mirror Mirror tells of Turgon's meeting with Ulmo, and how he will go on to found Gondolin.

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An even more in-depth analysis of the entire album can be found below (whomever did a fantastic job on looking over it all); thank you for your excellent work stranger!

Nightfall In Middle Earth Analysis

 

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In the animated version of The Return of the King, the destruction of the One Ring is followed by the destruction of all of Mordor.

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From MERP (specifically from Treasures of Middle-Earth); Sulhelka (the Sword of Celebrimbor) has the power to freeze 10,000 cubic feet of water, create an area 100 feet wide of utter cold and can instantly appear in the wielders hand from up to 100 miles away. The Uttercold can be used three times a day.

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The Staff of Lore can summon one storm, hurricane or tornado per day, or cast any spell from Plant Mastery (up to the 10th level), while the Staff of the Serpent allows the wielder to transform into a serpent once a day.

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Voronwe is a telepathic mithril sword which can detect evil within 50 feet, and automatically leaping to its owners hand without being drawn; if that's not impressive enough, it can also teleport the wielder and one other companion up to 100 miles away up to 3 or 4 times.

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The Doorway necklace can teleport its wearer up to 3 miles once a day (and was found at the shrine of Sholgic the ghost-god, a being whom I understand is a disguise of Sauron). The Dark Spectacles allow one to see through 2 feet of stone or wood. The Daen Star-Compass can redirect any projectile when facing North, and redirect any arrow back at its archer when facing South.

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The Listening Helm grants the wearer the ability to use sonar.

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Rimalagon allows the wearer to transform into one of four birds once a day (a sparrow, a crow, a small hawk or an eagle). Also as noted under the Robes of Aman, Gandalf the White was almost beyond harm in his new incarnation.

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Wielding Ringil, Fingolfin was able to dodge most of Morgoth's earthshaking attacks, and strike him seven times. Sauron's javelin will seek out its target to 9 miles, before teleporting back to the thrower.

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The Spears of Following follow the target up to 200 feet. Spinerunner can transform between a dagger and a two handed sword. Stinging Tongue is a composite blow gun designed by Khamul the Rignwraith before he vanished into the Shadow World after his masters final defeat.

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From the Peter Jackson movies (extended editions); The Witch-King of Angmar was able to overpower Gandalf the White and shatter his staff.

 

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According the the script of Return of the King, there are 75,000 orcs on the Pelinor Fields.

https://imsdb.com/scripts/Lord-of-the-Rings-Return-of-the-King.html

EXT. MINAS MORGUL - NIGHT

ANGLE ON: 75,000 ORCS MARCHING TO WAR, just below FRODO and SAM.

75,000 ORCS are spread out across the PELENNOR FIELDS like a
sea of black ANTS.

 

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From MERP (to be exact, from Valar & Maiar: the Immortal Powers); Osse raised Numenor from the sea, and he and his wife Uinen are the greatest of the servants of Ulmo (and he runs through the waters that wash the shores of Endor). He was almost courrpted by Melkor, but Uinen borugh him back to his senses (though from time to time he may still create a freak storm, as the sea is fickle).

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As a part of his powers, Osse can raise islands up to 325 miles (or about 523km) in radius from the sea and move them (abet slowly). He can also create waves 325 feet (just over 99m) tall in a range of 325 miles.He can merge with the waves as well. Osse can speak 50 languages.

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Ulmo can create and move islands with a radius of 490 miles (or over 788km) in radius, and although still slowly, he can move them much faster than Osse can. He can merge with the waves and move 10 times faster than the currents. He can create tsunamis up to 980 feet (over 298m) tall in a range of 980 miles (1577.15712km). Vaire possesses infinite linguistic skills.

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In a letter to one Eileen Edger, Tolkien states that if Gandalf were to face Sauron in the 3rd Age, perhaps Gandalf could have won, as Sauron was weakened from not only the lack of the One Ring, but also from corrupting and dominating others.

Confrontation of Sauron alone, unaided, self to self was not contemplated. One can imagine the scene in which Gandalf, say, was placed in such a position. It would be a delicate balance. On one side the true allegiance of the Ring to Sauron; on the other superior strength because Sauron was not actually in possession, and perhaps also because he was weakened by long corruption and expenditure of will in dominating inferiors. If Gandalf proved the victor, the result would have been for Sauron the same as the destruction of the Ring; for him it would have been destroyed, takenfrom him for ever. But the Ring and all its works would have endured. It would have been themaster in the end.

 

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In another letter to one Major R. Bowen, Tolkien says that the Ainur take physical form similar to that of the Children of God (which he goes on to say this is an actual physical form, and not just an illusion), that taking material form requires energy of the spirit (or will power), which in Saurons case, took longer after the battle with Galgalad and Elendil than after the Downfall of Numenor.

It was because of this pre-occupation with the Children of God that the spirits so often took the form and likeness of the Children, especially after their appearance. It was thus that Sauron appeared in this shape. It is mythologically supposed that when this shape was 'real', that is a physical actuality in the physical world and not a vision transferred from mind to mind, it took some time to build up. It was then destructible like other physical organisms. But that of course did not destroy the spirit, nor dismiss it from the world to which it was bound until the end. After the battle with Gilgalad and Elendil, Sauron took a long while to re-build, longer than he had done after the Downfall of Númenor (I suppose because each building-up used up some of the inherent energy of the spirit, which might be called the 'will' or the effective link between the indestructible mind and being and the realization of its imagination). The impossibility of re-building after the destruction of the Ring, is sufficiently clear 'mythologically' in the present book.

In a letter to one Rhona Beare, Tolkien says that Sauron corrupting Numenor required him expending energy, and as thus needed time for his own powers to return (this means that Sauron corrupting Numenor was not merely him spreading lies, but actually spreading his dark power, which he needed time to regain his power from). As a response, Eru reshaped the world as per the request of Manwe. There is also the implication that not even Eru can destroy spirits with free wills.

Sauron was first defeated by a 'miracle': a direct action of God the Creator, changing the fashion of the world, when appealed to by Manwë: see III p. 317. Though reduced to 'a spirit of hatred borne on a dark wind', I do not think one need boggle at this spirit carrying off the One Ring, upon which his power of dominating minds now largely depended. That Sauron was not himself destroyed in the anger of the One is not my fault: the problem of evil, and its apparent toleration, is a permanent one for all who concern themselves with our world. The indestructibility of spirits with free wills, even by the Creator of them, is also an inevitable feature, if one either believes in their existence, or feigns it in a story.
Sauron was, of course, 'confounded' by the disaster, and diminished (having expended enormous energy in the corruption of Númenor). He needed time for his own bodily rehabilitation, and for gaining control over his former subjects. He was attacked by Gil-galad and Elendil before his new domination was fully established.

 

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At the end of Out Of The Silent Planet (by C.S. Lewis), the last sentence says as the way to the way to the other planets seems to be closed, and as such, any future space-travel would have to be time travel as well. It's possible that this is an attempt to connect Lewis own Space Trilogy with Tolkien's as yet unwritten time-travel story (both of them would write a story based on a prompt; Lewis would write a space travel story while Tolkien would write a time travel story; Lewis finished his trilogy while Tolkien attempted to write a time travel story twice but never finished either).

More of this when you come I am trying to read every old book on the subject that I can hear of. Now that ‘Weston’ has shut the door, the way to the planets lies through the past; if there is to be any mores space-travelling, it will have to be time-travelling as well ...!

As per before a page or so back (when I mentioned Lewis tried to connect Tolkiens mythos to the Space Trilogy), make of this as you will, as Tolkien himself doesn't seem to confirm nor deny it. Curiously though, both The Space Trilogy (That Hideous Strength in particular) as well as both of Tolkien's unfinished time travel stories involved seeing places across time and space via dreams.