#maybe they're forced to linger tethered to wherever their bodies are until the orc is destroyed

[sesamenom]

isn't that just orcs though? I assume the hroa-without-fea is what happens to the orcs made out of corrupted elves, since they can continue moving after "death" on Sauron's will alone (the hands that grabbed Hurin). given that elves can voluntarily die as a form of escape, I imagine Sauron's original orc-making experiments involved torturing elves to the point that they left their hroar, which he could then bind to disembodied umaiar (vampires) or his own will (orcs).

obviously this isn't a viable solution for mass manufacturing orcs, so the hroa-orcs were probably just the original ones used for breeding and commanding the rest of the orc-host, like a perversion of the original elves awoken at Cuivienen. and since elf reproduction very much relies on fëar, the orcs descended from the original hroa-orcs would be descendants of Sauron/Morgoth's pure corrupting power, and therefore be created partially of the Discord itself (which is why they're all naturally evil).

Just had a thought, it's completely half-baked: So, um, NoME I think, said that there totally could be hröar without any fëar running around, right? Translating: there could be moving bodies with no souls/occupants left.

Zombies. Middle Earth has zombies.

And when would be a better time for zombies to roam around than after Nirnaeth Arnoediad? Even more after Second and Third Kinslaying. You know who would have a perfect opportunity to fight zombies to the point of habit? Fëanorians.

So I imagined the situation where Maedhros and Maglor fight some zombies, successfully turning them into parts (I mean, duh). Then Maedhros says something self-hating like "Surely there's more good to them than was left of us(me) as it hunts and hurts without consent, intent nor will, unlike us(me)."

And Maglor looks at him, then at the zombie's head he holds. He reaps the skull open (with his hands, yes), takes zombies' brain out, and throws it at Maedhros with "We also have an evidence he had a brain, unlike some brother of mine."

Cue Medhros releasing the MOST Older Brother Sigh.