#tolkien trivia

[mask131]

Tolkien trivia of the day: The Witch-King was originally supposed to be the sixth Istari.

Well... not really, I am clickbaiting a bit here - but let me explain how the Witch-King of Angmar was indeed originally supposed to be a wizard just like Gandalf.

I said it before in one of my previous Tolkien trivias, the idea that the Istari/the Wizards were Maiar, divine spirits sent into the world taking the shape of mortal beings, was not actually the starting idea of Tolkien. When he first wrote about the wizards - in the original edition of The Hobbit, and in the first drafts of The Lord of the Rings - Tolkien envisioned them as more "regular" wizards. Aka, as human beings that had somehow learned magic - thus making their order an ACTUAL order. It also explains why Gandalf and Radagast started out as actual, literal cousins, since they were supposed to be "regular" men that had obtained magical power/joined the order of wizards.

And during these early drafts, long before Tolkien even had the idea of a country named Angmar, the Witch-King was called "The Wizard-King". And contrary to the final version of the text, where Gandalf's confrontation with the Witch-King goes smoothly on Gandalf's part, in the early drafts Gandalf dreaded a lot this confrontation. Because, as he explained: the Wizard-King used to be of the same order as Gandalf, he was a wizard too, and he wasn't just a regular wizard but one from NUMENOR out of all places. However, the Wizard-King had completely fallen for the corruption of Sauron, becoming his entire slave - and this is why Gandalf fears him so much, as he represents what happens when a wizard becomes Sauron's agent.

However, as Tolkien decided that the wizards were of otherworldy origins and Maiar originally, the idea of the Witch-King was reshaped - his Numenor background was changed as Tolkien invented the kingdom of Angmar, since he couldn't be a Wizard anymore he rather became one of the Nazgûl fallen to the ring, but since he needed to stay a force of magic, he was changed from "Wizard" to "Witch" to highlight how he was a human that had gained powers, rather than an Istari with natural powers. By extension, in the final version Gandalf is very much less worried about facing the Witch-King, since there is now a clear power gap between them.

[troythecatfish]

[hirazuki]

Aredhel (Tolkien) Cosplayer + edits: me Photo credit: tranimaging2 Contacts: Uniqso (Kazzue Cherish Blue) Ears: Aradani Costumes (Sun Elf Ears) Dress, cloak, and circlet: store-bought, altered by me Bracer and glove: made by me Jewelry, shirt, pants, and boots are my own. Quiver and arrows borrowed from sugarsong_neko Once while I was sitting in my room One cold and silver winter's day I could hear an otherworldly call Try as I might, I couldn't turn away - Blackmore's Night

[dougielombax]

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on this day sixty years ago.

The very same day that C. S. Lewis died.

Looks like poor old Jack (as Tolkien nicknamed him) got upstaged. Even in death.

And the very day after it happened was the broadcast of the first episode of Doctor Who. An Unearthly Child.

[astriiformes]

The ace and aro club at school did a Hobbit movie night tonight, and I continue to enjoy just how many aspec people are huge Tolkien fans.

[flowermountainpress]

Eyyo LOTR trivia in 2 days, on Saturday, fabulous prizes for the winning team, answer the poll on when works for you

(ONLY if you're gonna come, don't fuck the time for other people unless you're planning on playing or observing, obviously)

Oh my god the fuckery I just had to do for time zones org. Google what time it is in central time or Texas if you wanna see how it is vs your time zone

I think the easiest way to form teams will be once everyone is gathered in my discord server so be prepared to list your lotr/tolkien skill level in categories of 0-2, 3-5, 6-7, 8-10 when asked, godspeed

[that-angry-noldo]

The Gilded Cage,

the world of dreams

Orodreth dies. Orodreth dies, but his spirit is caught and locked, added to the dragon's hoard. The reality mends and twists, creating a new life for the dead king.

CWs: unreality, implied character death

[This is my @officialtolkiensecretsanta gift for @elyksina! Merry Christmas and happy New Year!]

You are tired. 

You are lying on the ground, staring into the thick grey mist through the half closed eyes. 

Eru, you are tired. 

~

Orodreth woke up. His chambers were still dark. 

He could feel Finrod awake several rooms away - he was certain the man hadn't even slept. Orodreth sighed. 

He supposed it was his call to get up. 

~

"Did you sleep good?" Finrod said, trying to break the deafening silence of the breakfast. Orodreth looked up.

"You weren't even sleeping, Uncle."

"Oh," Finrod looked aside, reaching for the butter. He stopped midway through, looked away, stilled. Pulled back. "Oh. Yeah, right, I wasn't sleeping. I still want you to sleep well, kid." 

Orodreth sighed. "I'm not a kid a few hundred years already, Uncle. There was that paperwork I needed to work through, right?" 

~

"Gwindor!" 

Finduilas giggled, pushing away the dark-haired ellon, and hurried to Orodreth. 

Orodreth smiled at the elf-lord. 

Gwindor's face remained stone-cold. Gwindor grinned back. 

~

It is over. It is over. 

You lost. 

Dust settles in your lungs, and you cough.  

It's alright. You will be dead within hours anyway.

~

"Did you sleep well, Artaresto?" Finrod grinned, addressing him during a lively breakfast. Orodreth saluted him with his coffee.

"Better than ever, Uncle," he smirked, ignoring the ever present feeling of dread, doom dangling on a thin hair above his head, and passed the jam to Celebril. 

"Oh," Finrod grinned. "I'm sure your father would love to hear that!" 

"My-" 

~

Dirty hands grab you, and you gasp for air - no, you'll be dead, you'll be dead, you'll be-

You miscalculated, little gold, didn't you? 

~

"Better than ever, Uncle," he smirked and passed the jam to Finduilas. "It's a shame father… isn't here with us. He'd be glad knowing we're doing alright." 

Finrod's face softened. "Yeah," he smiled. "I think he would." 

~

It's funny. It's funny! You thought you'd escape - you thought something as inconvenient as death would save you. 

Poor, poor little gold. 

It's alright. I'll keep you safe. 

I'll keep you in check. 

~

"No," Orodreth sighed, rubbing his temples. "Please, this decoration goes here. Yeah, like that. A bit to the left. Perfect, thank you." 

"This looks spectacular," Finrod said, coming from behind. "You truly outdid yourself, nephew." 

"Thanks," Orodreth smiled softly. "I want the wedding to be nothing but ideal, Uncle. Thank you for your help."

"I understand," Finrod took a sip of wine from his glass. "And it's nothing, I was bored out of my mind anyway. Can I ask you a question, though?" 

"Sure," Orodreth shrugged, not taking his eyes off the decoration. 

"Why have you chosen gold?" 

"Wha- Uncle- these are clearly white." 

"Are they?" Finrod whispered, and Orodreth turned to him. 

"Were you sleeping well, Artaresto?" the dead king asked, looking at him with empty eyes, and Orodreth-

~

"I understand," Finrod took a sip of wine from his glass. "And it's nothing, I was bored out of my mind anyway. Can I ask you a question, though?" 

Orodreth inhaled. "No, I- I don't think I'm in the mood for questions, Uncle." 

"Oh! Oh, that's alright," Finrod said, surprised. "No, it's fine. Do you need some wine?" 

"No, I don't," Orodreth whispered. "I have to go now. Thanks for help." 

"Finduilas said hi," Finrod threw to his back. Orodreth hurried out of the room. 

The decorations were golden. The hallway was endless. 

It was fine, 

~

it is fine, it is fine, it is fine it is it is, little gold. You're fine. You're alright. 

You're so amusing, by the way. 

~

They were in the middle of a sunflower field.

"Hi," Angrod said, and Orodreth's breath hitched. He fell into his father's arms. 

"Dad," he sobbed, and his shoulders shook. Tears ran down his cheeks and fell on Angrod's soft robe. "Dad, dad-" 

"Hey, it's alright," Angrod whispered, rocking him back and forth. "It's alright. You're safe. You're safe now." 

"Dad, dad, dead, dead-" 

"Shhh," his father whispered, kissing his forehead. "It's alright. Stay with me." 

~

Stay with him, huh? It would be a fun scenario to watch now, wouldn't it?  

… I'll let it play out. I've got a whole eternity here with you anyway. 

~

He was lying in the field. The skies were purple. 

"It's peaceful, isn't it?" 

"How are you here?" Orodreth scoffed. 

Finrod shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not real." 

"You- you are." 

"Huh. That's new, little gold." 

"Don't call me that." 

"As if I have a choice," Finrod said. "Were you sleeping well?" 

The sky was pink. The sun was setting. 

The sunflower field was endless. 

~

"Finrod's been all weird lately," Orodreth proclaimed, walking in the room. Angrod was pouring tea in his cup. 

"That's Uncle Finrod for you, Artaresto," he scolded, but smiled soon enough. "In what way was he weird?" 

"We were talking," Orodreth said, sitting in a chair. "He called me-" 

~

"He called me-" 

~

"He-" 

~

Come on, Artaresto. You can do it. 

~

"Artaresto?" 

"Artaresto, are you alright?" 

~

Are you sleeping well, little gold? 

~

Come on, Orodreth. Wake up. Please, I can't be with you any longer-

~

"You're- you're-" 

"Hey, hey, everything's fine, alright? I'm here, you're here-" 

"Dad-" 

"It's alright, I'll make you some tea. You love- you love mint, don't you? Yep, mint and honey, mint and-" 

The tea tastes like nothing, Orodreth thought absently. The tea tastes like nothing. I'm surrounded by flowers, and yet they have no smell. It's evening, but I feel no cold. 

"Dad."

"Or do you want some warm milk? I can do that, I can do that too-" 

"Atya!"

Angrod stilled and turned to his son. 

His eyes were too blue and his movements were too stiff. 

"I have not been sleeping well," Orodreth whispered. "I-" 

"Ever since Bragollach," he choked. "Ever since you- ever since you and Uncle and Celebril-" 

"Oh," Angrod whispered, and the next second his arms were around Orodreth, hugging him tightly. "Oh, Artaresto."

"You're dead," Orodreth whispered. "You're dead. Uncles are dead. Finduilas- Finduilas is dead." 

"I am dead, too."

Angrod didn't move. 

Orodreth inhaled and laid his father on the ground. Angrod's hands were cold and unmoving. 

"I don't want to sleep forever," Orodreth whispered. "I don't want to sleep forever, but there is no escape." 

~

Your new world is beautiful, in the same way a gilded cage may look perfect to its owner. 

Sometimes, you are in a field, surrounded by beautiful flowers that never had a smell. Sometimes, the sky is painted in unreal colours. Sometimes, the sun is almost warm, almost alive. 

Sometimes, you're in the middle of empty cities, with chimeras staring at you from sharp roofs, with architecture twisted in the most beautiful, in the most distorted way. 

You're always alone. Your world is always empty, safe for the golden eyes of your beast warden. 

There are no sounds. 

There are no tastes. 

There are no smells.

You start forgetting. You're too tired to keep fighting. 

Until, 

~

The world cracked, and Orodreth thought he was dying for the second time. 

He was dying, because the world screeched and roared and twisted and Orodreth heard, Orodreth heard for the first time- for the first time in eternity, and he screamed and fell and it was pain and it was agony and

and Turin stood with black sword in his hands, blood hissing on its blade,

and Orodreth screamed and ran to him, 

but he fell, 

and he was falling and falling and falling and falling and then

Orodreth died. 

His father cried and reached to him with bodiless arms. 

~

"I'm sorry," Finrod said for the hundredth time. "I'm so sorry I couldn't do more." 

"It's alright," Orodreth whispered. 

The sea was dark and grey. A seagull cried in the distance, and wind brushed his cheek, and it smelled of salt and algae. 

It was cold, and the rock underneath him was rough, but it was so unmistakingly, so goddamn alive.

Orodreth wanted to cry. 

"It's alright. After all, I'm not asleep anymore." 

[z-h-i-e]

At Lord of the Rings trivia night.

Looking around, realizing half of more of these players weren’t even alive when the trilogy came out.

First time I’ve been to one without cell phone police so you know the cheating is rampant.

Celegorm would be thriving in this environment right now.

[starraseeker]

Oh! I think I can actually answer the question of why he does that!

Basically, the way the film was produced, you had actors doing physical performances, and then animation rotoscoped on top of a recording. However, the voice acting was done separately, and the two joined up later, with quite a few places where the physical actors do/say something that the recorded voice actors didn't record any dialogue for - most notably various gestures and vocalizations while another person is talking (which is also due to not having a multi-track recorder).

So, what probably happened was that the animation-reference actor went a bit off script with an extra bit of dialogue (probably a "and you too" at Sam), complete with gesture - but since it wasn't in the script, the VA didn't record it, so they just left it in as silence. You can even see, as he turns away after doing the 'scare', his mouth is open like he was saying something - a detail that would be copied from the reference footage.

GANDALF FUCKED UP AND EVIL MOMENT!? WHY DID HE FEEL THE NEED TO SCARE HIM LIKE THAT!?

[milkywaystarboy]

i played tolkien jeopardy at kumoricon last night. the rounds were split up into film trivia, book trivia (specifically hobbit/lotr books), and deep lore (everything else). i waited to be a contestant until the deep lore round (but still managed to answer a couple of questions from the audience when the contestants couldn't, one was about imrahil) and then the deep lore had not one but TWO categories about fëanor: "fëanor did nothing wrong" and "fëanor did everything wrong"

i answered almost every question in those two categories (forgor that amrod was the one that fëanor burned to death, according to the shibboleth), including one that asked how many sons he had and to name each of them. i almost forgot curufin 😔 but yeah i have never felt more autistic joy than absolutely demolishing the competition at tolkien jeopardy (i got like 3300 points) and winning a samfro heart charm

also the scorekeeper was someone cosplaying fëanor and they joked if i was telling the truth that my favorite character is actually beleg and not fëanor

[mask131]

Tolkien trivia of the day:

Well not so much "trivia" as rather a part of the Arda Lore everybody forgot about.

All the Valar are tied and connected to one of the parts of Arda - embodying a natural force or abstract concept as the polytheistic gods they were based upon. Manwë's the sky, air and winds ; Ulmo the water, oceans and seas ; Aulë the earth, soil, minerals and rocks ; Yavanna the trees and plants of all sorts, etc, etc... Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, the first manifestation of evil, is very obviously associated with fire and flames - something that most people remember since it was an elemental motif that played heavily in the character of his servants, Sauron and the Balrogs.

However people tend to forget that the actual "elemental domains" of Morgoth/Melkor was actual the duality of hotness and coldness, burning and freezing. In his first appearance, Melkor was said to be crowned with both fires and flames. When the Valar shaped the world, Melkor kept disrupting their work by huge fires, scorching heat and consuming flames ; but also by extreme colds and life-killing frost and other ice-disasters. Yes, Morgoth was the one behind the Balrogs and the Dragons, obviously beings of evil and destructive fire ; but he also was said to have sent upon his ennemies extremely harsh, cold and unnaturally long winters.

[shadowwingtronix]

BW's Daily Video> Did Tolkien Hate...Everything?

Catch more from Jess Of The Shire on YouTube  

[radiofreemultiverse]

Lord of the Rings Trivia 3 feat. Amoenus Franco | Grand Trivia 152

And then something happened that the ring did NOT expect…LORD OF THE RINGS TRIVIA 3 with special guest Amoenus Franco!

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[erdasmcnonsense]

Hi! yeah uhhh i have been in Tolkien fandom since middle school (and by now i've had the time to try and then drop out from uni, so, it's been a while), so at this point it's just permanently ingrained as part of my personality XD hope you have fun reading LOTR, i just recently finished a reread for it (i just have another sideblog for being insane about that side of fandom things, this i keep mostly for mcyt stuff)

but yeah Beren and Lúthien are the ones Aragorn tells the story about at Weathertop! Also Aragorn and Elrond (and Elrond's kids ofc) are both descendants of Beren and Lúthien; Elrond is their great-great-grandchild, and Aragorn is a descendant of Elrond's twin brother Elros, who chose the mortal fate and became a king of Men

just to clarify, the poem is very much not my writing, i can't write poetry for shit; i just went and took a relevant piece from JRR Tolkien's Lay of Leithian, his attempt at telling the tale of Beren and Lúthien as an epic poem (published in History of Middle-Earth volume 3, The Lays of Beleriand) and then switched out some names, by luck it happens that Martyn, like Beren, has two syllables, and Skizzleman and Felagund were both three syllables, so i could do it without utterly destroying the meter. Besides that, the only change I made was to the line "careless of claw or venomed fang", in an attempt to make it closer to rhyming with "Skizzleman" (the original text says "careless of fang or venomed wound"). Technically it still doesn't quite rhyme, but it was the closest i could get without entirely reworking the whole thing, which seemed like too much effort for my purposes

yeah anyway uhhh sorry about rambling? but I guess if you want someone to chat to abt LOTR (or have questions about references that the book doesn't stop to explain, or the general lore of the setting, or literally whatever) feel free to message me, I'll be happy to be given an excuse to ramble more!

[Day 170] ren talking about his lothlorien inspired base idea made me spiral. treebark as arwen and aragorn please please please

[prokopetz]

Not posting this as a reblog because I don't want to screw with somebody else's notes, but the whole "theological implications of Tolkien's orcs" business has some interesting history behind it.

In brief, a big part of why the Lord of the Rings Extended Universe™ is so cagey about what orcs are and where they come from is that later in his life, Tolkien came to believe that orcs as he'd depicted them were problematic – albeit not because of, you know, all the grotesque racial caricature.

Rather, he'd come to the conclusion that the idea of an inherently evil sapient species – a species that's incapable of seeking salvation – was incompatible with Christian ethics. Basically, it's one of those "used the wrong formula and got the right answer" situations.

In his notes and letters, Tolkien played around with several potential solutions to this problem. (Though contrary to the assertions of certain self-proclaimed Tolkien scholars, there's no evidence that he ever seriously planned to re-write his previous works to incorporate these ideas.) In one proposal, orcs are incarnated demons, and "killing" them simply returns them to their naturally immaterial state; in another, orcs are a sort of fleshy automaton remotely operated by the will of Sauron, essentially anticipating the idea of drone warfare.

Of course, this is all just historical trivia; any criticism of The Lord of the Rings must be directed at the books that were actually published, not the books we imagine might have been published if Tolkien had spent a few more years thinking through the implications of what he was writing. However, the direction of his thoughts on the matter is striking for two reasons:

Tolkien's orc conundrum is very nearly word for the word the problem that many contemporary fantasy authors are grappling with fifty years later. They want epic battles with morally clean heroes, and they're running up against exactly the same difficulty that Tolkien himself did – i.e., that describing a human-like species who are ontologically okay to kill is an impossible task.

After all the work he put into solving this impossible problem, one of Tolkien's proposals was literally just "what if they're not really killing the orcs, they're just sending them to the Shadow Realm?"

[mereinkling]

Literary Pasta

How many cans of SpaghettiOs would you need to purchase to be able to write the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy in their noodley alphabet? What, you’ve never pondered that quandary? Well, now that the question has been posed, you may as well learn the answer. The purveyor of this revelation is an online personality who analyzed the ratio of letters in cans of the SpaghettiOs A to Zs. He then…