Middle-earth is a region within J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy world Arda and the setting for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
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Quenya for “hold” as in “to hold a belief”
Does anyone know if there is any word in Quenya that is well suited for translating “hold” as in “to hold a belief?”
The context if “Fire and Ice” by Robert Frost:
...
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Why aren't there any recognizable elf children in Middle-Earth?
Why aren't there any recognizable Elf children in Middle-Earth?
I don't remember reading about younglings, only adults. Hobbit children, goblin imps and human children are all represented in the LOTR ...
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How big were Hobbit children?
We know that Hobbits were 3 to 3.5 feet tall, Bandobras Took almost 4. But how big were hobbit children (relative to their age, of course)?
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Did Saruman copy from Radagast?
We know that, although publicly he scorned Gandalf, Saruman copied him and also smoked, and imitated Sauron, as often said in The Lord of the Rings. But I just saw a quote about Radagast, saying that
...
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Were there any other 'wizards' in middle earth apart from the Istari?
We know Gandalf, Radagast, Saruman, Pallando and Alatar, who are all Istari, Maiar in physical form. The elves can also do 'magic', and Sauron, being a Maiar himself. Were there any other people with ...
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Do Tolkien's elves have pointy ears?
I think we all imagine elves with pointy ears – but do they really have pointy ears? (canonical references please)
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Is there any mention of the lands east of Mordor?
Sauron seems to have huge armies east of Mordor, the Blue Wizards went there and didn't come back, and early maps of Arda when it was still flat show rough landmarks, but not much, and everything ...
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Did Ilúvatar anticipate Melkor?
Did Ilúvatar know that Melkor would 'turn bad'? Was it part of his vast design? Tolkien often hints that also Morgoth's evil is part of the grand plan, and that he does the will of Ilúvatar in the ...
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What did Numenorean swords / Andúril look like?
I was wondering what Andúril looks like, and I know that distinctive look John Howe gives it, with the holes on the ends.
As far as I remember, John Howe wrote in his site that all Numenorean ...
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1answer
115 views
Looking for canon Quenya and Sindarin dictionary
Are there any canonical English <-> Elvish dictionaries, that means with no added material? Some Grammar would also be useful.
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1answer
141 views
What do we know about the Black Speech of Mordor?
We know the Ring Verse (Ash Nazg . . .), and single words like 'Ghâsh' (Fire). Do we know any more about canonical Black Speech?
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Is the “^” significant in the word Nazgûl?
I noticed how Nazgûl always has a "^" over the u. Does that mean anything about how I pronounce the word? Or is it just decoration?
Or, in other words:
What does the "^" mean in Tolkien's Languages?
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What happened to Frodo's sword?
In 'A Knife in the Dark', Frodo slashes at the Black Rider.
Later in the Book, it is said that no weapons can harm the Nazgûl and survive. Why didn't Frodo's blade melt? He still has it afterwards, as ...
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How big were various armies in the War of the Ring?
I'd like to know (roughly) how big various armies in the war of the Ring were, and if possible how they were made up.
That includes for example
Saruman's Forces
Gondor's Soldiors
The Rohirrim
The ...
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2answers
216 views
Looking for canonical descriptions of Orthanc
I'm trying to make a model of Orthanc, but am having trouble deciding what it looks like. I'd love to have some material, including Tolkien's pictures and sketches.
Please write from what chapter any ...
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Middle Earth JRRT and CT maps
I am looking for a list* of maps of Middle Earth which appear only in JRR Tolkien's and CT's books and writings or were authorized by JRRT**? From my reading so far I have:
The Hobbit:
"Thror's ...
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2answers
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Why did they take a Palantir with them when they left for the west?
The Palantíri were made by the Ñoldor in Eldamar, possibly by Fëanor himself in Aman during the Elder Days in the Time of the Trees, and then given by the Elves to the Númenóreans, who kept them as ...
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In the third age, which of these beings is more powerful? [closed]
I want to make a comparison here between some of the most powerful beings in Middle-Earth during the Third Age.
I know Sauron was the most powerful of all even when he lost the ring, but one of the ...
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Why didn't Aragorn keep going with the army of the dead?
Simple.. Why did Aragorn not keep going with the army of the dead and overthrew Mordor and Sauron?
As unstoppable as they seem to destroy all physical armies without any injuries, taking on Mordor ...
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Dagor Dagorath (sources?)
Does anyone know where can I find the references to the Dagor Dagorath, the last battle at the end of the world in Tolkien's legendarium?
I remember something in the Book of Lost Tales, at the end of ...
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3answers
327 views
What does Gimli's axe look like?
Does Gimli have a single-sided or a double-sided axe? (Please answer only with quotes from the Lord of the Rings or other Tolkien books, I've done enough speculation myself.)
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What is the relationship between the various calendars of Middle-earth?
There are several different calendars in use in Middle Earth - the Shire, several different groups of men, and the Elves. What is the relationship between them?
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Second prophecy of Mandos
Does anybody know anything about the mysterious "Second Prophecy of Mandos"? It seems to be about the end of the world.
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1answer
120 views
Who was the original owner of Orcrist?
We know that Glamdring and Orcrist are both from Gondolin, and that Glamdring belonged to Turgon. All I found about Orcrist is a line from the Hobbit saying that it belonged to some great hero of the ...
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290 views
What is Thorin's hair colour?
I read through "The Hobbit" book trying to find something about Thorin's hair, but I didn't see anything. Has anybody noticed something I haven't?
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Is there an Upper- and a Lower-earth along with Middle-earth?
I have always wondered are there more types of earths besides Middle. Is there an Upper and Lower?
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What would happen if a Barrow-Wight had taken the One Ring and why didn't they?
When the Hobbits are take by the Barrow-Wights, they are all held in a barrow and are unconscious for a time and both they and the Ring are at the mercy of the Barrow-Wights. This event is clearly ...
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Any good Tolkien derivative work concerning the future of Middle Earth? [closed]
I quite enjoy reading good Tolkien fanfiction (as rare as it is), but I still wasn't able to find anything about what happened in Middle Earth after the War of the Ring and Sauron's fall. There are ...
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356 views
Was Wormtongue's betrayal due to his his desire for Éowyn or due to the Voice of Saruman?
Wormtongue was a traitor, and yet in the Lord of the Rings it is suggested that this was not always so. Furthermore, it is known that he desires Éowyn. When Gandalf says,
"How long is it since ...
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4answers
717 views
Is it possible that Middle-earth was overpopulated?
This might be a silly question, but I've been thinking on it for a day or two. Can you provide me some help?
Since the Elves alone can live for more than 3000 years, is it possible that Middle-earth ...
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2answers
743 views
How did Sauron not know about the ring?
It says in the fellowship of the ring that Sauron learned that the One Ring was still in existence, partially from Gollum. Gandalf says during his explanation to Frodo that "he believed the one had ...
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Who are the rest of members at Elrond's Council?
In Peter Jackson's film The Fellowship of the Ring, when the Council of Elrond takes place it shows a total of 22 members:
We all know the names of the ones who were part of the Fellowship, but I ...
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1answer
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Are there any holidays in Middle Earth, except yule, lithe, new year in Rohan and Durins day?
Does any species, in any age, in any of the works by Tolkien have designated days of celebration, except birthdays, besides the holidays mentioned in the article about the Middle Earth Calendar on ...
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336 views
Are there multi-headed trolls in Middle-Earth beyond The Hobbit reference?
I was just reading about Bilbo and the three trolls: William, Bert, and Tom.
At the end of the quote, there is a reference to multi-headed trolls.
William choked. "Shut yer mouth!" he said as ...
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4answers
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Why did Thorongil warn Ecthelion against the White Wizard?
I'm rereading The Lord of the Rings. Appendix A, "Annals of the Kings and Rulers", tells us that Aragorn son of Arathorn spent part of his youth in Minas Tirith under the assumed name "Thorongil" ...
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What relation/link is there between Glaurung and Smaug, if any?
Is there any relation or link (by blood or legend or anything) between the dragon Glaurung, in Children of Hurin, and Smaug in the Hobbit?
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What does Gandalf mean by “Secret Fire”, “Flame of Anor” and “Flame of Udun”?
In Moria, when Gandalf confronts the Balrog on the bridge of Khazad-dum, Gandalf says the following:
I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You
cannot pass. The dark ...
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1answer
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Were Elladan and Elrohir afraid of the dead?
In Rohan, Aragorn was joined by some of his kinsmen, Rangers from the north. With them were the two sons of Elrond Half-Elven:
'I have thirty with me,' said Halbrad. 'That is all of our kindred ...
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The One Ring as an engagement ring?
The One Ring is clearly a corrupting power in Middle Earth. Even the hobbits that are more resistant to corruption are eventually affected by its influence (Frodo, as an example, of course). The ...
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1answer
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Is the appearance of Istari related to Amandil?
There are two major characters trying to reach for the Valar and ask for help. One is Eärendil, who succeded and caused the fall of Morgoth. The other is Amandil, who tried; but nothing is known about ...
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What is the true origin of the orcs?
There are a bunch of theories about the true origin of the orcs. Tolkien tried out a few different origins for his Orcs throughout his life but died before he could fully revise The Silmarillion with ...
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1answer
396 views
Is the white standing stone on the Barrow-Downs magical or evil?
In the Lord of the Rings novel, in the chapter The Fog on the Barrow-downs, the Hobbits fall asleep on the downs next to a white standing stone. There are some passages that I personally interpret as ...
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2answers
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What is the significance of Frodo's dream before entering the Old Forest?
Just prior to leaving the house at Crickhollow and entering the Old Forest, Frodo has a dream:
Eventually he fell into a vague dream, in which he seemed to be
looking out of a high window over a ...
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Is Middle-Earth a time, or is it a place?
I was looking at the map of Middle-Earth and it made me wonder. Does Middle-Earth refer to the time frame in which the LOTR stories took place, or does it refer to the area in which the LOTR tales ...
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1answer
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What marked the end of Tolkien's fourth age?
I keep running across the following quote from Tolkien's Letter #211 concerning the time between the destruction of the ring at the end of the third age and the present day:
I imagine the gap to ...
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Who were the Nazgul before they became wraiths?
I recall reading somewhere of the history of the nine riders, but I cannot remember where it was. (It seems perhaps they were from northern kingdoms?)
The leader of the Nine was the Witch King of ...
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When did Denethor first start to use the Palantir of Minas Tirith?
After the passing of Denethor, Gandalf says the following
Though the Stewards deemed that it was a secret kept only by
themselves, long ago I guessed that here in the White Tower, one at
least ...
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Are any locations in the Lord of the Rings based on real places?
I recall reading somewhere that some of the places in the Shire in the Lord of the Rings were actually based on some real locations around where Tolkien grew up in the West Midlands here in the UK (I ...
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Is it Eowyn or Merry who kills the Lord of the Nazgul (or both)?
In the Lord of the Rings when the Lord of the Nazgul is killed, there seems to be some confusion as to exactly who is responsible? Is the reason down to the sword of the Barrow Downs that Merry stabs ...
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After Gandalf kills the Balrog of Moria, do any more Balrogs remain in Middle-Earth?
Is any reference made anywhere in Tolkiens novels about the number of Balrogs in existence after the demise of the Balrog of Moria? Since Balrogs are described as powerful magical entities that even ...
