Orcrist

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Orcrist by Audrey Corman.

Orcrist was the weapon of the king of Durin's folk Thorin Oakenshield. It had a fancy scabbard and a jeweled hilt.

Goblins called the blade Biter. It was crafted by the Elves, who not only made it a valuable weapon, also a feared one, particularly among traditional enemies of the Elves: Orcs and other evil creatures of Middle-earth. Like Glamdring and Sting, the blade could detect the presence of Orcs and warn its bearer by glowing blue.

Thorin is mortally wounded at the Battle of Five Armies. After his death Orcrist is placed upon Thorin's tomb and that it "gleamed ever in the dark if foes approached"[1]

Possession

As the "mate" to King Turgon's sword Glamdring, Orcrist was likely borne by a high ranking lord in the King's entourage.

Since Maeglin presumably still had his father's sword, Anguirel, it was not his. Duilin bore a bow, while Galdor carried a club and Rog a mace. Tuor seems to have come to Gondolin after Glamdring had been forged, and if this was the mate it should have been forged before his arrival as well. In any case, Tuor bore an axe, not a sword. Glorfindel died outside of the city; Ecthelion of the Fountain perished in Gondolin as he slew Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs. Egalmoth wielded a curved-blade, most likely a falchion; in any case, Orcist was not curved. Salgant was a lesser lord and was feeble and subserviant to Maeglin. The only other possibility is Penlod, who's house (House of the Tower of Snow) was lesser in status than Ecthelion's (House of the Fountain).

Etymology

In Sindarin Orcrist means "Goblin-cleaver" (Orch + rist).

Weapons in Tolkien's legendarium
 Arrows:  Black Arrow · Dailir · Red Arrow
Axes:  Dramborleg · Durin's Axe
Bows:  Belthronding · Bow of Bregor · Bow of the Galadhrim
Knives:  Angrist · Barrow-blades · Morgul-knife · Sting
Maces:  Grond
Spears:  Aeglos
Swords:  Anglachel/Gurthang · Anguirel · Aranrúth · Dagmor · Glamdring · Glend · Gúthwinë · Herugrim · Narsil/Andúril ·  Orcrist · Ringil · Sword of Manwë

References