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Oliphaunts

2013-05-31T16:43:42Z

208.92.169.252:

[[Image:Alan Lee - An Oliphaunt.jpg|thumb|250px|An Oliphaunt by [[Alan Lee]].]]

'''Oliphaunts''' were enormous animals, similar to [[elephants]], used in the [[War of the Ring]] by the allies of [[Sauron]].

==Description==
Oliphants lived in the jungles of [[Far Harad]], far to the south of any known maps of [[Middle-earth]], where the [[Haradrim]] called them ''Mûmakil''. Massive, often ferocious beasts, their legs were like trees, their bodies were larger than a house, they had enormous sail-like ears, and they had a long snout like a huge serpent. Somehow the Haradrim tamed them and the result was potentioly the most brutally effective beast of war the Middle-earth during the 3rd age.

The Haradrim strapped massive, carriage-like tiered towers on the backs of these beasts, and from these towers Haradrim archers and spearmen hurled projectiles down upon their enemies. The ''[[mûmak]]'' itself, enraged and goaded by its cruel Haradrim masters, would charge through the enemy, trampling archer, swordsman and horse beneath its massive feet.<ref name="Stewed">{{TT|IV4}}</ref>

Killing a ''mûmak'' was almost impossible - its rough, leathery hide made arrows relatively harmless, and any archer standing to take a shot would be an easy target for the archers on top of the Haradrim. Horses had a natural fear of the mûmakil so even the most skilled horsemen could not get close enough to strike at its great, trunk-like legs. The only known way to kill an oliphaunt was to shoot it in the eye, which typically meant standing in front of it as it charged the archer, and thus a very difficult task to perform.<ref name="Pelennor">{{RK|V6}}</ref>

==History==
Due to their habitation in the far south, oliphants were creatures of legend to the inhabitants of the north-west of Middle-earth. The [[Hobbits]] had a old [[Oliphant|poem]] about oliphants,<ref>{{AB|Preface}}</ref> which [[Samwise Gamgee]] recited to [[Gollum]] in [[Ithilien]].<ref name="Gate">{{TT|IV3}}</ref>

On [[7 March]] {{TA|3019}}<ref name="Great">{{App|Great}}</ref> [[Faramir]] led the [[Rangers of Ithilien]] on an ambush against a contingent of Haradrim marching north. This battle was witnessed by [[Frodo Baggins]] and Sam, and they saw an Oliphant in full charge. The maddened animal had smashed its war-tower in its rush through the woods; unguided it trampled soldiers of both sides until it disappeared from view.<ref name="Stewed"/>

During the [[Siege of Gondor]], beginning on [[14 March]],<ref name="Great"/> oliphants were used to drag war towers and engines to be used against the walls of [[Minas Tirith]].<ref>{{RK|V4}}</ref> On [[15 March]],<ref name="Great"/> in the subsequent [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]], oliphants were used as rallying points for the Haradrim after the [[Rohirrim]] had charged into the fray. Eventually all of the great beasts were killed as the forces of the West won the battle, but both [[Derufin]] and [[Duilin (son of Duinhir)|Duilin]], the sons of [[Duinhir]] of [[Morthond]] were trampled in the process.<ref name="Pelennor"/>

After the defeat of Sauron when Frodo and Sam had been rescued and brought to the [[Field of Cormallen]], Sam wandered in the glades near [[Henneth Annûn]], hoping to see the oliphant he had seen before, but to no avail.<ref>{{RK|VI4}}</ref>

==Etymology==
In the tongue of the [[Haradrim]], oliphants were known as ''mûmakil'' (singular ''mûmak''); this word was adopted by the [[Men]] of [[Gondor]].<ref name="Stewed"/> In [[Sindarin]], the beast was known as the '''Annabon''', or "long-snout".<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, '''MBUD'''</ref>

Oliphant/olifant/olifaunt had been archaic words for elephant and their ivory. The most famous use of the oliphant (as in horn) is in ''[[wikipedia:TheSong of Ronald|The Song of Roland]]'' "The oliphant is set to Roland's Lips"; Roland fails to call for help at the Battle of Roncevaux in 778 until it is too late for him and his comrades.

Oliphant in English is derived from Old French ''olifant'' and [[Old English]] ''olfend'' from Old High German ''olbenta'''camel'.<ref>{{HM|N}}, p. 761</ref>

The word "oliphaunt" was only used by [[Hobbits]].<ref name="Gate"/> [[Gandalf]] mentions [[elephants]] once in ''[[The Hobbit]]''<ref>{{H|2}}</ref> so perhaps "oliphaunt" is a [[Hobbitish]] corruption of this original word. But whether these two creatures are the same cannot be said with certainty.

==Portrayals in adaptations==
'''1968: [[The Hobbit (1968 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1968 radio series)]]:'''
:Gandalf's line "Great elephants!" was replaced by "Great oliphaunts"; this was one of several uses of material from ''The Lord of the Rings''.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:Two oliphaunts appear in the ambush in [[Ithilien]]. They are CGI created, and they are much, much bigger than today's elephants; furthermore, they have 2 sets of big tusks and one set of tiny tusks.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Oliphaunts are used in the scenes from the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields|Battle of Pelennor Fields]], mounted with towers and decorated with deadly spikes on their multiple tusks. The [[Rohirrim]] charge headlong into battle, and even pass under them. Several oliphaunts were killed.

:[[Weta Workshop|Weta]] made a large slain prop ''mûmak'' at almost the last minute, much to Weta staff's consternation, on request by the director [[Peter Jackson]]. It appears in the scene where [[Peregrin Took]] enters the field and locates the dazed and disoriented [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]] after his experience with [[Éowyn]] in successfully slaying the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]]. The prop became a favourite picnic destination for crew members.
{{references}}
[[de:Mûmakil]]
[[fr:encyclo:biologie:faune:mumakil]]
[[fi:Olifantit]]

[[Category:Animals]]

Balrogs

2013-05-26T15:28:11Z

208.92.169.252: It makes sense that 2 died in Gondolin. 3 or 4 died in War of Wrath. and 1 or 2 retreated and then the one became known as durin's bane

{{cleanup}}
{{disambig-more|Balrog|[[Balrog (disambiguation)]]}}
{{race
|image=[[File:Rob Alexander - The Balrog of Moria.jpg|250px]]
|name=Balrogs
|dominions=primarily [[Angband]],<br>[[Moria]] ([[Durin's Bane]])
|languages=
|height= twice the height of a man
|length=
|skincolor=
|haircolor=
|feathers=
|distinctions=Man-like, surrounded by shadow and fire
|lifespan=Immortal
|members=[[Gothmog (balrog)|Gothmog]], [[Durin's Bane]]
}}{{Pronounce|Balrog.mp3|Ardamir}}
'''Balrogs''', or '''Balrogath''' ("Balrog-kind") were menacing creatures about twice the height of a man consisting of fire and shadow. Balrogs induced great terror in all and were among [[Morgoth]]'s most feared minions during the [[First Age]]. The wizard Gandalf fell fighting a Balrog when the Fellowship escaped [[Moria]] in ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]''. In the First Age notable Elf Lords [[Ecthelion]] and [[Glorfindel]] each fell fighting separate Balrogs during the sack of [[Gondolin]].

== History ==
Balrogs were originally [[Maiar]] spirits, of the same order as [[Sauron]] and [[Gandalf|Olórin]] (Gandalf), but they were seduced by [[Morgoth]], who corrupted them to his service before the coming of the [[Elves]]. They were originally gathered by him in his ancient fastness of [[Utumno]] during the [[Years of the Lamps]]. When this fortress was destroyed by the [[Valar]], they fled and lurked in the pits of [[Angband]].

When [[Morgoth|Melkor]] and [[Ungoliant]] escaped from [[Valinor]] many years later with the [[Silmarils]], the Balrogs were still to be found in these pits. Ungoliant trapped Melkor in her webs, demanding the Silmarils for herself, but the Balrogs issued from their hiding-place and rescued their lord.

The Balrogs were first encountered by Elves during the [[Dagor-nuin-Giliath]] ("Battle under the Stars") in the First Age. After the victory of the [[Noldor|Noldorin Elves]] over Morgoth's [[Orcs]], the Elf Lord [[Fëanor]] pressed on towards Angband, but Balrogs came against him. He was surrounded by Balrogs and fought long before being mortally wounded by [[Gothmog (balrog)|Gothmog]], Lord of Balrogs (the only Balrog known by name). Though Fëanor's sons fought off the demons of fire, Fëanor died of his wounds soon after, and his spirit departed for the [[Halls of Mandos]].

When Morgoth's fortress of [[Angband]] was destroyed by the [[Valar]] in the First Age, most Balrogs were destroyed, but some fled and lurked in the pits of Angband or escaped across the [[Blue Mountains]] to eastern [[Middle-earth]].

After the last battle of the First Age some Balrogs escaped the Valar's wrath and hid deep underground inaccessible at the roots of the earth. In the Third Age the [[Dwarves]] of [[Khazad-dûm]] unwittingly released a Balrog while mining for ''[[mithril]]'' and were driven out of Moria by the creature. This is the same Balrog that Gandalf ultimately encountered in ''The Fellowship of the Ring''.

Just one Balrog appears after the First Age. If Sauron had any in his service during the [[Second Age]] or the [[War of the Ring]], they were never revealed. The sole Balrog described by Tolkien after the [[War of Wrath]] was [[Durin's Bane]].

== Other versions of the Legendarium ==
In one of Tolkien's early Middle-earth writings, ''[[Lay of the Children of Húrin]]'', "[[Lungorthin]], Lord of Balrogs" is mentioned. It is not, however, certain if it was another name for Gothmog, or it simply meant "a Balrog lord". According to [[Christopher Tolkien]], the latter is more probable, as the name Gothmog was mentioned in the earliest Middle-earth writings, as well as the final version of Tolkien's mythology.

The Balrogs were originally envisioned as being immense in number:
{{quote|The early conception of Balrogs makes them less terrible, and certainly more destructible, than they afterwards became: they existed in 'hundreds' (p. 170), and were slain by [[Tuor]] and the [[Gondolin|Gondothlim]] in large numbers: "thus five fell before Tuor's great axe [[Dramborleg]], three before [[Ecthelion]]'s sword, and two score were slain by the warriors of the king's house.|''[[The Book of Lost Tales Part Two]]'', commentary by Christopher Tolkien on "The Fall of Gondolin"}}
{{quote|There came wolves and serpents and there came Balrogs one thousand, and there came Glomund the Father of Dragons.|''[[The Lost Road and Other Writings]]'', ''Quenta Silmarillion'', Chapter 16, §15}}

As the [[legendarium]] became more formidable and internally consistent, and the Balrogs more terrible, this number was much reduced. In the end Tolkien stated that there were probably "at most" seven Balrogs:
{{quote|In the margin my father wrote: 'There should not be supposed more than say 3 or at most 7 ever existed.'|''[[Morgoth's Ring]]'', Section 2 (AAm*): note 50}}

It should however be noted that these texts postdate the published ''The Lord of the Rings'', but predate the materials from which the published ''The Silmarillion'' was drawn. The exact number of Balrogs is therefore very uncertain, but Tolkien's note above seems to have been his final word.

==Etymology==
Balrog is [[Sindarin]] for "Demon of Might" from ''[[balan|bal-]]'', "power" and ''[[raug]], [[rog]]'', "demon".

The [[Quenya]] form '''''[[Valarauko]]''''' points to a possible [[Primitive Quendian]] form *''balaraukô''.

In the earlier [[The Etymologies|Etymologies]], the word Balrog was derived from ''[[ñgwalaraukô]]'',<ref>{{HM|LR}}, [[The Etymologies]], RUK</ref> but this is inconsistent with Quenya ''Valarauko''.

A list of [[Old English]] equivalents of [[Elvish]] words, glosses ''[[Balrogs|Balrog]]'' as having the equivalent ''Bealuwearg'' and ''Bealubroga''. As noted by [[Christopher Tolkien]], the Old English word contains the elements ''bealu'' ("evil"; as in ''bale(ful)'') and ''wearg'' ("wolf, outlaw") or ''broga'' ("terror").<ref>{{SM|QA1}}, p. 209</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
<center><gallery>
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy - Balrog.jpg|<center>A Balrog as envisioned in ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]''</center>
File:Thaurlach.jpg|<center>The Balrog Thaurlach from ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''</center>
</gallery></center>

If adaptations were to be counted as canon, the matter of Balrog wings would be decided.

'''1978: [[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1978 film)]]:'''
:The Balrog has wings and appears capable of limited flight. The head resembles a lion but the rest of the body was rendered in matte black, a technique commonly used for shadowy surreal effect in rotoscope animation.

'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:Durin's Bane has wings, albeit wings that were purely decorative as the Balrog could not fly. [[Peter Jackson|Jackson]]'s Demon of Might was indistinct, a real blend of shadow and fire. Only its horned head, cloven feet, and clawed hands could clearly be seen.

'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
:The Balrog has, once again, wings. The fight sequence, in which the player is Gandalf, takes considerably longer: only after a short fight on the bridge does Gandalf let it collapse.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:The chase up the [[Endless Stair]] and the slime Balrog were omitted due to budget constraints.{{fact}} However, part of Gandalf's battle with the Balrog is shown at the beginning of the film, and the fight atop Zirak-Zigil is seen in a flashback after Gandalf's return.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring|Sierra's The War of the Ring]]'':'''
:Balrog is the most powerful magical power available to Servants of Sauron. They have horns and wings.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age]]'':'''
:The players assist Gandalf in his fight with the Balrog.

'''2004: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'':'''
:Balrog is the most powerful magical power available to both Mordor an Isengard faction. Visual appearance follows the movie version.

'''2006: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II]]'':'''
:Unlike the original game, Balrog is not available to Isengard faction, but only to Mordor and the new Goblin factions.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Durin's Bane can be observed in two "session plays" (player character not present): one depicts the awakening of the Balrog by Dwarves under [[Durin]] VI, the other depicts dwarves of [[Balin]]'s company fleeing from the ancient evil. After Gandalf defeats him, the lifeless body of [[Durin's Bane]] can be found on the slopes of [[Zirakzigil]]. Despite the players knowing the Balrog dead, another Servant of Sauron tests their will and fears, by portraying an illusion of it. In the illusion, the fight between Gandalf and the Balrog on the [[Endless Stair]] is recreated, until it ends the opposite way of the actual event: the Balrog defeats the Wizard, throwing his lifeless body from Zirakzigil. Players have to defeat the Balrog in order to combat the illusion.
:The game also features another Balrog: named Thaurlach, he can be found in the Rift of Nûrz Ghâshu, where [[Angmar]] meets [[Misty Mountains]]. He fled there are the breaking of [[Thangorodrim]], but was followed by an elf-maiden Glathlírel who was determined to end him. The Balrog eluded her for millennia, until she was able to face him in combat and defeat him. Rather than kill the Balrog, the two Blue Wizards decided to imprison him in the Rift, so that he could await his judgment at the end of days. However, by the end of the Third Age his chains were loosing and a band of players was sent to defeat the weakened Balrog - something, that as Gandalf remarked, should have been done ages ago.

'''2009: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: Conquest]]'':'''
:Balrog is one of the "heroes" available to Servants of Sauron during evil campaign. Appearance reflects the movie version.

== See Also ==
* [[:Category:Images of Balrogs|Images of Balrogs]]
* [[Balrogs/Wings]]

{{ainur}}
{{references}}
* {{S|Vala}}
* {{S|Captivity}}
* {{S|Flight}}
* {{FR|Bridge}}
== External Links ==
* Conrad Dunkerson, ''[http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/TAB.html The Truth About Balrogs]''
[[Category:Balrogs]]
[[Category:Maiar]]
[[de:Balrog]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:ainur:maiar:balrogs]]
[[fi:Balrogit]]