Nameless things
| This article describes a concept which is mentioned in J.R.R. Tolkien's works, but was never given a definite name. |
- "Far, far below the deepest delving of the Dwarves, the world is gnawed by nameless things. Even Sauron knows them not. They are older than he. Now I have walked there, but I will bring no report to darken the light of day."
- ― Gandalf[1]
The nameless things were gnawing things that were said by Gandalf to dwell so far beneath Arda that not even the Dwarves had ever chanced to come upon them.[1]
History[edit]
Gandalf claimed that these nameless things under Arda were older than Sauron, suggesting that they were alive before the physical arrival of some Maiar to Arda.[note 1]
These nameless things were said to be "slimier than fish" and preferred to dwell in darkness. They were known to have inhabited the caves deep within the hearts of mountains as far back as the Elder Days. When the Orcs of the Misty Mountains dug around Goblin-town, digging new tunnels and expanding and joining those that already existed, their original owners[note 2] withdrew to the deepest depths and lurked beyond their knowledge.[2]
According to Gandalf, Durin's Bane had learned to navigate the nameless things' tunnels during its long stay in Moria. After the two fell from the Bridge of Khazad-dûm into an underground lake, the Balrog fled through these tunnels. Gandalf pursued it closely, believing that its knowledge of the tunnels was his only hope of escape. Their chase led them to the foot of the Endless Stair, which they climbed to eventually emerge on the peak of Zirakzigil.[1]
Other versions of the legendarium[edit]
In The Book of Lost Tales, Nan Dumgorthin, the "Land of the Dark Idols" "(dum ‘secret, not to be spoken’, dumgort, dungort ‘an (evil) idol’)", was a dark forested land that was located to the east of Artanor where a collection of "evil tribes of renegade men" made sacrifices to Gods whose idols were hidden upon a wooded mountain.[3]
In the Lay of the Children of Húrin, Túrin and Flinding came upon Nan Dumgorthin in the dim twilight after the accidental murder of Beleg. It is described as dark and unholy; a grey valley where shrines are hidden in secret places for the worship of nameless gods older than both Morgoth and the Valar. The inhabitants here were said to be "ghostly dwellers" whose laughter was "harsh and hallow" like a mockery of demons with a lingering echo. They did not harm Túrin and Flinding nor hinder their course, yet their mere presence was enough to cause them both to walk "with creeping flesh and quaking limb".[4]
Inspiration[edit]
Todd Jensen suggests that the nameless things may have been inspired by the dragon Nidhog of Norse mythology, who gnawed at the roots of Yggdrasil the World Tree.[5]
Portrayal in adaptations[edit]
| Nameless things in adaptations | |||||||||
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Television[edit]
2022: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power:
- 1 September: Adrift:
- While adrift on a makeshift raft in the Sundering Seas, Galadriel, Halbrand, and five Southlanders are attacked by a creature referred to as "the worm", which had destroyed the Southlanders' ship two weeks before. The scene is accompanied by the following on-screen trivia: "The Great Sea, or The Sundering Seas, divides the Undying Lands from Middle-earth - where there are still nameless things in the deepest places of the world." The trivia entry cites Book III, Chapter 5.
Games[edit]
2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:
- Nameless is a creature type categorized as "Ancient Evil". They have a variety of shapes, but most of them are humanoid, only with no eyes or no head at all. They can be found in the Drúadan Forest, having come out of the White Mountains during the Dawnless Day; and beneath the Iron Hills, where a horde of Morgoth's monsters were sealed away by the Dwarves long ago. The largest concentration of Nameless, however, are within the Foundations of Stone, the deepest level of Moria. The Watcher in the Water is also classified as Nameless, as is "Helchgam", another tentacled creature, found in the sewers of Carn Dûm.
External links[edit]
Notes
- ↑ Hammond and Scull suggest this could have been a rhetorical flourish on Gandalf's part. Cf. Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, pp. 392-393. Note that Tom Bombadil also claims to have been on Arda before the arrival of "the Dark Lord".
- ↑ It is possible that these "original owners" were likely nameless things.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The White Rider", p. 501
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Riddles in the Dark"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, pp. 35, 62, 374
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lays of Beleriand, "I. The Lay of the Children of Húrin: III. Failivrin", lines 1472-1490
- ↑ Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, pp. 392-393
| Legendary races of Arda | |
| Animals: | Dumbledors · Gorcrows · Hummerhorns · Pards · Swans of Gorbelgod · Turtle-fish |
|---|---|
| Dragon-kind: | Sea-serpents · Spark-dragons · Were-worms |
| Evil Races: | Ettens · Giants · Half-trolls · Hobgoblins · Ogres · Snow-trolls · Two-headed Trolls |
| Other: | Badger-folk · Great beasts · Lintips · Mewlips · Nameless things · Spectres |
| Individuals: | Talking Gurthang · Talking purse · The Hunter · Lady of the Sun · Lonely Troll · Man in the Moon · The Rider · River-woman · Tarlang · Tim · Tom · White cow |
