The Revived Tolkien Trivia

[Dan Jones]

Pyan, how on earth did you find that quote based on the nonsense Rabbit came up with? That's top work.

While we're talking of stars, what could possibly cause them to faint?

Possibly Arwen aka "Evenstar" - whose light of immortality would become faint as she relinquished it in exchange for a mortal life with Aragorn? Or are we talking something more literal?

 

[Grimward]

Probably taking too much liberty here, and have other ideas too, but let's try this one first.

Sam climbed up on the foot of the pedestal and leaned over the basin. The water looked hard and dark. Stars were reflected in it. "There's only stars, as I thought," he said. Then he gave a low gasp, for the stars went out.

The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, Book Two, Chapter VII The Mirror of Galadriel

P.S. Hope this post finds all well and suitably avoiding/resisting COVID-19.

 

[Pyan]

Not quite - the word 'faint(ed)' is actually used.

Yep, and avoiding - haven't been out all day, never know what may be lurking ...

 

[Boaz]

While we're talking of stars, what could possibly cause them to faint?

The stars do not appear faint (as in difficult to discern), something causes them to faint? Hmmmm. Varda created the stars. All light in Aman is associated with her, right? So stars might faint if something better (a holy object or occurrence) from Varda or if something worse (a cursed object or occurrence) from Melkor came along.

Edit: Okay...

Then Varda went forth from the council, and she looked out from the height of Taniquetil, and beheld the darkness of Middle-earth beneath the innumerable stars, faint and far. Then she began a great labour, greatest of all the works of the Valar... - Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter Three, Of the Coming of the Elves

Is that it?

 

[Pyan]

So stars might faint if something better (a holy object or occurrence) from Varda or if something worse (a cursed object or occurrence) from Melkor came along.

That's so nearly correct - except you need to substitute Maiar for Ainur, and travel a good few thousand years, and miles for that matter...

 

[Boaz]

And Boaz. You can send me the bill for your damaged book.

Cleaning my room the other day... I found that I have four copies.

 

[Pyan]

No? It's after a visit to Nan Curunír...

 

[farntfar]

Ooh ooh.
It's something like, 'And the light of the swords unsheathing caused the stars to go faint in comparison"

But I thought that was in the Silmarillion somewhere: one of the great battles. So, long before Nan Curunir.

Drive away the dark with bright iron!". - Ghan-Buri-Ghan?

 

[Pyan]

Nope, don't forget post #3243 "Not quite - the word 'faint(ed)' is actually used".

Clue: All of the Walkers are present apart from Frodo and Sam...

 

[HareBrain]

Took me two skim-reads of the right chapter before I picked this up!

The answer is a winged Nazgul.

"It wheeled and went north, flying at a speed greater than any wind of Middle-earth. The stars fainted before it." (The Two Towers, The Palantir)

 

[Pyan]

That's the one, HareBrain - your go.

 

[HareBrain]

OK, try this.

I want any piece of evidence that Middle-Earth dragons had horns.

 

[Pyan]

That's what I love about this thread - there's a question that baffles for months, and then one that you think "Aha! That rings a bell!" and then it's just a question of finding the context.

Will you accept:

his bow was made of dragon-horn,
his arrows shorn of ebony,
of silver was his habergeon,
his scabbard of chalcedony
From "The Lay of Eärendil": LotR: FotR: Book II: Chapter 1: Many Meetings.

 

[HareBrain]

I will accept it indeed! Well done Py, back to you.

 

[Pyan]

Ok.

There's one mention of bats in LotR. Who mentions them to whom?

 

[Boaz]

Nope, don't forget post #3243 "Not quite - the word 'faint(ed)' is actually used".

Clue: All of the Walkers are present apart from Frodo and Sam...

And Boromir...

Bats? I can easily think of them in The Silmarillion and The Hobbit... but in the trilogy? Hmmm.

 

[Pyan]

And Boromir...

Good point. "All the living Walkers are present ….."

 

[Boaz]

Since I did not actually know the real trivia I had to nitpick... just to prove I know something.

 

[HareBrain]

I've looked for bats in what I thought the obvious places, and they are not there. Might need a clue.

I have a vague memory of Gandalf shrieking "They're in my hair!"

 

[Pyan]

I have a vague memory of Gandalf shrieking "They're in my hair!"

Umm - no. And I've no idea where you got that from...

Clue: it's somewhere between Parth Galen and the Rammas Echor...