The Revived Tolkien Trivia

[Pyan]

Perhaps it was a lost Huorn

 

[HareBrain]

lost Huorn

Flanders and Swann wrote some Tolkien-related stuff. Do you thing this inspired their "Ill Wind"?

 

[Grimward]

Re Flanders and Swann, haven't had the pleasure. Re the large being taking long strides on the Northern Moors, maybe it was just a giant (in search of a storm and a good game of "catch"?). Re Bo's challenge, though, I have an answer...

I'm assuming "we" here is more like the pronoun a king or queen would use to reference themselves

Frodo was an orphan.
Frodo seemingly chosen by supernatural powers of Arda for a mission.
Frodo given a special blade.
Frodo was given a special chainmail shirt.
Frodo had a guide to lead him by hidden paths and a tunnel.
While on his quest, Frodo's path diverged from his cousin's.
Frodo watched in horror as his companion battled an ancient evil and fell to his doom.
The great Eagles are mentioned in Frodo's story.
After the quest, Frodo served in government.
Frodo's heir was highly praised.
Finally, Frodo sailed west.
The tradition is that Frodo arrived in Valinor.
Who are we?

Will admit that this seems too easy, but am willing to be the bait that springs that trap...

 

[HareBrain]

Grim, my guess was that everything applies to both Frodo AND Bilbo (hence the "we"). The bit I couldn't get was that Bilbo served in government (even with Boaz's looser definition). TBH I'm not even sure about Frodo in that regard.

 

[Boaz]

@Grimward Frodo is correct. And so is Tuor. I think they each fit each line. I thought Frodo was obvious, I had hoped Tuor would be difficult to come up with because you'd have Frodo stuck in your brain. You got them in the reverse order of my expectations.

I was an orphan. Both were orphaned as children.
I was seemingly chosen by supernatural powers of Arda for a mission. Ulmo and Gandalf, both Ainur of Eru, selected Tuor and Frodo respectively.
I was given a special blade. Ulmo had a blade made for Tuor. Bilbo gave Sting to Frodo.
I was given a special chainmail shirt. Ulmo had a hauberk made for Tuor. Bilbo gave his mithril shirt to Frodo.
I had a guide to lead me by hidden paths and a tunnel. Voronwe and Gollum.
While on my quest, my path diverged from my cousin's. Tuor watched Turin go to Hithlum. Frodo crossed Anduin while Merry and Pippin went west.
I watched in horror as my companion battled an ancient evil and fell to his doom. Glorfindel and Gandalf both battled Balrogs and fell into crevasses.
The great Eagles are mentioned in my story. Eagles were involved in Tuor's father's story and in Tuor's escape from Gondolin. Eagles rescued Frodo's adoptive father and rescued Frodo as well.
After the quest, I served in government. Tuor was a respected figure in Gondolin and then led the refugees. Frodo served as interim mayor while Will Whitfoot recovered from his imprisonment.
My heir was highly praised. Earendil and Sam... 'nuff said.
Finally, I sailed west. Both took ship for the west.
The tradition is that I arrived in Valinor. Did Tuor make it to Aman? Rumor says yes, but if so, why did Earendil still need to go?
Who are we?

So I just think the parallels in the characters and the common specifics between the particulars in the stories of Tuor and Frodo are very interesting.

 

[Grimward]

Hmm, I wasn't thinking of putting the 2 separate instances together to answer "we", so I guess I backed into it, but it wouldn't be the first time I was the proverbial "blind squirrel" here. I wouldn't assume I have the nut (or bell, as the case would be here); although, I do have a challenge ready should that prove true.

And Hare, I thought about Bilbo too, but who would his cousin be on his quest? In addition to the Government hint (Frodo of course was the Mayor of Michel Delving while Whil Whitfoot recuperated from his incarceration as Bo remembered), I couldn't stretch anyone far enough to fill that blank in for Bilbo, or the companion who fought an ancient evil and fell to his doom while Bilbo watched, either.

 

[Boaz]

@Grimward I award you the win.

 

[Grimward]

Thank you sir.

Who was the Unnamed?

I will take any exact quote, but am thinking of one in particular.

 

[HareBrain]

And Hare, I thought about Bilbo too, but who would his cousin be on his quest?

Frodo! They were first and second cousins, once removed either way, according to the Gaffer. (I assumed this meant that Frodo's and Bilbo's journeys both took them to Rivendell and then diverged.)

 

[Pyan]

Are you referring to the creatures mentioned by Gandalf to Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, when describing what's at the bottom of the abyss in Khazad-dûm, o grim one?

"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."

TT, Bk3, Ch5, The White Rider

 

[Pyan]

Whoa, afterthought!
If it's specifically the word Unnamed, you want, Grimmy, this is what the Rangers of Ithilien seem to call Sauron:

Faramir, to Frodo

Now Faramir's voice sank to a whisper. 'But this much I learned or guessed, and I have kept it ever secret in my heart since: that Isildur took somewhat from the hand of the Unnamed, ere he went away from Gondor, never to be seen among mortal men again.

TT, Bk4, Ch5, The Window on the West

Anborn, to Faramir about Gollum:

I thought I heard the thing hiss at me from high above as I turned away. A large squirrel, maybe. Perhaps under the shadow of the Unnamed some of the beasts of Mirkwood are wandering hither to our woods. They have black squirrels there, 'tis said.'

ibid

 

[Boaz]

"It is not said that evil arts were ever practiced in Gondor, or that the Nameless One was ever named in honour there;..."

The Two Towers, Book IV, Chapter Five, The Window on the West

"But they shall help to rebuild Isengard... and there his lieutenant shall dwell, not Saruman, but one more worthy of trust." Looking in the Messenger's eyes they read his thought. He was to be that lieutenant...

The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter Ten, The Black Gate Opens

And Ar-Pharazon said: "Who is the Lord of the Darkness?"
Then behind locked doors Sauron spoke to the King, and he lied, saying: "It is he whose name is not now spoken; for the Valar have deceived you..."

The Silmarillion, Akallabeth

"Yet that hour, maybe, is not now far away. The Nameless Enemy has arisen again... ...How do the Wise know this ring is his?..."
"That shall be told," said Elrond.
"But not yet, I beg, Master!" said Bilbo. "Already the Sun is climbing high to noon, and I feel the need of something to strengthen me."
"I had not named you," said Elrond smiling.

The Fellowship of the Ring, Book II, Chapter Two, The Council of Elrond

 

[Boaz]

"Hm, but you are hasty folk, I see," said Treebeard. "... I'll call you Merry and Pippin, if you please - nice names. For I am not going to tell you my name, not yet at any rate."

The Two Towers, Book III, Chapter Four, Treebeard

"...Don't want fish."
"The price is not set on the fish," said Faramir. "... What is your name? Whence do you come? Whither do you go? What is your business?"
"We are lost, lost," said Gollum. "No name, no business, no Precious, nothing. Only empty. Only hungry..."

The Two Towers, Book VI, Chapter Five, The Window on the West

 

[Boaz]

@HareBrain Bilbo does not fit all the description. His parents both passed after he came of age.... nor was Frodo even born when Bilbo went on his quest.

 

[Boaz]

Who was the Unnamed? I found the very first unnaming in the very first book. Here is the exact quote:

"A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"

 

[Grimward]

It was the exact quote I was looking for, and either reference from the Window on the West chapter would therefore work, Py...this was the one I had in mind first:

Now Faramir's voice sank to a whisper. 'But this much I learned or guessed, and I have kept it ever secret in my heart since: that Isildur took somewhat from the hand of the Unnamed, ere he went away from Gondor, never to be seen among mortal men again.

Since an "Unnamed Bell" has already been awarded in this thread, I'm afraid you'll have to settle for one that's simply anonymous....

Yours, along with the next challenge.

 

[Pyan]

Thanks, Grimward. *ting*

Who owned a golden belt, studded with garnets? A name and location, please, but no quote needed.

 

[farntfar]

Two things spring to mind, both of them, I think, wrong.
First of all Meneldil with his shining belt. So in the sky.
Second Goldberry, but I think she was actually dressed in flowers.
So third Faramir's mum, who was but a vision of loveliness in his memory.
(and at the same time I keep seeing a picture out of Farmer Giles of §Ham)

At the least this might exclude the three from from other people's searches.

 

[HareBrain]

@HareBrain Bilbo does not fit all the description. His parents both passed after he came of age.... nor was Frodo even born when Bilbo went on his quest.

Ah, I thought orphan just means parents had died by that time. And I took "my path diverged from my cousin's" to mean "the path my cousin's quest had taken".

 

[Boaz]

It is the belt of Baldor, who should have been the third King of Rohan. Aragorn found his body upon the Paths of the Dead, while Gimli watched in fear.

Nonetheless he drew near, and saw Aragorn kneeling, while Elladan held aloft both torches. Before him were the bones of a mighty man. He had been clad in mail, and still his harness lay there whole; for the cavern's air was dry as dust, and his hauberk was gilded. His belt was of gold and garnets, and rich with gold was the helm upon his bony head face downward on the floor.

The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter II, The Passing of the Grey Company