On Tolkien and Dungeons and Dragons

“Then the pursuit was begun; and the earth shook beneath the horses of the host of Oromë, and the fire that was stricken from the hooves of Nahar was the first light that returned to Valinor. But so soon as any came up with the Cloud of Ungoliant the riders of the Valar were blinded and dismayed, and they were scattered, and went they knew not whither; and the sound of the Valaróma faltered and failed. And Tulkas was as one caught in a black net at night, and he stood powerless and beat the air in vain. But when the Darkness had passed, it was too late: Melkor had gone whither he would, and his vengeance was achieved.” -The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Of the Darkening of Valinor

Hey! I know that spell! The countless times I’ve watched or read modern fantasy, I’ve repeatedly been able to trace ideas back to J. R. R. Tolkien. Being a tenured D&D player, I’ve made parallels that are quite obvious. Just ask my Warlock, Eris, with Devil’s Sight and Darkness. For those who don’t know those terms, Darkness is a spell that magic users can cast that creates a cloud of darkness impenetrable by any light source that blinds all who enter it. Devil’s Sight is the ability to see through it. Sound familiar? Could it be that the story of Ungoliant inspired these spells?

Another example is the sword first called Anglachel, wrought by the dark elf Eöl. It was eventually passed down to everyone’s favorite tragic hero, Túrin Turambar (okay, maybe not everyone’s favorite), and gained the name Gurthang. At that time, Melian the Maia warned Túrin that the blade was evil and would eventually lead to his demise.

"There is malice in this sword. The dark heart of the smith still dwells in it. It will not love the hand it serves, neither will it abide with you long." - The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Of Túrin Turambar

This is the same sword Túrin wields when he accidentally murders his dear friend and mentor, Beleg Cúthalion, and the same sword he purposefully falls upon to take his life. Maybe next time, heed the warning from one of the most powerful Maiar in existence.

I can’t leave out the fact that his sword is sentient:

Túrin: "Hail Gurthang! No lord or loyalty dost thou know, save the hand that wieldeth thee. From no blood wilt thou shrink. Wilt thou therefore take Túrin Turambar, wilt thou slay me swiftly?" Gurthang: "Yea, I will drink thy blood gladly, that so I may forget the blood of Beleg my master, and the blood of Brandir slain unjustly. I will slay thee swiftly."

-The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Of Túrin Turambar

Now, let’s trace this sword to Dungeons & Dragons. There have been plenty of fun loot drops, in my experience, that involve evil weapons that can’t be wielded unless your character is evilly aligned, or at the least not lawfully aligned. Take the sword Blackrazor, for example. Blackrazor is a sentient sword that was cut from obsidian. It has a hunger for souls and must be fed often, and was known to control its wielder. So, playing a Paladin or Cleric class and trying to wield this evil blade would most likely lead to your doom.

Creatures like Mind Flayers, Beholders, and The Demogorgon causing hypnotism, fear, and paralysis can all be traced back to the dragon Allfather, Glaurung. The Ranger class itself was noticeably taken from Aragorn’s character. Some of these connections were noticed by the Tolkien Estate and resulted in a lawsuit against Dungeons & Dragons, citing the plagiarism of names and characters. Thus, Hobbits became Halflings, Nazgûl became Wraiths, Balrogs became Balor, and Ents became Treants. But it leaves me wondering what else may have gone unnoticed. It’s tough to say what belongs to the Tolkien Estate and what belongs to the public domain, considering so much of what Tolkien created was inspired by ancient mythologies.

Even though those debates have already been concluded, it’s still fun to ponder the great minds of D&D creators, new and old, and think of what stories encouraged the worlds they’ve developed. From powerful, sentient weapons, Mithril armor, and half-elves to giant spiders, the tension between Elves and Dwarves, and the adventuring party itself—The Fellowship—it’s hard not to draw comparisons between the two worlds.

Do you have any other examples to add or discuss? Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

-TSS

“Hail, Nienor, daughter of Húrin. We meet again ere the end. I give thee joy that thou has found thy brother at last. And now thou shalt know him: a stabber in the dark, treacherous to foes, faithless to friends, and a curse unto his kin, Túrin son of Húrin! But the worst of all his deeds thou shalt feel in thyself.”

-Glaurung, The Silmarillion