#middleearth — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #middleearth, aggregated by home.social.
-
Q: What Was Durin’s Crown?
ANSWER: I received the following inquiry in March 2026:
Hello. There’s a thought I had regarding the Crown of Durin. I have seen in the web endless discussions about which constellation the Crown of Durin might be, which is reflected on the waters on Mirrormere. But, could it be possible that it is no reflection at all, but actually a physical bejewelled crown that […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/what-was-durins-crown/ -
Q: What Was Durin’s Crown?
ANSWER: I received the following inquiry in March 2026:
Hello. There’s a thought I had regarding the Crown of Durin. I have seen in the web endless discussions about which constellation the Crown of Durin might be, which is reflected on the waters on Mirrormere. But, could it be possible that it is no reflection at all, but actually a physical bejewelled crown that […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/what-was-durins-crown/ -
Q: What Was Durin’s Crown?
ANSWER: I received the following inquiry in March 2026:
Hello. There’s a thought I had regarding the Crown of Durin. I have seen in the web endless discussions about which constellation the Crown of Durin might be, which is reflected on the waters on Mirrormere. But, could it be possible that it is no reflection at all, but actually a physical bejewelled crown that […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/what-was-durins-crown/ -
Q: What Was Durin’s Crown?
ANSWER: I received the following inquiry in March 2026:
Hello. There’s a thought I had regarding the Crown of Durin. I have seen in the web endless discussions about which constellation the Crown of Durin might be, which is reflected on the waters on Mirrormere. But, could it be possible that it is no reflection at all, but actually a physical bejewelled crown that […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/what-was-durins-crown/ -
Q: What Was Durin’s Crown?
ANSWER: I received the following inquiry in March 2026:
Hello. There’s a thought I had regarding the Crown of Durin. I have seen in the web endless discussions about which constellation the Crown of Durin might be, which is reflected on the waters on Mirrormere. But, could it be possible that it is no reflection at all, but actually a physical bejewelled crown that […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/what-was-durins-crown/ -
This day we fight!
✅ War axe
✅ Bad attitude
✅ Suspicious amount of confidence
❌ Any actual plan
Men train.
Elves practice.
Dwarves prepare.
Orcs loudly announce victory before the battle starts.
@[email protected] #middleearth #orcs #CirithUngol -
Why Didn’t Sauron Create An Army Of Morgûl-Blade Slaves?
ANSWER: I have been asked about this a few times over the years, although not very often. It’s one of those questions that kind of pops into your mind when you’re reading the story for the nth time. Or maybe you’re reading a blog like this one and someone mentions an item or something and suddenly your mind starts wandering.
I received […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/why-didnt-sauron-create-an-army-of-morgul-blade-slaves/ -
Sharing for my fellow #Tolkien folks!
“To many in the Tolkien fandom, #audiobooks are a vital way to explore #JRRTolkien’s and Christopher Tolkien's work. To date… Christopher Tolkien's ‘The History of Middle-earth’ as a complete set with consistent and separate narration for Christopher and J.R.R's voices remains undone.
“Let's show HarperCollins that we have the interest and support to make these audiobooks happen. Share with your friends and communities!” #petition #MiddleEarth #fantasy
-
Q: Why Were J.R.R. Tolkien’s Works So Revolutionary?
ANSWER: I think people sometimes give J.R.R. Tolkien credit for inventing things he didn’t invent. Tolkien did not invent Elves, Dwarves, dragons, magic swords, enchanted rings, heroic quests, ancient kingdoms, or supernatural enemies. Other writers had created imaginary worlds before The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were published, and […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/why-were-j-r-r-tolkiens-works-so-revolutionary/ -
Q: Why Did The One Ring Allow Frodo To Hand It To Bombadil?
ANSWER: I had half-written this article and then had to stop working on it. I left the browser window open but when I came back to it the article vanished. So it’s possible I haven’t reconstructed all my previous ideas and I may miss something in what follows (as I wrote it hastily). I received the following questions in December […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/why-did-the-one-ring-allow-frodo-to-hand-it-to-bombadil/ -
Q: What Was Sauron’s True Name?
ANSWER: Sauron’s “true” name must be one of the most popular topics among Tolkien fans who dive deep into the minutiae of the books. When Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli were discussing the Orcs whom Boromir had killed, they pondered what the “S” rune on their helms might represent. Aragorn dismissed the idea that it could represent “Sauron” because “he does not […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/what-was-saurons-true-name/ -
Q: What Did Tolkien Mean When He Used ‘Swart’ And ‘Swarthy’ To Describe Elves And Men?
ANSWER: I have deferred answering this question because of my recent post about Andy Serkis. I received this question in September 2025 and as I process my queue of visitor-submitted questions it was coming up when Andy made waves in the news. I hope enough time has passed that people won’t mind my […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/what-did-tolkien-mean-when-he-used-swart-and-swarthy-to-describe-elves-and-men/ -
Q: Why Didn’t The Elves Destroy The Three Rings?
ANSWER: People have asked many questions about the Rings of Power. I received the following question about the Elven rings in July 2025:
… why did the Elves keep the Three Rings all those years, instead of destroying them? They had access to Mount Doom for at least the first millennia of the 3rd Age. The Keepers wanted to keep the power […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/why-didnt-the-elves-destroy-the-three-rings/ -
Q: When Does A Tolkien Question Stop Being About Tolkien?
ANSWER: Through the years I receive occasional thoughtful opinions or responses to recent posts on this blog, where long-time readers feel I may have strayed beyond their expectations or – in some cases – comfort zones. Those two areas are not the same (in my eyes). There may be other, unseen boundaries I occasionally cross. Years ago, […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/when-does-a-tolkien-question-stop-being-about-tolkien/ -
Q: Why Were Arnor And Gondor Separate After Isildur Died?
ANSWER: I received the following question from a reader in November 2025:
Why were Armor and Gondor sundered after Isildur’s death, if long-range communications with the Palàntiri was a thing?
Technically, the realm of Elendil persisted until Third Age year 861, when Amlaith and his two (unnamed) brothers divided Arnor into three […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/why-were-arnor-and-gondor-separate-after-isildur-died/ -
Q: Did The Mouth Of Sauron Survive The War Of The Ring?
ANSWER: I received this question in October 2025:
Do you think the Mouth of Sauron could have survived Sauron’s defeat?
Therefore, could he still be alive during the fourth age and still roaming Middle earth and represent a menace?
I can see different ways he might have survived. So far as I know, unless there is some letter out there […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/could-the-mouth-of-sauron-have-survived-the-war-of-the-ring/ -
Q: Were The Shire Hobbits White-skinned?
ANSWER: This question was inspired by Andy Serkis’ recent response to criticisms about his casting for The Hunt for Gollum. Serkis, according to Variety and other sources, said that “… I don’t think we will be doing a politically correct just-casting-for-the sake-of-casting-and-ticking-boxes version of the film…” He added, “So, it’s where […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/were-the-shire-hobbits-white-skinned/ -
Q: How Far Can Elves See?
ANSWER: I received the following question in May of 2025:
Just how far can Elves see and in what detail? In “The Two Towers” right after restoring Theoden, they are looking eastward from outside Meduseld at Edoras. In referring to Legolas it says “It seemed to Legolas, as he strained his farseeing eyes, that he caught a glint of white: far away perchance the sun […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/how-far-can-elves-see/ -
Chapter XVI in The Nature of Middle-earth is titled “Dwellings in Middle-earth”. It begins with a linguistic discussion of various Elvish words used to describe types of dwellings. A dwelling could be as simple as a place where the Eldar slept in the wild, such as a temporary “hall”-like structure.
The concept of a “dwelling place” evolved through different uses, eventually describing […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/halls-houses-and-habitations-of-the-elves/ -
In The Nature of Middle-earth there is a chapter titled “Note On Elvish Economy”. In years past I wrote a great deal about the economies of Middle-earth. But I didn’t have access to NoME in those days. So I thought I’d catch up a little bit on the trivia about Elves and agriculture.
Tolkien wrote this essay on Elvish economy in 1968. The opening paragraph reads thus:
Arable. The Sindar did […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/little-known-details-about-tolkien-elves/ -
The Hobbit "A Special Edition of the Fantasy Classic With 50 Illustrations, Maps, and Sketches from J.R.R. Tolkien" Sale: $75 to $2.99 by J. R. R. Tolkien Rating: 4.9/5 (2,096 Reviews) #Hobbit #Tolkien #Fantasy #Illustrated #Collectors #Books #MiddleEarth #BookLove #Reading #Adventure #BookSky
The Hobbit Illustrated by the ... -
Q: Why Did Mahtan Develop A Beard So Early In Life?
ANSWER: I received the following question in May 2025:
Regarding your wondering about: “Miriel’s father Mahtan had a beard in his second cycle” – this seems a special grace of Aulë whose devotee Mahtan was? Aulë seemed a fan of beards – at least according to his dwarves?
So, first of all, this question quotes an article I wrote in […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/why-did-mahtan-develop-a-beard-so-early-in-life/ -
Happy Hobbit Day to those who celebrate! Happy Birthday Bilbo & Frodo!
Remembering our AWESOME 2019 pre-COVID trip to #NewZealand with a visit to Bag End, Middle Earth, The Shire, #Hobbiton! #InternationalHobbitDay #HobbitDay #JRRTolkien #Tolkien #TheLordOfTheRings #LordOfTheRings #LOTR #TheHobbit #Hobbit #MiddleEarth #Shire #TheShire #WETA #WETAWorkshop #Fenster #Window #PhotographersOfMastodon #Photography #Photo #Photographer #Aotearoa #Film #Frodo #Bilbo -
[caption id="attachment_17086" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Gildor Inglorion is a mysterious character in ‘The Lord of the Rings’, but we have as many questions about how he and his people traveled across Middle-earth as about him. Here is what we know.[/caption]
An Elf and a Ranger were camping out in Eriador one night. As they lay in their blankets, the Elf nudged the Ranger and said, […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/where-in-the-wild-is-gildor-inglorion/
-
[caption id="attachment_14608" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Random comments in online discussions about J.R.R. Tolkien and Middle-earth often reveal the unlikely things people believe to be true about Tolkien’s fictional works. Here are a few myths fans share and the truth about them.[/caption]
Q: Are The Myths Of The Tolkien Elves True?
ANSWER: I can’t enumerate every myth about […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/are-these-myths-about-tolkien-elves-true/
-
[caption id="attachment_14385" align="alignright" width="720"] The Teleri built Alqualondë on the northern shores of Aman in Eldamar. But was this Swan-haven considered to be a part of Valinor, too? Here is what we know.[/caption]
Q: Is Alqualondë Formally Considered To Be Part of Valinor?
ANSWER: I received the following question in December 2023:
Is Alqualondë formally considered to […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/is-alqualonde-formally-considered-to-be-part-of-valinor/
-
[caption id="attachment_13705" align="aligncenter" width="720"] The Three Elven Rings were associated with Air, Fire, and Water. Readers want to know if those associations were inspired by Greek philosophy. Here is what we know.[/caption]
Q: What Was the Significance of Air, Fire, and Water for the Three Rings?
ANSWER: I received the following question in December 2023:
One thing that’s […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/what-was-the-significance-of-air-fire-and-water-for-the-three-rings/
-
[caption id="attachment_13346" align="alignright" width="720"] J.R.R. Tolkien mentioned alcoholic drinks several times in ‘The Lord of the Rings’. A reader asks if Legolas was drunk on Caradhras after drinking Miruvor. Here is what we know.[/caption]
Q: Did Legolas Get Drunk In LoTR?
ANSWER: This is a serious question. In October 2023 a reader asked: “Was Legolas drunk at the pass of the […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/did-legolas-get-drunk-in-lotr/
-
[caption id="attachment_13279" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Aragorn is sometimes depicted with a beard and sometimes without. The image of Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn is iconic. But J.R.R. Tolkien himself always pictured the character without a beard. So what happened? Here is what we know.[/caption]
Q: Did J.R.R. Tolkien Confirm That Aragorn Was Beardless?
ANSWER: In March 2022 Alex […]
https://middle-earth.xenite.org/did-j-r-r-tolkien-confirm-that-aragorn-was-beardless/
-
Orodruined - A Middle Earth Shadow of Mordor no commentary longplay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rVFH20olLo #hd #hq #rpg #orc #game #arpg #2024 #lotr #earth #games #short #middle #shadow #mordor #gaming #ranger #action #talion #gollum #gondor #balrog #sauron #tolkien #stealth #gameplay #longplay #orodruin #letsplay #fullgame #thehobbit #mountdoom #losttales #blackhand #celebrimbor #middleearth #gamingclips #silmarillion #shadowofwar #nocommentary #gameplayonly #roleplaygame #gamingvideos