Thank you, Mr. Underhill, I had forgotten about the warg-riding. So any beast that had sharp fangs and claws to keep itself out of an orcan larder, and wasn't too high off the ground for those bowlegs, orcs could ride. That's quite heartwarming, your image of an orc and his faithless steed/ally eyeing one another in lean times, visions of roast warg and orc sushi dancing in their minds.
O'Boile, I agree that elves wouldn't have given orcs rings, but while I can see why Sauron would want to corrupt men and dwarves with rings, why not make some dark devices for the orcs? They never get anything but the leavings, unless you count Grond, but that was really more the Lord of the Nazgul's toy, although orcs were permitted to guard it and be cut down and trampled on while it was dragged into position.
I think Manwe Sulimo's identified a strategic weakness here. Sauron clearly has a problem delegating power outside a tiny coterie of toadying courtiers. A few man-ghost groupies were just adoring enough to keep around as captains, but orcs were too unruly to do anything with but exploit and use up. *sniff!* If only those orcs had had union representation! Perhaps Sauron could have won in the Second or Third Ages if he'd put his trust in some stout orc captains like Ugluk or Shagrat and backed them up with a little of the old Lugburz magic. Ugluk could certainly think on his feet, and Shagrat showed much more tenacity when wounded, more grit in a tight spot, than those pampered Nazgul, running off home to Mordor because they got wetted and unhorsed at the Fords of Brunien!
[ September 05, 2002: Message edited by: Nar ]
|