[Boromir88]

But I am not so sure of high the elves were able to manipulate flesh and matter. Perhpas that was a gift of the creator?~Saurreg

I'm pretty much just guessing and making observations, nothing is conclusive or clear.

Now that's something new to me. I think oaths themselves must have some sort of a bidding power as you have placed it - akin to the powers the maiar used for their bidding. Otherwise words spoken hold little substance. But by what power did oath work by? Did one have to swear upon the Gods of Arda or Illuvatar himself so as to get that deity's endorsement for an oath to work? Or was the Oath of Isildur created through whatever powers Isildur innately possessed?

The way I thought of it was that Isildur was just an agent delivering the terms of the curse...in that sort of way.

Perhaps davem's old thread over oath-breaking might be of some more help. You mention the substance of words, and I think there is a special binding power of oaths. Which is the big reason as to why the Fellowship took no oath as far as staying with the company, they could come or go as they please. For if they were to take an oath of staying with Fellowship for so long they were bound to their words...sort of like a contract.

When Isildur curses the Men of the Mountain:

"Though shalt be the last king. And if the West prove mightier than thy Black Master, this curse I lay upon thee and thy folk: to rest never until your oath is fulfilled. For this war will last through the years uncounted, and you shall be summoned once again ere the end."~The Passing of the Grey Company

I don't know if there is any special power within Isildur that cursed the Dead Army...Isildur lays out the terms (being the one that the Men of the Mountain had pledged the oath to) as far is if they wanted to break the curse (and to break it they would have to fulfill the oath that they made). But, I've always thought that the power was in the oath, as the Dead Army had broken their oath...so they pretty much were the cause of their own curse...and Isildur comes by and lays out the terms if they want to break it.

The act of taking an oath is like a binding contract, which is why if you make one, (precisely why the Fellowship was not bound to any oath) you better be prepared to fulfill that oath, or face the consequences.