Magic vs. Power

[The Saucepan Man]

As far as the Witch King and the other Nazghoulies, I would say their command of “magic” is wholly based on their existing in the shadow realm due to the nine rings, not according to any schooling they may have had at Dol Guldor High.

[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] But what about the Minas Morgul College of Further Education? [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

But, it seems that the Nine, or at least the Witch King, did become sorcerors before they became Ringwraiths. Here is a quote from the Silm:

Men proved easier to ensnare. Those who used the Nine Rings became mighty in their day, kings, sorcerors, and warriors of old. They obtained glory and great wealth, yet it turned to their undoing. They had, as it seemed, unending life, yet life became unendurable to them ... And one by one, sooner or later, according to their native strength and to the good or evil of their wills in the beginning, they fell under the thraldom of the ring that they bore and under the domination of the One, which was Sauron's. And they became for ever invisible save to him that wore the Ruling Ring, and they entered into the realm of shadows.

Not only does this tells us that they became kings, sorcerors and great warriors before they entered the realm of shadows, but it also suggests that they did so (or at least some of them did so) before, one by one, they fell under the thraldom of the rings they bore, and thereby under the dominion of Sauron. Also it is suggested that the wills, of some at least, were good in the beginning. Quite possibly they became sorcerors while still remaining "good".

So, those that were able to use "magic" did not gain this ability by virtue of being Ringwraiths. Nor, it seems, was such an ability "imbued" in them by Sauron. They gained it while mortal and, arguably, before they fell under his dominion.

This leaves the question of whether the Rings themselves bestowed the ability to use magic. I do not think that they did. Undoubtedly, the power of the Rings assisted them in gaining kingdoms, weath, power and magic, but I do not believe that they gave them these things directly.

I therefore believe that those of the Nine who were sorcerors before they became Ringwraiths learned their sorcery as a craft.

Now, I am not saying that those who argue that there is no such thing as "learned magic" in JRRT's world are wrong. As far as I am aware, there is no conclusive evidence one way or another. It is simply my interpretation that there was such a thing.