a pale glow..... - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

The Balrog-Durin's Bane · 06-23-2002, 10:33 PM

I know plenty of LOTR knowledge up in this mush of a brain as it takes up about 99.9% of my being, but I still to this day do not know where the pale glow mentioned in LOTR and the hobbit, where Sting, Glamdring, Orcrist, etc. the elven blades glows when orcs are near. Dont give me something like "Its because the elves hate the orcs" or some crap like that please, I would like to know....

Elrian · 06-23-2002, 10:47 PM

The swords were made in the First Age by the Elves of Gondolin for the Goblin Wars in Beleriand, they were made to glow when the enemy was near. That's about all that is known about them.

burrahobbit · 06-23-2002, 11:09 PM

It's sort of like when you are playing a video game and the controller starts to buzz. Bad-guy radar.

The Silver-shod Muse · 06-25-2002, 10:07 AM

Magic, of course. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

(Sorry. I suspect that's just the sort of stupid crap you didn't want.)

[ June 25, 2002: Message edited by: The Silver-shod Muse ]

Daniel Telcontar · 06-25-2002, 11:41 AM

Well, the elvensmiths of old had some secrets we can't unwrap. We will have to be content with that, because I doubt there is a way to find out how they made their swords with this special ability.

Lindolirian · 06-25-2002, 12:13 PM

Well since we don't know, we can always make up something interesting.
Here's my thought: Perhaps they captured some orcs and did some biological experiments on them. Then they saw some ligtning bugs and thought of the biolumensence thing they do. They made a concotion of chemicals that would react to Orc flesh or blood, sweat. etc. when its near so that would cause this new chemical to glow. They coated their swoards in the stuff and Voila! they have Orc detectors.

don't forget, this is only my wacky theory; Tolkien never stated this....

Daniel Telcontar · 06-25-2002, 12:16 PM

Interesting theory... And maybe you are not far from the truth. I mean, when we have no sure facts, then everything is open to your imagination...

O'Boile · 07-26-2002, 12:08 PM

Many of the old elven swords (Like Turin's) had personalities of their own. The sword may have been getting excited/angry when the enemy it was designed to kill came near.

Sarin Elfarmour · 07-26-2002, 02:58 PM

maybe, but maybe not as to the idea of coating the swords with chemicals it would have to be a realy thick coating to last from the first age to the end of the third, the elve wouldnt do some crazy experiment to orcs the way Morgoth and sauruman did, whatever made the swords glow, it was probably miwed into the steel during the forging of the swords

Galadrie1 · 07-26-2002, 06:55 PM

Nice run-on sentence there, Sarin [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] anyway, i completely agree with O'Boile. Though i'm not too sure why the swords would glow when they were "excited"... ah well. Elves and their magic is like real people and their magic: they'll never tell how it's done [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[ July 26, 2002: Message edited by: Galadrie1 ]

Elendur · 07-26-2002, 08:11 PM

Is it possible that the evles put a very small part of their fea into the swords? Or maybe put some other outside spirit into the sword? Because the swords were aware of the world around them. That is proven by Turins sword agreeing to kill him.

And I always thought it was odd that the swords could detect orcs but not other types of evil creatures.

[ July 26, 2002: Message edited by: Elendur ]

littlemanpoet · 07-27-2002, 09:00 AM

I think there's something to the idea that the elves put a little bit of themselves into what they made. And the reason the swords glow only when orcs are around may be because orcs were originally elves, corrupted by Morgoth. It just seems to make sense that the positive and negative would have a strange reaction/repulsion regarding each other. Of course, the orcs sure hated the dwarves, too, but that's another story.

-lmp

Galorme · 07-27-2002, 09:30 AM

The reason that Elves do not explain their Magics to others is not usually for secrecy, but more for the reason why you don’t explain how you walk or talk, it is innate to you. Its like the Elves of Lórien being puzzled by the question "is it magic", as making rope that unties itself, like making a sword that glows when Orcs are around, is just something they do. There are very few times that elves acknowledge magic, and these are usually in the case of Maia (the Istari) or
Half-Maia (Lúthien).

littlemanpoet · 07-28-2002, 04:09 PM

Hear hear, Galorme. I have seldom read a better expression of that point.

lmp

Anna Licumo · 07-28-2002, 08:53 PM

I always saw it as the swords containing a form of melted Mithril, and that with the Elves inhearent magick made them glow when their hated enemys, the orcs, were near. But I honestly have no idea how I came up with that. Just my odd speculation...

06-23-2002, 10:33 PM	#1
The Balrog-Durin's Bane Pile O'Bones Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Waukesha, WI Posts: 18	a pale glow..... I know plenty of LOTR knowledge up in this mush of a brain as it takes up about 99.9% of my being, but I still to this day do not know where the pale glow mentioned in LOTR and the hobbit, where Sting, Glamdring, Orcrist, etc. the elven blades glows when orcs are near. Dont give me something like "Its because the elves hate the orcs" or some crap like that please, I would like to know.... __________________ "Baruk Khazad! Khazad aimenu!"-Battle Cry of the Dwarves meaning "Axes of the Dwarves! the dwarves are upon you!" "...let Gimli son of Gloin warn you against foolish words, You speak evil of that which is far beyond the reach of your thought, and only little wit can excuse you."

06-23-2002, 10:47 PM	#2
Elrian Eldar Spirit of Truth Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Land of the FREE, Home of the BRAVE Posts: 794	The swords were made in the First Age by the Elves of Gondolin for the Goblin Wars in Beleriand, they were made to glow when the enemy was near. That's about all that is known about them. __________________ ~Call me a relic, call me what you will. Say I'm old fashioned , say I'm over the hill. That old whine ain't got no soul. I'll stick to Old Toby and a Hobbit hole.~

06-23-2002, 11:09 PM	#3
burrahobbit Hidden Spirit Join Date: May 2000 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,424	It's sort of like when you are playing a video game and the controller starts to buzz. Bad-guy radar. __________________ What's a burrahobbit got to do with my pocket, anyways?

06-25-2002, 10:07 AM	#4
The Silver-shod Muse Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: The shoulder of a poet, TX Posts: 388	Magic, of course. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] (Sorry. I suspect that's just the sort of stupid crap you didn't want.) [ June 25, 2002: Message edited by: The Silver-shod Muse ] __________________ "'You," he said, "tell her all. What good came to you? Do you rejoice that Maleldil became a man? Tell her of your joys, and of what profit you had when you made Maleldil and death acquainted.'" -Perelandra, by C.S. Lewis

06-25-2002, 11:41 AM	#5
Daniel Telcontar Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2002 Location: Denmark Posts: 713	Well, the elvensmiths of old had some secrets we can't unwrap. We will have to be content with that, because I doubt there is a way to find out how they made their swords with this special ability. __________________ Two beer or not two beer, that is the question; by Shakesbeer

06-25-2002, 12:13 PM	#6
Lindolirian World's Tallest Hobbit Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Where the view is long Posts: 2,117	Well since we don't know, we can always make up something interesting. Here's my thought: Perhaps they captured some orcs and did some biological experiments on them. Then they saw some ligtning bugs and thought of the biolumensence thing they do. They made a concotion of chemicals that would react to Orc flesh or blood, sweat. etc. when its near so that would cause this new chemical to glow. They coated their swoards in the stuff and Voila! they have Orc detectors. don't forget, this is only my wacky theory; Tolkien never stated this.... __________________ 'They say that the One will himself enter into Arda, and heal Men and all the Marring from the beginning to the end."

06-25-2002, 12:16 PM	#7
Daniel Telcontar Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2002 Location: Denmark Posts: 713	Interesting theory... And maybe you are not far from the truth. I mean, when we have no sure facts, then everything is open to your imagination... __________________ Two beer or not two beer, that is the question; by Shakesbeer

07-26-2002, 12:08 PM	#8
O'Boile Wight Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 117	Many of the old elven swords (Like Turin's) had personalities of their own. The sword may have been getting excited/angry when the enemy it was designed to kill came near.

07-26-2002, 02:58 PM	#9
Sarin Elfarmour Animated Skeleton Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 43	maybe, but maybe not as to the idea of coating the swords with chemicals it would have to be a realy thick coating to last from the first age to the end of the third, the elve wouldnt do some crazy experiment to orcs the way Morgoth and sauruman did, whatever made the swords glow, it was probably miwed into the steel during the forging of the swords __________________ Baruk Khazad! Khazad ai-menu

07-26-2002, 06:55 PM	#10
Galadrie1 Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: The wrong place at the wrong time. Posts: 385	Nice run-on sentence there, Sarin [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] anyway, i completely agree with O'Boile. Though i'm not too sure why the swords would glow when they were "excited"... ah well. Elves and their magic is like real people and their magic: they'll never tell how it's done [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] [ July 26, 2002: Message edited by: Galadrie1 ] __________________ "For this is what your folk would call magic, I believe; though I do not understand clearly what they mean; and they seem to use the same word of the deceits of the Enemy. But this, if you will, is the magic of Galadriel."

07-26-2002, 08:11 PM	#11
Elendur Wight Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Arnor Posts: 200	Is it possible that the evles put a very small part of their fea into the swords? Or maybe put some other outside spirit into the sword? Because the swords were aware of the world around them. That is proven by Turins sword agreeing to kill him. And I always thought it was odd that the swords could detect orcs but not other types of evil creatures. [ July 26, 2002: Message edited by: Elendur ] __________________ Son of Isildur.

07-27-2002, 09:00 AM	#12
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	I think there's something to the idea that the elves put a little bit of themselves into what they made. And the reason the swords glow only when orcs are around may be because orcs were originally elves, corrupted by Morgoth. It just seems to make sense that the positive and negative would have a strange reaction/repulsion regarding each other. Of course, the orcs sure hated the dwarves, too, but that's another story. -lmp

07-27-2002, 09:30 AM	#13
Galorme Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: London Posts: 337	The reason that Elves do not explain their Magics to others is not usually for secrecy, but more for the reason why you don’t explain how you walk or talk, it is innate to you. Its like the Elves of Lórien being puzzled by the question "is it magic", as making rope that unties itself, like making a sword that glows when Orcs are around, is just something they do. There are very few times that elves acknowledge magic, and these are usually in the case of Maia (the Istari) or Half-Maia (Lúthien). __________________ Utúlie'n aurë! Aiya Eldalië ar Atanatári, utúlie'n aurë! The day has come! Behold people of the Eldar and Fathers of Men, the day has come!

07-28-2002, 04:09 PM	#14
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Hear hear, Galorme. I have seldom read a better expression of that point. lmp

07-28-2002, 08:53 PM	#15
Anna Licumo Haunting Spirit Join Date: May 2002 Location: Eryn Lasgalen... okay, KS actually. ::sigh:: Posts: 78	I always saw it as the swords containing a form of melted Mithril, and that with the Elves inhearent magick made them glow when their hated enemys, the orcs, were near. But I honestly have no idea how I came up with that. Just my odd speculation... __________________ Rock-a-bye Nazgul, on Weathertop, when the Ring calls, the horses will run. And when Sauron calls, the Nazgul will go, and down will come evil, Ringwraiths and all!