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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mkletch" data-source="post: 102377" data-attributes="member: 3396">TolkienAll of Tolkien's works are in a world where magic does not map well to DnD.  However, looking at epic from the perspective of 'far better/cooler than most normal people can dream of', I would say that anybody that appears on a geneological chart in the back of the Silmarillion would qualify as epic, plus many others:  Feanor, Maedhros, Maglor, maybe others of the seven sons  Ingwe of the Vanyar  Elwe/Thingol Greycloak  Fingolfin, Turgon, Fingon  Hurin, Turin Turambar (killed Glaurung)  Huor, Tuor, Earendil (killed Ancalagon)  Elrond  Beren, Luthien (she sang Morgoth to sleep!), etc.  Glorfindel (killed a balrog)  Ecthelion (killed Gothmog)  Beleg Cuthalion  CirdanThese guys were incredible, just plain incredible.  The writing style of the Sil leaves a lot of the detail implied or hidden, but there really is no doubt.  Consider how subtle the power scale is in Tolkien's world, then how it matches up to killing Balrogs (Balors), Dragons, Carcharoth and such.  Despite the lack of flash, the characters in Tolkien's legends are certainly epic.Some might argue that this takes this OT, but Tolkien drew so heavily from such a wide variety of real world myths that you could consider his works a 'casserole'.  Not as pure as a steak (Beowulf or the Icelandic sagas), but just as filling, and perhpas more tasty depending on your mood or preference.I don't consider Melian, Gandalf, Saruman, Sauron, etc. as epic heroes.  They may have epic-level prestige class levels or something, but at their heart they are (native?) outsiders, not human/elf/dwarf or similar PC types; something beyond a 'standard hero', as a previous poster said that most of Superman's abilities come from his 'Kryptonian template'.Well, I've said more than enough...-Fletch!</blockquote>

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