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Which parts of D&D came from Tolkien?
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<blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 7264660" data-attributes="member: 4937"><p>The elves are adopted from the names of Tolkien's divisions of elves, imagined as referring to physical traits rather than social/cultural choices. Thus we have high elves, gray elves, wood elves and dark elves.</p><p></p><p>Everything about halflings, right down to the racial divisions of them and the expectation that they make good burglars is lifted from Tolkien.</p><p></p><p>Orcs and goblins generally, but specifically, orcs, goblins, and hobgoblins are imagined as different sizes of monstrous humanoids based on a passage in 'The Hobbit' describing the inhabitants of the Grey Mountains.</p><p></p><p>Half-orcs and half-elves, even if reimagined, that's all Tolkien. Balrog's with whips and flaming swords. Giant eagles as basically good creatures. To a large extent, Dwarves as we know them. Rangers with the ability to use crystal balls. Wizards throwing lightning bolts and balls of fire is Tolkien, and traceably and provably so since we know the historical derivation through the Middle Earth mass combat game that influenced D&D. Indeed, a goodly portion of the original low level wizard spell list can be traced to passages in Tolkien, including light, knock, pyrotechnics and hold portal.</p><p></p><p>The silvery metal 'mithril'. The axe of the dwarven lords is Durin's Axe. The elven cloak and boots is Tolkien, as is the tree animating 'Treants', as is the fact that 'Werebears' are not evil, and that goblins ride on worgs. I don't think we can be certain that wights and wraiths wouldn't exist without Tolkien, but they probably certainly influenced the naming of undead creatures.</p><p></p><p>There are plenty of things in the game that are not Tolkien, but the core of the setting is typically Tolkien.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Celebrim, post: 7264660, member: 4937"] The elves are adopted from the names of Tolkien's divisions of elves, imagined as referring to physical traits rather than social/cultural choices. Thus we have high elves, gray elves, wood elves and dark elves. Everything about halflings, right down to the racial divisions of them and the expectation that they make good burglars is lifted from Tolkien. Orcs and goblins generally, but specifically, orcs, goblins, and hobgoblins are imagined as different sizes of monstrous humanoids based on a passage in 'The Hobbit' describing the inhabitants of the Grey Mountains. Half-orcs and half-elves, even if reimagined, that's all Tolkien. Balrog's with whips and flaming swords. Giant eagles as basically good creatures. To a large extent, Dwarves as we know them. Rangers with the ability to use crystal balls. Wizards throwing lightning bolts and balls of fire is Tolkien, and traceably and provably so since we know the historical derivation through the Middle Earth mass combat game that influenced D&D. Indeed, a goodly portion of the original low level wizard spell list can be traced to passages in Tolkien, including light, knock, pyrotechnics and hold portal. The silvery metal 'mithril'. The axe of the dwarven lords is Durin's Axe. The elven cloak and boots is Tolkien, as is the tree animating 'Treants', as is the fact that 'Werebears' are not evil, and that goblins ride on worgs. I don't think we can be certain that wights and wraiths wouldn't exist without Tolkien, but they probably certainly influenced the naming of undead creatures. There are plenty of things in the game that are not Tolkien, but the core of the setting is typically Tolkien. [/QUOTE]
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