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Which parts of D&D came from Tolkien?
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<blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 7264686" data-attributes="member: 92511"><p>Let's seeee....hmmm...</p><p></p><p><strong>Characters & Creatures:</strong></p><p>Halflings -obvs.</p><p>Elves - Pretty much everything about D&D elves as a player character race and as their original incarnation as a race-class capable of both weapons and magic. Both the general description, size, interests/culture and the specific breakdown of "High" vs. "Wood" vs. "Grey" (mistakenly referred to in the films as the "high elves" of Gondolin. I believe the shining blond-haired with violet eyes "Fairies", as Gygax first refers to them in the MM, is based from Galadriel, and Elrond references them -at least in the films as far as I recall though don't remember if it's in the books- as his "kin"). Also, as elsewhere mentioned here, the antagonism between elves and dwarves is distinctly drawn from Tolkien.</p><p>Dwarves - This is something of a mish-mosh of Tolkien and his knowledge/appreciation for Anglo-Saxon and Norse mythologies (and others, of course, that he used for other elements). But their size, ever bearded (including the females) appearance, axe-wielding, goblin/orc fighting selves -and the elf antagonism- strikes me as specifically Tolkien. Their giant-fighting, their mining and smithing/crafting skill, love of gold/precious metals are distinctly from the [Norse/Germanic] mythological base.</p><p>Half-elves - whether the D&D Half-elf is intended to mirror Elrond (Tolkien's true "half-elf") or Aragorn (a "man" who has some extra magic/knowledge/nobility in his bloodline). The term certainly, comes from the former, while I think the concept/image/implementation may be the latter. </p><p>Rangers - whole cloth. A character class built specifically so people could play Aragorn.</p><p>Orcs -as the original green pig-faced orcs are taken directly from the images of the Brothers Hildbrandt and those are directly from Tolkien.</p><p>Hobgoblins - Tolkien's Uruk-hai are, arguably, the D&D Hobgoblin. More human-sized, more organized, more militant, more deadly than your run of the mill "goblin." The temptation, to say they are the "Half-Orc" is understandable given their description of being a mix of goblins and evil men...but, like the Half-Elf, I think this is a case of using the term for one concept/idea in the game, and the actual Tolkien creatures/characters, for another. So, my money says the DD&D Hobgoblin is the Tolkien-inspired monsters who tracked down the Fellowship and kidnapped Merry & Pippin.</p><p>Giant Spiders.</p><p>Giant/intelligent/speaking Eagles.</p><p>Giant/Evil/intelligent Wolves a.k.a. Worgs or Wargs.</p><p>Werebears - Bjorn.</p><p>Goblins that ride worgs/wolves.</p><p>Balrogs - a.k.a. "Balrochs" a.k.a. "Type VI" Demons. The wings, the lightning sword, the flaming scourge whip, direct pull. The use of the name "Balor" is actually from the evil king of the Formorians in Irish mythology (who only had 1 eye and I am fairly sure is the basis of D&D's orc deity "Gruumsh." But that would not be Tolkien's doing.) </p><p>Treants - are Ents (as noted multiple times, already). Full stop. </p><p>Wraiths - totally forgot the Wraiths.</p><p>Wights - arguable, but inclusion of the Barrow Wight, like the Ringwraiths, even if wights & wraiths themselves have other folklore and myth behind them, Tolkien's Wight being found in a barrow (burial mound/chambers) and having a corporeal nature (unlike the wraiths) is his own.</p><p></p><p><strong>Items & Places:</strong></p><p>Ring of Invisibility</p><p>Crystal Balls w/Hypnosis</p><p>Elvin Cloaks/Boots</p><p>Weapons that do more damage/special powers against specific foes: While magic swords in fantasy myth and literature are hardly unique to Tolkien, the idea of Sting, Orcrist, Glamdring, -as magic swords that were made to kill goblins & orcs and, so, by extension the swords with extra damage vs. lycanthropes or magic-users, etc... is specifically Tolkien.</p><p>Arguably various wizard/mage staffs. Arguably the Robe of Scintillating Colors from Saruman (though I think Joseph's Many-colored Jacket takes the credit for the basis of both).</p><p>Wizard Towers- While not a definite, I may be stretching, but the concept of Wizards in/building/using Towers as their strongholds (in Basic/BECM) from Orthanc.</p><p></p><p>The very concept of the Dungeon Crawl & Wilderness Adventure are straight out of The Hobbit and LotR - Putting together a band of companions to go a'venturing, versus the individual Hero undertaking a quest of most of the literature of the time, is pure Tolkien: the Mines of Moria, the trek to the Lonely Mountain (i.e. the ENTIRE Hobbit), having to cross paths and interact with different NPCs and creatures, engage in diplomacy and -of course- combat. More than the simple "Hero's Quest" narrative found throughout literature and mythology, the D&D "Adventure" owes a great deal of its episodic nature to Tolkien, and I would add in Howard and Leiber (Moorcock, to me, falls more into the typical Hero's Journey of much Swords & Sorcery style tales).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="steeldragons, post: 7264686, member: 92511"] Let's seeee....hmmm... [B]Characters & Creatures:[/B] Halflings -obvs. Elves - Pretty much everything about D&D elves as a player character race and as their original incarnation as a race-class capable of both weapons and magic. Both the general description, size, interests/culture and the specific breakdown of "High" vs. "Wood" vs. "Grey" (mistakenly referred to in the films as the "high elves" of Gondolin. I believe the shining blond-haired with violet eyes "Fairies", as Gygax first refers to them in the MM, is based from Galadriel, and Elrond references them -at least in the films as far as I recall though don't remember if it's in the books- as his "kin"). Also, as elsewhere mentioned here, the antagonism between elves and dwarves is distinctly drawn from Tolkien. Dwarves - This is something of a mish-mosh of Tolkien and his knowledge/appreciation for Anglo-Saxon and Norse mythologies (and others, of course, that he used for other elements). But their size, ever bearded (including the females) appearance, axe-wielding, goblin/orc fighting selves -and the elf antagonism- strikes me as specifically Tolkien. Their giant-fighting, their mining and smithing/crafting skill, love of gold/precious metals are distinctly from the [Norse/Germanic] mythological base. Half-elves - whether the D&D Half-elf is intended to mirror Elrond (Tolkien's true "half-elf") or Aragorn (a "man" who has some extra magic/knowledge/nobility in his bloodline). The term certainly, comes from the former, while I think the concept/image/implementation may be the latter. Rangers - whole cloth. A character class built specifically so people could play Aragorn. Orcs -as the original green pig-faced orcs are taken directly from the images of the Brothers Hildbrandt and those are directly from Tolkien. Hobgoblins - Tolkien's Uruk-hai are, arguably, the D&D Hobgoblin. More human-sized, more organized, more militant, more deadly than your run of the mill "goblin." The temptation, to say they are the "Half-Orc" is understandable given their description of being a mix of goblins and evil men...but, like the Half-Elf, I think this is a case of using the term for one concept/idea in the game, and the actual Tolkien creatures/characters, for another. So, my money says the DD&D Hobgoblin is the Tolkien-inspired monsters who tracked down the Fellowship and kidnapped Merry & Pippin. Giant Spiders. Giant/intelligent/speaking Eagles. Giant/Evil/intelligent Wolves a.k.a. Worgs or Wargs. Werebears - Bjorn. Goblins that ride worgs/wolves. Balrogs - a.k.a. "Balrochs" a.k.a. "Type VI" Demons. The wings, the lightning sword, the flaming scourge whip, direct pull. The use of the name "Balor" is actually from the evil king of the Formorians in Irish mythology (who only had 1 eye and I am fairly sure is the basis of D&D's orc deity "Gruumsh." But that would not be Tolkien's doing.) Treants - are Ents (as noted multiple times, already). Full stop. Wraiths - totally forgot the Wraiths. Wights - arguable, but inclusion of the Barrow Wight, like the Ringwraiths, even if wights & wraiths themselves have other folklore and myth behind them, Tolkien's Wight being found in a barrow (burial mound/chambers) and having a corporeal nature (unlike the wraiths) is his own. [B]Items & Places:[/B] Ring of Invisibility Crystal Balls w/Hypnosis Elvin Cloaks/Boots Weapons that do more damage/special powers against specific foes: While magic swords in fantasy myth and literature are hardly unique to Tolkien, the idea of Sting, Orcrist, Glamdring, -as magic swords that were made to kill goblins & orcs and, so, by extension the swords with extra damage vs. lycanthropes or magic-users, etc... is specifically Tolkien. Arguably various wizard/mage staffs. Arguably the Robe of Scintillating Colors from Saruman (though I think Joseph's Many-colored Jacket takes the credit for the basis of both). Wizard Towers- While not a definite, I may be stretching, but the concept of Wizards in/building/using Towers as their strongholds (in Basic/BECM) from Orthanc. The very concept of the Dungeon Crawl & Wilderness Adventure are straight out of The Hobbit and LotR - Putting together a band of companions to go a'venturing, versus the individual Hero undertaking a quest of most of the literature of the time, is pure Tolkien: the Mines of Moria, the trek to the Lonely Mountain (i.e. the ENTIRE Hobbit), having to cross paths and interact with different NPCs and creatures, engage in diplomacy and -of course- combat. More than the simple "Hero's Quest" narrative found throughout literature and mythology, the D&D "Adventure" owes a great deal of its episodic nature to Tolkien, and I would add in Howard and Leiber (Moorcock, to me, falls more into the typical Hero's Journey of much Swords & Sorcery style tales). [/QUOTE]
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