Incidentally, in the Slaine comics based on Celtic myth 'orc' is used as an alternative word for the Fomorians, monstrous humanoids from the northern seas (drawn a bit like D&D sahuagin), ie this fits with the 'Orkney' islands as a source. I think the old-English ogre-orcs may have been related to the Greek sea-orcs. Our modern RPG "horde of minor goblinoid" orcs are definitely 100% Tolkien, though.
Who invented Orcs?
- Thread starter Tuzenbach
- Start date
From my readings:
Orc apparently comes from a proto-Germanic language, and was the word for demon. It was adopted by the Early Romans and Latinized as, "orcus". This word eventually becoming their name for the god of the dead.
Tolkein in turn used 'orc' to distinguish the corrupted elves of Lord of the Rings from the goblins of The Hobbit.
On Fomorians: From the descriptions it's possible the original Formorians were Northern Europeans, proto-Germanics and and proto-Scandinavians who went out 'a-viking' in Early Iron Age predecessors of dragon boats. More refined versions of earlier dugout canoes. Yes, Scandinavians have long been insane.
Orc apparently comes from a proto-Germanic language, and was the word for demon. It was adopted by the Early Romans and Latinized as, "orcus". This word eventually becoming their name for the god of the dead.
Tolkein in turn used 'orc' to distinguish the corrupted elves of Lord of the Rings from the goblins of The Hobbit.
On Fomorians: From the descriptions it's possible the original Formorians were Northern Europeans, proto-Germanics and and proto-Scandinavians who went out 'a-viking' in Early Iron Age predecessors of dragon boats. More refined versions of earlier dugout canoes. Yes, Scandinavians have long been insane.
