Worldbuilding Wednesday 3/28/18: The Lord of the Things, Part IV

A stylized yet effective illustration of a Nazgul, by K. Mendon

A stylized yet effective illustration of a Nazgul, by K. Mendon

The great shadow descended like a falling cloud. And behold! It was a winged creature: if bird, then greater than all other birds, and it was naked, and neither quill nor feather did it bear, and its vast pinions were as webs of hide between horned fingers; and it stank. A creature of an older world maybe it was, whose kind, lingering in forgotten mountains cold beneath the Moon, outstayed their day, and in hideous eyrie bred this last untimely brood, apt to evil. And the Dark Lord took it, and nursed it with fell meats, until it grew beyond the measure of all other thigns that fly; and he gave it to his servant to be his steed. Down, down it came, and then, folding its fingered webs, it gave a croaking cry, and settled upon the body of Snowmane, digging its claws, stopping its long naked neck.

There are as many versions of fellbeasts (the name given to the Nazgul’s flying mounts, as Tolkien did not name them) as there are of Smaug. Most show black, dragonlike creatures with long necks and webbed wings. Their heads show the most variation — in the movie, they were blunt and wormlike, but I’ve also seen vulture, lizard, snake, and pterodactyl heads. The pic above reminds me of Maleficent the dragon in the Disney movie Sleeping Beauty. Tolkien did not mention them having teeth, so I always pictured them with a beak.

I’m finishing up Tolkien month with name variations of minor characters, including the much-maligned Tom Bombadil who was left out of the movies.

Lord of the Rings Name Variations

ARWEN

Yarwen

Ayshien

Ularwen

Arrin

Irzen

Orren

Erlyn

Aweth

Orwen

Aefrell

Aythisen

Aimaen

CELEBORN

Ceprichord

Delecomb

Queleborn

Cáleborn

Cyleborn

Kheleborn

Ceneborn

Caleborn

Cyleborn

Celeberry

Celevoirne

Cethriborn

GLORFINDEL

Garfiddle

Glomfindel

Glorynel

Smorfindel

Glorfinder

Gorfinden

Glortazel

Svorfindol

Glormarsel

Gorimmal

Glojaragel

Glyphendel

WORMTONGUE

Wormlungs

Voreclaws

Bloomfart

Womarze

Wormvoice

Horkface

Bormarsh

Warmfage

Wormnose

Vërmjaws

Wormheart

Warminster

BILBO

Bölbo

Bilbae

Bibro

Baldho

Bálbo

Gylbo

Binbo

Bilby

Bolbo

Bilzo

Bëlbo

Báybo

HOBBIT SURNAMES

Biggins

Bagner

Baggaunt

Boggins

Tassleknot

Barhawk

Kilshore

Spadetroth

Havenfall

Tick

Penstride

Pursefawn

TOM BOMBADIL

Tam Bombadis

Tog Bambadid

Tod Bobavil

Tom Bumbaddle

Tim Bombuvoort

Thom Bossbasil

Lum Bobadis

Tomas Bymbad

Tom Bomadip

Toc Bashbadan

Tov Bymbadin

Nol Buffbuggin

BUTTERBUR

Butterban

Briarbur

Braceburn

Blunterbus

Batterburn

Bloodbyrn

Woolburr

Butterbin

Copperburn

Bitterbum

Blisterburn

Butterbest

SHADOWFAX

Shivafox

Carrowflay

Shadownot

Nafufax

Sparrowfath

Shadaunter

Widowfae

Shudderax

Shadowbright

Shalirod

Shadowfess

Shaloffax

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