# Does Glamdring Actually Do Anything (Other Than Be Tough/Glow Around Orcs)?



## Gloranthan (Dec 7, 2022)

Glamdring is extremely sharp, extremely durable, and glows around orcs. However, we can craft specialty alloy swords which are incredibly sharp, we can sharpen swords pretty easily, and they already last longer than the lifetime of a human being if maintained - the durability of Glamdring is really only relevant to immortals.
In almost any other fantasy setting a named/ancient sword actually has powers - it catches fire, absorbs spells, shoots lighting, or does 'magic damage boosting'. We can see Gandalf cut the troll chains (probably iron, trolls aren't exactly elven smiths) but you can actually do that with tool steel already, if you're strong enough. Being very sharp makes them more efficient weapons, but it's not _that_ big of a difference in practical terms.

As far as I remember Glamdring never serves any purpose that a regular nice sword wouldn't, other than give an orc warning system. I have checked what I can find in the Wikis and tried to recall it from the books, but I don't think we see any 'magic' weapons that would match what people have come to expect from _The Broken Sword_ (where Tyrfing carves through trolls and armor like cheese), much less role-playing games, where 70% of your damage can be pure magical fire and bonuses, even if you're a sickly eight year old.


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## Ent (Dec 7, 2022)

I believe this is because Tolkien nearly specifically eschewed 'magic' as such.
Glamdring was forged to do just what it did, and because it was wielded by 'mighty' folk, it was feared by the Orcs greatly.
But other than that, Tolkien developed virtually nothing (other than perhaps the Wizards' staffs) that provided any 'aid' to the people.

As we remember, even the Wizards weren't sent to 'use their powers' but to aid the 'good' in their own fight against the 'evil'. 

Tolkien's world in many ways, intended to be viewed as 'history' rather than just 'fantasy', was purposefully restrained from following in the path of much of the other 'fantastic' lore previously seen. (Though we can't overlook that Elves, Valar, and Ainur certanly had 'powers'.)

This is why Galadriel notes "what you call magic" (also referred to in other places.)

Best I've got at present on this one I fear.


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## Gloranthan (Dec 7, 2022)

That's more or less what I had figured, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something trixy the sword did.
It did shatter that Balrog firesword, which is pretty metal. That scene between Gandalf and the Balrog is the most awesome fight scene in any of the books. Gandalf is...not someone you want to take lightly. Old man, indeed.
Ian McKellin really kills that scene in the film, too. I love the way he's yelling at the Balrog, even though the Balrog itself is...ridiculous.


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## Ent (Dec 7, 2022)

Gloranthan said:


> Gandalf is...not someone you want to take lightly. Old man, indeed.
> Ian McKellin really kills that scene in the film, too. I love the way he's yelling at the Balrog, even though the Balrog itself is...ridiculous.



Acknowledgements on all here. Of course, they're both Maia. 
Intriguing, Gandalf's earlier statement: "There are many powers in the world, for good or for evil. Some are greater than I am. Against some I have not yet been measured. But my time is coming."

Of course, he said this with regard to the Nine being abroad when he was Gandalf the Grey. It took dying at the hands of another Maia to become Gandalf the White. Yet even then, he did not face the Sorcerer King of the Nine with relish, though he was but a man.

We have many misconceptions with regard to the 'power' issues spoken to in Tolkien's works.


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## Olorgando (Dec 7, 2022)

Frodo and Sam, trying to escape from Shelob's lair, run into an opening barred by Shelob's really thick web. Sam tries to cut through it, with zero effect.
Remember, Sam's "sword" came from the Barrow Downs just like Merry's did. Merry is able to injure the Witch-king sufficiently for Éowyn to kill him.
Back to Shelob's lair. Sam's weapon, a potential danger to the Witch-king, is utterly ineffective against Shelob's web. Frodo's Sting slices the same web with hardly any effort. Had Gandalf the White seriously taken Glamdring to the Witch-king, the latter would have resembled a pile of sliced salami or whatever in about 10 seconds - until the slices then dissolved like they did when Éowyn dealt the W-k that fatal stab. That utterly ludicrous GtW - W-k confrontation in PJ's film was one occasion where I had the fleeting urge to do crippling-to-lethal bodily damage to PJ.


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## Gloranthan (Dec 7, 2022)

Olorgando said:


> Frodo and Sam, trying to escape from Shelob's lair, run into an opening barred by Shelob's really thick web. Sam tries to cut through it, with zero effect.
> Remember, Sam's "sword" came from the Barrow Downs just like Merry's did. Merry is able to injure the Witch-king sufficiently for Éowyn to kill him.
> Back to Shelob's lair. Sam's weapon, a potential danger to the Witch-king, is utterly ineffective against Shelob's web. Frodo's Sting slices the same web with hardly any effort. Had Gandalf the White seriously taken Glamdring to the Witch-king, the latter would have resembled a pile of sliced salami or whatever in about 10 seconds - until the slices then dissolved like they did when Éowyn dealt the W-k that fatal stab. That utterly ludicrous GtW - W-k confrontation in PJ's film was one occasion where I had the fleeting urge to do crippling-to-lethal bodily damage to PJ.


So, are you saying: the Barrow weapons, which had spells to be effective against the Dark, were nonetheless not capable of the same kind of spiritual damage that Foehammer and Sting did? I can certainly believe that elves do it better than humans, that seems to be a trend.


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## Ent (Dec 7, 2022)

Olorgando said:


> where I had the fleeting urge to do crippling-to-lethal bodily damage to PJ.


We are thankful he was out of your reach, or you might not be with us to share this post.


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## Ent (Dec 7, 2022)

Gloranthan said:


> So, are you saying: the Barrow weapons, which had spells to be effective against the Dark


I reall something about that barrow blade. I’m going on a hunt.


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## Ent (Dec 7, 2022)

“So passed the sword of the Barrow-downs, work of Westernesse. But glad would he have been to know its fate who wrought it slowly long ago in the North-kingdom when the Dúnedain were young, and chief among their foes was the dread realm of Angmar and its sorcerer king. No other blade, not though mightier hands had wielded it, would have dealt that foe a wound so bitter,”

this barrow blade was specifically forged against the Witch King, whatever that may mean to us.


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## Gloranthan (Dec 7, 2022)

Ent said:


> “So passed the sword of the Barrow-downs, work of Westernesse. But glad would he have been to know its fate who wrought it slowly long ago in the North-kingdom when the Dúnedain were young, and chief among their foes was the dread realm of Angmar and its sorcerer king. No other blade, not though mightier hands had wielded it, would have dealt that foe a wound so bitter,”
> 
> this barrow blade was specifically forged against the Witch King, whatever that may mean to us.


I remember from the ICE Modules that those barrows were of people who fought the Witch King when he dominated the north. No idea how much that's Tolkien, but it makes sense.


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## Olorgando (Dec 7, 2022)

Ent said:


> this barrow blade was specifically forged against the Witch King, whatever that may mean to us.


Glamdring was the sword of Turgon as per Elrond's explanation in "The Hobbit". Turgon was son of Fingolfin, who gave Morgoth seven wounds that never healed in their one-on-one combat with *his* sword. I'd guess Turgon's sword would be similarly deadly to Morgoth and all his minions as was Fingolfin's. Sorry, but the W-k is hardly chicken droppings in the context of the First Age. He was afraid of Boromir I of Gondor??? He'd need a change of diapers after fleeing from any confrontation with Beren, Huor, Húrin, Tuor or Túrin (especially the last with that dreaded Black Sword)!


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## Ent (Dec 7, 2022)

The Barrows were eventually filled with evil spirits from Angmar as well, after it’s overthrow.


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## Ent (Dec 7, 2022)

Olorgando said:


> Glamdring was the sword of Turgon as per Elrond's explanation in "The Hobbit". Turgon was son of Fingolfin, who gave Morgoth seven wounds that never healed in their one-on-one combat with *his* sword. I'd guess Turgon's sword would be similarly deadly to Morgoth and all his minions as was Fingolfin's. Sorry, but the W-k is hardly chicken droppings in the context of the First Age. He was afraid of Boromir I of Gondor??? He'd need a change of diapers after fleeing from any confrontation with Beren, Huor, Húrin, Tuor or Túrin (especially the last with that dreaded Black Sword)!


While I can’t disagree with you, I also can’t disagree with Tolkiens written text. The barrow blade was forged all those ages ago with the Witch King specifically in view. 
The point is to reconcile the texts not set them in conflict with one another.


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