# Black Breath



## samjor (Mar 22, 2003)

Does anyone know what the black breath was that knocked out Merry in the chapter STRIDER from the fellowship??

What effect did it have on the victim?

Merry said he had a dream while under the influense of the black breath was this some sort insight into future event, such as the dreams frodo had of the White tower?


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## Melko Belcha (Mar 22, 2003)

The Complete Guide to Middle-earth


> Black Breath - Name given to the fell influence of the Nazgul, which resulted in depair, unconsciousness, and bad dreams, and after prolonged exposure, in death. Athelas was an effective remedy.


This is the best I can do.


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## samjor (Mar 22, 2003)

Thank you


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## BlackCaptain (Mar 22, 2003)

The black breath is a magical gift the Nazgûl have that turns thier victims temporarily insane, or dilusional... It was probably used on Merry so he wouldn't start yelling and calling for gaurds to come... The Nazgûl were stealth-oriented beings... They are fierce in combat, but only when they need to... The Black Breath, is a gift that can prevent them from being noticed...


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## Theodwyn (Mar 22, 2003)

Yes, that is basically what it is. But Morgul King- are you sure that they were trying only to stop Merry from screaiming out? I always thought that it had something to do with him being a hobbit. Now I am a little confused.


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## gilgalad (Mar 22, 2003)

Now that you mention it, it's quite strange that they paralysed him and nothing else. I mean, if they knew at that stage that they were looking for a hobbit, why didn't they carry out some kind of search of Merry? Or interrogate him?

Welcome to the forum by the way Theodwyn.


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## Courtney (Mar 22, 2003)

The nazgul could sense the Ring. they would have known immediately that Merry did not have it.


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## BlackCaptain (Mar 22, 2003)

Because, Merry is only a small Hobbit, whats the use of killing a helpless Hobbit when all they had to do was paralyze him temporarily? Killing him would have created lots of noise (Merry would scream with pain while being killed) and the whole "Stealth Mission" would be over...

Theodwyn, they would have killed Merry, if he had the ring on him... or they probly just would have black breathatized him and taken him away... then killed him...

gilgalad... Merry would be to afraid to say anything. Men of Gondor became so scared they went crazy when the Nazgul only flew above Gondor and started screaming... Merry would have passed out from fright... It would be no use to interogate him...


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## Niniel (Mar 23, 2003)

I guess that's right. And besides, there lived many hobbits in Bree, and they didn't know Merry was a friend of Frodo. They might just have thought he lived in Bree, so they didn't think it was necessary to interrogate him.


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## gilgalad (Mar 23, 2003)

I suppose that could explain it alright, although as far as i remember, the majority of hobbits lived in the towns near Bree, and not in Bree itself.


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## Lantarion (Mar 23, 2003)

Hehe, a bit off-topic, but: actually both Men and Hobbits lived together in all of the towns nearby (Bree, Staddle, Combe, Archet). I think the Hobbit population lived on the 'ground-level', and the majority of the Men lived on the actual Bree-hill.


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## gilgalad (Mar 23, 2003)

Fair enough. Morgul King, is your info on the black breath actually based on writings or is it your own assumptions? If it is actually writen about, which book is it in?


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## BlackCaptain (Mar 23, 2003)

The black breath being a halusinator (sp?) to avoid being detected is an assumption... This is based on ... I think it was in FOTR, when Strider was explaining the Nazgul to Frodo and them, he mentioned they do all of thier work in the night time, because they don't want to stir up trouble or anything... I don't remember what book it was in, but I know that it's true, because they obviously were going into bree stealthily. Why else would they only Haluscinate Merry? 

It all works out... Black Breath only drives the person temporarily insane, and sort of paralyzes them. This is obviously a gift given to them to promote Stealth. By temporarily poisening someone's mind, and i stress temporarily, they can get in and out wherever they want quickly and effitiantly. That is stealth, so the Nazgûl were therefore trying to be un-noticed when entering bree. 

Melko Belcha's definition is fact, and I took it one step further and grew on it...

So it isn't written down as fact anywhere that the Black Breath was a specific stealth tool, but given the circumstances, what else could it be? Im sure they wouldnt just toy with a Hobbit for no reason by giving him nightmares...


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## elf boy (Mar 24, 2003)

It's simple, those that are neither living nor dead don't brush...


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## BlackCaptain (Mar 24, 2003)

Hahaha.... It would nock me out if someone who hasnt brushed thier teeth for thousands of years breathed on me...


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## Melko Belcha (Mar 25, 2003)

Posted by Lantarion


> I think the Hobbit population lived on the 'ground-level', and the majority of the Men lived on the actual Bree-hill.


TFotRing - At the Sign of The Prancing Pony. 


> (Hobbits) lived mostly in Staddle though there were some in Bree itself, especially on the higher slopes of the hill, above the houses of the men.


They were carring Merry off when Nob came apon them and shouted.

TFotRing - Strider



> I couldn't swear to it, but it looked to me as if two men was stooping over something, lifting it. I gave a shout, but when I got up to the spot there was no sign of them, and only Mr. Brandybuck lying by the roadside.


Merry came upon them at Bill Ferny's and when he turned back he feel over, the Nazgul would have been using stealth, so whether they thought he was one of the Hobbits they were looking for or not, they would want to get him to keep secret their presence in Bree. But when Nob shouted they took off, so as to not raise any suspision or comotion.

This my also help.
Letters #210


> Their peril (the Nazgul) is almost entirely due to the unreasonig fear whigh they inspire (like ghosts). They have no great physical power against the fearless; but what they have, and the fear that they inspire, is enormously increased in darkness. The Witch-king, their leader, is more powerful in all ways than the others; but he must not yet raised to the stature of Vol. III. There, put in command by Sauron, he is given an added demonic force. But even in the Battle of the Pelennor, the darkness had only broken.


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## gilgalad (Mar 25, 2003)

I don't suppose anyone knows of anywhere Tolkien himself wrote spefically on the black breath?


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## BlackCaptain (Mar 25, 2003)

Did he need to? This is a great topic for discussing... I'm rather glad he didn't go into too much depth about it...


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