# Elven magics



## Branwen (Jan 28, 2002)

I know Elves were immortal,but it's obvious that they had many other magic qualities that Men hadn't.I was wondering,what?...In LotR,there were mentioned that Elven singers(bards) were able to see what they sang about.And,as I remember Legolas could sleep but also be watchful.Then,Galadriel's mirror(but wasn't it magic because of the ring Galadriel had?...).Does anybody know other Elven magics?...


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## Beleg Strongbow (Jan 28, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Branwen _
> *I know Elves were immortal,but it's obvious that they had many other magic qualities that Men hadn't.I was wondering,what?...In LotR,there were mentioned that Elven singers(bards) were able to see what they sang about.And,as I remember Legolas could sleep but also be watchful.Then,Galadriel's mirror(but wasn't it magic because of the ring Galadriel had?...).Does anybody know other Elven magics?... *




Yo Branwen the elvish glass was a part of a silmaril, all elves don't sleep they walk in their dreams (eyes opun 2 see anything) in Valinor. I'm sorry i don't know anything bout singers.


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## Sirona (Jan 29, 2002)

Luthien did with her hair something magical,even Morgoth could not resist that and got sleep.There are many things that they've done,like a Palantir for example ...


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## Lantarion (Jan 29, 2002)

Good example, Sirona. Welcome to the forum! 
The Mirror of Galadriel had the light of Eärendil in it, and as we all know Eärendil was the 'vessel' who carried a Silmaril in the sky. So perhaps the Silmarils had some odd magical powers (after all, Fëanor the Skilled made them, who was the most gifted and strong-spirited of all the Elves in Arda). 
And I recall Legolas' "dream-walking" to be something like resting, but instead of dreaming (creating nonsensical pictures in your head) their spirit walks as if fully awake in a sort of Heaven, which could very possibly be Valinor. So maybe when Elves sleep, they can travel and glimpse at Valinor, but they can't interact with anything or anybody there. Iiinteresting...
Elven eyesight was extraordinary, and I don't know whether that can be counted as a magic anyway. But I say that if you can see an orc from over a hundred miles away, and spot an eagle which is circling the earth over three miles above it, you have to either have pretty damn radical contact lenses, or some sort of 'magic' .
I think the Elven Rings (posessed at the time of the WR by Gandalf, Galadriel and Elrond) had some kind of powers, and they are being discussed in another thread somewhere around here. I think you may have been able to build things with them, or create visionary pictures and blueprints through them, or 'see' the tohughts of others, or sense danger well before it hits, or something else as handy.


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## Sirona (Jan 29, 2002)

Thank you Pontifex 
Branwen: Galadriel and Elrond knew some things of the future,it's some kind of magic powers too,isn't it?


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## Talierin (Jan 29, 2002)

> 'For this is what your folk would call magic, I believe; though I do not understand clearly what they mean; and they seem also to use the same word of the deceits of the Enemy. But this, if you will, is the magic of Galadriel.


--Mirror of Galadriel

It seems to me that the Elves could do more "magic" things than Men becaue they were more 'perfect', the firstborn of the Children of Iluvatar. Things like the Mirror of Galadriel they could do naturally.


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## Nocturno (Jan 29, 2002)

*Nature tech?*

I think the making of the rings is proof enough of magic!
But I believe the issue was left grey enough on purpose.
One could argue that elves are much more connected to nature and the "forces of the world" than men, so they are able to use them better.
The boats that are both strong and very light, the lights at night, and other similar tricks could be explained as some "nature based technology" (uuh, that's an ugly word).
But the blueish light of a sword when orcs approach is a harder one.
Then again, being more connected to unseen forces of nature can be defined as magic.!


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## Sirona (Jan 30, 2002)

It could be so. Don't you remember how Gandalf and Elrond saved Frodo from the Nazgul when he was riding on Glorfindel's horse? I think that "river" thing was magic. The river was conected to Elrond, and did what he wanted it to do.


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## Nocturno (Jan 30, 2002)

But all elves? 

Are all elves capable of magic? That's another issue.
Silvan Elves look quite "normal" most of the time, even Legolas.
I guess most of the Avari, being not in touch with the land of the Valar, did not develope those skills.
Maybe it's Valinor all the time, when you talk about elven magic.  

And men? Not a single filament of magic. Just some "vision" among the best in Gondor. Which can be related to elven and Maiar blood anyway!


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## Kyrè (Jan 30, 2002)

You know, some elves aren't to bad at archery.(ahem) (even though that might not be a magical thing)


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## Sirona (Jan 30, 2002)

Even Legolas did many weird things like talk to the trees,and walk without touching the ground(o.k that isn't exactly so,but...)
and many other things.
Hey, Branwen! Help me, you know what i'm talking about, don't you?


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## Branwen (Jan 31, 2002)

..um,I guess...
Legolas talked to trees because he was from Mirkwood,so narurally,he was very fond of them.(on the other hand,Gimli was very fond of caves,mountains etc.but he didn't talk to the rocks?...Did he?!!).The point is probably that some trees could ANSWER Legolas(I mean ents and huorns,if I spelled correctly),so he talked to trees because of this.
And,what do ya mean 'walking without touching the ground'?Was Legolas capable of this?I don't remember;well,he was able to run extremely fast so to tell it literally-he moved without touching the ground.Kind of this,I don't know...
And,as Nocturno said,were ALL elves capable of magic?..Or only 'the chosen ones'?...


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## Sirona (Jan 31, 2002)

I think, that every elve could do something more or less magical. There were great elves and "simple elves", but all of them were elves.Galadriel-the oldest elve in Middle-Earth, Elrond had Maiar blood... They had something "more" and they were special among elves. But Legolas wasn't so "special", he was only a king's son, but he also had powers.He was a chosen one? Maybe. But don't think only about that.


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## Branwen (Jan 31, 2002)

...well Legolas did have powers but not many and not very special.Hey could his 'powers' have been somehow strengthened because he took part in the Fellowship of the Ring?Everyone of the Fellowship had something special,not necessarily magic,but stilll.They all,at some points,were 'the chosen ones'...but that's another topic.
Maybe elven magic qualities depended on an each elf himself?On his blood(you said Elrond had a bit of Maia's blood),on his mind,his will and wishes?...Something like that.Or it was decided by the Valars which elves were supposed to have magic powers or not?...
Or?....


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## Sirona (Jan 31, 2002)

No. The Valar couldn't do that. The elves were the sons of Eru Iluvatar and only he had the power to decide something about them.But ,i think, it's possible that elves,like human, were different and maybe there were loosers elves too


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