Image from The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey
"Well, well, well! Look who it is; Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, "King under the Mountain". Oh, but I'm forgetting; you don't have a mountain, and you're not a king, which makes you... nobody, really."
The Hobbit, J. R. R. Tolkien
Image from The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey
Whether Tolkien was thinking about the Roc when he wrote the Hobbit Tolkien referred to his creatures’ great eagles.
’Farewell wherever you fare, till your eyries receive you at journey’s end!’
‘May the wind under your wings bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks’
The Hobbit, J. R. R. Tolkien
Image from The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey, Thorin’s Orcrist sword
The Dwarfs and company came upon the Trolls cave and found that it was full of plunder including several swords that had been fashioned in Gondolin and used in the last goblin wars. These swords were ancient and were made skillfully. Thorin, Gandalf, and Bilbo had each acquired one of these swords. They glow blue when anywhere near a goblin.
Two of three swords were given names, once by the maker and again by the goblins. Thorin’s sword was named Orcrist or Goblin cleaver which the goblins called Biter. They hated this sword and anyone who carried it.
Gandolf’s was named Glamdring the Foe-hammer. This sword was adeptly named Beater by the goblins. If it were possible, the goblins hatred for Beater was worse than for that of Biter.
Nothing, really. I have used this technique using thin polystyrene and card stock. I suppose you could use the same technique using wood as long as you have the correct scale lumber on hand. Assembly is quite simple. For my shack door I measured the inside dimensions and added six scale feet to the left, right and top so that I had a surface to place glue and a surface to adhere to the inner side of the door way.
I then used the same measurements minus the six scale inches for my panel insert. I then measured three inches, but you could have gone up to six. I did this for all four sides. For the middle I measured down three and half feet (my door stands seven scale feet tall). From this mark I measured up three inches on the top and the same on the bottom.
Having created an upper and lower rectangles I used a sharp #10 X-acto blade and a small metal rule to carefully cut these away. I then used the knife here, is that magic word again, to carefully cleaned-up my cuts. I followed this with a small square file. Once I was satisfied I carefully glued the “panels” to the front of my door, making sure that it was plumb and square with inside of the door.
Here is another inspirational page that features whimsical structures and airships that were created only from cardboard. These sculptures are simply wonderful and inspiring. Just imagine what can be created from simple and readily available materials.
Clap! Snap! The black crack!
Grip, grab! Pinch, nab!
And down, down to Goblin town-
You go my lad!
Clash, crash! Crush, smash!
Hammer and tongs! Knocker and gongs!
Pound, pound, for underground!
Ho, ho! My lad!
Swish, smack! Whip crack!
Batter and beat! Yammer and bleat!
Work, work! Nor dare to shirk!
While Goblins quaff, and Goblins laugh,
Round and round far underground
Below my lad!
As it were Thorin and company unknowingly made camp on the “front porch”, of Goblin town and were taken hostage and herded to the Great Goblin.
Images from The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey, Text from The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien-The goblins song
“Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere the break of day,
To find our long-forgotten gold,”
Having traveled far they still travel further.
“Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns dim
We must away, ere the break of day,
To win our harps and gold from him!,”
Images from The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey, Text from The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien-The Dwarfs song
I may have posted something similar to this already and if I did I apologize. However, the amount of detail that the author has added to his creation is astounding and I believe it deserves another look. And to think he uses ordinary materials. See for yourself.
China Miéville is the author of several novels that can be categorized under the heading of weird fiction so it does seem to so odd that he would create a list of his favorite weird fiction books. A couple I have read and one I have heard of, but the majority I haven’t read or even heard of. Since this is such a great time to catch up on my reading, I need to investigate some of these titles.
