In which Herodotus has a serious axe to grind regarding Egyptian geography Egypt is long but narrow, with mountains on the east side and mountainous desert on the west. It would take a long time to walk across. Herodotus goes … Continue reading →
In which babies are abandoned, for science! So a quick recap of CLIO would go like this. First there was a guy named Croesus the Lydian, who spent a fabulous fortune, invaded Persia, and was captured by the lord of Persia, … Continue reading →
DA:I – Dragon Age 2 was a very good game for the first 90% or so, but it fell apart completely at the end; I am here referring to the last two main quests, “Best Served Cold” and “the Last … Continue reading →
Q: So the Valar killed Morgoth and then they (and the Calaquendi elves led by Finarfin) just went back to Valinor? A: No, not exactly. Morgoth is unkillable. The Valar cast him into the outer darkness (where Ungoliant came from). … Continue reading →
There were, by this point, only three of the seven sons of Fëanor still alive. Three brothers, Celegorm, Curufin, and Caranthir died in the Second Kinslaying, when they tried to wrest the Nauglamir and silmaril from Dior. And one, Amrod, … Continue reading →
Okay, so, you’re probably expecting to hear that Maedhros and the other sons of Fëanor heard about Thingol’s silmaril, and then they went to Menegroth to murder him. That’s not actually what happened, though! Not because of any lack of … Continue reading →
The Battle of Unnumbered Tears went exactly as poorly as you might expect, given its name. Half of the human warriors on the elf side were secretly in league with Morgoth, who offered them the land they took from the … Continue reading →
Picture it: Fingolfin, high king of the Noldor, sharing a glass of wine with his esteemed colleague Thingol, high king of the Sindar. Suddenly a messenger bursts in. “Sires! Everything is on fire!” The kings exchange quizzical looks, and question … Continue reading →
Morgoth unleashed his very first dragon, a wingless wyrm named Glaurung, upon the Noldor with the intention of Glaurung laying waste to the whole of the Northlands. Either this was Morgoth’s idea or else it was Glaurung acting independently, I’m … Continue reading →
This is where we have to step back and remember that Tolkien was writing a history, rather than a novel. If Fëanor’s death comes across as an anticlimax, then remember that Alexander the Great drank himself to death, Stalin died … Continue reading →
