shadowy_blue
Senior Member
Ok, here's what we got from Tolkien.
Two types (or main modes of uses) of magic mentioned;
Dominance and Preservation (or slowing of decay)
I'll speculate real quick like:
Ok, down the road of speculation that goes on and on we go (shall we stop and smell some flowers?)
Some Sauronic use of Preservation type magic:
- Foundations of Barad-dur, Near indestructibility of One Ring, (Possible use on Orcs of Mordor considering Gorbag's mentioning of the Great Siege), probably some of the partially inserted essence of Sauron in the One Ring itself since Gollum, Bilbo and Frodo are described variously as well-preserved, stretched thin, and unchanged. Sauron doesn't seem to use this magic too much, but these examples (and ones below) are like just like quick ones.
Some Sauronic use of Dominate type magic:
- The One Ring controlling the other Rings, command of troops from afar, Saruman's capture through the Palantir (possible) and probably more than I care to think of at the moment.
Some Gandalfian use of Preservation type magic:
- Himself from aging normally while in mannish form as one. Can't really think of Gandalf using this one much.
Some Gandalfian use of Dominate type magic:
- Fire from nowhere, Fireworks, Word of Command, Words of Opening and probably more.
Some examples of Elvish use of Preservation type magic:
- Lorien, Palantiri, Silmarilli and probably more.
Some examples of Elvish use of Dominate type magic:
- Mirror of Galadriel, Elvish blades that light up, Elven lamps and probably more.
Some examples of Mannish use of Preservation type magic:
- Orthanc, Stone of Erech, Dead Men of Dunharrow and probably more.
Some examples of Mannish use of Dominate type magic:
- Daggers of Westernesse, Silent watchers, Healing with Athelas and probably more.
Some examples of Ainur (Valar, Maiar) use of Preservation type magic
- Valinor, Extension of the lives of the Numenoreans, Sleep of Yavanna and probably more.
Some examples of Ainur (Valar, Maiar) use of Dominate type of magic:
- Command of the Shadowy Seas, Creation of the Dwarves, Chain Angainor and probably more.