Conflict in Middle-Earth Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tulkas

"It is told among the wise that the First War began before Arda was full-shaped...and for long Melkor had the upper hand. But in the midst of the war a spirit of great strength and hardihood came to the aid of the Valar...so came Tulkas the Strong, whose anger passes like a mighty wind...and Melkor fled before his wrath and laughter, and forsook Arda, and there was peace for a long age...and his hate was given to Tulkas for ever after." (quote taken from "The Silmarillion")

Answer: Almaren

Not much is known of this land except that it had lush, green grass and was the wedding place of Tulkas and Nessa. After its destruction, the Valar founded their new home in Valinor.

Answer: The awakening of the Elves

When the Elves awakened, the Valar feared for their safety and decided to remove Melkor from Middle-Earth. Instead of rehabilitating him, however, all they managed to do was to bring his evil into their realm, where he wreaked greater harm than even they imagined.

Answer: Balrogs

After destroying the Two Trees and returning to Middle-Earth, Ungoliant demanded that Morgoth hand over all the booty as he had earlier promised. When he refused to give her the Silmarils, she began to weave webs of darkness around him, attempting to strangle him.

In his desperation, he let out a mighty cry of fear, which was heard by his Balrogs. They came to him and managed to cut her webs with their whips of fire and drive her away.

Answer: Kinslaying

Feanor asked the Teleri for use of their ships to sail back to Middle-Earth in pursuit of Morgoth. When they refused, his people began manning the boats anyway. When the Teleri resisted, the Noldor drew their swords and began killing them. While the Noldor eventually wrested control of the ships from the Teleri, this event would alienate the House of Feanor from Thingol Greycloak, Lord of Beleriand as his brother, Olwe, was lord of the Teleri at Alqualonde.

Answer: 5

There were: 1) the First Battle, which was not named; 2) Dagor-nuin-Giliath, the Battle Under Stars; 3) Dagor Aglareb, the Glorious Battle; 4) Dagor Bragollach, the Battle of Sudden Flame, and 5) Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the Battle of Unnumbered Tears.

Answer: the Battle Under Stars

Known as the Dagor-nuin-Giliath, this battle followed on the heels of the First Battle. Seeking to sweep the newly arrived Noldor back into the sea, Morgoth sent his armies against the Elves. Morgoth's forces were beaten back, however, and the Elves pursued them across the grasslands of Ard-Galen toward Angband.

However, Feanor, being in the heat of battle, pulled far ahead of the rest of his army and as he drew near to Angband, a host of Balrogs issued forth. Feanor soon found himself battling alone.

He fought valiantly but was struck down by Gothmog, Lord of the Balrogs. His sons came to his aid and took him off the battlefield, but Feanor died on the journey back.

Answer: 70

The Men of Dor-Lomin formed a wall to hide the retreat of Turgon's army as they made their way back to Gondolin. Finally, Hurin and Huor were the last two alive. After Huor was slain, Hurin "...cast aside his shield, and wielded an axe two-handed; and it is sung that the axe smoked in the black blood of the troll-guard of Gothmog until it withered, and each time that he slew Hurin cried 'Aure entuluva! Day shall come again!' Seventy times he uttered that cry..." (quote taken from "The Silmarillion")

Answer: True

When Beren was captured by Sauron and imprisoned in the pits of Tol-in-Gaurhoth, Luthien and Huan came to his rescue. Sauron emerged, in the shape of a great werewolf, to confront them. After falling victim to one of Luthien's enchantments, Huan captured Sauron and would not let go, even though Sauron struggled mightily and shape-shifted into different forms. Finally, Sauron surrendered the tower to Luthien and Huan released him.

Answer: Morgoth sent destructive rivers of fire in front of his armies

During a winter's night, Morgoth unleashed deadly rivers of fire which were followed by Balrogs, Orcs, and a fully mature Glaurung the Dragon. The fires destroyed the green plains of Ard-Galen, turning it into a desert known as Anfauglith, the Gasping Dust. This battle was a decisive victory for Morgoth and from this time on, the Elves and Edain were put on the defensive.

Answer: Dwarves of the Blue Mountains

After Beren recovered a Silmaril, Thingol wanted it set in the Nauglamir, the beautiful necklace crafted by the Dwarves for Finrod Felagund. However, when the Dwarves were done with their work, they wanted to keep the necklace. Thingol grew angry and rebuked them, not realizing his danger.

The Dwarves attacked and killed him in his own smithies. The Dwarves, however, never made it back to their home. On their way back with their prize, they were overtaken by a force from Doriath as well as Elves led by Beren from the lands near the Blue Mountains. All the Dwarves were killed and the leader slain by Beren himself.

The Nauglamir was then given to Luthien, who wore it until her death.

Answer: True

Maedhros, eldest son of Feanor, began marshalling his forces and devised a plan where the Elves and the Edain would forever crush Morgoth's forces. However, many of the Men under command of the Sons of Feanor were secretly in league with Morgoth and at a crucial point in the battle, they turned on the Noldor.

Instead of victory, the Elves and Edain were thoroughly defeated and were never able to challenge Morgoth's might again.

Answer: Ar-Pharazon

Ar-Pharazon was a mighty King, but the fear of death lay heavy on him. It was he who brought Sauron back a "prisoner" to Numenor. However, as old age crept up on him, he began to listen to the lies of Sauron, who told him that if he could take Valinor away from the Valar, then he would have everlasting life. Ar-Pharazon spent nine years building the largest fleet Middle-Earth had ever seen, the Great Armament.

In Second Age 3319, the fleet set sail for Valinor. When they landed on its white shores, the Valar called upon Iluvatar for help.

He sunk Numenor in a great rift, also destroying the Great Armament, and buried those on the shores of Valinor under falling rocks. Valinor was removed from the circles of the World, so that none could reach it without the grace of the Valar. Only Elendil, his sons, and their followers survived the Downfall of Numenor.

Answer: Earnur

During the battle, the Witch-King charged Earnur, recognizing him as the leader of Gondor's forces. The Dunedain's horse bolted and it was some time until he could regain control. When he did, the Witch-King had already fled the field of battle. When Earnur became King of Gondor, the Lord of the Nazgul (who was, in fact, the Witch-King himself) issued a challenge, taunting him regarding his failure to face him in combat all those years earlier. Earnur restrained himself, but when the taunt was renewed seven years later, Earnur marched to the gates of Minas Morgul with a small escort and was never heard from again.

Answer: At the Siege of Barad-dur

Anarion, from whom the later Kings of Gondor were descended, was slain at the Seige of Barad-dur when a stone cast from the tower struck him in the head.

Answer: Dwarves and Orcs

When the Orc chieftain Azog slew and decapitated Thror, King of Durin's folk in exile, the Dwarves rallied their forces and began a systematic extermination of the Orcs of the Misty Mountains. For six years the Dwarves hunted out every Orc-den they could find and wiped them out.

This all culminated in the Battle of Azanulbizar, which is located just below the east gate of Moria (it is also known as Dimrill Dale). Although the Dwarves were outnumbered, they were victorious, though their losses were extremely heavy. Dain Ironfoot, considered a youngster at 32 years of age, himself slew Azog, put his head on a stake, and stuffed a small bag of money in his mouth as a warning to those few Orcs who had survived.

Answer: Five Armies

When Smaug the Golden was slain by Bard of Esgaroth, the Men of Lake-town marched to the Lonely Mountain to demand compensation for the damage that the dragon had caused their town. They were joined by the Elves of Mirkwood, who had their own issues with the Dwarves.

When Dain Ironfoot's army arrived at the Lonely Mountain, all was poised for a bloody battle between the Men and Elves against the Dwarves. At that moment a force of Orcs and Wolves came in from the North. Man, Elf, and Dwarf rallied against Orc and Wolf and with the help of Beorn and the Eagles of the Misty Mountains, the Orcs and Wolves were defeated.

Answer: Battle of the Field of Celebrant

When an invading force of Balchoth crossed into Calenardhon, at that time a province of Gondor, Ruling Steward Cirion sent a request for aid to the men of Eotheod (a region near the northwestern edge of Mirkwood) and dispatched his Northern Army to intercept the enemy.

The Balchoth proved stronger than anticipated, however, and were aided by Orcs from the mountains. The army of Gondor soon found itself cut off and on the verge of annihilation. At that moment, Eorl the Young led his Horsemen onto the battlefield and they broke upon the back and flanks of the enemy and routed them.

In gratitude, Cirion gave the lands of Calenardhon to the horsemen, who renamed it Riddermark, afterwards called Rohan in Gondor.

Answer: Battle of the Pelennor Fields

The Battle of the Pelennor Fields was Sauron's first real stroke against the men of Gondor. Although vastly outnumbered, the Dunedain emerged victorious (barely) when timely reinforcements arrived from the Rohirrim and from Aragorn and his forces from the South. Several noteworthy events took place in this battle, including the breaking of the Gates of Minas Tirith, the fall of King Theoden of Rohan, and the defeat of the Lord of the Ringwraiths.

Answer: Bywater

This battle was fought in The Shire upon the return of Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. They found things much changed since they had left, most notably the presence of a great deal of men, led by one named Sharkey. In the Battle of Bywater, a large group of hobbits, led by Merry and Pippin, surrounded about 200 of these men in the town of Bywater.

After ignoring Merry's orders to surrender, the men tried to break out of the ring of hobbits. Several hobbits were killed while most of the men were cut down by archers. Merry himself slew their leader.

When the hobbits then pressed on to Bag End, they found that Sharkey was none other than Saruman, intent on wreaking as much mischief as possible in The Shire. After being told to leave by Frodo, Saruman was murdered by Grima Wormtongue, and with his passing, an end came to the War of the Ring.