The Problem of Rog

[Man-of-the-Wold]

Lindil, this is definitely a frustrating one. Maybe it should be changed into Rogue, or Roger.

Nevertheless, this issue contrasts with the necessity of limiting the number of Balrogs or omitting the exotic mechanical monsters. There is sound reason for saying that JRRT's conception abandoned the notion of countless Balrogs and so forth. These earlier conceptions substantively clash with what we find in LoTR and all of the rest. They just don't fit.

But "Rog" is just a name. A clinker to be sure, and an imperfection, but I think it should be lived with, for the sake of retaining the fuller image of Gondolin with its diverse noble houses and actors.

I also feel that the circumflex is an appropriate and helpful thing, too, even if a conceit. So, the first introduction might be as follows: "The Lord of the people of the Hammer of Wrath, commonly remembered as Rôg, ..." or "The people of the Hammer of Wrath, led by one called Rôg, did ..." Subtle, no footnote, move on to JRRT's storyline.

Also, its worth noting that "Rog" was in Bolt also an orc name for Egnor, an early sire of Beren. Perhaps, that could be argued as a direct that JRRT might have taken here, too.