Elven "Magic" Abilties?

[PaigeStormblood]

Hello everyone Im so glad to be apart of this forum.

Now I was debating wither I should just post this in magic in Middle-earth but since this question was more specified mabye a new thread. Feel free to more it though if you believ it would be better suited in the fore mentioned thread.

Okay down to business. One thing that has always intriged me about Tolkiens world is magic and the overall mechanics of it.

Now with the elves Tolkien told their "magic" was suited to art, delivered from the many human limitations:more effortless, quicker, more complete etc. The object is art not power, sub-creation, not domination.

Now I'm curious going by this description what abilities do the elves have to them when working their supernatural powers?

A few abilties we know of are:
-Shapeshifting :As shown by Luthien, this ability aslo extends to other races i.e Beorn and the beornlings.
-The Mirror of Galadriel: The ability to shape water into something beyond the ordinary.
-Break down Fortress Walls: Obviously some supernatural power was used here by Galadriel.
-Illusion by song: Finrod hides his identity form Sauron.
-The Water Horses: As shown by Elrond.
-Communicate Telepathically
-The Palantiri
-Future Sight

Now going by this what other super natural abilites could individual elves possess? Can some communicate with animals? Speed up plant growth? Shape water, earth, plant and air into various forms? Destroy evil structures (Pending enough power)? Heal wounds in the same way faith healing is done. I.e placing hands over the wound site whilst using supernatural powers to slowly heal the wound. Levitation?

[Alfirin]

Originally Posted by PaigeStormblood

Hello everyone Im so glad to be apart of this forum.

Now I was debating wither I should just post this in magic in Middle-earth but since this question was more specified mabye a new thread. Feel free to more it though if you believ it would be better suited in the fore mentioned thread.

Okay down to business. One thing that has always intriged me about Tolkiens world is magic and the overall mechanics of it.

Now with the elves Tolkien told their "magic" was suited to art, delivered from the many human limitations:more effortless, quicker, more complete etc. The object is art not power, sub-creation, not domination.

Now I'm curious going by this description what abilities do the elves have to them when working their supernatural powers?

A few abilties we know of are:
-Shapeshifting :As shown by Luthien, this ability aslo extends to other races i.e Beorn and the beornlings.
-The Mirror of Galadriel: The ability to shape water into something beyond the ordinary.
-Break down Fortress Walls: Obviously some supernatural power was used here by Galadriel.
-Illusion by song: Finrod hides his identity form Sauron.
-The Water Horses: As shown by Elrond.
-Communicate Telepathically
-The Palantiri
-Future Sight

Now going by this what other super natural abilites could individual elves possess? Can some communicate with animals? Speed up plant growth? Shape water, earth, plant and air into various forms? Destroy evil structures (Pending enough power)? Heal wounds in the same way faith healing is done. I.e placing hands over the wound site whilst using supernatural powers to slowly heal the wound. Levitation?

Luthien did NOT have innate shapeshifting. Her ability to shapeshift came from her shaping cloak, which she took from Thurwingwethil after she was killed.

And we know that Elrond at least, has the ability to partially heal wounds. Remember it is he who was able to remove the fragment of morgul blade from Frodo (even if he couldn't completely heal the wound.)

[Aiwendil]

Originally Posted by Alfirin

Luthien did NOT have innate shapeshifting. Her ability to shapeshift came from her shaping cloak, which she took from Thurwingwethil after she was killed.

I'm not so sure about that. The Lay of Leithien certainly does not particularly ascribe any special power to the cloak, but speaks of 'elvish magic Luthien wrought'. And indeed, it was not only Luthien who was transformed into a likeness of Thuringwethil, but also Beren who putting on Draugluin's hide became like a wolf (indeed, like enough to fool Carcharoth, if it hadn't been for Luthien's fair smell and the fact that he knew Draugluin was already dead).

We also see Elvish shapeshifting ability when Finrod disguises himself, Beren, and their companions as Orcs.

Is there another source you have in mind that specifies the cloak as the source of Luthien's shapechanging power?

[Belegorn]

You mentioned some objects that were made by Elves like Galadriel's Mirror. There are also the Rings of Power, specifically the Elven Rings which could preserve things and make Middle Earth more like Aman.

In Appendix A, in the Story of Aragorn and Luthien, mention is made of when Aragorn first saw Luthien and thought, "he had received the GIFT of the Elf-mintrels, who can make the THINGS OF WHICH THEY SING APPEAR before the eyes of those that listen." [382]

There are also some abilities like with Feanor's voice with it's ability to hold influence over the hearts of others, or to instill something there.

[Belegorn]

I would think, and this is only a guess, that any powers that the Dunedain exhibited they inherited in part from the Elves. It is said that the King's have "hands of a healer". Aragorn's ability seems to be similar to some sort of "faith healing".

"When the black breath blows
and death's shadow grows
and all lights pass,
come athelas! come athelas!
Life to the dying
In the king's hand lying!" [RotK, p. 155-156]

The people in Gondor then talked about the healing hands of the king when Faramir was healed. I'd suppose that the Elves have this ability in some manner.

[Mithalwen]

I think it is interesting to remember the response of the Lorien elf answering Sam saying that he didn't know what he meant by elf magic. To them it is quite natural and part of their technology.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Belegorn

I would think, and this is only a guess, that any powers that the Dunedain exhibited they inherited in part from the Elves. It is said that the King's have "hands of a healer". Aragorn's ability seems to be similar to some sort of "faith healing".

Then again, Númenor was said to have had advanced knowledge of medicine, so it's not inconceivable that some of that survived to the Third Age with the Northern Dúnedain and the Gondorians.
Aragorn's "kingly" ability would seem to have been derived from lineage of both Elves and Melian the Maia. Note that Aragorn refers to Elrond as the "eldest of our race", and thus had the greatest healing power.

Originally Posted by Belegorn

The people in Gondor then talked about the healing hands of the king when Faramir was healed. I'd suppose that the Elves have this ability in some manner.

Glorfindel certainly had some power to help Frodo's Morgul-wound. And I seem to recall Beleg of Doriath showing some ability of healing in the First Age.

[Mithalwen]

The idea of the king as a healer is an ancient one. Scrufula was known as the King's evil and the touch of early English kings was meant to cure it. Elrond had a long time to learn herblore and healing and no doubt ensured that all that could be taught was passed on to the Dunedain however there is clearly some healing going on in ME that isn't just knowledge. Glorfindel's touch alone eases Frodo's wound a little. Aragorn seems to have more power inhealing in Minas Tirith than he does at Weathertop but by then he has been acknowledged as king albeit informally by Imrahil legitimate suzerain in the absence of the steward AND he has the Elessar.

[Belegorn]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Then again, Númenor was said to have had advanced knowledge of medicine, so it's not inconceivable that some of that survived to the Third Age with the Northern Dúnedain and the Gondorians.
Aragorn's "kingly" ability would seem to have been derived from lineage of both Elves and Melian the Maia.

Some of the ancient lore of Numenor did survive in late 3rd Age Gondor, "all lore was in these latter days fallen from the fullness of old, the leechcraft of Gondor was still wise, and skilled in the healing of wound and hurt, and all such sickness as east of the sea mortal men were subject to." [RotK, p. 149] It is clear that they did lose knowledge as it was shown as regards the use of kingsfoil, although there seems to have been some lore held in the old-wives tales. It is interesting that they would have so much knowledge on healing, however, when early on in Numenor, "they knew no sickness, ere the shadow fell upon them" [Sil., p.321].

Mention is made of Aragorn's healing prowess in one of the letters, "Aragorn's 'healing' might be regarded as 'magical', or at least a blend of magic with pharmacy and 'hypnotic' processes... A. is not a pure 'Man', but at long remove one of the 'children of Luthien'" [Letter 181] Magic is inherent and is used for immediacy [thought -> action -> result].

Faramir does discuss with one of the Hobbits about the process of the High Men becoming Middle Men which includes a loss of lore, and/or better technology/skills.

"if the Rohirrim are GROWN in some ways more LIKE to US, ENHANCED in ARTS and GENTLENESS, we too have become more like to them" [TTT, p. 339]

Faramir, like Denethor and Aragorn does have inherent abilities being High Men, that could possibly seem magical and be an inheritance from Elves. Although I would say being Numenorean, even a pure one at that, does not necessarily mean descent from Elves. This it would seem would be something that is mostly in the king's house. So it would rather seem a gift given to the High Men as a whole, rather than an inheritance from Elves. The Stewards house is related to the King's house so I'm sure they too share Elvish descent. To the Hobbits, Sam and Pippen, Faramir and Denethor appeared like wizards, like Gandalf, so there may be something there regarding a "magic" about the High Men.

There does appear to be lore in the Steward's house that many can't read or even look to.

[Belegorn]

In the First Age Melkor had Elves working for him in his dungeons. Anyone remember the metal creatures sent against Gondolin by Gothmog to break its unassailable walls? I think this is not in the Silmarillion, but in the unpublished version, The Fall of Gondolin. I think maybe those Elves had a hand in creating these creatures. Melkor of course was a rival to Aule in their smithying craft so maybe it was mostly all of him. But I would think the skills of the Elves were put to use in the creation of these metallic mammoths.