Sports in Middle-earth

I introduce Karen Wynn Fonstad's The Atlas of Middle-earth as an invaluable resource and then make an exciting announcement about a fitness/LotR podcast crossover!

A look at the many reincarnations of Sauron after seeing Amazon's "Rings of Power" interpretation is Season 2, Episode 1.Sources:The Return of the King, Book VI, "The Field of Cormallen"The Fellowship of the Ring, Book II, "The Council of Elrond"The Silmarillion, "AKALLABÊTH"The Silmarillion, "Of Beren and Lúthien"The Silmarillion, "AKALLABÊTH"The Fellowship of the Ring, Book II, "The Council of Elrond"The Return of The King, Appendix B, "The Tale of Years"The Return of the King, Book VI, "The Field of Cormallen"

March 25th is Tolkien Reading Day 2026 and the theme is Unlikely Heroes!I will be reading selections from The Lord of the Rings about Prince Imrahil.Yes, he was already a man in leadership and strength, but times were perilous and selfish ambitions have distracted so many rulers. Imrahil of Dol Amroth stepped up and demonstrated his worthiness of his position by being a courageous, wise, humble, and faithful steward under Aragorn.Sources:The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter. 1 “Minas Tirith”) (P. 750)The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter. 1 “Minas Tirith”) (P. 770)The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 4 “The Siege of Gondor”) (P. 819-820)The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 6 “The Battle of the Pelennor Fields”) (P. 844)The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 6 “The Battle of the Pelennor Fields”) (P. 848)The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 8 “The Houses of Healing”) (P. 861)The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 9 “The Last Debate”) (P. 880)The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 10 “The Black Gate Opens”) (P. 885)The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 10 “The Black Gate Opens”) (P. 891)The Return of the King, Book VI, Chapter 5 “The Steward and the King”) (P. 965)

“Why did Sauron die when the Ring was cut from his finger by Isildur?”The Vanquishing of Sauron in Relation to Isildur Taking the One Ring Sources:The Return of the King, Appendix B, “The Tale of Years” (p. 1087)The Silmarillion,  “Of The Rings Of Power And The Third Age” (p. 293-294)The Fellowship of the Ring, Book One, Chapter 2 “The Shadow of the Past” (p. 52)The Fellowship of the Ring, Book Two, Chapter 2 “The Council of Elrond” (p. 242)The Return of the King, Appendix B, “The Tale of Years” (p. 1084)The Silmarillion,  “Of The Rings Of Power And The Third Age” (p. 287)The Fellowship of the Ring, Book One, Chapter 2 “The Shadow of the Past” (p. 51)The Lord of the Rings A Reader's Companion, “The Shadow of the Past” (p. 85)The Letter of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 211Page numbers based on these books:The One-Volume Fiftieth Anniversary Edition of The Lord of the Rings The 2nd Edition of The Silmarillion Join the Shadowfacts Discord to ask a question you would like answered on the podcast!⁠⁠discord.com/invite/wgPqvchDaG⁠⁠Find us on Instagram, IG Threads, YouTube, X, and BlueSky

Common foods and meals of the Hobbits as described in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.Join the Shadowfacts Discord to ask a question you would like answered on the podcast!⁠discord.com/invite/wgPqvchDaG⁠Find us on Instagram, IG Threads, YouTube, X, and BlueSkySources (page numbers from The Lord of the Rings are from the One-Volume Fiftieth Anniversary edition):The Fellowship of the Ring “Prologue” Concerning Hobbits (p. 2)The Return of the King, Book Five, Chapter 1 “Minas Tirith” (p. 760)The Fellowship of the Ring, Book One, Chapter 2 “The Shadow of the Past” (p. 46)The Fellowship of the Ring,  Book One, Chapter 1 “A Long Expected Party” (p. 26)Recipes From The World Of Tolkien - Robert Tuesley AndersonThe Fellowship of the Ring, Book One, Chapter 11 “A Knife in the Dark” (p. 180)The Hobbit, Chapter 1 “An Unexpected Party” (p. 11)The Fellowship of the Ring, Book One, Chapter 4 “A Short Cut to Mushrooms” (p. 95)The Hobbit, Chapter 1 “An Unexpected Party” (p. 11)The Fellowship of the Ring, Book One, Chapter 9 “At the Sign of the Prancing Pony” (p. 153)The Hobbit, Chapter 1 “An Unexpected Party” (p. 10)The Fellowship of the Ring,  Book 1, Chapter 1 “A Long Expected Party” (p. 25)The Two Towers, Book 4, Chapter 4 “Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit” (p. 653)The Return of the King, Book 6, Chapter 9 “The Grey Havens” (p. 1023)The Return of the King, Book 6, Chapter 9 “The Grey Havens” (p. 1023)The Fellowship of the Ring, Book One, Chapter 9 “At the Sign of the Prancing Pony” (p. 155)The Two Towers, Book 4, Chapter 4 “Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit” (p. 653)The Hobbit, Chapter 1 “An Unexpected Party” (p. 27)The Two Towers, Book 4, Chapter 4 “Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit” (p. 653)The Hobbit, Chapter 1 “An Unexpected Party” (p. 12)The Hobbit, Chapter 6 “Out of the Frying-Pan Into the Fire” (p. 97)The Two Towers, Book 4, Chapter 4 “Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit” (p. 655)The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 2, Chapter 1 “Many Meetings” (p. 236)The Two Towers, Book 3, Chapter 9 “Flotsam and Jetsam” (p. 561)The Two Towers, Book 3, Chapter 9 “Flotsam and Jetsam” (p. 561)The Fellowship of the Ring,  Book One, Chapter 1 “A Long Expected Party” (p. 22)The Fellowship of the Ring,  Book One, Chapter 1 “A Long Expected Party” (p. 30-31)

Chris asks “What instruments exist in Middle-earth by, say, LotR times?”This episode’s topic is musical instruments, specifically during the War of the Ring.Sources:- The Lord of the Rings- The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 1, Chapter 1 "A Long-Expected Party"- The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 2, Chapter 1 "Many Meetings"- The Two Towers, Book 3, Chapter 4 "Treebeard"- The Hobbit- The Music of The Lord of the Rings Films, Appendix B "Instruments" by Doug Adams- https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Musical_instrumentsJoin the Shadowfacts Discord to ask a question you would like answered on the podcast!discord.com/invite/wgPqvchDaGFind us on Instagram, IG Threads, YouTube, X, and BlueSky

Today is March 25th and it is Tolkien Reading Day! The theme for this year is Fellowship and Community.Today's passages will be about the two communities that are recorded where to races of Middle-earth lived alongside one another and worked together.The first passage is about Bree and the second is about the Drúedain, specifically how they lived with the People of Haleth.Sources:-The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 1, Chapter 9, “At the Sign of the Prancing Pony”- Unfinished Tales of Númenor & Middle-earth, Part 4, I, "The Drúedain"- TolkienSociety.org (https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/tolkien-reading-day-2025/)Join the Shadowfacts Discord to ask a question you would like answered on the podcast!Find us on Instagram, IG Threads, YouTube, X, and BlueSky

Today's question: What are the recorded recreational activities in Arda?Sources:-Return of the King, Book 5, Chapter 1 “Minas Tirith”-The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion- Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, "A Description of Númenor"-The Fellowship of the Ring, “Prologue Concerning Hobbits and Other Matters”-The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 1, Chapter 1, “A Long-Expected Party”-The Two Towers, Book 3, Chapter 3 "The Uruk-hai"- The Silmarillion, "Valaquenta"-The Silmarillion: "Of The Rings of Power And The Third Age"-The Return of the King : "Appendix A - Annals of the Kings and Rulers"-The Hobbit, “Over Hill and Under Hill”-Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, “History of Galadriel and Celeborn”-The Return of the King, Book 6, Chapter 6, "Many Partings"-The Two Towers, Book 3, Chapter 6 “The King of the Golden Hall”-The Hobbit, “An Unexpected Party”-The Hobbit, “Flies and Spiders”Join the Shadowfacts Discord to ask a question you would like answered on the podcast!Find us on Instagram, IG Threads, YouTube, X, and BlueSky

On the Shadowfacts discord, Kristina asks: "In rings of power season 2, episode 1, Adar kills Sauron. Did Sauron really think they would have bowed down so easily/quickly? Could Sauron have suspected anything?" Sources: - Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 1 - The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion: "Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor" - The Silmarillion: "Of The Rings of Power And The Third Age" - Morgoth's Ring, Part Five: "Myths Transformed", X, pg. 415-422 - The Return of the King : "Appendix B - The Tale of Years" Join the Shadowfacts Discord to ask a question you would like answered on the podcast! Find us on Instagram, IG Threads, YouTube, and possibly soon X and BlueSky

I give a (spoiler!) review of the new movie "The Lord of the RIngs: The War of the Rohirrim!" Resources: The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim; The Return of the King; Why We Love Middle-earth: An Enthusiast's Book About Tolkien, Middle-earth, and the LotR Fandom Submit your question on the Shadowfacts Discord server ( ⁠⁠⁠discord.com/invite/wgPqvchDaG⁠⁠⁠ ) or by emailing [email protected]!