Session 1.12

Phillip Menzies

Phillip Menzies

Moderator
Staff member
Discussion questions for Session 1.12 being Episode 1.10 of Season 1. which aired on 15th January 2016
  • How should we handle the elements of the next episode?
  • What are we doing?
    • Why does Ossë rebel? What is the character of his repentance?
    • How do we play Uinen? Who is she and what is the status quo with them, and how does that relationship get shaken?
    • Aulë – his desire for the Children in context with the other rebellions. How do we setup his fall?
    • Begin thinking about how we dovetail these things together
As always refer to the Session notes from the last episode at http://silmfilm.mythgard.org/sessio...of-the-house-of-ainur-sort-of-part-the-first/ and listen to the Session at http://s3.amazonaws.com/media.podcast/TolkienProf/TolkienProf300.mp3
 
Have been listening to the podcasts on itunes, and am finally caught up!

One of the major discussions in this episode (1.12) seems to have been how to naturally introduce Melkor and Osse to each other. Looking at the character of Melkor, and his desire for lordship and dominance, it stands to reason he would test the bounds of his power. The Silmarillion bluntly states Melkor cannot subdue the sea and therefore hates it.

Why not show him trying to subdue the sea?

He is master of extreme heat and cold, and therefore could create huge water-based weather events...Show Melkor having complete control over these powers, but none over the response of the waters. Osse comes in response to this disturbance, and perhaps is awed by the effect of Melkor's power on the Sea. Together the violence and chaos the two could create would be immense. I think for Osse, this potential use of Melkor's power would be rather enticing.

I know in past episodes the thought of Melkor corrupting the Children to create orcs has been punted down the road. However, corruption of other beasts and beings may be impetus for Aule to take action for fear of Melkor's depredations being used against the Children. Also, given the mechanical nature of the dragons in The Book of Lost Tales (Fall of Gondolin), might we see such tinkering when the Manwe and Aule visit Utumno? (Proto-dragons?) As a constructed work in particular, this would be seen as a challenge to Aule's domain.
 
Welcome, Tim! Glad you had the chance to get caught up. I still have to listen to the end of the newest episode myself.

I would really hesitate to go the 'mechanical dragon' route, but I am glad you've brought it up. It's clear that Melkor will have to make some sort of gruesome menagerie/arms stockpile prior to the coming war. I think there is no point in having orcs yet, but he can have other monsters (the older and fouler things don't have to be limited to balrogs....) And...clearly, he is gearing up for conquest while Manwë is exploring every possible avenue towards peace.

So, what kind of weapons would a Vala like Melkor come up with? I think that's an important question, and the answer does not have to be strictly biological. In fact, he could have a mixture of monsters and machines, and maybe realize that the monsters do better, so...that is where his focus lies in the future. Early, crude tanks, poorly maneuverable and thus easily destroyed by the Valar could be something that happens. There are a lot of 'stages' of the arms race that we could work our way through over the course of the series, but this in the beginning is a war of the gods, a clash of the titans....not exactly conventional rows of people armed with swords supported by archers....or rows of guys with muskets supported by cannon fire...or.....
 
Thanks, MithLuin!
I agree, mechanized dragons does not really appeal to me. But the idea of Melkor tinkering with mechanized or clockwork weaponry (even AI if we want to get really far afield) seems to fit his nature. Like Saruman, he's the sort who want everything under firm control and very orderly, so an impulse towards either completely cowed followers or non-thinking tools seems appropriate.

And as such experimentation and crafting is something explicitly tied to Aule, if discovered it can be seen as an incursion on his domain.
 
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