Morgul Blade: The Darkening of Mirkwood

[Mim]

Putting aside that each of us has our own games & if you want all of the Ringwraiths to wield Morgul Blades, then do what works for you, I also weigh in that only the Witch-king bore one per canon.

I've read the books carefully on this subject, because I thought about giving more than one villain such a blade (!) but have limited it to only two - him & the Mouth of Sauron (we don't actually know how he was armed, but because he's a sorcerer I give him a lighter weapon & kinda step outside of canon ).

[Francesco]

Nowhere else (and I've searched all three volumes plus the appendices for another reference) does it mention Ringwraiths with a Morgul blade. There is one mention of someone receiving a Morgul wound in one of the much earlier wars though.

I would add, the fact that the WK had a Morgul-blade when searching for the RIng doesn't even indicate he carried one across the centuries.

Francesco

[beckett]

Nowhere else (and I've searched all three volumes plus the appendices for another reference) does it mention Ringwraiths with a Morgul blade. There is one mention of someone receiving a Morgul wound in one of the much earlier wars though.

I would add, the fact that the WK had a Morgul-blade when searching for the RIng doesn't even indicate he carried one across the centuries.

Francesco

Thanks, Francesco! Am I correct in stating that the Lieutenant of Dol Guldur is not the Witch-King? My Nazgul lore is lacking.

[DarkTraveller]

The Lieutenant is the 2nd of Nazgul after the Witch-King.

Another fun Nazgul fact, he is also the only one of the Nine actually named by Tolkien (Khamul the Easterling)

[Beran]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the Lieutenant of Dol Guldur is the WKs right hand man (Khamul I believe is his unofficial name).

[Elmoth]

According to LOTR wikia, Khamul the Easterling.

(...)
The White Council attacked Dol Guldur, and drove out Sauron. Sauron fled to Mordor, his plans nearly ready. In TA 2951 Sauron declared himself openly and sent three Nazgul led by Khamul to reoccupy Dol Guldur.

Dol Guldur Destroyed
During the War of the Ring, the forces of Dol Guldur were led by Khamûl, the Ringwraith second in command to the Witch-King of Angmar. He and his armies made three assaults upon Lórien and Thranduil's realm in Mirkwood, causing grievous damage to the outlying woodlands, but they were driven back each time by the power of Nenya, Galadriel's Ring of Power, which only Sauron himself could have overcome. The elves, led by Thranduil of Mirkwood and Galadriel of Lorien led an assault on Dol Guldur and Galadriel herself threw down its walls, and laid its pits bare. Absolutely nothing of the fortress that had stood for 2,019 years was left. Renamed back to Amon Lanc, it became the capital of Celeborn's realm of East Lórien in the Fourth Age, while he remained in Middle-earth.[1]

[DarkTraveller]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the Lieutenant of Dol Guldur is the WKs right hand man (Khamul I believe is his unofficial name).

He is actually named by Tolkien in Unfinished Tales if I recall...well I know he was named Khamul but I think it was in Unfinished Tales.

[Mim]

Yes, Khamûl the Easterling was the second Ringwraith, per UT.

BTW, that book elaborates upon their movements leading up to the War of the Ring. Good stuff

[Glorelendil]

Melkor, it says one Ringwraith, the King, has a blade. In black and white. You may believe that each wraith has a Morgul blade, but it doesn't make it so.

Although I draw the same conclusion as you, your post was a little snarky. We can discuss/debate "canon" without being snippy with each other. I've been enjoying these forums because (so far) I haven't seen the toxicity you might find on, say, the D&D Next forums.

[Woodclaw]

I haven't read the Darkening yet (it's on my "to buy" list at the moment) but I think that the point of not including the Morgul Blade is because of it's rarity. Aside from the issue of how powerful it is - in my eyes, A LOT - I think that the point is that not every blade that came out of Mordor's armories is a Morgul Blade.
The Witch King is arguably the most powerful of Sauron's agents during the Third Age (possible exception for the Durin's Bane) so it make sense that he carried the most lethal weapons his master can craft.

Plus I think that giving Khamul a Morgul Blade will simply be overkill. He's already a opponent behind the abilities and powers of most PCs and many NPCs roaming the Wilderlands. As far as I can tell only Radagast and, possibly, Thranduil might be able to face him in direct combat.