The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Existed in the very ancient past, c. 4,000 years before the first rising of the Sun
Location
The lands around Cuiviénen, east of the Inland Sea of Helcar
Race
A creature of Melkor, of indeterminate kind1
Other names
Perhaps equivalent to the being known as the Rider2

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 22 August 2015
  • Updates planned: 1

The Hunter

A creature of the Elves’ darkest memories

A shadowy creature of Elvish legend, said to have plagued the newly-awakened Elves at Cuiviénen. Those Elves captured by the Hunter were thought to have been corrupted by Melkor to form the race of Orcs.


Notes

1

All we know for sure about the Hunter was that this was one of the 'shadows and evil spirits' that Melkor sent out against the newly awakened Elves (Quenta Silmarillion 3, Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor). This is far from definite, but it implies that the Hunter may have been a minor Maia, or a lesser being of the same general order.

2

While it is never specified that the Hunter and the Rider were the same being, their few known attributes are identical, and on balance it seems reasonable to take them as different names for the same shadowy being. However, we do know that there were numerous dark creatures sent by Melkor to ensnare the Elves at this time, so it is by no means impossible that the Hunter and the Rider were separate entities. Indeed, it is even conceivable that the Hunter did not exist as a separate entity at all, since our only reference to him comes from an account of legends among the Elves.

See also...

Elves

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 22 August 2015
  • Updates planned: 1

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