What is a warg in Tolkien's Middle-earth?
A warg in Tolkien's Middle-earth is a large, evil wolf capable of speech and intelligent planning. Wargs permit orcs to ride on their backs into battle and share any spoils of war.
Questions about Warg
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Where did Tolkien get the word warg?
Tolkien derived "warg" from two ancient words: the Old Norse vargr, meaning wolf or outlaw, and the Old English wearh, meaning outcast or outlaw. The scholar Tom Shippey identifies the spelling as a deliberate blend of the two pronunciations, combining both traditions in a single creature.
What are wargs in Norse mythology?
In Norse mythology, wargs are the wolves Fenrir, Sköll, and Hati. Fenrir kills the god Odin at Ragnarök, while Sköll and Hati eternally pursue the Sun and Moon. Wolves also appear as literal mounts in Norse sources, including on the Rök runestone and in the Lay of Hyndla.
How did wargs appear in Dungeons and Dragons?
Wargs first appeared in Gary Gygax's Swords and Spells supplement in 1976. A lawsuit from Tolkien's estate led the publishers to rename them "worgs," along with several other Tolkien-derived creatures. The first edition Monster Manual (1977) listed them as "dire wolf (worg)," and by the 2014 edition worgs received their own dedicated entry.
What are wargs in Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire?
In George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, adapted as Game of Thrones, wargs are skinchangers who can enter the mind of an animal, control its body, and see through its eyes. Bran Stark's ability to enter a human mind, as with Hodor, represents the furthest extent of this power.
Who was Rayner Unwin and what was his connection to The Hobbit's publication?
Rayner Unwin was ten years old when he wrote a school report on the unpublished Hobbit manuscript, noting that the hero "had a very exciting time fighting goblins and wargs." His father, the publisher Stanley Unwin, used the report to decide to publish the book, despite still doubting its commercial prospects.