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There's nothing - FotR "Can you see anything?" "Nothing. There's nothing."
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"Undead" refers to dead beings who could still interact with the living. By the Third Age, the Rohanese word Dwimmerlaik, meaning "spectre" or "work of necromancy", was used as an encompassing term.

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Types[]

  • Barrow-wights were evil spirits inhabiting the tombs of the Barrow-downs in Eriador. They often possessed the grave-gifts and bones of those entombed there, making them similar to the animate skeletons of other works.
  • Ghosts were the souls of ones dead who were prevented from reaching ultimate rest. Gorlim the Unhappy might be considered one of these. The largest concentration were the dead warriors who betrayed Isildur, and whom he cursed, haunting the mountain until Aragorn persuaded them to fight for him.
  • Nazgûl or Ringwraiths: Formerly kings of Men, the nine Rings of Power given them by Sauron caused them to become ghost-like wraiths. They could not see properly, were permanently invisible and relied on smell and hearing. The Nazgûl carried daggers known as Morgul-blades meant to break off in the wound, which could turn the afflicted into a wraith. Frodo was stabbed by one at Weathertop. However, it is mentioned that Nazgûl are not properly undead.
  • Phantoms were delusions and/or spirits or fallen Maiar and therefore not truly undead. Morgoth and Sauron used them for their treachery. It is said Saruman also used them.
  • Lingerers were Elves whose bodies have been consumed by their fëa. To men, they were indistinguishable from bodiless spirits. These elven spirits were not really undead, because they were never dead to begin with.[citation needed]
  • Houseless were ghosts of slain Elves who were evil, hateful, or otherwise sinful in life and defied the call of Mandos. These Elven ghosts had the unique ability to possess living things; most often they desired to steal the bodies of Men to become material again, but according to some, they also could possess anything alive. Old Man Willow may have been possessed by one of the Houseless.
  • Dead Faces were some form of undead residing in the Dead Marshes.

Portrayal in adaptations[]

The Games Workshop tabletop wargame mentions the Castellans of Dol Guldur, animate suits of armor possessed by the ghosts of people tortured to death in the fortress' dungeons, or whom agreed to be bound to Sauron's will in exchange for learning sorcery from him.

The Lord of the Rings tabletop RPG Middle-earth Role Playing by Iron Crown includes skeletons and ghouls among certain other types.

The Return of the King tie-in licensed videogame featured the Army of the Dead being able to possess ossuaries to form skeletal soldiers. These are the majority of the enemies one fights in Dunharrow. The King of the Dead is the level boss; able to summon skeletal archers, warriors, and a powerful blast of wind able to spit stone.

The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game, by Fantasy Flight Games has many different types of Undead throughout the series. Nazgûl, Wraiths, Barrow-wights, and the Army of the Dead are some common types of Undead found in the game. However, other types of Undead appear as well such as: Skeletons, Zombies (or more Draugr like zombies), Shades/Ghosts, Lichs (Undead necromancers).

Gallery[]

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