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Why would a Lord of Gondolin be named Demon? A.K.A. How one elf’s 3-letter name singlehandedly made him one of the most intriguing characters in the entire legendarium despite only being mentioned like, 4 times

A.K.A. Rog, Lord of the House of the Hammer of Wrath; a summary

Buckle in ladies and gents, cause this is gonna get long.

Disclaimer: apologies for any typos or shitfuck grammar, but i’ve been staring at this for too long and can no longer see anything. I should also mention that this essay/post/whatever assumes that Rog is a Noldo although it isn’t explicitly stated anywhere.

Before I get into the Mystery surrounding his name, I will just shortly recap how and where we meet Rog.

The only place we meet Rog at all, is in the earliest versions of the Fall of Gondolin, in the Book of Lost Tales Part 2. There’s not much about him as he only appears shortly during the battle. He is an elf of Gondolin, a Lord of one of the twelve houses of Gondolin. I debated whether to include his parts or not but I feel like you don’t get to feel the full badassry if I don’t. (I’ll only include the parts of the battle that mention him and his house, and the bolded parts are the ones I find particularly interesting). We first meet him as:

“Now the last of the battalions was furnished by the folk of the Hammer of Wrath, and of these came many of the best smiths and craftsmen, and all that kindred reverenced Aulë the Smith more than all other Ainur. They fought with great maces like hammers, and their shields were heavy, for their arms were very strong. In older days they had been much recruited by Noldoli who escaped from the mines of Melko, and the hatred of this house for the works of that evil one and the Balrogs his demons was exceeding great. Now their leader was Rog, strongest of the Gnomes, scarce second in valour to that Galdor of the Tree. The sign of this people was the Stricken Anvil, and a hammer that smiteth sparks about it was set on their shields, and red gold and black iron was their delight. Very numerous was that battalion, nor had any amongst them a faint heart, and they won the greatest glory of all those fair houses in that struggle against doom; yet were they ill-fated, and none ever fared away from that field, but fell about Rog and vanished from the Earth; and with them much craftsmanship and skill has been lost for ever”

So during the battle, when the northern gates fell, Rog, Galdor and their men held the first line of defense:

”Then did Rog shout in a mighty voice, and all the people of the Hammer of Wrath and the kindred of the Tree with Galdor the valiant leapt at the foe. There the blows of their great hammers and the dint of their clubs rang to the Encircling Mountains and the Orcs fell like leaves; and those of the Swallow and the Arch poured arrows like the dark rains of autumn upon them, and both Orcs and Gondothlim fell thereunder for the smoke and the confusion. Great was that battle, yet for all their valour the Gondothlim by reason of the might of ever increasing numbers were borne slowly backwards till the goblins held part of the northernmost city.”

After the Noldor are driven back and Duilin is killed, the Balrogs (with burning arrows) cut off Rog and his men by starting a fire behind their line of defense. At this point, Rog has Had Enough:

”Then said Rog in a great voice: “Who now shall fear the Balrogs for all their terror? See before us the accursed ones who for ages have tormented the children of the Noldoli, and who now set a fire at our backs with their shooting. Come ye of the Hammer of Wrath and we will smite them for their evil.” Thereupon he lifted his mace, and its handle was long; and he made a way before him by the wrath of his onset even unto the fallen gate: but all the people of the Stricken Anvil ran behind like a wedge, and sparks came from their eyes for the fury of their rage. A great deed was that sally, as the Noldoli sing yet, and many of the Orcs were borne backward into the fires below; but the men of Rog leapt even upon the coils of the serpents and came at those Balrogs and smote them grievously, for all they had whips of flame and claws of steel, and were in stature very great. They battered them into nought, or catching at their whips wielded these against them, that they tore them even as they had aforetime torn the Gnomes; and the number of Balrogs that perished was a marvel and dread to the hosts of Melko, for ere that day never had any of the Balrogs been slain by the hand of Elves or Men.”

So we know that Rog and his battalion were the first to ever slay a Balrog and also weren’t scared of shit. These motherfuckers literally beat the shit out of balrogs and used their whips against them. Not only that, Next up is:

“Then Gothmog Lord of Balrogs gathered all his demons that were about the city and ordered them thus: a number made for the folk of the Hammer and gave before them, but the greater company rushing upon the flank contrived to get to their backs, higher upon the coils of the drakes and nearer to the gates, so that Rog might not win back save with great slaughter among his folk. But Rog seeing this essayed not to win back, as was hoped, but with all his folk fell on those whose part was to give before him; and they fled before him now of dire need rather than of craft. Down into the plain were they harried, and their shrieks rent the airs of Tumladin. Then that house of the Hammer fared about smiting and hewing the astonied bands of Melko till they were hemmed at the last by an overwhelming force of the Orcs and the Balrogs, and a fire-drake was loosed upon them. There did they perish about Rog hewing to the last till iron and flame overcame them, and it is yet sung that each man of the Hammer of Wrath took the lives of seven foemen to pay for his own. Then did dread fall more heavily still upon the Gondothlim at the death of Rog and the loss of his battalion, and they gave back further yet into the city, and Penlod perished there in a lane with his back to the wall, and about him many of the men of the Pillar and many of the Tower of Snow.”

In short: During the fall of Gondolin, Rog and his house held the first line of defense when the northern gates fell, slaughtered a shitton of orcs and balrogs, were the FIRST elves or men to EVER kill balrogs, had orcs fleeing from their faces literally screaming, and were eventually slaughtered, every last man.

After this went down, the orcs were scared shitless because of how brutally Rog had hacked down the Balrogs:

”Fearful too they were for that slaughter Rog had done amid the Balrogs, because of those demons they had great courage and confidence of heart. ”

So that was the last of Rog and the House of the Hammer of Wrath. Not a single one of them survived. There’s not much info on them, but in the little info that we do get, I think we can all safely conclude that Rog was Fucking Badass, and so was everyone in his house. A little further on in the battle after the elves had been driven back to the King’s Square, it’s mentioned that:

”In that host of survivors are some, be it however few, of all the kindreds [Houses] save of the Hammer of Wrath alone”

The rest of the fall of Gondolin is history.

Now on to the Mystery of Rog’s name:

Rog is one of the most interesting obscure characters to me, because he’s not like any other elf we meet (we barely even meet him at all but still). In fact, everything we’re told about him points to him being a Very Different elf.

The (first) elephant in the room here is obviously the name: Rog. Which means demon, literally, in Sindarin and, in Gnomish as is told in the Book of Lost Tales Part 2:

“Balcmeg In NFG it is said that Balcmeg ‘was a great fighter among the Orclim (Orqui say the Elves) who fell to the axe of Tuor—’tis in meaning “heart of evil”.’ (For-lim in Orclim see Gondothlim.) The entry for Balrog in NFG says: ‘Bal meaneth evilness, and Balc evil, and Balrog meaneth evil demon.’ GL has balc ‘cruel’: see I.250 (Balrog).”

Back then Tolkien still referred to the Noldor as Gnomes (haha) and Balrog translated as cruel/evil demon in ”Gnomish”.

In the Silmarillion we get this:

“rauko ‘demon’ in Valaraukar; Sindarin raug, rog in Balrog.”

And on the Tolkien gateway website I read about Rog’s name that:

“The meaning or etymology of the name is unclear, but in the context of the later works, it means “demon” as an element in Balrog.[2][3] The Qenya form of his name was Rōka.”

The last past (Rōka) was apparently taken from the 13th issue of Parma Eldalamberon, which unfortunately I do not have, so I can’t confirm that (although I don’t see why it wouldn’t be true).

So why would Tolkien name an elf, much less a lord of Gondolin, Demon? Right off the bat, we can tell, that this elf is Very Different. Christopher Tolkien was confused by this too, and in the notes of the Book of Lost Tales Part 2, he says:

“In the version of ‘The Silmarillion’ made in 1930 (See footnote on p. 208), the last account of the Fall of Gondolin to be written and the basis for that in chapter 23 of the published work, the text actually reads: ‘…much is told in The Fall of Gondolin: of the death of Rog without the walls, and of the battle of Ecthelion of the Fountain’, &c. I removed the reference to Rog (The Silmarillion p. 242) on the grounds that it was absolutely certain that my father would not have retained this name as that of a lord of Gondolin.”

So, Chris Tolkien actually left Rog out of the Silmarillion because he didn’t think that Tolkien would have kept the name for him.

But u know what Christopher Tolkien, IDC. He was a lord of Gondolin and his name is Valid.

In universe there are two possible explanations for where he got his name. Either:

Rog was his birth name; his parents named him Rog.

Rog was a name that was given to him/that he chose himself, at some point in his life

Both are interesting:

Rog was his birth-name

Why would a Noldorin couple name their child Demon, literally? Can you imagine this dude’s parents taking one look at their baby and going like, “yup. His name will be Demon. Perfect”. It’s especially striking, taking in consideration how fucking obsessed the Noldor were with naming things, and linguistics in general.

Noldorin elves were given two names by their parents; a father-name and a mother-name. The father-name would usually be similar to/derived from the father’s own name (like how Fëanor named all his seven sons various different variations of Finwë), and the mother-name was sometimes given a little later and usually had some prophetic insight. Tolkien says in the Shibboleth of Fëanor (in the note on mother-names) that:

“For the mothers of the Eldar were gifted with deep insight into their children’s characters and abilities, and many had also the gift of prophetic foresight”

So, if Rog was his parent-given name, 1) either his dad was named something similar (which begs the question; why?) or 2) his mom named him Rog because she saw something in his character or future that… was fitting of the name Demon? Which also begs the question; WHY? I mean we know he wasn’t evil, so it couldn’t have been that, and given how much the Noldor in particular fucking despised Morgoth and all of his minions, including Balrogs, why would they name their kid demon??

Obviously, Rog was, as I have mentioned, Very Different. It doesn’t matter how you twist and turn it, the idea of two Noldorin elves naming their child Rog is a peculiar thought. However I personally prefer the second option:

Rog was his chosen name

Going back to Tolkien’s note on mother-names in the Shibboleth of Fëanor, it says that:

“In addition any of the Eldar might acquire an epessë (‘after name’), not necessarily given by their own kin, a nickname mostly given as a title of admiration or honour. Later some among the exiles gave themselves names, as disguises or in reference to their own deeds and personal history: such names were called kilmessi ‘self-names’ (literally names of personal choice).(16)”

So, if Rog wasn’t a name given to him by his parents, he either picked it himself or he was given the name by others. Both options are hella interesting.

If he chose the name himself, it was either a disguise or ” or in reference to their own deeds and personal history:”. Firstly, I don’t see why he would have had a need for a disguise in Gondolin, so that leaves us with the second option. But what kind of fucking deeds or personal history would he, a Noldorin, elfy, elf lord of Gondolin, have had that was worthy of the name Demon?

Or if it was given by others, it was most likely ”as a title of admiration or honour”. Now it does that it wasn’t necessarily given by their own kin, but either way, in what fucking world, especially among demon-despising Noldor, would the name Demon be “a title of admiration or honour”? Again, this clearly indicates that Rog was a Very Different elf.

We won’t ever get the true answer to this, unfortunately, but I have my own theories. Now if we go back to the first paragraph I quoted from the Book of Lost Tales, which is pretty much the only description we have of him, we’re told several things about Rog:

We’re told that he:

Was the lord of the House of the Hammer of Wrath

Was the strongest of all the Noldor

You know that means this guy was fucking ripped right?

Scarce second in valour to that of Galdor of the Tree. Not only strong as hell, but also brave as shit

Was an absolute fucking badass

Died during the Fall of Gondolin

And we are told about his house, the House of the Hammer of Wrath that:

This house had the best smiths and craftsmen and much skill and craftsmanship was lost with them

Were big fans of Aulë

Were absolutely fucking SHREDDED; “They fought with great maces like hammers, and their shields were heavy, for their arms were very strong”

None of that slender elf shit. These dudes were buff and their lord was Lord Buff of all the Noldor

Were mostly made of up elves who had escaped captivity in Angband (<- this is VERY important)

Absolutely fucking despised Morgoth and his Balrogs

First, look at the last point: “the hatred of this house for the works of that evil one and the Balrogs his demons was exceeding great”

So these people hated Morgoth and his balrogs even more than the average Noldo (which says a lot).

So WHHYYYYYYYYYYYYY, would their Lord be named, fucking Rog? u see why I find this buff elf so interesting?

And right before that it says; ” In older days they [House of the Hammer of Wrath] had been much recruited by Noldoli who escaped from the mines of Melko”

This is very very interesting, because we have been told in the Silmarillion that elves who escaped captivity were often not welcomed back by their people, and were often ostracized and distrusted because people feared that they might still be under Morgoth’s influence:

“Many of the Noldor and the Sindar they took captive and led to Angband, and made them thralls, forcing them to use their skill and their knowledge in the service of Morgoth. And Morgoth sent out his spies, and they were clad in false forms and deceit was in their speech; they made lying promises of reward, and with cunning words sought to arouse fear and jealousy among the peoples, accusing their kings and chieftains of greed, and of treachery one to another. And because of the curse of the Kinslaying at Alqualondë these lies were often believed; and indeed as the time darkened they had a measure of truth, for the hearts and minds of the Elves of Beleriand became clouded with despair and fear. But ever the Noldor feared most the treachery of those of their own kin, who had been thralls in Angband; for Morgoth used some of these for his evil purposes, and feigning to give them liberty sent them abroad, but their wills were chained to his, and they strayed only to come back to him again. Therefore if any of his captives escaped in truth, and returned to their own people, they had little welcome, and wandered alone outlawed and desperate.”

So we know that the Noldor fucking hate Morgoth and his demons, and rarely accepted escaped thralls back into society.

And yet we’re told that the House of the Hammer of Wrath was made up mostly of elves who had escaped captivity, and that the lord of this house was named, again, fucking Demon.

I don’t know shit about how Houses work but I assume that Rog, as the lord, is the one who welcomed/recruited people into his house. So why would a Noldo elf not only trust, but also welcome these escaped thralls into his house, in a society that rejected them? This all points to one conclusion: Rog was a Very Different elf.

I have my own headcanon about Rog, which is basically; he was a former thrall himself. Now, this headcanon is already popular here on tumblr (and by popular, I mean popular among the few people in the silm fandom who actually acknowledge his existence, which is, approximately, 8 people and a shoelace). But before I get into this headcanon, let’s just ignore this idea for a moment and look at him as an “average” elf.

Even if we go by the notion that he was not a former thrall, I personally think it says a lot about his character that he would not only welcome former thralls, but also recruit them into his house and give them a home and sense of belonging after the rest of their society gave them ”little welcome”. Hell, it’s especially outstanding to me that he would do this if he was not a former thrall himself. In the passage I quoted earlier it says that:

“And because of the curse of the Kinslaying at Alqualondë these lies were often believed;(..)“

In that curse, which is the Doom of the Noldor, it says that:

”To evil end shall all things turn that they begin well; and by treason of kin unto kin, and the fear of treason, shall this come to pass. ”

The Noldor were already wary of treason among themselves because the doom had told them that it would come to pass. This also meant that the Noldor were especially distrustful of escaped thralls because of that ”fear of treason”.

And yet here comes Rog, this fucking delightful demon ass elf and says, no, you know what, fuck that, I don’t believe that. I love this because:

On one hand it could be an outright rejection of the Doom; the rest of the Noldor distrusted the thralls for reasons, but also as a result of the Doom, yet he refused to do so. He said, “I heard what you said and I say fuck that. I don’t believe our people will turn against each other so easily, I don’t believe that all of us are doomed”.

On the other hand it could be that Rog believed the Doom to be completely true and decided to heed the warnings in it. The warning being:

”To evil end shall all things turn that they begin well; and by treason of kin unto kin, and the fear of treason, shall this come to pass. ”

To evil end shall all things turn, not only because of actual betrayal, but also because of the fear of betrayal. The Doom literally warns the Noldor that their paranoia will be a part of what leads to their evil end. Rog understood this and refused to be a part of it.

So not only was he strong as hell and brave as shit, he was also smart as fuck.

Rog looked at these escaped thralls, looked at how they were treated and said fuck that, I won’t stand for this behavior. We’re better than this, our people are better than this. If the rest of society won’t help you, I will. Y’all can abandon these people but I fucking won’t. This elf gave escaped thralls a second chance, a fresh start. He was trusting and accepting when the rest of their people was not. He made them his family when the rest of their people disowned them. It’s no wonder every one of them died defending him to the last.

Do you think that the rest of his people ostracized him because of this? Because of him bringing these newly freed people back into their society? Because they believed he was endangering them all? Why is he bringing these cursed people here? Who does he think he is? Doesn’t he know that they’re Morgoth’s spies? Why would he trust those demons? Maybe he’s one of them. Maybe he’s one himself. Demon.

Maybe they named him that, or maybe he gave himself that name in defiance of their sneers and whispers. If they would name him Rog, then Rog he would be.

Or maybe they wouldn’t say such about him, but sneer at his people behind his back. Fraudulent smiles and kind words in the courts and as soon as he’s gone they glare at the people of his house, throwing disgusted glances and rude comments. He may have accepted you, but we have not. You are still demons, they say.

He knows this, though. He knows this and he says, if you consider my people spies, then consider me one as well. If you call my people demons, then call me such as well. My name will be Rog. And you will address me as such.

——-

Or maybe he was a former thrall himself.

Maybe he was captured and enslaved and tortured in Angband for Eru knows how long, waiting for the right day, the perfect time for him to escape. Rog had never been one to give up, never been one to let people decide his fate for him. That’s what he told himself when the whip cracked across his back, when the orcs would burn him with hot iron (so different from the cutting cold of the Helcaraxë. How ironic to have gone from that icy hell wishing for some warmth, to end up in this fiery one, begging for some cool air). It became a mantra.

And the right day, the perfect time finally came and he fought and slaughtered his way of out of that prison, leaving nothing but blood and fear in his path. He made his way out of those accursed lands, by bloody feet, crawling when necessary, all the time comforted by and clinging to the thought of home.

Only to finally come home and be rejected and cast out.

So are we really surprised that he took in and welcomed former thralls into his house? He was one of them. He knew exactly how it felt to be in captivity for Eru knows how long, hoping, dreaming, longing to go back home to their people, their family,

And then to finally escape and come back, only to be cast out and rejected by that very home. He knew how that felt, he was all too familiar with that hurt, that betrayal. So if home wouldn’t take them back, he would. Because he was one of them. And If home rejected them, they would make their own.

Maybe he chose his name as a disguise during his captivity; he wore the name like a shield and in defiance of the sneering orcs and their mocking comments about him; ”you know how orcs are made don’t you, elf? It won’t be long before you become one of us. You’ll be a demon soon enough” followed by roaring laughter and whiplashes. But he’d be damned if he let orcs or Morgoth, or anyone else decide his fate. So if demon he was to be, he would be so of his own accord, and no one elses. If he was to be a demon, then he would be Rog.

Or maybe he chose the name after his captivity, when he came back among his people and was met with distrustful glares and sneers. Demon, they’d whisper, Spy of Morgoth. Look at his face, look at his body. He no longer has the grace of our people. Only scars. He’d be lying if he said it didn’t hurt like hell to be treated like this by his own people, but he had never been one to give up and he’d be damned if he let orcs or Morgoth, or anyone else decide his fate. So if demon he was to be, he would be so of his own accord, and no one else’s. If he was to be a demon, then he would be Rog.

And he was. By Eru, he was, truly, Rog, they all realized when they first saw him fight. Now the Noldor had no love or care for orcs, but watching this elf, this Demon fight was truly something else. The pure hate that radiated of him, the sheer brutality in which he would slaughter any orc in his way, the way he would mutilate his enemies and make them suffer was something his people had never seen before. Demon indeed, they thought. Rog. A name well-earned.

Certainly, the orcs had been right when they said, he’d be a demon. They were absolutely right, when they told that handsome young elf that he would become a nightmare. They just didn’t realize he’d be their nightmare.

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