Rhûn, Khand, & the Unknown East of Middle-earth

[@tolkienuntangled]

31:30 - CORRECTION At the time, the eastern Roman Empire was NOT called the Byzantine Empire; that name was applied much later by historians. My bad. I will not be releasing a spinoff channel called 'Byzantines Untangled' any time soon! It's super annoying too. If you turn on the subtitles, you'll see, my mistake wasn't even in the original script. I just wrote, "the eastern Roman Empire - called the Byzantine Empire." But then I just had to go and improvise while recording. Whoops.

[@nadinemottley5229]

@@tolkienuntangled There's that attention to detail that we all love ❤️

[@magister343]

From the History of Byzantium podcast, I know it was most often called "Romania."

[@alex.scaraoschi]

No worries about real-life historical matters. The fact you know far more about good ol' JRR's universe than anyone else I've come across YT, including the cautiously optimistic corporation shill with many subs prior to his foolishness got me following your channel and getting into Silmarillion audiobook and so on. Good show, ol' chap 🍷 nice to see your channel has grown rapidly!

[@josephbenson6301]

Yes... the people of the "Byzantine" Empire thought of themselves as Romans. Byzantium was the legitimate capital of the Eastern half of the empire, so why would they think otherwise.

[@DrAlberts]

Have you considered uploading your videos as audios to spotify? You use mostly arts as background so they are very listenable (in fact, i have them in the background most of the time) so i'd love it if i were able to have random playlists with your stuff. They're very relaxing and entertaining at work

[@joatandimas3098]

"The beacons are lit, the beacons are lit. Dave has release his new video"

[@JAB6322]

Hope has been rekindled 🥲

[@ZeepDr]

exactly how i feel

[@mrpj1390]

.......and Rohan will watch it. Muster the viewers.

[@Rootcauz]

Thank you Illuvatar! Dave is back! ❤

[@triamberonilla2427]

Just got home from long hours at the office, cooked a nice Friday night meal, sat on the table to eat, and then opened KZbin to see a new Tolkien Untangled video. What a treat! You are awesome as always, Dave! 😊

[@vojtechhoracek7923]

He's just the best

[@vercingetorixavernian8978]

What a sweet message. Something a Tolkien fan would say ❤

[@presidenthobi1085]

I’m so glad that Tolkien gave us a revised version of the Blue Wizards’ fate in the East. I’d much rather imagine them aiding resistance movements than founding dark cults 💪🏻

[@maartent9697]

Eh seems more fitting, how can 2 wizards not tame an tribe like outlands? One becoming dark and the other staying true would be more fitting story, then the dark wizard winning meaning the lands of Rhun are under Sauron/Melkor his powers.

[@davidseligman6445]

I also like to think one stayed true and one fell. They were apparently best friends too. Great thematically. But maybe not.

[@changer_of_ways_999]

I can see them founding magical cults that aren't exactly dark but more neutral. If we think of the east, it could be the "origin" of eastern mysticism popular among ancient civilizations on through to Hermeticism, kabbalah, and modern occult practices.

[@dawahaddict]

Whoever wants to do a Tolkien adaptation best should hire you as advisor. Not only are you deeply knowledgeable, you are able to think so creatively within the scope of the lore. Thank you for your videos and reflections. 😊

[@mumbo-jumbo7917]

Damn right!

[@Captain_Insano_nomercy]

Amazon: best we can do is bisexual activist we found at Starbucks

[@Enerdhil]

Yes, Fan fiction from someone I trust.😁👍

[@sirkylanthered]

​@@Captain_Insano_nomercyOh for f%$k sake. You do know that Amazon hired several Tolkien scholars to help make that show? Also why does being bisexual mean you can't be knowledgeable about Tolkien? Or are you just being a bigot?

[@obviousgreyman]

Absolutely, staying true to the lore is so rare these days.

[@7dwyerm]

3 videos in a month... lucky us! Thank you!

[@SirBolsón]

It's quite the treat!

[@verity231]

Haven’t finished the video yet, but I have to say I love the idea of Dorwinion being an Avari place and Thranduil trading with them. It makes sense that he, being a Sindar instead of a Noldor and whose subjects and perhaps even family are Silvan elves who have never seen the light of Aman and are very much connected to Middle Earth, would be the one to have contact and connection of some kind with the Avari. The elves of Greenwood, I think, would have a better understanding of the Avari and may have a sense of kinship or connection to them more so than the elves of Lothlorien or Rivendell.

[@calebwilliams7659]

One of the interesting tidbits that I heard on another channel was that it might make sense that of the Nazgul, Khamul is the only one from Rhun, or more generically the East, as in he is Khamul THE Easterling. The emphasis would imply his geographic origin is singularly unique among the nine.

[@paulemge9156]

Awesome as always. There is so much fertile ground in the east if someone wanted to write original stories set in Middle Earth.

[@danielchambers7625]

Can't even explain the joy I feel when rewatching old Rainbow Dave videos and a brand new one pops up!!

[@starkilr101]

If someone gave you a Disney-sized budget, you could make an animated series of the East and make it grand!

[@astridchladek1927]

Danke!

[@danwillburn]

Dude I’m obsessed with east lore currently.

[@mintkit1]

Fascinating video as always! I love how you continue to bring in Tolkien‘s real world influences to explain his world of Arda.

[@TheGoodesBrothers]

Hell yes, what a great topic to cover! Can’t wait to watch this later 🙌 you’re too good to us, Dave ❤

[@GenuinelyCurious120]

In Istanbul, at the Hagia Sophia, there is a balcony overlooking the main chapel. On the railing there are runes carved into it by Varangian Guard who were watching over the emperor while he was a church.

[@sarahgould5435]

What do the runes say? It would be kind of funny if people were already carving variations of "Johnny was here" on church pews even then.

[@Blackadder75]

@@sarahgould5435 they did just that, there are examples found in Pompeii and Herculaneum

[@sarahgould5435]

@@Blackadder75 🤣

[@skibidi.G]

​@@sarahgould5435 I think they say exactly that, something like Hårald was here. Look it up 😊.

[@skibidi.G]

-Istanbul- AHHH, Constantinople yes ! 😊

[@liverpudliandream2299]

this channel is a gift. Every few months I remember it exists and come back to find the highest quality tolkien lore on all of youtube, binge for weeks and then forget it exists again to repeat the cycle

[@LivelyHorror]

Now I have the desire to read or write Easterling fanfiction. They are quite a fascinating people, especially with Sauron's influence being so close and so stifling. I'm certain that any story about those people of Rhûn that have managed to make a peaceful and bountiful life in the East would be a beautiful thing to experience (whether personally or second-hand).

[@ianmacdiarmid1249]

Always a good Friday when we get a Tolkien Untangled video.

[@bretrohde7300]

Glad to see you’re making new content! Thanks as always!

[@benyoder8592]

I think a guiding principle for understanding Rhun starts with Tolkien saying the mapped portion of Middle Earth corresponds to northern and western Europe. Taking that as a backdrop, Rhun roughly corresponds to Eastern Europe and Central Asia. For the Wainriders I’m getting a vibe of a Germanic folk wandering, something like the Ostrogoths, or the Scythians and Sarmatians, or the early Slavs, Franks, Bulgars, etc. For the Balchoth I have a mental model of Huns, Mongols, Turkic peoples, etc. There is no easy peasy one to one matching, but rather a pallet of colors to draw from. I certainly dislike Peter Jackson’s Easterlings, who were just bizarre mishmashes, bits and bobs of everything and nothing. But somehow that’s what always shows up in the artwork.

[@paulodelima5705]

Gondor is equivalent for the Eastern Roman empire(Byzantine Empire) Even the split of the middle earth empire in two parts comes from the The Roman empire. Tolkien said middle earth woulb became earh after the magic fades in the future. Wainriders are huns and a bit of Sarmatians(Cental asia and steppes). They fight in chariots and horses, something the the germanics didn't. Rhun means east. Tolkien said in a letter that at the east of Rhun it is the far east like asia, china and Japan. Peter Jackson’s Easterlings are good. Some were indian, Egyptian with the camels or central asian like the persian with their war elephants and the Sarmatians.

[@Zersetzor]

Fun fact: The Byzantine Empire was never called by that name when it was still around. It was simply the Roman Empire. The term "Byzantine Empire" is a later invention of historians.

[@paulfroelich1024]

I literally learned that this morning from a Curtis Yarvin video, he's a neo-monarchist. Shit's wild.

[@isaacburrows8405]

The facts that are the most fun are ones that aren't constantly regurgitated on the internet

[@GenuinelyCurious120]

The drawings of the Kings of Gondor are done in a very Byzantine style. That's really interesting 🤔 Tolkien is responsible for my intense interest in real world history.

[@marvhollingworth663]

LOL. I got interested in ancient mythology because of Stargate. Funny how that happens.

[@freshhands9461]

@@marvhollingworth663 ...and I got into Chinese myth because of Video Games. It's like a chain of signal fires being lit 😁

[@carlcramer9269]

Redwater is likely named by the idea that an iron-rich river would be red from rust. Here in Sweden, we have MANY iron-rich waterways, and they all share on quality: the water is black, Iron can oxidize in two ways, one is black, the other red. And the black version dominates our waterways. So it seems Tolkiens assumption of the color of the Red River would be wrong. However, I do know of a river and waterfall in Antarctica that has the red iron oxide, and is blood red. It is rare, but red rivers really do exist.

[@NidorasNidoras]

The Río Tinto is a Spanish river that’s red due to very high levels of iron.

[@carlcramer9269]

Coo, I didn't know that.

[@charlieidda6236]

💐

[@tolkienuntangled]

Thank you very much!

[@fishymacaroon6]

Patiently awaiting the Fall of Gondolin series...

[@tolkienuntangled]

It will come.

[@eldergranpower]

@@tolkienuntangledhell yeah

[@jamesonholbrook3969]

This

[@denissediaz3640]

I can’t wait!

[@marvhollingworth663]

It's hard not to bug Dave about that, but I don't want him to rush it. His high standard takes time.

[@chefitaly7339]

Finally! Good to have you, Dave. Always a pleasure to see a new video in my tabs

[@Kiltzombie]

Iron Crown Enterprises had an old RPG like dnd that had campaign settings for areas of middle earth including Rhun. Those books are great at supplementing speculation and imagination. I grew up playing second edition dnd with those books as our campaign guides and is why I looooooove Tolkien (besides reading the books of course)

[@skibidi.G]

I think it was MERP? Middle Earth Role Playing? I vaguely remember such a series , it was great reading the bestiary in it ✌️😊

[@denissediaz3640]

It’s soo good to have some more content from you Dave

[@vojtechhoracek7923]

I actually can't say how much appreciated your video essays are to me. You got me through my worst and you got me still. As I said, you are such a great teachers it hurts. Keep it real bro

[@daylanhicks9096]

I can’t tell you the smile that beams across my face when I see a new upload.

[@mrs.manrique7411]

Dude, you’re killing it! 💯

[@elijahouldhouse5706]

Fantastic video sir the east of middle earth is so ripe for exploration! Thanks for a review on everything there is to know about it !

[@veronicasiegfried2712]

Love all your videos!❤️ I'm so glad you have returned. You explain Tolkien so well.💖

[@picklerick.n.666]

May God bless you and your work sir 🙏. Deep respect from Croatia-Europe ❤❤❤

[@cambatson8740]

Glad to see you posting again❤ by far the best Tolkien channel, so comprehensive and you never really make a mistake, your voice is relaxing too:)

[@louisebrouillette5580]

There's so much mystery in the East that I've always wondered about! Thanks, Rainbow Dave, for this great video: part fact, part speculation, 100% entertaining!

[@riffmondo9733]

Best Tolkien dissectionist on the web.

[@MarkBackus-k8u]

Variag!!! So interesting!! Awesome analysis!

[@mariamellis6841]

Dave, as always, you brilliantly expand my understanding of Tolkien and Middle Earth. Thank you!! ❤❤❤

[@kylemoore687]

I hope you know that you make the absolute best Tolkien content anywhere online, and each one of your videos is a must watch. Thank you for all of your effort. I know it can't be easy. In a perfect world, Amazon would have brought you on to consult on ROP and would have actually listened to you, and we would have gotten something special instead of the slop they're serving us. Keep up the great work bro

[@masstrapper7645]

Awesome. Always great to see another video. Well done. 👍👍

[@cazmacd]

Cheers Dave....always treat, never a chore!

[@victorianguyen6620]

Thank you Dave! This looks really good. I had a terrible day, and this is something to center me again! Enjoy your evening mellon!❤🙏

[@tolkienuntangled]

I hope tomorrow is better!

[@victorianguyen6620]

​Thanks Dave! Means a lot to me!❤

[@johnsykes9623]

Nice to see it's not just me that's been missing you, thought your videos were not making my notifications though it seems you have returned with new inspiration

[@RomanHistoryFan476AD]

Sadly by the time of the war of the ring, I think Dorwinion likely was the first on the list to be hit by the Armies of Sauron from Rhun. But maybe in the Fourth age it rises again thanks to aid by Aragorn and Erebor to become the great power of the sea of Rhun. A map from the East's viewpoint would be very interesting, I wonder what Gondor the great old enemy would be called, what Erebor and the elves they trade with be named as? Finally what would Mordor be called? Since to most of the East Sauron was a god king or some grand being they worshipped and obeyed.

[@ZeepDr]

This has been the best last few weeks!!!! When TU uploads I get more excited than payday. For REAL, yo!!

[@bustadownz6121]

its so funny that i get more excited when i see that dave has put another video up than i am when i hear a new or a continuation of some LOTR porjects (ie. rings of power)

[@hannah51238]

Best videos about middle earth Dave. Absolutely love them!

[@tolkienuntangled]

Thanks!

[@dronesclubhighjinks]

Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into your videos! You make learning fun! 🙏🌿🧝‍♂️🍄🌟

[@markkettlewell7441]

Maybe the blue wizards would return west during or after King Elessar’s reign. Conversely they could be dead, or like Radagast they set up shop with the eastern men and settled down.

[@Morcaiden]

Thank you for your insights on the "Variags out of Khand" - a fascinating riddle!

[@MrARock001]

Excellent video! ❤😊

[@josephbenson6301]

I tend to think of the many people's of Middle Earth as having a historical analog here. Similarly, I consider the geography in the same way. I tend to think of the Sea of Rhun as the Black Sea and the Easterlings as, specifically, Ottoman Turks. As for Dorwinion... the other possibility is that it is simply what Thranduil's people called it. Many Native American tribes were known for a long time by the name that the people (often) East of them called them. (And often derogatory.). Those people encountered the Europeans first and said the (whatever) were to the West and so on. (For instance, I believe the Inuit were called Eskimo by the people to their South.)

[@richmondlandersenfells2238]

The wainriders being nomadic people who migrated further west and terrorized the region of rohvannion reminds me of the huns!

[@arkcliref]

letsgo, tolkien untangled popped up on my recommended again

[@chrischapman2879]

I’m glad these videos happened in my time x

[@veronicadavanzo2064]

Always love your videos! Hey Dave, is your book finished yet? I can’t be the only one wondering about it.

[@llewenthen6305]

Yay! He's untangling more webs and getting to the real story. I like this pattern. Thank you Dave!

[@haleyschreiter9746]

Another excellent video, thank you!

[@badsitvfx652]

Dave! Loved this one, learned a ton.

[@tscarb]

Nicely done!!! Thank you

[@Mateo-oq7ui]

I really like how even though we don't really have any named Avarin characters in the Legendarium (aside from one possible exception), the fact that Tolkien states that many of them migrated west (even as far as Beleriand) and that they merged with the Wood Elves of Greenwood and Lorien means that some characters we've come across in the books like Haldir and maybe even Legolas (depending on who his mother was) could've been at least part Avari. Also, I've always been curious as to whether or not Eol the Dark Elf was an Avari or not. He was a subject of Thingol, which points to him being Sindar, but Tolkien did mention in iirc some letters that the few Avari that chose to join Eldar realms would be considered Eldarin by their peers. Then again, Tolkien also wrote in 1959 that Eol was a Noldor from Aman but "Avari at heart", and then also straight up wrote that he was an Avari in 1960, though afterwards he claimed he was of the Eldar, in the same letter where he mentioned that Avari that joined Eldar realms would be considered Eldar, so it's very confusing. I personally choose to believe he was an Avari, partly because it's more interesting to have more kinds of Elves doing stuff in the story, but also because even other Sindar referred to him as a Dark Elf, which sure, could've *definitely* referred to his character, but given that Thingol accepted him as a subject and let him do his own thing in little creepy forest I don't think they were really aware of just how evil that dude was, so they might've just have called him that as "the one Avari that will actually speak to us" or something. Plus, Eol really hated the Noldor ever since he heard of the Kinslaying. Tolkien iirc said that some Avari were descended from the ancestors of the Noldor, and some from the ancestors of the Teleri. Those who were kin with the Noldor hated them and saw them as deserters, and those who were kin with the Teleri saw Teleri-descended groups (Sindar, Nandor, Wood-Elves, etc) as kin, and so hated the Noldor for having attacked their kin, so either way him being a racist works in that light. Then again a Sindar could also have been understandably pissed at the Noldor for that so who knows. Also, I think Tolkien specifically mention that there weren't any Avari left to the west of the Misty Mountains by the Third Age, so I think that pretty much confirms that Avarin were still roaming around in caves and forests and stuff while the War of the Ring was going on, and given that whole fading situation they probably comprise the majority of Elves that stayed in Middle Earth and faded into incorporeal faerie beings.

[@maoalexandros]

Yay! Thanks for the new vid, Dave!

[@joonasmiettinen4893]

A great video as always! I often wish Tolkien had drawn a map that includes the east as well as I am very curious about it

[@melissabloom536]

I’m here on the day it drops! Whoop whoop! 🙌 🎉❤ And thank you! Have a fantastic weekend, Dave…. and your lovely followers!

[@dhruvagrawal949]

BRO ITS BEEN NINE MONTHS SINCE CHILDREN OF HURIN PLS CONTINUE I LEGIT WATCHED ALL THE VIDS FROM START TILL NOW IN A FEW DAYS I DONT WANNA FIND AN ALTERNATE SOURCE NOW FOR THE FIRST AGE EXPLANATION, UR GREAT

[@standingbadger]

Fantastic! Thank you.

[@JorJorIvanovitch]

Way more entertaining than the Amazon junk that's streaming and making millions. Thank you.

[@isaacburrows8405]

They spend over a billion on it they're not gonna make a profit, nor should they

[@nadinemottley5229]

Absolutely fascinating. Thank you once again, Rainbow Dave 🌈 ❤

[@Billabongbabalog]

I never thought I could miss a ytber so much!

[@MrBrianbeyer]

love your stuff, man!

[@govolsfightvolsfight2908]

I know so much about the west and central parts of middle earth, but it's always good to hear about the east, north, south ect and really enjoy these videos of the part's most people don't know much about, and it's great to watch and find something every once in a while that I didn't know. I appreciate your work, and the good job you guys do! Pat yourself on the back for another job well done!

[@awegjlappenaeofgihn]

40 Minutes about the east in middle earth? Damn, awesome :D

[@nathanfortin8192]

Thank you! Love your videos

[@lhadzyan7300]

There could be an alternative interpretation mix-in-between both versions of Tolkien about the Two Blue Wizards in the East and that could be that actually were TWO sets of two Blue Wizards going to the East, ones which arrived on Second Age time and keep working on Third Age till the second set of Blue Wizards came there to reinforce their working, however one of these couples ended into the dark side aligning with Sauron, and having kinda a mixed victory on facing the other wizards which kept loyal on their mission. However as this stuff had happened so much deep far on the East on Middle Earth and take so long to reach the main regions of the Northwestern which matter more to Tolkien´s narrative anyways, there came mixed news and as bad news came faster than good ones, that´s why the idea about some pair of Blue Wizards failling on their mission against Sauron was developed much earlier than as when the opposite new about them - however it´s interesting to know that the wizards which kept fighting against Sauron seems to have appeared earlier than the more known set of Blue Wizards and have different names too! Of course this means that Tolkien was switching ideas about his lore legendarium world-building over time, but as it never came to be a definitive one on it, a mixed version compromising both might involve actually two sets of Blue Wizards in the East on different times yet the same mission but one failling it and the other doing actually a very long-lasting fightback as Gandalf did on the West. Christopher Tolkien actually on the standard publishing of The Silmarillion after his father demise, chose to do a lot of mixed blending of opposite ideas on different times on his father writting works, and just got repentant of it on later age about choosing more in tune with the latter writtings as much he also aged on and got more in tune with his father way of thinking then, but... that doesn´t meant he was on his prime writting time anyways regardless on what many dogmatic people of Tolkien fans naively believe to be! Age DOESN´T ALWAYS meant wisdom experience in all, that´s a usual fallacy of traditionalism, and eventhough a lot of times both are a good match it doesn´t meant it always needs to be!! (Of course that doesn´t meant that newer/younger is better too all times, but indeed... when the previous doesn´t work then it could be the opposite!)

[@TheTimelessVault]

Fantastic video!!!!

[@TheJmlew11]

That moment when you’re more excited for a lore video about Toilken’s world than a 1 billion dollar show “based on” his works.

[@12classics39]

Great video as always. A note on the Blue Wizards’ names: Gandalf, Saruman, and Radagast were not the original names of those wizards. In Valinor, their Quenya names were Olórin, Curumo, and Aiwendil. They adopted the names we know them by when they came to Middle-earth. Thus, it was probably the same with the Blue Wizards. Alatar and Pallando were their Quenya names in Valinor, and once they came to Middle-earth, they became known as Morinehtar and Rómestámo.

[@GreasusGoldtooth]

I remember somewhere that before his death Tolkien had decided to start detailing the history of either the Easterlings or the Haradrim. If that's true, it's a shame he never got a chance to do so.

[@flyingfoamtv2169]

if i had to guess it was probably the haradrim, since they had the most interraction with the numenorians, giving him the best jumping off point.

[@thomasskywalker8893]

Wooo! Keep ‘em coming!

[@markkettlewell7441]

Interesting fact about the Varangians. The Byzantine Emperors used them as bodyguards because provided they were paid well, they couldn’t be bribed because of the Nordic oaths. The Byzantine emperors didn’t trust their own people as bodyguards because there were always some politicians that could bribe an Emperor’s guard to knock the emperor off. We see this with Caligula whose own Praetorian guard murdered him on the behest of another, and the Emperor Pertinaxes guard killed him and sold the Empire off to the highest bidder.😊

[@adriangarepe4916]

Hello, you have a new subscriber from Uruguay!! I love and enjoy the audiobook of Beren and Luthien with images. A question, are you planning to do the same with the fall of Gondolin and the fall of Numenor? Greetings from Uruguay and I look forward to your prompt response. Thank you very much for everything.

[@tolkienuntangled]

Thanks very much! I’ll get to Gondolin in time, and the Second Age eventually.

[@adriangarepe4916]

A question to know when you will have The Fall of Gondolin? Approximate date? Because I saw your Beren and Luthien and I loved it.!! Congratulations!! And for more!!!!!!!!!

[@tolkienuntangled]

@@adriangarepe4916 probably some time in early 2025.

[@Enerdhil]

Welcome to the club! Rainbow Dave is a great teacher and storyteller of Tolkien's lore.

[@AdelleReinke]

Not 100% related to the video, but I wanted to thank you! My brother in law officiated my wedding a couple weeks ago and reached out to you for a blessing. Thank you for making my wedding day even more memorable!

[@tolkienuntangled]

That’s wonderful! Congratulations on your wedding!

[@TETASARAIVACS]

Maybe Tolkien used “variags” as a synonym of “mercenaries”? In that case, they would be mercenaries natives of Khand

[@MrRoccoMarchegiano]

Bro, I just love you dude.

[@superyoda993]

Thank you Dave.

[@libernihilus]

My rings of power theory is that the Stranger and the Dark wizard are the "blue wizards" we hear of, based on the varying accounts tolkien gave that they went into the east, perhaps set up cults, but failed in their mission, but weakened sauron in some way in their failure. We don't hear about them because they canceled out each other's work. It would be a very interesting way for the showrunners to use these under-utilized characters in a clever way, which means i'm probably wrong.

[@isaacburrows8405]

This is a Tolkien channel take that dogshit elsewhere

[@AshGreen359]

But what happened to the wanderings of Hurin? What led up to the sinking of Beleriand?

[@tolkienuntangled]

I’ll get there in good time.

[@AshGreen359]

@@tolkienuntangled looking forward to it.

[@SicSemperTyrannis-lc8fj]

@@tolkienuntangledIf it makes you feel better about all the questions, your re-telling of the First Age is the best I’ve ever seen.

[@sambojinbojin-sam6550]

I like the parallels to South American (especially Peruvian) naming of places. Where there's the New Place around the Sea of Rhun, there's plenty of places known as Pampacancha (old town) in Peru. Most of them are ruins, probably more-so inhabited at the height of various empires, while the town/city itself has a proper name. But the ruins are just called "Old Town". It makes me wonder if with the changing of the world in the various ages, and the size of the Sea of Rhun over them, if "New Place" is simply because there was an "Old Place", centuries or millennia ago.

[@IanHeins]

Nice work dude thanks

[@alintemirtzi170]

Spectacular video once again and I have an idea (more like a wish)... As a fan who was introduced to middle earth by the PJ trilogy, your Rings of Power series was the second best Tolkien adaptation in my opinion... Would you like to make your own version of the Hobbit and even the LOTR adaptation in one of your videos just like you did with the Rings of Power? And even further... With the news coming of the new movies from WB, maybe you can also share your ideas like what would you like to see adapted and how it should have been adapted and even fancast ideas if you like such concepts... I would surely enjoy your take on theese concepts.

[@squiggles5640]

dorwinion and rhun have honestly been a kind of obsession for me ever since i started playing the third age total war mod

[@beremizerazo4616]

Video is great! I'm hoping LOTRO will sometime take us to the East. So far, LOTRO's additions to the lore feel so in-line I really want to see their vision of Rhûn.

[@victors.3633]

I would love to hear fanfiction tales of the adventures of the Blue Wizards

[@honorary.senior]

this is the first time i've heard about his later writings that say the blue wizards stayed good and helped so much with defeating sauron!! i love that so much! only one of the wizards going bad is much nicer than 3 of them going bad

[@DHTC888]

Thanx Rainbow Dave!! ❤💛💚💙

[@SunnyCida]

How's your book coming along? Amazing vid as always

[@moonpearl4736]

So, even with an earth that is bent (four dimensions perhaps?) I see no way in which the stars in Rhun, in the East, vary from stars in the West, as RoP seems to imply. When Aragorn said the stars were strange, it was because he travelled SOUTH and that makes sense.

[@saar144]

How does that make sense exactly?

[@isaacburrows8405]

Don't dig too deep into it they still had night and day before the world was round explain that shit

[@WhoIsCalli]

The idea of primeval elves is awesome. I have thought about this before. Just living in the forest, simple bows and arrows hunting fish in a stream. The dwarves defo have great mansions and I like to think that as they weren’t plagued by the conflicts like in the west.. they have remained and steadily grown. For men I love the idea of river civilisations and trade that connects to Erebor and the borders of Mirkwood

[@itayshorek6872]

yesss one more video to my list