The New Notion Club Archives
Register
Advertisement
The New Notion Club Archives
The Shadow over Innsmouth by Mushstone

The New Shadow refers to an abandoned manuscript that J. R. R. Tolkien wrote about the coming of the "Dark Tree" which was an abstract concept that described how deep evil's roots were in the planet and Middle-earth. The New Shadow itself could possibly be seen as Herumor – but this may be unlikely as the manuscript seems to talk about Herumor as being the leader of a cult, and the manuscript seems to denote someone else as the "New Shadow." Who this is or was intended to be... we may never know, as possibly Tolkien himself was unsure and abandoned the concept.

Notes[]

J. R. R. Tolkien gave contradicting statements on the time of the setting of the story, once ca. 100 years after the fall of Barad-dûr, a second time ca. 100 years after the death of Aragorn Elessar so the setting would be between F.O. 97 - 220.However the character Borlas of Pen-Arduin had seemingly still seen plundering Orcs in Gondor with his own eyes.

The advent of a new Shadow might correspond with biblical apocalyptical literature, for example the Book of Revelation, which mentions visions of false prophets, demonic beasts, and the coming of the Antichrist.

Advertisement