Tolkien's "R" Characters Trivia Quiz

Answer: Brown

Radagast the Brown was one of the five Istari, or wizards, sent during the Third Age to combat Sauron. He was very in touch with nature, and perhaps that is why his robes are described as being brown, but perhaps it was used as a pejorative by Saruman who mocked Radagast: "Radagast the bird-tamer, Radagast the fool."

While in Valinor, he was a Maia known as Aiwendil. He was a friend to animals and a favourite of Yavanna. While he didn't play a part in directly helping overthrow Sauron, his actions helped Gandalf escape from the trap laid for him by Saruman and thus he was also a part of Sauron's downfall.

Answer: Raven

Roäc son of Carc was a raven that came to Bilbo and the dwarves when they were on the slopes of Erebor seeking the side-door into the mountain. Described as already being quite old, 153 years, Roäc was able to speak Westron and easily communicated with the party.

When Smaug was killed, Roäc delivered the news to the dwarves who were holed up inside the mountain preparing for an attack by the dragon. He also went to speak with Dain on behalf of Thorin so that the Dwarves of the Iron Mountains would aid the ones in Erebor against assault.

Answer: Rosie

Rose (Rosie) Cotton was the daughter of Farmer Tolman Cotton and Lily Brown. She and Sam had been interested in one another for a while, however, neither of them was forward enough to do anything about it. When Sam returned from the War of the Ring, Frodo was the one who prodded Sam into getting into a relationship with Rosie.

They married on May 1, TA 3020 and eventually had thirteen children! Frodo allowed them to move into Bag End, stating that there was enough room for all of them.

Answer: Fingolfin

Fingolfin was the High King of the Noldor after Fëanor died. The kingship should have passed to Fëanor's eldest son, Maedhros, but Maedhros had been captured and Fingolfin rescued him. Maedhros waived his claim to become the next High King and Fingolfin assumed the mantle.

After the defeat of Elves and Men in the Dagor Bragollach, Morgoth ruled the land and many people fled. Fingolfin, seeing that there was no other choice, rode to Angband upon Rochallor and challenged Morgoth to single combat. Morgoth and Fingolfin fought and the elven king dealt his evil foe seven blows, however, it was Morgoth who prevailed in the end. Rochallor stayed with Fingolfin to the very end. When the wolves of Angband came out after the battle to feast on Rochallor, he was able to ride to safety due to his great speed. Returning to Hithlum, the home of the Noldor at that time, Rochallor died of a broken heart.

Answer: An alphabet

Rúmil of Tirion was a learned elf. He was a Noldor who refused the summons of Fëanor to set forth to the Middle-earth and wage war to retrieve the Silmarils. Rúmil, apart from writing the Annals of Valinor, was also the author of several other texts that Bilbo would translate into Westron.

In order to do all of this writing, it was Rúmil who invented the language he called Sarati. Fëanor would later improve upon this to create Tengwar. Sarati was an interesting language that was written top-to-bottom, then left-to-right, and had the unusual property that it could be mirrored and still legible.

Answer: A dozen bottles of wine

Rorimac Brandybuck was the son of Gorbadoc Brandybuck and Mirabella Took and became the Master of Buckland in 1363 of the Shire Reckoning when his father passed away. His sister, Primula Brandybuck, was the mother of Frodo Baggins and when she and Drogo had their boating accident, Old Rory took in Frodo at Brandy Hall until Bilbo adopted Frodo. Rorimac was also the father of Saradoc Brandybuck who was the father of Merry Brandybuck of the Fellowship of the Ring.

After Bilbo's birthday party which became a goodbye party, Old Rory suspected that "Mad Bilbo" was going to set off on yet another adventure. Bilbo gifted Old Rory with a dozen bottles of Old Winyards. After drinking the first bottle, Old Rory voted Bilbo a "capital fellow" and forgave Bilbo for leaving.

Answer: Rian

Rían was born in the year 450 of the First Age, just a few years before the Dagor Bragollach (Battle of Sudden Flame). Morgoth won that war and ruled all, including Dorthonion where Rían lived. Her father, Belegund, became one of the Companions of Barahir, his uncle. These thirteen men were the only open resistance to Morgoth's rule over the land. Rían, at that time, had been moved to Dor-lómin for safety.

Rían married Huor in FA 472 but he went off to war with his brother Húrin after only two months of marriage. Huor was lost in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, but Rían was already pregnant. She gave birth to Tuor, entrusted him to the care of the Elves of Mithrim, and died of grief on the mound of Haudh-en-Nirnaeth where Huor's body was buried. She was only 22 years old.

Answer: East victor

Rómendacil II was born as Minalcar in 1126 of the Third Age. He was the eldest grandson to King Atanatar II. His uncle Narmacil, being the older brother, assumed the throne of Gondor in TA 1226 and appointed Minalcar as the regent in TA 1240. When Narmacil died childless, Minalcar's father Calmacil became the king and kept on his son as regent. Minalcar ascended to the throne upon his father's death in TA 1304.

He took on the name Rómendacil II, which means East victor, due to his military successes against the people between Rhovanion and the Sea of Rhûn.

He defeated the Easterlings in battle and secured a peaceful existence on his western border. To emphasize this, it was Rómendacil II who commissioned the Pillars of the Argonath on the Anduin, statues that Frodo and the Fellowship observed.

Answer: Shirriff

Robin Smallburrow was one of the four shirriffs sent to arrest Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Sam when they returned from the War of the Ring. While the arrest did not actually happen, most likely because the returning hobbits were atop steeds and the shirriffs were on foot, Robin and Sam still got to exchange some tidings. Robin got into the shirriffs to see the world and when Lotho and Sharkey started taking over Hobbiton, he was tasked with enforcing The Rules.

Answer: Ringwraiths

While the Nazgûl were once great men, they were ensnared by Sauron when they received the Nine Rings of Men and succumbed to his will. They became but a whisper of their former selves, not even visible to the common mortal. That is why they were known as Ringwraiths.

They were also known as the Black Riders due to their robes being all black as well as their steeds, and later the fell-creatures that they flew upon.