Mithril: Difference between revisions

[[File:Mithril-vest_7324vest 7324.jpg|link=The Lord of the Rings|frame|"As light as a feather, yet as hard as dragon scales."]]

'''Mithril''' is a fictional metal from [[JRR Tolkien (Creator)|J. R. R. Tolkien's]]'s Middle-earth fantasy writings. It is silvery and stronger than steel but much lighter in weight. The author first wrote of it in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', and it was [[Retcon|Retconned]]ned in the second, revised edition of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' in 1966. In the first 1937 edition, the mail shirt given to Bilbo was described as being made of "silvered steel". This metal was the reason for the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm's wealth and power. Greed for this metal eventually led to the downfall of the dwarves when they [[Dug Too Deep|found a vein of mithril that led to]] a [[Sealed Evil in Aa Can|sleeping Balrog.]]

The name "mithril" or similarly spelled variations (mithral, mythril, and others) is present in other fictional contexts like role-playing games, since the Tolkien Estate did not trademark the term, unlike "[[The Hobbit (novel)|Hobbit]]" or "Balrog". One early example is [[Dungeons and& Dragons]] and its derivatives (e.g. [[Forgotten Realms]]). It appears in many computer and video games such as: ''[[The Elder Scrolls IV]]: Oblivion'' (it also appeared TES II: Daggerfall, although there it was a ''mid-weight'' material), ''[[Ever QuestEverQuest]]'', ''[[RunescapeRuneScape]]'', ''[[Tales Series(series)]]'' series, ''[[Dark Age of Camelot]]'', ''[[Dungeons and& Dragons]] Online'', ''[[Diablo]]'', ''[[Terraria]]'', ''[[World of Warcraft]]'', ''[[Final Fantasy]]'', ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]'' and ''[[Nethack]]''. The name is usually used for a special type of metal (often used as armor), or as a denomination of currency, or as a name for a project or device. It's very useful to have an exotic trope metal that is more rare and valuable than mundane metals like steel or gold. Citadel Miniatures even produce a color of (metallic) paint named Mithril Silver.

As to ifwhether Mithril was ever based on a real metal, Tolkien never said. Guesses for this metal have been aluminumaluminium, titanium, naturally occuringoccurring titanium-molybdenum alloy and platinum (and yttrium silver [[wikipedia:Intermetallics|if you want to get technical]]).

Compare with [[Thunderbolt Iron]], [[Orichalcum]], [[Unobtainium]], and [[Silver Has Mystic Powers]].

Not to be confused with [[Heavy Mithril]], or the [[Full Metal Panic!|fictional mercenary organization of the same name]].