Láthbear
Láthbears are monstrous bears rooted in the folklore of the Rohirrim, long dismissed as fireside terrors meant to frighten children into obedience. In truth, they are real and deadly creatures: ordinary bears twisted and enlarged by the possession of malevolent spirits, their bodies swollen to nearly twice the size of their natural kin.
A láthbear is immediately recognizable by its unnatural features. Jagged spikes protrude from its shoulders and back, its jaws are filled with oversized fangs, and its movements combine the raw strength of a bear with an eerie, relentless purpose. These creatures display none of the caution typical of wild animals, instead attacking with brutal persistence and seeming indifference to pain or injury. Encounters are rare, but almost always fatal for the unprepared.
Though their legends are strongest in Rohan, láthbears are not confined to its borders. Sightings have been recorded as far west as Cardolan, in the frozen reaches of the Ered Mithrin to the north, and throughout the wild and forested regions of Gondor in the south. Until the War of the Ring, most people of Rohan believed láthbears to be no more than myth, but their growing presence across Middle-earth has revealed the tales to be grimly true. To many, they are now seen as living ill omens, proof that restless spirits stirred by the Dark Lord can corrupt even the most familiar beasts, no matter how distant the land.
A list of known sightings:
Gallery of named láthbears
Background
- Láthbears do not appear in the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. They were created for The Lord of the Rings Online. Their name is inspired by Láthspell, meaning "ill news" in Old English, the name given to Gandalf by Gríma Wormtongue.