Vampire (Middle-earth)

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In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, the term vampire is used loosely to designate mysterious bat-like creatures serving Morgoth and Sauron. Almost nothing is known about them, though Tolkien does name one: Thuringwethil. Sauron also took the shape of a vampire on at least one occasion, while he still had the ability to change his shape. They may have been fallen Maiar as was Sauron, lesser angelic spirits (as opposed to the Valar, greater angelic spirits, as was Morgoth). They are mentioned in The Silmarillion.

They may or may not be connected to apparently actual vampire bats who follow the Orc hordes into the Battle of Five Armies in The Hobbit and feed upon the fallen.

Tolkien may have just been chosen the word "vampire" for its modern connotations of bat-associated monsters. A similar instance is the use of the word "werewolf" by the same author to denote wolf-like creatures, otherwise apparently unrelated to traditional werewolves.