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The One Ring Forums: Off Topic: The Pollantir:
So, about those drunk elves...
Poll: So, about those drunk elves...
Yes, drunk elves can get hungover
No, elves do not get hungover
Yes, but they only get hungover off Dorwinion Wine
Yes, but only if the dwarf passes out first ;)
View Results (25 votes)
 

Cirashala
Valinor


Oct 8 2020, 9:16pm

Post #1 of 10 (5342 views)
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So, about those drunk elves... Can't Post

In my weird headache-suffering, exhausted brain (as a result of two little girls climbing into bed with mama when daddy left for work and glued to either side of me, thus rendering me completely incapable of movement...I love them dearly, but still...), I suddenly thought of the passage in The Hobbit where Thranduil's butler and the Chief of the Guards got completely and totally drunk as skunks and passed out, thus allowing our dear Bilbo to swipe the keys and free our miserable dwarves.

I had a bit of a random thought after thinking of this scene...if elves can get drunk (Dorwinion wine must be strong enough to fell an ox!), then does that mean that, though it gives them pleasant dreams, they would wake up with a hangover?

Now, keep in mind, I don't drink myself. But I've had friends who, at one point in their lives, got completely wasted (in my best friend's case, not her fault. She made the mistake of allowing her just-turned-21 brother (who is a BIG guy- she, on the other hand, is 5 foot 2 and she's not tiny but her brother outweighs her by about 100 lbs) mix lemon-lime Everclear with Sprite in probably 26 oz cups or so, and since the two tasted roughly the same, she had no clue that it was about 80% Everclear, and 20% Sprite til she tried to go to the bathroom and hit the floor because her legs didn't work- after ONE drink. They didn't let him mix drinks after that), so I've heard that hangovers SUCK.

Seems like the general consensus is that hangovers result in light and sound sensitivity, vomiting (though maybe, maybe not with elves? I guess it depends on how much they had?), fatigue, extreme thirst due to dehydration, and a whopper of a headache that feels like someone poured hot nickels into your brain.

Given that, and how Tolkien did not shy away from the fact that these two "wine-tasters" had a SIGNIFICANT amount of Dorwinion wine, far more than normally consumed (well, enough to make them dead to the world anyway), do you think it's possible for elves to get hungover after this much as well?

If so, then I feel a LITTLE bit of sympathy for these two idiots. Imagine being dressed down by a very angry king because you were stupid enough to get hammered and in doing so, allowed the king's prisoners to escape, and having a hangover making every single word he yells at you reverberate through your skull with the intensity of a sledgehammer?

So what do you think? Can drunk elves get hungover, or not? Smile


Otaku-sempai
Immortal


Oct 8 2020, 9:24pm

Post #2 of 10 (5324 views)
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Well... [In reply to] Can't Post

...Elves seem to be immune to natural illness but they can be poisoned, and drunkenness is the nice way of describing alcohol poisoning. Now, Elves do seem to be pretty hardy, so it takes a lot to get them drunk. I don't see why they shouldn't feel the aftereffects of extreme drunkenness as well.


Cirashala
Valinor


Oct 8 2020, 9:35pm

Post #3 of 10 (5318 views)
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That's kind of what I was thinking :) [In reply to] Can't Post

Good point on the poisoning comparison!


Cirashala
Valinor


Oct 8 2020, 9:35pm

Post #4 of 10 (5316 views)
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You didn't vote though, Otaku... // [In reply to] Can't Post

 


Otaku-sempai
Immortal


Oct 8 2020, 11:34pm

Post #5 of 10 (5306 views)
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I did vote... [In reply to] Can't Post

...but I forgot to register it. Fixed now.


Cirashala
Valinor


Oct 8 2020, 11:42pm

Post #6 of 10 (5302 views)
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Thanks! [In reply to] Can't Post

The stats should be interesting after others see the post, I think :)


Tolkien R.J.J
Rivendell


Nov 28 2020, 9:19pm

Post #7 of 10 (5037 views)
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Interesting Question [In reply to] Can't Post

 I voted no but for no good logical reason. At least in Lorien, I bet they have no hangovers.


Omnigeek
Lorien


Dec 22 2020, 8:33pm

Post #8 of 10 (4813 views)
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I think it takes a lot more than we think of [In reply to] Can't Post

I view Elven stamina as being far past that of Men so it takes a LOT more wine to get them to various levels of drunkenness and even more to get them to levels of hangover. I suspect it would take barrels upon barrels to get to the worst effects of being hungover.


Cirashala
Valinor


Dec 22 2020, 8:36pm

Post #9 of 10 (4812 views)
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I don't think Galion and the Captain of the Guard drank barrels... [In reply to] Can't Post

Tolkien specifically remarked that the wine was extremely potent, and that they passed out cold enough that Bilbo was able to bring loud, heavy dwarves into the cellar AND pack them into barrels without them waking up. Given elves' sensitive hearing...that must be some REALLY strong wine!

Hence my hangover question ;)


Omnigeek
Lorien


Dec 22 2020, 8:52pm

Post #10 of 10 (4811 views)
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I was pointing out that there are levels of drunkenness and hangovers [In reply to] Can't Post

So I do think Galion and the Captain drank a LOT and that the wine was especially potent (perhaps akin to Port wine versus milder wines) and the Wood-elves overall drank barrels but those two specifically drank enough to be very very drunk (sleepy versus happy drunk) and may even have got to the first stages of hangover. My point was that it would take an immense amount more -- barrels worth each perhaps -- to get to the most painful effects of hangover that we humans sometimes experience.

 
 

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