Dragon-Sickness: The Cursed Gold That Destroyed Kings | Tolkien Lore Explained
What is dragon-sickness? Why did Thorin Oakenshield lose himself to gold-madness, and how did the Master of Lake-town die clutching treasure he could not eat? This deep dive into Tolkien's most overlooked concept reveals how dragon-hoarded gold operates as both supernatural enchantment and moral amplifier -- cursed wealth that finds pre-existing weakness and fans it into consuming fire.From the Norse legend of Fafnir, who transformed from dwarf to dragon through avarice, to the fall of Nargothrond and the destruction of Doriath, dragon-sickness left a trail of ruin across the First Age and…
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