Bandurhoth

The Bandúrhoth, or Place-demons, were spirits that became so attached to the places that they dwelt that they became trapped there. The word bandúrhoth meant ‘people of the dark prison.’ These spirits gave up their physical form in order to gain complete power and control over their surrounding environs. These beings were as varied as the places in which they dwelt, and indeed had no true physical form. Perhaps they slept oblivious to the goings on of the outside world, but the place they inhabited was tainted by their presence and the land seemed as though some foul wound festered deep within it tainting all that grew and lived there. Perhaps these beings remained dormant in their abodes only stirring when awakened by some other force or event, and once awakened they threatened all who lived near them. Perhaps they were always awake, never sleeping, but watching and waiting for some hapless person or creature to wander into its lands where it would attempt to do them harm. Whatever their nature, these beings were always dangerous seeking to rule the weak minded and torment the innocent. They would also seek alliances with other powers of darkness and as such physical creatures of darkness, such as Wargs, Orcs, Trolls, will often gather to places where these beings dwelt. Because they had no bodies, the bandúrhoth could not be physically battled. However many of these beings could be defeated by locating the center of their presence and defeating it in a contest of wills. Lesser bandúrhoth sometimes had focal objects at the center of their strongholds. Destroying such objects greatly weakened them in this contest of willpower. Also some lesser bandúrhoth could be destroyed by destroying the place they inhabited. For example a lesser bandúrhoth could inhabit an old knurled tree in a tainted wood. The being would appear to all intent as though it were just an old or dead tree, but in its trunk would be located a piece of wood that resembled a heart. If the heart was located, then remove or destroyed, the bandúrhoth would be greatly weakened. Should the tree then be burnt to the ground, the creature would then be destroyed.

Place-Demons of Note
Caradhras Old man willow