The "WHAT IF...?" game

[Lhunithiliel]

I offer to my Tolkien forum-fellows a "brain-storm" challenge to our imagination, called the WHAT IF...? game.

The rules are simple:

1. Each "What if..?" - topic will last for a week, maximum two, and then a new one will be offered. I guess a week will be enough for all of us to speculate on the topic offered.

2. The posts may be in ANY form you wish - simply stating your opinion, or changing quotes from the books in a way they'd fit your fantasy - story, or a fiction-story (be brief!), or even post a drawing or a picture (not too large!) that could demonstrate your vision on the topic ...
Most of the topics, of course, inspire creative writing in prose, poetry and or/and other ways of expressing the artist in us! :)

3. Within the time of an on-going topic, please, do not interrupt it by starting another topic(s), for this will stir the order. Everyone, who has a "fresh" suggestion about a new "What if..."-topic, please post your suggestions in the "Workbook" - thread (http://www.thetolkienforum.com/showthread.php?t=7043).

ENJOY ! :)

-------------------

The previous "What if?.." - games have been archived HERE (http://www.thetolkienforum.com/showthread.php?t=16065).

Everyone is welcome to read those wonderful stories/discussions etc. in order to best understand what a WIG is! :)

[spirit]

What if the ring had never sat quietly in the Shire, but instead have been noticed by Gandalf for what the Ring truely was. What would happen?

This is what I think would happen:
Gandalf would make Bilbo take the ring to Mordor and Gandalf would go with him. He would also ask the dwarves to go with Bilbo and if the dwarves didn't agree then Gandalf would use his excellent persuasion skills to make them go with Bilbo. Bilbo will be the ring-bearer, not Frodo.
The forces of darkness will not have been very strong at that time, so the journey to Mount Doom will not be a perilous. Their paths will be much different to the paths that where taken by the fellowship.
They will not need to go through the Mines of Moria therefore Gandalf will not fall into abyss (-and the Balrog will still be alive.)
The ring will be easily taken to Mordor, but Bilbo will not be very willing to through the ring into the volcano. Bilbo will not listen to Gandalf, so Gandalf will loose his temper more powerful than ever, that Bilbo will jump into the volcano with the ring because he was still not willing to separate with the ring. (His last expression will be a "happy" one just as Gollum's when he fell into Mount Doom.)
:o

[Manveru]

quite a nice "draft", master spirit. shall we make anything readable out of it?

[Celebthôl]

LOL, Sprits a girl dude! lol

[Manveru]

not a first blunder on my account, thol (i got used to;)).
oh, and most sincere sorries, lass. :)

[spirit]

I don't have alot of time on my hands... :mad:
Feel free to make changes :)

[Manveru]

I don't have alot of time on my hands... :mad:
Feel free to make changes :)
wraith, what say you?

[Lhunithiliel]

I'd say that all comments should go to the work-book. That's what it is for! :p

Otherwise .... Let's make a story out of it! :)

************
"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. ..."

"Hmmm..." - muttered this hobbit and leaving the quill beside the scattered sheets, leaned back in his comfortable chair.
Then he stirred, still mumbling out some words, and his hand patted a pocket of his old warm waistcoat, then it disappered into the pocket and in a moment it was out - clenched in a fist.
Bilbo, for that was the name of the hobbit, held his hand tightly closed for a moment longer, then ... opened it ... and there in his palm sparkled a tiny ring of gold.

"My precious!" - smiled the hobbit. "I wonder ... what is on that wizard's mind! Why does he want to speak to me about you? ... And what business do the dwarves have with all that? .... Hmmmm ....".

And ....

*****

next, please ;)

[Manveru]

... he span a few times in the middle of a long corridor, then stopped suddenly, scratched his head - as if he wanted to stir his brain cells to work harder. with all these thoughts coming to his mind at the moment, in a mess almost causing a headache, he lost the track of everything.
"what was i thinking of?" - he said to himself. words flew down the corridor and vanished melting with silence of sturdy walls. "Ah, yes!" - exclamed hobbit and ran along straight to his pantry.
a moment later there could be heard a sound of plates, forks, spoons and knives; all was wandering thru householder's agile hands right onto a table.
"i must be swift if i am to make it on time." - murmured he, while thinking how many guests exactly will show up and - what continuously troubled his mind - if they show up.
he managed all. sitting in his comfortable armchair he was smoking his pipe, but before first of his smoke-rings reached a ceiling, a doorbell rang. Bilbo moved uncomfortably in his place with eyes pointed in the direction from where the sound came. he went to open the door. the moment he was reaching for a knob a terrible knocking could be heard.
"i'm coming! i'm coming!" - Bilbo shouted, red with anger for he didn't like to be urged (like most of us, right?). he pulled the knob and wanted to rebuke an impatient guest(s), but words choked in his throat. all he could stutter out came to: "master Gandalf?..."

***

off to you (whoever you are)

[Astaldo]

-What happened to you?
-Quickly get ready. Pack your stuff and prepare for a long journey.
-What is happening my friend, asked quite afraid Bilbo.
-We do not have time for explanation. I will tell you on our way, said Gandalf while he was looking outside as he was waiting for someone to come.

In few minutes they were both on Gandalf's cart going out of Hobbiton.
-Well are you going to tell me where are we going?
-We are heading to Rivendell my old friend, but first we have to stop and meet some old friends.
-Why do you always have to be so secretive Gandalf?
-Everything should be revealrd in the right time, said Gandalf laughing.

After travelling half a day they stopped for a meal too simple but for a Hobbit was very stisfying after a journey of so many hours. Suddenly after finishing their meal Bilbo's ear "catched" something in the air coming from the nearby bushes.
-I think something is watching us Gandalf.
-Don't worry, for now I think we are safe. An old friend of mine is protecting us but only for a while. We must go now if we want to be at the meeting point until night.

[Astaldo]

Come on guys is there anybody to continue the story?

[Lhunithiliel]

"Wizards!" - groaned within his thoughts Bilbo. " Never tell you what you need to know!.... 'All in its time'.... Ha! HE may have ALL the time he needs! He is a wizard!!! But what about my old weary bones?! ... And where is he taking me to? !!"

Those thoughts troubled the Hobbit's mind while he was sitting beside the tall wizard - not very comfortably at that, for the road was rough and it was getting cool ... and for Dragon's sake!... It was time for dinner!!!

Night was falling swiftly and the skies grew darker. As the wizard did not speak, Bilbo decided it was better for him to stop thinking of unpleasant things and enjoy the journey as much as he could. The Hobbit knew Gandalf and the way he would break out his intentions - always in the least expected time, always taking the one's breath out by the things he says, always making one feel sorry he ever met that wizard, always having a reason that no one could object to... That was Gandalf's way...

Bilbo's hand had cozily slipped into the warm pocket of his vest; he even hadn't noticed how and when... That had become a habit of his - whener troubled, he would get grip of his precious tiny ring. And it was the sam now! His hand was firmly holding the ring. Then ... Bilbo's fingers started to play with the trinket...
For a tiny second the Hobbit thought he could put the ring on and disapper ... and he smiled and quietly giggled thinking of how surprised the wizard would be then!!! ...
Right at that very same moment, Bilbo jumped risking to roll over and down from teh cart. For there came the voice of the wizard - so suddenly!, even though his voice was calm and quiet:

"It's good you're still having it with you, Bilbo!" - said Gandalf. "Though ... I knew that if needed you'd take only it and leave everything else ..." And he smiled.

Bilbo did not believe his own ears!

"What IT are you speaking of, my friend? " - his voice was trembling.

"The ring, of course! Why! Have you ever doubted it, my friend, that I know of your trinket?!"

"A trinket, eh?" ... grinned the Hobbit. "A trinket it may be for you, wizard, but it is precious to me! And mine it is! Only mine!"
His eyes sparkled... Or was that a star from the evening sky shone reflected ?

"Oh, yes, of course!" - sighed the wizard. "Don't you now get upset! It is yours and you and I shall have a talk about it.... Soon... Very soon! ... We are almost there...."
And he fell silent again.
But Bilbo's mind was ready to explode!
*******

[Astaldo]

Night came down at Middle-earth but the travelers did not seem to stop for the night.


“Are we going to stop for the night Gandalf?” – said Bilbo. “I have to eat something. No-one can make such a long journey with only one meal and that too simple to be considered as a regular meal”

“One more hour and everything will be revealed and you will have your desired meal and believe me it will not be ‘simple’ ” – replied Gandalf.

If he had looked at Bilbo he would have seen that finally a smile of happiness drawn in his face as he heard that he is going to eat something that will not be simple. But suddenly the look of his face changed.

“Where are we going to stop? The road continues into the Old Forest. I hope we are not going to enter. You know the stories that are said in the Green Dragon for this forest. ‘Everyone who enters the Old Forest cannot exit it’. Please Gandalf tell me that we are not going to enter.”

“Come on Bilbo get serious. It’s the safest place for our meeting. No-one will see us. And besides I have entered it a lot of times. Believe me you are not in danger as long as I am with you” – said Gandalf

“Okay then. If you say so…”

The hour was passing and the road seemed the same. Everywhere trees and branches above their heads. The light of the moon was long gone and the only light he was able to see was the light from the top of Gandalf’s staff.

After a while he saw a fire or he thought that he saw.

“Is this a fire Gandalf or I need a sleep?”

“Yes it’s the camp we are heading to. Now you will meet some friends of mine.”

They walked the last meters of the road and then the camp revealed. There was a fire in the middle and five persons around it.

“Finally you are here” – said one dark haired strange man. “The food is almost cold”

“We will eat but first I want to introduce all of you to Bilbo Baggins. You all know him. Isn’t it? – said Gandalf. “Well Bilbo this is Aragorn, son of Arathorn” said for the man that spoke. “And this is Gimli, son of Glóin. Do you remember Glóin? These are Elladan and Elrohir son of Elrond, Lord of Rivendell. You will soon meet him. And finally a very old friend of mine. This is Tom Bombadil.”

The strange man bowed as he was holding his hat with a long blue feather on it.

“Good evening master Hobbit” – he said.

[Astaldo]

"What is going on here Gandalf? And who are these. I still cannot understand anything"

"I think it's better to eat something first and the I will explain you everything", replied Gandalf.

After a small dinner the companions sat around the fire and remained silenced. Finally Gandalf broke this silence:

"Now it's time to learn averything that you want Bilbo. As I told you we are heading for Rivendell. Our final destination is not Elrond's realm though. We will rest there for a while and the we will set up for a very difficult and unsure journey. The purpose of this journey is very important to the continuation of freedom in Middle-earth and..."

"The continuation of..."

"Do not be hasty Bilbo wait and you will find the answers you seek. As I said for the continuation of freedom our journey must be succesful. Do you remember the ring you found in Gollum's Cave. We must destroy it. It will be our doom if it will not be destroyed."

Hearing this words Bilbo put his hand in his left pocket and touched very gently his ring. He could not destroy it. It was his precious. How Gandalf was asking him to do something like this?

"So now that we all learned why we met here I think we should sleep and expalin everyhting better in the morning", said Tom.

[Lhunithiliel]

Pale and cool came the morning. High in the skies Arien - the Sun Maiden was still playing with the stars of Varda chasing them to the far horizons and leaving behind a deep clear azure.
A day was coming.
A day when the fate of Middle-earth was to be decided!

* * *

Gandlaf opened his eyes and trying to keep quiet stretched carefully his legs and arms.
"Aaaah!" - he thought, "This mortal shell aches so much!.... Time to get up, though, ol'man!" - and he smiled at his very own thoughts. "Ol' man!... By Eru!" - Ancient he was if compared to that little fellow Baggins! Yet .... he loved him dearly!
Bilbo...

"Bilbo!" - whispered Gandalf, looking around the camp.
"Bilbo?" - his voice raised a tone higher, for his eyes could not see the small figure of the Hobbit.
Besides, he noticed a couple of more people missing - the Elven brothers were not there and neither was Aragorn!

The wizard rose to his feet now and his face did look worried.

"Bilbo!" - almost cried he.

At that time, out of the wood, from behind the nearest trees, there appeared Elladan.

"I am sorry, Master Mithrandir, but it seems that the halfling has left us. My brother has already gone to trace his tracks, while Aragorn went to get some game for our breakfast."

"Gone ?.... GONE!!!" - Gandalf's eyes were now flashing. "Fool of a Hobbit!"
Then he turned to the young Elf : "Elladan, please, summon your brother and Aragorn back and... get everyone up and ready.!'

"Ready? For what Master?"

"Don't ask now!" - said Gandalf and walked with quick and wide steps towards the wood.... And while he has almost disappeared among the first trees, Elladan could still hear him saying:
"I'll be soon with you. Get ready!"

* * *

On a rock on the top of a hill, rising high above the wood, stood Gandlaf the wizard.
He turned to the West, raised his arms towards the clear morning skies, one hand - holding firmly his staff.
Then he spoke - loud and brisk his voice was and not of this world those words were that he spoke!

And then.... far there on the horizon a cloud appeared - dark and mighty it spread wide and the azure of the morning shrinked in fear and fled.
The wizard's voice became even louder and it was as if attracting that cloud, because it sped accross the skies right towards the wizard's staff - that now all gleaming with a strange white light.

And soon that cloud came nearer and ... in a few moments ... there - on the top of that high hill above the wood ... it landed right beside Gandalf.

"Welcome, Lord of the Eagles of Manwe the Great!" - saluted Gandalf and bowed deeply.

There stood the proud Maia-bird - the mighty Gwaihir, whom Gandalf had summoned and who had come like a cloud from the Western marches of the world.

"You have summoned me, brother Mithrandir, and I have come. I have also brought with me some of my borthers, for the task you need us for might need the force of more than my two wings. Lord Manwe let us follow your summons and here we are - at your service. What can we do for you?"

********

... your turn ! ;)

[Astaldo]

"Aaaah!" - he thought, "This mortal shell aches so much!
:D :D :D :D

[Alatar]

This is a great game.
So what if fingolfin did launch an assult on angband before the bragolach as he planed?
well Thingol would show up as would the Sons of finarfin,and ulfang miaght not betray them...

And Fingolfin gazed upon The iron mountains and behald the eagle of Manwe on the very peaks of that hell.
"Behold O Elves, Men and Dwarves, today dawn rises!" and across te green ard galen the hill forts of the noldor cheered for a greatr number of princes were there, Turgon,Finrod,Fingon,Fingolfin,Brahir,Galdor,Haldi r,The sons of Feanor,Thingol who had gathered all his realm from the falasthirhim to the green elves, and the dwarves of belgost and nogrod.
:D

[spirit]

::Is slightly confused by Alatar's post:: :o


************************************************** ******


It was almost dawn, and poor little Bilbo was feeling anxious. Gandalf wanted to destroy the precious... “but that will leave me empty handed,” Bilbo though to himself. It was terrible...

Without enough food in his stomach, he was unable to think straight... He got up and picked up his walking stick. “off I go back to my dear little Shire,” The others were still sleeping.

He had barely travelled for an hour, but his body felt as sore as though he had been walking for an age... He decided to take a small rest.
Out of the sky, suddenly, there were arrows being fired toward his direction... Scared and hopeless as he way, he wished had never left the stubborn wizard’s side...

[Alatar]

The orinal thread ended a year ago, when i started it again I thought a new IF would work as the old IF's carachters havent been active for a few months.
So I hope that cleared it up.

[Sauron]

Once the current 'what-if' storyline is finished (if ever, that is), I have another suggestion the rest of y'all can follow:

What if Isildur, his sons, and the rest of his bodyguard were not ambushed and overwhelmed at the Gladden Fields, but instead make it back safely to Annuminas with the One Ring still in his possession?

[Lhunithiliel]

Sauron,
Let's hope you can revive the game. It'll be interesting to watch how it goes. Good luck! :)

[baragund]

Hmmm... an interesting scenario.

My first thought was, "That's easy. He would eventually be consumed by the Ring and become another ring wraith, just like one of the Nine." But that doesn't work because the Nine each their own ring to bind them to Sauron, and Saurone wouldn't exactly let Isildur keep the One.

Then I thought "Well, Isildur would be consumed by the Ring, and use it to rule all of Middle-earth as if he was a repackaged version of Sauron." But that doesn't work either because Sauron isn't exactly "dead" but just severely diminished. As Sauron recovers from his defeat at Mount Doom, he would re-assert his control over the Ring and, through it, over Isildur.

I think that would be the scenario. Isildur would become a kind of faux Dark Lord for a time, but eventually he would be brought under Sauron's control. Sauron would take back the Ring and have his kingdom all set up for him. Isildur would then be killed or be forced to live out the rest of his live as a thrall.

[Starbrow]

I wonder how long it would take for Isildur to "fade" and become more wraith-like. Do you think he would try to hide how the ring is changing him by faking his death or something? I don't think he would.

[baragund]

It seems to me the process would be pretty quick. The Ring exerted enough control over Isildur to keep him from destroying it at Mt. Doom against all better judgement. I Figure the time he had it in his possession was a few hours: time to catch his breath from the battle, maybe get a bite to eat and drink, and hike up to the Cracks of Doom. It would not be long at all before he would be completely under its' control.

Rather than fake his death, I can see a scenario where the Ring would have such complete control over Isildur in his physical body that he would be practically possessed by Sauron's spirit. Sauron would want that because Isildur would be present in body to maintain support of the peoples of Gondor and Arnor while he goes about doing Sauron's bidding and setting up his kingdom (re: empire) the way Sauron wants it. You know, expand the territories, subjugate other peoples, declare war on Lindon, Rivendell and Lorien. Do all the dirty work as Sauron's puppet for a couple hundred years (don't forget how long-lived Numenoreans were supposed to be anyway), and then cast him aside when Sauron has recovered enough of his strength to return in a more physical form. Heck, that way he might even recover enough of his original grandeur to return as Annatar, the Lord of Gifts.

[Alatar]

I don't think he could ever build up to before Numenor.

But other than that you make sense:)
With the Numenoreans supporting him Sauron would rise much quicker.

[Firawyn]

Lemmy try and revive this game...it seems like alot of fun.


"What if...Galadriel had taken the Ring from Frodo?"

[Aisteru]

Total chaos. If one of the most powerful beings in Middle Earth would be unable to resist the drawn of the ring, the entire world would fall. Let me specify.

If a person who was already incredibly powerful gained the Ring of Power, they would be nearly unstoppable. The fellowship would have obviously failed and I think a massive war would break out among the forces of good. Although, it is entirely possible that everyone else would completely oppose Galadriel and her rise to power would be stifled.

Interesting idea though.

[YayGollum]

Oh. sorry about that. Come on! Why was this not yet predicted? --->

The evil Galadriel takes over. At first, people are hopeful. Sauron and his minions are pretty much eliminated. Of course, Sauron would keep respawning, but he'd get weaker all the time, there'd be an intelligence network for finding Sauron every time he gets back and a superly elite Sauron exterminating unit who'd have wacky adventures while traveling all over the world. He would be a threat with all kinds of different plans, but he'd eventually get beaten every time.

His last real chance would be at the battle in Lothlorien on the side of The Last Alliance (Pending Further Treaties) Of Orcs And Wargs. Of course, other races would be involved, but they weren't seen as important enough to be included in the title. Anyways, she'd get her finger cut off, and some Orc would run off with it as a snack and the One Ring as a trophy, merely to be gunned down (there might be guns by this time) while invisible in some body of water that his murderers were too stupid to find him in.

Eventually, poor Smeagol would find the One Ring thing again. You see, during his many attempts to get his security blanket back, he spent too long in Lothlorien, which strengthened his Smeagolity. He'd spend his days peacefully (as he always did) while hiding out in some hole in the ground, sucking eggses or something until the annoying Puce Mage, thirteen Orcs looking to reclaim Mount Gundabad, and an evilly thieving Wereworm have an unintentional adventure in Lothlorien. While escaping, the Wereworm gets separated, meets poor Smeagol, beats the guy up, and steals all of his stuff, including the One Ring.

As you might be able to predict, the One Ring makes its way to the Last Desert, far from Galadriel's evil. It stays there until Galadriel sends her trusted allies (based on intel extracted from the ever-useful and always downtrodden Smeagol), the, um, Nicegul, to reclaim what most by this time believe to be rightfully hers. The Puce Mage, of course, is aware and sends his old thief buddy's niece towards the safety of Reaverdell and the Last Evil-Oriented House, where Sauron's spirit festers.

This niece, a well-off snootbag of a Wereworm who's never had to steal a bit of treasure for herself, is joined by a couple of other thieves and her bodyguard, who is composed primarily of large gobs of pure evil. His name is sam, for some reason. They have a lucky encounter with the enigmatic Prince Tevildo (he got his collar fixed up, and he's been hiding, waiting for the time when cats will be more popular than dogs) who totally saves them from some nasssty hobbitses. They get stalked by an Orc for a bit, but he joins the group, and everyone eventually finds out that he's some kind of descendant of some kind of important Orc, not that it would matter, since Orcs are too sensible to care about who you happen to be related to.

They get to Reaverdell and find that a bunch of other uninvited guests showed up, too. They get stuck with a Hobgoblin, a troll, and some other Orc who mirrors Boromir, as well as meeting up with the Puce Mage, who has some crazy story about his Black Mage (now calling himself the Clear, for some reason) superior becoming inconvenient. Nobody really cares about his side story, though. Sauron can't stop laughing as he sends them on their way to Mount Doom. He's down to spirit form, so he can't use the One Ring anymore, anyways, and he's just happy to be messing with Galadriel.

Of course, events do not proceed as planned, the Puce Mage gets killed by some Entwife, who was only in the place to see what Orcs ate in their caves. Eru gives him an identical body and the title of Black Mage, though, just because he's crazy. They meet up with a gang of trolls who, always a source of useful treasure that they never get any use out of, hand over, among other things, a jar of Ungoliant's Super Darkness. After that, they get separated during an attack of hideous half-elves (rounded ears, beards, and annoying songs?).

The two Wereworms who don't decide to abandon the main storyline are confused for a while by gifts of cooked rabbits and lembas being left for them with nice and plaintive notes to please give poor Smeagol his security blanket back. They eventually stay awake during the day and catch him. Turns out that poor Smeagol never wins, whether he's nice or not. They are all kinds of suspicious of the guy, but he says that he knows how to get past the many defenses of the much cheerier Mordor.

In Cirith Ungol, poor Smeagol repeatedly apologizes after introducing them to Tom Bombadil, who moved there when he got bored of Goldberry. They blind him with Ungoliant's Super Darkness, but he knocks the main character (not poor Smeagol. The other one) out and runs away, distracted by something else. The evil sam takes the One Ring and leaves his employer for dead, not really bothering to make sure (he probably would have slit his throat, anyway). He smacks himself in the forehead when he remembers that he forgot to pilfer the guy's armour and ends up accidentally rescuing him from a bunch of humans who already had the armour mailed off to their superiors.

They easily slip their way up to Mount Doom, where poor Smeagol (contrariwise to his initial niceness in the original tale) sneak attacks them. They make it inside Mount Doom, though, but the thought suddenly strikes the lady that maybe she could use the One Ring for herself (Sauron hasn't been attempting to mess with them, so this is just the One Ring's self preservation programming working). Poor Smeagol saves the day in the same way he did in the original tale, awesomely, and the Wereworms finally shift to their dragon forms and fly away.

Alternatively, the hero Gollum sneaks his way into Lothlorien, bites Galadriel's finger off, takes his security blanket, and lives in his cave with his fish until the end of the world.

[Illuin]

http://img2.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/animated/anim_64.gif (http://www.mysmiley.net/free-cool-smileys.php) Now that is good. I almost fell out of my Captain Kirk swivel chair reading that. That’s a quick wit; I must say.

[chrysophalax]

Brilliant and absolutely terrifying...:eek:

[YayGollum]

Hm? It's not scary. Where is it scary? I still think that I should have gone with my gut reaction and called it the Last Ghastly House. It fits, but I didn't know why they'd want to call it that, so I stuck with an honest and exaggerated title. oh well. Anyways, the rules say that this topic should be done, and a new one should be offered.

What if Cirdan kept his Ring Of Power?

[chrysophalax]

You mean if it hadn't become useless after the One was destroyed? Hmmmm...

I suppose what with all the major killjoys had gone West, he could finally implement his long-held dream of turning the Havens into a vacation hot-spot for Rangers, Hobbits and what/whoever needed some time away from their usual lives.

Just imagine it...coconut palms with large hammocks strung between them, a constant light breeze wafting gently along the pristine white sand beaches, with nary a Nazgul in sight.

Rehabilitated orcs (those without too many disfiguring scars and full use of all their limbs) would bring the holiday makers tall drinks, while Cirdan's former harbour staff transitioned into their new roles as tourist guides offering trips to the Tower Hills.

Not a bad way to retire!

[YayGollum]

No, I meant ---> What if he never gave the thing to the evil torturer Gandalf?

[chrysophalax]

He would just then have waited until the whole ruckus was over and then implemented his plans for his pleasure beach, complete with rides.:D

If you actually mean seriously, then I think this brings us back to what the definition of each ring's power truly is.Are they based on the elements of air, fire and water (if so, what happened to earth?) or...are their powers defined by their users?

[YayGollum]

The One Ring is earth-based, of course. While Sauron would have had uses for those other elements in his Ruling Ring, he planned to be controlling all of them, anyways, so he gave himself the most stable element, that which would always keep him safely tethered to earth. Anyways, I didn't see how this question brings up such other questions. I was looking for speculation on things the evil torturer Gandalf would have done without his Ring Of Power. He wouldn't be able to toy with people's brains, turning soldiers into monsters who know no fear. He'd probably still have been able to torturer poor Smeagol, though. *sniff* The balrog might have killed him and gotten away, due to one less threat making him nervous? I've still got one more. Anything else from anybody?

[Illuin]

And the little hobbit kiddies wouldn’t have had those cool fireworks displays.


http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/2118/iblueworksgq3.gif

[Turgon]

Hehe! Your Galadriel theory was the funniest read I've had in a while Yay - it really cheered me up.

:D

[chrysophalax]

Fine, fine...I'll keep my poor attempts at humour to myself. I did think I saw the word "game" in the title here...

[Turgon]

Aww Chrys...:(

Rehabilitated Orcs serving drinks? Sounds like a night out in Manchester to me...:D

Other than that I've forgotten eggzactly what vacations are - not having been on one since the latter stages of the 20th century...:confused: