Hey Lindolirian you were the cloesest. It was that they all died. Or they all became mortal at one point with an exception of Turgon and died.

*splutters*

That's a VERY broad subject for One Thing in Common.
Then why did you include Turgon? This isn't Odd Man Out. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Is it my turn then?

Doh!

*Earendil smacks his palm against his forehead*

Of course! I can't believe I didn't guess that! What kind of a mortal am I?

ya its your go

Aragorn
Barahir
Thingol

That's all that I can think of for now. If I find any others who fit the description I shall post them as hints if needed.

They all died. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

That was a heavy-handed attempt at a joke, incidently. I'm actually stumped as to a real answer!

[ May 21, 2003: Message edited by: Lalaith ]

They were all given a famous piece of jewellery is really all I can come up with!
Aragorn was given the Elfstone.
Barahir was given the ring of Felagund.
Thingol was given the Silmaril.

I'm sure this is wrong.

You were so close. Since I didn't give very many people, I'll give it to you. It was that they all received something from important that came from Valinor. According to the Unfinished Tales, the Elessar was taken to Valinor after the First Age and brought back by Olorin.

Thank you Lindolirian.
Unfortunately I'm going away for about ten days and I don't want to leave a question hanging...would someone else like my go?

[img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] I'll take it, if that's okay. If someone has an objection, feel free to ignore this post.

Primula Brandybuck
Niniel Nienor
Arvedui
Earnil I

Too easy, I know, but I can't think of another. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

They all drowned.

Primula Brandybuck in a boating accident on the River Brandywine.

Niniel Nienor when she jumped into the Teiglin.

Arvedui swimmming out to the Gondorian boat coming to rescue him in the icy bay of Forochel.

Earnil I in a storm off the coast of Gondor after capturing Umbar.

Edit: To add explanations.

[ May 28, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]

[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] Correct! Drown they did [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

OK, what has this bunch got in common?

Aragorn
Boromir
Dori
Grishnakh
Samwise Gamgee

They all carried a hobbit on their back.

They did indeed (or under their arms, in the case of Grishnakh). Well done, Lindolirian. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

My apologies for the tardy reply.

Erendis
Sauron
Ar-Gimilzôr
Tal-Elmar

Could you clarify "Tal-Elmar" for me? I don't believe I have ever heard that before.

They were all some sort of nobility?
Erendis was a noble lady of Númenor who became Queen to Tar-Aldarion, Sauron was a Maia and was in charge of all kinds of places at times, Ar-Gimilzôr was the twenty-third King of Númenor, the father of Tar-Palantir and grandfather of Ar-Pharazôn.

I also have no clue who Tal-Elmar is.

Perhaps they were all evil in some way? Sauron obviousy, Ar-Gimilzor was an enemy of the Faithful and the Elf-friends.

Tal-Elmar was only mentioned in HoME 12. If this goes too far, I'll give a hint about who he is more. For those of you who do know who he is, then you can still get it. Actually if you know about him, it's quite easy.

They all lived during the Second Age...
or, more tentatively, they all bore ill-will to the Faithful.

Getting close. You at least know Tal-Elmar!

It wasn't simply that they all lived in Numenor at some stage was it?

You are so close, I think I'll give it to you. I don't know if Tal-Elmar actually did go to Numenor, but at the end of the story it says that he offers himself as a hostage which might imply that he went to Numenor. Anyway, my answer was that they all spoke Numenorean. Your go, Windlord!

Thanks -- sorry about the delay. Here they are:

Morgoth
Ar-Pharazon
Saruman
Fingolfin

They have all been to the Undying Lands.

Sorry, not what I'm looking for.

All were Rebels.

Morgoth against Iluvatar and the other Valar.
Saruman against the Valar and the Istari.
Fingolfin was a leader in the Rebellion of the Noldor.
Ar-Pharazon against the Ban of the Valar.

Sophia

Hmm I wouldn't really call Findgolfin a leader of the rebellion... sorry, that's not it either.
Think long-term.

They all ruled a "military" force of some kind

Close, alq. You need to develop that idea.

All were defeated by Ainur

They were all rulers- or more specifically they took more rule than they had a right to:

Ar-Pharazon tried to attack Valinor
Saruman claimed the title "The Ruler" which he had no right to
Morgoth pretty much tried to take over the whole world
Fingolfin became High-King of the Noldor instead of Maedhros- he was asked to, but the title still wasn't theoretically his
?????

[ July 13, 2003: Message edited by: Lyra Greenleaf ]

No. Both good answers (although I'm afraid Fingolfin doesn't quite fit into yours, Lyra).

Military force is a major factor in the answer.

They all had a very large military force that was wiped out.

Well that wasn't exactly the answer, but as it's so close you'd better have it... my idea was that they all had huge initial military successes before suffering a huge defeat that they couldn't recover from. Ask away then, lindo.

Nimrodel
Tar-Míriel
Drogo

Is it that they all had significant others that drowned or were lost in water?

Nimrodel's lover, Amroth, was lost trying to swim back to shore in the Bay of Belfalas when a storm broke the moorings of his ship and it drifted out to sea.

Tar-Míriel's husband (and cousin), Ar-Pharazon, was lost when the seas rose as he set foot on the shores of Valinor.

Drogo's wife, Primula, drowned along with him in a tragic boating accident on the Brandywine River.

That's it!

Righty-ho.

Gandalf
Samwise Gamgee
Thorin Oakenshield
Turgon