[Numenorean]

Well I thought I'd get back to this after some re-reading, and I really gotta call you up on a few things in your last post Kuruharan.

Kuru "the palantiri do not seem to have been used much to maintain communications between the realms"

I didnt say they were used 'much', I said they must've ensured a degree of familiarity and cultural comparrison. And they did, births, deaths and important events were all related via Palantiri to varying degrees throughout the 3rd age, though over time they were mentioned less.

UT P.403 "Until the passing of the Kings they were not sinister secrets.Their use involved no peril, and no king or other person authorized to survey them would have hesitated to reveal the source of his knowledge of the deeds or opinions of distant rulers, if obtained through the stones"

Kuru, you state - "People are excessively impressed by them (Palantiri)and assume that they were used for all kinds of things"

The Palantíri are impressive things by any reckoning. I dont know what you mean by people assume that they were used for 'all kinds of things', I've read plenty and besides the odd throwing incident, its pretty obvious what they are about man.

With regards to the Lossoth, just because they lived in lands of snow and ice doesnt necessarily equate to them having as you say "one of the most miserable existances on Middle Earth"
Using that rationale are all Inuit and Lapplanders living out miserable existances too? No way, snowy climes are great, sure its a hard dangerous life, but given the choice between living with the Lossoth or living(dieing) with or under the yoke of Sauron, its not even a close call to me.

[ January 29, 2003: Message edited by: Numenorean ]