Saruman's Ring

[Voronwe]

<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Haunting Spirit
Posts: 57</TD><TD></TD></TR></TABLE>
<img src="http://www.barrowdowns.com/images/posticons/sting.jpg" align=absmiddle> Re: Wizards' Staffs

I think it would be unlikely that any of the wizards would need to rely on a staff for any of their actual power. However (and this is the meerest speculation), perhaps the wizards, as maia taken on an earthly shape, would need some sort of earthly object through which to channel their power. This could be the use of a staff.

There is lots of evidence to suggest that staffs were required items for spellcasting amoung wizards. One exception, though, is when gandalf defeats the Balrog on zirak-zigal without the help of a staff (this had previously been broken on the bridge). Although perhaps, since the balrog was by nature a maia and therefore of the same order of gandalf, a spiritual being, he did not need to use it in this case.

I suspect that, when Saruman's staff was broken, his power was decreased because he had been cast out of the order of wizards, having failed in his mission. The breaking of the staff signified his final and total failure, since he had just rejected the Gandalf's offer of forgiveness.




-Voronwë
"voyaging the Dark behind the world, a glimmering and fugitive star."</p>