Gandalf blew Galadriel's cover?!

[Farael]

I see... for some reason I thought that Sauron could wear the rings and it'd have somewhat of a cummulative effect. Perhaps not the three for they were not made for warfare and so Sauron wouldn't have used them much... but maybe the Nine and the seven? it'd be a really heavy hand to lift with all those rings on but if they do have a cummulative effect.....

[tar-ancalime]

I don't know exactly how strong both cities were, but why didn't he attack them and recover at least two of the three?

It has always been my understanding that it was the power of the Rings that kept Rivendell and Lorien safe. Neither could have withstood a determined onslaught (as is pointed out at the Council when it is suggested that the One Ring be kept "safe" in Rivendell), but with the Rings' protection both could have resisted for long enough to draw Sauron's resources away from any other battle he wished to fight. It wouldn't have been in his best interest to attack Rivendell or Lorien (thus facing the power that, as Formendacil points out, he surely knew was there) without his One Ring.

Regaining the One had to be his focus.

Could it be that the reason why Elrond and Galadriel talked about the fading of the Three if Sauron should regain the One was that with the One he'd be better equipped to attack them? Perhaps the power of the Three would not be diminished at all, but Sauron's power would be so increased that he could attack them with relative impunity.

I agree that the locations of at least Nenya and Vilya were at best open secrets, at least among those who cared to study such things. I would imagine also that Sauron had a pretty good idea of Narya's whereabouts--even if he first assumed it was with Cirdan in the Havens, his second guess would be likely correct, as there were not so many very powerful figures opposing him.

I remember reading in the Return of the King, that a power dwelt in Lothlorien that Sauron could not overcome unless he himself were to go there. I assume that that power is Nenya on the hand of Galadriel. So the Three Rings had a power of 'holiness' or preservation. The opposite of Sauron which is to destroy.

I think that the reason the One Ring was not hidden in either Rivendell or Lothlorien is answered by Elrond, "they would become islands under siege". Islands under siege explains that all else would be cut off from them; the water, the air, and such. Eventually they would be without the elements and die.

My difficulty lies in Narya. If Vilya and Nenya both prove to be very powerful in protecting realms, what realm does Narya protect? It seems as if it is a traveling realm. Also, if the Three Rings magnify the powers of the users, wouldn't Gandalf's powers be magnified? Or was Narya simply given to Gandalf to be kept safe? Anthony

[obloquy]

I don't know if the power to protect a 'realm' was an inherent effect of the Three so much as an enhancing of the will of their keepers. Elrond's duty as master of his house was to protect it from evil, and his ring complemented that effort; likewise for Galadriel. Narya may have had a similar effect while in Cirdan's possession. However, Tolkien tells us somewhere that Narya's power was in motivating hearts and inciting action. But he also tells us that that was Olorin's specialty back in Aman, which suggests that the actual power of one of the Three depended even more strictly on the intentions of its bearer.

[drigel]

It seemed to me that the decsription:

"...for those who had them in their keeping could ward off the decays of time and postpone the weariness of the world"

from the Silm. clearly describes the ring's power, and mabye some of the nature of the ring makers (hence their intentions), but not the wielder.

It also seems to me that Sauron could greatly benefit from the use of those attributes. Wielding one (or more) of the Elvish rings would (IMO) enhance the durability, or resilience of what was wrought by him when he wore his Ring. If he had one of the three, he might also discover who was again wielding the other two.

IMO, if Sauron was able to regain the one ring, the point would be moot ( ). No need for the three.

[obloquy]

Actually your quote doesn't provide any insight into the nature of the power of the Three. It simply says what a bearer of one of these rings could achieve. The quote may as well say "...if they so choose." If Sauron sought these rings for the power they possessed*, it wasn't because he wanted to preserve something from the decay of time. He didn't need the durability of anything enhanced since it was all invincible anyway, as long as the One Ring was in existence. Besides, the quote doesn't say anything about a general durability enhancement, it talks about a holy power of preservation. This was the will of their maker, as well as the will of the bearers of Vilya and Nenya. The quote doesn't single those two rings out, however, so we can assume it applies to Narya as well, yet Narya was not used for that purpose. It was used to ignite hearts, which also happened to be Olorin's particular gift: this indicates that the powers of the Three were subject to the will of their bearers.

*Actually, I think it's more likely that he sought the Three just to deprive his enemies of them.

Edit: Oh, and "the point would be moot."

[drigel]

egads thats what i get when im posting when im supposed to be working

It simply says what a bearer of one of these rings could achieve. The quote may as well say "...if they so choose."

but it doesnt - is my point. ex: - the quote could also say ".. also can fry bacon"...

I suppose this isn't the thread to discuss the nature of the three. It is a subject that has a lot of generalities and is open to different interpretations. I would suggest that S could and would have a use for any of the three if he had obtained one. Just like the Palantri, he didnt really need one, but it did come in handy - but, the Eye was already in play before he obtained one.

I was just thinking that the biggest threat to empire is precisely the "decays of time", and the "weariness" of the energy that it took to maintain said empire, especially after loosing the One. An "unholy" power of preservation in the physical plane.