The Last Alliance

[Findegil]

Who received the Ring when? I think we must split the discussion a bit:

LA-SL-08 or RP-SL-09b and RP-SL-25b: I think, it can not be denied, that LotR, Appendix B states that Círdan held Narya while Gil-gald held Vilya. Thus Gil-galad gave Narya to Círdan when he received the Rings from Celebrimbor. That means the removal of LA-SL-08 and the change to RP-SL-09b and RP-SL-25b is necessary.

RP-SL-24.5 & LA-SL-15.5: The choice we have is only between:
A) Gil-gald giving Vilya to Elrond during the first White Council (RP-SL-24.5 and LA-SL-15.5 not used) or
B) right before his death (RP-SL-24.5 and LA-SL-15.5 used)

From the textual situation I lean rather to B). But from logical point of view thinks look different:
- Of course keeping a Ring of Power even without using it has some influence on the potential of the Keeper (enhancement in ‘Valinórean stature’?), e.g. Sam at Cirith Ungol or Frodo dealing with Gollum at the slope of Orodruin. But Gil-galad was as King of the Noldor holding the greatest authority and real might of the candidates Gil-galad, Galadriel, Círdan and Elrond (even if others like Celeborn, Glorfindel, Galdor, Erestor or Gildor where considered, that does not change the picture).
- To give Vilya to Elrond at the moment of his promotion to Vice regent of Eriador and Lord of the independent stronghold of Imlardis fits into the picture. He is younger than many of the others and as an Half-elf might have been considered wielding less authority over his subjects. Thus from Gil-galads point of view and enhancement of Elrond makes more sense than on of himself. Or any one else.
- Anyhow from the perspective of Gil-galad the Rings were unusable (only the potential not the real ‘might’ is changed).
- Because of the lure to use them they were a burden.
- If Gil-galad kept Vilya two Rings would have been bestowed within the same Elvish realm (Lindon), which might be considered as risky.
- Going into the mortal combat with Sauron and holding Vilya would have been foolish. The luring would have helped Sauron in the contest as long as he wielded the One and if Sauron would have gained Vilya during the contest that would have been even worth for the other combatants than the death of Gil-galad alone, because Sauron could use the Ring and would gain what so ever advantage the Ring could offer.

I don’t see the text of LotR, Appendix B if read specific giving us the freeness to stat that Gil-galad gave Vilya to Elrond before the combat. That is taking too much liberty since we have absolutely no evidence of this from JRR Tolkien.

Thus at the long last A) is the logical choice, for me.

Do we agree on this?

Respectfully
Findegil

[ArcusCalion]

I agree to the Cirdan bit. The revisions are good.

Edit: I am sorry, I misread everything in the post haha. Forgive me, it has been a long night.... I also agree with A)

[gondowe]

A) Gil-gald giving Vilya to Elrond during the first White Council
B) right before his death

As I said before I think that TLOTR must be taken as "law".
In this case "before he died", what does it mean or can it mean?
Giving the ring to Elrond at the time of the White Council IS before he died, though a long time, it is true.

On the other hand what I wanted to say is that when Celebrimbror felt that Sauron had put the One Ring, in turn he removed the one that at that moment would take, because he would know that "one ring to rule them all".
And for that reason the decision to hide them not wearing them (while Sauron was wearing the One Ring).

However powerful Gil-galad might be, wearing Vilya could mean that Sauron could dominate him and therefore defeat him.

Possibly, as speculation, for this reason is the marginal note of Tolkien, I do not know.

Therefore for consistency I have to choose and in fact I always chose A), although as I said before is perhaps one of those passages, let's say, impossible to do entirely coherent without showing them a bit "forced".

Greetings

Or maybe leave the marginal note, instead of for Cirdan, for Elrond, that is, gave Vilya to Elrond before leaving for the war in the Time of the Last Alliance. Of course, leaving it safely in Imladris, would it be possible?

[ArcusCalion]

Yes that is very true Gondowe. I misread Fin's post (apologies all) and so I find that I agree with you both. It seems we are all in agreement.

[ArcusCalion]

I found another addition worth including from a draft of the Numenor material in Appendix A, given under the Tale of Years for the Second Age draft material in HoME 12:

..... Then Sauron withdrew to his fortress in the Black Land and meditated war.
LA-SL-01.5 <HoME 12: Tale of Years of the Second Age, T5 {These}The shores of Middle-earth were much changed in the tumult of the winds and seas that followed the Downfall; for in some places the sea rode in upon the land, and in others it piled up new coasts. Thus while Lindon suffered great loss, the Bay of Belfalas was much filled at the east and south, so that Pelargir which had been only a few miles from the sea was left far inland, and Anduin carved a new path by many mouths to the Bay. But the Isle of Tol Falas was almost destroyed, and was left at last like a barren and lonely mountain in the water not far from the issue of the River.>
In that time those of the Númenóreans who were saved .....

It contains details given nowhere else.

[Findegil]

Nice find! I agree to include it.

Respectfully
Findegil

[gandalf85]

I think this chapter came together nicely. For what it's worth, I also agree that option A) was the best choice with respect to the ring-giving debate. I had always read "before he died" as referring to some unspecified time long before his death. Some comments:

1) This sentence is really long, and with the addition the parallelism of the original first sentence is gone:

These were the chief dwellings of the Númenóreans in Gondor, but other works marvelous and strong they built in the land in the days of their power, at the Argonath, and at Aglarond, and at LA-SL-04 {Erech} <LotR, Book I, Chapter 11 the Hill of Erech {. Long had the terror of the Dead lain upon that hill and upon the empty fields about it. For} upon the top stood a black stone, round as a great globe, the height of a man, though its half was buried in the ground.

I propose:

These were the chief dwellings of the Númenóreans in Gondor, but other works marvelous and strong they built in the land in the days of their power, at the Argonath, and at Aglarond, and at LA-SL-04b {Erech} <LotR, Book I, Chapter 11 the Hill of Erech. {Long had the terror of the Dead lain upon that hill and upon the empty fields about it.} For upon the top of this hill stood a black stone, round as a great globe, the height of a man, though its half was buried in the ground.

2) I think there should be a transition between the paragraph describing the Silvan Elves (LA-SL-12) and the next paragraph. Everything seems hopeless in (B]LA-SL-12[/B] and then it says the host had the victory. I propose:

LA-SL-12<The History of Galadriel and Celeborn; Appendix B Despite the desire of the Silvan Elves ... rushing forward at the head of his most doughty warriors before Gil-galad had given the signal for the advance.>
LA-SL-12.5{The} Nonetheless, the host of Gil-galad and Elendil had the victory...