Matt DeForrest
Active Member
I’d like to raise the possibiltiy for a more subtle approach in the Mouth of Sauron’s offer to the Dwarves than is initially apparent — one that indicates he wins in every way expect the one that plays out.
First, he wins if the Dwarves tell him that they know of Hobbits and where they are.
Second, he wins if the Dwarves go to the Shire with the intention of obtaining the Ring.
Third, and here is where the extra subtlety comes in, he wins if the Dwarves go to warn Bilbo. There is an inherent trap here. Let’s say that Gloin is sent not to Rivendell but to the Shire. He visits his old friend, Bilbo, to warn him that the Dark Lord is asking after him and his magic ring. The most natrual thing in the world would be for them to then look at/to the Ring — which is now valuable — oh, so valuable to the Dwarves. All Gloin would have to to is stretch out his hand and take the Ring and he would become Gloin, Lord of Moria.
This, I would argue, would be the greatest win for Sauron. One Gloin reached out and seized the One Ring (having to kill Bilbo in the process), he would come under its sway and come to Mordor — either individually or under the escort of the Nazgul — already a slave to the Ring. It is he that would receive three Dwarf Rings to pass around (One for himself, one for Dain, and one for another Dwarven King) and then march to Moria. Thus, Moria would fall into to Sauron’s Dominion and, improtantly, Sauron would have dwarves allies when facing off against one of the few potential rivals he possesses in Middle Earth for the command of the forces of Darkness — the Balrog of Morgoth, who would have the choice of knuckling under to the Dominion of Sauron or facing a losing battle.
If this is the case, stressing the high value of the Ring is to Sauron’s benefit as the expected outcomes all point in his favor. After all, why would he expect Dain to send someone to Elrond? The Dwarves and Elves don’t get along that well.
First, he wins if the Dwarves tell him that they know of Hobbits and where they are.
Second, he wins if the Dwarves go to the Shire with the intention of obtaining the Ring.
Third, and here is where the extra subtlety comes in, he wins if the Dwarves go to warn Bilbo. There is an inherent trap here. Let’s say that Gloin is sent not to Rivendell but to the Shire. He visits his old friend, Bilbo, to warn him that the Dark Lord is asking after him and his magic ring. The most natrual thing in the world would be for them to then look at/to the Ring — which is now valuable — oh, so valuable to the Dwarves. All Gloin would have to to is stretch out his hand and take the Ring and he would become Gloin, Lord of Moria.
This, I would argue, would be the greatest win for Sauron. One Gloin reached out and seized the One Ring (having to kill Bilbo in the process), he would come under its sway and come to Mordor — either individually or under the escort of the Nazgul — already a slave to the Ring. It is he that would receive three Dwarf Rings to pass around (One for himself, one for Dain, and one for another Dwarven King) and then march to Moria. Thus, Moria would fall into to Sauron’s Dominion and, improtantly, Sauron would have dwarves allies when facing off against one of the few potential rivals he possesses in Middle Earth for the command of the forces of Darkness — the Balrog of Morgoth, who would have the choice of knuckling under to the Dominion of Sauron or facing a losing battle.
If this is the case, stressing the high value of the Ring is to Sauron’s benefit as the expected outcomes all point in his favor. After all, why would he expect Dain to send someone to Elrond? The Dwarves and Elves don’t get along that well.