what would happen to the Elven Rings of Power? Elrond, Galadriel, and Gandalf all have them in their possession. Would they increase in Power since they're based on the template created by Sauron or would it be a stalemate like it was back in the 2nd Age during the War of the Rings?
shareThe bearers (namely Galadriel and Elrond) would be in the same position the original elf ringbearers were when the One was initially forged, namely they would not be able to use their Rings without being laid bare to Sauron. As such, the protective influence that allows Rivendell and Lórien to exist as they have been would vanish.
Thanks, Harold. Without dragging the Silmarillion back out I'm trying to remember what Tolkien said about the time when the Elves "hid" their rings from Sauron. What would the differences have been in Rivendell and Lorien?
shareI don't really have mastery of the details, and I think it's all pretty vague, anyway, especially when it comes to Rivendell. The effect of the Great Rings on the specific realms is primarily protection and preservation, right?
Lothlórien, to my way of thinking, displays more ring-specific characteristics. Every leaf and blade of grass is perfect, time brings healing without decay, etc. The only really unusual effect (beyond a general bubble of protection) I recall for Rivendell is that Elrond could look in the sky and gaze upon the stars of a previous age or some such. (I always like to take note in the movie version that Elrond has a sort of open telescope in his study.)
I think one of the most pertinent effects in the OP's hypothetical is that Gandalf, bearer of the third ring, Narya, might no longer be effective in rallying people to resist the tyranny of Sauron, and Gandalf's thoughts and plans would no longer be hidden from the Enemy.
There are many interesting avenues to be explored with this idea, but I have to go for now, hopefully to get back to it later.
Right. I think it's great that after all this time somebody can still come up with an interesting question that hasn't, to my knowledge, been raised before. I'll try and do some digging, too. Kudos to the OP.
shareI'm going to resist looking (I have a list for today and I'm sticking to it), but it might be worth glancing through Tolkien's Letters to see if anything is in there.
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