The palantíri explained -- A Gist
 

This time the chat room explained the nature and history of the palantíri in a gist:


(twinkle) i'd like to hear all about the palantiri
(Mhoram) well, there were 7.
(twinkle) yes
(Mhoram) made by the Noldor in Eldamar(tol eressa and part of valinor) and given to the Lords of Andunie(in numenor) by the Eldar
(twinkle) were they supposed to be like telephones to be in touch?
(Mhoram) kinda, they could be used for that but they also showed things far away in space and time
(Mhoram) someone strong willed could direct what it showed.
(twinkle) to see into the future?
(twinkle) and past u mean
(Mhoram) at the fall of numenor Elendil brought them to Middle Earth
(Mhoram) Yes
(twinkle) all 7?
(Mhoram) yes
(Mhoram) 1 was the most powerful
(Mhoram) it could see all the others at once, the rest could not do this
(twinkle) u mean they could direct what they saw not direct the actions in locations they saw?
(twinkle) ok
(Mhoram) exactly, see no touch
(twinkle) k'
(Mhoram) over time they were scattered
(Mhoram) some lost
(twinkle) and elendil kept the most powerful?
(Mhoram) yes, in the Dome of Stars in Osgiliath, on the shore of the great river.
(Mhoram) the others where in different places in his realm
(Mhoram) minas ithil, minas anor, orthanc, annuminas, the tower hils and the tower of amon sul.
(twinkle) which was gondor only or further spread out then?
(Alatar) You should get Unfinished Tales...the last chapter is about them.
(twinkle) ok, so further spread out
(Mhoram) the ones in the tower hills were taken back by the eldar, since they only looked to the undying Lands
(twinkle) so at teh time of FOTR were those palanti(ri)? still intact with the eldar?
(Mhoram) the ones they had taken back? I would assume so.
(twinkle) yes
(Alatar) The three at Annúminas, Osgiliath, and Amon Sûl were destroyed/lost...we don't know what happened to them.
(Mhoram) actually, the ones at annuminas and amon sul were lost at sea
(Mhoram) they were taken to fornost after the destruction of amon sul
(Mhoram) the shipwreck that killed Arvedui
(Mhoram) after the fall of Arthedain
(twinkle) fornost as in north of bree?
(Alatar) The Tower Hills palantir went to Aman with the White Ship
(Mhoram) yeah, twinkle
(Mhoram) so thats 4, then there was the one saruman had, the one at minas tirith and the one sauron had
(twinkle) saruman's went back to aragorn
(Mhoram) right
(twinkle) the one pippin looked into?
(twinkle) or was it merry?
(Mhoram) with which he discovered that the corsairs were sailing north and made plans to take the ships.
(Mhoram) Pippin
(Alatar) The Orthanc palantir stayed in Isengard until the Fourth Age when Aragorn (with Gimli, and I think Legolas) went into see what Saruman had taken.
(twinkle) how did sauron get one?
(Mhoram) Sauron got the one that was at minas ithil
(Alatar) When they went in, they also found the necklace Isildur had the ring on.
(Mhoram) right, corrected myself
(Alatar) Yes, Minas Ithil is the one the Nazgul took and it stayed at Barad-dur.
(twinkle) minas ithil=minas morgul?
(Mhoram) yep
(Mhoram) minas anor = minas tirith
(Alatar) It became Morgul when the Nazgul took over about 1000 years before Frodo's journey.

This is excellent. Everyone should read it. I'm jealous though. Every time I've been in chat (admittedly rare) Tolkien hasn't even been mentioned. Not that zifnab didn't suggest I try starting the conversation, but when I got on the bus I wasn't expecting to drive. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Remind me to never go on a road-trip with you, Maril! [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]
And yes, wonderful clarification of the mystery surrounding the palantirs.

COOL!

Lush, you & Maril can go on a road trip with me! I love to drive! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] My hubby can navigate, as he adores anything and everything to do with maps(he is a cartographer). We'll just have to give him some miruvor so he doesn't gripe about how badly I drive! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

I am definitely clear on the palantiri! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]