[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

I've often wondered about Gandalf's meeting with Thrain, more particularly about the items he picks up there. Normal practice when people are imprisoned by nasty customers is for the guards to take whatever they're carrying and then pocket whatever they can get away with keeping. Thrain must be the only political prisoner ever to have been left with potentially valuable possessions without hiding them somewhere very personal. Not that I'm ruling that out; it's just that nobody in The Hobbit mentions any odd stains or smells on the map. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Finding Thrain and being told where to find the map and key I could believe; but just being given them is a bit too convenient.

On the other hand, Gandalf's being able to sneak into Dol Guldur's dungeons and wander around at will seems quite acceptable. He's a pretty sharp sort, and a bit of a disguise, some well-considered bluffing and a few deft magic tricks would probably do the job. He wasn't exactly contending with genius when it came to the orcs of Sauron's garrison.

[ February 14, 2002: Message edited by: Squatter of Amon Rudh ]