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Originally Posted by Arvegil145
There is a peculiar 1:2:4 pattern to many things Dwarven related (i.e. 1 - Durin's Folk, 2 - Firebeards and Broadbeams, 4 - eastern Dwarves; 1 - Khazad-dum, 2 - Nogrod and Belegost, 4 - presumably other eastern mansions), and I'm about 60% certain that the two rings that Sauron captured before TA 2845 belonged to the leaders of the 2 westernmost clans, and that the 4 which were devoured by dragons belonged to the leaders of the 4 eastern clans.
I can't exactly prove it, but knowing Tolkien's sensibilities at least somewhat I'd say it isn't the most unreasonable assumption in the world.
I just have to point out that the Longbeards aren't really a "unique clan" in and of themselves (excepting Durin) - instead, it's a collection of some members of the other 6 clans that coalesced around Khazad-dum.
With that in mind, I imagine that practically everybody belonging to Durin's Folk had kinship with all other Dwarven clans, which could also imply regular or semi-regular contact. In fact, given how uniform Khuzdul is, I'd say it's all but certain.
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All of this is very plausible, but not proven by the text. Is there a source for the 7 Rings to 7 Clans in 7 Mansions connection we all seem to make, or did we just guess that? Neither the Three nor the Nine are evenly spread among their respective peoples - two of the Three are held by heirs of the Noldor, and three of the Nine went to Numenoreans. Several in one house of the Dwarves is entirely possible.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arvegil145
There is a letter (Letter 211, p. 279) where Tolkien outright states that Sauron had the Ring with him in Numenor:
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Good catch! I've edited that in.
My big question of the day: when did Gandalf find out about Bilbo's Ring? He tells Frodo:
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Shadow of the Past
It was in the year that the White Council drove the Dark Power from Mirkwood, just before the Battle of Five Armies, that Bilbo found his ring. A shadow fell on my heart then, though I did not know yet what I feared. I wondered often how Gollum came by a Great Ring, as plainly it was - that at least was clear from the first. Then I heard Bilbo's strange story of how he "won" it, and I could not believe it.
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But I haven't been able to pin down
when Gandalf found out. Bilbo revealed his Ring to the Dwarves in Mirkwood, and lied to them about how he got it, after Gandalf had already left. He isn't stated to use it in Gandalf's presence at any point during the remainder of
The Hobbit, and given his reluctance to mention it to the Dwarves even at the point of disaster, I'm not convinced he would have just randomly shared it. Certainly Gandalf never mentions it.
Was the "shadow on his heart" after Gandalf
heard about the Ring, or when Bilbo
found it? I don't think the text is clear, and Gandalf feeling ominous from being in the presence of the One even without realising it is plausible. If the "shadow" came before he knew Bilbo had any ring at all, it's entirely possible that he never heard a thing about it until he read Bilbo's book, during or after his visit with Balin, seven years after Bilbo returned to the Shire.
Or maybe (hopefully!) there's a reference that gives a firm date.
hS