Alternate "Hiding the Ring" strategies

[bilbo_baggins]

Apologies.

Couldn't a Valar destroy the Ring? Obviously the fires of Mount Doom were powerful enough, but since the Ring was made by a Maia, could not one of the Ainur destroy it? Perhaps Aule's forge... This would also allow the idea of a quest, being as no mortal could really go to Valinor. But no evil object could go there either. On the other hand, no one believed that Frodo would make it all the way to Mount Doom except Gandalf, who himself called it a fool's hope.

I agree that Ungoliant was not an earthly force, but losing a Silmaril and destroying a Silmaril are two different things. I think that the Silmarils would have burned Ungoliant inside much like they did to Morgoth.

Really all this is to say that there were no truly viable options to hiding the Ring.

[Raynor]

Ungoliant, though, was not an earthly force.

By what criteria?
Even if she is a maia, she is too bound to her bodily form and her needs (not to mention that in BoLT, she is said to have bred from mist and darkness, after the overthrowing of the lamps). And being a maia (and thus not an "earthly force"?) is not much of a measure of strength, seeing how elves made quick deal of some balrogs, Gothmog included (balrogs which almost finnished off Ungoliant ).

[Anguirel]

Women's beauty is only skin-deep. If men knew what lay beneath, they would shun the sight of women forever.

There's a dollop of that in Ungoliant; a dash of Lilith perhaps; a bit of foul things gnawing at the roots of the earth too; to simplify it all into a mere Maiar spirit seems rather dull.

But whatever she is, she came from outside Arda and she's deeply scary. Balrogs be blasted; before they turned up, Morgoth himself was grovelling beneath her manifold legs.

But we're a little off-topic. Back to the Ring. Yawn.

[Raynor]

But whatever she is, she came from outside Arda and she's deeply scary.

I still am not sure as by what criterion you would define her as not earthly; embodied maiar, the Incarnates (dwarves included) and the Ents have the same status (though they might differ in power); their fea comes from outside Ea and their hroa is made from the same matter. So, an earthly power would be...?

before they turned up, Morgoth himself was grovelling beneath her manifold legs.

Yeah, after he put forth a great deal of his power, fed her with many jewels and after she sucked dry the wells of Varda and the Two Trees.

Back to the Ring.

I agree with the idea that there is no point in hiding the ring; as far as destroying it, I guess only the power of Arien is sufficient enough(even Melkor feared her) and she and Tilion are the only powers that still are directly related to Arda. How to get her involved is an entirely different matter .

[Tuor of Gondolin]

However, if the ring could be kept relatively out of reach,
say moving it to different islands, but its existence
was made known it could foster enormous dissension
and greed among the forces of Sauron, including the corsairs,
and ringless Sauron is in need of such help.

Btw, about

I still am not sure as by what criterion you would define her as not earthly; embodied maiar

Agreed, how is Ungoliant any more or less unearthly than Melian?

[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by Tuor of Gondolin

... but its existence was made known it could foster enormous dissension and greed among the forces of Sauron, including the corsairs, and ringless Sauron is in need of such help.

Not to mention among the Free Peoples ...

Seems to me that would be playing into Sauron's digitally-challenged hands.

[Tuor of Gondolin]

Yes. But the idea is to keep things stirred up.
Since even in conventional (non-ring possession)
terms Sauron is the strongest force (with his
allies) the best of poor alternatives might well be
to foster dissension in his forces which would also
tend to keep some good guys in play in Middle-earth.
Recall even Gorbag and Shagrat (while in the employ
of the Dark Tower leading their lads
in fighting to the death). And the orc (I forget his
name) trying to get the ring from Merry and Pippin.

While such a strategy of delay fortunately didn't work
for Hitler it proved quite successful for Frederick the
Great.