Who was the old man?

[The Might]

Ok, that is a legitimate argument, although you must admit there is a difference between disappearing from an open field and appearing at a rail. In one case it's just a step away from not being seen in the other many.

But yeah, the astonishment of those present does remind of the old man's disappearence, it does all in all point towards Saruman as the culprit that night.

But I still can't believe he would leave so quickly...

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

Originally Posted by The Might

But I still can't believe he would leave so quickly...

Maybe he would if he sensed another Power -- Gandalf -- in the area. I've always wondered why Saruman seemed completely unsurprised by Gandalf's presence on the steps of Orthanc after the battle. Did he have no news that Gandalf had died in Moria? Enquiring minds want to know...

[alatar]

Originally Posted by The Might

Ok, that is a legitimate argument, although you must admit there is a difference between disappearing from an open field and appearing at a rail. In one case it's just a step away from not being seen in the other many.

Very much agreed. The probability of appearing at the rail, having been summoned and being expected, is very high...and yet the group I name (in the author's words) are astonished. How much more astonishing then for him to appear - then disappear -where he is not expected nor summoned?

But yeah, the astonishment of those present does remind of the old man's disappearence, it does all in all point towards Saruman as the culprit that night.

Like you, I'm holding out for the DNA evidence.

But I still can't believe he would leave so quickly...

I'm with you, though it does make the writing of the scene easier.

And regarding the palantir allowing one to 'hologram' to another place...I just can't get the image out of my mind of Saruman being in the shower and Sauron popping into the bathroom.

[Morthoron]

Perhaps the old man was neither Gandalf or Saruman. Maybe, just maybe, it was C.S. Lewis poking around Middle-earth in search of good place names for his Narnia series.

[Kitanna]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Perhaps the old man was neither Gandalf or Saruman. Maybe, just maybe, it was C.S. Lewis poking around Middle-earth in search of good place names for his Narnia series.

But his role in Middle-Earth was embodied in Treebeard.

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Perhaps the old man was neither Gandalf or Saruman. Maybe, just maybe, it was C.S. Lewis poking around Middle-earth in search of good place names for his Narnia series.

Or perhaps for That Hideous Strength, since he more or less plagiarizes the term "Numinor."

[alatar]

For what it's worth, the quote I alluded to previously is:

They looked up, astonished, for they had heard no sound of his coming; and they saw a figure standing at the rail, looking down upon them: an old man, swathed in a great cloak, the colour of which was not easy to tell, for it changed if they moved their eyes or if he stirred.

[CSteefel]

Originally Posted by alatar

For what it's worth, the quote I alluded to previously is:

Good allusion here. I think it does lend further credence to the idea that it was Saruman, although whether himself (I doubt it) or a phantom/vision is not 100% clear...

[Estelyn Telcontar]

alatar, the detail I noticed in that quote is the cloak:

...a great cloak, the colour of which was not easy to tell, for it changed if they moved their eyes or if he stirred.

Now that sounds more like a technicolour dream coat than a robe of white, which is what Gandalf had at this time. Granted, it is part of the ambivalence that surrounds the old man; however, Gandalf may have appeared to others cloaked in grey robes to hide the white, but I don't recall an instance of Gandalf the White appearing in a deceptive manner.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by CSteefel

Good allusion here. I think it does lend further credence to the idea that it was Saruman, although whether himself (I doubt it) or a phantom/vision is not 100% clear...

Again, we have no evidence that 'phantoms' and 'visions' are things that occur in Middle Earth. Though as explanations they may be possible, how much more probable that it simply was the old man himself, with his colour-changing cloak, and his ability to 'just appear' (and assuming then the opposite ability).

The harder issue to explain was his reason for leaving so rapidly, and my only hypothesis there is that he thought he had found himself within a bad joke, and so decided to get out as soon as possible.

"An Elf, a Ranger and a Dwarf are sitting in a forest..."