6 Degrees of Separation

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Ibrîniðilpathânezel

That's more or less the easy route. Ulmo -> Cirdan -> Sam (since we know that Ulmo spoke directly to Cirdan when he asked him to remain in ME, and Cirdan remained "deep in the counsels" of Ulmo and Osse). My original thought was a bit less direct, though you may certainly take the thread if you like.

Ah. I didn't have the book with me, and I couldn't remember if Ulmo ever spoke to Círdan in person, so I threw in Ossë to be on the safe side.

Out of curiosity, was the other route anything like Ulmo– Tuor– Eärendil– Elrond– Sam?

Anyway, how about

Finduilas of Nargothrond => Finduilas of Dol Amroth?

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Ah. I didn't have the book with me, and I could remember if Ulmo ever spoke to Círdan in person, so I threw in Ossë to be on the safe side.

Out of curiosity, was the other route anything like Ulmo– Tuor– Eärendil– Elrond– Sam?[/B]

Yep. There was also a possibility of Ulmo > Tuor > Glorfindel > Sam, but that's supposing Tuor and Glorfindel met, outside of Glorfindel saving Tuor and family when he killed the Balrog. And supposing Tolkien really had made up his mind about the two Glorfindels being the same person.

[skip spence]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Anyway, how about

Finduilas of Nargothrond => Finduilas of Dol Amroth?

Finduilas of Nargothrond => Galadriel => Aragorn => Denethor => Finduilas of Dol Amroth

You could insert Orodreth ahead of Galadriel but Finduilas and Galadriel must have known each other well from Nargothrond.

[Nerwen]

I'll give it to you, Skip... but see if you can make the path shorter. (Hint: one person can replace Aragorn and Denethor).

[skip spence]

Imrahil? He met Galadriel I suppose...

Alright, let's see then Yavanna -> Bert the Troll

(And there's no indication that Gandalf/Olorin ever met Yavanna)

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by skip spence

Imrahil? He met Galadriel I suppose...

Possibly; I was thinking of someone more pivotal to the story than Imrahil, and who definitely met Galadriel.

Originally Posted by skip spence

, let's see then Yavanna -> Bert the Troll

(And there's no indication that Gandalf/Olorin ever met Yavanna)

Yavanna– Aulë– Saruman– Frodo– Bilbo– Bert?

[skip spence]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Possibly, I was thinking of someone more pivotal to the story than Imrahil, and who definitely met Galadriel.

Faramir, then? But I can't think of an instance when he met Galadriel, apart from at the wedding of Arwen and Aragorn...

Edit: It should be Boromir of course! How did I not think of him!?

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Yavanna– Aulë– Saruman– Frodo– Bilbo– Bert?

I'll allow that, although I'm not too happy with the Aulë-Saruman connection (sure he was originally a Maia of Aulë, but there's no written evidence they met)

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by skip spence

Faramir, then? But I can't think of an instance when he met Galadriel, apart from at the wedding of Arwen and Aragorn...

Edit: It should be Boromir of course! How did I not think of him!?

*shrugs* Because he's too obvious, maybe?

Originally Posted by skip spence

I'll allow that, although I'm not too happy with the Aulë-Saruman connection (sure he was originally a Maia of Aulë, but there's no written evidence they met)

Ahem.

But two only came forward: Curumo [i.e. Saruman], who was chosen by Aulë...

Unfinished Tales, "The Istari".

I think that's good enough, don't you?

So, what was your way?