[Ultra-Tech/Fantasy] The One Ring Invisibility vs. TL9 Hyperspectral Goggles?

[Andreas]

Originally Posted by tshiggins

At that point, it will do everything it can to get back to Sauron, with this knowledge -- or maybe draw him to it?

Should it do so, Sauron flees Middle Earth and sets up shop in a new world -- the PCs home world. There, he is free to do as he will, with the ring in his possession, with no fear of any interference from his ancient foes. In fact, Sauron may take the Nine with him -- and perhaps any of the Seven in his possession, too.

That seems unlikely. Sauron had a lot of problems finding the ring even when they were on the same continent.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Mind control. Very subtle mind control. The ring's forte.

Well, supposedly it would be possible to get enough control over it to use the ring against Sauron if your will is strong enough. So if the PC has a very high Will stat and don't mind being evil, keeping the ring might be a good idea.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Andreas

...
Well, supposedly it would be possible to get enough control over it to use the ring against Sauron if your will is strong enough. So if the PC has a very high Will stat and don't mind being evil, keeping the ring might be a good idea.

Spirit Contracts from Horror sound ready made for even uber powerfrul corrupting artifacts like this.

[Verjigorm]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

The type of Elves with a taste for empire building are cooling their heels in Mandos' dungeon by Aragorn's time. And even in Feanor's day they never really went for that sort of thing all out; they mostly liked building Hidden Elf Villages where they could build whatever elf-stuff they liked to build. Now Numenoreans, those are great imperialists.

So, lots of Numeroreans are appointed to important posts through the west when Aragorn becomes king. In the ensuing generations of his progeny, Numeroreans remain the oligarchs of Gondor, and they enforce the seperation of races. What few elves remain in middle earth live in "safe zones" that are draconically enforced by the rangers, with trespassers dealt with severely.

The population of Noldi continues to dwindle, and they increasingly pass to the West to avoid the horrific nightmare Gondor has become.

[Stormcrow]

Originally Posted by Andreas

Well, supposedly it would be possible to get enough control over it to use the ring against Sauron if your will is strong enough. So if the PC has a very high Will stat and don't mind being evil, keeping the ring might be a good idea.

Even though the Ring had much of Sauron's spirit in it, it was not loyal to him. It responded to his will much as his servants did. He put out a mental call and it stopped trying to hide with Gollum under the mountains. Gollum, too, felt the call and was compelled to Mordor against his will.

Sauron's chief fear during the War of the Ring was indeed that someone powerful would claim it and use it against him. When he learned that the heir of Isildur lived and was ready to challenge him, he assumed Aragorn would wield the Ring against him. Hence his being duped by such a small force going to the gates of Mordor—he thought Aragorn's ego had gotten too big because of the Ring, and he was going to crush him for it.

Frodo says that everything done with the Ring turns to evil, but it's not because of mind control. The very purpose of the Ring—to dominate the wills of others—is pure evil in Tolkien's world, and such a purpose CANNOT be used for good.

[Anders]

Since by curse it came to me, accursed be this ring!
Since its gold gave me measureless might,
now may its magic bring death to whoever wears it!
It shall gladden no happy man;
its bright gleam shall light on no one lucky!
Whoever possesses it shall be consumed with care,
and whoever has it not be gnawed with envy!
Each shall itch to possess it,
but none in it shall find pleasure!
Its owner shall guard it profitlessly,
for through it he shall meet his executioner!
Forfeit to death, faint with fear shall he be fettered;
the length of his life he shall long to die,
the ring's master to the ring a slave,
until again I hold in my hands what was stolen!

[Flyndaran]

It does seem like a physical embodiement of ambition. Leading to power over others but never satisfied.
I had always assumed that was why hobbits were resistant. They lacked ambition or any desire for more than their share. A very un-elfen/dwarven/human trait all told.
(Again, I've only seen the movies and heard about the stories. I'm willing to bet book experts will correct me before the day is out: Smirk.)

[Zeta Blaze]

@Flyndaran
It is not so much a lack of ambition hobbits have a more or less normal share of that. No it is there lack of desire for conflict and dominion that shapes them and shields them from the ring. Every hobbit wants to become skilled and respected and live a good life simple life of food rest trinkets and just enough work to be interesting. But ruling another leading armies and kingdoms has no draw. Look a Gollum when it comes down to it he was eagerly striving for a very hobbit way of life under the mountain in his little hole wanting only meat fish his little treasures and of coarse his precious. the ring twisted his desires and ambitions but it couldn't create a need to rule only twist to murder a love of home an hearth.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Zeta Blaze

@Flyndaran
It is not so much a lack of ambition hobbits have a more or less normal share of that. No it is there lack of desire for conflict and dominion that shapes them and shields them from the ring. Every hobbit wants to become skilled and respected and live a good life simple life of food rest trinkets and just enough work to be interesting.

As ambitions go those are rather humble.

[Johnny1A.2]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

Even though the Ring had much of Sauron's spirit in it, it was not loyal to him. It responded to his will much as his servants did. He put out a mental call and it stopped trying to hide with Gollum under the mountains. Gollum, too, felt the call and was compelled to Mordor against his will.

On the contrary, the Ring was loyal to Sauron. It was fundamentally a part of him. Tolkien explained that at length at one point, it can be used by others, but it belongs to Sauron. If someone were to ever really wrench it away from him, break the connection to Sauron and claim it for his or her own, the effect on Sauron would exactly the same as the destruction of the Ring. He'd be reduced to a powerless spirit, helpless to affect the material world.

Short of that, others could use the Ring against Sauron's will, to a degree. In theory you might even use it to force Sauron to submit to you militarily, or the like...but it would always be waiting for its moment to betray you for Sauron, you'd never be safe until you really wrenched it away from him entirely, and that would effectively destroy him.

[Johnny1A.2]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

It does seem like a physical embodiement of ambition. Leading to power over others but never satisfied.
I had always assumed that was why hobbits were resistant. They lacked ambition or any desire for more than their share. A very un-elfen/dwarven/human trait all told.
(Again, I've only seen the movies and heard about the stories. I'm willing to bet book experts will correct me before the day is out: Smirk.)

No, you're pretty much spot on. Hobbits are Men, but the Fall of Man rests somewhat more lightly on them than most of us, for some reason, and that gives them a certain resistance to the Ring (and similar things, like the gold-lust associated with dragon-gold, which Bilbo threw off fairly quickly).