Palantir


 * Palantir.jpg"The palantír replied to each, but all those in Gondor were ever open to the view of Osgiliath. Now it appears that, as the rock of Orthanc has withstood the storms of time, so there the palantír of that tower has remained. But alone it could do nothing but see small images of things far off and days remote. Very useful, no doubt, that was to Saruman; yet it seems that he was not content. Further and further abroad he gazed, until he cast his gaze upon Barad-dûr. Then he was caught!"


 * ― Gandalf, The Palantír

The palantíri (sometimes translated as "Seeing Stones") were stones that could be used in communication with one another, and also to see many things across the face of the world. When its master looked in it, he could communicate with other Stones and anyone who might be looking into them; people of great power can manipulate the Stones to see virtually any part of the world. The Palantir are now the source of great dread for much of the Numenorians as they provide a glimpse into the things they have lost because of the coruption and destruction wrought by Sauron.

The palantíri were made by Fëanor in the Uttermost West of whom wanted to create a greater way for communication. Twenty eight palantíri were made, of which nine were given to the Numenorians of the Empire Númenor by Gil-galad as a gift during the Second Age, and in time they were distributed to seven different locations: four in Gondor and three in Arnor. They were used largely for communication, but also to see what was occurring throughout the respective realms. Their existence was common knowledge, but no-one was allowed easy access to them save for kings and rulers, appointed wardens, or by royal command. One by one the stones vanished from public knowledge or were lost. The Osgiliath-stone fell into Anduin during the Kin-strife and burning of that city. When Arvedui, King of Arnor, was shipwrecked and his line ended, he drowned with the palantíri of Amon Sûl and Annúminas, the only communicating stones of Arnor. When Minas Morgul fell, the stone was assumed destroyed in general. The wiser and more foresighted men of Gondor decided that in case Sauron had seized the Stone, they would stop using the Anor-stone to prevent any contact with the Dark Lord. As the Elostirion-stone was locked away and could not answer the other stones anyway, the only remaining stone was the Orthanc-stone, which became useless to the Gondorians. When Beren gave Saruman the deserted but secure Orthanc, he likely assumed that Saruman, head of the leading order against Sauron, would keep it safe.

Usage
The purpose of the stones in general was dual: to communicate with one another, and to see afar. All the stones save for the Elostirion-stone could be used in communication with one another, although the bigger and more powerful stones were favored for this use over long distances. The great Osgiliath-stone could spy on communication by the lesser stones, and a few others apparently also had special abilities. The stones' gaze could penetrate beyond any solid object, such as into deep caverns, but required light to see anything. A technique called shrouding was used when something was to be kept secret from any possible watchers using the stones. Knowledge of this technique was lost in time, although Sauron probably knew of it.

The user or "surveyer" of a palantír would first assure himself that the stone was oriented properly. Usually the stones were held firmly so that this did not have to occur at each viewing. Then the surveyer would take up a position facing the direction he would want to look; for instance, if he wished to look west, he would stand on the eastern side of the stone. The major stones, however, could be rotated, and thus did not require moving about. The stones were apparently controlled by will power; although chance largely dictated precisely upon what the gaze of the stones lay, the surveyer could manipulate and shift the gaze by merely concentrating, even when not touching the stone. This concentrating, however, was quite taxing, and so was not generally used save in urgent situations. Zooming in could be accomplished through the same methods, and standing three feet away from the stone achieved the best clarity and widest scope. Stronger and more skilled surveyers could generally see more easily and with less difficulty than others.

To communicate with another stone, the viewer would orient himself and look toward the location of that stone, and the two stones would automatically connect with one another unless one was being used in another conversation. The surveyer would transmit his thoughts to the other stone by thinking, but the person on the other end would hear it in his head. The surveyer and his contact would see one another, but sounds could not be transmitted save through the above method of thought.

The stones were generally placed in bowls or depressions in tables of black marble, oriented through trial and error so that the poles of the stone aligned with the center of the world. The kings usually appointed deputies to look in the stone regularly, or on command, or in times of emergency. Others not authorized by the king could use them, but it took a great amount of willpower, and things were often less clear.

Early History
The palantíri were made by Fëanor in the Uttermost West of whom wanted to create a greater way for communication. Twenty eight palantíri were made, of which nine were given to the Numenorians of the Empire Númenor by Gil-galad as a gift during the Second Age, and in time they were distributed to seven different locations: four in Gondor and three in Arnor. They were used largely for communication, but also to see what was occurring throughout the respective realms. Their existence was common knowledge, but no-one was allowed easy access to them save for kings and rulers, appointed wardens, or by royal command.

Loss
One by one the stones vanished from public knowledge or were lost. The Osgiliath-stone fell into Anduin during the Kin-strife and burning of that city. When Arvedui, King of Arnor, was shipwrecked and his line ended, he drowned with the palantíri of Amon Sûl and Annúminas, the only communicating stones of Arnor. When Minas Morgul fell, the stone was assumed destroyed in general. The wiser and more foresighted men of Gondor decided that in case Sauron had seized the Stone, they would stop using the Anor-stone to prevent any contact with the Dark Lord. As the Elostirion-stone was locked away and could not answer the other stones anyway, the only remaining stone was the Orthanc-stone, which became useless to the Gondorians. When Beren gave Saruman the deserted but secure Orthanc, he likely assumed that Saruman, head of the leading order against Sauron, would keep it safe.