October 11, 2002

Rune of Mirkwood
Elured

Rune it is true that there were once 7 palantirs though at the time the War of the Rings takes place many of them were already lost. Sauron has one indeed, Saruman has another, but the one Aragorn gets is the one Saruman had on Orthanc. This happens, in the books, because Grima tried to hit Gandalf with the palantir on the head by throwing it of a windom or balcony from the dark tower of Isengard when the wizard and many others Rohan knights, even Theoden i think, joined the Ents on the siege vigilance to Isengard. I also think there was another seein-stone at Osgiliath that was lost in the Great River Anduin at some point because of the war. Also another palantir was set at Amon Sul, or Weathertop, and was in fact one of the reasons why the Northern Kingdom met an end, see, the Numenorean descents started to fight each other over the possession of the stone and the dominion of the fortification there. I also think i remember reading about a stone that would only see to west, to and trough the sea and was because of this different from the others. As to the rest of them i can't really tell anything but i bet the Silmarillion or the Apendixes on Return of the King might have some information. Farewell and be at peace :)