February 8, 2004

To: Jevic of Highgate
Elendur

The answer to your question is that Bilbo grew old and tired after the ring had been destroyed, not after he gave it away; Neither Gollum or Bilbo grew tired until the ring had been destroyed(and Gollum was already dead.)

About Sauron's need for the ring. It was not because of the immortality it gave. It also gave power to the bearer according to the power the bearer already had. In case you already knew that, and were asking why Sauron made the ring so that it gave immortality to the bearer, it may be that he didn't make it that way on purpose, since he obviously didn't need it. It kept him alive even when he should have died from force, and it kept others alive when they should have died from old age, going back to power according to the power the bearer already has. Of course the reason it kept Sauron alive was because Sauron poured so much of his power into it. The reason it kept others from dying of old age may have been out of his control.

-Elendur