FOTR/Gandalf agrees to join Suaruman and Sauron

From Create Your Own Story

Gandalf takes a huge risk, and leads Sauruman to believe that he is willing to turn evil. He leverages the power of his magic ring, giving an inspiring speech in favor of Sauron's goals. Sauruman is convinced, and only requires the location of the ring in order to completely trust Gandalf.

Gandalf hesitated. He had an opportunity to divert Sauruman's forces away from the Ring - but what would make the best diversion? The most logical location is Eriabor, since the ring was known to have been there at one time - but doing that would doom the people living in the surrounding area to relentless attacks. While frantically trying to think of a well-defended place that would suffer fewer casualties, the Gray Havens popped into Gandalf's head. It would take months for any significant force to travel that distance - and the elven defenses would be ready for them. That could allow the ringbearer to slip further east, getting closer and closer to Mordor and Mount Doom.

Gandalf was torn, and needed to provide an answer fast - but which one? Just as he was about to panic, he thought of one more story - that instead of heading towards Mordor, the ring was going north to Angmar. He would claim that fire drakes had been spotted nearby, most likely ones that had survived the attack on Gondolin centuries before. As everyone knew, Gandalf's lie would continue, the breath of a fire drake can destroy even the rings of power. Would Sauruman believe it? How well learned was he in dragons and ring-lore? He had recently become obsessed with the ring - wouldn't he know that it could only be destroyed in Mt. Doom?

Decision

What should Gandalf do?

• Gandalf selects Erebor, the Lonely Mountain - claiming the hobbit never returned home after Smaug was killed.

• Gandalf says the Ring is at the Gray Havens, because it will take Saruman's forces the longest time to get there.

• Gandalf tells Sauruman that the ring is going north, where they will find one of the fire drakes that attacked Gondolin and use it's breath to destroy the ring (which, unbeknownst to Sauruman, would actually work on the other rings of power - but not The One Ring).