What if....

[easterlinge]

What if Isildur had taken the One Ring, then went home by another route, by the Gap of Rohan or by ship to Tharbad? What if the Gladden Fileds Massacre had never happened?

Would Isildur become a Dark Lord?

[Finmandos12]

No, he probably would have just become like the Nazgul. The rings had different effects on everyone, depending on their wishs and desires. Gollum just become enslaved to it. Bilbo felt attached to it.

[galadriel]

I don't think that Isildur had the willpower to properly wield the Ring. Instead, he would be bent to the Ring's will. I don't know enough about Isildur's character to guess what the outcome would be, but it would certainly not be good. Probably he would attempt to use the Ring and end up being a Nazgul type.

[Selwythe]

Ahem. If he went by the Gap of Rohan, the Dunlendings and Moria Orcs would kill him.

If he sailed, there would be a great storm and he would drown, like Arvedui (I spelt his name wrong, I know) did.

Basically, the ring didn't want Isildur no more.

[galadriel]

Good point, Selwythe. I had temporarily forgotten that the Ring had a very, very strong will of its own.

[easterlinge]

Apart from Sauron, who would have a will strong enough to wield the One Ring? It seems Galadriel is capable of it. Gandalf and Saruman?

[galadriel]

If you mean wield permanently, probably only Gandalf and Saruman. There are others who would be able to use it for a long time, but would eventually become servants of the Ring (and thus of Sauron): Galadriel, Elrond, maybe Cirdan.

[Ñólendil]

I think Gandalf and Saruman also would become 'servants of the Ring' in that they would be corrupted, but maybe that's not what you meant.

I think any member of the Wise in the late Third Age would have been able to wield the Ring in time (thus Radagast is included). How powerful they would become, and in what ways they would be effected is another matter.

[galadriel]

I agree that they would become corrupted, but I think that they would be able to become Dark Lords uncontrolled by Sauron, while the others would in time become servants of Sauron.

I forgot about Radagast. Him too.

[UnStashable]

Responding to the gap of rohan post i didn't think there were any moria orcs being that "moria" was still inhabited by dwarves who probly wern't to friendly to orcs (i thought the orcs that got Islidur were from guldore or gundabad). Also wern't the dunlandings decended from the wainriders who came into the area LATE in the 3rd age so there wouldn't be any of them either.

[easterlinge]

You're right, the Dwarves of Moria were still hanging around, so no Orcs.

The Dunlendings though were already living there in Dunland. Orthanc and what was later known as Helm's Deep ( I forget its old name) was built during Elendil, Isildur and Anarion's time to keep the Dunlendings and the Mountain Men under control.

But I imagine the Dunlendings would be terrified of Isildur, who had cursed the Mountain King's people into undead-ness. Would they dare attack Isildur's party if they went home to Arnor by the Gap of Rohan?

[olorin7]

as for gandalf or saramun being able to control the ring, i don't think so. it was said that sauron is stronger than both of them. and since they felt that the quest was hopeless and desperate, why wouldn't one of them have used it then? because they new that it would control them and end up no different than if they gave the ring to sauron

[Ñólendil]

The Dunlendings were not related to the Wainriders, who were Easterlings. The Dunlendings were part of a very large people, the same House of Men from which the Halethrim came (and the Men of Bree-land, as a matter of fact). This is a great site for Dunland information, made by a friend of mine in Scotland, though it should be kept in mind that the maker is a bit 'in character'.

[Thorondor]

It's important to remember that no one, including Gandalf, is able to wield the ring for the defence of good. It's power is corrupting for everyone. Gandalf is hesitant to touch it. Saruman is corrupted just from the desire of it.

But remember that the ring contains much of Sauron's power, if one of the wise, or a great leader like Isulder, wears the ring they are not subjected to Sauron, they gain some power over him. They would also gain control over the Nazgul. They would not come under the control of the dark lord, they would become dark lords themselves.

Note that even though Gollum is pretty messed up by the ring, he does not become a servant of Sauron.

If Isuldur had the sense to keep it but not use it, he would have had some struggles to keep it, I expect. At some point he would have begun to wear it, and would likely have become a kind of super-Nazgul. (Sauron was recently defeated at the time and out of the picture) I suspect tha sooner of later the wise would come for the ring and try to destroy it.

[easterlinge]

So Isildur would become a Dark Lord, and a new Dark Kingdom would arise in Annuminas, of all places. He's got 4 of 7 palantiri, the Ring, and stands between the Elves of Lune and Rivendell, and their allies of Gondor, preventing them from coming together.

What a horrible scenario!!

The Hobbits would never migrate into Eriador in this case, so we have Halflings living in Rohan instead, with the Bucklanders living near Fangorn Forest, the Tooks tunneling into what would have been the hills of Edoras and Meduseld.....

Oh yeah, lots of things would have been very different.

[Kirinki54]

Originally posted by easterlinge
But I imagine the Dunlendings would be terrified of Isildur, who had cursed the Mountain King's people into undead-ness.

When did Isildur do this? Was he in possession of the Ring then; did it have anything to do with the (very effecient) curse?

One would not really expect Isildur to hold such powers?

[Wayfarer]

Isuldir started out with good intentions, he merely wanted the ring as a momento.

He would have ended up the same as bilbo after a short amount of time.

H emight have become a dark lord, but it's doubtful.

[Kirinki54]

Originally posted by Inoldonil
This is a great site for Dunland information, made by a friend of mine in Scotland, though it should be kept in mind that the maker is a bit 'in character'.

Interesting link, thanks Inoldonil!

[Lightice]

At least Gandalf and Saeuman could had became ne Dark Lords. Perhaps also Galadriel, Elrond and Cirdan. Even perhaps Frodo, if he had enough time to practice in his hands, but Sauron would had noticed it soon, so no possibilities for hobbit Dark Lord.
But Gandalf and Saruman were Maia, just as Sauron. They just were denied to use their true powers, but only powers of Middle Earth itself. But as the Rings touch would had became more powerful, they would propably had forgotten orders from Valar and used all powers attainabe. In that case, there would soon had been a new Dark Lord. Those were my two cents...

[Kirinki54]

Originally posted by Lightice
But as the Rings touch would had became more powerful, they would propably had forgotten orders from Valar and used all powers attainabe.

In Saruman´s case, no doubt! He had already forgotten his instructions, at least he did not obey them anymore.