Subject: Elvish Rings and the Silmarils

Gandalf, I found some information in The Silmarillion, and when I discovered 
this, it seemed too good to be true. Not only does it provide information 
about why Delan and Arvis are going after these rings, but the silmarils 
powering the 3 Elvish rings of power also makes sense. There are 3 silmarils 
(and 3 rings, each silmaril can power each ring).  Two were cast in the sea, 
and one in a volcano, however, it was mentioned in the beginning that the 
silmarils harnessed the power of the two trees in Valinor and were stronger 
than adamant, thus they were undestructable. One of the silmarils is believed 
by the elves to be a star in the sky raised from the sea by the Valar (ways to 
get past this include the silmaril actually being on a floating island, 
providing the power needed to keep the island floating, or so forth shining 
from above).  One remained in the sea, and one was cast into a volcano, so, it 
would be in the ground, maybe in a cave guarded by something.  I found that 
since there were 3 rings and 3 silmarils, that it would make sense that each 
silmaril can power each ring, a silmaril of wind (in the sky), silmaril of 
water (in the sea), and a silmaril of fire (in the volcano).  Each ring can be 
powered by its respective silmaril (Tolkien's descriptions of the silmarils 
are very sketchy, so there's nothing to say we couldn't do something like 
this) and be reactivated in the exact spot it was forged. Maybe when you get 
close to the ring's natural environment, it starts to resonate.  Once you have 
the ring and the silmaril, energy can shoot out of the silmaril or something, 
reactivating the ring. Once all three rings are activated, they start to react 
with each other and an arc of energy pierces the sky revealing something, such 
as Melkor's (Morgoth's) final residence if you decide he should be the final 
bad guy, but I'm not completely sure as to what should be done.  The three 
rings are in the undying lands and further west, and the silmarils are 
somewhere in middle earth based upon the information given in both The 
Silmarillion and in LOTR.  This basic information can provide a reasonable 
quest to complete in the long term going from the end of chapter 3 and 
beginning of chapter 4, all the way to the end. On the way, you can get 
information which provides a piece to the puzzle, because in chapter 3, you're 
not going to even know that the Kievs ring is one of the 3 elvish rings of 
power.  We're going to have to come up with a reasonable way to figure out who 
gave up the rings to their current owners/places and how each ring got where.  
But, I believe that this idea works out immensely well and provides a whole 
background for all the chapters, thus we won't ever have to be without 
something to work upon.  My idea is to find the three rings first, and the 
silmarils last, since the silmarils are far older than the rings, plus the 
silmarils are presumed to not exist anymore, lost in legend over the thousands 
of years.  This doesn't mean that we can't have other chapters not involving 
the rings, in fact, the beginning chapters involve ending the war between 
Katwana and Bern, trying to stop Arvis, Delan (possibly Selaria) from 
executing their evil plans, and finding the planter of the white tree (no 
common name as of yet, Tirolas is his Elvish name).  At each point, especially 
the final two sections is where you'll find out about the rings, silmarils, 
white trees, and how they all link together in the most basic way.  You won't 
find out probably of the whole relationship until half-way into the game or 
possibly even further where you finally realize that there's a race to 
rediscover the silmarils and rings between you and Morgoth's armies. Morgoth 
wants the rings to act as Dark Lord once again (Melkor was the first dark lord 
before Sauron), and finally put all of middle earth and beyond under his 
domain unchallenged. You need to find the rings and silmarils to find Morgoth. 
 If you lose, all of Arda is doomed, if you win, you have a chance to free 
Arda from this doom.

-Interesting final notes-

The silmarils weren't mentioned to be destroyed at all and Melkor was merely 
cast into the void.  One person, a guard so to speak, was to guard Arda from 
Melkor should he ever return from the void, but, all things can change, and I 
think it would be better to have Morgoth arise again than have either Eru or 
someone higher than him (there is no higher mentioned) turn evil.  Morgoth had 
an immense amount of power, more so than even Manwe, and it took all the Valar 
cooperating to overcome his evil the first time around, so Morgoth would make 
an interesting and suitable final boss to WindsMARE, moreso than any other 
person I can think of.  Sauron, although evil, had at one point tried to 
appeal to the Valar for forgiveness and he promised his loyalty to them after 
being captured when Morgoth was cast into the void.  They turned him down, 
however, and so having no other alternative, he created the rings of power and 
continued his evil doings when he was freed.  So, Sauron, defeated for the 
final time once again, could be one of the 7 wise men since after appealing to 
the Valar once again, they examined their first course and realized the damage 
Sauron could cause if he arised again no matter how unlikely.  Sauron's 
mission could be to find out the cause of the evil and we should probably come 
up with a different name for him.  He could say something like, "Sauron, 
that's a name I haven't gone by for a long time now..." and explain what 
happened after the One Ring was destroyed in doom, he could even have one of 
the 3 elvish rings.  The evil coming could be blamed on Sauron by all the 
people in the mid chapters, so much so, that when you first see him, you 
almost strike him down because of the simliarities to the style during the War 
of the Ring.  But since it's Morgoth and not Sauron, the styles would be 
similar since Sauron studied his old master and copied his style, and Sauron 
could even mention this to you near the end, that this could be his former 
master arising once again into power and that the whole world could be 
destroyed in the war that would result.  Anyway, this is all adaptable and 
there is so much that could be done with these ideas.  I feel that these ideas 
work, and that it would be a good background for winds no matter how long it 
is in the end since the rings and silmarils can be spaced out as much as you 
want.  

-Zythis