Re: Magic in Middle Earth (Help RPGers!)

[David Hobby]

> > inherent in places and things than in people.  I don't know if this helps
> > much, but the fact is that "magic users" were few and far between, and the
> > ones who did have it were very powerful, but used it sparingly.  If you
 ... 
> Don't forget that some of the "magic" things were  really
> the application of advanced knowledge and skill, like Gandalf's
> fireworks show for Bilbo's party.

        Begging to differ, but what about Gandalf's smoke rings in
_The Hobbit_?  They are described as being multicolored, and moving
around on their own, I believe.  It certainly seems that Gandalf was
using MAGIC, and not skill.  And this for mere entertainment.
        I'm sure it was a minor spell, and _The Hobbit_ is a bit
different from the other books, but still.

                                        ---David
                                           [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Didn't Gandalf also use spells to produce light in dark places?
Again, it's minor magic, but it is used casually.