ate some melatonin, though it's not knocking me on my ass as hoped. Yet. Thoughts;
1 ) the meta of of SU characters automatically lends any gem character (so most of them) readable color and shape cues. It's pretty brilliant
2) ever notice how the hobbits have clocks? Fireworks exist in Middle Earth but we don't know if hobbits ever make them or if they're purely a Gandalf thing. So LotR ends with Saruman sitting on clockwork tech and gunpowder - either he realizes it or he's so in an older magic/preindustrial mindset to figure it out *yet*. He's a Maiar so he's got time. Basically the Scouring of the Shire has the hobbits saving the entire world again, and they don't know they're doing it.
@starkatt There's *something* in the book that blows a hole in the wall. So yeah... you're right. By taking over the Shire Saruman's that close to getting all of Middle Earth
@Leucrotta I can't remember if this was in the book, but the movie had a bomb orc blowing up Helm's Deep so I think he already had gunpowder?