Palantír

Quenyan for 'that-which-looks-far-away', the Palantír are eight seeing stones made by Feanor during the Elder Days. They were kept as heirlooms until Fall of Numenor during the Second Age, then brought to Middle Earth in nine ships.

These "stones" were a crystal-ball like globe, in which a tiny flame flickerd in its center. Upon looking into, one could look anywhere they wished, not bound by time or space. Locations of which these stones were kept: Annunimas, Amon Sul and the Tower Hills (for Arnor). Osgiliath, Orthanc, Minas Ithil, and Minas Anor (for Gondor).

Each stone was slightly different, depending on the user. The Dunedain were able to keep in contact with the rest of the Realms of Exile, but over time, each were forgotten, and became lost or taken by the enemies of the Dunedain. The only stone to be kept intact and uncorrupted was the eighth, master stone, which never left the Undying Lands. Others were lost and reclaimed again, such as the palantir of Minas Tirith, which was used by Sauron to control Lord Denethor II, Steward of Gondor, late in the Third Age.

By the time the new King of Gondor took his throne, only the Orthanc-stone, which Saruman had hoarded, remained for the King to use.