A painting of a man standing on a cliff overlooking a river

The sun rose over the Misty Mountains, bathing the valley of Rivendell in a warm golden light. Gandalf the Grey stood atop a rocky overlook, leaning on his gnarled staff as he gazed out across the breathtaking vista before him. Lush green hills rolled gently down to the banks of the Bruinen River, which sparkled as it wound its way between the timeworn mountains. Ancient trees dotted the landscape, their leaves rustling in the soft morning breeze. As Gandalf surveyed the sun-drenched scene, suddenly the very land around him began to shift and change. The rocky outcropping beneath his feet rumbled, and Gandalf found himself rising up as the stone transformed into a weathered face and shoulders. Moss and ferns sprouted to become a long trailing beard. The hills stretched and molded themselves into powerful arms, the river shaping into a meandering belt across a robust torso. Gandalf realized he was now perched atop the head of a gigantic earth elemental, an ancient embodiment of the land itself. Craggy cliffs became furrowed brows over deep-set eyes that shone with ancient wisdom. Gandalf grasped his staff, intrigued and unafraid. All around him, the sweeping vistas of Rivendell continued to transform. Rolling meadows swelled upward into a heaving chest. Mighty mountain peaks arched into shoulders. Forested valleys became folds of a robe that draped over the landscape. Gandalf stood tall atop the elemental's head as the entire majestic scene molded itself into a colossal earth spirit. Gandalf raised his staff high. "Arise, old friend," he intoned, his voice echoing across the valley. The great earthen Gandalf rumbled to life, trees rustling in a booming exhalation. With lumbering steps it rose, the fabric of Middle-earth shaping itself to form this legendary guardian. Gandalf grinned beneath his hat; where this walking mountain trod, the realm was safe.