1. Okay. I think the paths pre-date the signs on the door, as Curious suggests.
Perhaps the Numenorians did it to keep the oath-breakers confined. As another
speculation, I find it intriguing to believe that the paths were already there,
an impenetrable labyrinth caused by natural forces in the mountains, and
perhaps the door that Baldor's skeleton (yes, I agree with all those who think
it is his) was found clawing at sealed off the side-passage into more paths,
but not more dead, as someone (I forget who) mentioned. Since the dead have
been imprisoned in the Paths, to be recalled when the time is right, it seems
likely that they'd all be imprisoned in the main passage for easy access when
they are summoned, so the way to the rest of the maze was sealed off.
Ironically, since it appears that there are only two ways to get through the
paths, and since I do think that Baldor died of fear, clawing and hewing at the
door to escape the dead, the door would have allowed him to escape the quick
but horrible death from the shades but condemned him to a slower and different
(but no less horrible, if less supernatural) death by starvation or thirst in
the labyrinth beyond, from which there is no escape.
2. & 3. I think nothing more remains to be said on this matter. (At least, I
have nothing more)
4. The skeleton is one of the creepiest parts of this book. I think, since it's
fairly simple to deduce who he is, and since we learn more in the appendices,
that the description is merely for atmosphere. Indeed, the first time I read it
I was so chilled that I didn't even want to try to figure it out, so disturbed
and impressed was I by the passage. Go
Professor!
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Yes, I do think there is a real dilemma here, in that while it has been government policy to regard policy as the responsibility of Ministers and administration as the responsibility of officials, questions of administrative policy can cause confusion between the administration of policy and the policy of administration, especially when responsibility for the adminstration of the policy of adminstration conflicts or overlaps with responsibility for the policy of the administration of policy.
-Sir Humphrey Appleby
