The Hunt for the Ring

[Gordis]

Here is the thread to discuss the "Hunt for the Ring" as described in the texts published in Unfinished Tales (UT) and Hammond and Scull's Reader's Companion (RC).

I propose to concentrate on the second part of the Hunt, starting with the moment when the Ringwraiths broke the guard of Rangers at Sarn Ford and entered the Shire and ending with the debacle at the ford of Bruinen (September 22-October 20, 3018). We can also discuss the earlier events if we feel like it.

Here we can discuss the timing of various events, whether the nazgul showed competence or ineptitude and what mistakes they have made and why.

I have prepared a few maps with the movements of the Black Riders. but first of all I will post the time-schemes I have prepared and explain how I made them.

As you all may have noticed, Tolkien schemes depicting the movement of the Black Riders published in RC lack an important element: letters (A-I) denoting individual Riders had been edited out. (That's why there are lots of square brackets in the text). Why it was done I cannot say, and I think it was an extremely BAD idea - a wealth of information had been lost.

I have managed to re-introduce the letters in the RC text - at least most of them. For this I used two earlier time-schemes (these two with letters for the individual riders, both published in HOME 7: one on p.13, another on page 71). I have compared them with the account in the "Hunt for the Ring" RC and found that the first one (p.13) agrees with RC well, while the other one on p. 71 contradicts it. The reason for it is that the scheme published on p.71 (HOME7) reflects a different subplot, later abandoned: the Riders DE (Khamul and his companion) capture Hamilcar Bolger at Crickhollow on September 26 and carry him to the captain at Andrath. As the attack on Crckhollow in this version happens three days before it happens in LOTR, the same two nazgul DE are later sent to Bree, thus according to this version Khamul is in charge of the attacks both at Crickhollow and in Bree. Of course in the final version such thing is impossible: Khamul is a worthy nazgul, but even he cannot be in two places at once.

As for the time-sheme found in HOME 7, p.13, it differs little from the account in RC, only the latter is more complete. I quote this time-scheme in full:

From "Gandalf's Delay" in Home 7 "The treason of Isengard", p.13

Scheme D also provides an account of the movements of the individual Riders, who are identified by the letters A to I. It was D who came to Hobbiton on 23 September, the night on which Frodo left, and it was D and E who trailed the hobbits in the Shire, while G H I were on the East Road and F was to the southward. On the 25th, the day that Frodo reached Crickhollow, DEGHI assembled at the Brandywine Bridge; G waited there while H and I passed through Bree on Monday the 26th. On the
27th D and E 'got into Buckland and looked for Baggins'; on the 28th they 'located' him and went to get the help of G. On the night of the 29th DEG crossed the River by the Ferry; and on the same night H and I returned and attacked The Prancing Pony. Pursued by Gandalf from Crickhollow DEG fled to the King. ABCDEFG 'rode East after Gandalf and the supposed Baggins' on 1 October; F and G were sent direct to Weathertop, and the other five, together with H and I, rode through Bree at night, throwing down the gates, and from the inn (where Gandalf was) the noise of their passage was heard like a wind. F and G reached Weathertop on the 2nd; Gandalf was pursued North from Weathertop by C D E, while A B F G H I patrolled the East Road.

Using this scheme, I have reinserted the letters denoting individual riders (A-I) into the RC text, with a bit of uncertainty only in 2-3 cases.

Difficulties I have encountered:
1. F in the HOME account appears to be part of Khamul's group of six. His position is described as "to the southward". Later he sort of disappears from screen and reappears already at Andrath. In the RC account, Khamul's group counts five nazgul (including Khamul himself), while F seems to be a member of the WK's group of four (ABCF) guarding the borders of the Shire and Bree-Land. I have voluntarily left F to guard Sarn Ford, as this position seems the only one to agree with both accounts.

2.Another ambiguity arises when out of the group of FGHI I have to choose one to guard Weathertop.

the four Black Riders who were sent ahead assemble near Weathertop. [One] remains [while three] go on eastwards on or near Road - RC p 167

I have chosen again the same "problematic" F , just to make the layout of the table easier. Maybe Tolkien intended G or H to stay, who knows. As the result of my choice, F later falls into the group following Gandalf, while GHI remain on the main road.

3.And finally, at the very last stages of the hunt, five nazgul were on the Great road. They were divided into 2 groups, WK with one other nazgul and Khamul with two others. But which one of GHI was chosen to travel with the Captain is impossible to tell.


Dramatis personae: The Witch King (A) and eight nazgul, often divided into four pairs: BC, DE, FG, HI. Note it was also the way they had crossed Enedwaith and Minhiriath:

Now [the WK] divided his company into four pairs, and they rode separately, but he himself went ahead with the swiftest pair. Thus they passed west out of Rohan, and explored the desolation of Enedwaith, and came at last to Tharbad. Thence they rode through Minhiriath -UT

A is the Witch-King, Black Captain. Directed the operation from Andrath, visited the Barrows, then rode to Weathertop, fought with Gandalf, attacked Frodo, then patrolled the road to the Ford.

BC are two nazgul, who remain with the Captain at Andrath to guard the Breeland from the south and from the East. From Weathertop were sent to follow Gandalf north-east. Prepared the ambush at the Ford. BC always stick together. Likely they are the strongest of the Eight.

D is Khamul, the Shadow of the East, Lieutenant of Dol Guldur and Second to the chief. "He was the most ready of all the Nazgûl after the Black Captain himself, to perceive the presence of the Ring, but also the one whose power was most confused and diminished by daylight.-UT" Directed the search of the Shire, the attack on Crickhollow, on Oct. 3-6 guarded Weathertop with the Witch-King, later guarded the Bridge of Mitheithel.

E is Khamul's companion and messenger from Dol Guldur. At the beginning of the Hunt he was never far from Khamul (leading the blind man around in day-time, most likely). Later became separated from Khamul and was in the group that followed Gandalf.

F - This one had to ride a lot: twice made a round-trip to Weathertop. He is the third nazgul in Bree, who was sent to the WK with the news, but got waylaid by the Dunedain. Uncharacteristically, F was separated from his pair G from the start and also by the end. F often operated alone.

G - Was separated from F and added to DE, guarded the horses and the Bridge over Baranduin, then was riding with HI, also traveled a lot.

HI - inseparable pair, the two nazgul in Bree. Also had to ride a lot.

HERE ARE MY TIME-SCHEMES

Time scheme page 1
Time-scheme page 2

HERE ARE MY MAPS

1.Shire_Sept 22-26
2.Bree_Sept 26-29
3.Bree-Weathertop_Sept 30-Oct 3
4.Weahertop_Oct 3-6

Please have a look, so we can start the discussion.