picciotti peach-aught-tea
New Member
In session 242, Probably a Wisp of Cloud, the idea was floated that the wisp might be the Witch King. It was further posited that the reason the Witch King may have lingered in the West, rather than promptly returning to Mordor, was so that he could spy out the land from a high and invisible vantage point. This idea was then discarded on the grounds that the Witch King is nearly blind, but nothing could be further from the truth!
During the end of the journey to Rivendell we see the world from the perspective of a wraith (or nearly a wraith) as Frodo nearly becomes one. And Frodo sees a lot! Most notably he sees Glorfindel as "a white figure that shone" beacause "He is an Elf-lord of a house of princes." We can assume the Witch King saw the same. Surely then the Witch King is better at spotting Elf-lord's from a distance than your average mortal, who is essentially blind to such things.
While we do not know that Glorfindel was among those who left Rivendell to go scouting we know that many elves did and they likely glow as well, if more dimly. Likely the Witch King from a high vantage point would be well positioned to see their comings and goings. If he assumes the Ring Wielder will be a spiritually powerful individual this would be of the utmost importance to spy out.
Further, assuming the wisp is the Witch King, we know that he is in the region of Caradhras at the time of the wisp sighting. If he lingered only a few days surely he noticed when someone wrote 'Gandalf is here' in signs that all can read from Rivendell to the mouths of Anduin. And while I question that everyone can read the sign it seems reasonable that those with keen spiritual eyes like the Witch King's would be able to read it.
From Sauron's perspective there is perhaps no one better suited to be spying out potential Ring Wielders than the Witch King, who's eyes are well adjusted to identifying just the kinds of people most likely to claim the ring.
So, in short I think the theory of ringwraith spying was dismissed too quickly. Do others agree or have a critique of my analysis?
During the end of the journey to Rivendell we see the world from the perspective of a wraith (or nearly a wraith) as Frodo nearly becomes one. And Frodo sees a lot! Most notably he sees Glorfindel as "a white figure that shone" beacause "He is an Elf-lord of a house of princes." We can assume the Witch King saw the same. Surely then the Witch King is better at spotting Elf-lord's from a distance than your average mortal, who is essentially blind to such things.
While we do not know that Glorfindel was among those who left Rivendell to go scouting we know that many elves did and they likely glow as well, if more dimly. Likely the Witch King from a high vantage point would be well positioned to see their comings and goings. If he assumes the Ring Wielder will be a spiritually powerful individual this would be of the utmost importance to spy out.
Further, assuming the wisp is the Witch King, we know that he is in the region of Caradhras at the time of the wisp sighting. If he lingered only a few days surely he noticed when someone wrote 'Gandalf is here' in signs that all can read from Rivendell to the mouths of Anduin. And while I question that everyone can read the sign it seems reasonable that those with keen spiritual eyes like the Witch King's would be able to read it.
From Sauron's perspective there is perhaps no one better suited to be spying out potential Ring Wielders than the Witch King, who's eyes are well adjusted to identifying just the kinds of people most likely to claim the ring.
So, in short I think the theory of ringwraith spying was dismissed too quickly. Do others agree or have a critique of my analysis?