Notes:
Into the East! Most of our discussion focused on interpretting the map and history of Eriador.
During the First Age, we imagine dwarf-roads connecting Belegost to the High Pass over the Misty Mountains and Nogrod to Khazad-dûm. These roads may be joined by a north-south road that connects Tharbad to Sarn Ford and/or Bree.
The massive forest (where a squirrel can leap from tree to tree while never setting foot on the ground...) stretches from the Old Forest to Fangorn. The area around Bree - between the North Downs and the Barrow Downs - is imagined as a forest-free low-lying area. This area has become the center of a barrow-building kingdom. At the time of Season 7, there is a ruler at what will become "Bree" - called something more impressive-sounding now that can be worn down to Bree over time.
Brief history of Eriador before this time: House of Bëor passed through on their way to the West, but were a small enough group that no one took much notice. House of Haleth and House of Dunlendings were one people - independent-minded, leave-us-alone types. They were displaced by the arrival of larger, more centrally-organized civilizations. Estolad (House of Hador) and People of Forochel were similarly nomadic, and the original inhabitants of the Bree-land. They were displaced by the arrival of the "Easterlings" that we will meet this season. This group builds stone dwellings and barrows on the downs for their dead. They are much more organized and militant. A smaller separate group will yield both the people of Bor and the later Rohirrim.
At the time we meet them, this sedentary group of Bree-landers is led by a powerful king who rules over a numerous people. The military is led by Ulfang, a popular and beloved general. He is a stand-up guy, honorable...but maybe a bit ruthless, and he probably is a better general than a father. The king feels somewhat threatened by Ulfang's military power, and maintains his own personal guard that is loyal to him and separate from the rest of the military.
Sauron, fleeing east after his defeat at Tol-in-Gaurhoth, spots the barrows and decides this is a wonderful place for his next project. He sets up a lab to study *human* necromancy, curious if it can be done. Given the differences in elven and mortal fëar, his research must focus on the preservation of the human hroa near/after death (embalming/zombies). He will play a minor (yet significant) role in this season.
Galadriel's story will begin in Ossiriand. She and Celeborn share concerns about the state of Middle-earth. Celeborn is worried about the silmaril-in-Doriath situation, especially as news of the planned alliance spreads. He decides that it is time for Thingol to get back his diplomatic advisor. Galadriel knows that the Noldor will need more allies. She has a chat with Treebeard, asking him what he has seen on his travels. He tells her of a people he met in the Taur-im-Duinath....the Drúedain. Based on his description, she doesn't think they're the war-like army she's looking for. She asks about the Men who have come from the East...are there more Men out that way? Treebeard tells her that there are many, many Men in those lands, and his description of them sounds promising, so she sets out to go meet them.
Galadriel meets and forms an alliance with Ulfang. Ulfang is interested in her tales of the lands to the west, and has ambitions regarding them. She focuses on the threat to Beleriand (Morgoth), and he is confident that he can help with that problem. At some point, he will suggest his good friend Bor, who has a force of chariots, as an ally to join them.
The king sends Ulfang to Beleriand in the hopes of expanding his kingdom and also getting Ulfang further away. He sends some of his personal guard with Uldor (Ulfang's oldest son) in the hopes that Uldor will be ambitious and take care of Ulfang for the king.
The Fëanoreans meet the Easterlings. Galadriel plays go-between and diplomat, embroiling herself in what will become the Nirnaeth.
After arriving in Beleriand and meeting the elves, Uldor is dismayed to realize that his people will never be considered equals - they will only ever be vassals or slaves of the Elves. He sees an opportunity to seize his father's army and determine the course of the war by turning traitor to the elves before they can betray him. His people are not satisfied with Dor-lómin as the consolation prize for the end of the war.
Galadriel will be involved in the death of Uldor. She will have regrets after this, and be fed up with the fickleness of diplomacy. She will be headed in a more imperial direction next time we see her.
Sauron will be revealed to have been cosy with the king of Bree at the end of the season. The idea to get rid of Ulfang pays off for the king. And Sauron read these people better than Galadriel did.
