Subject: The thing is...
Author:
Posted on: 2013-06-05 21:17:00 UTC

... it makes me want to take the basic premise (Luthien and Finduilas show up at the Battle of the Fords of Isen) and make a full-fledged AU out of it. Luthien heals both Theoden (who is suffering from /exactly/ what she's good at fixing) and Theodred (using general-purpose healing); that means Rohan has a strong leadership when the Three Hunters cross it, but probably means Eomer isn't in place to help Merry and Pippin. So now the Hobbits end up in Isengard, Gandalf and Co are welcomed into Edoras - but without proving themselves.

Could Saruman break one of the Hobbits enough to find out where the Ring is? Probably. What would he do next? The Ents might or might not be moved to action (I forget the exact sequence of events); would Saruman enact a Final Solution to the Fangorn Problem - or invade Rohan as planned - or send everything to Ithilien to try and catch Frodo - or reveal the Ring's location to Sauron. Sauron certainly believed Saruman would tell him ("It is not for you, Saruman!").

So now we're heading into a full mobilisation of Minas Morgul, not to march on Gondor, but to search the borders of Mordor for the remains of the Fellowship (since, of course, Merry and Pip don't know the Three Hunters are coming to rescue them). And caught up in the middle of the largest military movement in recent history are two Hobbits, one dubiously-trustworthy Smeagol... and a certain Ranger company led by the Steward's son. What would Faramir do? Insist Frodo come to Minas Tirith - or try to guide him through the Mountains of Shadow to Orodruin against the full force of Mordor?

Meanwhile, in the west, Saruman probably does attack Rohan (to claim it in the coming Age of Darkness), but with more time to prepare, the Rohirrim can meet them on open ground - and mounted. That gives Rohan an advantage - but there are no Huorns to help out.

And in the North? I can see Dol Guldur giving up on attacking the Northern Realms - the Ring is going to Mordor! The home armies will find it, but what if it turns around? And word comes down from the Black Tower - send the armies to Gondor! Seal off the Halfling's escape!

And now Galadriel, given a moment to breathe, likely would send Haldir (or someone) to pass the word to her future grandson-in-law - the evil of Mirkwood is heading south. What would Elessar do? Abandon Rohan to Saruman's attacks and head east? Give up any chance of warning Gondor? Or try to do both, fight off Saruman, then take the Paths of the Dead to rally aid for Gondor.

And all of that is without our two cross-time visitors getting involved beyond a pair of healings. Imagine if the Nightingale of Doriath - the woman who temporarily took out Morgoth Bauglir - got it into her head to visit Saruman... or Sauron.

hS

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