Ith, Mattius, Brinniel---
First, Ith, many thanks for the note so we can see the general direction we're heading.
Perhaps my post was confusing. Let me respond to Ith's questions below:
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However, would it be logical to say that these descendants of Easterlings had enslaved all the Entwives? If so, that would eliminate the need for part of the company having to split off and go search for the remaining Entwives in the southeast, ultimately cutting down our time. I like the idea of the climactic battle, though (two-part battle: Ents/Entwives vs. the Huorns, the company vs. the Easterlings.
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Yes, I do think the Easterlings had enslaved all the Entwives. I envision these Easterlings, as Tolkien did, living near the Sea of Rhun in the east and having large plantations. This is why they would need farm labor. These Easterlings are ruled by an official called the Khan.
The particular two Easterlings that I describe --the prophetess and the soldier --are merely representatives of this group who've been sent over by the Khan to try and strike a bargain with the huorn for military purposes. Once they strike that bargain, they will head back to Rhun.
They've brought along one Entwife in the wagon to use as bait or leverage over the huorn. The huorn are more likely to obey and respect an Ent or Entwife than they would an Easterling.
That would mean the company would go to Fangorn and rescue the one Entwife in the wagon and find out about the other ones who are imprisoned. She would be the one to tell them of her enslaved sisters.
Then the entire company would travel towards the Sea of Rhun in order to free all the enslaved Entwives. The journey there would not be important in terms of the overall story line. It could be done by condensing time and space in one or two posts, a narrative stating that the journey had occurred and that they had arrived in the far eastern land.
Then the story would go forward with these three steps.
1. Freeing the Entwives and learning of the military goals of the Khan.
2. Fleeing from Rhun with the Entwives in tow and heading back towards Gondor to let the king know of the Easterlings' impending attack.
3. Some sort of final battle where the forces of good prevail.
If you'd like to cut back on this plot line more sharply, does anyone have specific ideas how to do this?? We're not wedded to any of this and can shift, chop, and prune as we need.
The only way I see to eliminate the compny's journey east totally would be to assume there was a whole brigade of Easterling soldiers who'd come near Fangorn herding the enslaved Entwives in front of them. But why would they do this? I don't think they could compel the Entwives to fight against the Ents and Gondor.
Any ideas?
Cami
[ June 02, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]