[Boromir88]

Hiss of Snakes: Now this is something that I assoisiate with the Nazgul, but I sertainly do not see it as proof!~Rune

I just have to ask this one...why not? The Nazgul we know have hissing sounds like a snake...this messenger's hissed like a snake. Sounds like pretty darn good 'proof' to me. You could argue that that some living messenger hissed like a snake...sure thing, but I think you need to show some reasoning as to who else besides the Nazgul have a hissing voice?

It's also not simply the hissing voice. The nazgul as a messenger isn't a problem as Legate describes. The Nazgul were used as messengers and called such:

'I was just wondering about the black shadow. I heard you shout "messenger of Mordor". What was it? What could it do at Isengard?'
'It was a Black Rider on wings, a Nazgul,' said Gandalf. 'It could have taken you away to the Dark Tower.'
'But it was not coming for me, was it?' faltered Pippin. 'I mean it didn't know that I had...'
'Of course not,' said Gandalf. 'It is two hundred leagues or more in straight flight from Barad-dûr to Orthanc, and even a Nazgûl would take a few hours to fly between them. But Saruman certainly looked in the Stone since the orc-raid, and more of his secret thought, I do not doubt, has been read than he intended. A messenger has been sent to find out what he is doing. And after what has happened tonight another will come, I think, and swiftly.~The Palantir

So, the Nazgul were used as messengers and even called the 'messengers of Mordor' by Gandalf.

Good post Legate! One thing:

So, to be precise, the only thing which might stand against the theory of the messenger being a Ringwraith would be that the Ringwraith were something like a "last resort" for Sauron, and he didn't want to use them because the fear they produced was too great.

I don't think that really is a problem. We know that during this time period we are talking about Sauron has no idea who Baggins is, or where the heck the Shire is. He sends out his Nazgul to search for the Ring (and find the whereabouts of this 'Baggins'), and deal with such tasks as finding the Ring and bringing it to him (that was there whole mission in the first part of the books)...to find the Ring, get it, and bring it back to Sauron. I don't think he would use the Nazgul sparingly...the Nazgul were probably his deadliest servants, and the one's he trusted the most; his usage of them is quite extensive through out the story. Just to name a few...

-It was there job in FOTR to hunt down Baggins and find the Ring
-He puts Nazgul in Dol Guldur to control things over there
-He uses the Nazgul to start his attacks on Gondor (as Boromir notes in The Council of Elrond...it wasn't by numbers they were defeated, it was because of the 'Black Captain' as he called him).
-He puts the Witch-King in charge of his army.
-He used the Nazgul to check up on Saruman and see what he was up to as is noted in the chapter of The Palantir
Sauron shows no shyness in using the Nazgul when it comes to accomplishing important tasks. Especially one that concerns his One Ring. The only people Sauron could conceivably trust (since they were enthralled to his service) when it came to the One Ring, and bringing it back to him were the Nazgul.

We see the Messenger in Dale was there to get information about Baggins and the Ring, which we know during this time period that's what the Nazgul were doing as you eloquently explained in your post above.

TM:

Considering the story in the UT we can see what effect the presence of a Nazgul has, effects much more devastating then the words of the messenger at Erebor.

Comparing how one people (or group of people) act to a situation and taking another group of people; giving them the same situation, that doesn't mean they would act the same as group 1. It's like comparing apples to oranges, people will react differently to the same situation. As noted in Letter 210 the Nazgul did not have great physical power over the fearless...and there are examples of people we can see who were not afraid of the Nazgul (Gandalf, Aragorn, and Imrahil to name a few). There are different levels of fear one experience to different things and situations. Just because my niece is terrified of snakes doesn't mean I find snakes terrifying, or you find snakes terrifying...etc. Just because the Dwarves didn't react the same way as some other people to the 'Black Messenger' doesn't mean it wasn't a Nazgul. But we do have another instance when Gimli actually encounters the 'flying Nazgul' and here's how he describes the fear he felt:

'I cannot,' said Gimli. 'But I am glad that the shadow came no nearer. I liked it not at all. Too much it reminded me of the shadow in Moria - the shadow of the Balrog,' he ended in a whisper.

It seems like Gimli's fear is pretty standard and not too 'dramatic.' He didn't like the 'shadow' as it reminded him too much of the Balrog in Moria, but Gimli's not going hysterical here. He just didn't like the presense of the Nazgul and was glad it was gone! Even had Gimli broken out into a hysterical fear, that still wouldn't mean that all the Dwarves would react the same way in the presense of a Nazgul.

The hearts of the Dwarf chieftains are heavy, but not because of the messenger himself, but because of the message.

I disagree, you're forgetting when the dwarves fear is strictly because of the hissing voice of the Messenger:

'At that his breath came like the hiss of snakes, and all who stood by shuddered.'

Here's some more things to ponder...about the 'hiss of snakes' Tolkien uses that his 'breath came like the hiss of snakes.' Breath is a very interesting word to use...he doesn't say voice, or 'spoke' but his breath came out like a hiss of snakes. It's interesting he uses breath because the Nazgul have the power of the Black Breath. I started a discussion about the Black Breath...and that 'the Breath of life' is exactly what it sounds like...it gives life it heals, it comforts.

Aragorn breathes upon the athelas to counter the 'black breath' of the Nazgul:
’Then taking two leaves, he laid them on his hands and breathed on them, and he crushed them, and straightaway a living freshness filled the room, as if the air itself awoke and tingled sparkling with joy.’~Houses of Healing

The 'breath of life' can heal and give life...but the black breath is the corrupt from that will cause death. It's just interesting that Tolkien uses the word 'breath' here and we see some more descriptions of the 'hissing' Nazgul:

'He gave sort of a hiss....'~The Shortcut to Mushrooms

I'd also like to point out that Farmer Maggot didn't turn tail and run. He did feel a shiver down his spine, when the Nazgul approached him, but he stood up and sent the Messenger off...so again, just because there are cases where the Nazgul caused people to be with so much fear that they turned tail and fled, doesn't mean all who encounter them act the same way.

Also, had they passed that way, we should have had reports from the Elves as well, since Legolas was present.

I disagree the Messenger could have avoided Mirkwood entirely. We know that the Eldar were not afraid of the Nazgul so they can't play their fear card like they do to other people. Also, I don't see what they could report. Everyone knew full well there were Nazgul still in Dol Guldur, I'm not sure what you'd be expecting the Elves of Mirkwood to report in this situation. That there was a Nazgul around? Why yes, because they knew there were still Nazgul present in Dol Guldur.

The messenger was out to strike a bargain with the dwarves, but what was the exchange...The messenger clearly wanted information about Bilbo and the Ring. Which we know for certain the Nazgul were going around trying to do. Sauron was very protective over his ring and information about it; he does not seem to trust anyone with matters concerning the Ring except himself and his Nazgul. In UT Hunt for the Ring, Sauron is filled with fear when he finds out his enemies have captured Gollum. Sauron wants as much information about the Ring as possible, and as we see he hates it when other people have access to knowledge about the Ring. I doubt Sauron would send an ordinary emissary to go out and get information on the whereabouts of the Ring and this 'Baggins.' Sauron had some serious trust issues when it came to matters about the Ring (which could be reasonably explained)...the one's he trusted with the Ring were the Nazgul because he had them enthralled into a slavedom and controlled them. Therefor they seem to be the most likely candidates for the one's to be sent out and find the whereabouts of the Ring...which we all know full well that was the Nazgul's major task in The Fellowship of the Ring...and we know was the purpose of the Messenger sent to Erebor.