[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Gordis

No strict evidence, only that there is not a single mention of ALL the nazgul at the Pelennor.

And is there a mention they were not all? You know, this is all 50-50.

Originally Posted by Gordis

The rest is only conjecture: someone had to lead the assault on Lorien - why not the most obvious one, Khamul? - especially considering that with his Fell Beast he could return to Mordor in matter of hours. One more "shrieker" above Minas Tirith, one less, doesn't make much difference, but to have Khamul leading the host of Dol Guldur is a big asset.

More likely now, I would presume that someone else led the assaults on Lórien (remember there wasn't only one!) and that Khamul, or another Nazgul for that matter, would carry messages about the war to Mordor. That's a much better way of using the (Winged) Nazgul's abilities.

Originally Posted by Gordis

I always read it as aversion to flowing water, not the mire water or bathtub water. Something to do with Ulmo's power, I believe.

I don't think so. Not that I would really think bathtub water or the marshes to be significant in this way to the Nazgul, but I am referring to Ulmo's power. It's just a mild correction - that cannot be "direct" power of Ulmo; as Ulmo says even to Tuor in the First Age that his power is withdrawing from the rivers of Beleriand, and also remember Valar laid down their rulership of Arda with the fall of Númenor. Yet we know from Ainulindalë about water, that it contained the strongest "echoes" of the Music. So: Ulmo's power, yes, but not "direct", rather some "immanent" power.

Originally Posted by Narcolindo

Now, coming back to the main question of why Khamûl could not sense the Ring's presence in the darkness and from such short a distance, I would say he merely wasn't paying attention. He'd been through a lot - fighting Dûnedain, confronting Saruman, getting ordered here and there by the Witch-king and entrusted in finding the Ring. Khamûl might only be able to sense the Ring if he had been paying attention.

I cannot agree with this one - such explanation does not suffice, in my opinion. Khamul's priority was to find the Ring, and surely he didn't think of anything else from the moment he left Mordor, or from the moment he entered the Shire. "He wasn't paying attention" is very bad excuse. No, if anything, I'd say "because of the forest he didn't see the trees", so to say - I mean, maybe he was so concentrated on collecting information from some Gaffers and other people (especially after he learned Mr. Baggins is away) that he did not concentrate on sensing the Ring's presence.