The White Council assaults Dol Guldur?

[Groin Redbeard]

#3 Gandalf and Saruman are the ones that I would think that had to have been there. We know that Saruman had to have been there with his devices. Gandalf had actually been inside Dol Goldur before, so he would be a great asset.

Elrond would not be as likely to go as others, his strength was in council not of war, and Galadriel and Celeborn seem the same. If any elf were to go I think that Glorfindel would be the one. What do you guys think?

#6 I think that we could all take it for granted that there was indeed a battle. Gandalf spoke of how they drove Sauron out of Dol Goldur. I seem to imagine as Dol Goldure as a miniature Barad-Dur and I would imagine that his spirit was cast out after the tower was destroyed.

[Gordis]

I also like this thread. So many interesting questions.

#1 Did the Wise really, personally, come to Dol Guldur?
I guess Saruman was in charge + Gandalf + some armed Elves, led quite likely by Glorfindel, - yes, Gloin. (for Glorfindel used to be the one who had led the combined forces of Lorien and Rivendell to the battle against Angmar back in 1975)

#2 Who was actually in the White Council?
I think in full it may have counted up to 12-15 members, some of whom (like Gildor and Radagast) had long lost interest in politics and rarely attended. Elves, after all, became more and more disinterested in temporal matters.
IMO, for sure there were: Saruman, Gandalf, Galadriel, Celeborn, Elrond, Cirdan, Glorfindel. Likely :Erestor + a couple Calaquendi from Rivendell, Gildor Inglorion, Radagast.

#3 Were they all there in Dol Guldur, or someone stayed home?
Most stayed home, I think. I guess it were only Saruman + Gandalf + Glorfindel leading the army who crossed the River. It might also explain why Dol Guldur was not destroyed after it was taken. Saruman was always most interested not only in Ring-lore but in other "foul crafts and devices of the Enemy". Likely he wished to search Dol Guldur thoroughly on his own.

#4 Were they all alone in the forest, or did they bring an armed force with them?
They did, I think.
#5 If they did, whom did they bring? An Elvish commando from Lórien, or something else?
Yes, an Elvish army from Lorien + maybe some Elves from Rivendell. No Thranduil's subjects, no Men.

#6 Was there actually any battle? Did Sauron flee before the attack, or during it?
I think Sauron fled before the battle. I think he saw them crossing the River. He may have had the Palantir already, if the Witch-King were kind enough to send it to Sauron before the latter returned to Mordor. Anyway, he had his Eye and he undoubtedly had scouts watching the river.

#7 How the battle looked like?
I think Lorien army approached, killing some orcs not fast enough to flee, then Saruman "put forth his strength" singing some incantations, but found no opposition. The fortress was empty. They entered, but Saruman told them not to touch a thing.

[alatar]

I found it fascinating - must have missed it the first hundred readings - that Gandalf visited the pits of Dol Guldur multiple times. He was there so frequently that surely some thought that he worked there, and so never questioned his presence.

But I did have a question. When Gandalf and/or the White Council were sitting around trying to figure out what this new power that had blackened the Greenwood was, just what were the possibilities? I think that they may have considered the Úlairi, but if not these, who or what else could have inspired the title, "The Necromancer?" Surely the Wise had a short list of interesting persons.

[Gordis]

Originally Posted by alatar

When Gandalf and/or the White Council were sitting around trying to figure out what this new power that had blackened the Greenwood was, just what were the possibilities? I think that they may have considered the Úlairi, but if not these, who or what else could have inspired the title, "The Necromancer?" Surely the Wise had a short list of interesting persons.

(TA 1100 The Wise (the Istari and the chief Eldar) discover that an evil power has made a stronghold at Dol Guldur. It is thought to be one of the Nazgûl.) Tale of Years

For a thousand years (TA 1100 until TA 2060-63) the Wise thought that Dol Guldur's master was one of the Nine. It looks like nobody had objections to a lone nazgul living in the vicinity.

Personally, I suppose that given all the problems they have had with the Witch-King of Angmar (whose identity as the Lord of the Nazgul long remained hidden), it might be that they took the WK for Sauron returned and overlooked "a nazgul" in Mirkwood?

Anyway, by 2060, the Nine in Minas Morgul were probably all counted. So the question remained: Who was the tenth guy in Mirkwood?

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Gordis

Anyway, by 2060, the Nine in Minas Morgul were probably all counted. So the question remained: Who was the tenth guy in Mirkwood?

It just strikes me as odd as well, as you'd think that Gandalf et al would be able to detect one of the Nine pretty easily. Why all of the snooping around and spying? Surely a few elves and wizards could clean house, as it were, if it were simply one (or all) of the Nine.

But if it weren't one of the Nazgul, who else in Middle Earth could it be?