Complete List of Lotro's Storylines & Loose Ends That Need to Be Tied Up... Eventually

[Witch0King]

Personally, I think that if these storylines are given the Moria treatment (watch all worth of an expansion and 100s of quest progression turn to rubble in a rushed instance. everything is just falling apart in a few minutes) I'd rather the storylines just remain forgotten rather than be given a conclusion that isn't worthy of the story that lead up to them. Moria being the most extreme example I've seen, next to Game of Thrones' later seasons.

[LagunaD2]

Was the provenance of Wadu's sword, and Nar's channeling Elrond ever explained?

I guess maybe the latter was suggested to be Saruman's doing, since brief glimpses of him appear in the instance with the idiot dorf who betrayed us (although how Saruman knew the words of Elrond isn't clear either).

Also, I think the shaking ground is explained here.

[Hensibert]

Personally, I think that if these storylines are given the Moria treatment (watch all worth of an expansion and 100s of quest progression turn to rubble in a rushed instance. everything is just falling apart in a few minutes) I'd rather the storylines just remain forgotten rather than be given a conclusion that isn't worthy of the story that lead up to them. Moria being the most extreme example I've seen, next to Game of Thrones' later seasons.

I've never played through the Moria expansion, could you tell me what you mean by this? I don't care about spoilers.

[LagunaD2]

I've never played through the Moria expansion, could you tell me what you mean by this? I don't care about spoilers.

As soon as we're no longer around to deliver their boxed lunches, the brain-dead Moria dorfs get their fat butts kicked in the dorf allegiance questline of the Mordor expansion.

[TesalionLortus]

LOTRO's Moria wasn't wasted and can't be compared to what happened with GoT - the only dissatisfaction may be the result of basic story (Mazog vs dwarves, plain and simple, we defeat him and that's it - quite boring) and pretty much everything concerning Nameless business left unexplained. But that's old LOTRO's writing when they were constrained by the books and unable to do something truly epic that would outshine the books' quest but still wanted to give us nice epic material and journey with original glimpses into unknown and intriguing (and I was completely fine with that). The Iron Garrison was destined to fail because Moria was supposed to be lost, Tolkien never said it was retaken early so they made sure it fell before it could be properly taken back and the fall in the allegiance wasn't rushed - I think it was left unexplained on purpose. I loved following the books but IMO the LOTRO's writing room, in terms of ongoing plot, is delivering the most fascinating stuff when they can do their very own thing. They've been the most into it in Shadows of Angmar and they're 100% into it now

The shaking ground Laguna mentioned was indeed explained (and that story was supposed to be a parallel to what Falcon Clan did with their own captive cave claw) but there is an important "BUT" in here - it was a different shaking that concerned only the Rise of Isengard storyline. The shakings that we have now are different ones, reoccurring in different parts of Middle earth, including during Iron Garrison's fall in Moria recently so undoubtedly not a coincidence

[Witch0King]

I've never played through the Moria expansion, could you tell me what you mean by this? I don't care about spoilers.

There's a nasty earthquake or two, and orcs are coming back again as I recall, and suddenly every settlement and a lot of characters are lost in the process. In the matter of a single, short instance, they nullified that entire expansion and left it near worthless in terms of story progression. You get what, a warning that there are bad news coming from Moria, your character get there and everything is just lost.. They could have made a story around this, but instead they relegated it to the allegiance story-lines that were quite the step down from the epics in my opinion. All you were doing throughout that Moria expansion was establish small footholds across Moria, and eliminate threats that were said to be some of the worst of that world. They should really have taken their time with it, especially if we can spend so much time watching the stout-axe make nice with the Longbeards for the past year or two.

[DavidmeetHal]

There's a nasty earthquake or two, and orcs are coming back again as I recall, and suddenly every settlement and a lot of characters are lost in the process. In the matter of a single, short instance, they nullified that entire expansion and left it near worthless in terms of story progression. You get what, a warning that there are bad news coming from Moria, your character get there and everything is just lost.. They could have made a story around this, but instead they relegated it to the allegiance story-lines that were quite the step down from the epics in my opinion. All you were doing throughout that Moria expansion was establish small footholds across Moria, and eliminate threats that were said to be some of the worst of that world. They should really have taken their time with it, especially if we can spend so much time watching the stout-axe make nice with the Longbeards for the past year or two.

I never did the Allegiance storyline, I had no clue it was like that. Wow.

[OldMadeOfLions]

In the matter of a single, short instance, they nullified that entire expansion and left it near worthless in terms of story progression.

I don't agree that it's 'near worthless' from a story perspective - the expedition still happened, and the hardships of the Iron Garrison were real; it's just that, like Balin before them, they were doomed to fail from the outset. Not everything is a victory. I've always liked the Moria expansion because of the sensation of impending doom it has for book-readers, despite all of their seeming successes.

You get what, a warning that there are bad news coming from Moria, your character get there and everything is just lost..

We get dinged from time to time on the way we ignore travel distances in Middle-earth, but this is one case where I think it's believable that you didn't get there in time to have a material impact on the outcome: you were elsewhere in Middle-earth when the great fall happens, and by the time you arrive it's too late.

They should really have taken their time with it...

I disagree with this too. I like how sudden the fall is, and I think it's more satisfying than a slow delaying action where you lose ground, and then lose more ground, and then lose more ground. There are some common refrains you hear over and over in game design: "make it a toggle, so I can choose" is one of them, and so is "you should have done more with it."

We always could have done more with it, but in this case it was very intentionally done briskly, and without warning. When Balin's expedition fell, it fell quickly - so too does the Iron Garrison.

MoL

[istvana]

MoL I couldn't possibly agree more. Not every battle or war ends with a win and the game is far more interesting when one doesn't know until the end which it will be. Obviously anyone familiar with the storyline knew how Moria would end up but a lot of players aren't that familiar with all the minutae in the books - and in other areas you go beyond the books and have almost complete artistic liberty. Which should include the "good guys" sometimes losing.

Also our characters shouldn't be Godlings able to defeat any enemy. Even the Nine with support from the Valar couldn't - or at least didn't - win any confrontations directly with Sauron - they defeated him with indirection and trickery. The Free Peoples at the end of the Third Age simply aren't what they were at the end of the Second Age when they could and did successfully take him on directly.

[LagunaD2]

When Balin's expedition fell, it fell quickly - so too does the Iron Garrison.

Getting their fat butts kicked is what dorfs do.

[Harvain]

I don't agree that it's 'near worthless' from a story perspective - the expedition still happened, and the hardships of the Iron Garrison were real; it's just that, like Balin before them, they were doomed to fail from the outset. Not everything is a victory. I've always liked the Moria expansion because of the sensation of impending doom it has for book-readers, despite all of their seeming successes.



We get dinged from time to time on the way we ignore travel distances in Middle-earth, but this is one case where I think it's believable that you didn't get there in time to have a material impact on the outcome: you were elsewhere in Middle-earth when the great fall happens, and by the time you arrive it's too late.



I disagree with this too. I like how sudden the fall is, and I think it's more satisfying than a slow delaying action where you lose ground, and then lose more ground, and then lose more ground. There are some common refrains you hear over and over in game design: "make it a toggle, so I can choose" is one of them, and so is "you should have done more with it."

We always could have done more with it, but in this case it was very intentionally done briskly, and without warning. When Balin's expedition fell, it fell quickly - so too does the Iron Garrison.

MoL

Plus regardless of how LOTRO told of a 2nd Expedition going to Moria and trying their hand, until and unless Durin the VII and Last is involved and comes to claim the mastery of Khazad-Dum, the Dwarves shall never truly hold a foothold.

The Prophecy has not come to fruition and the one who will be Durin the VII is not fully known yet although heavily hinted that the Durin trying to claim Mount Gundabad is the one.

Either way, Moria/Khazad-Dum won't be retaken for a long time unless SSG down the road well past the current Dwarven Storyline decides what to do which is different than most well known Lore. Moria is reclaimed in the Lore at no given proper date beyond that it occurs sometime after Fourth Age 170, some 172+ years after the Defeat of Sauron and the Destruction of the One Ring and the in-game LOTRO Events surrounding the War of Three Peaks and the soon be be battles at the foot of, on and inside Mount Gundabad.

Which the Lore for Mount Gundabad hints that it is retaken in the Fourth Age as well and possibly with assistance from the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor.

[Witch0King]

I don't agree that it's 'near worthless' from a story perspective - the expedition still happened, and the hardships of the Iron Garrison were real; it's just that, like Balin before them, they were doomed to fail from the outset. Not everything is a victory. I've always liked the Moria expansion because of the sensation of impending doom it has for book-readers, despite all of their seeming successes.

I disagree with this too. I like how sudden the fall is, and I think it's more satisfying than a slow delaying action where you lose ground, and then lose more ground, and then lose more ground. There are some common refrains you hear over and over in game design: "make it a toggle, so I can choose" is one of them, and so is "you should have done more with it."

We always could have done more with it, but in this case it was very intentionally done briskly, and without warning. When Balin's expedition fell, it fell quickly - so too does the Iron Garrison.

MoL

Moria, similar to the ending chapters of SoA and the journey with the Grey Company are my favourite story moments in the game. There are certain moments later on in the game where you're allowed to retell stories from your past adventures. Which I've always liked, because that way it feels like you're taking those stories with you, into the new ones. Shaping your character. I don't mind the Garrison failing, as you said, it was bound to happen. I just wish our characters had been there. Even if it was on a losing side, which I personally would have liked. Because all too often I feel like MMO-characters tend to fall into this demigod-pit where your character just becomes too good at everything, never facing any losses. I've quite liked how this game has balanced that element, but being part of such a losing fight would certainly have been cool. Especially being able to revisit some nostalgic locations during the fall, as watching it would have been gut-wrenching. However, the return of certain Moria-characters in the Gundabad-story was a wonderful and welcome surprise, and I'm excited to see where they'll go on next, as the Moria-expansion lives on through them now. And to that point, as long as remants of the Expedition are around, then all the efforts made in Moria won't have been for nothing. And in contrast to Balin's own expedition, members of the Iron Garrison survived which I didn't account for in my previous comments. Now I'll be hoping for a Iron Garrison comeback against the Gundabad orcs, crossing my fingers!

All in all, it's all subjective. I'm a dwarf-fan, in both LotR and Warhammer. A return to Moria before its fall, after all the adventures since, would have been quite something. To me at least

On a side note, I may add that in the recent weeks, I've gone through Volume 1 and making great progress into Moria, reminiscing and loving every minute of it.

[Phantion]

I don't agree that it's 'near worthless' from a story perspective - the expedition still happened, and the hardships of the Iron Garrison were real; it's just that, like Balin before them, they were doomed to fail from the outset. Not everything is a victory. I've always liked the Moria expansion because of the sensation of impending doom it has for book-readers, despite all of their seeming successes.

I partially agree with you. But I think that, on the other hand, it really discounted some other things from Volume 2 that were - heavily hinted at - but not actualized in that particular instance:

The rise of the Nameless as the dominant force in Moria and the return of Gwaithnor.

These were foreshadowed between three characters in Volume II: The Elf maiden in charge of the Shadowed Refuge, Gorothul's words at Zabagathol and in his deeds in Book 8, and finally, Mazog's final curse on Broin before his death in "Battle in the Tower." I think you've handled Mazog's final curse about the Orcs; but Gorothul's business on how the Nameless will re-conquer everything was delayed, not resolved. Us destroying those relics in those instances was more of a temporary measure, if I recall.

I do not believe that instance really answered those details so well. We had an earthquake and plenty of Orcs and Trolls; but what about these other heavily foreshadowed things? Where was Gwaithnor-Returned, with an even more frightening countenance perhaps, attacking the Twenty-First Hall and rising to reclaim Moria like Durin's Bane did? Where were all the hordes of Nameless overwhelming the Dwarves of the Iron Garrison and the Orcs, a new power rising? Where does the business with the false- / Nameless foe guising as Durin the Deathless in the Shadowed Cave fit into all this?

I'd really hope you'd consider revisiting this. There's a tale half-told about Gwaithnor and the Nameless. I would have loved the final vision the player has of Moria in the timeline to be akin to what Dain Ironfoot sees near the end of Blood of Azog - but instead of Durin's Bane, it's Gwaithnor. I'd also like to learn why players raiding to slay the Mistress of Pestilence and those other horrors in the Foundations of Stone had little effect on what came next!

This is what happens when you have all this riveting storytelling I certainly understand where you're coming from on this. It's just that I just don't see the situations of Balin and the Iron Garrison as nearly the same. Balin had Durin's Bane and Mazog's Orcs / Trolls as his chief problem. But the Dwarves of the Iron Garrison had Gorothul's horrifying words of a Nameless take-over of the whole Kingdom to the extent not even Orcs would be entirely welcome there!


Well anyways, just ideas and food for thought I'd really love to see the "Nameless" side of the Moria storyline brought to its conclusion for the game's purposes, whatever it may be!

Cheers!

[gripply]

In my mind, Gun Ain helps the Easterlings get settled in their new lands. She's no stranger to servitude. And it's not just Easterlings, but several refugee forces from Mordor who now don't really have a purpose other than to be swept up into some new destructive army. Maybe she gets together with the Woses and they create a haven. Easterlings fought for generations on behalf of Sauron. Maybe they create a union of soldiering races in part of it, and go kick the dwarves out of their tower. Between them they should have enough shamanic power to lay the spirits to rest. Maybe she gets "lost" and returns as a Maiar since Gandalf says his time on ME is short.

Jajax is "a Ferengi" he'd just make a deal with Aragorn and ask him to help fight off the enemies of his people in return for establishment of a trade route. Besides, ugly wars might mess up his fashionable clothes.

I think that Nona would've gone home as far from war as possible. Even if Horn returns she can't depend on him. If a man leaves a woman carrying his child behind in war, that's understandable. But he knows she has no family, and he made no stand with his father or relatives to insist that his child be cared for. I'd say that was reason for her to be like, you're home, that's nice. What do you want here? I'll hire you as a handyman so you can see your son. But we're not family. You see this other guy here? He's family. I liked Nona, but Horn is a weak man. She deserves better.

Ayorzen would be amusing. I was sad he didn't actually succeed in making himself a bigger part of the story before.

And what of the Eagles? Surely they have concerns... gazing peaks that are overrun with orcs or something.

[elvenes]

poor Corudan is still awol from the BBs in Rohan... Sigileth laughs in the distance

[Kaeneth]

https://lotro-wiki.com/index.php/Sagr%C3%B3g

Spoiler Alert:

Although I've not completed it, I believe the answer to this one awaits in the Abyss of Mordath raid.

Whelp, guess I just totally missed that somehow. At least I know now, thanks.

[JFDCamara]

I'm curious about the cataclysmic event that seems to be happening in the East.
Everyone has been very cryptic about it but for everyone to be migrating west it should be really big.


I also wonder for the remaining prophecies, especially minstrel as it's my main class.
I initially thought it would be Minas Morgul but it doesn't fit.
I know think it might be related to Gundabad and Sundergrot.

Stairs climbing? Yes in both cases, but makes more sense for Sundergrot.
City sleeps, no inhabitants. Yes, for both, no dwarves there atm.
Some remain. Yes, dwarves still around, especially in Gundabad there are living ones that were there.
They dream of a restless dream. Well, dwarves dream of retaking Gundabad and won't rest until they retake it.
Will we wake them up? Maybe wake up here means we will end the dream by making it reality, the conquest of Gundabad?


On the Mordor "bosses" still around (Urudani, Borangos, Lhaereth) I'm pretty sure their stories will continue when the explore more of Mordor and/or the East.

[Snowlock]

I don't agree that it's 'near worthless' from a story perspective - the expedition still happened, and the hardships of the Iron Garrison were real; it's just that, like Balin before them, they were doomed to fail from the outset. Not everything is a victory. I've always liked the Moria expansion because of the sensation of impending doom it has for book-readers, despite all of their seeming successes.

I remember Berephon saying way back that the Iron Garrison was doomed to fail and it was always in the plans to make it so.

[TesalionLortus]

I updated with Gundabad, although some things may yet come with upcoming content/instances. I also noticed the unused giants location in Car Bronach and a giant NPC by a pound which I found strange... or am I missing a quest here?

Overall, Gundabad was a great expansion, perhaps not as intense and mystery-invoking as Minas Morgul and the Black Book, but still pretty solid and OUTSTANDING thanks to the *thing* behind the Trials of the Dwarves and epic unexpected glimpses of the past we saw. That was something incredible! And all things dwarven of course... the incredible attention to detail, as usual, and the space felt larger and mightier than Moria actually even though more ruined and by the end of it I felt like it was much smaller than Moria (in terms of content)... but then again, that has also something to do with the fact Moria is actually more claustrophobic *most of the time* whereas Gundabad is mainly large open caves + areas outside, with smaller corridors and very claustrophobic stuff left untraversable (and reasonably so, the feeling of grande and civilization in Gundabad is much stronger than in Moria, while Moria really lives up to its namesake as "the Mine" and Crafting Area but has fewer less grand hubs/housing halls in-between). Also, it differs in story content. Moria is this mysterious, slow exploration of long forgotten dark spaces and our investigation into the fellowship, meanwhile the Iron Garrison is making slow advances but still destined to fail eventually... Gundabad is a rapid war-effort advance though its large halls and all-out-war between many factions with Durin as the main mythology figure behind the content. The two are very different worlds... very hard to compare... and that's what I love about it!

[gripply]

One thing that always seemed strange to me, but I thought it was a mistake... why did the Green Lady say that Sauron may yet be defeated? I mean, he already was, wasn't he? During the Lay of Rust and Rime.

[wrath247]

MoL I couldn't possibly agree more. Not every battle or war ends with a win and the game is far more interesting when one doesn't know until the end which it will be. Obviously anyone familiar with the storyline knew how Moria would end up but a lot of players aren't that familiar with all the minutae in the books - and in other areas you go beyond the books and have almost complete artistic liberty. Which should include the "good guys" sometimes losing.

Also our characters shouldn't be Godlings able to defeat any enemy. Even the Nine with support from the Valar couldn't - or at least didn't - win any confrontations directly with Sauron - they defeated him with indirection and trickery. The Free Peoples at the end of the Third Age simply aren't what they were at the end of the Second Age when they could and did successfully take him on directly.

This.

The Legacy of Durin, and in general any of the stories they get to tell that isn't the movies or books, lets them tackle different aspects of the world and its people from a realistic and relatable manner.

To be blunt, the Dwarves being antagonistic and outright distrustful of each other makes so much sense. Considering that every race among the freepeoples, minus halflings, have at least some reason to hate one another and with the main threat of the world having fallen, it makes sense for those rivalries and issues to simmer again.

Sometimes winning, means dealing with the consequences that follow after it. The dwarf clans have many reasons to hate one another, the Elves moreso to the other races, and men have on more than 1 occassion shown their ability to screw everyone to the wind.

I hope we get to see more of the "aftermath" stories and relieving the moments in Tales of Yore that defined the peoples of Middle-earth.

Also since none of this is cannon anyway, our ability to fight whatever is basically broken power lvls of wth is this even possible? But anything from the FA probably takes the kicker of we should absolutely die if we fight it 1 one 1 in its prime or full strength. Even Thauluch was super nerfed by the time we get to him.

[TesalionLortus]

One thing that always seemed strange to me, but I thought it was a mistake... why did the Green Lady say that Sauron may yet be defeated? I mean, he already was, wasn't he? During the Lay of Rust and Rime.

"for these servants of Morgoth and Sauron may yet be defeated." Not Sauron

More interesting is the mention of Frozen wastes of Morgoth that are beyond her sight, and warning to remain vigilant. Would be cool if we got to explore a part of Forodwaith someday and some other unknown foe forgotten bye the passage of time

[Harvain]

"for these servants of Morgoth and Sauron may yet be defeated." Not Sauron

More interesting is the mention of Frozen wastes of Morgoth that are beyond her sight, and warning to remain vigilant. Would be cool if we got to explore a part of Forodwaith someday and some other unknown foe forgotten bye the passage of time

We'll have to wait and see but likely this is now to be referencing what has occurred with the Fate of Gundabad Expansion and will occur with it's Content Cycle as the 2 Servants mentioned have both been greatly weakened at the latest Content point of LOTRO ahead of Update 31.1 here in December.

For the Servants of Morgoth and Sauron referenced are: The Herald of Winter, Hrímil Frost-heart, last remnant of the Great Enemy Morgoth and the Weeping Warrior, Karazgar, disciple of Sauron, tamer of Dragons and who with Sauron's help originally imprisoned Hrimil.

So while it might not be the true destination both of these Servants of the Enemy were originally intended for, if there was anything beyond a fluid plan, we seem to have reached either Victory or at best a Stalemate with Karazgar and Hrimil's Fate will likely be decided here in January 2022.



Then while other threats do remain in the overall main Continent of Middle-Earth in both the Lands we've been and Lands yet traveled, the overall largest and most immediate threats for now seem to either have been dealt with enough to ensure they aren't going to be a threat for in-game years to come or will be dealt with soon while the Third Age still lasts and Third Age 3019 in particular is still slowly but surely rolling along.

We're overall on the other side of the mountain of threats with Sauron and the One Ring being the peak of said Mountain, certain moments having great implications but not reaching the summit and slowly but surely the mountain side is slopping down to smaller threats and eventually hills and finally the foot of the mountain for a time so new threats can be built up.



SSG cannot forever put off certain known events that will herald the end of Third Age 3019 and put us closer to the end of the Third Age and the start of the Fourth Age.

"When the days of rejoicing were over at last, the Companions thought of returning to their own homes and Frodo went to the King..." *small skip of dialogue* "...In 7 days we will go, for we shall ride with you far on the road even as far as the Country of Rohan. In 3 days now Eomer will return hither to bear Theoden back to rest in the Mark and we shall ride with them to honor the fallen..."

The overall group leaving Minas Tirith to return to their various homes while first honoring and escorting Theoden King for never had any King of the Mark such Company on the road back to his home, King Elessar giving the Forests of Drúadan to the Druedain, the Burial of Theoden and Feast at Edoras to honor all those of the Rohirrim who fought and died during the War of the Ring, heading to Isengard and meeting Treebeard, departing of several of the Fellowship, the parting of the 4 Hobbits and the King of the West, meeting Saruman on the road, departure of the Elves of Lothlorien to their home, return to Rivendell and the 4 Hobbits seeing Bilbo again, the journey home and staying at Bree while giving and learning of much news, the parting of the 4 Hobbits and Gandalf before the borders of the Shire, the final events of the Scouring of the Shire, the Battle of Bywater and the Death of Saruman, the Utter-Most West's Denial of Saruman and the start to the rebuilding of the lands of the Shire, Buckland and the South Farthing which would extend into Third Age 3020.

Just to name the main key things that will still happen in Third Age 3019 and what will have to be presented.

[TesalionLortus]

SSG cannot forever put off certain known events that will herald the end of Third Age 3019 and put us closer to the end of the Third Age and the start of the Fourth Age.

"When the days of rejoicing were over at last, the Companions thought of returning to their own homes and Frodo went to the King..." *small skip of dialogue* "...In 7 days we will go, for we shall ride with you far on the road even as far as the Country of Rohan. In 3 days now Eomer will return hither to bear Theoden back to rest in the Mark and we shall ride with them to honor the fallen..."

Yeah, this is something I really hope will happen BEFORE we venture into Rhun to meet Karazgar again and possibly the *other* dragon (though I guess not as old as Hrimil?) and deal with whatever other threats appeared there during the cataclysmic event.

Ideally, it will happen before we return to Mordor-Nurn... since the complete reclamation of Mordor and liberation of its populace seems like an important strategic milestone for Gondor and doors open to Future Wars with Umbar and Harad and Rhun... which I guess might directly tie into the purpose of our visit in Rhun and Harad. Maybe.

The War of the Three Peaks was already such a big military event (at least for dwarves) that it sounds almost laughable when you imagine Gimli remains completely oblivious in Aragorn's halls hanging out with Legolas probably while Gloin... risks his life facing the god damn dragon and her forces : D I guess he forgot to inform his son about the reclamation of their ancestral home...

[Hydranova]

Note: While I've read quest transcripts/watched videos of some later stuff, I've only recently gotten back into the game and am at chapter 3 of BBoM (WHY IS THERE SO MUCH STUFF IN GORGOROTH ARGHGH)

I like it when a game's narrative doesn't consider its quest events as non-events (Okay sure you defeated this space lord, now kill ten rats), but actually starts to really consider all the achievements of the storyline and their implications. One of my favorite lines so far was that of BBoM 2.3, when the game more or less goes "Yeah, this place is heavily guarded. JUST LIKE THE OTHERS, AMIRITE?", acknowledging that your character has a history of more or less being able to just slip into any highly-secured fortress (I wonder if we'll get an explanation for this). That said, I have the following thoughts:

- I hope we run into Karazgar in multiple arcs, rather than just dealing with him in BBoM and finishing him off for good at his next appearance. I mean, if I understand correctly unlike the other Gurzyul he didn't really have holdings or followers- he was just really good at being Sauron's errand-boy, albeit specifically when it came to dragons. Hang on a minute, a guy who runs around doing odd jobs for a Maiar? That awfully sounds like....

- The player character, whom I still ascribe to the theory that he's basically Gandalf's intern at this point. Number one, our skillset greatly aligns with the type of work Gandalf does- roaming Middle-Earth and stopping the forces of evil. I mean, is there any type of bad guy on Middle-Earth we haven't beat up yet? And that's not even getting into Raids, or whether the player character canonically has Kindred with all those reputation factions- and even if not, we still have major variety in soft skills from Epic experience. Gandalf even entrusts us to deal with the Book as we see fit. And, no matter our character's motivations we're still Heroic- there's no opportunity to betray Gandalf, either prior to giving Karazgar the book or telling him its gimmick.

I theorize that eventually all the shenanigans going on will see us teaming along with Gandalf every other arc or two as something Spooky pops up that he can't quite fully entrust to the inhabitants of Middle-Earth yet, however he'll gradually delegate more and more initiative/responsibility to us until all the background stuff erupts, at which point Gandalf will either be too busy playing defense to deal with it himself and/or trust us enough to fully deal with the larger arc problem without really needing oversight.

Bonus: I really hope if the player is involved in the Scouring of the Shire as opposed to just a session play, the bandits are still level ~10 just like in the book.

Long Shot Theory: For bonus points, the final epic quest reward Gandalf gives us will be one of the most iconic items in all of Middle-Earth; his wide-brimmed hat.

- Side note: I wonder if Narchraw is a werewolf, a la Carcharoth?