The White Council

[Lostgaeriel]

I've also been looking for the location of the White Council meetings.

From Unfinished Tales - The Hunt for the Ring, (ii) Other Versions of the Story:

Now because of his dislike and fear, in the later days Saruman avoided Gandalf, and they seldom met, except at the assemblies of the White Council. It was at the great Council held in 2851 that the 'Halflings' leaf' was first spoken of, and the matter was noted with amusement at the time, though it was afterwards remembered in a different light. The Council met in Rivendell, and Gandalf sat apart, silent, but smoking prodigiously (a thing he had never done before on such an occasion), while Saruman spoke against him, and urged that contrary to Gandalf's advice Dol Guldur should not yet be molested. ...

I think we can safely assume that the White Council met in Rivendell in 2941 & 2953 as well.

Recall also that Gandalf leaves Bilbo, Thorin & Co. at the edge of Mirkwood so he can get to the 2941 Council meeting in time. See the end of The Hobbit, Queer Lodgings just after they leave Beorn.

Earlier in the same chapter:

'I always meant to see you all safe (if possible) over the mountains, said the wizard, 'and now by good management and good luck I have done it. Indeed we are now a good deal further east than I ever meant to come with you, for after all this is not my adventure. I may look in on it again before it is all over, but in the meanwhile I havesome other pressing business to attend to.'

So either he was going to double back to Rivendell or go on to Lothlórien for the meeting. I vote for Rivendell; I doubt Saruman would ever agree to meet in Lothlórien. (I doubt too that Galadriel would let him in!)

[ March 18, 2003: Message edited by: Lostgaeriel ]