Mouth of Sauron at Erebor ?

[Boromir88]

If Sauron took the decision to send forth the Nazgul in late June, how could it be possible that one of them had visited the Dwarves in Erebor some months before?~TM

I think Legate made a good explanation at that possibility...now that's only a theory, but at least we know it's possible.

At the time, as we are told in the UT, Khamul was in charge of finding out information about the whereabouts of Gollum.

I'll take a look back into the UT to see exactly when we are talking about here and the situation. But, I've always had the feeling that Sauron didn't want to recapture Gollum. He had found out as much information from Gollum as he could get, and then simply let Gollum go to see if Gollum would lead him to the Ring. So, he wanted to find Gollum's whereabouts to track him and see if Gollum would lead them to the Ring.

I think since we aren't told exactly who the messenger is, of course nobody here can say definitively. I was told a while ago that:
'If it look like a Nazgul,
sounds like a Nazgul,
acts like a Nazgul,
chances are it's a Nazgul'
So, that's kind of been my thinking. However, I admit it's kind of like the race of Gothmog...we aren't told for sure, so we don't know. We can make some educated answers, but can never really be certain. Don't you just love how it's like that; there will never be a time when we can find 'all the answers.'

[The Mouth of Sauron]

I wasn't there .

[The Might]

you are indeed right there: Sauron let Gollum go hoping that he will be able to follow him and found out where this "Shire" was...but Gollum fooled him

and here follow a few quotes all from the UT to clear up the situation:

[After his release from Mordor] Gollum soon disappeared into the Dead Marshes, where Sauron's emissaries could not or would not follow him. No other spies of Sauron could bring him any news.

According to Aragorn Gollum was taken at nightfall on February 1st. Hoping to escape detection by any of Sauron’s spies he drove Gollum through the north end of the Emyn Muil, and crossed Anduin just above SarnGebir. Driftwood was often cast up there on the shoals by the east shore, and binding Gollum to a log he swam across with him, and continued his journey north by tracks as westerly as he could find, through the skirts of Fangorn, and so over Limlight, then over Nimrodel and Silverlode through the eaves of Lórien, and then on, avoiding Moria and Dimrill Dale, over Gladden until he came near the Carrock. There he crossed Anduin again, with the help of the Beornings, and passed into the Forest. The whole journey, on foot, was not much short of nine hundred miles, and this Aragorn accomplished with weariness in fifty days, reaching Thranduil on the twenty-first of March." [Unfinished Tales: The Hunt for the Ring]

And here is what happens:

But when Sauron learned[size=-1] of Gollum's capture by his enemies the situation was drastically changed. When and how this happened cannot of course be known for certain.[/size]

But evidently later (since the lands of Thranduil would now be closely watched), possibly a month later, Sauron heard the
disquieting news that the Wise were aware of Gollum, and that Gandalf had
passed into Thranduil's realm.
Sauron must then have been filled with anger and alarm. He resolved
to use the Ringwraiths as soon as he could, for speed rather than secrecy
was now important. Hoping to alarm his enemies and disturb their counsels
with the fear of war (which he did not intend to make for some time), he
attacked Thranduil and Gondor at about the same time. He had these two additional objects: to capture or kill Gollum, or at least to deprive his
enemies of him;

So clearly, the order was to capture or kill Gollum. Only then, when need was at its greatest did Sauron eventually decide to send the Nazgul after Gollum - when all else failed. That is why I doubt he would have used any of them as messengers at Erebor.

In conclusion, I agree, we can only make attempts to find the right answer.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Originally Posted by Boromir

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?

This could never be more than an indication that it might be a Nazgul!

It is very basic. . . women have ears, Aragorn have ears. . .Aragorn is a woman?

I know this is an extreme example, but basicaly it is the same. You cannot tell if it is an Nazgul unless hissing like a snake is a thing only a Nazgul can do.

I know you know this, but you asked and so I have to answer.

[The Might]

I have not addressed this matter in my previous post, I got caught up with the UT quotes so I will do it now.
I agree with your:

'If it look like a Nazgul,
sounds like a Nazgul,
acts like a Nazgul,
chances are it's a Nazgul'

philosophy, but as Rune well points out, it is not a single case.
However, as you already said, just like the race of Gothmog, there is no way to clearly tell.
As Legate showed, if Sauron wished to send one of the Nazgul as a messenger to Dol Guldur he could have.
But he didn't. Not at that time.
He sent messengers, emissaries and spies, that weren't able to bring him any tidings.
So only in late June 3018 did he eventually decide to use his best servants - the Ringwraiths which had until that point remained hidden.
The WK attacked Osgiliath, Khamul started to look for Gollum, and the story is well known from this point.

[ninja91]

I do not believe that it was the Mouth, although there is evidence to support his being there. I think that his place was in Mordor. He was the lieutenent of Barad Dur, and an ambassador. I dont think he was exactly a messenger.