The Barrow Cache, with speculation on the Reason for the WK sending

[Juicy-Sweet]

Originally Posted by Alfirin

The previous thread (on the wights) has led me to think

I wonder if beyond the reasons mentioned there might have been another reason why the WK sent the wights to occupy the barrows. As we find out later, the barrow blades given how they were made and forged are uniquely powerful against the hosts of Mordor unlike most weapons Barrow blades can hurt the WK, a trait that given his boast of being unhinderable (which I interpet as meant not just unkillable, but also unwoundable). Given that fact that the WK had fought the Cardolan is is possible he knew just how effective thier weaponry was against him and his wraith Bretheren. I wonder if beyond their obvios function of blocking the way and increasing the general amount of terror in the area, the wights had another function namely to guard the barrows and make sure that no one did what Tom eventually in his own way, did, exume the weapons and pass them to people in a postion to use them. We know how effective the knives of the barrow are, we can only imagine what other anti-Nazgul tech lay down there (this specualtion may not be as idle as it first sounds, since I have always belived that, if Tolkien HAD written the LOTR sequel, the question of the barrow weapons might have been of supreme importance, since in the absence of the eleven rings and the Wise who wielded them, weponry like the Barrow Blades might have represented the strongest anti Mordor stuff there was .

I like this idea.

In Unfinished Tales, the WK makes a detour around the barrows "stirring" the wights or something.

I sorta wondered why he botheres with that - in the middle of the ring chase but it makes sense now, seing the witches are guarding the some of best anti-nazgul weaponry. He wen to check if all was well with the wights and to raise their morale. Pat them on the back saying "You know, it's an awfully important job you've done in this barrow for the last couple of thousand years, I really dont know how we would have done it without you. Keep up the good work, and see you in 1000 years."

I think the WK - or anyone - was not be SURE as to what kind of stuff was really in the barrows. Theres a lot of them, and it would take forever to search the all. And theres no inventories.

It makes sense to me he was thinking originally "well ... there MIGHT be some anti-nazgul weapons in the barrows, and there might not. I dont really think so - so I'm not going to bother clearing them all out. But just to make sure, I'll send the wights that I dont have much other use for and guard them. They are the only ones up for the job as well, seing that a) they dont die, so I can stick a wight in each barrow and it will be safe forever, whereas orcs might die from a plague or whatever 1000 years come b) they are pretty much the only servants that can be trusted with guarding gold and such without superveilance. One day when the territory is under my control again - and it has to be - I'll come and clear them all." But he never controlled the territory.

The good side on its side would be thinking (I'm guessing that only the high-power people, Gandalf, Elrond etc would be able to clear out a wight, and that it was pretty difficult even for them. Tom Bombadil is in a league of his own, so his performance doesnt count.) - "Well, there MIGHT be a barrow blade or two in there - we don't know. But it would be awfully taxing to clear all the 393 barrows and fight a wight 393 times - and then probably just end up with golden brooches and useless stuff. It's not worth the bother. And hey, I'm a grand hero. It's just not fitting for me to camp in the barrows for years doing the tedious and repetitive task of clearing our barrow after barrow after barrow..."

I dont think Elrond or Gandalf likes doing the exact same thing 393 times in a row.