Warg Riders

[Legolas]

No need to apologize. Also, forum members should leave the moderating to the moderators.

There were indeed Warg riders in Tolkien's work. About Wargs, in The Hobbit:

But even the wild Wargs (for so the evil wolves over the Edge of the Wild were named)

The next paragraph notes the existence of Warg riders:

I will tell you what Gandalf heard, though Bilbo did not understand it. The Wargs and the goblins often helped one another in wicked deeds. Goblins do not usually venture very far from their mountains, unless they are driven out and are looking for new homes, or are marching to war (which I am glad to say has not happened for a long while). But in those days they sometimes used to go on raids, especially to get food or slaves to work for them. Then they often got the Wargs to help and shared the plunder with them. Sometimes they rode on wolves like men do on horses.

'The Clouds Burst':

The Goblins are upon you! Bolg of the North is coming. O Dain! whose father you slew in Moria. Behold! the bats are above his army like a sea of locusts. They ride upon wolves and Wargs are in their train!

They are never specifically called "Warg riders" but that's obviously what they are. There's a good chance that we wouldn't hear the term even if it was used regularly because of the point of view the stories are written in. We never see anything behind the scenes with the wargs/orcs.

[edit] we couldn't expect Saruman to say "Send out your orcs that are riding on the backs of Wargs." Just doesn't flow.

Overlooked quote below.

[ October 11, 2003: Message edited by: Legolas ]