[Amaroth]

Hi, there! I hope this is the right place to ask this. I've been lurking on the forums for awhile, and NancyBrooke's plot bunny about Bilbo and Aragorn has grabbed me and won't let go, so that's my next project.

According to Appendix B, Gandalf, Bilbo and the Dwarves visited Rivendell in 2941 when Aragorn would have been 10 years old. Unless Elrond kept Aragorn locked in a room all the time they were there, logically, (at least to me) the visitors would have encountered him a number of times. This is where I'd like to start the story.

My problem is Gandalf. Although Elrond hid Aragorn's heritage from most people, I think Gandalf would have known exactly who he was and would have kept track of his growth and development. However, according to the timeline, Gandalf doesn't meet Aragorn until 2956. I want to stick as close to the timeline, but I'll have to go against that if I want to have Gandalf at Rivendell with the others.

If I change the timeline, should I make the story AU?

Sorry for the long winded post...

[miriel361]

Actually we tend to overlook things that don't fit into our stories. And unless you tell us we won't know when Gandalf first met Aragprn.

Besides Tolkien did make mistakes and contradict himself. Maybe the first meeting between G and A was recorded in a different lost book? This is fan fiction, if you write it well and entertaining enough, we will forgive the small inaccuracies.

Welcome and lurk no more, for now you too are included amongst our number.

[sindohte]

That is an interesting question. I would not consider your story AU, if you did some tinkering with the timeline and had Gandalf first meet Aragorn when he was a child. As long as the events of the books eventually unfold in the same sequence in your story, then you are not substantially altering the rules of the LOTR universe.

[NancyBrooke]

I am so pleased you are taking this up! Good luck with it and, if you need a beta, please let me know - I will be happy to see wherever you go with this.

Whenever writers diverge from canon, I think it just makes things easier if they include a note to that effect, especially if it is on what is essentially a relatively minor point in the grand scheme of things (though pivotal for your story). That way you also avoid the criticisim of those who might dis your story for being AU or ignorantly against Canon.

In this case, I think you can kind of split the difference - It seems likely that Gandalf knew of Aragorn's presence, and perhaps encountered him during that Hobbit visit. Perhaps Gandalf is not really involved in Aragorn's early childhood, though aware of his heritage and existence. Perhaps Aragorn as a kid is even annoying to Gandalf, perhaps Gandalf can't wait until he grows up and stops pestering him.

I also love the idea that Bilbo might first encounter The Dunadan as a small boy and see his growing. I never thought of that.

Good Luck!

Can't wait to read the result.

N

[Amaroth]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. NancyBrooke, you're hired! I'm going to work on it this weekend.

[NancyBrooke]