Gandalf and Théoden and Aragorn and Company arrive at the ruined Isengard and marvel at the destruction there. The company delights at the reunion with Merry and Pippin as well as the meeting with Treebeard who is particularly glad to see Gandalf for... "Wood and water, stock and stone, I can master; but there is a Wizard to manage here."

Indeed, a fearful and whining Wormtongue leads them to Saruman who remains defiant even in defeat. At first Saruman's voice and words are pleasant to the ear, but all too quickly his mocking and menacing tone returns. But Saruman's staff is broken and apparently he is unaware that his precious palantir is also lost to him and picked by Pippin and given to Gandalf as the Company leaves Saruman and Isengard behind to travel south to Edoras.

A remarkable night ensues as the Company camps at Dol Baran. Pippin succumbs to the power of the palantir. He is rescued from it's grip before he can reveal anything to the Enemy about the nature of the Quest. In fact the incident proved to give the Company the advantage in that Sauron, who still believes that the palantir is in Saruman's possession at Orthanc, now believes the Ring could very well be there as well. A well timed diversion. To everyone's astonishment Gandalf presents the palantir to it's rightful owner, Aragorn... "Receive it Lord, in earnest of other things that shall be given back."

The words are no sooner spoken than danger comes swiftly in the form of a dark shadow across the moon. Winged Nazgûl flying north. Gandalf seizes a still dazed Pippin and flies swiftly to the south, carried by Shadowfax, and leaving the rest of the Company to deeds of there own. From this one precipitous night springs forth the separate stories the will lead Tolkien to the climax of his tale, for also on this night, far to the East, Frodo and Sam and Gollum are gripped by fear from above.

How did Tolkien keep all of this straight?