Meriadoc Brandybuck (See "The Lord of the Rings", Appendix C.) Merry later married Estella (Bolger) Brandybuck (T.A. 2985–?), the younger sister of Fredegar Bolger, who helped Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin on the first leg of their quest journey. Meriadoc and Estella had at least one son. The Council of Elrond convened on 25 October, T.A. 3018 in Rivendell. In "The Lord of the Rings", Merry is often considered, and was described by Tolkien as, the most perceptive and intelligent of the hobbits. Even before Bilbo Baggins left the Shire, Merry knew of the One Ring and its power of invisibility. He
Minor places in Middle-earth Muil as far north as the Argonath. In "The Two Towers", Frodo and Sam struggled through the eastern Emyn Muil en route to the Black Gate of Mordor. Tolkien writes that he padded Frodo and Sam's difficult crossing with enough days to synchronize their movements with those of Aragorn and Gandalf. Frodo and Sam eventually escaped using a rope to descend a cliff to the Dead Marshes. In the meantime the Uruk-hai, carrying Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took as captives, traversed the western Emyn Muil. They were pursued by the Three Hunters: Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. The Emyn Uial (S.