How was Lord Foul winning?

[Horrim Carabal]

This came up on the Reddit forum.

Everyone knows that Kevin enacted the ROD with Foul because he was mired in despair because LF "had the feller fist" and was winning the war. Kevin was desperate and latched onto the idea that the Ritual of Desecration might destroy Foul.

...but HOW was Foul winning? I know he had a huge host of beasts like kresh, ur-Viles, griffins, cavewights, etc.

BUT

-Foul had no Bane like the Illearth Stone at this time.
-The Ravers, while potent lackeys, could not possess Giants at this time.
-The Old Lords had mastery of all seven Wards.
-Kevin had the Staff of Law.

so...

How exactly did LF have the advantage? Sheer numbers made up for all the above points? I mean, surely Foul didn't ride into battle himself at the head of his forces as a-Jeroth the Black Knight??

[bikebryan]

Kevin seemed to know, intuitively, that his sheer might could NOT defeat the Despiser. The RoD was his last resort.

[Cord Hurn]

The RoD was his last resort.

I want to believe that Kevin had exhausted all other courses of action before trying the Ritual. I think that's just what he did.

[wayfriend]

Well, here are some things we actually know.

First, Foul served on the Council of Lords incognito for a long time. So (a) he knew their plans, (b) he knew their weaknesses, and (c) he may have subtly sabotaged many things.

Second, Kevin's "truest friends and strongest allies" in the Council were slaughtered by Foul in Treacher's Gorge just before he revealed himself and began his war.

Certainly when this happened, the Old Lords who remained were not only shocked by the loss, and reeling from the betrayal, but they were also stunned by the realization that Foul was among them for a long time, sharing their works and knowing their hearts.

It was in this spirit that the Old Lord's went to war.

"That long conflict went on battle after death littered battle without hope. High Lord Kevin fought bravely. But he had sent his friends into ambush. Soon he began his midnight meetings with despair - and there was no hope."

On top of it all, Kevin was nagged with doubt and remorse. He was played. He was responsible for all those Lords' deaths.

One can see that Foul's time in the Council led him to know Kevin well.

So: Foul not only had his armies. He had cunning and treachery. And he had his trademark ability to manipulate people into grief and despair, which is no small tool.

[High Lord Tolkien]

Well, here are some things we actually know.

First, Foul served on the Council of Lords incognito for a long time. So (a) he knew their plans, (b) he knew their weaknesses, and (c) he may have subtly sabotaged many things.

Second, Kevin's "truest friends and strongest allies" in the Council were slaughtered by Foul in Treacher's Gorge just before he revealed himself and began his war.

Certainly when this happened, the Old Lords who remained were not only shocked by the loss, and reeling from the betrayal, but they were also stunned by the realization that Foul was among them for a long time, sharing their works and knowing their hearts.

It was in this spirit that the Old Lord's went to war.

"That long conflict went on battle after death littered battle without hope. High Lord Kevin fought bravely. But he had sent his friends into ambush. Soon he began his midnight meetings with despair - and there was no hope."

On top of it all, Kevin was nagged with doubt and remorse. He was played. He was responsible for all those Lords' deaths.

One can see that Foul's time in the Council led him to know Kevin well.

So: Foul not only had his armies. He had cunning and treachery. And he had his trademark ability to manipulate people into grief and despair, which is no small tool.

Excellent summation Wayfriend!
All that made Kevin's later conversation with Loric so much more emotional to me.