I'm trying this quest for the first time and I'm a bit confused. Rules talk about captured characters losing their type, etc. But right away during setup, I have 2 allies taken prisoner with "enters play" effects (Westfold Horse-breeder and Galadhrim Minstrel). My question is, do their abilities trigger right away (probably not) or when they are freed (maybe?) or for some odd reason, never?

It's odd because they are entering play... yet after they're attached, they're considered objectives. Were they considered allies just before? Or is it only when they are freed and that they become allies, and are considered to "enter play" at that time and I gain their benefit? Though if that's true, does that mean if they are later captured and again freed, their ability again triggers?

In my game, I treated them as entering play once they were rescued. But, I had the same question as you, and just had to make a call at the time.

I suppose when they are rescued, they are not actually entering play at that time. The card is shifting state, but it was already in play.

The card would enter play at the moment it is captured. However, at that time, you don't have control over it, and can't trigger and 'when enters play' Responses.

We played it that they never got to trigger their "enters play" ability, since the quest forbids it when they actually enter play, but they're already in play when you rescue them.

Yeah, it'd be weird if a horse-breeder dug a horse out of a sack while being captured by orcs.

Good thoughts, everyone. Seems to me the first time a captured ally, who was never "in play", would trigger their "enter play" effect the first time they are liberated, as they are now "entering play" as an ally and player card for the first time. But any captured allies, who were already in play, would not. Unfortunately, that means tracking a state of some cards, which I don't care for, but it's not major -- can just put a resource token on those.

I think I went with no 'enters play' effects for any captives in my game, which was especially hard because Gandalf was one of the captives. Maybe that's wrong, but it seemed to me that they are already in play when they are rescued.

I'm pretty sure the Orcs would lock up Westfold Horse-breeder with a horse in her cell to keep her company -- it's just common courtesy.

I suppose this ultimately falls under the "Whatever makes the game harder..." policy. Ugh.

What ever makes the game harder, and victory sweeter!