Way faster than my experience. But then our adventures were all on the elf road and just starting South from Beorn’s to the hill country…so never got into the blight.

But that scene from the Hobbit movie where Gandalf et al visit The Place and confront The Thing made it pretty clear that such places are rough, even for the wise…so for a new party of would be heroes…seems legit.

After all, if there are places in Mirkwood so bad the elves fled them and refuse to even go there any more…

But that does leave you in an interesting Role Play situation.

I’d be tempted to encourage some characters be retired, at least temporarily, while a new younger character picks up the burden. Has a very Polaris feel.