From: Morgoth's Curse References: <1104846765.385733.222560@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com> <1104864487.245474.217230@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com> <047ot096511j0t8bv1pblqp7jj1fv8pfn3@4ax.com> <41ded1c0.18610350@news.compuserve.com> <41e55256.11978373@news.compuserve.com> <1105617408.390891.175210@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com> X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 2.0/32.646 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 93 NNTP-Posting-Host: 4.158.219.107 X-Complaints-To: abuse@prodigy.net X-Trace: newssvr19.news.prodigy.com 1112605006 ST000 4.158.219.107 (Mon, 04 Apr 2005 04:56:46 EDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 04 Apr 2005 04:56:46 EDT Organization: SBC http://yahoo.sbc.com X-UserInfo1: FKPO@SRD[ZTMBR@[TROFO_@@USXB@DTMNHWB_EYLJZ]BGIELCNSKQFCY@TXDX_WHSVB]ZEJLSNY\^J[CUVSA_QLFC^RQHUPH[P[NRWCCMLSNPOD_ESALHUK@TDFUZHBLJ\XGKL^NXA\EVHSP[D_C^B_^JCX^W]CHBAX]POG@SSAZQ\LE[DCNMUPG_VSC@VJM Date: Mon, 04 Apr 2005 08:56:46 GMT Path: nightfall.franklin.ch!news1.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!switch.ch!news.imp.ch!news.imp.ch!newsfeed.vmunix.org!newsfeed.cwix.com!newscon02.news.prodigy.com!prodigy.net!newsmst01a.news.prodigy.com!prodigy.com!postmaster.news.prodigy.com!newssvr19.news.prodigy.com.POSTED!d7ceaebf!not-for-mail Xref: nightfall.franklin.ch rec.arts.books.tolkien:171128 On 13 Jan 2005 03:56:48 -0800, north5@gmail.com wrote: >> I'm not sure how to square that with the >> location: the slopes of Orodruin, rather than the vicinity of >> Barad-dur where the siege takes place(?), nor with the decades-long >> duration of the campaign... > >A few possibilities spring to mind. Myself, I envisage the Alliance >pitching a command camp on the lower slopes of Orodruin - it has >excellent tactical advantages and a good view, right to the Black >Tower. Then Sauron, in a last-ditch attempt to break the siege, sets >out with his most feared servants along the road[1]. Sauron smashes >through the first ring of defences - E&G have enough time to organise >the troops at their command, and seeing the enemy heading straight for >them keep the advantage of higher ground and stay put. > >When Sauron arrives, most will flee before him, while his guard tackle >the outnumbering Alliance forces, leaving just the two commanders able >to face him. Sauron is defeated, and Barad-dur, now empty, is taken. > >This seems plausible to me - but of course, it's little better than >fanfic. ;-) As much as I hate to ruin a good fantasy, there is a simpler explanation: Orodruin was Sauron's actual destination. Imagine Sauron standing upon the battlements of the Barad-dur gazing down at his enemies. The military situation is hopeless - unless Sauron takes drastic action. His armies have been destroyed or scattered; even his mightiest servants--the Nazgul--are powerless when confronted with such mighty Elves as Gil-galad, Elrond and Cirdan*; and it is only a matter of time, perhaps even a matter of hours, before his enemies penetrate the last defenses of the Dark Tower. As Sauron lifts his gaze, he sees the solution in the distance: Mt. Doom. A massive eruption could destroy his enemies or at least create enough confusion that Sauron could escape from the confines of Mordor and retreat to the East. There is just one catch, however. Sauron cannot control Orodruin from the Barad-dur. (Or possibly his enemies are able to block his power to do so. I can imagine Galadriel, the student of Melian, possessing enough power and knowledge to thwart that purpose even without the use of a Ring of Power.) If Sauron can reach the Sammath Naur, the heart of the realm of Mordor and the place where he is most powerful, however, none of his enemies can prevent him from using the power of that dreadful weapon. Sauron gathers his remaining forces and issues from the Barad-dur in one final desperate sortie. The sudden assault combined with the terror of Sauron's presence allows him to break through the encirclement and flee towards Orodruin. Gil-galad and Elendil immediately pursue, however and succeed in overtaking Sauron just before he can reach the door of Sammath Naur. There on the slopes of Mt. Doom, his bodyguard slain and his last hope of escape gone, the last mortal combat of Sauron takes place. I think this scenario explains the mystery of the demise of Gil-galad & Elendil. They were originally mounted when they pursued Sauron, but had to leave their horses at the foot of the mountain. Sauron's bodyguard has been also posted upon the lower slopes of Orodruin, but Gil-galad & Elendil either evade it entirely or, more likely scatter it during their pursuit. (None could withstand the spear of Gil-galad or the sword of Elendil in any case.) Both leaders understand what Sauron is attempting and are desperate to prevent it. Elrond, Cirdan & Isildur follow, but are forced to slay the remainder of the bodyguard before they can come to their leaders aid. They are thus close enough to witness the last combat, but not close enough to affect the outcome. Gil-galad & Elendil grapple with Sauron in an attempt to prevent him from reaching Sammath Naur--spears and swords are rather difficult to use on slopes especially when your enemy has the higher ground--and are both slain. Sauron, suffering from numerous wounds, is unable to move when Isildur is the first to reach his father. The Ring is glowing like fire and is easily visible upon Sauron's black hand and Isildur recognizes it and its' significance immediately. He seizes the hilt of his father's broken sword and uses it to slice Sauron's finger from his hand and claim the Ring as his own. Sauron is vanquished and forsakes the body which he had spent so much time and power to fashion after the downfall of Numenor. (* As an interesting sidebar, I have always wondered just how effective Cirdan was as a warrior. He alone remained of the great leaders of the First Age, but that was due as much to the fact that he was able to retreat where Morgoth could not attack him as it was to any particular skill with weapons. He was defeated in the First Battle of the Beleriand, but that may have been due more to the fact that he was outnumbered than outmatched. He must have had some prowess with weapons or he would not have been chosen as one of the field commanders of the Last Alliance. It's also noteworthy that it was Cirdan who was in overall command of the armies that destroyed Angmar in the Third Age. I suspect that Cirdan was much like Faramir--a mighty warrior who took no pleasure in battle.) Morgoth's Curse