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Barad-dur |
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Description
With indestructable foundations forged with the power of the One Ring, Barad-dur stood with "its towers and battlements, tall as hills, founded upon a mighty mountain-throne above immeasureable pits; great courts and dungeons; eyeless prisons sheer as cliffs, and gaping gates of steel and adamanent." Barad-dur stands as the greatest stronghold in Middle-earth, and can only be ultimately cast down by the undoing of the One Ring. Barad-dur sits atop a southerly spur of the Ered Litui (Ash Mountains), and is composed of a massive central tower with 9 radial towers which connect via fortified bridges.
Territory
Barad-dur sits against the Mountains of Ash, and from it radiate roads leading away to other domains of Sauron's realm: southward past Gorgoroth is the human kingdom of Nurn, and westward are the Morannon, Mount Doom, and Minas Morgul. At the Morannon, roads lead away past Dagorlad to Dol Guldur in Mirkwood and eastward to Rhun, the land of the Easterlings.
Occupants
Barad-dur is occupied by the Dark Lord and his chosen subjects. Below the Mouth of Sauron are the human agents of Mordor, ambassadors and spies who operate in far realms to spread the influence of their master. There are also the orc troops, including the Vorazg, the Black Guard, and the slaves of the mighty forges of Barad-dur. Finally, the Nazgul all have towers within Barad-dur, and can often be seen here on the business of their dread Lord.
INSIGNIA: The orcs of Barad-dur wear a simple insignia: a large glaring crimson Eye upon a black surcoat or flag
History
Sauron built Barad-dur in the Second Age, and it was his inviolate fastness for centuries. The Second Age ended with the Great Siege, when a mighty army of Elves and Humans attacked Mordor and eventually laid a siege of seven years to Barad-dur itself. Sauron was defeated, and Barad-dur thrown down, but its foundations were not destroyed. In the Third Age, Sauron dwelt long at Dol Guldur in Mirkwood, while his servants drove the humans of Gondor out of the fortresses from which they stood guard over Mordor. As Cirith Ungol and Minas Morgul were taken and occupied, and Osgiliath was laid to ruin, Barad-dur was rebuilt, and finally Sauron re-entered his Tower and Mount Doom erupted in flame once more.
The heart of Mordor, Barad-dur has always been the scene of dark plots and intrigues among the servants of Sauron, especially the orcs. Long ago, a small elite Order of the Crimson Tassle was the favored group of orcs of Lugburz. They dwindled and fell, over the years, and then arose a tribe called the Ghashdruin over the mighty forges of Barad-dur. But they fell, too, and by intrigue and stealth and murder arose the Burzum-Prakh. The Burzum-Prakh were much feared among the far-flung orcs of Mordor, but they had powerful enemies. They early on faced the ire of Shagrat, the Captain of Cirith Ungol, and later they faced the devious intrigues of Grishnakh, the Commander of the orcs of Mordor. They also were hurt by persecution by religious figures both orkish and human. When the tribes and clans of orcs were outlawed by the Vorazg's Decree of 3011, the Burzum-Prakh were sent out of the Forges and to Minas Morgul. But there are rumors still that some secret members of the order remain in Lugburz to work shadowy influence... just as there are rumors that survivors of older orders still lurk in the darkness of the Barad-dur.
