Middle-Earth History

            The history of Middle-Earth is composed of three ages, First, Second, and Third. The game Barad-Wath takes place in the middle of the Third Age.

            In the First Age the Valar (demi-gods, greater spirits) populated and shaped Middle-Earth. The Valar were more or less united and willing to sing Eru’s (god) tune with one exception, Melkor. Melkor was one of the most powerful Valar who sought a tyrannical rule over other Valar and all of Arda (Earth). In his quest for power Melkor corrupted many Maiar (lesser spirits) among whom the greatest of these was Sauron. Despite his greatest desires to do so Melkor was unable to truly create life without Eru’s guidance. He resorted instead to perverting the life created by other Valar with Eru’s permission and through such means he created the orcs, trolls, wargs, dragons and the demons of might. However Melkor’s greatest achievement was the corrupting of the hearts of all peoples of Middle-Earth with evil in its many forms so that his legacy would live on long after his departure from Arda. Melkor’s many acts of evil within the First Age earned him the name of Morgoth (Black Enemy) from the Noldor (The Deep Elves). The First Age ended with Morgoth’s defeat at the hands of the other Valar and their Host, an alliance of the many peoples of Middle-Earth. The end of the battle brought about cataclysmic upheaval that reshaped much of Middle-Earth. Melkor was cast into the Void, forever barred from returning to Arda, and Sauron his lieutenant was captured and forced to repent his deeds. After repenting Sauron fled in shame to the remotest regions of Middle-Earth to hide from those that defeated him.

            In the beginning of the Second Age Sauron remained in isolation dwelling on his defeat and repentance. Over centuries Sauron convinced himself that the path of his former master Morgoth, power through tyranny and evil, was his true path and he returned to western Middle-Earth disguised as Annatar. As Annatar, Sauron joined the Elven smiths in the Elven Kingdom of Eregion and taught them ways to improve their skills. In time Sauron persuaded the Elves to create the Rings of Power, three for the Elven Kings, seven for the Dwarven Lords and nine for men. Once the Elves had completed the Rings of Power around 1600 S.A. (Second Age), Sauron created the One Ring at Orodruin (Mount Doom). Once he created the One Ring the true nature of Annatar became apparent to the Elves and the War of the Elves and Sauron began. By the end of the 17^th century S.A. Sauron had devastated Eregion and captured all of the Rings of Power except the three created for the Elves. In 1701 S.A. Sauron was driven back to Mordor by a large army of men from Númenor, a great island kingdom off the west coast of Middle-Earth. During the next several centuries Sauron fortified Mordor and distributed the Rings of Power to the lords of the dwarves and men. The first Nazgûl are soon created from the men that accepted the Rings of Power. Sauron continued to grow in power until he posed such a threat that the King of Númenor, Ar-Pharazôn, amassed a great army and invaded Middle-Earth with the intention of destroying Sauron. Faced by certain defeat Sauron hid the One Ring in Barad-Dur and surrendered to Ar-Pharazôn in 3262 S.A. who brought him back to Númenor. Sauron persuaded Ar-Pharazon that he could invade Valinor, the undying lands, home of the Valar and strictly off-limits to men. The Númenóreans that were not persuaded by Sauron fled to Middle-Earth to escape persecution where they founded the Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor. In 3319 S.A. Ar-Pharazon attempted to invade Valinor and was destroyed by Eru. The island of Númenor was broken in half and swallowed up by the sea leaving only those Númenóreans that had fled to Middle-Earth in earlier years as a testament of the once great island kingdom. Sauron returned to Mordor where he was reunited with the One Ring and after marshalling his forces invaded western Middle-Earth. The Last Alliance of Men and Elves defeated Sauron in 3441 S.A. on the slopes of Orodruin and Isildur cut the One Ring from his hand. Sauron escaped into hiding greatly diminished in power and the Second Age came to an end.