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delusions of Sauron。 And one by one； sooner or later； according to their native strength and to the good or evil of their
wills in the beginning； they fell under the thraldom of the ring that they bore and under the domination of the One； which
was Sauron's。 And they became for ever invisible save to him that wore the Ruling Ring； and they entered into the realm
of shadows。 The Nazg？l were they； the Ringwraiths； the Enemy's most terrible servants； darkness went with them； and
they cried with the voices of death。
Now Sauron's lust and pride increased； until he knew no bounds； and he determined to make himself master of all
things in Middle…earth； and to destroy the Elves； and to pass； if he might； the downfall of Númenor。 He brooked no
freedom nor any rivalry； and he named himself Lord of the Earth。 A mask he still could wear so that if he wished he
might deceive the eyes of Men； seeming to them wise and fair。 But he ruled rather by force and fear； if they might avail；
and those who perceived his shadow spreading over the world called him the Dark Lord and named him the Enemy； and
he gathered again under his government all the evil things of the days of Morgoth that remained on earth or beneath it；
and the Orcs were at his mand and multiplied like flies。 Thus the Black Years began； which the Elves call the Days
of Flight。 In that time many of the Elves of Middle…earth fled to Lindon and thence over the seas never to return； and
many were destroyed by Sauron and his servants。 But in Lindon Gil…galad still maintained his power； and Sauron dared
not as yet to pass the Mountains of Ered Luin nor to assail the Havens； and Gil…galad was aided by the Númenóreans。
Elsewhere Sauron reigned； and those who would be free took refuge in the fastnesses of wood and mountain； and ever
fear pursued them。 In the east and south well nigh all Men were under his dominion； and they grew strong in those days
and built many towns and walls of stone； and they were numerous and fierce in war and aimed with iron。 To them
Sauron was both king and god； and they feared him exceedingly； for he surrounded his abode with fire。
Yet there came at length a stay in the onslaught of Sauron upon the westlands。 For； as is told in tile Akallabêth； he
was challenged by the might of Númenor。 So great was the power and splendour of the Númenóreans in the noontide of
their realm that the servants of Sauron would not withstand them； and hoping to acplish by cunning what he could
not achieve by force； he left Middle…earth for a while and went to Númenor as a hostage of Tar…Calion the King。 And
there he abode； until at the last by his craft he had corrupted the hearts of most of that people； and set them at war with
the Valar； and so passed their ruin； as he had long desired。 But that ruin was more terrible than Sauron had foreseen；
for he had forgotten the might of the Lords of the West in their anger。 The world was broken； and the land was
swallowed up； and the seas rose over it； and Sauron himself went down into the abyss。 But his spirit arose and fled back
on a dark wind to Middle…earth； seeking a home。 There he found that the power of Gil…galad had grown great in the
years of his absence； and it was spread now over wide regions of the north and west； and had passed beyond the Misty
Mountains and the Great River even to the borders of Greenwood the Great； and was drawing nigh to the strong places
where once he had dwelt secure。 Then Sauron withdrew to his fortress in the Black Land and meditated war。
In that time those of the Númenóreans who were saved from destruction fled eastward； as is told in the
Akallabêth。 The chief of these were Elendil the Tall and his sons； Isildur and Anárion。 Kinsmen of the King they were；
descendants of Elros； but they had been unwilling to listen to Sauron； and had refused to make war on the Lords of the
West。 Manning their ships with all who remained faithful they forsook the land of Númenor ere ruin came upon it。 They
were mighty men and their ships were strong and tall； but the tempests overtook them； and they were borne aloft on hills
of water even to the clouds； and they descended upon Middle…earth like birds of the storm。
Elendil was cast up by the waves in the land of Lindon； and he was befriended by Gil…galad。 Thence he passed up
the River Lh？n； and beyond Ered Luin he established his realm； and his people dwelt in many places in Eriador about
the courses of the Lh？n and the Baranduin； but his chief city was at Annúminas beside the water of Lake Nenuial。 At
Fornost upon the North Downs also the Númenóreans dwelt； and in Cardolan； and in the hills of Rhudaur； and towers
they raised upon Emyn Beraid and upon Amon S？l； and there remain many barrows and ruined works in those places；
but the towers of Emyn Beraid still look towards the sea。
Isildur and Anárion were borne away southwards； and at the last they brought their ships up the Great River
Anduin； that flows out of Rhovanion into the western sea in the Bay of Belfalas； and they established a realm in those
lands that were after called Gondor； whereas the Northern Kingdom was named Arnor。 Long before in the days of their
power the mariners of Númenor had established a haven and strong places about the mouths of Anduin； in despite of
Sauron in the Black Land that lay nigh upon the east。 In the later days to this haven came only the Faithful of Númenor；
and many therefore of the folk of the coastlands in that region were in whole or in part akin to the Elf…friends and the
people of Elendil； and they weled his sons。 The chief city of this southern realm was Osgiliath； through the midst of
which the Great River flowed； and the Númenóreans built there a great bridge； upon which there were towers and houses
of stone wonderful to behold； and tall ships came up out of the sea to the quays of the city。 Other strong places they built
also upon either hand： Minas Ithil； the Tower of the Rising Moon； eastward upon a shoulder of the Mountains of
Shadow as a threat to Mordor； and to the westward Minas Anor； the Tower of the Setting Sun； at the feet of Mount
Mindolluin； as a shield against the wild men of the dales。 In Minas Ithil was the house of Isildur； and in Minas Anor the
house of Anárion； but they shared the realm between them and their thrones were set side by side in the Great Hall of
Osgiliath。 These were the chief dwellings of the Númenóreans in Gondor； but other works marvellous and strong they
built in the land in the days of their power； at the Argonath； and at Aglarond； and at Erech； and in the circle of
Angrenost； which Men called Isengard； they made the Pinnacle of Orthanc of unbreakable stone。
Many treasures and great heirlooms of virtue and wonder the Exiles had brought from Númenor； and of these the
most renowned were the Seven Stones and the White Tree。 The White Tree was grown from the fruit of Nimloth the Fair
that stood in the courts of the Bang at Armenelos in Númenor； ere Sauron burned it； and Nimloth was in its turn
descended from the Tree of Tirion； that was an image of the Eldest of Trees； White Telperion which Yavanna caused to
grow in the land of the Valar。 The Tree； memorial of the Eldar and of the light of Valinor； was planted in Minas Ithil
before the house of Isildur； since he it was that had saved the fruit from destruction； but the Stones were divided。
Three Elendil took； and his sons each two。 Those of Elendil were set in towers upon Emyn Beraid； and upon
Amon S？l； and in the city of Annúminas。 But those of his sons were at Minas Ithil and Minas Anor； and at Orthanc and
in Osgiliath。 Now these Stones had this virtue that those who looked therein might perceive in them things far off；
whether in place or in time。 For the most part they revealed only things near to another kindred Stone； for the Stones
each called to each； but those who possessed great strength of will and of mind might learn to direct their gaze whither
they would。 Thus the Númenóreans were aware of many things that their enemies wished to conceal； and little escaped
their vigilance in the days of their might。
It is said that the towers of Emyn Beraid were not built indeed by the Exiles of Númenor； but were raised by Gil…
galad for Elendil； his friend； and the Seeing Stone of Emyn Beraid was set in Elostirion； the tallest of the towers。 Thither
Elendil would repair； and thence he would gaze out over the sundering seas； when the yearning of exile was upon him；
and it is believed that thus he would at whiles see far away even the Tower of Avallón？ upon Eress？a； where the
Masterstone abode； and yet abides。 These stones were gifts of the Eldar to Amandil； father of Elendil； for the fort of
the Faithful of Númenor in their dark days； when the Elves might e no longer to that land under the shadow of
Sauron。 They were called the Palantíri； those that watch from afar； but all those that were brought to Middle…earth long
ago were lost。
Thus the Exiles of Númenor established their realms in Arnor and in Gondor； but ere many years had passed it
became manifest that their enemy； Sauron； had also returned。 He came in secret； as has been told； to his ancient kingdom
of Mordor beyond the Ephel Dúath； the Mountains of Shadow； and that country marched with Gondor upon the east。
There above the valley of Gorgoroth was built his fortress vast and strong； Barad…d？r； the Dark Tower； and there was a
fiery mountain in that land that the Elves named Orodruin。 Indeed for that reason Sauron had set there his dwelling long
before； for he used the fire that welled there from the heart of the earth in his sorceries and in his forging； and in the
midst of the Land of Mordor he had fashioned the Ruling Ring。 There now he brooded in the dark； until he had wrought
for himself a new shape； and it was terrible； for his fair semblance had departed for ever when he was cast into the abyss
at the drowning of Númenor。 He took up again the great Ring and clothed himself in power； and the malice of the Eye of
Sauron few even of the great among Elves and Men could endure。
Now Sauron prepared war against the Eldar and the Men of Westernesse； and the fires of the Mountain were
wakened again。 Wherefore seeing the smoke of Orodruin from afar； and perceiving that Sauron had returned； the
Númenóreans named that mountain anew Amon Amarth； which is Mount Doom。 And Sauron gathered to him great
strength of his servants out of the east and the south； and among them were not a few of the high race of Númenor。 For
in the days of the sojourn of Sauron in that land the hearts of well nigh all its people had been turned towards darkness。
Therefore many of those who sailed east in that time and made fortresses and dwellings upon the coasts were already
bent to his will； and they served him still gladly in Middle…earth。 But because of the power of Gil…galad these renegades；
lords both mighty and evil； for the most part took up their abodes in the southlands far away； yet two there were；
Herumor and Fuinur； who rose to power among the Haradrim； a great and cruel people that dwelt in the wide lands south
of Mordor beyond the mouths of Anduin。
When therefore Sauron saw his time he came with great force against the new realm of Gondor； and he took
Minas Ithil； and he destroyed the White Tree of Isildur that grew there。 But Isildur escaped； and taking with him a
seedling of the Tree he went with his wife and his sons by ship down the River； and they sailed from the mouths of
Anduin seeking Elendil。 Meanwhile Anárion held Osgiliath against the Enemy； and for that time drove him back to the
mountains； but Sauron gathered his strength again； and Anárion knew that unless help should e his kingdom would
not long stand。
Now Elendil and Gil…galad took counsel together； for they perceived that Sauron would grow too strong and
would overe all his enemies one by one； if they did not unite against him。 Therefore they made that League which is
called the Last Alliance； and they marched east into Middle…earth gathering a great host of Elves and Men； and they
halted for a while at Imladris。 It is said that the host that was there assembled was fairer and more splendid in arms than
any that has since been seen in Middle…earth； and none greater has been mustered since the host of the Valar went against
Thangorodrim。
From Imladris they crossed the Misty Mountains by many passes and marched down the River Anduin； and so
came at last upon the host of Sauron on Dagorlad； the Battle Plain； which lies before the gate of the Black Land。 All
living things were divided in that day； and some of every kind； even of beasts and birds； were found in either host； save
the Elves only。 They alone were undivided and followed Gil…galad。 Of the Dwarves few fought upon either side； but the
kindred of Durin of Moria fought against Sauron。
The host of Gil…galad and Elendil had the victory； for the might of the Elves was still great in those days； and the
Númenóreans were strong and tall； and terrible in their wrath。 Against Aeglos the spear of G