SAURON: “ the Abhorred “

Annatar: ( Lord of Gifts ) – Gorthaur ( Terrible Dread )

Race:  Maia

History:

Dedicated Lieutenant and Servant of Melkor the Vala—once a servant of Aule the Smith- then seduced by Melkor—given the lesser fortress of Angband in the First Age— and Melkor ruled from Utumno.

Sauron was known for great beauty of form, and later used this to his advantage.

When Melkor was taken away for the three Ages of penance, Sauron awaited his return in hiding.

Upon Melkor’s return, they ruled Arda from Angband, as Utumno had been destroyed.

After Melkor took the Sils, and then was taken away for good, Sauron pled for mercy from Eonwe the Maia- and, receiving it, he promised to turn himself in.

He did not do so—but fled to the East for thousands of years.

In the Second Age he came back – taking over Mordor the Black Land- mainly due to the presence of Orodruin ( Mt. Doom )- as a smith he was very aware of the power of such fires. He then attempted to deceive the Elves Gil Galad and Elrond by posing as Annatar – the giver of gifts- they were not fooled-- and turned him away. He then went to the Mirdain of Eregion- and to Celebrimbor.

Celebrimbor was taken in utterly by Sauron-- and Sauron lived with the Elves of Eregion for hundreds of years, and in this time he coached them into forging the Rings of Power.

The Elves secretly forged their own Rings, Vilya, Narya, and Nenya.

After the forging was complete, and the Elves wore his rings, Sauron went to Orodruin in Mordor and forged the Ruling Ring. Once he put it on, his deception was unmasked and the Elves took off the rings.

In fury, Sauron made war with an Orcish army upon Eregion—and Celebrimbor was killed.

He then gave the Rings to the Nine—beginning with the Morgul Lord Er-Murazor.

The Nazgul came into creation slowly at this time.

The Numenorean despot Ar-Pharazon overpowered Sauron and he surrendered- vowing revenge to himself- he went to Numenor and convinced the King to attack the land of the Valar- knowing the response would be terrible.

It was—as soon as his foot was set upon the hallowed ground, all were lost- the King, and all of Numenor.

Sauron was drowned as well- which he may or may not have bargained for.

At this point he was forbidden by the Valar to deceive by means of a beautiful form again- as this was what cost Celebrimbor and Ar-Pharazon their respective nations – a weakness for the fair Maia.

Not to be undone, he merely took up another body and made war against the Elves – the last Alliance of Men and Elves finally defeated Sauron by outnumbering him before the Black Gate—alone, he faced them, and Isildur struck off the Ring finger.

Beaten- for the moment- Sauron “forsook his body” once again.

Isildur was later killed—and the Ring went to the bottom of a river—later found by the hapless Smeagol.

In the Third Age, Sauron returned to a body as soon as he gained enough strength to do so.

He and the Nazgul took up abode in Greenwood the Great- Dol Guldur – which became known as Mirkwood. As the Necromancer, Sauron slowly rebuilt power.

Finally, Gandalf and Saruman drove him out of Dol Guldur—after much hedging by Saruman—who was very interested in finding the Ring himself.

Sauron returned to the Black Land-- and Barad Dur the Dark Tower was remade.

In the Ring War, the Fellowship only defeated Sauron’s aims by casting—after a long and terrible struggle- the Ruling Ring back into the master forge—Mt Doom.

Sauron lost his magical grip on the physical at that point.

What became of him after losing the Ring is not well understood—but it is usually felt that he went before the Valar at last—and was given a weighty penalty of some form—most likely a long term in Mandos- or possibly even joined his old mentor in the Void.

It is often said that he was “destroyed” but it was not his soul that was destroyed- the Valar did not do that- even to Melkor- it was his material pseudo-form that met its match and its end.