dphr lotr isengard

8/13/2019 Dphr LotR Isengard

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Authors: SCOTTBENNIE, JASONDURALL, SAMJOHNSON, AARONROSENBERG, ANDGEORGESTRAYTONLineDeveLopment:JEFFTIDBALLeDiting: JIMJOHNSON, CARLOSPARADINHA, CHRISSEEMAN, JANICEM. SELLERSANDJEFFTIDBALL.CreAtiveDireCtion: CHRISTIANMOOREANDOWENSEYLERproDuCtDeveLopment, toLkienenterprises: LAURIEBATTLEproDuCtDeveLopment, newLineCinemA: JOHNMAYOAssetCoorDinAtion, wetADigitAL: GLENSHARAHrpg AssistAntAnDmiDDLe-eArthCAmpAignDeveLopment: TIMOTHYCREESE

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:DANBURNSArtDireCtion:JESSECASSEMgrAphiCDesign: JESSECASSEMANDKIERANYANNERproDuCtionDesign:OWENSEYLERANDKIERANYANNERiLLustrAtion, wetAworkshop: WARRENMAHYANDBENWOOTTENiLLustrAtion: KIERANYANNERCArtogrAphy: ROBLAZZARETTIenDpApers:DANIELREEVE

speCiALthAnks:JEFFTIDBALLANDSCOTTGAETA

ForADDitionALmAteriALAnDtoLeArnAboutthemiDDLe-eArthCAmpAignsetting.

visituson-LineAthttp://Lotrrpg.DeCipher.Com

MMV New Line Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Lord of the Rings and the names of the characters, items, events and places

therein are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc. Decipher, Inc.

Authorized User. TM, , & 2005 Decipher Inc., P.O. Box 56, Norfolk VA, USA 23501. All Rights Reserved.

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TABLEOF

CONTENTSINTRODUCTION: THEROADTOISENGARD 4

CHAPTERONE: THEHISTORYANDLIFEOFISENGARD 8

CHAPTERTWO: THEFORTRESSOFIRON 22

CHAPTERTHREE: NANCURUNR 58

CHAPTERFOUR: THEWHITEHAND 70

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[B]ut mighty works the men ofWesternesse had wrought there of

old, and Saruman had dwelt therelong and had not been idle. The Two Towers

Introduction

THEROADTOISENGARD

4

This tower was built to shield thekingdom of Gondor from Orcs andHill-men, but time can corrupt eventhe noblest of motivesand places.The fate of Isengard became linkedwith that of the wizard Saruman,who persuaded the stewards ofGondor to pass custody of thetower into his White Hand. WhenSaruman became an agent of evil, sotoo was Isengard transformed into a

citadel of darkness, the perfect stag-ing ground to embark on a campaignof conquest.

Secure within the great strongholdof Nan Curunr, the Wizards Valewhere the river Isen was born fromthe southern glaciers of the MistyMountains, Saruman laboured indeep caverns. Fuelled by wood fromnearby Fangorn Forest, baleful fur-naces belched smoke day and night.

oftiest of all the peaks in Middle-earth are the Misty Mountains, achain raised in the early days of the world. So impressive are thesesummits that anyone who looks upon them cannot imagine a mortalwork to rival them. However, south of the Last Peak the race of Men

dared to try. Carving four great slabs of rock from the centre of avast stone Ring, the clever children of Nmenor hewed, shaped, and erected aconjoined spike of black granite, the greatest tower of its day. This tower wascalled Angrenost (The Fortress of Iron). Due to its proximity to the river Isen,the fortress as a whole came to be known as Isengard. This huge spike, thrustedupward from the valley floor, dominating its surroundings as a symbol of themight of its builders and a warning to their enemies.

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These furnaces powered factories thatconstructed engines of destruction,

and assisted the Wizard in even dark-er designs. Saruman proudly called itprogress.

Such thirst for power led Sarumanto commit his greatest blasphemy:cross-breeding Men with Orcs andperfecting Saurons Uruk-hai. Thesemonstrous hybrids became the van-guard of his armies, which at theend of the Third Age were bent onoverthrowing the kingdom of Rohan.Agents of his White Hand travelledthroughout western Middle-earth,

from Gondor to the Shire, spyingon their defences, establishing them-selves (by coercion or bullying) inpositions of authority as Sarumanvied to become sovereign over all ofWestern Middle-earth.

Sarumans army was bolstered bythe Hill-men of the neighbouringregion of Dunland, who, besottedby the words of the Wizard, hadrekindled their ancestral hatred ofRohan and unthinkingly marched

side-by-side with the Uruk-hai ona crusade into glory. This alliancenearly toppled the Rohirrim andplunged the world into an age ofShadow, but thanks to the effortsof many heroessome celebrated,some unheraldedit failed and ulti-mately took them into darkness.The Orc-wrought destruction ofIsengards nearby forests angered hisneighbours, the Ents of Fangorn,

who finally rose against the Circleof Isengard and tore it apart, slay-

ing all upon which they laid theirhands. Simultaneously, the armiesof Rohan won a great, unexpectedvictory at Helms Deep, slaughteringSarumans Half-orcs and putting theHill-men to flight. Lastly, Gandalfthe White came forth, and withthe Power of the West he endedSarumans authority and broke hisstaff. Thus Sarumans ambitionscame to nought. At the end of theThird Age, Isengard was nothingbut a flooded ruin.

G U I D E TO T H EG E O G R A P H Y

O F T H E VA L E

Isengard rests in the shadow ofMethedras, the Last Peak of the

Misty Mountain chain, which liesdue north of the fortress. On itswest, it is bordered by the foothills of

Dol Baran, while on the east by thefoothills of Fangorn, which form theIsen Vale. Beyond the eastern hills isFangorn Forest, home to the Ents, theShepherds of the Trees. To the southare the grassy plains of Calenardhon,now called Rohan.

The River Isen, which is formedby melting snows from the Last Peak,flows from the western hills of the val-ley, south from Orthanc, and crosses

the Great West Road at the Fordsof Isen, located approximately thirtymiles south of the Circle of Isengard.Before Saruman was corrupted, thisvaleNan Curunr, the Valley of theWizardwas a green and pleasant

place whose light woods were nur-tured by mountain rains. Prior to theWar of the Ring, these forests wererazed and the valley became a moredesolate place.

A mile from the steep southernface of Methedras stands the Ringof Isengard. Even if Orthanc did notexist, this would itself be a marvel;a defensive ring nearly six and a halfmiles in circumference, whose eightyfoot high walls are nearly sixty feet

thick. A single tunnel was drilled intothe southern face of the wall, provid-ing one (heavily guarded) route ofaccess for visitors, which was securedby a network of guardrooms andstorehouses.

From the edge of the Ring, eightpillar-lined avenues converge on thecentral tower of Orthanc. The tower,

FURTHERADVENTURES IN

ISENGARD

In the course of produc-

ing this Isengard sourcebook,

more material was written

and developed than could

be fit within this books cov-

ers! An adventure entitled

The Eagles are Missing,

along with a number of

other adventure and chron-

icle seeds, were omitted due

to space constraints. These

materials, however, are

available in PDF format on

Deciphers The Lord of the

Rings Roleplaying Gameweb

site. Just point your browser

at http://lotr.decipher.com

and download these supple-

mental materials for free.

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The Road to Isengard

made from polished black granite andsandstone, rose over five hundred feettall, crowned with four great stonehorns at its peak. At the bottom, along stair lead up to a heavy stonedoor, the only visible entrance into the

tower. Saruman addressed his peoplefrom a balcony high above door level,and well above the balcony was thechamber of the palantr, the ancientGondorian seeing-stone that was thetowers greatest treasure. At the sum-mit of the tower was a flat rooftop ofpolished stone, on which Sarumaninscribed magical runes. It was herethat he imprisoned Gandalf the Grey.

H O W TO U S ETH I S B O O K

Isengard is a complete guide toone of the greatest fortresses of

Middle-earth. Most of the descrip-

tions in this book details Isengardand the Wizards Vale as they werenear the end of the Third Age, justbefore Gandalf s imprisonment inthe first half of TA 3018. Of course,historical information is also plenti-

ful and some suggestions about thestate of Isengard after the War ofthe Ring are also provided.

CHAPTERONE: THEHISTORYANDLIFEOFISENGARDrecounts the tale ofIsengards creation and development,and tells the story of its people at theend of the Third Age and beginningof the Fourth. Isengard has stood as agreat monument since the early ThirdAge, and has weathered many battles;its historical importance needs to be

understood by those who roleplaycharacters from the region, as well asany who are interested in the ancientlore of Middle-earth.

CHAPTER TWO: THE FORTRESSOF IRON details the chambers andpassages of this great fortress,

including the great stone Circle ofIsengard, the tunnels beneath it, andthe proud fortress of Orthanc itself,including its magical treasures suchas thepalantr.

CHAPTER THREE: NAN CURUNR

describes the Valley of Sarumanbeyond the Ring of Isengard includ-ing the Fords of Isen; Dol Baran thelast hill; the work camps of SarumansOrcs, Half-orcs, and Uruk-hai; andmore. Isengard entails much morethan the tower Orthanc, and themagic of Saruman is both subtle andfar-reaching.

CHAPTER FOUR: THE WHITEHAND describes Sarumans minions.Sarumans evil is not composed only

of vast armies and fell creatures: hisagents and spies are numerous, andthey spread Sarumans corruptionthrough a diverse host of faces.

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A strong place and wonderfulwas Isengard, and long it

had been beautiful . The Two Towers

Chapter One

THEHISTORYANDLIFEOFISENGARD

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H I S T O R Y

Isengard is a mighty fortress, but itslong history holds bitter tales thatpresage its disastrous fate. From

its inception, Isengard was a place of

both majesty and darkness. Few wentthere willingly, for it was distant fromthe centres of power, and almost asdesolate a watch as the Morannon.The Angrenostim were known as thedour men in the South, for they didnot easily see hope, or take comfortin worldly pleasures. Yet in the daysbefore the Wizards, the steward ofthe tower had a reputation as a seer ofthings hidden from the eyes of Men,

and his voice was well-regarded in thecouncils of the Wise.

C IRY A NA R

In the four hundred and fifty-

third year of the Third Age, theOrcs of the Misty Mountains mar-shalled their strength and attackedGondors settlements in the plainsof Calenardhon. The area was ill-prepared for an assault of such mag-nitude. The Orcs sacked and burnedMinadol and Ambarbad, the largestof Gondors settlements. Hundredswere slaughtered; thousands weredisplaced. Prince Ciryanar of Gondor

hroughout its history Isengard has been a place of both profoundsplendour and evil. In the latter days of the Third Age only a foolwould dare set foot in Nan Curunr. Sometimes from such fools,however, great narratives are born.

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quickly issued north with a force ofMen and avenged the defeat. Uponlooking on the ruins he wept. Noslaughter of Orcs can still the widowslament, he said.

Determined never to allow such a

slaughter to happen again, Ciryanarand his doughtiest men ventured intothe Misty Mountains seeking Orc-holes. They were not hard to find, forthe High Chief of the Goblins hadmoved many Orcs into caverns beneathMethedras. Orcs without number fellbeneath the blades of Ciryanar and hismen. However, the Prince moved tooambitiously, and the Goblins ultimatelylured him into a trap. Bereft of his men,Ciryanar survived, but the price he paid

was high, for an Orc-poison burnedin his veins. Staggering onto a ledgenear the peak of Methedras, Ciryanargazed upon the ruins of Minadol in theValley of Isen as the poison stole thesight from his eyes.

An eagle came to Ciryanar and tookhim in his talons and bore him south-ward. It was folly to pursue the Orcsinto their own holes, the prince said.

Perhaps, highness, the eagleanswered. But thy realm must beprotected.

I saw the vale below Methedras,Ciryanar said. And I envisioned agreat tower there set within the ringof rock, a rampart of stone unequalledsince the fall of the Barad-dr. Such aplace would guard against the Orcs.

A tower as fair as the white tow-ers of Nmenor? the eagle asked, fornone remained in Middle-earth thatwere as fair as those of the land of theStar. But Ciryanar laughed in a fellvoice that could be heard even on the

plains below.Such would be a marvel in thehearts of men, but Orcs would notfear it. Nay! The tower of the Valemust be tall and terrible, a keep offang and stone, dark as storm-clouds,sharp as mountain crags, a reminderto the North of the wrath of Gondorand the puissance of its armies! Onlyin the shadow of an iron fortress shallCalenardhon find safety.

So be it, the eagle said. The eaglelaid him down at the feet of Gondorsnorth-most garrison, and the princeinstructed that his words be passed onto the king. Then Ciryanar died andwas laid to rest in the hall of princes,

but his vision would echo in unfore-seen ways until the end of the age.

THE BU I L D I N G OFTHE TOWER

There was but one choice for theMaster Builder of Angrenost, andthat was Curugond of Lamedon. Hehad overseen the building of MinasAnor nearly thirty years earlier, and

though old, was the most cunningbuilder that the Dnedain had pro-duced since the days of Nmenor.Great friendship he had with theDwarves of Khazad-dm, who sharedtheir arts with him, but Curugondgleaned even more from their teach-ings than they guessed, and as hisknowledge grew, so did his pride.Curugonds thought was fixed on theBarad-dr, which had been the great-est tower of its age. Why, he thought,should Gondor not build a fortress of

such stature, an answer to the dark-ness of the previous age?

When he travelled to the vale tosurvey it, he discovered Ciryanarsvision of a tower within a ring was notmere fancy. Only half-buried beneaththe soil deposited by the Isen, wasa rough, natural ring of black stone,the lip of some ancient volcano laidlow by time and nature. Curugondsdesigns were greater than they oughtto have been, a mark of pride. He

made plans to carve four great slabsof black stone from the centre ofthe ring, forming the towers apart-ments and chambers from them, andthen hoisting them together to fitinto a virtually impregnable tower.To carve the sides, he enlisted theaid of the dwarves of Moria, whilecrews recruited from Dunland per-formed the task of hoisting the slabs.This latter labour was far more dif-

ficult than Curugond had promised,and when the Hill-men attempted toraise the third slab, the lines broke,and many Dunlendings were crushed.Curugond cared not for their mis-fortune, but fretted about the tower,

which was undamaged. This slightwas remembered in Dunland, whosepeople nurse grudges like a dragonshorde, and the people of Gondorwould later come to rue the callous-ness of their chief builder.

Ten years after the death ofCiryanar, the tower was finally complet-ed. Upon its lofty roof, enchantmentswere set to protect it from harm, fromfire and stone and the natural forcesthat weather stone to its roots. Prince

Thinyarpher, Ciryanars son, took thekeys of Orthanc and became its firststeward, bringing with him apalantrofElendil. He served Gondor faithfully, asdid his descendents, the Angrenostim,for in those days there was trust amongthe royal houses of Gondor and lovebetween its brethren, and kings did notfear that a rival would use Angrenostas a citadel to supplant them. But suchdays were not to last forever.

As for Curugonds fate, one talesays that he promised the Dwarves

of Moria a great jewel of Nmenor inexchange for their service, but besot-ted by a pretty granddaughter, hegave her the jewel and substituted alesser gift in its stead. It is further saidthat the Dwarves of Khazad-dm,who had no love for deception, seizedCurugond and slew him in the dark.

KI N-STRIFE

The dour descendents ofCiryagorm continued to maintaintheir faithful watch over Angrenost.During the reign of Minalcar, in 1245,a force of Easterlings crossed theAnduin and entered the Valley of theIsen, hoping to seize and plunder thetower. Angrenost endured a yearlongsiege before a force led by Minalcarbroke it, but in the aftermath itseemed clear that the fortress needed

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The History and Life of Isengard

stronger defences. The stone ring thatsurrounded the tower was thus exca-vated to create an unbroken circularwall 60 feet thick and 80 feet tall. Athoroughfare was bored through thesouth-most curve of the circle and the

dwarves wrought a gate of iron so thatthe wall might prove impenetrable tothe enemies of Gondor.

Minalcar used Angrenost as thenorthern strongpoint for his waragainst the Easterlings. Following hisvictory, Minalcar Rmendacil reachedout to the tribes of the North, seeingin them a worthy ally. Many embassieswere met in Angrenost, which (alongwith the lesser fortress of Duinmenosin the Emyn Muil) became pillars of

Gondors northern defence.Unfortunately, the kings sonValacar, sent as an ambassador tothe Northmen, fell in love with oneof their royal house. When his sonEldacar came to the throne in 1432,Gondor rebelled rather than acceptone who was not of full Nmenoreanblood. Led by the kings cousinCastamir, they murdered Eldacarsson and razed the Gondorian capitalof Osgiliath. Eldacar was forced toflee northward.

In those days the steward ofAngrenost was an old man namedAngrehin who had spent the betterpart of his youth in Arnor, where hesaw that kingdom come to ruin thanks

in large part to the thinning of theirblood. Though he despised Castamirand thought the men of Rhovanionhonourable, Angrehin felt the rebelswere the lesser of two evils and thusgave his support to the usurper.

But Angrehins two sons, Menehinand Tarohin, thought otherwise.These twins were Orc-hunters with-out peer who walked without fearin lands whose names made otherMen quiver. They cared nothing forpolitics, but continued to hunt Orcseven as blood flowed in the streets ofOsgiliath. One day, travelling near theMisty Mountains, they were waylaidby a great party of Orcs and wouldhave perished had it not been for

Prince Wulfstan of Rhovanion, whorode in with a force of horsemen andscattered their foes. At the twins invi-tation, Wulfstan escorted them backto Angrenost, where they hoped topledge their friendship. UnfortunatelyCastamir had sent a troop of men tosecure the tower, and thus Wulfstanwas met at the gates not with grat-itude but with arms, and he wasthrown into the depths of Angrenostand held as a hostage.

Angrily, Menehin and Tarohin

went to their father and demandedhis release. Since when, Menehinasked, did the gratitude of theDnedain become less dear than thepolitics of princes?

But Angrehin responded withanger. Gratitude? he snapped. Whatgratitude have you two wanderersever shown thy father? Shall his bloodnow flow instead of the blood ofNorthern wildmen?

Perhaps, Tarohin said, and thetwins departed before they were dis-missed, leaving their father in wroth.

The twins realized that only theycould remove the stain of shamefrom their house, so they descend-ed into the dungeons of Angrenost,slew Castamirs guards, and aided theprince in his escape. Unfortunately,though Wulfstan managed to ridefrom the gates, the guards seized thetwins and the captain showed them

no mercy. When Angrehin was rousedfrom slumber to behold his dead sonsfaces he turned to the murderous cap-tain and cried: Gondor! Thou hastbecome a charnel-house, and wolveslick the blood from thy stones! Letthem be stained with blood no more,save one!

Then the fey steward took thepalantr of the tower, through whichCastamir had instructed him to seizeWulfstan, and climbed the manysteps of Angrenost. Long he stood

on the parapet as the wind swirledaround him, and the world seemedto turn. Castamir! he cried, callingthe usurper, daring him to look uponthe Stone. The king came. Behold the

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fate of thy realm! Angrehin shouted,and he leapt from the tower.

Thus perished the last of the lineof Ciryanar. Though the Stone didnot break in the fall as Angrehin hadintended, the sight of his fall burned

itself into thepalantr so that for yearsnone could use that Seeing-Stonewithout beholding it, and Castamircould never again use any Stoneexcept to see his downfall.

ORNA CA RA N D T HE STONE

Gondor survived the Kin-Strife,but at great cost, for its southern

provinces were seized by the family ofCastamir and the Black Nmenoreans.But Angrenost was quickly seized byEldacar and remained loyal to the lineof Gondor.

King Eldacar gave Angrenost tohis cousin Ornacar, though the repu-tation of the tower made the honourseem less than it ought to have been.But Ornacar cherished the sightof the forests and the mountainsand was healed by them, for hehad shed blood during the kin-

strife and longed to assuagethe guilt of his misdeeds. Inthat time Saruman returnedfrom the East ofMiddle-earthand Ornacarwelcomed him intoIsengard and profited from hisadvice. Above all else, Saruman urgedOrnacar to strengthen the defences ofIsengard (wise words, for those werethe early days of Angmar) so Ornacar

further fortified the ring wall, delv-ing guard posts and storehouses intoits walls that soldiers might alwaysstand ready to defend it against ene-mies. Elsewhere many resented it,and some whispered that Eldacarbuilds a fortress for the Northmen.Ornacar, hearing these lies, took careto keep his distance from the princesof Rhovanion, so that the Northmencomplained that the courtesy of the

tower was scarcely greater than it hadbeen during the days of Angrehin.

Then one day, Saruman came tothe gates in a driving rainstorm andwas admitted. Brushing aside theretainers, Saruman came to Ornacar

and begged a boon.Much advice have I given thee, and

thou hast profited from it, he said.What boon dost thou ask, my

friend? Ornacar inquired, guessing athis purpose.

One of my brethren in the Easthas long been missing, the Wizardexplained. The perils of those landsare great. The Seeing-Stone of Elendil

might lift whatever veil hides himfrom our sight.Ornacar was silent for many long

minutes. It is no small thing thouasketh, he finally replied. Nothing inmy charge is as precious as the Stone,not even the key to the tower.

Yet he who hides a treasure inthe hour of need possesses no truetreasure, Saruman replied. ThenOrnacar relented, and for the first time

Saruman was allowed to use the Stone.Some have said that if Ornacar hadrefused the request much evil mighthave been averted. But Sarumans needwas genuine, and few could deny thepower of his voice, so it was unlikely

Ornacar could have resisted his call.Saruman used the Stone, and thoughnone know whether he succeeded inhis purpose, it became clear that fromthat day Saruman desired to possessthe Stone, and thus a seed of great evilhad been planted in Angrenost.

PL A G U E

In 1636, a terrible plague

broke out in Middle-earth,originating in the Eastbut cutting a sicken-ing swath that reachedeven the westernmostshores of Eriador. Allof Calenardhon wasravaged. In those days,Baradil, great-grandsonof Ornacar, was Masterof the Tower. When thefirst word of plague cameto Gondor, by chance

Saruman had returnedfrom a long journey inthe East and was rest-ing in Isengard. The

Wizard advisedBaradil to takethe peoples of

the villages of the sur-rounding lands and seal the Circle ofIsengard. The advice seemed wise toBaradil (though many thought other-wise) and so Isengard became a refuge.

But Baradil also had a wife whom hegreatly loved, Andolien of Duinmenos,who was visiting her parents in theEmyn Muil. When word came of thesickness that was killing thousands inIthil Vale, Andolien and her house-hold immediately rode westward. ButSaruman urged Baradil to bar thegates against her, to safeguard thosewho had taken refuge in the keep.

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Dost thou dare tell the Masterof Isengard what shall be done in hisown keep, with his own wife? Baradilreplied. Wouldst thou be master ofthis tower? He raised his hand tostrike the Wizard, but Saruman lifted

his staff and Baradil recoiled.A choice I give thee, fool! Saruman

snarled. If the gates of Isengard holdfast then thee and thy family shallindeed govern here for many years tocome. But if thou doth open the gatesthe day will come when I shall indeedbe master in Isengard!

But Baradil thought of Andolienand it hardened his heart. He dis-missed Saruman with angry wordsand opened the gates to his wife,

embracing her as the departingWizard watched.Thou shalt pay dearly for such

tender caresses! Saruman snapped.He went into the East of Middle-earth and did not return again formany years. As the Wizard feared,the plague wind did accompanyAndolien into Angrenost, and manywho might have been saved perishedin their beds. Duinmenos was rav-aged and abandoned, as were manyof Gondors north-most settlements.

In Calenardhon, many villages layempty and abandoned, and the proudPrinces of Rhovanion who had settledthere in the days of Eldacar returnedto their homes in the North.

DRA GONS A NDOTHE R PE R I L S

The plague was not the end ofAngrenosts woes, for soon after

came two invasions of Orcs, andon the second occasion came theworst menace that Isengard hadyet seenthe dragon Helgrdhr, awinged black worm who descendedfrom the North and ventured furthersouth than any dragon had dared togo. Both times, the faltering realmof Gondor mustered its heroes andIsengard weathered the attacks. Butthe dragon ravaged the lands beyond

Isengards protection, and the plainsof Calenardhon grew empty.

Furthermore, north in Moria,Angrenosts old Dwarf-allies fellsilent, victims of a nameless horrorthat no steward would willingly look

upon. Likewise the Ents, who in ear-lier years had been friendly to thosebrave enough to venture into Fangorn,withdrew into the depths of the forestand rarely came forth.

Yet for many long years Isengardheld firm, and though Gondor dwin-dled and menace after menace besetit, still Angrenost remained a symbolof strength. In 1810 the Wainriderscame out of the East and sent alarge force across the river to attack

Angrenost, but upon their first sightof the impregnable Ring of Isengardthey retreated without giving bat-tle. In 2003 the Witch-King, havingconquered Minas Ithil, sent a hugeforce of Orcs against Isengard in thehope of seizing a second of Gondorsmighty fortresses. But neither Orcnor Troll could withstand the wrathof Prince Ernur, who led the defencethat day; indeed, more Orcs per-ished than in any battle since the fallof Sauron. The victory gave comfort

to Gondor in what then seemed itsdarkest hour.

Nonetheless, the dwindling ofCalenardhon continued. Plague wasso frequent that some called theregion Engwador; the Sickly Lands.This was the design of the Enemy,to weaken that which they could notconquer, and corrupt what they couldnot weaken. And it was by corruptionthat the fortress eventually fell intothe hands of the Enemy.

ROHA N

In 2510 invaders from the Eastagain threatened Gondor. The lordsof Angrenost once again prepared fora bitter siege, for few were now left todefend Calenardhon. But unexpectedhelp came from the North when theothod, a tribe descended from the

lords of Rhovanion, arrived to lendaid. Eorl the Young rode to the field ofCelebrant and saved Gondor from theEasterlings. Calenardhon was givento them in thanks by Cirion, Stewardof Gondor, and became known as the

kingdom of Rohan. Unfortunatelythere was confusion about Isengard.One of the sons of Eorl came to thedoors of Angrenost and claimed itfor the Rohirrim, demanding that thewarden surrender the keys. Isengard,however, was beyond the agreementof Cirion and blood was spilled beforethe gates of Isengard that day. ThoughEorl and Cirion soon set things right,little love did the Rohirrim receive atIsengard from that time onward.

In the years before the Long Winter(2758), Dunland sensed the weaknessof the Angrenostim and launched fre-quent attacks against the tower, so by2750 it was under a continuous siege.Gondor and Rohan were both too weakto lift it; in 2758, the Dunlendings alsooverthrew the Rohirrim, and Breca theHalf-dunlander sat in the seat of Eorl.Gradually, the Angrenostim were killedoff one by one in a series of desperatesorties against the Dunlendings, untilonly a handful remained. But in the

end, Rohan defeated the Dunlendingsand drove them from Edoras, and theforces of Beren, Steward of Gondor,triumphed over his enemies fromUmbar and rode north to lift the siege.But few survived to celebrate the vic-tory, and Beren feared neither Gondornor Rohan could hold Angrenost if theOrcs or the Dunlandings attacked itagain in force.

Then an unlikely deliverer cameto Minas TirithSaruman the Wise,

who had not been seen for manygenerations in Gondor. He spoke fairwords to the Steward, and yet force-fully alluded to great perils threaten-ing the West.

It is the duty of Gondor, as the lastkingdom of Nmenor, to shield theWest in its struggle against the Enemy.Too long hast thou languished withoutallies, while old men sat and watched.Now the storm comes and we may

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watch no longer. Give me the keys toAngrenost and I shall hold Isengardagainst the storm, so thou needest notfear the shadow of the North.

Beren needed no reminder ofGondors peril. But he looked into theWizards face and wondered at his truepurpose. Wilt thou swear to faithfullyserve the White Tower, to govern it asa steward and not a master?

Saruman smiled and feignedhumility, though such an oath was

contrary to his designs. I swear assure an oath as the one which Eorlswore to Cirion. Then Beren surren-dered the keys to Saruman.

THE ROA D TO UD N

Saruman immediately took con-trol of Isengard and made it intoa reflection of himself. At first, itwas a fair and beautiful place; the

Ring of Isengard was lined with treesand lamps and birds, and Sarumangathered to himself the scholars ofGondor and the bards of Rohan,and he mentored them, so thatAngrenost became known as Orthanc(The Cunning Mind in the tongueof Rohan). From Imladris to Rhn,many made pilgrimages just to hearSaruman speak, for, as one prince ofGondor said, his tongue is wisdom

itself, and his voice alone shall deliverus from the Enemy.

But wise Saruman was greatlytroubled. North in Mirkwood, thecitadel of Dol Guldur had long beena stronghold of evil, and Saruman,along with the other members of theWhite Council, had feared that itstrue master was Sauron, who oncewas thought to have perished at theend of the Second Age. By 2850 thisfear had finally been confirmed. The

Wizard Gandalf, whom Sarumandisliked, urged the White Councilto drive Sauron from Dol Guldurat once. But Saruman urged cau-tion, knowing neither the extent ofSaurons strength nor his purposes forbeing there.

After 2850 Sarumans mood grewdarker and visitors became less wel-come in Orthanc. Constrained byoath and caution, Saruman did notuse the palantr of the tower, but

instead expanded his network of spies.He persuaded Radagast to teach himthe secret of speaking with birds andrecruited crows to his service. He alsorecruited the Hill-men of Dunland,finding them more malleable alliesthan the dour Rohirrim.

In 2868 one of Sarumans Hill-men spies captured a train of Orc-slaves and brought them to Sarumanas a prize. The Wizard was filled with

loathing at the sight of them, but oneOrc-slave knelt and kissed the stonesat his feet and said in a halting voice.Do not kill us, us lowly snaga, greatShark. We are beasts, but strong andcunning, and you would make a bet-

ter master than the Uruk-hai.Then Saruman, who had never

thought before of taking Orcs into hisservice, smiled. Rise, faithful snaga,and serve the Red Eye no longer! Iwill take thee and mould thee into abetter creature with my firm whitehand. And thus Saruman began torecruit the Orcs of the mountainsinto his service, and they brought himmany secrets.

Saruman sent the Orcs to scour

the Gladden Fields where Isildur hadfallen, in hopes of finding SauronsRing, which he desired above all else.In 2939, Saruman learned from themthat Sauron, too, was searching theGladden Fields, and had bent muchof his thought to that purpose. Thisalarmed Saruman, so in 2941 he wentto the White Council andthoughhe was loath to do sohumbled him-self before his rival. Thou wert cor-rect, Gandalf, he said. The Enemyhas abided too long in one place, too

close to Lrien and Rivendell. HisOrcs gather near the river where suchan assault would be best staged. Thetime is overripe to break Dol Guldurto its foundations, and show him thatthe West still has teeth.

Then the Council put forth itspower and Sauron seemed to be over-thrown. Saruman returned to Isengardin triumph. But it was marred by thenews that King Thengel of Rohanhad set a watch on Isengard, for he

feared Sarumans closeness with theHill-men. Saruman was livid, butThengel did not relent. In 2948 whenThengels son Thoden was born,for the first time Saruman was notinvited to the christening of a Princeof Rohan or asked to offer his bless-ing. Saruman could not contain hisfury. He rode to the gates of Edoras,pounded on the door with his staff,and threw them open.

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Is the friendship of Isengard sucha small matter that it is spat upon bymongrels? he snarled at the king. Orare the pains I suffered in casting theevil from Dol Guldur for thy race ofingrates so easily dismissed?

Thengel bowed his head. Little hastthou seemed to be our friend of late, orshown us any care of late, he said.

Do not interpret the purposes ofWizards, for they are beyond thy ken,son of Eorl! Saruman snarled. Nowbring forth thy child. And Thengelrestrained his anger, and Thodenwas presented, and Sarumanlooked upon him and smiledas he placed his hand on thebabes forehead. He shall

redress thy insult, and knowthe cares of my white handmore clearly than any kingof Rohan before him. Praythat is offered in friend-ship! Then Sarumanturned and departed forIsengard, plotting, for thefirst time, Rohans destruc-tion.

SARUMANOFMANYCOLOURS

In 2951, the her-alds of Barad-dr wentforth and proclaimedthat Sauron the Greathad returned to Mordor.The White Council metonce more and Sarumandeclared that he had dis-covered that the One Ringhad gone to the sea andwas beyond Saurons reach. It

is now our task to fortify what wecan, he said, but the burden is chieflyupon the kingdoms of Man to endurethis trial. There is little else we can doexcept to harvest the seeds we haveplanted. Then Saruman returned toIsengard and fortified it. He repairedthe Ring, tore down its gardens andtrees, dug deep delvings, and for thefirst time, axe strokes were heard onthe edge of Fangorn Forest. He did

not consult Gondor in any of thesethings, and thus broke the oath hehad sworn to Beren.

Saruman sent many spies afterGandalf, for he sensed that the Greyknew more than he was telling about

the One Ring, but ever the prize heso desperately sought eluded him.Finally, Saruman became so desper-ate for knowledgethat he usedthe palantr

and scoured the world for signs ofthe Ring. Instead of finding whathe sought, he was ensnared by theLidless Eye of Mordor.

Little Saruman! Sauron mocked,compelling his attention. Often I havewatched thee wander in the East, fret-

ting over minor matters. What doththou seek?

Saruman resisted, but Sauroncompelled the truth from him, andlaughed. Nay! That Ring is too big forthee. Thou might wear one fit for thy

stature if thou wouldst bend to me.A ring, or a chattels collar?

Saruman asked.In service of Sauron the Great a

chattel of thy stature would be raisedabove the kings of Middle-earth.

At last Saruman yielded andbent fully to the service of Mordor,though ambitions and the lust forthe One Ring still gnawed at him.Now Saruman offered his friend-

ship once again to the Rohirrim,

and sought to take theminto his service. Againthey proved unrecep-

tive, except for thehealfblod, Rohirrimof mixed Rohan and

Dunland ancestry. Ofthese the greatest was

Grimfold, a faithful coun-sellor of King Thengel. Butless faithful was Grimfoldsson Grma, a boy scorned bythe youth of Rohan for his

small stature, and lack ofskill in warcraft. Sarumanwatched Grma grow intomanhood, resentful andcunning, and thought hima perfect tool for his designs.He often took him toIsengard in secret, and taught

him how to work his willon others, so he mightbe Sarumans voice in

Edoras. And Grma did

indeed grow great in thecounsels of Thoden. One day when Grma was still a

youth, and Orcs secretly in Sarumansservice had failed to dislodge Rohirrimscouts near the Fords of Isen, Grmawatched Saruman curse his Orcs andwish aloud that he commanded vas-sals as resolute as Men, but as mal-leable as Orcs. Grma replied: Couldnot a Wizard of thy stature mix the

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twain? Then Saruman smiled, for anevil thought had been born. Sarumandescended into the bowels of Isengardand laboured in his pits, and thus therace of Half-orcs was born. Sarumansent them as spies into Eriador, and

took them into his armies, whichbecame mighty indeed. And Sauronwas pleased too, and upheld his bar-gain, teaching Saruman some of hisring-craft. Saruman thus forged aRing of Power. But though he wasproud, Saruman knew his ring wasbut a trinket compared to the Onehe sought.

Thoden succeeded Thengelas king, and though he was a val-iant soldier in his youth, as he grew

older, he fell under the spell of GrmaWormtongue. The lords of Rohansuspected the wizardry of Sarumanwas responsible, but Grma was cun-ning, and no blame stuck to him. Hecould not, however, master the inso-lence of the Horse-lords. In the yearbefore the War of the Ring, Thodredson of Thoden came to Isengard asan ambassador from his father, andonce again Saruman extended theWhite Hand in friendship. He pre-

sented a kingly gift for Thoden, anancient shield of the North that hadonce been scorched by dragon fire.Is it not fortunate that no worm hascome from the North since the timeof Helgrdhr? Saruman asked.

Art thou certain of that?Thodred replied, and he departedwithout accepting the gift. From thattime onward, there was open warbetween Isengard and Rohan. GrmaWormtongue bent the will of thespell-enfeebled King Thoden, allbut delivering Rohan to Saruman. Intruth, only Thodred stood betweenSaruman and the complete domina-tion of Rohan, so Saruman markedhim for death in the first battle of the

Fords of Isen. When Thodred fell,Saruman forsook the mantle of theWhite Wizard, choosing instead thename Saruman of Many Colours.

DOWNFA LL

Elsewhere, much is writtenof Sarumans fallhow he openlydeclared himself to Gandalf, andimprisoned him on the summit of

Orthanc; how Gandalf escaped withthe help of the eagles; how Sarumanslust for the One Ring led to the break-ing of the Fellowship that protected it(and yet kept it out of Saurons grasp);how Gandalf the White overthrew

the spell of Grma Wormtongue, andfreed King Thoden from darkness;and how Sarumans hosts assailedthe great Rohirrim fortress of HelmsDeep and almost overcame it, but forthe valour of its defenders.

But in the end it was the Ents,angered by the destruction of theirforests at the hands of SarumansOrcs, who finally rose againstIsengard and overturned its power.The Ring of Isengard and its for-

tifications were torn down andflooded, so that only the towerremained. Then Gandalf andThoden rode to Isengard, and indesperation Saruman cajoled them,but neither were swayed. Thodenproclaimed that there would bepeace between Isengard and Rohanonly when Saruman hung from agibbet for the sport of his owncrows. Less proudly, Gandalfoffered Saruman one lastchance for

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redemption, but the Wizard angrilyscorned it, so Gandalf dismissedhim from the Order of Wizards,

and broke his staff.Escaping from Isengard after the

destruction of the One Ring, Sarumanand Grma fled to the Shire. So greatwas his fall, and so petty his wrath,that there Saruman plotted to avengethemselves on Gandalf s belovedHobbits. Even the Shire rose againsthim, though, and in the end a knifestroke from Grma Wormtongueended the great wizards life.

Then King Elessar came to

Isengard and scoured the tower, dis-covering many treasures that Sarumanhad stolen and acquired over the ages.He gave Isengard to the Ents, whoplanted a wood around Isengard towatch it. Thereafter, Isengard becamefairer than it had ever been, a spikeof jet-black set in rich green, a placewhere eagles nested on the parapetsand watched as the younger races tookcontrol of the world.

LI F E I NI S E N G A R D

[W]hat he made was naught, only a lit-tle copy, a childs model or a slaves flat-tery . . . the Dark Tower . . . suffered no

rival, and laughed at flattery. . . . The Two Towers

Isengard at the very end of the ThirdAge is a very different place than

it had been during most of its his-tory. Before 3018, the vast major-ity of the inhabitants of the towerwere humans, either Dunlendings orhalf-Dunlending healfblod, and thosefew Orcs in Isengard lived under-ground, connected via tunnels to avast network of Orc-holes beneathMethedras. The majority of Orcsto be found in Isengard were eithersnaga slaves who operated Sarumans

engines, or Uruk-hai used as breedingstock for Sarumans Half-orcs. Mostof Sarumans human servants didntunderstand the full extent of theirmasters designs, and believed onlythat the great Wizard had enslaved

a few Orcs to perform his most dan-gerous labours (a practise which theDunlendings themselves had done onnumerous occasions). This allowedSaruman to maintain the deceptionthat he was still a friend to Men(though he was far more concernedabout the Councils reaction to hisOrcs than the Rohirrims). Orc-traf-fic greatly increased throughout theregion after 3010, but this was blamedon the Orcs of Sauron, an excuse that

seemed quite plausible at the time,and the White Hand was not openlydisplayed on Orc-banners until justbefore the first battle of the Fords ofthe Isen in 3018.

Long before Saruman openlydeclared himself, however, Isengardwas on a war footing. Large sup-plies of grain were purchased fromfarming villages on the outskirts ofIsengard. To facilitate this, Sarumanemployed an extremely clever pieceof deceptionhe prophesied mas-

sive starvation due to Orc-raids and

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famine unless the Rohirrim madepreparations. Even those who mis-trusted him, respected him as amagician and seer. Saruman evenoffered to use his wizardly arts topreserve more grain in case of fam-

inean offer the Rohirrim did notrefuse, and which greatly increasedthe storehouses of Orthanc.

Saruman took care to shield themost productive villages from Orc-raids until 3016, by which time hisstorehouses were nearly full. Largequantities of grain, wine, and driedmeats were imported from Dunland,Tharbad, the farming villages of cen-tral Eriador, and even from the Shire(though when Saruman learned of

the appetites of Hobbits, he mar-velled that the land was not in a per-petual famine). Also, at least some ofthe losses suffered by horse herds inthe Eastmark, which were attributedto incursions by Mordor-Orcs, wereactually caused by the perpetual hun-ger of Sarumans Orcs and Wargs forthe taste of horseflesh.

Life in the region prior to theWar of the Ring was harsh andanxious. Areas that had not fallenunder Sarumans direct control were

so heavily influenced by his agentsthat it was hard to tell the differ-ence. Conflict between the Rohirrimand the Dunlendings who workedat Isengard was frequent and oftenbloody, and even when Isengard wasquiet, Orc-raids, originating eitherin Mordor or the Misty Mountains(the latter of which secretly servedSaruman), could happen at any time,during any season. Wargs roamed theplains in winter, feasting on horses,

livestock, and (when folk were care-less) children.The wisest folk of the villages

near Nan Curunr had mistrustedSaruman since the reign of Thengel,and that mistrust turned into suspi-cion by 3010. Sarumans deceptionwas so cleverly engineered, however,that no one knew the full extent of hisdesigns until shortly before the FirstBattle of the Isen.

Player characters from the WizardsVale would most likely come fromoutlying villages. They would prob-ably be frustrated by the increasedinfluence of foreigners on the localtownships, be fearful of Orc raids,

and feel abandoned by Edoras (sinceKing Thoden, under Wormtonguesspell, provides little support forthe Rohirrim). Such PCs could beasked to spy on Isengard, investi-gate the disappearance of horses, bat-tle Orc-raiders, hunt roaming packsof Wargs, oppose Dunlendings andhalf-Dunlendings who have insertedthemselves into positions of power,and protect the weak and oppressedduring a time when such folk rarely

received such protection. omer isMarshal of the Eastmark at this time,and as he harbours suspicions aboutSaruman (as did his cousin, PrinceThodred), he could be a primarypatron of such activities.

Player characters of a more mer-cantile bent could establish tradebetween Isengard and their homecommunity, and perhaps stumbleupon the trade networks connectingIsengard and the North. In fact, thiscould connect PCs from Rohan with

Hobbits from the Shire, or with otherPCs hailing from northern regions.

LIF E I N ORTHA NC

In TA 3018, Orthanc is a most-ly empty place, a tower of desertedchambers and shuttered windows.Saruman has come to greatly despiseintrusions, interruptions, or anythingthat might challenge his absolute

authority over this domain. Withinthe tower, most labours involve cart-ing and cataloguing the supply trainsthat continuously pour into Isengardfrom lands both near and foreign.

Servants from underground (par-ticularly Orcs) are only permittedto enter on urgent business, thoughSarumans favouritesthe membersof his Inner Circle, enumerated onpages 768are allowed free run of

Isengard excepting the High Level,Secret Level, and Star Chamber ofOrthanc.

When Saruman acceptsorpressessomeone into his service andstations him in the tower, he is seldom

permitted to leave for fear of betrayal.The servants of Isengard have lit-tle purpose but to serve Saruman;in what little spare time is permit-ted, rivalry flourishes, and games ofthe pettiest sort are played. Morethan a few servants have accidentallyfallen from high tower windows, andfew people are important enough forSaruman to be concerned over theirfate.

Saruman has a strict code of con-

duct for all his servants, includingthe commanders of his armies andeven the members of his Inner Circle.No one may enter his presence, savemessengers in the uttermost need,in a dishevelled state. No one mayspeak in his presence unless directlyaddressed, nor look him directly inthe face when doing so. Raising onesvoice in Sarumans presence is alsoforbidden, so most conversations arespoken in whispers, even when heis not physically present. The pun-

ishment for incurring the wrath ofSaruman is severe, and as the Warof the Ring approaches, he rarelyrestrains his temper.

Merriment is discouraged inIsengard, for Saruman has come tosee music and art as frivolous pur-suits, diversions from the road topower. Those who use strong drinkdo so in secret, or are given it onoccasions when Saruman feels it nec-essary to reward his followers for

service. Since TA 3010 (the first yearthat Sarumans trade with the Shirearrived at Isengard), pipe-weed hasalso been given as a reward, thoughonly Sarumans favourites (usuallyspies coming in from abroad, or hisbodyguard of Uruk-hai) are permit-ted to smoke in Orthanc.

Invited guests to Isengardare treated well by Saruman, whoprides himself on setting a fine table.

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However, most visitors think it a dourand loveless place, whose sole virtueis its solitude. None are permitted toenter Isengardnot even Sarumansmost trusted spieswithout beingplaced under constant watch.

THE LANGUAGESOF ISENGARD

Within Isengard, the languagemost commonly spoken is Westron,at Sarumans insistence. Among theservants the most common languageis Dunlendish. Most Orcs and Half-orcs have been taught both the BlackSpeech and Westron. Most also know

the Isengard-dialect of Orc-speech.In the manner after the loremas-ters of old, Saruman once planned todevise a tongue of the White Handfor all his servants, which wouldhave been a degenerate version of theBlack Speech (if such a thing is possi-ble); but beyond a few watch-words,such a language was never codified orwidely used.

BELOW ISE NGA RD

If life within Isengard is tediousand treacherous, then life in the Orc-pits and furnaces below Isengard isbrutal and short. Beneath the ground,furnaces forge weapons of war for theOrc-armies being amassed to assaultRohan. These forges are extremelydangerous, and the snaga who workthem die on a daily basis, often killedon whim by bullying Uruk-hai orHalf-orcs.

The tunnels beneath Isengardconnect to a network of Orc-warrenslocated under Methedras, where themajority of the Orcs dwelled priorto 3018. These tunnels also providea convenient route for supplies to besecretly delivered into Isengard; muchwood from Fangorn Forest came intoIsengard by this route.

Saruman imported the largest andfiercest canines from the south and

ISENGARD

20

ISENGARD: THIRDAGE TIMELINE

c. 50 Gondor builds settlements in the Vale of Isen.

Orcs destroy the settlements of Isen. At the behest of

Prince Ciryanar, Gondor begins to construct a fortress

to defend the region. Angrenost, the fortress later known as Orthanc, is com-

pleted. Thinyarpher, son of Ciryanar, is named its first

steward.

A great siege of Easterlings is repulsed.

The Kinstrife. The last of the House of Ciryanar die

tragically.

1448 Ornacar is named Steward. Angrenost is reoccupied.

1450 Saruman is given the friendship of the tower and uses

the Palantr.

1636 The Great Plague. Isengard and the surrounding landsare devastated.

Battle of the Ring of Isen. Prince Ernur defends Isengard

from a great Orc army.

Battle of the field of Celebrant. Rohan is populated

by the Rohirrim, who do not get along well with the

Angrenostim.

c.2700 Dunlendings renew their attack on Isengard.

2710 Dunlendings occupy the Ring of Isengard and besiege

Orthanc.

2713 The last of the Angrenostim dies from starvation.Angrenost is empty but secured.

The Long Winter. Isengard is used as a base to invade

Rohan.

King Fralf defeats the Dunlendings. Gondor retakes

Isengard. Saruman is given the keys to the Tower.

Saruman begins to take Orcs into his service.

2941 Sauron is driven from Dol Guldur.

2948 Birth of Thoden.

Last meeting of the White Council. Saruman takes

Isengard and openly declares himself its lord.

c. 3000 Saruman uses the palantrand is ensnared by Sauron.c. 3010 Sarumans Orcs begin felling trees in Fangorn Forest.

3018 The War of the Ring begins.

3019 The Ents overrun Isengard; Gandalf overthrows

Saruman. Saruman and his servant Wormtongue even-

tually sneak out of the tower, and harrow the Shire

before they are slain.

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eastern parts of Middle-earth (theblack wolves of Rhn and the jack-als of the Harad lands) and inter-bred them with Wargs, hoping todevelop even more vicious breedsof Wargs. The worst of these Warg

mongrels could not be tamed for rid-ing; these Battle-wargs (see page 95)are sent ahead of the armies to ripapart advance scouts or endure archerfire, for they are bred to fight moreviciously when wounded, and will notfall until maimed or killed.

One of the favourite pastimesof those who live below Isengardis wagering on Warg-fights. SomeWargs are specially bred by the ken-nel masters to rip each other apart,

and they are placed in pits so Orcs

can wager on the outcome. The cru-elest game, however, is rip apart thesnaga,when a misbehaving snagaOrcis blindfolded and placed in a pitwith only a dagger to defend himselfagainst two hungry Wargs. The snaga

rarely survives.The worst practice of the Orcs

beneath Isengard and Methedras isworship of the White Hand. Whenthey take prisoners (usually Rohirrim)they cut off their hands, paint themwhite, and place them on pointedsticks. Then, when the moon (whichthe Uruk-hai associate with Saruman)shines directly over the sacrificialpit, they display the severed handsto the captives and burn them alive.

Food offerings and treasures are oftenoffered to the severed hands, whichare then taken with great ceremony tothe spawning tunnels and presentedto the breeding pit tenders, who use

them as one component of the vilestew in which Uruks are quickened.

Even Saruman finds this prac-tice distasteful, but he allows it

because it venerates him andencourages loyalty among hisOrcs. The Half-orcs andUruk-hai who serve him are

forbidden to participate inthese practices, for theyare expected to be loyalto Saruman himself andnot to crude tribal rep-resentations of him.

Saruman rarely visits the under-works of Isengard except to monitorthe production of weapons, and over-see his cherished breeding programs.He certainly never associates withOrcs, which he regards as beneath

even the race of Men. The forges ofIsengard, however, Saruman viewswith a special pride, and his servantsdevote an extraordinary amount oftime and effort to ensure they areproperly maintained.

Above all else, Isengard in TA3018 is a place of war. The Hostof Isengard constantly trains atarms under the command of Mg,Isengards General of Arms. Orc-bands continuously parade through

the tunnels between Isengard andMethedras, developing battle skillsand endurance. The best Half-orcshave been taught captains skills, andpour over records of ancient battles tolearn strategy and tactics.

When Saruman addresses hisOrcs, he cultivates a hatred of theRohirrim, drawing on their ancientloathing of Elves and Dwarves. Healso does his best to encourage rivalrywith the Mordor-orcs of the LidlessEye, whose soldiers (the Isengard-

orcs constantly told) are far inferiorto those of the White Hand. Thisprejudice, zealously encouraged bySaruman, would later come back tohaunt the wizard.

Life beneath Isengard at the endof the Third Age is as barbaric as inany place in Middle-earth. Sarumanhas come to consider himself as amore enlightened version of Sauron,but beneath Isengard one can findthe truththe White Hand is but a

mockery of the Eye, and Isengard, farfrom being the bastion of progressits master envisioned, is (like the

Barad-dr) a citadel of tyranny,torture, and barbarism.

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But Isengard is a circle of sheer rocksthat enclose a valley as with a wall,

and in the midst of that valley is atower of stone called Orthanc. Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring

Chapter Two

THEFORTRESSOFIRON

22

As noted in the Introduction,the descriptions that follow concen-trate on defining Isengard just beforeSaruman imprisons Gandalf. Othertime periods are also discussed inthe pages that follow, but where noadditional qualification is given, the

descriptions pertain to TA 3018.From the information presentedin the previous chapter, as well asfrom what is said of Sarumans plansand followers in Chapter Four, theNarrator can easily extrapolate infor-mation about other periods.

sengard is unique, defying simple labels just as its masters robesdefy colour. One thing, however, is certain of Isengardit is nota place to be ignored, or slighted, or approached idly. Isengard iscomposed of four areas. First is Orthanc, the tall black spire that is

the geographical and practical heart of the Wizards Vale. Secondis the Ring of Isengard, the circular wall that protects the tower. Most of theMen who dwell within Isengardsoldier, servant, and slave alikelive inthe chambers riddling the stone of the ring-wall. Third is the circular plainbounded by the Ring, often referred to as Isengards basin. Under Sarumansstewardship this area is divided into eight areas by pathways radiating fromOrthanc like the spokes of a wheel. Finally, the fourth area of Isengard is hid-den from view. This is the underground region, comprising the caverns andpassages infested by Sarumans host of Orc-spawn.

I

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O R T H A N C

A peak and isle of rock it was, blackand gleaming hard; four mighty piersof many-sided stone were wielded

into one . The Two Towers

In the Sindarin tongue Orthancmeans Forked Height, and so does

the tower appear. In the language ofthe Rohirrim the same word meansThe Cunning Mind, a name wellsuited to both those who crafted it

and the Wizard who now occupiesit. The tower of Orthanc stands atthe very centre of Isengard both liter-ally and figuratively, dominating thelandscape with austere majesty. It isfrom this imposing structure thatSaruman rules over Isengard and theWizards Vale.

Orthanc is fashioned from blackstone that glistens in the light, almostas metal highly polished. The towercomprises four giant spires joinedtogether into a single edifice. At

their tops the spires curl away from

each other, creating an open spacebetween them. Many have thoughtthis crown resembles a four-fingeredclaw, reaching toward the sky as ifthe sun itself could be plucked fromthe heavens.

GE N E R A L FEATURESA N D AP P E A R A N C E

It was not made by Saruman, but by themen of Nmenor long ago; and it is verytall and has many secrets; yet it looks not

to be a work of craft.

Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring

Curugond of Lamedon, the MasterBuilder of Angrenost, was a superbcraftsman. Part of his gift lay in hisappreciation of nature and his abil-ity to enhance natural gifts withoutdestroying them. In the four greatslabs that became Orthanc he saw thestark dignity of stone and was loath totame the natural contours and exist-ing hollows of the rock. Thus, the

exterior of Orthanc is bare of decora-

tion save only the front doors, theirarchway, the various windows andsills, and the black iron rails guardingthe balconies.

Curugond also desired for thosewho entered the tower to feel as if

they had stepped into a natural edi-fice, one shaped more by wind andrain than hammer and pick. Thus,Orthancs floor plan is neither orderlynor regular, as most fortresses are. Itswalls slope with natural imperfection.Its staircases cut at strange anglesas often as they run straight, andsteps connect chambers whose floorscould not easily be made level withone another. The ceilings were carvedwith even less refinement, and in

many rooms great natural arches sup-plant columns and beams, and occa-sionally protrusions make it appearas if the ceiling were dripping blackliquid toward the floor.

As a rule, Orthancs permanentinterior fixtures are functional rath-er than ornamental. The black irondoors and rails within the tower aresimple and elegant, with lines cleanand unadorned. While many doorsare oddly shaped to match the con-tours of the rock, they are otherwise

utilitarian. In addition to doors (or

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The Fortress of Iron

sometimes in their place), some por-tals in Orthanc have iron grilles madeof vertical bars ending at the top andbottom in sharp points. In fact, theonly elaborate ornamentation withinthe tower are the sigils carved into

the floors of some of the towersrooms. All predate Sarumans tenure,created by craftsmen in Curugondsemploy. These sigils strengthen bymagic the structure of Orthanc andkeep the tower from harm; even theEnts, who eventually reduced thering-wall to rubble, proved unable tobreak the towers stone. How thesesigils work their magic is a mysteryeven to Saruman, but he sees no rea-son to conduct an exhaustive inves-

tigation while pressed with moreurgent matters.While they dwelt at Angrenost,

the Men of Gondor lined many of itswalls with tapestries, their rich weaveproviding sharp contrast to the darkwalls. The Dunlendings preferredfurs, but the notion was much thesame. Saruman, however, enjoys theunflinching strength of the stone andhas removed all hangings except thosein the private quarters of his servantsand followers.

Many of the rooms in Orthancwere formed from natural hollows inthe rock, but most abscesses werentlarge enough to be fashioned intorooms of their own. These smallernatural hollows, where they wereadjacent to planned or discoveredrooms, were left as nooks instead.With carefully fitted doors of thesame black rock as the tower itselfand swinging on black iron (andsometimes ingeniously concealed)

hinges, most nooks are difficult tospot and some are virtually invisibleto the casual observer. Indeed, somehave lain undiscovered for centuries.The difficulty of discovering hiddennooks with Observe or Search, testsranges from TN 5 to TN 20.

Even the largest nooks would onlyaccommodate the smallest Hobbitsand far from comfortablyso nooksare used for storage. The Men of

Gondor stored food, clothes, bedding,personal items, and even weapons.Although the Dunlendings discov-ered some of the nooks, they gen-erally did not store their belongingbehind the black stone for supersti-

tious fear the tower would consumethem. Saruman largely ignores thenooks, having not only the wholetower but also the vast undergroundto store things.

The stone of Orthanc is black asnight, andas might be assumedthe interior of the tower is also, savein rooms with windows or where thetowers occupants kindle fire in lan-terns, or bring torches with them.

Most windows on the lower lev-

els are small, while the upper levelshave larger windows, since they aresafely beyond bowshot. Regardlessof height, lattices of black iron pro-tect all of Orthancs windows. Thewindows in some rooms, such as theLords Study, also have thin hides ofoiled leather stretched across them.These admit light while frustratingprying eyes.

Lanterns are more common thantorches in Orthanc, as they producemore light, burn longer, and do not

present the danger of open flame. Insome rooms, lanterns are carved fromthe rock of the walls, but in mostplaces they are wrought of black ironand hung from long poles set in heavyfloor stands. Some are also wedgedinto crevices and alcoves in the walls.Saruman has commanded that hisservants keep some of the lanternswithin Orthanc, such as those in theFoyer of Orthanc, lit at all hours ofthe day and night. In other areas, they

are only lit when needed.Orthanc is unusual among for-tresses in that, among all its cham-bers, only its kitchens have a fireplaceor hearth of any kind. Even so, itis rarely cold within the tower: thewalls and floors themselves radiatedull warmth as if they stood above agreat fire, and no chill can penetratethe thick walls.

Fresh air is a rare commoditywithin Orthanc, for even rooms withwindows always bear a faint odour ofsmoke and ash and something akinto rotten egg. The air leaves grit uponthe tongue and in the nostrils. The

dust that settles on floors and fur-niture within Orthanc is strange aswell, more black than grey, like darkash. In fact, staying within Orthancfor more than a week can produce apersistent cough, despite the warmthof the place, and an itching sensa-tion in eyes, nose, and mouth. Thoseamong the Free Peoples (includingthe Hill-men but none of the vari-ous Orc-spawn of Saruman) whodwell within Orthanc for a week,

must make a TN 10 Stamina testto resist the cough. A new test mustbe made each week, and the TNincreases by 1 for every week pastthe first. This malady brings withit a 2 to all Social skill tests. It canonly be healed in those who leave thetower, and doing so requires a TN15 Healing test. Those not under thecare of one skilled in leechcraft canmake a Stamina test once per week,beginning at TN 15, but reducing by1 each week until the test is passed.

Most permanent residents ofOrthanc have become used to liv-ing in this diminished state. Thosewho leave the tower permanently,however, to serve in the ring-wall orelsewhere in the Wizards Vale, arepleasantly surprised by the healththat returns to their lungs. Sarumaneither does not notice the foul air ordoes not care. It seems not to affecthim as it does others.

It is unknown whether Orthancs

poor ventilation and unhealthyvapours have persisted since the towerwas createda feature of the strangeblack rock, perhapsor whether thisstate only descended when Sarumansstewardship began. Such academ-ic questions are of little interest toOrthancs residents, in any case.

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THE EN T R A N C E

Up to the threshold of the door theremounted a flight of twenty-seven broad

stairs . . . of the same black stone. Thiswas the only entrance to the tower. . . . The Two Towers

Orthancs entrance stands at thejuncture of two of its piers, facing dueeast. The entrance is not at groundlevel but at the stop of twenty-sevenbroad stairs made of the same blackrock as the tower itself. The massivearched doors are twice the height of a

Man, and made not of stone but blackiron. They are cunningly built, andmove easily on their hinges so thateven a child can push them open witha touch. On their interior the doorssupport three mighty bars of iron, oneeach at top, centre, and bottom. Thesecan be thrust across when the doorsare shut, barring all from entry.

Once these doors bore upon themthe flowering tree and seven stars ofGondor, but the Dunlendings defacedthat image when they claimed Orthanc

for themselves. After Sarumancame to dwell here the doors werereworked with his symbol, an openhand upright with palm forward. Thehand itself was wrought in silver so

that it gleamed white against the darkmetal and stone.

The only entrance to Orthanc,other than this main entrance, isthrough caverns beneath the ground,at the Long Stairs Foot (see Access

on page 47).

THE LE VE LS OFORTHA NC

Orthanc stands five hundred feetfrom base to crown, yet within itsthick walls only five levels exist. Thisrelative dearth of chambers wouldcome as a surprise to some, as manyvisitors judge the height of the tower,

the height of a Man, and assumedozens of levels and hundreds ofroom must lie within. In fact, how-ever, Orthancs levels do not standone immediately atop the other, norare they sized from floor to ceiling asnormal dwellings are. Scores of feetlie between one level and the next,and many rooms have ceilings forty ormore feet above their floors. Further,none of the habitable levels occupythe entirety of Orthancs footprint;dozens of feet of solid rock often

separate rooms, even on the samelevel. These architectural featurescombine with the dark stone, twistingstairs, and uneven halls, to distort allsense of distance and height with-

in the tower. Those unfamiliar withthe strongholds layout, must makeTN 10 Wits tests when navigatingwithin it to avoid becoming lost, or tofind their way back even to chamberswhere they have already been.

Each of Orthancs five levels has acommon name used by the residentsof the tower. The lowest floor is theGround Level, and while it lies at thelevel of the surrounding basin, thisis actually one floor below the levelupon which the main entrance opens.Rather, the main door of Orthancleads to the Foyer of Orthanc onthe Entry Level. Immediately abovethe Entry Level lies the Lords Level,where the Great Hall, Dining Hall,

and lords administrative chambers

THE KEYOFORTHANC

Control of Orthanc has

been symbolically trans-

ferred through the ages by

the presentation of the Key

of Orthanc, an intricately

shaped key nearly twelve

inches long, and made of the

same black rock as the toweritself. By virtue of possess-

ing the Key, the Master of

the Tower can more read-

ily command those who

have pledged themselves to

Isengards service. Similar to

the effects of a legendary

weapon (see page 90 of

Fell Beasts and Wondrous

Magic), the Key of Orthanc

grants a +2 bonus to Inspire

or Intimidate tests against

those who recognise the

Key, and fall under the right-

ful authority of its master.

In addition to its symbolic

value, the Key of Orthanc

opens many of the secret

recesses of the tower. In the

late Third Age, Saruman pos-

sesses the Key of Orthanc.

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are arranged. Above this, the LivingLevel contains quarters of some ofSarumans most favoured servants, aswell as Orthancs Council Chamber,now largely unused. Above the LivingLevel is the High Level, where lie

Sarumans own quarters and a mazeof twisting tunnels that lead tothe chamber where the palantr ofOrthanc is secreted. The highest levelwithin the tower is the Secret Level,accessible only by the Long Stair, andknown to few within Isengard. TheSecret Level contains Sarumans pri-vate workshop, library, and treasury.

THE GROUND LEVEL

The Ground Level of Orthancstands below the level of the mainentrance and has no windows. Indeed,many who enter the tower believe themain entrance opens upon the lowestfloor and that all below is foundationof solid rock.

Storerooms

Two storerooms, referred to as theNorth Storeroom and East Storeroomby those who must differentiate, are

the chief chambers of the GroundLevel. A narrow stair descends to theNorth Storeroom from the kitch-ens, above. Dark and gloomy, thestorerooms typically remain unlit,and as they have no windows, serv-ants descending must carry torches orlanterns. Pillars connect ceiling andfloor at semi-regular intervals, form-ing natural divisions for the storage ofvarious types of items.

The stores kept here are primarily

consumable: wine, beer, ale, and otherliquids in bottles and kegs line the EastStoreroom, while dry stores includingsalted meat, flour, grain, dried fruit,and the like are kept in the NorthStoreroom. Although those who serveSaruman and oversee these stores aredirected to keep careful inventories ofthese rooms, their very age means thatmany forgotten items lurk within thestorerooms stockpiles.

Chamber of Chains

The Chamber of Chains is one ofthe great secrets of Orthanc. It standsat the exact centre of the tower, andis perfectly circular in shape. A singledoor allows access, but from the out-

side, the door so perfectly resemblesthe unfinished stone of the NorthStoreroom, that only its keyhole is vis-ible. The Key of Orthanc is required toopen this door, but once unlocked, itswings inward at the slightest touch.

Inside, the smooth, dark walls riseto meet the domed ceiling at a heightof 20 feet. The walls are pierced in16 places, and through these holesrun the chains linking the pillarsalong the eight paths that run from

the ring-wall to the tower (see ThePaths on page 44). Each chains endis wrapped around a great iron wheelwith a crank of black iron that isfitted with a lock only the Key ofOrthanc will open.

The wheels are arranged so asingle individual may stand in theirmidst with the wheels surroundinghim on every side. When the cranksare unlocked, the chains can be tight-ened or loosened at will. If drawn tautand reeled in further, the chains will

pull the pillars from their foundationsand cause them to crash down on thepaths, blocking approach along thoseroutes and injuring anyone standingthereon. Anyone caught on a pathwhen its pillars are collapsed mustmake a TN 10 Swiftness test to avoidbeing hit by chain or pillar for 2d6+3points of damage.

THEENTRYLEVEL

The Entry Level is the one uponwhich the great doors of Orthancopen, and is one of the most activelevels of the tower.

Foyer of Orthanc

The great doors of Orthanc openupon this diamond-shaped hall. Itsceiling rises twenty feet, capped withgraceful arches and a smooth, pol-

THE LON GSTAIR

Not part of any single

level of Orthanc, the LongStair is a single passage that

spans them all. A secret

from all but Sarumans inner

circle of masters, this long

flight is in most places a nar-

row, spiralling iron staircase

bolted to the walls of a natu-

ral fissure that runs most of

the height of the south-east

pillar. At other times, how-

ever, it runs (more or less)

straight to follow the fissurebefore resuming its spiral.

In some places the stairs

fixtures are loose, and the

steps sway alarmingly when

trod upon. Because the

stairway does not fill the

irregularly shaped fissure at

many points along its reach,

it would be possible for a

careless traveller to misstep

and fall past several twists

and switchbacks before

either striking jagged rock,or landing elsewhere on the

iron stair. Those who ascend

quickly must make TN 5

Nimbleness tests, or fall 1d6

x 5 yards, suffering damage

corresponding to the dis-

tance fallen.

The Long Stair penetrates

to Orthancs underground

and ends (or so Saruman

believes; see page 55) in

a chamber known as the

Long Stairs Foot. Within

Orthanc, the Long Stair can

be accessed only from the

library on the Lords Level,

and through the twisting cor-

ridors of the Secret Level.

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ished vault. Directly across from theimposing doors, a massive, grandstaircase sweeps up to the Great Hallon the Lords Level. Two lanterns arekept ever-burning at the base of thestair, one to either side. To the left of

the staircase stands a single iron door,leading into the kitchens.

Kitchens

Behind the foyer and grand stair-case, lie Orthancs kitchens. Theyare not large, as some might sup-pose, for the tower has never hostedmany. A narrow stair in the backcorner descends into the groundlevel storerooms, though the servants

more commonly bring fresh foodfrom the ring-wall each day. A secondstair, equally narrow, leads up to theDining Hall.

Orthancs kitchens are arrangedin normal fashion, with great hearthsfor cooking, large basins for cleaning,and wide tables for food preparation.The smoke of the hearths is carriedaway through fissures in the rock,and disperses in thin plumes outsidethe tower. Shelves and cabinets linethe walls and store ample bowls,

plates, platters, mugs, and utensils.Pots, pans, and jugs hang from ironhooks above the hearth and thepreparation tables. The nooks ofthis room overflow with foodstuffs,spices, and other ingredients, theirdoors sometimes propped open orcompletely removed.

Wine Cellar

The floor of this small chamber

is a foot higher than the floor of thekitchens. Upon, opening the doorone must step up, ducking to avoidthe top of the doorframe. The cel-lar is long and narrow, its far walllined with wooden racks upon whichrest bottles, jugs, and small casks.These hold wine for the lord of thetower and his guests, and the stock isreplenished from both the ring-walland the Ground Level storerooms.

Well

More an alcove off the kitchensthan a room of its own, this wellsupplies fresh water from one of theunderground streams that runs fromthe Crescent Lake. A simple rope-

and-bucket hangs on a wall hook.It is a simple matterthough not aglorious oneto lower the bucket tobring up water. A trough next to thewell is used to store several bucket-fuls at once so the bucket need not bethrown down each time a small bit ofwater is needed.

Servants Quarters

Small doors line the hallway lead-

ing to the kitchens, and these open onsmall chambers for the servants of thetower (see Dunlending Servants onpage 83), and one larger room whereGlwa, Sarumans Doorwarden andSteward (see page 76), sleeps. Eachroom contains a bed or cot, one ormore chests, and perhaps a chair.Hooks and nooks along the wallshold clothes and shelves, provideadditional storage as needed.

THELOR D S LEVELWhile the Lords Level containsneither the quarters of the Lord ofOrthanc, nor his most private sanc-tum, it is called such because it is wherethe Master of the Tower receives thosewho visit, andin times past, any-wayit was where he carried out theadministrative work of the fortress.

Great Hall

By far the grandest room inOrthanc, the Great Hall was designedas the place where its lord mighthear both news from retainers, andentreaties from his subjects. SinceSarumans tenure, the Great Hall hasbecome even more clearly a throneroom, where warriors and workersalike pay homage to their ruler.

As one ascends the great stair-case from the Foyer of Orthanc, light

streams from a great skylight shaftopposite the stairs, above the steppedalcove where the iron throne sits. Formost of the late afternoon and earlyevening, it is almost impossible forone facing the throne to see its occu-

pant, for the sunlight that shines fromabove him.

The floor in the Great Hall isetched with strange glyphs and sym-bols. Lines bisect them in an intri-cate pattern, but it is unclear whetherSaruman traced the lines, or whetherthe original builders engraved them.The walls throughout the room aremeticulously polished, a task to whichmany of the towers servants dedicatemuch time. The ceiling of the Great

Hall rises some eighty feet above thefloor. A series of vaults adorn the lowerportion of this height, but above thema maelstrom of arches, spires, cracks,and spikes fill the twisted and strange-ly beautiful space. Although servantsascend to dust them from time totime, they are otherwise unused forany purpose. Even so, many of thespaces in the high ceiling could easilyhide even a full-grown Man in easyearshot of all below.

The Great Hall has no furnish-

ings save the throne, and a great ironchandelier in the centre of the room.The throne, made of wrought iron, isquite uncomfortable, and Sarumanwill allow not even the smallest cush-ion to detract from its stern facade.The rock above the throne has beencarved to resemble a great canopy.The chandelier, also of wrought iron,was cast to resemble the shape ofOrthancs spire, blossoming into fourhorns that sprout thick candles.

Four doorwaystwo framing sin-gle and two framing double doorslead off the hall. The double doors tothe north open on the Dining Hall,and are usually left open. Those tothe south provide access to the lordsinner chambers, and are usually shutand locked, even though Sarumantypically uses chambers higher in thetower for his most secretive endeav-ours. Two doors in the east wallone

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The Fortressof Iron

on either side of the grand staircaselead to the balcony over Orthancsentrance, and to stairs that ascend tothe Living Level. These are usuallyclosed but unlocked.

Dining Hall

The Dining Hall is a long roomwith a platform at one end raisedtwo steps above the main floor. Thehigh table stands upon this platform,providing space enough for five inhigh-backed wooden chairs to dinewith their backs to the wall. Beforethe platform stand four longer tableswhose heavy tabletops are made of

the towers black stone, supported bytrestles of iron. Each tables benchesare made wholly of stone.

When Men of Gondor ruled here,the lord and his retinue took theirmeals in this hall. The same wastrue for the Dunlendings. Saruman,however, rarely uses the Dining Hall,preferring food be brought to him ina place more suited to studies or otherpursuits. Sarumans inner circle some-

times use the hall to impress or intim-idate subordinates, especially whenthese inferiors are ring-wall dwellersunused to being in Orthanc.

In addition to the ornate doors

that open on the Great Hall, a smalldoor behind the high tables platformleads down a narrow flight of stairsto the kitchens, so food can be deliv-ered directly.

Lords Study

The Lords Study is a small room,roughly circular in shape, and sur-prisingly cosy for a chamber of darkstone. This is due to the furnishings:

a heavy desk of wood stands againstone wall, its warm golden-brown huesornamented with carved knotwork.A similarly decorated table standsnearby, though its surface is hiddenbeneath scrolls, tomes, unboundleaves, and letters. A large chair, itsthick cushions green as new grass andstuffed with down, sits between deskand table so Saruman might reacheither easily. Behind the table stands

a small bookshelf containing adminis-trative journals and a few other booksSaruman frequently consults.

The ceiling is lowa mere tenfeetand has rounded corners rather

than squared. This increases the senseof security and comfort. The Menof Gondor covered the ceiling withbeaten and polished gold, which wasrestored at Sarumans command, sothat this room alone in Orthanc hasa roof of sunlight, for the smallestcandle creates a powerful reflectionfrom above.

Although this chamber is strictlyoff-limits, Saruman keeps only themost trivial administrative records in

this room. Even so, he spends muchtime in this chamber in thought andmeditation, considering the eventsof the world, the deeds of the FreePeoples, and the machinations ofSauron. He prefers this chamber forsuch because it is closeted from imme-diate distractions, yet near enough theGreat Hall that he may appear theinstant a messenger or sentry arriveswith tidings.

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Library

The Men of Gondor placed asmuch stock in knowledge as they didin warfare, and so collected manybooks and scrolls. Most of their keepsand castles had libraries, and Orthanc

was no exception.The walls of the library of the

Lords Level (Saruman also keeps aprivate library on the Secret Level)bear great shelves that reach the fif-teen-foot ceilings, some as deep asthree feet, carved from the living rockof the tower. Ladders allow schol-ars to reach the highest tomes. Therooms temperature is comfortable:warm enough to keep bindings fromcracking, but cool enough that ink

does not fade too quickly.Several large, free-standing podi-ums of stone and iron stand in acircle at the centre of the room. Afew stuffed chairs have been shovedagainst the wall; Saruman reads whilestanding, and usually leaves the tomeshe has most recently consulted uponthe book-stands.

When the Men of Gondor quitOrthanc, they took some of theirbooks, but left many behind. TheDunlendings destroyed much of

what they left, but Saruman hasaccumulated a great deal of recorded

knowledge since his arrival. The textshere at the end of the Third Age areof a general nature, including muchof Middle-earths history and geogra-phy as well as much information onthe various crafts of Men. For those

seeking specific knowledge, this roomcounts as a large, well-organisedlibrary. (See Answering Questions inLibraries on page 79 of Paths of theWise.) Nothing regarding wizardryor enchantments is kept here, how-ever. Such knowledge is secreted inthe towers higher levels.

Because learning is a powerfulthing, any of Sarumans vassals whowish to consult the works in this roommust receive his explicit permission.

Even when his leave is granted, theselucky few are observed in their stud-ies by one of Sarumans henchman ofappropriate rank and skill. AlthoughSaruman once allowed the Wise andtheir allies to study here free of super-vision, by the end of the Third Agesuch permission is unheard-of.

Though it contains much lost lore,this rooms greatest secret may bethe cunningly hidden secret passageto the Long Stair, accessed by liftinga portion of one shelf that appears

burdened by heavy tomes. The tomescan be removed and consulted with-

out the shelf s secret being guessed.Finding the passages trigger by acci-dent is impossible; even one whoknows the trigger lies somewhere inthe room must make a TN 25 Searchtest to discover it.

Balcony

Past a narrow passageway off theGreat Hall lies a set of doors con-sisting of an iron latticework withthin leather stretched across it. Thelight from beyond shines throughthe leather, giving the far end of theotherwise pitch-dark tunnel a warmgolden glow. The doors open ontothe balcony above Orthancs main

entrance. The balcony itself is organi-cally composed of the same stone asthe rest of the tower, and a waist-highiron railing skirts its edge. From here,Saruman or another of his follow-ers may address visitors to Orthancbefore they ascend its 27 steps.

THE LIVINGLEVEL

This level sits a good deal abovethe Lords Level, being reached bya wide staircase that switches back

upon itself many times before ascend-ing to this height. The Living Level

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contains quarters that have servedalternately to house members of thelords household, his personal retain-ers, his bodyguard, members of hisextended family, visiting dignitaries,andin the latter days of Sarumans

reignvirtually no one.

Foyer

This room was once particularlyornate, serving as a focal point forthis levels activities. Although wood-en chairs still line it and sconces andlanterns of iron adorn its walls, it isla

dphr lotr isengard

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