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Character Bios

Sauron

Meaning: The Abhorred

Other Names: Annatar, The Enemy, The Necromancer, Gorthauer, The Dark Lord, The Sorcerer of Dol Guldur, The Lord of the Rings, The Great Eye, The Red Eye, The Lidless Eye, The Black Hand

Race/Species: Ainur

Type/Kind: Maia

Title(s): Lord of Mordor

Dates: Beginning of Time - III March 25 3019

Parents: Created by Ilúvatar

Description:

Among those of his servants that have names the greatest was that spirit whom the Eldar called Sauron, or Gorthaur the Cruel. In his beginning he was of the Maiar of Aulë, and he remained mighty in the lore of that people. In all the deeds of Melkor the Morgoth upon Arda, in his vast works and in the deceits of his cunning, Sauron had a part, and was only less evil than his master in that for long he served another and not himself. But in after years he rose like a shadow of Morgoth and a ghost of his malice, and walked behind him on the same ruinous path down into the Void.

The Silmarillion, Valaquenta

When Thangorodrim was broken and Morgoth overthrown, Sauron put on his fair hue again and did obeisance to Eönwë, the herald of Manwë, and abjured all his evil deeds. And some hold that this as not at first falsely done, but that Sauron in truth repented, if only out of fear, being dismayed by the fall of Morgoth and the great wrath of the Lords of the West. But it was not within the power of Eönwë to pardon those of his own order, and he commanded Sauron to return to Aman and there receive the judgement of Manwë. Then Sauron was ashamed, and he was unwilling to return in humiliation and to receive from the Valar a sentence, it might be, of long servitude in proof of his good faith...

The Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age

But Sauron was not of mortal flesh, and though he was robbed now of that shape in which he had wrought so great an evil, so that he could never again appear fair to the eyes of Men, yet his spirit arose out of the deep and passed as a shadow and a black wind over the sea, and came back to Middle-earth and to Mordor that was his home. There he took up again his great Ring in Barad-dûr, and dwelt there, dark and silent, until he wrought himself a new guise, an image of malice and hatred made visible; and the Eye of Sauron the Terrible few could endure.

The Silmarillion, Akallabêth

So Sméagol is very afraid. ... And he promised ... to save the Precious. But master is going to take it to Him, straight to the Black Hand, if master will go this way.'

The Two Towers, LoTR Book 4, Ch 3, The Black Gate Is Closed

'It was Isildur who cut off the finger of the Enemy.' 'Yes, He has only four on the Black Hand, but they are enough,' said Gollum shuddering.

The Two Towers, LoTR Book 4, Ch 3, The Black Gate Is Closed

Contributors:
Lyllyn 1.12.03
added quotes: Elena Tiriel 25Aug04, 12Mar06

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