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The Witch-King of Angmar
Sorcerer, Ringwraith, Lord of the Nazgul. The most dreaded of the Dark Lord’s servants carries many titles and has held numerous strongholds of power. Once a Numenorean lord of Men the Lord of the Nazgul was among the Nine ensnared by the Nine Rings of Power, bestowing upon him unsurpassed power and immortality at the cost of his will and physical form. During the Third Age, the Lord of the Nazgul went into the far north of Eriador and established there the terrible realm of Angmar (where he obtained his title). From there, the Witch-king of Angmar attacked the fractured northern kingdom of Arnor and throughout the centuries that followed, succeeded in overwhelming Rhudaur, Cardolan and finally Arthedain. But with the destruction of Arnor and the capture of Fornost Erain, the end of Angmar followed shortly after when a combined force of Gondor, Lindon, the remnants of Arnor and Rivendell defeated the Witch-lord’s army. With his subjects vanquished and his duty fulfilled, the Witch-king vanished from the north and the realm of Angmar ceased to exist. The Lord of the Nazgul would appear years later in the south together with the other eight Ringwraiths. They laid siege and captured Minas Ithil, transforming the city into their fortress, where the Witch-king took the title of Lord of Morgul. The Witch-king challenged the King of Gondor and his adversary, Earnur to single-combat, mocking the King for his cowardice at the Battle of Fornost. The challenge was accepted when it was given a second time and Earnur rode with an escort of knights to the Dead City. Earnur would be the last King of Gondor until the War of the Ring, as he was never heard from again. With these two events the Witch-king had successfully weakened both of the Dunedain kingdoms. Before the War of the Ring, the Witch-king, along with the other Nazgul were sent out to scour Middle-earth for the One Ring and had nearly accomplished their task on several occasions. The Witch-king would later command the Mordor army at the Siege of Gondor and Battle of the Pelennor Fields, where he was given more power by his master.
Tallest of the Nazgul and immune to their fear of fire and water, the Witch-king of Angmar ranks as Mordor’s most powerful captain, second-only to the Dark Lord himself. When in times of war, the Witch-king dons his battle armour and fights with a sword and a gigantic flail. Mounted atop a large black horse or fellbeast, the mere presence of the Nazgul-lord causes fear and panic on all his enemies on the field. A man who dares challenge the Witch-king is bold indeed, for the Nazgul may draw a Morgul-blade to incapacitate a particularly hated foe. So powerful is he that not even gates can abide his coming and the will of Mordor. The upraised blazing sword of the Witch-king that signifies the approaching hour of doom is an awe-inspiring sight indeed, for it renders the abilities and powers of all nearby heroes of the Free Peoples null.
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Gothmog, Lieutenant of Morgul
The lieutenant of Minas Morgul, Gothmog is a hideously deformed Orc of considerable rank within the Mordor hierarchy. A vicious fighter and commander, Gothmog is amongst the most trusted servants of the Nazgul, having led the legions of Minas Morgul on numerous successful campaigns along Gondor’s borders. Riding on his personal Warg, Gothmog goads the soldiers of Morgul to battle with startlingly efficient tactics uncommon with orcs, utilizing combat formations and orders that would rival even the White Tower’s finest. His experience as a siege conductor allows the engines of Mordor to be operated to their prime effect, whether they be catapults, siege towers or even the great battering-ram Grond.
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Gorbag, Captain of Morgul Vale
The Captain of the Orcs of Morgul Vale, Gorbag is a fierce Orc of Mordor, his skin turned pale green by the Dead City’s corpse-light. Grasping and deceitful, Gorbag works for the Nazgul of Minas Morgul, though he finds them creepy and disturbing. A veteran of past battles with the armies of Gondor, Gorbag has learned the value of stealth and speed, sneaking behind enemy positions with his broad-bladed knife and delivering a fierce kick to those who come too close. The Orc captain is also a taskmaster and has turned his whipped on many a prisoner numerous times on the slave-fields of Nurn or elsewhere. True to orcish nature, Gorbag covets any items of worth, preferring to take them for himself than to send the inventory to the Dark Tower.
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The Nazgul
The nine Nazgul are the Dark Lord’s most powerful servants. Originally great lords of men, they were given the Nine Rings of Power and corrupted by Sauron’s influence, eventually succumbing to it and turned into the undead Ringwraiths. In the Third Age, the Nazgul were the chief agents of Shadow who organized the return of their Dark Lord, taking control of various realms such as Angmar, Dol Guldur, the various tribes of Rhun and after Angmar’s fall, Minas Morgul. The Ringwraiths were often found mounted in battle astride specially bred large black steeds. Invisible to mortal eyes, the Nine are only given form by their black garbs. They were ever capable of sensing the One Ring and were the very ones sent out to hunt for the Ring-bearer throughout Middle-earth. They have many weapons, ranging from steel longswords to cursed daggers to maces of fell strength. But they are not confined by physical weapons alone. They are surrounded by a perpetual aura of dread which drives away all but the bravest creature; their Black Breath is highly venomous and their deafening shrieks cause terror and despair. The Ringwraith’s prime weapon: fear however, is further strengthened by the coming of night and darkness.
When a foe is exposed too directly or too long to the fear-inducing powers of the Nazgul, he soon suffers from a condition called the Black Breath. The effects of the Black Breath were deep despair, dread, unconsciousness, nightmares and if allowed to prolong, death. Only a healer of great skill and the healing effects of Athelas may cure such a malady.
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