Morgul-host

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The Morgul-host marching to war

The Morgul-host was the vast army led by the Witch-king of Angmar, agent of the Dark Lord Sauron. It was mustered from the forces of Mordor and those of its southern and eastern vassals, with the goal of destroying Gondor.

Description

The Morgul-host consisted mostly of Orcs (Mordor-orcs), as well as Trolls (Mountain-trolls, Hill-trolls and Olog-hai), Half-trolls of Far Harad, Uruks of Mordor, the Nazgûl, and other foul things. This already sizable army was reinforced by the nations of Men that Sauron had drawn to his allegiance: the Haradrim, Black Númenóreans, Variags of Khand, and Easterlings of Rhûn; they also had naval support from the Corsairs of Umbar. Beasts in the Morgul-host included Wargs used as mounts for Orcs, Mûmakil as creatures of war for the Haradrim, Black Wings as mounts for Nazgûl when they had lost their horses, and great siege beasts, used as beasts of burden. Siege towers, catapults, and other war machines, coupled with the battering ram known as Grond, were employed by the Morgul-host also.

The Witch-king, known also as the "Morgul-lord" and reckoned as Sauron's deadliest servant, was the chief captain of these armies, with Gothmog, Lieutenant of Morgul, as his second-in-command.

There were many symbols for different divisions of the Morgul-host: the Orcs of Minas Morgul had the symbol of a wicked crescent moon, while Orcs of Barad-dûr, and presumably elsewhere in Mordor, bore the Red Eye as they were in Sauron's immediate service. The Haradrim bore a standard of a black serpent on a scarlet field.

History

Returning to power late in the Third Age, the Dark Lord began to rebuild his armies "for the great war in which he planned to sweep all his enemies into the western sea". In Mordor, the Witch-king prepared the main host for an assault on Gondor, while Khamûl gathered a great force to attack Lothlórien and the Woodland Realm. Another army was being mustered by Sauron's puppet, Saruman, during this time in Isengard to conquer Rohan (and for the Wizard's private schemes). The first test of Sauron's forces against Denethor's military was an assault by the Nazgûl and a small army on Osgiliath. This was only a feint to disguise the Ringwraiths' leave from Minas Morgul as part of the war against Gondor, rather than seeking the One Ring's whereabouts. After they destroyed Osgiliath's bridge and took the east bank, Sauron's warriors retreated, and the Nazgûl headed for the Shire.^{[citation needed]}

Following the defeat of his vassal Saruman at Helm's Deep, Sauron learned of the survival of Isildur's line through Aragorn and decided to strike a decisive blow against Gondor before it received aid and Aragorn would be crowned king. As commanded by his master, the Witch-king marshalled his full might and marched out of Minas Morgul, followed by "a great cavalry of horsemen" and many ranks of Orcs and other evil creatures. Even while the hordes of Harad, Rhûn, and Khand and the Corsair fleet of Umbar were en route, Sauron sent forth another, larger army from the Black Gate to join the Morgul-host. The Witch-king's forces overtook Osgiliath in spite of the resistance put by Faramir's men and, passing over the Pelennor Fields, surrounded Minas Tirith. The Morgul-host's engines of war rained fire upon the city's inhabitants. Siege towers filled with Orcs latched themselves onto the White City's walls for direct insertion, and the Nazgûl on their Black Wings hovered over the defenders. Soon, the battering wolf known as Grond was deployed, and was hurled three times against the Great Gate of Minas Tirith, breaking it finally.

Before the Lord of the Nazgûl could engage Gandalf the White in battle, Théoden's horn was heard and the Morgul-host found itself pitted against the horsemen of Rohan. With the ranks of the Orcs and their Mannish allies broken by the Rohirrim's charge, Haradrim cavalry led by a chieftain bearing the Black Serpent moved in to face Théoden's warriors. But the chieftain was felled, and his riders were driven back. It was then that the Witch-king on his fell beast swept down on Théoden and his horse Snowmane, bringing their demise. But Éowyn then confronted the Witch-king, beheaded his winged steed, and, with the help of Meriadoc Brandybuck, struck down the Witch-king himself. With the death of his lord, Gothmog assumed command of the Morgul-host and "flung [evil Men] into the fray". Unbeknownst to both sides, Aragorn and the Grey Company had destroyed the Corsair fleet of Umbar with the aid of the Army of the Dead and were now headed for the Pelennor Fields. The Morgul-host was almost completely decimated in the final hours of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. This defeat, coupled with the loss of the Witch-king, Sauron's mightiest servant in arms, was a significant blow to the Dark Lord.

Weapons & equipment

• Swords/bows/arrows
• Axes/shields
• Maces
• Spears/pikes
• Armors/helmets
• Siege-towers/catapults/siege ladders/battering rams
• Grond
• Corsair fleet
• Devilry of Saruman/bombs