Thread: Middle-earth feedback: The Witch-king of Angmar

Take a closer look at the greatest of the Nine!

Read about the Witch-king of Angmar and then post your comments below!

I wish I rolled a female character now.

Nice lore, and an ever nicer image of the Witch-King.

Pop Quiz: Name the 9 ring wraiths original human names and which kingdoms they ruled/belonged to?

Nice little write up.

Is there some place that you can read the story behind the epic quests?
Usually when I do them, the group goes through fast and everyone is busy fighting that the story itself gets lost.

Originally Posted by ByDesign

Pop Quiz: Name the 9 ring wraiths original human names and which kingdoms they ruled/belonged to?

Trick question. The only Nazgul who are ever "named" are the Witch-King and the Black Esterling.

Originally Posted by Dinara

Nice little write up.

Is there some place that you can read the story behind the epic quests?
Usually when I do them, the group goes through fast and everyone is busy fighting that the story itself gets lost.

The lorebook is great for this, bad for work productivity:
http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_Quests

I thought annuminas or whateevr the cities name was the capital of Arthedain. They moved to Fornost due to some trouble or other, And that was where the final defeat occured.

Originally Posted by Berund

The lorebook is great for this, bad for work productivity:
http://lorebook.lotro.com/wiki/Category:Epic_Quests

I have read that, and as far as I can tell it only repeats what's in your quest log.
I'm talking about the story behind the quest.
Sort of like a short story that outlines the chapter.

The Nine Ringwraiths / Nazgûl / Úlairi

In origin all the nine Nazgûl were once great and powerful Lords, ruling many lands in Middle-earth. Each had accepted a ring of power from Sauron: a ring which imbued its wearers with sorcerous abilities and great longevity. Each had used their rings to enhance and expand their kingdoms to even greater limits. But the power of the rings was bought at a terrible price. For the same ring that imbued its wearer with power and life also increasingly subjected his will to that of the Dark-lord, until after many years the Nine were but cyphers in which the Dark-lord could act out his own wishes. When Sauron perished at the end of the Second-age, the nine, so closely bound up to him, perished also. When the Dark-lord re-emerged from the shadow in the Third-age, the nine re-appeared also. What lingering mortal qualities they may have still possessed before the destruction were now entirely gone, and they now appeared as the terrible shadow beings, famous in the Third-age as the Ringwraiths.
Go back, Or click a character to get longer info about them.



1. Murazor, the Witch-King Mûrazôr / the Witch-King of Angmar
Rank: Head of the Ringwraiths
Story: Mûrazôr, The chief of the nine Ringwraiths. In Third Age he came North to take advantage of the disunion of the Dunadains in Eriador. He made the realm of Angmar in and around the Mountains of Angmar and around year 1300 he was ready to begin his evil task. He nearly succeeded but in the end he was driven away to Mordor by a united force from Lindon, Rivendell, Gondor, the remaining Dunadains and some few Hobbitarchers in T.A.1975. Mûrazôr played important roles all the time in both the Second Age and the Third Age and he was Second in Command, only to Sauron himself. He fell first of all the Nazguls by the hand of Eowyn and Meriadoc at the battle of Gondor in the location of Pelennor.

2. Khamul, the Easterling Khamûl the Easterling / Shadow of the East/ the Dragon Lord
Rank: Ringwraith Second-in-command to the Witch-King.
Story: During the Second Age, Khamûl fought for Sauron until Sauron was overthrown. In the Third Age, brought back, he may have been Sauron's chief lieutenant in Mirkwood. After 2951, Khamûl was the lord of Dol Goldur. During the hunt for the One Ring, he entered Hobbiton and nearly caught Frodo, the Ringbearer, at Bucklebury Ferry. After Murezor's destruction at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, Khamûl became the new captain of the Nazgûl. He led as they flew into battle at the Black Gate. All except Mûrazôr were destroyed when the One Ring which held their forms together fell into the Crack of Mount Doom.

3. Dwar, the Unforgiving Dwar of Waw (Dendra Dwaw)/ The Unforgiving / The Dog King
Rank: Commander of the Morannon, 3rd in rank of the Nazguls
Story: Dwar of Waw is the third of the Nine, very little is known about this Nazgul, save that he perished at the end of the Third Age with the destruction of the One Ring. The only thing that is known for sure is that he was the commander in Morannon and often rode side by side with Khamûl. Dwar of Waw gained his nickname as the evil K´prur burned down his home villiage and casued the death of most of Dwar´s friends and family. His souls never rested as he took his revenge out of all the lands around his home at the isle of dogs.

4. Ji Indur, The Outcast Jí Indûr Dawndeath / The Outcast / The Cloud Lord
Rank: 4th in ranking of the Nazguls
Story: Jí Indûr (Dawndeath) was born in the Second-age in the far south of Middle-earth, where he ruled his tropical kingdom despite the growing threat of Numenorean power. After being ousted from his throne he fled to Mumakan and sought refuge with the agents of the Dark-lord who resided there. Here he was offered one of the nine rings of Sauron, and all its accompanying power. He accepted and although, with its power, he re-eastablished himself over both Mumakan and his previous realms Indur was now thrall the the will of the Dark-lord. He accompanied Sauron to Mordor at the end of the Second-age and fought for him at the war of the Last alliance. Here Sauron was overthrown and his nine servants vanished also from the face of the earth. When the Dark-lord began to re-emerge during the Third-age, the Nine re-appeared also, as terrible beings of shadow and invisibility, and bound even more completely to the will of their lord. Indur the wraith ruled Mumakan once more and held the land in fief to his master. During the war of the Ring, he led the Mumakil assault on the Gondorian citadel of Minas Tirith.

5. Akhorahil, the Blind Sorcerer Akhôrahil / The Blind Sorcerer / The Storm King
Rank: 5th in ranking of the Nazguls
Story: Like the Witch-king, Akhôrahil was of old, a lord of Numenor, who was corrupted and ensnared by one of the Nine rings of Sauron. After Sauron's fall at ther end of the Second age, Akhôrahil disapeared from Middle-earth. He returned after long years and awaited his master's return in the far South of Middle-earth. When Sauron himself re-appeared he ordered Akhôrahil and the other Nazgul to re-occupy Mordor and to secure it for the Dark-lord's return. He remained at Minas Morgul until the War of the Ring when, with his fell companions, he sought out for his master, the bearer of the One Ring. As the One Ring was destroyed, Akhôrahil was forever cast into the shadows.

6. Hoarmurath, the Ice King Hoarmûrath of Dír / The Ice King
Rank: 6th in ranking of the Nazguls
Story: Hoarmûrath was born in the forest of Dír in the land of Urd in SA 1954. His home, one of the northenmost settled domains in all of Endor, spawned a rugged race of hunters and trappers. His mother, Emûrath of Uab, commanded the allegience of most of the Urd clans, and served as the matriarch of the Uradar until her death in the Umli wars (SA 1962/75). As his homeland was in threat, he desperatly seeked help from Mordor.
Sauron sent Khamûl, who managed to decieve Hoarmûrath who then fell under the influence of Sauron. Hoarmûrath won back his homeland and also extended the kingdom with the power of the ring ha was given. Hoarmûraths part in the Third Age from 1050 was with the 7 Nazgûls (other than Mûrazor) as they took back Minas Ithil and transformed it to Minas Morgul. Hoarmûrath was, together with Khamûl the two Nazguls who was in Frodos trail all the way from Shire. He fell together with the others as the One ring slipped into the Crack of Doom on Orodruin.

7. Adunaphel, The Quiet Adunaphel / the Quiet / the Avenger
Rank: 7th in ranking of the Nazguls
Story: Adunaphel, a fair Numenorean princess from Forostar was the only female to become a Nazgul. Dissapointed that her younger brother should become heir to the throne, she left in anger and was grasped by hatred. Exact time and place for her meeting with the Dark Lord is unknown, but she was decieved by Sauron himself, not by an underling. Many signs point to the Second Age, around 2150. After the great plague ravaged Eriador in the mid Third-age, Gondor's watch on Mordor became less vigilant and Sauron sent Adunaphel to the black land to prepare for his eventual return. Adunaphel dwelt secretly in Nurn until the arrival of the Witch-king; whose coming heralded the Nazguls' assault on the tower of Minas Ithil. Its fall signified the end of Gondor's hold on the dark land. After Sauron's return to Barad-dur, Adunaphel was commanded to make fast the ancient stronghold of Dol guldur on the elves of Mirkwood, and later after the outbreak of the War of the Ring was involved with the other Nazgul in attempting to recapture the One Ring. She was unbound when the One ring was destroyed at Mount Doom by Frodo Baggins and/or Gollum.

8. Ren, the Unclean Ren / the Unclean / the Fire King
Rank: 8th in ranking of the Nazguls
Story: Ren was once the Senechal of Angmar and the right hand of Murazor. Trained in the dark arts by Murazor himself, he is now a horrible creature of darkness and fear.
In the Third Age he was the commander of Barad Ungol. Not much is written about him, but he goes under the nickname "The Fire King". He died later, after the battle of the Morannon, when the One ring slipped into the Crack of Doom on Orodruin.

9. Uvatha, the Messenger Ûvatha / the Horseman / the Messenger / The long rider
Rank: 9th in ranking of the Nazguls
Story: Originally a Variag from Khand, Ûvatha was, like all his people, a great horseman. He fought in civil war in his native Khand and eventually united all the tribes under his own rule. He accepted the gift of the ring of power shortly after achieving this. The Variags were useful allies to the Dark-lord protecting his eastern and south-eastern borders and were later to prove a valuable addition to the armies of Mordor, their fearsome and bloodthirsty reputation alone striking terror into the hearts of many of their enemies. When Sauron fell at the end of the Second Age Ûvatha also passed into the shadow, but re-appeared along with the Dark-lord after a thousand years or so. He re-established his rule of Khand and expanded his kingdom into northern Harad. He took part in the Nazgul attack on Minas Ithil, and re-occupied the tower of Sorcery when Sauron had moved to Mordor. He was sent by Sauron to seek the One ring and along with others of the Nine caught up with the Hobbits at the ford of the Bruinen. He perished later, after the battle of Morannon, as "the One" slipped into the Crack of Doom.


http://www.rockjakten.com/nazgul_html/nazguls.html

Nice post, Cembrye. Unfortunately, however, that information is unofficial. skbrewer is correct in his reply which states that only the Witch-King of Angmar and Khamul the Black Easterling are ever named by Tolkien.

What were the names of the nine Nazgûl?

One of them, the second in rank after the Lord of the Nazgûl himself, was named Khamûl, and also known as the Black Easterling. This is the only one of the nine Nazgûl explicitly named by Tolkien.

This may come as a surprise if you've come across one of the many sources that list a set of names of the other eight: Murazor (the Witch-king himself), Dwar, Ji Indur, Akhorahil, Hoarmurath, Adunaphel, Ren and Uvatha. These names are common across the Web, and often have detailed biographies to go with them. They're also consistent with what Tolkien had to say about the origins of the Nazgûl: in the Akallabêth it is stated '...among those whom he ensnared with the Nine Rings three were great lords of Númenórean race', and indeed three of these names are Númenórean in form: Murazor, Akhorahil and Adunaphel.

None of these eight names, though, have their origins in Tolkien's own work. Instead, they come from a series of role-playing and trading card games produced by Iron Crown Enterprises. The names of Murazor, Dwar and the rest emerged from the unavoidable need for these games to develop and expand Tolkien's universe to meet the needs of the gaming fraternity. The games' popularity accounts for the regular appearance of the names, to the extent that they're now frequently presented as the 'true' names of the remaining eight Nazgûl.

Some readers have even suggested that these names are so widely accepted that they should be considered the de facto names for the eight otherwise unnamed Ringwraiths. On a personal level, or in the context of the games that spawned the names, this isn't an unreasonable approach: if Tolkien never told us the name of, say, the Witch-king, there seems little obvious harm in imagining that his name was originally Murazor (or anything else, for that matter). Things become a little more problematic where the names are published without explanation: we receive plenty of e-mail from puzzled readers trying to work out which of Tolkien's books the names come from (hence this entry in the FAQ).

As for The Encyclopedia of Arda, this site is very specifically aimed at exploring Tolkien's own works, so it really isn't appropriate to include names or biographical details that we know did not come from Tolkien himself. Indeed, the same principle applies to characters who appear only in the recent movies, so it's not our intention to provide entries for (say) Hoarmurath, Uvatha or - for that matter - Lurtz from Peter Jackson's movie of The Fellowship of the Ring.

Source: http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/faq/nazgul.html

Well Cembrye, not sure whos' page that is but it is NOT Tolkien. According to the Encyclopedia of Arda ONLY the Witchking was named by Tolkien himself. The names of the rest were made up by Iron Crown Enterprises that turned Middle Earth into a role playing game and card game. Here is the link to that. http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/faq/nazgul.html

Originally Posted by Cembrye

The Nine Ringwraiths / Nazgûl / Úlairi

http://www.rockjakten.com/nazgul_html/nazguls.html

Nope nope. The source for that is the Middle-Earth Roleplaying Game by ICE, which was hacked together and never canon. The only Nazgul ever named in canon were the Witch-King of Angmar (LotR) and Khamul, the Black Esterling (Unfinished Tales).

Lol I love how this Lore is so deep that there's "canon" and "apocrypha." It's like almost religious (not seriously--Tolkien would be horrified by that).

It's just like that. It'd be like if they made a Harry Potter MMO and I wanted to have my fan fiction taken as part of the back story.

Edit to Add: Not that I write Harry Potter fan fiction. It just seemed an apt metaphor. :P

Suuure ya haven't, you closet fanfic novelist.

Originally Posted by WornTraveler

Suuure ya haven't, you closet fanfic novelist.

I've read some of skbrewer's Harry Potter fan fic. It's not bad. A little too infatuate of the young wizard, but still pretty good.

Originally Posted by skbrewer

Nope nope. The source for that is the Middle-Earth Roleplaying Game by ICE, which was hacked together and never canon.

It's not canonical Tolkien, but "hacked together" is hardly accurate, either. ICE had a license to produce an RPG based on Tolkien's works, and they did; that required making up stuff where Tolkien provided no details, generally with great respect for the source material. It's no more "hacked together" than the additional Rangers, the Cargul, the Great Barrow, or all the other stuff Turbine has added to flesh out Tolkien's world for an MMORPG.

Originally Posted by Hakon_Stormbrow

I thought annuminas or whateevr the cities name was the capital of Arthedain. They moved to Fornost due to some trouble or other, And that was where the final defeat occured.

Only in a very broad sense, Hakon. Annúminas was the capital of all of Arnor. So when Arnor was broken into the three successor kingdoms, which Arhendain was one of, you could possibly say that Annúminas was the former capital to all of them them... However, it would be sort-of like saying Rome was the former capital of France or Britain. It was the capital of that territory in the past, but only before their current societies and governments existed.*shrug*

On the otherhand, Fornost could be considered the only capital of Arthedain, because as soon as Arthedain became it's own kingdom its king ruled from there.

I think the assault on Mordor was led by Elendil of Gondor and Gil-Gilad, not Earnur, who was an elf that was gone from Middle-Earth long before those events happened

Hey, I'm only level 12, so I'm not sure how far the epic quest line goes, but is there a raid where we'll be able to fight/defeat this guy?

Originally Posted by Antfryer

Hey, I'm only level 12, so I'm not sure how far the epic quest line goes, but is there a raid where we'll be able to fight/defeat this guy?

There is a raid where you can (temporarily) defeat one of the Nazgúl, but since I haven't done it yet I'm not sure if it is the Witchking.

not yet. cant fight the witch king. soon im sure but noto yet