Mornost

(S. "Dark Fortress") At the head of the Cirith-i-Nudevyn stand the toppled remnants of Mornost, its coal-black stones buried beneath the pure white snow. The stones occasionally turn up, exposing some forgotten portal into this ruined citadel. Ages after his downfall, even the lesser works of Morgoth can still do harm. The Jäämiehet who have encountered the black rocks and bits of slag call them Mustat Tulikivet, the Black Firestones; for they burn like fire when grasped by the naked hand. Some claim the stones still burn with the endless malice of Morgoth, while others hold it to be the remnant of some powerful bane woven into the citadel to repel any from storming its walls.

Whatever the reason, the stones still harm unprotected flesh. The stones give off no hint of warmth or heat, and cannot be used for lighting fires or staying warm—they are meant to deliver pain only. This makes digging and excavation of the ruble of Mornost a tricky and difficult task. There is little to find in Mornost other than more and more black stones. Were the lowest cellars eventually excavated, a long and difficult descent into the Underdeeps would be uncovered.