Garzûgûl

The Cave of Gazûgûl was a fortress of the Uruk-lûgât, an Orc-tribe of Angmar, in the southern foothills of the Great Spur of the Misty Mountains.

Description[]

The cave atop this bleak hill was called Garzugûl (Or."wraith-shelter"). The home of Lûgât, it was also the shrine of the black heart of the vampire. Here, three initiates assisted Lûgât in the performance of various horrific rituals and supplications to the heart.A winding, steep path led from the stockade to the hilltop. Just below the summit, a stone hut stood over a pit where prisoners were kept; there were always a few here ready to feed the demands of the heart, with four Orc guards rotated on a six-hourly basis. At night, there were regular patrols of 4-6 Orcs (warriors and scouts) around the cave and hill, although they were more likely to run for assistance than stand and challenge anyone they found. There were no patrols during the day but numerous traps were set around the cave, including snares, rockfalls, and poisoned baits. The entrance to the cave was a narrow vent through which only the Sorcerer and his initiates were allowed to pass; prisoners were bound hand and foot, then dragged from here down a steep, rocky passage into the hill. The passage soon widened so that two might walk abreast, and after about 50 feet it divided in two. The right-hand passage from the fork got steeper and more slippery, suddenly dropping over 70 feet into an icy pool of water at least 50 feet deep.The pool was fed by underground streams which flew out northwards, into the great dark water called Karmaz-Dewuk.Those taking the right-hand passage had to avoid slipping; and to return up it required an Extremely Hard maneuver. Anyone falling in the water had to fight the stream to stay afloat;trying to swim downstream out of the underground chamber was Absurd. The left-hand passage from the fork leveled off and soon widened into an irregular chamber; here, the initiates made their home with beds of straw, rugs of rough wool, and fleeces. The Sorcerer and his initiates avoided elaborate ceremony and pretense, relying on more basic displays of power and personal authority to ensure the devotion of the tribe. The initiates therefore had few robes or possessions. They dressed in dark and bloody colors—black, maroon, scarlet—wearing mail under their robes and carrying heavy yatagans (a short, curved saber). Lûgât the Sorcerer had a chamber of his own, an expanded crevice off the pass age beyond the initiates' room. Here were stored all his treasures, including a mass of bronze jewelry and ornament (earrings, bangles, breast coverings, anklets, rings, buckles, belts, and so on). There was also a selection of paints for decorating his face and skin.

Notes[]

In the 2012 version of his article Population and Urbanization in Eriador, Thomas Morwinsky seems to apply the name "Smyeka" to pretty much the same location identified in MERP as the "Garzûgûl". (published in Other Minds Magazine #13). The place is also most likely the same as "Lugazag" in LOTRO.

References[]

MERP:Angmar (2nd Edition)

Editorial Note: This entry contains speculative or fan-based material — such as fanon, fanfiction, or theory constructs — that may not be directly supported by canonical texts. Interpretations offered here are part of the NNCA’s speculative corpus and should not be mistaken for primary Tolkien sources.