The Mur-Grishi (BS. "Black Blood") had been a small, select cult of fanatical assassins devoted to the Lord of Death. There had been nine "initiates" who were full-ranking members of the cult and eighteen "acolytes." Aside from Sauron, the Witch-king, and the Ongûliun (the chief initiate), the existence of the cult had been known to none. The members of the Mur-Grishi had been utterly evil. Their greatest act of devotion had been the assassination of a Dúnadan, an Elf, or another enemy of the Dark Lord. They had performed no ceremonies as such, living only to kill in service of their master. Between such assassinations they strove to improve their skill and power or acted as spies for the Dark Lord. Cultists had acted on the direct order of the Ongûliun, or more rarely on the orders of the Witch-king or one of the other Nazgûl. The Mur-Grishi had been the product of the Ongûliun's tormented imagination, and he had personally chosen its members. The cult had existed since the late Second Age, and membership had been limited to thirty-six. When an initiate was slain, an acolyte took his place, and a new member was appointed by Sauron, the Witch-king, or the Ongûliun. Members had been chosen for their skill, power, and fanatical dedication, and could be drawn from any profession. Because Sauron's hatred of the Dúnedain had been great, the power of the Mur-Grishi had been concentrated in Angmar. Initiates and acolytes, however, had dwelt in other parts of Middle-Earth, acting at the bidding of the Dark Lord. Many of the first Mur-Grishi had been descendants of the Zegar.
See:
Main overview: Domain of the Lidless Eye Portal
Notes[]
Original form in MERP: Mor-Sereg = Mur-grishi
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.