Múar

Múar the northern Warlord

"Mighty were the seven Balrog-lords of old renowned in the West, but no less mighty was Múar, the Northern Warlord. Fearsome that Demon of the Great Foe was, paralleled by few in battle and as strong as ten full-grown Mountain-Trolls. Unstoppable his host seemed, sweeping Dwarven warriors beneath their feet. Why even, Fankil, the Sorcerer-King, dared not challenge him up front. For long, naught else but his old masters did the Shadow Flame fear, but dread of the arising Dark Power would overcome him, enough so as to warrant alliance between them."

― Tû

Múar, also known the Northern Warlord or the Shadow Flame, was a Demon of the North and one of Morgoth´s Captains who escaped his first defeat and the destruction of the fortress Utumno into the Farthest East. Initially in league with Fankil and in charge of a significant Orc-host, Múar proved useful in countering the might of the wizard Tû and allowed their combined forces to descend upon Palisor - the great battle ended in defeat for Morgoth's fled servants and soured their relationship. Following the primeval Dark Lord's downfall in the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age, the Warlord set out to build his own dominion in the East, gradually becoming a local power in his own right.

Having established his domain in the Ered Engrin by the Second Age, the Demon Múar invaded Rûrîk with impressive hordes of Orcs, Trolls and other foul things, claiming much of it for his own and besieging that which he had not yet taken. He became the scourge of the eastern Dwarves, the Tribes of the Stonefoots and Blacklocks, and appeared periodically slaying many dwarves including the famous Lords Malln III, Bâni son of Dâni, Dâni, Glôrm Lastking and Drúin the IV. As he covered more of their lands, the Warlord Múar entered in inevitable competition with his one-time ally, the Sorcerer-King Fankil. Although the Shadow Flame and the Seducer disputed mastery over the Men, Orcs and other peoples eastern regions naught came of this heated rivalry, neither daring to directly confront the other yet. The most zealous of the Demon's followers worshipped him as a god and raised small shrines and gruesome altars in his honor. Other than the Seducer, the Shadow Flame also found the proud Orc-Kings of the East to be a thorn in his side, for they both refused to join him and harried his servants when they got too close for comfort. But for all his power and prowess, not even the Warlord Múar was above fear of the arising Tyrant Sauron, once the foremost Lieutenant of their old Master, Morgoth, and now his successor; to assuage the greatest subversive Maia, the Demon negotiated an alliance, ceding some of his territory to avoid the former's scorn and therefore be allowed to focus on dealing with the Dwarves. As the Shadow Flame descended anew upon his hated enemies, he found the Dark Lord extremely supportive of his campaign and soon his army's ranks swelled with Eastern Orcs suborned and provided by the latter or which he himself had enslaved. Eventually, Múar the Northern Warlord found his doom when encountering the Dwarven Lord Bhalli Stonehand in battle, who called upon the Vala Smith Mahal and threw the dreaded Demon from a cleft in the Wind Mountains.

History

Origins

"Little we know of Múar was before he was slave to Morgoth, but it is said he was of the folk of Tulkas and few even among those helpers matched his terrible splendor. Envy and drunkenness in that might he held, some think, opened him to the deceit of the First Enemy and so he must have been enthralled, even before the world was made and so fierce he originally was in that allegiance."

― Tû

The Umaia that would one day become Múar was originally a Maia of Tulkas' folk and he learned much of fighting and inherited much physical prowess from that Vala, being thus able to match or best many of the lesser Ainur save for peers inherently greater than himself, such as Eönwë, Ossë and Mairon (later Sauron). A proud being, he was gnawed with envy at his tutor, wishing to match his valor and strength and, perhaps, even surpass him. The Vala Melkor, whose power both awed and intimidated Múar, played on this repressed desire and ensnared him early on; Múar became one of the Melkor's most dedicated helpers and was easily swayed into supporting the Discord during the Great Music that fashioned Arda. Descending onto the world, he followed his new master into Middle-earth when the latter openly declared his rebellion against the Aratar and began disrupting their works.

The Years of the Trees

The Shadow Flame out of Utumno

"Now some hold that when Morgoth the monolithic Utumno raised he made Múar one of its captains and brought him in his host in that fierce clash of valor, blade and might between angels divine and demons foul. And fight for Morgoth Múar did and wrestled he did with both the hounds Gorgumoth and Huan until he flew back to the Utumno that spat him in his twisted form of fire and blackness out, for the power of Tulkas, his lord of old, he could not endure."

― Tû

Once the Dark Lord Melkor erected the fortress of Utumno to be his main domain, Múar was elected one of its Captains, under the command of the more impressive Gothmog the Lord of Balrogs; as such, he came to be counted among the Umaiar, demonic entities that would plague Arda for ages to come. The Shadow Flame participated on the Enemy's side in the Battle of the Powers and only few among the host of the Valar could withstand him, many fleeing his wrath save for the Aratar themselves, the likes of his Maiarin betters (Eönwë, Ossë, Melian, Arien, Makar and Meássë), and the Hounds of Valinor; indeed both Gorgumoth and Huan were able to wrestle and push back Múar, who eventually flew back to Utumno as a tempest of fire at the sight of Tulkas.

Later, when the Quendi awoke, the Great Foe sent his minions to fetch them and haul them to his fortress: the Shadow Flame was among the chosen Dark Hunters, who would creep upon the Elves and capture them for their master, who by "arts" of torture and mutilation bred the ruined race of the Orc in mockery out of them. During the War for Sake of the Elves, Múar as Captain was bidden by his Lord Melkor to take a host to the stronghold of Angband to reinforce his most-devoted Lieutenant, Sauron, there against the tide of the host of the Valar. Seeing no hope of victory in defense of the fortress, the Shadow Flame retreated with the Balrog-lords and all their remaining forces through subterranean carved paths back to their master's main domain where they fought of the Powers until at last the Enemy was subdued and taken in chains. To evade the Valar and the fate of Melkor, Múar together with his given legions flew eastwards alongside Fankil, Drûl-Khaurka, Telmorng and Rakodsaol.

Alliance with Fankil

"Even with Morgoth's leave did Múar not stay idle. He harried and slew Elf and Dwarf in the East and great, fearsome and numerous his legions of Orc and other Hell-crawled foulness were. At last, Múar to Fankil was drawn and a pact they conceived to couple strength in arms with skill of mind to make out of fair Palisor a land drenched in tears and blood, a land for yet-captive Morgoth."

― Tû

With Melkor yet captive in Valinor and the corruption the newly-awakened Atani (Men) by Sauron, his deputy, Fankil saw a new opportunity to fulfill their master's goal of bringing misery and marring by using the Second Born as their tools and he persuaded Múar to aid him. Though hesitant to concede to a plan made by one he deemed his inferior and whose main need was for the army he had been entrusted with, the Shadow Flame perceived that the Seducer's manipulations may yet help him and also fulfill the Great Foe's vision and thus agreed to a pact. While his new ally went to Hildorien to weave his deceits, the Demon began to harass the nearby Elves and Dwarves with his Orc-host, carving himself the bloody reputation of the Northern Warlord. The ranks of Múar's legions were soon complemented by fresh pockets of Eastern Orcs, Petty-Dwarves and wicked Men that Fankil had assembled under his government and so the two Umaiar set their sights on Palisor, the kingdom of Tû. Although the Wizard's magic was enough to keep at bay the Seducer's foul craft and the wardens more than a match for his soldiery, the Shadow Flame's mere presence coupled with his terrible might was enough to scatter both spell and guard alike. The servants of Melkor descended thus upon the Edain and Elves, overwhelming them at first, until the Dwarves came to their aid and attacked Múar in the rear, forcing him to turn his attention on them and leave Fankil to fend for himself against both the Free Folk of Palisor and Tû. The pawns of the Enemy were beaten and most of that army vanquished: deeming each other responsible for the defeat, the Shadow Flame and the Seducer parted ways and their mutual animosity grew into contempt.

The First Age

With the return of Morgoth to Middle-earth, Múar was summoned to the restored fortress of Angband for his talents would soon be called upon: the vengeful Noldor led by Fëanor came to do battle and recover the stolen Silmarils. The Shadow Flame was part of the force led by the Lord of Balrogs that ambushed the Elven-King and was latter assigned to the hordes that swarmed over the latter's son, Maedhros, and brought him to the stronghold of the Iron Hell per the Great Foe's command. As battles in Beleriand raged on, Morgoth bid Múar and his fresh Orc-host to descend upon the Greymauls, a clan of Durin I's folk that inhabited the citadel delved within Mount Gundabad and ruled by their king's regent, Mótsog , and conquer it; Múar himself came against them, slaying four of Mótsog's sons in battle, but was eventually pushed back by the defending Dwarves. who although fewer in numbers fought with the fever of vengeance that frightened Orc and Troll alike and they possessed weapons and machinery that Morgoth's servants could only dream of. Beaten, the Shadow Flame returned to to face his Master's scorn, sparking the Demon's enduring hatred of Dwarven-king. The task Múar had been entrusted with was ceded instead to Sauron, who ever played a key part in all the major works of cunning that Morgoth did not or could not fulfill in the haste of his nihilism.

Names

• Úruvaiwa

References

• MERP:Lords of Middle-Earth II:The Mannish Races
• MERP:Lords of Middle-Earth III
• MERP:Treasures of Middle-Earth
• MERP:Dol Guldur