Sauron

"You cannot hide. I see you. There is no life in the void. Only death." - Sauron the Deceiver

Appearance
Sauron was initially able to change his appearance at will. In the beginning he assumed a beautiful form, but after switching his allegiance to Morgoth, he took a sinister shape. In the First Age, Gorlim was at one point brought into "the dreadful presence of Sauron", but the only concrete hint about his appearance is a reference to his daunting eyes.

As part of a plan to destroy Huan, Sauron took the form of the greatest werewolf in Middle-earth's history till then. When the plan backfired, he assumed a serpent-like form, and finally changed back "from monster to his own accustomed form". The implication is that his "accustomed form" was not, at least, overtly monstrous. It is understood to have been humanoid.

Sauron took a beautiful appearance once again at the end of the First Age in an effort to charm Eönwë, near the beginning of the Second Age when appearing as Annatar to the Elves, and again near the end of the Second Age when corrupting the men of Númenor.

One version of the story describes, in general terms, the impression Sauron made on the Númenóreans. He appeared "as a man, or one in man's shape, but greater than any even of the race of Númenor in stature... And it seemed to men that Sauron was great, though they feared the light of his eyes. To many he appeared fair, to others terrible; but to some evil."

Like Morgoth, Sauron eventually lost the ability to change his physical form (his hröa). After the destruction of his fair form in the fall of Númenor, Sauron was unable to take a pleasing appearance or veil his power again. Thereafter, at the end of the Second Age and again in the Third, he always took the shape of a terrible dark lord. His first incarnation after the Downfall of Númenor was extremely hideous, "an image of malice and hatred made visible". Isildur recorded that Sauron's hand "was black, and yet burned like fire..." Gil-galad perished from Sauron's heat.

Personality
Sauron is a thing of evil, but he didn't start out that way. He was corrupted by a more powerful spirit called Melkor. It is easiest to think of both Sauron and Melkor as fallen angels.

Sauron's greatest virtue was his love for order and structure, but it also played a part in his downfall. He admired strength, a quality he saw in Melkor. Sauron did not seek glory for himself at first, and instead worked to accomplish Melkor's goals and schemes (sort of like Darth Vader working for the Emperor?). After Sauron's master was banished to the Outer Void, he began seeking his own power.

Sauron was a deceiver and a master of disguise. He was able to take on shapes that were fair and pleasing to look upon. For a time, he even seemed like a decent lord who generously rewarded those who served him.

Sauron was able to befriend the elves and helped them make Rings of Power. But then in secret, he created the One Ring that he would use to dominate the other Ring Bearers. This required him to infuse most of his power into it. This meant that if the One Ring were ever destroyed, Sauron would be powerless forever.

History
Sauron The Abominable. Ainu, one of the Maia of Aule. Seduced by Melkor early in the First Age, Sauron became chief of his servants and anchored the front line of his defense against the Valar and the Eldar. While Melkor dwelt in Utumno, Sauron held Angband; he escaped capture during the Battle of the Powers.

When Melkor returned to Middle-earth with the Silmarils, Sauron joined him Angband and even directed the War during Melkor's attempt to corrupt Men soon after their awakening. After the breaking of the Seige of Angband, Sauron again ventured forth to secure Melkor's south-western front. In 457 he took Minas Tirith on Tol Sirion, filling it with his werewolves and opening West Beleriand to the ravages of Orcs. A few years later Sauron secured Dorthonion by capturing Gorlim and using a sorcerous trick to make him betray Barahir's outlaws. In 466 Sauron capture Finrod and Beren, overcame Finrod in a wizard's dwell, and killed Finrod and his Elves one by one in his dungeons. But retribution came soon after, when Luthien and Huan came to rescue Beren. After Huan slew his warewolves, Sauron assumed wolf form and fought the hound. Overcome by Huan's strength and Luthien's magic, Sauron surrendered the tower and fled in vampire form to Taur-Nu-Fuin, where he remained, dreadful but passive for the rest of the First Age.

After the Great Battle Sauron submitted to Eonwe, but was told that he would have to return to Aman to be judged by the Valar. Although his repentance may have been sincere, his pride would not allow him to endure such humiliation, and he fled and hid himself somewhere in Middle-earth. About Second Age 500 he began to reveal himself again, and by 1000 he had gathered enough power to establish a stronghold in Mordor and begin building the Barad-dur. In the long millennia of the Dark Years, Sauron corrupted many races of Men. Under the name of Annatar and wearing a fair body, he seduced many groups of Elves, notably by the Gwaith-i-Mirdain of Eregion. The combination of Sauron's skill and Noldorin creativity enriched both parties, until about 1500 they began forging the Rings of Power, by which Sauron hoped to ensnare the Free Peoples. Sauron placed much of his power in the One Ring, with which he completed the Barad-dur. When Celebrimbor of Eregion discovered Sauron's treachery with the Rings, Sauron resorted to force and began the War of the Elves and Sauron (1693-1700), in which he destroyed Eregion and overrun Eriador, but was defeated by Gil-galad and a fleet sent to Middle-earth by Tar-Minastir of Numenor.

After this Sauron revealed himself openly, gathering in his service Orcs and other monsters of Morgoth, ruling great areas (especially in the east) by force and terror, and apparently converting his vassals to the worship of Melkor, for Sauron remained ever true in his allegiance. In his pride Sauron claimed the title King of Men, thus arousing the equal pride of Kings of Numenor. In 3262 Ar-Pharazon landed at Umbar with a vast force. Deserted by his armies, Sauron was forced to submit to Ar-Pharazon, who took his back to Numenor. In fifty years Sauron played on the Numenoreans' fear of death so effectively that the majority utterly repudiated the Valar and worshipped Melkor at Sauron's temple. Finally he persuaded Ar-Pharazon to seize immortality by invading Aman. To his surprise, the Valar reacted by calling on Iluvatar; Sauron's body was caught in a terrible catastrophe of the destruction of Numenor, and thereafter he was unable a fair seeming form.

Sauron returned to Mordor and marshalled his forces. In 3429 he attacked Gondor, taking Minas Ithil and destroying the White Tree, a hated symbol of the Light of Aman. In 3434, however, he was defeated in the Battle of Dagorlad by the army of the Last Alliance and was besieged in the Barad-dur. In 3441, in a final battle on the slopes of Orodruin Suaron was overthrown by Gil-galad and Elendil, but killed both his foes. Isildur cut off his finger and took the Ring.

In the Third Age, without the One Ring which formed the base of his power, Sauron was extremely cautious. His policy was to twofold: to weaken the Dunedain kingdoms without provoking massive retaliation, and to recover the Ring. The latter policy was clouded by Sauron's uncertainty about the fate of the Ring, which should have been destroyed by Isildur. After Sauron rose again about Third Age 1000, he hid his identity and was known as the Necromancer or the Sorcerer of Dol Guldur. Since Mordor was guarded by Gondor, he dwelt in Dol Guldur. About 1300 he began to attack the Free Peoples, especially the Dunedain. He sent the Lord of the Nazgul to the North, where he founded Angmar. In the South, Sauron stirred up the Haradrim and the Easterlings against Gondor.

After the Great Plague of 1636, which may have been sent by Sauron, Gondor's watch was relaxed, and the Nazgul re-enterd that realm and prepared it for Sauron. In 2002 the Nazgul took Minas Ithil, thus obtaining a palantir for Sauron, which he later used to ensnare Saruman and trick Denethor II. In 2063, Gandalf went to Dol Guldur to learn the identity of the Necromancer, but Sauron fled to the East. He returned to Dol Guldur in 2460 with increased strength and renewed his plots until 2941, when he was driven out of Dol Guldur by the White Council. Sauron willingly retreated to Mordor, where he openly proclaimed himself, rebuilt the Barad-dur, and prepared to defeat the West by overwhelming Gondor and the smaller realms of the North with his vast armies of Orcs, trolls, Haradrin, Easterlings, and creatures more foul.

Even though Sauron did not have the Ring, its very existence gave him enough strength to crush the West. Gandalf and Elrond, realizing this, saw that the only way to defeat Sauron was to destroy the Ring. Frodo Baggins volunteered to undertake the Quest of Mount Doom and, escaping Sauron's servants searching for him and the Ring, destroyed the Ring in the Fire of Doom. The Nazgul were destroyed and Sauron so weakened that it was assumed he was unable ever to take shape again.

It is almost imposible to describe all the plots of Sauron, the master of deceit and treachery, and so only and outline of his policies is presented here. Among Sauron's other accomplishments stand the invention of the Black Speech; the creation of the Nazgul, his most powerful servants ensnared by the Nine Rings of Men; and the breeding of the Olog-hai and, perhaps, the Uruk-hai.

Names

 * Annatar
 * Artano
 * Aulendil
 * Gorthaur
 * Mairon
 * Morthû
 * Sauron
 * Tar-mairon

Titles

 * Base Master of Treachery
 * Eye of the Dark Tower
 * Lord of Barad-dûr
 * Lord of Gifts
 * Lord of Mordor
 * The Black Hand
 * The Cruel
 * The Dark Lord
 * The Dark Power
 * The Deceiver
 * The Lord of the Rings
 * The Necromancer
 * The Red Eye
 * The Ring-maker
 * The Sorcerer