Saruman was called once again to the Palantir of Orthanc

The servants of the wizard cringed and hid themselves in the shadows when the master was called to the seeing Stone

The Eye of Sauron spoke no words, but his commands were clear…

Saurman staggered away from the stone upon it’s pedestal, covering it with a black cloth, breathing hard and clutching at his breast.

Each time he was commanded to look into the Palantir, it became harder and harder to Saruman to pull away. The Eye was unrelenting as it questioned and instructed the wizard to it’s bidding. Saruman had once believed he might alter or change the course of events if he could only but commune with Sauron as an equal. However, he understood now that he was no more then a slave to the Power of Mordor. There was only one way he could break the hold that Sauron held over his mind… if he was able to find and take the One Ring  for his own.

Long had Sauman toiled in secret to find the Ring, for it is only through great power that one can direct the course of events. It was his desire to find the Ring that had finally led him to look in the Palantir of Orthanc. After years of searching, that he had found the palantir withing a secret place of hiding in the black tower. In this way, he had been able to search far and wide across the lands, discovering many secrets that gave him power over others. Finally, in his desperation to find the Ring he had looked too far astray. Saruman had dared look over the Mountains of Shadow into Sauron’s realm and it was there that he had been seen and captured by the Eye… lidless and wreathed in flame.

At first he had believed that he might help shape events unfolding in Middle-earth by manipulating the hand of Sauron. Now he realized that he, like so many others had fallen under the Shadow and was now  just one of many pawns in the service of the of Mordor.

The only way to break Sauron’s hold, was to take the Ring for his own and then he would have to power to become master of Middle-earth. Hiding his desire for the Ring from Sauron took all of his strength. when he was called forth to the seeing Stone and interrogated. He was never sure if his secret desire was ever truly hidden from the Dark Lord or if Sauron merely played with him like a cat with a mouse. His uncertainty gnawed at him as he sat exhausted after his most recent trial with the Dark Power, but now there was a new hope.

Sauron had commanded him to send spies northward into Eregion. The Dark Lord had learned that a company had recently left Rivendell. He knew their number to be Nine. Elves, dwarves and men were in this company along with several of the small creatures called halflings. With them was the grey wizard, who had proved stronger and more resourceful than Sauron had believed possible.  At this point. Sauron and caused great pain in the mind of Saruman as he was reminded of his failure in letting the grey wizard escape right from under his very nose.

Finally the Eye had released him and he fell away from the pedestal upon which the Palantir was set.  Like slave who had toiled for long hours under the whip of his master, Saruman sat exhausted in his chair after finally being released from his labor. After a time Saruman regained his strength and called for wine, from the orcs in his service. He sat long in his study, considering the words of Sauron and calculating how he might use them to his advantage. With halflings in this company of nine walkers, it was certain that one of them carried the Ring. Why else would the Dark Lords command to send out spies have been so urgent.

Saruman felt a deep excitement, he could barely contain. His hope was that the Ring would come South through the Gap of Rohan and then it would be he, who would call forth Sauron to the Palantir of Orthanc!

The Mordor Appendices ~ The Time Line of the Year 3018 ~ 3019