Gollum discovers he is trapped in the halls of Moria

For many weeks Gollum has walked the pathless tunnels in the dark of Khazad-dûm only to discover that the West Gate is shut!

Gollum realizes that he is trapped in the long dark of Moria.

Gollum finds the darkness of the Black Pit of Moria much to his liking. He feels safe from both the yellow and the white faces in the sky, especially here in the western tunnels of Khazad-dûm which is far from the Orc holds in the eastern halls.

For endless days and nights Gollum has crawled sniffing and snuffling his way through the darkness of Moria.

Even he, who had spent nearly 500 years in the tunnels of the Misty Mountains to the North has become bewildered and lost in the endless tunnels of the Dwarves. Water he has found here and there dripping down through cracks and crevices from the snows far above, but food has been difficult to find. Gollum has crept and crawled, pawing old bones for meat that has long since withered and fallen from dead limbs. Famished and hungry, Gollum came upon a lone Orc carrying a torch and traveling West in one of the large tunnels. The orc was small and scrawny, but that simply made it easier to kill. Gollum crept up from behind and the small orc never knew what hit him as a stone was brought down upon his skull.

Upon this meat Gollum feasted for many days, tough and stringy as it was. But always the desire for the Ring drew him Westward.

Long he has searched among the western tunnels for a way out, but all the Dwarven roads in this region of Moria have been blocked and sealed by the Orcs over the long years. Now there is only one door left… the West Gate of Moria. The doors can be easily opened from the inside, a mere push upon the stone doors will make them swing outward. When Gollum finally finds the way to the last exit out of the Western side Moria, he is dismayed to see water all about the bottom steps of the tunnel that leads to the door.

Unknown to Gollum, the small valley outside the gate has been damned and the small stream blocked, so that the entire vale is now filled with water. A dark creature found in the depths of Moria has been driven out from the mountain into these waters as a guard against those who might try enter the Western Gate.

For many days and nights there has been a torrent of hard rain and the small vale is filled to over flowing. It’s stagnate green waters lap up against the very walls of Moria and have seeped into the lower hall about two feet within. Gollum stands upon the last stair and places a single toes into the fetid water. Sméagol whines in fear at it’s slimy touch, but Gollum berates and tells him they must wade the waters to the door.

Sméagol complains as they slip into the slimy waters and crawl towards the great door. Gollum pushes upon the doors and even partly underwater, they swing outward easily onto the small lake before the gate. A great ripple spreads outward from the door as it swing open. Sméagol cringes and cries when he is told they must swim through the dark smelly waters to get out of the Black Pit.

Night has fallen on the land and the white face has crossed over the mountains and sits looking down at them from the sky above. Sméagol cries and begs Gollum to let them stay under the mountain, but Gollum hisses and spits and threatens poor Sméagol until he begins to move toward the dark pool. Just as Gollum prepares to jump into the water, there is a ripple and a plop as a small tentacle rises out of the water and moves toward the open doors!

Gollum pauses and his lamp-like eyes glow green with caution. The tentacle whips back and fourth over the water as it begin to pick up speed toward the West Gate of Moria. More tentacles rise up around the first one, until the water is boiling and frothing beneath the creature. The tentacles reach the open door and begin to probe inward just feet from where Gollum stands. Sméagol screams and dives backward through the waters as the first tentacle touches his face. He reaches the steps just in time and runs nimbly up, as nearly a hundred of the writhing snake like arms thrash out of the water and up along the walls & steps.

Gollum screams with rage as the tentacles retreat back into the water, pulling the gates shut would a loud boom. Gollum realizes then, that he is trapped in the darkness of Moria forever! The only way out now is to return to the East Gate, but he knows that the Orcs from Dol Guldur must have already alerted the Orcs of Moria to his presence. There is no way he can get past the creature of Shadow and Fire the waits there. He is trapped like a rat in a cage!

Outside the West Gate of Moria the Watcher in the Water slams the doors shut making sure none escape!

The many snake-like tentacles crawl over the doors and walls of Moria. Slowly they slip back into the dark fetid waters, satisfied that the Gates will remain shut and none shall leave or enter with out it’s notice. The last of the tentacles disappear into the lake, causing ripples to move out in all directors across the long pool of water before the gate. Finally the surface becomes still again, reflecting the white face of the full moon upon it’s still surface.

Inside the walls of Moria Gollum mutters and hisses in the darkness. Oh the precious… the precious… the precious!

Lay your staff on the link below to follow the Time-line of the War of the Ring from the Eye of Mordor.

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