The Dark Lord feels the presence of the One Ring

Suddenly the Shadow that surrounded Barad-dûr parted and the great Eye in the Dark Tower burned with a fierce and eager will.

Sauron could feel the power of the Ring and the presence of the one who carried it…

Out of the Shadow there appeared a face, fair to look upon but frightened. About it’s neck upon a chain was the Precious Ring!

Sauron knew not the source of this apparition, but his eagar will set all other concerns aside. His servants from Dol Guldur to the very Eastern borders of Mordor, suddenly felt bereft of the Master’s will. Many cringed and fell to their knees and others wandered aimless and afraid.  The will of Sauron was bent solely upon this small childish face that stared back at him though a silver haze. This felt like Elvish magic, was it a trick to try and fool him? No, this was the face of the one whom the Nazgûl had chased across the lands of the North in pursuit of the Ring. Of this he was absolutely certain. This was the halfling who bore the Ring and now… here he was…  almost within his grasp.

The Eye used all of it’s power to draw the face closer. Sauron bent the full force of his thought upon the face, calling forth the Ring. He tried vainly to determine the location of the halfling. The face drew closer and the Dark Lord commanded the halfling to put on the Ring and reveal himself. For just a moment, the One Ring was visible to the great Eye in the Dark Tower.

Suddenly the vision vanished. The halfling was gone again.

The Servants of Shadow once more felt the dark will of their Master fill them with purpose as they toiled to do his bidding. The Shadow again encircled and obscured the heights of Barad-dûr and Mount Doom burned low and deep. Sauron brooded over what he had seen and felt. The Dark Power was deep in thought, the eye turned inward. This was indeed some form of elvish magic and Sauron believed he knew whence it came. The elven witch in the woods of Lothlorien was behind this. So… now it was the Elves who dared harbor the Ring!

Sauron called for the Lord of the Nazgûl, spies were to be sent immediately to the eastern bank of the River Anduin from Dol Guldur. The River was to be watched ceaselessly for any of sign of the spies of the enemy. A winged wraith was to to be stationed along the river, watching and waiting for a sign.

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