The Dawnless Day breaks upon Middle-earth

Sauron looked out upon all his works, from the southernmost reaches of Mordor to the frigid wastes of Mount Gundabad

From one end of Middle-earth to the other, Sauron’s armies were on the march to war

This will be the final war to end all wars in Middle-earth forever, soon all the lands will be covered in Shadow.

The belching flames and smokes of Orodruin spewed forth from the mountain of fire in the very heart of Mordor, bringing a night without end to Middle-earth.

Mount Doom was filled with the wrath of it’s Master and deep within it core, furnaces were stoked with fires crafted to fill all the airs with burning smoke and fumes. Long into night columns of jet black smoke had spread out over all the lands of Mordor, until it’s borders were filled to overflowing. In the very darkest hour of night, a wind from the east was summoned and the shadow began to spill over the mountains spreading out into the west and covering all the lands in an unnatural darkness that filled the mind and heart with despair.

All of the Power of the Dark Lord was in motion. It spread out like a massive Black Hand stretching over all of Middle-earth, each finger a vast army on it way to battle. Mordor’s legions had been set like pawns upon a giant chessboard, Sauron moved each of these five armies into their final positions. Winged crebain had been sent out from the Dark Tower, delivering messages to each of his commanders to begin their individual campaigns of wrath and destruction.

The first finger upon the Black Hand stretched outward across the north. Sauron’s Northern Army moved northwest along the River Running to assault first Esgaroth, then the valley of Dale and eventually the very Gates of Erebor. The flames of Smaug will be nothing compared to the fires of Mordor. Orcs from the far east and the men of Rhûn, filled with their Masters will to fight, formed the first of his legions that would soon lay siege to the Lonely Mountain and the great wealth of the dwarves.

The second army of the Black Hand, issued forth from the dark heart of Mirkwood. A force of orcs and wargs was moving north through the forest to the woodland realm of Thranduil. When the Dwarven King under the Mountain calls for aid, none will come, because the Elven Halls of Thranduil will be under siege from Mirkwood. Orcs, wargs and spiders from Dol Guldur will surround their underground refuge and the Elven halls will burn in the fires of war! Yet, this was but a small part of the armies of Dol Guldur. It’s greater half was marching west from the ancient fortress to the eves of the Golden Wood of Lothlórien. By the time darkness falls, this force will be ready to cross the River Anduin and assault Lórien from the east. This army is led by a Black Númenórean, who wields great powers of sorcery. The woods of Lothlórien will soon be burning in wrath and ruin.

Sauron’s third army was marching south from the Black Pit of Moria, joined by forces from Mount Gundabad and other orc holds along the Misty Mountains. This large force will march south through the Wold of Rohan and come upon the Westfold from the North. Saruman failed miserably in his effort to dispatch Rohan’s armies, but the Dark Lord had long prepared for such a contingency. These legions of orcs, goblins and wargs will march south and west through Rohan, burning everything in their path. Edoras will soon be brought to it’s knees and destroyed in fire. If any remaining armies of the Rohirrim leave their lands undefended, then they will find the Kingdom of Rohan in ruin upon their return!

The fourth army marched out from the Black Gate in hours before nightfall. Their purpose was to assault the stronghold of Cair Andros. After this Gondorian city falls, the river passage of Anduin from the north will be under the control of Mordor. Once the city has been taken, the greater part of this army will cross over into Anórien and hold the passage against any forces coming to the aid Gondor from the north. If any dare come to the succor of  Minas Tirith, they will be waylaid and held at bay.

The fifth and final army upon the Black Hand of Mordor, will issue forth from Minas Morgul. This is the greatest of the five armies and will be sent forth to destroy the city of Minas Tirith. Sauron knows, that if the heart of Gondor fails, then the rest of Middle-earth will crumble with it. Like dominos they will fall, one after the other until there are none left with the strength to stand against the power of Mordor. Upon Minas Tirith, the hammer must fall the hardest. The Lord of the Nazgûl will lead this army in war and none shall stand against him and live. Sauron, ever the strategist has taken great pains to make sure the white city will fall. Even now, a second force moves north upon the Anduin from Umbar, toward Lebennin and into to the Pelargir. The Black Ships of the Corsairs will be like the coming of black crows on a dark wind of triumph for Mordor!

Long have these plans been laid, and now the time is ripe and the trap set. Sauron has been forced to move more quickly than he had intended, because of the accursed wizard Saruman, who was unable to crush Rohan as he had been instructed. Still, he had played his part in drawing the forces of the Rohirrim to the north.

What had filled the Dark Lord with the greatest apprehension and forced his hand, was the face that stared out at him from the Palantir of Orthanc. The face of one whom he had long feared might live, a kingly face that held the very sword that had once cut the Ring from his finger. Sauron feared that this descendant of Númenór, might be strong enough to wield the One Ring against him. The Dark Lord had no doubt, that this heir of Isildur would make at once for Minas Tirith. However, when he arrived at the gates of the city, he would find them under siege by the full might of Mordor! With all the armies now in play, it was this unforeseen coming of the descendant of Númenór that filled the mind of the Dark Lord.

Now was the time to strike Gondor. With or without the Ring, Mordor had the strength to prevail against the fading power of the west. Despite the vast movement of Mordor’s armies against Middle-earth, the Dark Lord kept in reserve the greater part of his strength within the walls of the Black Gate. A vast force, ten times the size of the one being sent to the Pelennor, filled the plains of Gorgoroth and stood ready within gates of Mordor for the final assault upon Middle-earth.

The great Eye in the Dark Tower looked out upon the vast forces in motion all along the watches of the west!

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