Hero Orcs ~ The Great Goblin ~ Adar ~ Azog ~ Bolg ~ Fimbul ~ Gorbag ~ Gothmog ~ Guritz ~ Grishnákh ~ Lurtz ~ Shagrat ~ Snaga ~ Ufthak ~ Uglúk ~ Yazneg
Yazneg the Mysterious
“Send word to the Master. We have found the dwarf-scum.”
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Lay Your Staff HERE to Return to Mordor’s Main Page.
Yazneg was an uruk that is thought to have been born either in the bowels of the Black Pit of Moria or in the frozen north of Mount Gundabad. His past is mysterious and the part he played in the events of Middle-earth surrounding the hunt for Thorin Oakenshield is unclear at best. Some believe he was a snively little orc trying to curry favor at the feet of his master Azog, while others say he was once a mighty Uruk Shaman wielding great power, who eventually fell from favor.
It has been written that he was an orc chieftain, who became known in the extended histories of Middle-earth, as the leader of an orc pack under the command of Azog the defiler. He had been sent out from Amon Sûl with a pack of Warg Riders to track down a company of dwarves traveling along the old East Road. The company of dwarves was led by none other than Thorin Oakenshield, heir to the fallen kingdom of Erebor, taken from the dwarves by the mighty dragon Smaug.
Events were set in motion that would change the fate of Middle-earth, but these thoughts were far above the mind of the lowly Yazneg, who wanted only to please his master and so live another day. Yazneg found the dwarves in the hills east of the river hoarwell. A messenger was sent to Weathertop to tell Azog that they had found their quarry. Yazneg tracked the party of dwarves through the Trollshaws making sure the dwarves were not alerted to their presence. Finally, just as the company reached the eastern edge of the dark woods of southern Rhudaur, reinforcements came along with orders to kill or capture all of the dwarves and those who might be travelling with them.
Yazneg failed in the attempt. First the orcs were tricked into chasing a strange creature upon a sleigh drawn by rabbits, who led them away from the dwarves. But then, just as the dwarf-scum were surrounded, they slipped through his fingers as Elven scouts on horseback attacked the orcs, nearly killing all of them. Yazneg and Fimbul were the only ones to escape. They fled back to Amon Sûl to report what had transpired.
On the dark hill of Weathertop, Yazneg was said to have met his fate at the hands of the pale orc of Gundabad, who slaughtered his lowly minion and fed him to the wargs in his rage. So ended the life of just another orc.
However, this may not be the full story of Yazneg. There are tales told of a powerful Uruk Shaman, who was said to have come from the black pit of Moria. This mighty orc may have looked wizened and old and been smaller in stature then the orcs of Mount Gundabad, but he wielded great power in the form of spells and incantations, that could uttley crush even the mightiest of Uruks. He was said to have discovered ancient sorcery, the dark arts of Udûn. He eventually came to the attention of the Necromancer, who drew all that was evil in Middle earth to the dark ruins of Dol Guldur. He would have proved a powerful tool to the veiled power of Sauron.
However, perhaps he delved too deep into the knowledge within the Hill of Sorcery, under the eaves of Mirkwood. Discovering secrets best left buried. For reasons never written or told he was stripped of his powers and demoted to the lowly position of second captain to Azog. A Warg Rider and scout with no position or authority, who was driven from the seat of power in Mirkwood, to the cold mountains of Gundabad in disgrace.
Of course none of these stories passed down from such ancient days can be known for certain. Are they truth or are these tales of Yazneg merely myth passed down as history. It is our belief that the Uruk Yazneg was more then he might have appeared to be. A creature subtle of mind and yet quick anger, who would kill with dark magic any who stood against him. Perhaps the mysterious history of Yazneg will never be told, for none now live, who remember it.
“The Dwarf-scum, Master… we lost them. Ambushed by Elvish filth, we were…”
Artwork on this page has been modified from its original form to enhance the layout of this site.
Lay your staff on the images to discover the more about the artists.
