👁️Sauron in Eriador

[Maeglin]

From Appendix B, The Tale of Years, The Second Age

1695 Sauron's Forces invade Eriador.
1699 Sauron overruns Eriador

I know he wasn't there for very long, but Sauron must have had some place to stay while in Eriador. Does anyone know what/where his dwelling place was in Eriador? Is it mentioned in UT or one of the HOME books?

 

[Ithrynluin]

I'm not sure we are given that bit of info anywhere. He may have had a permanent dwelling whilst in Eriador, though it is also possible that he moved with his army as it marched further and further.

 

[Flammifer]

From the quote I get the impression that Sauron did not come forth to war at all. It says "Sauron's forces invade Eriador". In the next line it says "Sauron overruns Eriador", but I think this just means that his forces overran Eriador.

But it is interesting to consider where Sauron's forces stayed (if anywhere) when they invaded Eriador. Maybe they came from the North? They might have marshalled all the Orcs from Mount Gundabad and come down past the Mountains of Angmar. But was Angmar established then? Maybe Mount Gundabad wasn't either...I dunno.

 

[Ithrynluin]

I think it was much more likely that his army came through Calenardhon (Rohan to be), since that was a quicker and less 'painful' way. This is reinforced by the fact that Sauron wanted to get to Celebrimbor first desperately, so as to obtain any rings he could. Eregion was the first to be destroyed.

For some reason I also think Sauron was there himself. I believe he would have wanted to see to Celebrimbor and the Rings of Power himself, as they were a matter of utmost importance to him.

 

[Arthur_Vandelay]

The chapter of Unfinished Tales titled "History of Galadriel and Celeborn" gives a detailed account of the War of the Elves and Sauron. According to this text:

• Sauron certainly accompanied his armies to Eriador
• He encountered Celebrimbor on the steps of the House of the Mirdain in Ost-in-Edhil. Celebrimbor resisted, but was eventually taken captive.
• Sauron then ransacked the House, took the Nine Rings, but could not locate the Seven or the Three.
• Sauron tortured or was involved in the interrogation of the captive Celebrimbor, who revealed to him where the Seven lay.
• He appears to have been present in most of the subsequent major battles of the War.

The account also mentions that

In the Battle of the Gwathlo Sauron was routed utterly and he himself only narrowly escaped. His small remaining force was assailed in the east of Calenardhon, and he with no more than a bodyguard fled to the region afterwards called Dagorlad . . .

 

[Tar-Surion]

It seems that Sauron's Eriador campaign was as disastrous for him as Napoleon's invasion of Russia.

If the Noldor could have rebuilt their kingdom after Sauron's defeat they could have given him a run for his money for the rest of the Second Age.

Alas for slow-breeders.