Sauron's Room at Barad-dûr
West Osgiliath, Gondor Camp
Evening, April 7th, TA 3019
Aragorn was skeptical about Sauron's display of remorse over Celebrimbor's death. Just out of curiosity, he sought out Gondor's Loremaster.
Aragorn asked him, "When Mordor was defeated at the end of the Second Age, did they search Barad-dûr before they pulled it down? Is there any record of what they found inside? What I really want to know is, do you know anything about what they found in Sauron's personal quarters?"
"That's an interesting question." said Gûlon. "One of my students looked into that very subject. She's able to talk at great length on that subject. The men who went into Barad-dûr after Mordor fell did a very thorough search and made a detailed inventory, the records of which we still have.
"They found a number of apartments, richly appointed rooms reflecting the wealth and status of their occupants. They were furnished with canopied beds, desks made of rare woods that held small caskets of ivory holding exquisitely made writing tools. On the walls, there were sconces, tapestries, and carved paneling.
"Their personal belongings included chests full of clothes to wear at court, beautiful garments of wool and leather, embroidered silks, and fine linens, as well as jewelry of gemstones and gold. But each room was attributed to a Nazgûl or to a mortal high in Mordor's chain of command.
"They had an extremely hard time identifying Sauron's private quarters, because they were so plain. A hard, narrow bed, a table for writing, and a chest for clothes, but no rugs or tapestries or bed curtains or any of the things you'd expect of someone of his rank. His clothes were ordinary and he had no jewelry.
"In fact, what gave it away were a few pages of writing found on the table. They were rough notes, presumably for the writer's eyes only. They were written in Valarin, Sauron's mother tongue. No one else in Mordor would have scribbled rough notes in Valarin.
"Once the notes were found, they found a second clue, an inscription carved into the stone arch over the door. It was on the inside of the room where only the occupant would see it, but he'd see it every day. The inscription was the prophecy of Sauron's end.
'.. and walked behind him on the same ruinous path down into the Void.'
"Apparently the prophecy was important to him. Perhaps he wanted to be reminded of it so it would keep him humble, or perhaps he liked it because it tied him to Morgoth, I don't know."
Aragorn thought it over. He'd assumed Sauron's display of remorse and his assertion that he made atonement by living without luxuries and sleeping on the floor was a fabrication.
But Gûlon corroborated the story. It appeared that what Sauron told him was actually true. Aragorn didn't know what to make of it.
x-x-x-x-x-x
Later, he told Gandalf what he'd learned. The Loremaster had confirmed Sauron's story of atonement, which made Aragorn believe Sauron really was capable of remorse. And if he wasn't entirely evil, Aragorn was more willing to bargain with him.
"Gûlon told you Sauron lived without luxuries following Celebrimbor's death. Let's say that's true. But did you ask, how did he live before he killed Celebrimbor died?" asked Gandalf.
"Meaning what?" said Aragorn.
"What if Sauron lives simply because that's what he likes?" said Gandalf. "Consider this. All the rest of the Great Rings have gemstones and decorations, but the One Ring, the one he made for himself, is plain."
Aragorn felt like he'd been sucker punched.