Chapter 5 – The Reappearance of the Nazgûl
The Battle Of Fornost
TA 1975
Saruman arrived at Imladris after a long ride from Rhosgobel. As soon as he entered Elrond's halls, Erestor ran up to him with the news.
"The Witch King of Angmar has been defeated!"
"What happened?"
"Glorfindel and Eärnur overwhelmed him in the field of battle, and he fled."
"That's excellent news!"
"Not really. Before he rode off, he mocked Glorfindel and threw back his hood, revealing a steel crown with nothing beneath it. Do you know what that means? He's a wraith. He can't be killed." said Erestor.
"Not just a wraith, a Ringwraith. Glorfindel recognized him as the Chief of the Nazgûl." said Elrond.
"After he fled, I suppose he went straight to his master in Dol Guldur?" asked Saruman.
"That's the odd thing. He didn't. Gandalf tell me that a few months after the Witch King left Arnor, he was seen entering Mordor." said Elrond.
"Maybe he doesn't know Sauron is in Dol Guldur." said Saruman.
"Or maybe the Necromancer isn't Sauron." said Elrond.
The Attack On Minas Ithil
TA 2002
Saruman was traveling south to Minas Tirith, when he met Gandalf on the road.
"Did you hear? Minas Ithil has fallen!" said Gandalf.
"What happened?"
"Ever since the Plague, Gondor hasn't been able to man the remote outposts at full strength. Minas Ithil, like the other outposts, was lightly garrisoned. They couldn't defend themselves against a determined attack.
"And the attack, when it came, was totally unexpected. The Witch King came out of the pass leading a host of orcs. The defenders held out as long as they could, but in the end, they were overwhelmed. The attackers captured Minas Ithil and slaughtered every living soul inside.
"Perhaps the defenders could have fought off a host of orcs, but they were no match for the Nazgûl."
"There was more than one?"
"We saw four or five Nazgûl during the attack. Now Minas Ithil is occupied by at least half a dozen of them." said Gandalf.
"How do you know?" asked Saruman.
"We questioned the orcs, who refer to them as the Shriekers. They call their leader Number One, and the others are three, four, five, six, and eight. Or possibly nine. They were a little unclear about the last one."
"What about two and seven?"
"They're still unaccounted for."
"How long ago did this happen?" asked Saruman.
"Six months ago."
"That's odd. I just came from Southern Mirkwood, and the Necromancer is still there. You'd think Sauron would have returned to Mordor, now that his servants have captured it. I wonder why he hasn't."
Growing Doubts
TA ~2050
"When we set out from Valinor, I was sure the Presence in Mirkwood was Sauron. But the Nazgûl aren't acting like their Master is still around." said Saruman.
"What do you mean?" said Gandalf.
"As far as we could tell, there was no communication between the Witch King and the Necromancer. And the Witch King didn't go to Dol Guldur when he was defeated at Fornost, he went to Mordor. And now, the Witch King and most of the other Nazgûl are in Minas Ithil." said Saruman.
"It's Minas Morgul now. The Nazgûl renamed it." said Gandalf.
"The Necromancer is still in Dol Guldur, and there's been no communication between Mordor and Dol Guldur. I don't think he's Sauron." said Saruman.
"I still think he is. I'd like to go inside Dol Guldur and see for myself." said Gandalf.