The Black Pits were dungeons of torment located beneath the tower of Barad-dûr.[1]
History
Between the years T.A. 3009 and T.A. 3017 of the Third Age,[2] Gollum was held captive in the Black Pits, only being taken out to be interrogated.[3] It is possible that he was interrogated by the Questioner[4].[5] Gollum was released from the Black Pits only after he revealed the information that "Baggins" from "Shire" held the One Ring.[3]
On 14 March of the year T.A. 3019, the Captain of the Tower of Cirith Ungol, Shagrat, cursed "that filthy rebel Gorbag" to the Black Pits after a skirmish broke out between his Orcs and Gorbag's company from Minas Morgul.[6]
When Shagrat's underling, Snaga, informed him that he was not willing to report the happenings in the Tower to Sauron at Barad-dûr, Shagrat told him that they both would "be for the Black Pits" if such news would not get through to Sauron.[6]
Portrayal in adaptations
2020: The Lord of the Rings Online:
- In the Stout-axe introduction storyline, players begin as a prisoner in the Black Pits trying to break out of Mordor.[7] After the Downfall of Barad-dûr, the Black Pits[8] and the abyss Mordath[9] beneath them were all that remained of the tower.
2023: The Lord of the Rings: Gollum:
- During the opening chapters of the game, Gollum is thrown into the Black Pits after being tortured by Sauron. There are multiple locations within the Black Pits that are featured within each chapter.
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Unfinished index for The Lord of the Rings", in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 603
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Shadow of the Past"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "The Uruk-hai"
- ↑ Mark Fisher, "The Encyclopedia of Arda - The Questioner" 3 June 2024, The Encyclopedia of Arda
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol", p. 905
- ↑ "Barad-dûr, T.A. 3017" 4 December 2021, lotro-wiki.com
- ↑ "Dungeons of Barad-dûr" 20 August 2018, lotro-wiki.com
- ↑ "Mordath" 24 June 2018, lotro-wiki.com