Dúrnost

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"Dúrnost" is a concept which has only appeared in an adaptation of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Dúrnost
Fortress
The Rings of Power (TV series) - Dúrnost.jpg
Dúrnost in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
General Information
LocationForodwaith, Middle-earth
TypeFortress
DescriptionLarge and ruined fortress far to the north and deep within Forodwaith
People and History
InhabitantsHristorco
formerly: Sauron, Adar, and many Orcs
CreatedBefore the Second Age

Dúrnost (S. Dark Fortress) was a fortress that was located within Forodwaith. Dúrnost was invented by Amazon Studios for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

History[edit | edit source]

After the First Age and the War of Wrath, Sauron took up residency at the fortress of Dúrnost deep within the region of Forodwaith, far to the north of Middle-earth. He sought to create a power over flesh derived from the Unseen world. As such, Sauron issued forth a call and many of Morgoth's former servants answered. Among whom, Adar was one of them.

During this time at Dúrnost, Sauron conducted experiments on many of the Orcs in order to tap into the Unseen world. Unfortunately, Adar eventually became became disillusioned with the Dark Lord's frequent sacrifices of the Orcs to create a power over flesh. As a result, Adar rebelled against Sauron, attaining the belief that he split him open. Dúrnost became abandoned sometime after this, save only for at least one Hristorco.

During the late Second Age, Galadriel lead a company of Elves to investigate Dúrnost deep within Forodwaith, the last location marked on her map where Sauron could possibly be hiding.[note 1] It was only when the company gave up hope and Thondir confronted her to get her to leave, that Dúrnost was revealed in a lightning storm.

While investigating the inside of Dúrnost, Galadriel comes upon a filled in door leading to an anvil bearing the same sigil as the one that Sauron had engraved onto Finrod, proving without a doubt that Sauron certainly once operated within Dúrnost long ago. Unfortunately, the investigation was cut short when the company was ambushed by a Hristorco that was stalking them within Dúrnost. After the slaying of the Hristorco, Galadriel attempts to resume her expedition further north. However, the other elves, led by Thondir, laid their swords down, refusing to go any further north and Galadriel was forced to return to the High King Gil-Galad.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Dúrnost is clearly meant to be Sindarin, a combination of dúr ("dark, sombre") + ost ("fort, fortress, citadel").

Notes

  1. The map that Galadriel possesses has two sets of runes. One of which translates to Dúrnost. Dúrnost is also mentioned within the behind the scenes video for episode three.

References