The fall of the Tower of Cirith Ungol

[Nazgûl-king]

But as with Narchost and Carchost, the Towers of the Teeth, so here too the vigilance had failed, and treachery had yielded up the Tower to the Lord of the Ringwraiths, and now for long years it had been held by evil things. - From Return of the King, pg 215

So what do you think was the treachery that made the tower fall into the hands of the Ringwraiths, I have come up with a theory about what I thought the treachery might have involved. Please tell me what you think!

Well, I thought that perhaps a Black Númenórean, the Mouth of Sauron perhaps, might have been involved with the fall of the tower. As a Black Númenórean could he have pretended to be a regular Númenórean to infiltrate the tower and take over it? Maybe he got enough power to have the Two Watchers posted at the front gate, and maybe the Watchers, being able to keep enemies out, could perhaps have kept those in the tower trapped within. Then one of the Ringwraiths could have interrogated the people in the tower and then finished them off.

This is the first time I have tried to come up with a theory like this, so it’s probably not that good, but I thought I'd post it anyway.

P.S. Sorry if there is already a topic, or if this is posted in the wrong section.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Definitely an interesting topic. One could think more about it (and I probably will). Just for now, I see your theory quite plausible - though I don't think the Silent Watchers should necessarily be involved. They were probably built only after the capture of the tower (but the entrapment scenario is very scary and definitely effective). And also, I don't think the "traitor" (Black Númenorean) could have necessarily come from the outside - he could have been in the tower all along and simply was persuaded by the WK to betray his kin. Though passing in their own men, let's say during the regular change of garrison every five years, could have been far easier (maybe).

[Thinlómien]

Your theory seems plausible, Nazgûl-King. Although I doubt the Mouth of Sauron was involved: the way he was introduced in LotR looks just somehow doesn't fit the picture.

But this thread surely inspires me. I can almost see it all happening before my eyes: the traitor was a Gondorian, something like second-in-command in the fort, and he was envious of the actual commander. Maybe there even was something wrong done to him in the past (like he really should have been the commander, but the other person got the place by some unfair means). Then the Witch-King just managed to bring those feelings to the top so that this poor wronged man agreed to betray his kin. Or maybe he was captured and tortured: maybe something similar to what happened to Maeglin happened to him.

And now I'm thinking this would make a gorgeous RPG...

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Surely one didn't have to be a 'black Numenorean' to be a traitor! After all Grima Wormtongue wasn't a "Black Rohir." Nor were the rebels of the Kin-strife B.N, but rather members of the GNP (Gondorian National Party).

The Mouth of Sauron: No way. There's no suggestion that he had any sort of ultraextended ringwraith-like lifespan (he's expressly a 'living man.') He is said to have entered the service of the Dark Tower 'when first it rose again'- which was only a few decades before the War of the Ring.

[Nazgûl-king]

Good point about the Mouth of Sauron William Cloud Hickli, oh and I wasn’t implying that the traitor could only be Black Númenorean; it could have been a regular Gondorain for all we know. I like Thinlómien's idea about a second-in-command, that was wronged and was envious of the actual commander.

[Groin Redbeard]

I think Thinlomien has an excellent point on the 'second in command treachery theory'. I wonder if there was any bribery on Sauron's part. I wonder if he (not him personally) bribed one of the tower's leaders into giving him some information and then backstabbed him when the tower was taken.

Great thread Nazgul, I look forward to posting in here.