THE MACE
The Morning of September 20, 3019

Frodo portrayed by Hobbitness
The Nazgul and Shakh Zagbolg portrayed by FreeFall
Lieutenant of Barad-dur, The Trolls and Mireth the Elf portrayed by Eowyn
Narrator, Sauron the Great and Frodo's Ring portrayed by Wraith

Narrator: *Sauron the Great has offered Frodo three choices that he could either take or decline in order to gain his freedom. The first offer - to remain forever in Lugburz - was quickly rejected by Frodo.*
Narrator: *The second offer - to leave Mordor by himself and all that he had taken with him into Mordor, with the exceptio of the Great Ring - was also quickly rejected.*
Narrator: *The third offer - to take the slaves and all his possessions and be granted safe passage into the Shire, on the condition of Frodo's giving nine slaves of Vartang's choice a ring akin to Frodo's own - was vehemently declined.*
Narrator: *Now Sauron has become very angry at the little hobbit, and has told him that he will show Frodo what will happen if Frodo continues to decline the third choice.*
Narrator: "Never would a lord of your cunning give such a harmless gift as you say these rings are!" exclaimed Frodo.
Narrator: *Sauron's voice became cold, slow and deadly. "Master Baggins, I know all your fears..... but I will show you what will happen to your slaves if you decline My offer. Summon the trolls with My weapons!"*
Narrator: *Frodo gasped and his face quickly lost all its color. The Lieutenant of Barad-dur summoned one of his Easterlings and told him to inform the trolls that the time had arrived.*
Narrator: *"Take the Halfling to the pit!" Sauron commands Shakh Zagbolg (Four the Bloodthirsty).*
Frodo: *Frodo's heart momentarily stops in terror, then restarts at an alarming rate. All the memories of old tortures he has blocked out return to his mind*
Shakh Zagbolg: *Moving forward with wide grin on hisunseen face, Shakh Zagbolg lunges at Frodo. He clutches Frodo's shoulder, placing his other hand on his back, and begins leading him roughly out of the main door.*
Frodo: *grits his teeth as he is dragged out of the hall by the nazgul*
Shakh Zagbolg: *He enjoys digging his fingertips hard into Frodo's skin and shoves him forward down the corridor to a door. They move down two flights of stairs. Under the Great Hall is the pit to where Frodo is led in total fear*
Shakh Zagbolg: *Having released Frodo, he moves through one of the doorways and into the shadows to join his Brothers in the balconies*
Lieutenant of Barad-dur: *The rest of those assembled in the hall will wait until the Master has left the hall, then wait another ten minutes and go to the pit and take their places in the balconies*
Narrator: *A walled enclosure of stone black as the night surrounds the pit and darkened balconies encircle the walls, which are encrusted with smears of blood.*
Narrator: *The torches illuminate the sand covered floor of the pit, which is dark and stained, and here and there, dotted with pools of fresh gore which have not yet sunk into the sand.*
Narrator: *Great banners of the Great Eye festoon the walls, far out of the reach of hands that might try grasp upon them in their last dying hopes.*
Narrator: *It is a place of ill omen and dark forbodings. Several great doors lead into the pit and Frodo is ushered through one of the doors. Then he is set free to look at his strange surroundings. A great, mighty door is at the other end of the pit.*
Narrator: *Far above in the balconies, the sounds of many voices can be heard, hurling insults down at the small figure who cowers in the pit.*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron goes to his own private stairway to the pit*
Lieutenant of Barad-dur: *the assembled minions of the Dark Lord all bow down before him as he leaves*
Lieutenant of Barad-dur: *The Lieutenant walks behind Sauron and follows him down the private stairway, then takes his place in a box in the balconies*
Frodo: *Frodo straightens, takes a deep breath and looks around at the dark, gory scene*
Frodo: *He remembers the slave fight at Lord Lorthang's feast, and the two brothers who were forced to fight to the death*
Frodo: *He remembers how afraid he was that someday Ceolwulf would meet the same fate...now it looks like he is in more danger of that than Frodo had thought*
Lieutenant of Barad-dur: *Trumpets begin to sound, announcing that the fight will soon begin*
Sauron the Great: *At the sound of the trumpets, the great doors open, and Sauron the Great HIMSELF strides into the pit and glares at Frodo with his fiery gaze*
Lieutenant of Barad-dur: *All in the audience bow as Sauron enters the pit. there is a moment of silence, then drums begin to beat ominiously*
Frodo: *Frodo looks up to the towering Dark Lord, numb with shock*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron booms out* Trolls! Bring forth My weapons!
The Nazgul: *They fix their gaze on their Master..grinning with anticipation*
Frodo: *His mind works furiously...what can he do? Is there anything he can do?*
Frodo: *He remembers the troll the Fellowship fought in Moria, and suddenly longs for his mithril shirt*
The Trolls: *three trolls lumber out of one of the large gates and bow before sauron.... each troll carries a massive weapon... the first carries a mace with a swinging spiked ball upon a chain. the second carries a mace which has a spiked ball attached to a pole. the third carries a flail mace with three spiked balls attached to chains*
Frodo: *watches in awe at the strong, armoured trolls*
The Trolls: *they stand before sauron, holding the weapons outward for him to choose which one suits his dark fancy*
Frodo: *Frodo decides he will do anything to keep his friends back in Nurn from this fate...if he escapes it himself*
The Trolls: *the trolls say* Behold the weapons! Which be Your choice?
Frodo: *He wonders how he will survive if Sauron uses one of these maces on him*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron looks at each weapon, then goes over to the trolls*
Sauron the Great: *He goes over to the troll holding the mace with a spiked ball on a chain* Give it to Me
The Trolls: *the first troll hands sauron the mace, then respectfully bows*
The Nazgul: *Their eyes glow more as their level of excitement rises*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron takes the weapon, tests the weight in his hands and then drives the head of it into the sand, splattering sand in all directions and making a crator*
Frodo: *jolts at the tremendous impact, perceptible even at the other end of the pit where Frodo stands*
Sauron the Great: Nay. Give Me the war hammer *he says to the troll bearing the warhammer and he hands the mace to the troll who carried it in*
The Trolls: *the first troll takes the mace from sauron, and then the second troll holding the warhammer gives it to sauron, then bows respectfully*
The Nazgul: *Eyes pass to Frodo and some of their fists clench, enjoying greatly the panic they sense and the smell of fear he emanates*
Sauron the Great: *He takes the warhammer from the second troll and tests it, taking a mighty swing into the sand*
Frodo: *closes his eyes tightly*
Sauron the Great: *Another crater is riven into the sand*
Sauron the Great: Nay *he says, and hands the warhammer back to the second troll. Then to the third he says* Give me the flail!
The Nazgul: *Their eyes glow more as they watch their Lord wield the weapons*
The Trolls: *the second troll takes the warhammer from sauron. then the third troll hands sauron the flail mace, which has three heavy spiked balls hanging from chains*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron takes the weapon, gives it a mighty swing, and three craters appear into the sandy floor*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron holds the weapon in a mighty hand. A triumphant smile crosses his face* Yes, yes.... this is the one
Sauron the Great: *He turns to Frodo* You have challenged Me, Halfling. That was not wise
The Nazgul: *Their heads raise..some grin..some of expressions of anxiousness...some remain like stone*
Frodo: *Frodo's fists clench at his sides. He looks up to Sauron with hard, glittering eyes, full of desperation and defiance*
The Trolls: *the third troll smiles at sauron, grateful that his master had chosen the weapon that he had brought. the third troll did not like halfling scum...legend had passed down that one of his kinsmen had perished because of a halfling...*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron dismisses the trolls at a wave of his hand*
The Trolls: *the trolls bow and lumber back through the large gates*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron stands there, holding the handle of the flail and looks at Frodo*
Sauron the Great: Throw him a sword! *he thunders*
Lieutenant of Barad-dur: *from the balcony above, the Lieutneant tosses down a short sword, which lands at Frodo's feet*
Frodo: *Frodo bends down and picks up the sword in a cold, sweaty hand*
Sauron the Great: Who now will say a word in behalf of the Hobbit?
Lieutenant of Barad-dur: *the crowd boos and hisses at frodo and throw down pieces of rotten meat at him*
Frodo: *lifts his arm to block the pieces of rotten meat that hit him*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron says* Are there none here who would champion the halfling's cause?
Sauron the Great: The Champion of the West is before you!
The Nazgul: *They glare at the halfling who has caused much trouble for them*
Mireth: *from somewhere in a balcony far above, a slender figure arises from her seat and peers over the edge*
Frodo: *Frodo feels that his soul is withering. But he tries his best to hide it, to meet this end with strength, if it is to be his end*
Mireth: *she lurches forward and gasps as if in pain...she calls out in a timid voice* i will cheer for him!
Frodo: *blinks in disbelief*
Frodo: *turns and looks up to the balcony from which the voice came*
Mireth: *the maiden is slender, with long golden hair...she is an elvish captive from mirkwood*
Sauron the Great: So this then is the only one who will cheer for the Champion of the West?
Frodo: *An elf! Ah, Elbereth has heard me, Frodo thinks, and grateful tears form in his eyes*
The Nazgul: *Some turn their gaze to the voice and smirk and laugh*
Mireth: *the elf looks down at the scene below in terror... the rest of the crowd boos and continues plummeting frodo with rotten meat and fruit*
Frodo: *It matters not if he is to die...he is encouraged. The Valar have not forgotten him, even here!*
Sauron the Great: This, then, Halfling, is your only supporter
Frodo: *smiles sadly up at the elf, bows to her*
Sauron the Great: And you have no champion to fight in your place *he laughs*
Frodo: *His face is grim as he turns back to Sauron*
Mireth: *her expression remains frozen in terror until suddenly she lurches forward again... she then nods to the hobbit*
Sauron the Great: Then Halfling who dares defy My power, prepare to defend yourself! *he says as he smashes down within a few feet of Frodo, one of the balls of the mace striking close to Frodo*
Frodo: *jumps back with a gasp*
Sauron the Great: *Showers of sand go up into the air and fall down on Frodo's head and back*
Frodo: *stands with his sword..his useless sword...at the ready, thinking of how Sam fought Shelob for him*
Frodo: *brushes sand from his hair and face*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron smashes down again, one ball nearly missing Frodo again*
Frodo: *Frodo jumps away each time he sees the mace coming down*
Sauron the Great: Halfling, I had heard that your kind was supposed to be quick on your feet
Sauron the Great: *Sauron looks at Frodo like a giant would look at an insect*
Frodo: *Frodo thinks of the battle of the Last Alliance, how the Ring was cut from Sauron's finger...but Sauron's hand towers above Frodo's head*
Mireth: *the crowd boos and shouts* THE HALFLING SCUM IS A COWARD!
Sauron the Great: *Sauron swings at Frodo again and the spike of one of the balls grazes his right shoulder*
Sauron the Great: Too slow, halfling *he says in a mocking voice*
Frodo: *Frodo stops to catch his breath, then, infuriated, he rushes at Sauron with his sword*
Mireth: *mireth the elf can barely think, her mind is so overcome by terror, for she is in the presence of the great dark lord himself... the orcs behind her must prod her with spears before she moves or makes a sound*
The Nazgul: *some hiss though their teeth with wicked grins at the contact of the steel to Frodo's flesh*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron moves back quickly in spite of his bulk and laughs at Frodo, then swings again. One of the spikes hits Frodo in the right foot*
Frodo: *cries out in pain as the spike hits his foot*
Frodo: *jumps out of the way, now favoring his right foot*
The Nazgul: *they enjoy his screams immensely, delighting in the sound and wishing for more of it*
Mireth: *mireth screams at the sight of the dark lord pummelling frodo with the mace and closes her eyes tightly, sobbing*
Sauron the Great: *Again the mace comes down, the three spiked balls striking the sand right in front of him, sending sand up into the air and driving the crator into the sandy floor*
Frodo: *As Sauron lifts the mace, Frodo limps forward as quickly as he can, striking at Sauron's leg*
Mireth: *the crowd cheers* KILL HIM KILL HIM!!!
Sauron the Great: *Frodo's sword strikes only the steel of Sauron's boots. Sauron laughs* Halfling, such a pathetic try!
The Nazgul: *they laugh at his weak attempts*
Mireth: *once more, the orcs point their spears at mireth's back and she screams* frodo! frodo!
Frodo: *swings again with all his strength as Sauron laughs*
The Nazgul: *but they are angered at his disobedience to their Lord...they want more of his pain*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron draws his foot back, and kicks Frodo in the face, sending him spinning through the air and landing on his back far away*
Frodo: *Sand sprays as Frodo comes down, the wind knocked out of him*
Mireth: *the crowd screams and cheers, their bloodlust up. mireth's wailings cannot be heard in the din*
Frodo: *He lies gasping, dazed with pain, trying to regain his strength*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron walks towards Frodo until he is within striking range*
The Nazgul: *some lean forward..eyes wide red orbs*
Frodo: *Frodo wipes blood from his face with the back of his hand, his face and neck bleeding*
Mireth: *mireth forces herself to open her eyes and look at the fallen halfling...she does not even know what type of creature he is, only that he has incurred sauron's wrath someway*
Frodo: *staggers to his feet, trying to ignore the pain of his broken nose and jaw*
The Nazgul: *they make hisses of delight in the scent of Frodo's blood*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron raises the mace aloft, twists his wrist and sets the spiked balls flying in a circle above his head*
Mireth: *mireth moans and attempts to cower down in the balcony but the orcs behind her won't let her*
Frodo: *limps backwards as the maces come perilously close*
Sauron the Great: *Then Sauron brings the mace down, and the chain of one strikes Frodo's left shoulder as it goes plunging into the sand*
Frodo: *Frodo falls to his knees screaming*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron is toying with Frodo, prolonging the agony*
Frodo: *It takes him long moments to still his cries and trembling*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron stands, holding the mace at waist level*
Frodo: *wiping more blood from his face, Frodo stands again in a desperate effort*
Sauron the Great: Now, Halfling, do you or do you not accept My offer? One final word is all you have
Mireth: *the crowd falls into an expectant silence, waiting with eager anticipation to see what happens next.*
Frodo: *each word is torment to his broken jaw* I accept!...To save them!
Sauron the Great: Such a pity, Halfling. I was tempted to slay you
Mireth: *the elvish maiden observes the scene before her, wondering what horror will happen next*
Frodo: *Relief washes over Frodo. He will leave this accursed place! He will see Ceolwulf, Elfhild, Elffled and Rian again!*
Frodo: *But what will happen before that? And what will the rings really do to them?*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron senses Frodo's thoughts and sends him a thought message....But not YET....*
Frodo: *shudders, then glares up at the Dark Lord*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron holds the mace aloft again and brings it down, one of the spiked balls landing perilously close to Frodo's head*
Sauron the Great: Halfling, you are a fool!
Frodo: *again he moves away*
Sauron the Great: *He announces in a booming voice* The sport is over!
The Nazgul: *they lean back a bit stepping together more in line..wishing they had seen more blood and heard more cries in pain but they question not in thought at all Sauron's wishes*
Mireth: *the crowd dares not voice their disappointment, though they feel it greatly. mireth sighs in relief...but fears that something worse might happen next*
Sauron the Great: But Master Baggins, there is yet a choice before you. Your sword. Fall upon it and save your honor!
Frodo: *Frodo holds the sword point up, sorely tempted*
Mireth: *the crowd goes wild and rise to their feet. they scream* DO IT! DO IT!
Frodo: *His thoughts of guilt ant self loathing have begun to plague him again...but the crowd's shouts cut them off*
Frodo's Ring: *The Ring on Frodo's finger says in a persuasive voice.... everything would be over so quickly..... if you just....*
The Nazgul: *they await to see Frodo's choice and how much of a coward he is*
Frodo: *As the crowd and his ring order him to slay himself, anger boils in Frodo's heart*
Frodo's Ring: *Pick it up.... it will be over quickly...*
Frodo: *He does not deserve this. The evil was not his doing. They are wrong, wrong*
Frodo's Ring: *Hold the sword, put the hilt in the ground, and fall upon the blade...then there will be peaceful shores, quiet meadows....peace, at last*
Frodo: *He moves closer to Sauron, still holding the sword point up, as though he were going to fall upon it at Sauron's feet*
Frodo: *He knows that even if he did fall on his sword, Sauron would bring him back to life as he did before*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron tightens his grip upon the handle of the mace*
Mireth: *Suspsence falls upon the crowd..... will the halfling kill himself or will sauron? they wait in breathless anticipation*
Mireth: *seizing the mood of the audience, the drummers begin to beat their drums again slowly at first and rising matching the rhythm of frodos beating heart*
Frodo: *When he is close to Sauron's towering legs, Frodo stops as though he were going to fall on his sword*
Frodo: *But then he unleashes his blind fury and swings at Sauron's leg with all his might*
Mireth: *the sudden intake of air as many of the members of the crowd gasp can be heard out loud*
Sauron the Great: *Once again, Frodo's sword strikes the steel of Sauron's armor. He laughs at the halfling*
Mireth: *mireth wimpers at the sound of saurons laughter and cringes in the balcony...trying to avoid looking at the dark lord and the terror of his eyes*
Frodo: *Frodo continues swinging in a rage, his sword clanging against the armor, hoping to pierce it*
The Nazgul: *they hiss as their eyes burn with fierce fury*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron stands there and laughs, then bends down and picks the halfling up in his armored metal glove*
Frodo: *His thrashing stills*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron towers above the halfling, his shape now assuming between fifteen and twenty feet in height*
The Nazgul: *they are amused but angry at him*
Frodo: *Sauron's eyes burn into him...he feels faint*
Sauron the Great: *He stands to his full height and looks down at the halfling hanging in his fingers*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron lets the mace fall to the sand and laughing, he commands the great gate to be opened. The gates part before him*
Sauron the Great: *Quietly, he goes back up the steps to the great hall*
Frodo: *Frodo is still, quiet in suspense*
Sauron the Great: *Frodo begins to slip from Sauron's fingers*
Frodo: *He holds onto the armored glove to keep from falling*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron tightens his grip on Frodo and the metal presses into Frodo's back*
Frodo: *cries out, then grits his teeth*
Sauron the Great: *To the Window of the Eye, the Dark Lord takes Frodo*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron stands at the opening. Down hundreds of feet below, out of the corner of his eye, Frodo can see somewhere in the darkness, the bottom*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron knows the halfling's fear of heights, knows how terrified he must be*
Frodo: *Frodo closes his eyes and prays that Sauron will not drop him that distance...*
Sauron the Great: Behold your kingdom, Hafling! *he says mockingly, and extends his arm out, holding Frodo out the opening of the window*
Frodo: *Frodo gasps, looking out over the vast, barren expanse of Mordor, then down under him to the ground, so far away*
Sauron the Great: *To the West, the Mountain of Doom spewes out smoke and ashes with a tremendous roar*
Frodo: *His breathing is ragged and he trembles violently*
Frodo: *Even in this utter fear, he remembers the Mountain was the destination of his Quest*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron twists his hand over, causing Frodo to fall off the palm of his hand*
Sauron the Great: Enjoy your kingdom! *he says as Frodo begins to fall*
Frodo: *screams wildly as he falls*
Mireth: *meanwhile, down below on the balcony, mireth leaves her seat and is taken by the orcs up to the level where the lieutenant sits*
Mireth: *her back is sore from where she was jabbed by the orcs' spears. when the lieutenant sees her, he rises from his seat and bows mockingly, gesturing for her to sit beside him*
Mireth: *she slowly takes her seat, her head bowed in disgrace, her heart grieving in misery and the knowledge she will never see the beloved forests of the greenwood again...for she is nothing but a captive, a thrall, another toy for the lieutenant of barad-dur, an evil man who had been granted unnatural long life by the dark lord himself*
Narrator: *It seems Frodo falls and falls and falls, but does not yet strike the ground. Everything goes by him in a sickening blur*
Frodo: *thrashes desperately in the air, longing to grab onto something, to stop the fall. His mind is filled with fear, his throat with frightened cries*
Narrator: *Down, down, down, story after story, Frodo falls, picking up speed as the plunge continues. Finally, the ground seems to be coming up to meet him*
Frodo: *gives a last scream*
Narrator: *Then, before he crashes to the ground, his rapid descent seems to slow down, becoming slower and slower, each agonizing foot of the drop*
Narrator: Frodo seems to stop and pause, hanging there, within mere feet of the ground*
Frodo: *becomes even more panicked...he hangs there panting....this is not possible!*
Narrator: *Then Frodo slowly begins to rise back up. He begins to rise faster and the air rushes past him. He sees the ground receeding*
Frodo: *cries out in fright and astonishment as he begins to fall UPWARDS*
Narrator: *Each story that he fell past on his descent he sees once again as a blur as he ascends higher and higher. Finally, his ascent stops and he hovers in midair outside the Window of the Eye. Sauron stands there, in the Dark Tower, looking at him*
Sauron the Great: Master Baggins, truly you are entertaining, and as I have said, you should be named jester of My court
Frodo: *Frodo stares back, silently begging not to be dropped again*
Sauron the Great: Master Baggins, you think you are one of the Lights of the West, do you not? *He watches Frodo, suspended in mid-air, right outside the Window of the Eye*
Frodo: *struggles to speak again* I know not...what you mean
Sauron the Great: *He speaks non-chalantly, casually, a bored look upon his face behind the armored mask*
Frodo: *anger, humiliation and fear war within him*
Sauron the Great: You shall, Master Baggins. You shall
Sauron the Great: You have puffed yourself up with so much pride and arrogance, you humor yourself, give yourself courage by thinking that someday you will be an inspiration. But no....
Sauron the Great: *Sauron raises up his hand with the Ring and a flame comes out, almost lazily*
Frodo: *stares hypnotized by the Ring, watches the flame move out*
Frodo: *still hovers in midair outside the window*
Narrator: *The flame moves forth from Sauron's finger slowly, as if it were in no hurry to reach him*
Narrator: *As it comes nearer though, Frodo can feel the heat*
Frodo: *his fear grows still more as the flame nears him*
Frodo: *He wonders if Sauron will brand him again*
Narrator: *Then the flame stretches and grows, like a serpent. The flames begin to lick around Frodo's feet, and then curl around his legs*
Frodo: *screams as the flames burn him*
Narrator: *Then the flames rise up his chest, covering him, engulfing him in flames. The fiery serpents begin to hiss and tighten their coils and Frodo can feel his flesh burning*
Frodo: *struggles to escape the flames to no avail*
Narrator: *And then in the next instant, just as Frodo loses consciousness, the flames draw him forth into the great hall, and Frodo falls into a deep sleep*
Narrator: *Frodo is gently lowered to the floor and the flames vanish and then a dream comes to him of cool fingers of mist rising about his body*
Frodo: *some of the tension leaves his unconscious body*
Narrator: *Slowly, the cool mist begins to sooth away the burning in his body and his flesh becomes whole once more. His broken jaw and injured face are mended, all his wounds in the pit healed*
Sauron the Great: *Then the dream leaves him and he awakens. Sauron sits before him on the great throne*
Narrator: *No one else is in the hall and it is quiet, save for a slight stir of a bat's wing somewhere far above*
Frodo: *Frodo sits up slowly, wondering if his strange memories really happened or if they were just another vision*
Sauron the Great: *Sauron's eyes seem to smile at him now from behind the face mask of his helm*
Frodo: *He looks up and winces at the sight of the dark lord...there is always malice behind his every plan, and Frodo knows of his hatred for him, but he masters his fear and rises, noticing that the pain in his right foot is gone*
Frodo: *He stands before Sauron*
Sauron the Great: Master Baggins, what you have seen you will forget. All you will remember of the events of this night is a realization that this fate that you narrowly missed would have been the fate of all your slaves, had you declined My offer
Sauron the Great: I do not expect you, Master Baggins, to bow at My clemency. You know I have ways of making you bow
Frodo: *Frodo worries...not his mind, please not his mind. He prays that Sauron will not steal his sanity or any other memories of his*
Sauron the Great: But it would not matter, for you will not remember if you bowed or not *he laughs*
Sauron the Great: You will remember nothing of what has transpired here
Sauron the Great: All you will remember is that you have Gifts to give to your slaves
Frodo: *Then how will I explain my healing? he worries*
Frodo: *What if they think I have betrayed them, betrayed the West?*
Sauron the Great: But still you will have the sense of dread for the lives of your slaves should you fail to give them the Rings or tell them anything of their origin
Sauron the Great: Say you were healed by the kindness of the Dark Lord *he laughs softly*
Frodo: *closes his eyes tightly and clenches his fist*
Sauron the Great: Or, Master Baggins, and the choice is still yours.... every last one of your slaves will die facing either Me or the fires of Lugburz
Frodo: No!
Sauron the Great: Then do My bidding, as you have promised
Frodo: *shaking with surpressed fury, he reluctantly bows his head*
Sauron the Great: What you have seen tonight is merely a warning
Frodo: *looks up*
Sauron the Great: Do not make it a certainty
Frodo: *tense* I will not
Sauron the Great: Indeed, Master Baggins, even you can learn wisdom in Lugburz *he laughs*
Sauron the Great: Now to the Rings and their presentation
Frodo: *Curse you to the farthest recesses of the Void, he stops himself from crying*
Sauron the Great: Master Baggins, must I remind you that I know your every thought?
Frodo: *Though he has agreed to Sauron's will, his hatred is unmasked in his eyes*
Sauron the Great: And I also must remind you that you have neither power nor the ability to send Me anywhere! *he says through clenched teeth*
Sauron the Great: Whoever you may think you are, be it maia or vala, you are not, and you cannot challenge Me!
Frodo: *More than anything, he longs for another chance at his Quest...he would be sure not to fail this time!*
Sauron the Great: Now to the Rings and cease your useless chatter
Sauron the Great: Now listen to Me, Master Baggins, and listen well for I do not intend to repeat
Sauron the Great: The Rings, in an appropriate presentation box of neutral hue, have been given to My servant who brought you here for safe keeping
Sauron the Great: He, in turn, delivered them into the hands of My servant, Maugoth Vartang, who will give them to you right before your celebration *he laughs*
Frodo: *groans*
Sauron the Great: Then you will give them to those slaves whom Vartang names
Frodo: ...Celebration?
Sauron the Great: Yes, Master Baggins. I know all of what you do. Your slaves plan a party for you
Frodo: *indignant sharp intake of breath*
Sauron the Great: If I do not gaze at it through the Ithil Stone, I have other means of seeing and hearing that which you might not be aware
Frodo: *looks down at his ring*
Sauron the Great: Aye, Master Baggins, that is one way
Sauron the Great: But there are others. Your thrall Elfhild knows of some of the others *he laughs*
Frodo: What?!
Sauron the Great: *His question is greeted by a mocking laugh*
Frodo: Do you mean, her "dwimmergasts" in the dungeon?
Sauron the Great: Mayhaps *he says* mayhaps
Frodo: *fidgets nervously, thinking that she and Ceolwulf are locked down there right now. He must get back to them!*
Sauron the Great: My servants are many, and they do their tasks usually in silence, but they hear and see all
Frodo: Elfhild is not one of your servants...she cannot be!
Sauron the Great: She is your thrall *he laughs* but she knows of My servants, and so do you
Frodo: *sighs with relief, but his fear for them all is heightened*
Sauron the Great: You met one of them on your way here to bring back My Ring.... In Tyrn-en-Gorthad, the Barrow Downs
Frodo: *shudders at the memory* Aye, the barrow-wight
Sauron the Great: Now Master Baggins, I have given My gifts to you, and you can give them to others
Sauron the Great: But you will remember nothing. You will say these words to your thralls: "I obtained these Rings from the marketplace as a gift for you"
Frodo: *hisses*
Frodo: *He had planned to tell them he had to give them the rings to save their lives, but not to mention where they came from*
Sauron the Great: The writing will not appear until after the slaves have put the Rings on, and then it will always be there
Frodo: Writing!
Sauron the Great: Aye, writing
Frodo: What do they say?
Sauron the Great: They are inscribed with these words in Common runes: "My Master is Frodo Baggins of the Shire, the Friend of Sauron"
Frodo: *curses Sauron in the tounges of Elves, dwarves and men*
Sauron the Great: They will keep you safe until you reach the end of your journey
Sauron the Great: Every door between here and the Shire will be open for you, every creature will be your friend
Frodo: But then...?
Sauron the Great: Your Ring, Master Baggins, has hidden runes, unseen to you and it controls the other Rings. However, you will never know the writing, for it is bound with spells and the writing will remain forever unseen
Sauron the Great: Unless, of course, you wish to thrust your hand into a fire *he laughs and the hall booms with his mocking laughter*
Frodo: *seethes*
Frodo: And what doom have you planned for us on the borders of the Shire?
Sauron the Great: I have promised you safe passage and that is all I have promised
Frodo: You would not promise us safe passage unless it had a horrible end
Sauron the Great: Nay, Master Baggins. The end shall be quite pleasant
Sauron the Great: Have I not ordained it? *he laughs*
Frodo: You would not ordain anything good for me
Frodo: You hate me with an infinite hate
Sauron the Great: Hate, Master Baggins? I am forever in your debt *he laughs* And I intend to reward you
Frodo: *narrows his eyes*
Sauron the Great: I make you now A lord of rings, which you wished all along. Now learn of their power when you get back to Nurn!
Frodo: Ai Elbereth *he whispers in supplication*
Sauron the Great: But always remember that which you so recently forgot, there is and can be only ONE Lord of the Rings
Frodo: *He almost glows with hatred*
Sauron the Great: Go now, Master Baggins, rest. You have one more day and a night to enjoy the company at Lugburz
Frodo: *What horrors will transpire now? he thinks*
Sauron the Great: Let the Hall be opened now!
Frodo: *O Valar, may I never bring harm to my friends through these rings! he prays*
Frodo: *May I never harm them at all*
Sauron the Great: *Outside the door, the orcish guards hear his command and open the door*
Lieutenant of Barad-dur: *the lieutenant, who has been dallying with mireth of the elves and forcing his favors upon her, sends her back to his chambers and announces to all that the hall has been opened and that those whose duties are to be there should return*
Lieutenant of Barad-dur: *he goes into the hall, bows before sauron and takes his place on the left side of sauron's throne*
The Nazgul: *They file into the hall once again and line up against the wall and bow to Sauron*
Sauron the Great: Go from My hall, Master Baggins. Your wit has grown stale
Lieutenant of Barad-dur: *the lieutenant leaves his place beside sauron's throne, bows to sauron and approaches frodo* Come, Master Baggins, your room awaits
Frodo: *Frodo turns on his heel and follows the lieutenant out of the hall*
Lieutenant of Barad-dur: *he gives him a very warm and friendly smile, sweet like honey at first apperance, but beneath dripping with venom. he exits the great hall, bowing to sauron before he leaves and walks down the corridor to frodo's room, opening the door for him*
Lieutenant of Barad-dur: *he waits for frodo to enter*
Frodo: *Frodo walks quickly past him into the room*
Lieutenant of Barad-dur: *the lieutenant bows to frodo with a great mocking flourish and laughs. he then locks the door to frodo's room and goes back to sauron's hall*
Frodo: *Frodo picks up a statue of the Dark Lord in full armor from a table in his room and flings it against the wall. He watches it shatter to pieces then he resumes his post sitting by the window and waiting*
The Nazgul: *They stand and look to their Master and Angmar on behalf of them all steps forward and bows* My Lord..what do You bid of us?
Sauron the Great: Lords of Life, your company shall not be further needed tonight. Retire to your chambers. I give you leave to do so
The Nazgul: *They all bow low* Aye My Lord
Sauron the Great: *he nods to them*
The Nazgul: *Angmar leads them out and they all move down the corridors and passages and slowly scatter about*
Frodo: *Frodo sits by the window in his room and watches fire belch from the Mountain. His foot touches a piece of the broken statue*
Frodo: *He picks it up--it is Sauron's hand with the Ring*
Frodo: *He stares at it for a moment, then flings it against the wall but it will not break*
Frodo: *For a moment he wishes he had fallen on his sword... but then he thinks...he will see his friends again...and even the Shire*
Frodo: *Whatever horrors await, at least he will see them*
Frodo: *He sings the Elvish prayer to Elbereth softly to himself as the day wears on*

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