Carchost

This page should be merged with Towers of the Teeth.

Carchost was the eastern of the two Towers of the Teeth, that stood on two sheer hills that were thrust forward on either side of the mouth of the pass of Cirith Gorgor at the northwestern end of Mordor where the Ered Lithui met the Ephel Duath. It was strong, tall, stony-faced and had dark window-holes facing north, east and west.

History

Carchost was built by the men of Gondor after the War of the Last Alliance to prevent Sauron from returning to Mordor and to keep watch on Mordor where the creatures of Sauron still lurked. At the time of the death of king Ondoher it was still manned by the men of Gondor. As the strength of Gondor failed, Carchost was abandoned by the the men of Gondor and was empty for long years and fell into decay. After the return of Sauron Narchost was repaired and garrisonned with the forces of Sauron. It fell down during an earthquake after an eruption of Orodruin when the One Ring fell into the Sammath Naur in the Orodruin on 25 March T.A. 3019.

Etymology

The name Carchost is translated as "fang fort". It contains two Sindarin elements: carch, meaning "fang", and ost meaning "fortress".

Portrayal in adaptions

1987-96: Middle-earth Role Playing:

In the Teeth of Mordor module in the Fortresses of Middle-earth series Carchost is incorrectly described as the western tower of the pair of towers and to stand at the end of the Ephel Dúath fused to the shoulder of the last black hill. Carchost is described to consist of nine levels including an underground level. The tower is described to have one gate with a massive iron door set deep in a niche that is visible from the plain outside of Mordor. The module contains drawings of the Black Gate with the Towers of the Teeth and floor plans and descriptions for each level of the towers of the teeth and for the Black Gate. It is described that Isildur began an grand plan to seal off Mordor and that the construction began before the end of T.A. 3019 and was completed during the reign of Rómendacil I (T.A. 492 - T.A. 541). It is mentioned that by T.A. 1640 the last citadel guarding Mordor was abandoned. It is said that in the same year of the closing of the Dúnadan fortresses guarding Mordor Sauron sent all Ringwraiths except the Witch-king and Khamûl to lake Núrnen with the mission to ready Mordor for his return. It is described that they sent scouts north who found that the Gondorian fortresses were abandoned and that the Ringwraith Dwar of Waw occupied the Black Gate with Orcs, Trolls and mannish servants. It is further said that he repaired and changed the towers and the Black Gate in secret and that Gondor concerned with internal matters scarcely noted the activity. It is described that in the cataclysm of Sauron's fall only the Black Gate and the upper levels of the Towers of the Teeth were destroyed and that the lower levels up through level six were left virtually intact.