Towers of the Teeth

Towers of the Teeth
Fortress
"Cirith Gorgor" by Paul Monteagle
General Information
Other names	Narchost and Carchost
Location	Cirith Gorgor, above the Black Gate
Type	Fortress
Description	Watchtowers of the Black Gate
People and History
Inhabitants	Orcs
Created	Early T.A.
Destroyed	25 March, 3019 T.A.

The Towers of the Teeth were two towers 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. They were strong, tall, stony-faced and had dark window-holes facing north, east and west. The tower on the western side of the pass was called Narchost and the tower on the eastern side of the pass was called Carchost.

History

The Towers of the Teeth were 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 they were still manned by the men of Gondor. As the strength of Gondor failed, the Towers of the Teeth were abandoned by the the men of Gondor and were empty for long years and fell into decay. After the return of Sauron they were repaired and garrisonned with the forces of Sauron. The Towers of the Teeth 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.

Other names

Other names of the Towers of the Teeth were the Teeth of Mordor or the Towers of the Black Gate.

Etymology

The name Narchost is translated as "bitter-biting fort". Its initial element narch "bitter-biting" is not otherwise attested, but a similar (Noldorin) verb narcha- "to rend" appears in the Etymologies as a derivative of the root NÁRAK. The second element is ost "fortress".

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

Portrayal in adaptations

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 at the end of the Ephel Dúath and Narchost is incorrectly described as the eastern tower at the end of the Ered Lithui. Both towers are described to consist of nine levels including an underground level. The towers are 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.