The fortress of Isengard was located in a valley at the southern tip of the Misty Mountains; the Ring of Isengard was a great wall of stone that ran out from the mountain-side and then back again. The only entrance to Isengard was found delved into the southern wall of Isengard. One entering Isengard would pass through its only gate, travel down the long tunnel and pass through the iron doors to come to the plain of Isengard. In the centre of the plain, half a mile from the gate, stood the looming tower of Orthanac. For most of its history the lands of Isengard were green and a river ran from the mountains to form a lake. However after the treason of Saruman all green things that grew were removed and the river was dammed. The inner-ring was riddled with houses which cut into the walls. About the plain great shafts had been dug deep and many stone-flags paved the roads of the surface. Isengard stands as the capital of the Kingdom of Orthanac and the seat of Sauraman.
Isengard was founded in the coming of the Empire of Numeron to the shores of Europe. Originally meant to be the centerpiece of the eastern expansion into Croatia, as the expansion was halted by the losses suffered the tower became a home to retreating members of the Istari, and became a sort of homebase for much of the Order. Isengard became the center of the province of Orthanac, and for the remaining years of the Empire of Numeron its region grew steadily in population, due to the fact that they were in Gondor and thus safe from much of the excesses of the Numenorians. During the years following the Downfall of Numeron the region was taken under the stewardship of Sauraman of whom noone knew had fallen to madness and was now under the control of Sauron. Under the rule of Sauraman the region continued to grow, but its culture came to change as Sauron instituded more and more immigration of Easterlings from Harad. He followed this immigration with a silent genocide against the native Atlantians, and in order to make sure noone knew he had his Easterlings gaurding the borders. When the Gondor Civil War happened Isengard would be the center of the forces of Mordor's attacks in the north of Gondor, and since Gondor thought this was their lands they were severely unprepared and nearly lost Cair Andros. Following the conflict Isengard has continued to grow now under the banner of the Kingdom of Orthanac where Sauraman attempts to supplement Sauron, but has failed to understand that Sauron is actually his puppet master and controls everything he does subtely.
Layout[]
"A great ring-wall of stone, like towering cliffs, stood out from the shelter of the mountain-side, from which it ran and then returned again. One entrance only was there made in it, a great arch delved in the southern wall. Here through the black rock a long tunnel had been hewn, closed at either end with mighty doors of iron. They were so wrought and poised upon their huge hinges, posts of steel driven into the living stone, that when unbarred they could be moved with a light thrust of the arms, noiselessly. One who passed in and came at length out of the echoing tunnel, beheld a plain, a great circle, somewhat hollowed like a vast shallow bowl: a mile it measured from rim to rim."
-Uknown Visiter of Isengard
History[]
Early History[]
Isengard was founded in the coming of the Empire of Numeron to the shores of Europe. Originally meant to be the centerpiece of the eastern expansion into Croatia, as the expansion was halted by the losses suffered the tower became a home to retreating members of the Istari, and became a sort of homebase for much of the Order. Isengard became the center of the province of Orthanac, and for the remaining years of the Empire of Numeron its region grew steadily in population, due to the fact that they were in Gondor and thus safe from much of the excesses of the Numenorians. During the years following the Downfall of Numeron the region was taken under the stewardship of Sauraman of whom noone knew had fallen to madness and was now under the control of Sauron.
Kingdom of Orthanac[]
Under the rule of Sauraman the region continued to grow, but its culture came to change as Sauron instituded more and more immigration of Easterlings from Harad. He followed this immigration with a silent genocide against the native Atlantians, and in order to make sure noone knew he had his Easterlings gaurding the borders. When the Gondor Civil War happened Isengard would be the center of the forces of Mordor's attacks in the north of Gondor, and since Gondor thought this was their lands they were severely unprepared and nearly lost Cair Andros. Following the conflict Isengard has continued to grow now under the banner of the Kingdom of Orthanac where Sauraman attempts to supplement Sauron, but has failed to understand that Sauron is actually his puppet master and controls everything he does subtely.
War of Five Armies[]
| War of Five Armies My sister fights in the West. My cousin in the north. This is where I fight. This is where I will resist the movement of our enemy. This is where we will destroy them. | ||
|---|---|---|
With their attack grinding to a halt under the seemingly endless numbers of the Trolloc it was the decision of Rhaegar to try and find assistance where he could. Using gold from his supplies Rhaegar would send his cousin Daemon Blackfyre to the north where he was to meet with Kursten North, and her sister Junet Targaryan of whom were at Dragonsport and would assist him in moving into Pontus where they were to recruit mercenaries there in order to bring forces into northern Dragonstone while the remainder of the forces either moved west or south. Kursten North would work closely with Daemon and despite being unable to recruit most of the large mercenary groups they would arrive in Braavos where they met with the leaders of the Company of the Lion of whom they were able to recruit to their side. With the Company of the Lion recruited they would depart Pontus moving southward with the nearly four thousand mercenaries from Pontus of which gave them cause to reengage the offensive. Moving southward Daemon, and Kursten would find the Dragonsport besieged by the forces of Pontus but would move during the night into the forests west of the siege before sending word to Dragonsport about there arrival. This new offensive would take the Trollocs by suprise and led to several early victories in which it looked like the forces of Dragonstone might be able to push their enemies past the river and thus be able to fortify the river crossing. After a third victory though the assault would be countered when forces from Isengard begin to appear on the front, making it apparent that Sauron and Sauruman had conspired with the Trollocs to stop Dragonstone in its tracks. The Isengard reinforcements would fortify the river and stopped the Dragonstone forces from being able to assault the river and thus kept open the stream of reinforcements.
With the alliance of the two dark groups they were able to push the Dragonstone forces back further and further until eventually they were only a few miles from Red Keep. Sending word to Visery's to prepare the defences Rhaegar would return to Dragonstone briefly where he gathered the other two dragons that were old enough for battle and flew east of Red Keep. Leaving the defence of the fortress to his family he awaited the attack of the Mordor-Isengard forces before he struck with near complete shock. The Mordor and Isengard forces would push against Red Keep with nearly forty thousand Trollocs, and ten thousand Orcs and humans of Isengard and quickly put the castle under siege. Viseryan, and Red Wind would mount a spectacular defence of the western wall of which killed thousands with the loss of very few defenders, and when the full scale attack was launched Rhaegar finally had his moment. Using all three of his dragons he was able to defeat the Trolloc-Isengard army at Red Keep and bloodied their forces quite badly during the First Battle of Red Keep. The Trolloc-Isengard forces suffered extreme losses as the dragons chased them from the field burning their army nearly completely, but the Dragonstone forces would be unable to push their advantage when word came that Deneyres had suffered a near massacre against the Nordlings. Rhaegar at this point would be forced to go westward when his sister's attacks begin to fail due to serious resistence from the Kingdom of Nordling. Travelling westward he brought with him two of the dragons leaving only one dragon on the western front. Before he left he sent a letter to William Lovie detailing him the situation and how the dynamics were changing.
Tyrande Whisperwood would become involved in conflict against the Trollocs east of High Forest in the war called the First War of Five Armies. After alligning themselves somewhat with the humans of Dragonstone under the advise of Lucerne the forces of High Forest found the humans being pushed further back following the involvment of larger numbers of Trollocs, the forces of Isengard from the south, and finally the small forces of Bolten also in the area. Tyrande would lead the rangers into the Battle of Sodistin Mountain where the forces of Dragonstone, and High Forest would battle against a massive army of Trollocs, and Isengard allies, of which the battle would all but decide the fate of that region. Battle of Sodistin[]During the Battle the Sindar Elves would mass themselves into position behind the army of Dragonstone where their longer range could be of better use, and thus during the battle the Elves reigned incredible amounts of arrows on the Trollocs and Orcs. The army of Dragonstone consisted of two dragons in the form of Beleyrian, and Bevarion of whom were forced this time to deal with large numbers of Bat Riders sent from Mordor of whom kept them from destroying the massive Trolloc, Orcish force. The main Dragonstone army numbered nearly sixty thousand and was far more disiplened, and prepared then the opposng forces but their superior numbers gave them the ability to surround the army around the village of Sodistan. Despite all of this the numbers of Trollocs and Orcs shattered the Dragonstone center and forced a unorganized retreat where by much of the Dragonstone army was killed, and many of the High Forest army also fell. Following the battle Tyrande would regroup her forces near Red Keep and instead of staying with her new allies she pulled her forces back and retreated to High Forest to the discust of Rhaegar Targaryan who cursed Tyrande as a traitor. |
