Hôarmûrath, of Dír
The Sixth of the Nazgûl (Q. Úlaire Enquea)
The Ice-King, the Cold-One, the North-King, King of Ûrd
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Somewhat stocky and exceedingly strong and vigorous, Hôarmûrath stood 6’1” tall. He was among the tallest of the
Ûrdar, and his prideful manner served as testimony to his inherent conceit. Blue-eyed and exceptionally fair, he embodied the ideal of Ûrd leaders. Hôarmûrath was born in the Forest of Dír (A. Ntîrna) in the land of Ûrd in S.A. 1954. His home, one of the northernmost settled domains in all of Endor, spawned a rugged race of hunters and trappers. Hôarmûrath’s band spent much of their time roaming the southern flanks of the Iron Mountains (S. Ered Engrim; Q. Orongreni) and plying the vast, icy waters of the Sea of Illuin and the Bay of Utûm (Utumno). His mother, Emûrath of Uab, commanded the allegiance of most of the Ûrd clans, and served as the Matriarch of the Ûrdar until her death in the Umli Wars (S.A. 1962-75). Her daughter Amûrath replaced her according to the Ûrd matriline, permitting Hôarmûrath to become the aster of the Household. As brother of the queen and uncle of her heir, he enjoyed the highest status accorded a male of the Ûrdar.
Hôarmûrath’s close relations to the Avar Elves to the south, however, influenced his views and set him on a course of rebellion against his family and Ûrd traditions. The Avari taught him much about magic and power and opened the young man’s eyes to the ways of the rest of Middle-Earth. In time, Hôarmûrath quarreled with his sister over the course of relations with the Umli and other neighboring peoples. He preached war, hoping to extract valuable territory from the Myri and Angela tribes. Amûrath ordered her brother exiled, but he refused to leave. A struggle followed and Hôarmûrath’s zealous retainers slew his sister. Rather than face the penalty of death on the frozen sea, the Master of the Household proclaimed himself the first King of Ûrd. Supported by Avar warriors and a strong faction among the more warlike bands of Ûrdar, Hôarmûrath of Dír crushed his opposition and ordered the slaughter or banishment of the Ûrd Priestesses. In S.A. 1992, he became the Lord of the Ûrdar. Ûrd war-bands struck out into the surrounding lands during the next five years and by S.A. 1997, Hôarmûrath ruled much of the great wooded territory between the Northern Seas. Avari groups retained their dominion and extended their influence with the Ice King’s aid, but the union soon gave way to bitterness. Elven immortality and wealth haunted Hôarmûrath, and the Ûrdar turned on their allies in S.A. 1999. Two great battles followed, but both resulted in Avar victories. Desperate, the King of Ûrd invited help from Sauron of Mordor. The Lord of the Rings sent Khamûl to the court of the Ice King in S.A. 2000. The Easterling – still fair-seeming and glowing with the power of his own Ring – approached his future compatriot with the gift of a Ring of Power and the prospect of eternal life. Enamored of the Evil One’s offering, Hôarmûrath accepted the Ring and fell under the sway of The Shadow. He became the sixth King of Men to become an Úlair. Hôarmûrath the Ringwraith Hôarmûrath’s new prize invigorated him. Two years after Khamûl’s visit, the Ûrdar were stronger than ever, and the Ice King led his army southward. The War in the Woods in (S.A. 2002-2053) ended with an Avar retreat, leaving Hôarmûrath with a vast kingdom. Styling himself the Lord of the North, the reclusive Ûrd King savored his successes and erected a strong royal government over the course of the next two centuries. In S.A. 2250, Hôarmûrath departed a cool, forested domain punctuated with stone citadels. His long reign as Sauron’s client established a new order in northeastern Endor. Once his Kingdom and successor seemed sure, the Lord of the Rings called the Ringwraith to Mordor. The need to confront the growing might of Númenor outweighed any considerations the Dark Lord reserved for the North. For the next one thousand and eleven years, Hôarmûrath resided in Mordor beside the Evil One. The Ice King frequently visited his home to reorder the kingdom he had left behind, but the majority of his tasks centered on the Black Land in the West. He oversaw the construction of the defenses surrounding Udûn, including the Gates of Mordor (the foundations of which were strengthened with the power of the Ruling Ring), and briefly lived in the citadel that the Dúnedain razed to make way for Durthang. The Nazgûl fled eastward, however following Ar-Pharazôn’s invasion in S.A. 3261 and Sauron’s surrender the next year. With the Lord of the Rings imprisoned on Númenor, the Ice King returned to Ûrd. After the Downfall of Númenor and the Dark Lord’s return in S.A. 3319, Hôarmûrath flew back to ordor and participated in the campaigns waged by Sauron’s troops in Rhovanion. Later, he commanded the northern flank of the horde that invaded South Ithilien in 3249, but Barad-dûr’s fall twelve years later ended his early life. Hôarmûrath passed into the Shadows when the Lords of the Last Alliance entered the Dark Tower and overthrew Sauron at the end of the Second Age.
Hôarmûrath returned to Middle-Earth around T.A. 1050. Entering his ancient hold in the Forest of Ntîrna, he slowly reassumed his strength and refounded his lost kingdom. For the next 590 years, the descendants of the Nwûrdu tribes and subject peoples ravaged the North. Avari warriors contested the resurrected realm’s plans, but once again felt defeat. By T.A. 1640, the Kingdom Ûrd was again strong and secure.
Hôarmûrath’s close relations to the Avar Elves to the south, however, influenced his views and set him on a course of rebellion against his family and Ûrd traditions. The Avari taught him much about magic and power and opened the young man’s eyes to the ways of the rest of Middle-Earth. In time, Hôarmûrath quarreled with his sister over the course of relations with the Umli and other neighboring peoples. He preached war, hoping to extract valuable territory from the Myri and Angela tribes. Amûrath ordered her brother exiled, but he refused to leave. A struggle followed and Hôarmûrath’s zealous retainers slew his sister. Rather than face the penalty of death on the frozen sea, the Master of the Household proclaimed himself the first King of Ûrd. Supported by Avar warriors and a strong faction among the more warlike bands of Ûrdar, Hôarmûrath of Dír crushed his opposition and ordered the slaughter or banishment of the Ûrd Priestesses. In S.A. 1992, he became the Lord of the Ûrdar. Ûrd war-bands struck out into the surrounding lands during the next five years and by S.A. 1997, Hôarmûrath ruled much of the great wooded territory between the Northern Seas. Avari groups retained their dominion and extended their influence with the Ice King’s aid, but the union soon gave way to bitterness. Elven immortality and wealth haunted Hôarmûrath, and the Ûrdar turned on their allies in S.A. 1999. Two great battles followed, but both resulted in Avar victories. Desperate, the King of Ûrd invited help from Sauron of Mordor. The Lord of the Rings sent Khamûl to the court of the Ice King in S.A. 2000. The Easterling – still fair-seeming and glowing with the power of his own Ring – approached his future compatriot with the gift of a Ring of Power and the prospect of eternal life. Enamored of the Evil One’s offering, Hôarmûrath accepted the Ring and fell under the sway of The Shadow. He became the sixth King of Men to become an Úlair. Hôarmûrath the Ringwraith Hôarmûrath’s new prize invigorated him. Two years after Khamûl’s visit, the Ûrdar were stronger than ever, and the Ice King led his army southward. The War in the Woods in (S.A. 2002-2053) ended with an Avar retreat, leaving Hôarmûrath with a vast kingdom. Styling himself the Lord of the North, the reclusive Ûrd King savored his successes and erected a strong royal government over the course of the next two centuries. In S.A. 2250, Hôarmûrath departed a cool, forested domain punctuated with stone citadels. His long reign as Sauron’s client established a new order in northeastern Endor. Once his Kingdom and successor seemed sure, the Lord of the Rings called the Ringwraith to Mordor. The need to confront the growing might of Númenor outweighed any considerations the Dark Lord reserved for the North. For the next one thousand and eleven years, Hôarmûrath resided in Mordor beside the Evil One. The Ice King frequently visited his home to reorder the kingdom he had left behind, but the majority of his tasks centered on the Black Land in the West. He oversaw the construction of the defenses surrounding Udûn, including the Gates of Mordor (the foundations of which were strengthened with the power of the Ruling Ring), and briefly lived in the citadel that the Dúnedain razed to make way for Durthang. The Nazgûl fled eastward, however following Ar-Pharazôn’s invasion in S.A. 3261 and Sauron’s surrender the next year. With the Lord of the Rings imprisoned on Númenor, the Ice King returned to Ûrd. After the Downfall of Númenor and the Dark Lord’s return in S.A. 3319, Hôarmûrath flew back to ordor and participated in the campaigns waged by Sauron’s troops in Rhovanion. Later, he commanded the northern flank of the horde that invaded South Ithilien in 3249, but Barad-dûr’s fall twelve years later ended his early life. Hôarmûrath passed into the Shadows when the Lords of the Last Alliance entered the Dark Tower and overthrew Sauron at the end of the Second Age.
Hôarmûrath returned to Middle-Earth around T.A. 1050. Entering his ancient hold in the Forest of Ntîrna, he slowly reassumed his strength and refounded his lost kingdom. For the next 590 years, the descendants of the Nwûrdu tribes and subject peoples ravaged the North. Avari warriors contested the resurrected realm’s plans, but once again felt defeat. By T.A. 1640, the Kingdom Ûrd was again strong and secure.
Species
Age
2919
Date of Birth
1954 S.A.
Children
Eyes
Blue
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Sandy Beach
Height
6’1”
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
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