Utumno: Morgoth's First Hell | Tolkien's Original Evil Explained
What was Utumno? Why did Morgoth's first fortress shape every evil that came after it? In this deep dive, we explore Utumno, the Deep-hidden pit Melkor delved beneath the Iron Mountains before the Elves had even awakened, the prototype for every dark stronghold in Tolkien's legendarium. From its buried galleries Melkor cast down the Two Lamps, gathered the Balrogs, and bred the first Orcs in mockery of the Elves, a horror Tolkien himself could never fully explain. When the Valar broke the gates and chained Melkor, they left the deepest vaults unsearched, and Sauron escaped. That single…
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