Ithil-stone

The Ithil-stone was the palantír that sat in the fortress of Minas Ithil, placed there soon after the founding of the city in the Second Age. It did not come into prominence until the Third Age, when it was captured by the Nazgûl and delivered to their master, Sauron, in the tower of Barad-dûr. The Ithil-stone was then used by the Dark Lord to engage the service of the Wizard Saruman, and later to deceive the Ruling Steward Denethor II.

History

Minas Ithil was raised by the exiles of Númenor around SA 3320 as Isildur's seat of power. After the city's construction, one of the seven palantíri was placed within.^[1]

In TA 2002, Minas Ithil fell to Sauron's deadliest servants, the Nazgûl, and became known as Minas Morgul. The Nine also "captured the palantír of the tower",^[2] which was then placed in Sauron's fortress of Barad-dûr in Mordor.

Around TA 2988, Sauron used the Ithil-stone to deceive the Denethor II, the Steward in Minas Tirith who had possession of the Anor-stone. Denethor, grown grim after the death of his wife Finduilas, "remained steadfast in his rejection of Sauron", but was gradually convinced that his triumph was inevitable. By TA 3000, Sauron used the palantír to ensnare Saruman, who had the Orthanc-stone, and make the White Wizard his vassal,^[3] albeit an untrustworthy one. The Dark Lord continued to exploit the links he had established during the War of the Ring, either to summon his new servant for "inspection and instruction", or to drive the Ruling Steward to despair.

After Saruman had "cheated his new master" in attempt to seize the One Ring for himself,^[4] Sauron's summons through the Ithil-stone went unanswered. When Peregrin Took foolishly gazed into the palantír, Sauron - unaware of Saruman's defeat - initially believed it to be his treacherous servant. Realizing that the other surveyor was a Hobbit, the Dark Lord wrongly determined the halfling to be the Ring-bearer and tortured him, but failed to learn anything of value.^[5] Later, Sauron was confronted through the Ithil-stone by Aragorn, who had wrestled control of the Orthanc-stone and revealed himself as the Heir of Isildur.^[6]

During the Siege of Gondor, Sauron used the Ithil-stone once more to influence Denethor; having lost any hope of victory, the Ruling Steward gave into madness and cremated himself on a pyre. It is likely that the palantír was destroyed in the fall of Barad-dûr.

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