Sixth of the Nazgûl

Iron Crown EnterprisesDecipher

“Hoarmûrath of Dír” by Liz Danforth
Man (early) Wraith (later)
Hoarmûrath of Dír
Biographical Information
Other names	Ice King the Cold One
Titles	King of Urd
Position	Sixth of the Nazgûl
Affiliation	Nazgûl Eye of Sauron
Birth	S.A. 1954 Forest of Dír
Death	25 March T.A. 3019 Morannon
Physical Description
Gender	Male
Height	6 ft 1 in
Eye colour	Blue
Clothing	Cold-drake-skin robes Ice-bear helm
Weaponry	Morgul-knife Snow Hammer Hue Changer
Steed	Black horse

Man (early) Wraith (later)
Úlairë Enquëa
Biographical Information
Other names	Black Threat
Position	Sixth of the Nazgûl
Affiliation	Nazgûl Eye of Sauron
Death	25 March T.A. 3019 Morannon
Physical Description
Gender	Male
Steed	Black horse

The Sixth of the Nazgûl was never differentiated in Tolkien's works, but several adaptations did attribute individual traits to this specific Nazgûl.

Iron Crown Enterprises constructed an elaborate non-canonical backstory for Middle-earth Role Playing, identifying the character as Hoarmûrath, a backstory which was also used in the Middle-earth Collectible Card Game.

Decipher, for their Trading Card Game, instead limited this individualization to naming the character Úlairë Enquëa (Q. Sixth Nazgûl), and assigning the epithet of Black Threat.

While some other adaptations also individualized the Nine, none are known to have assigned specific numbers.

Backstory in Middle-earth Role Playing

Hoarmûrath was born in S.A. 1954 in the Forest of Dír, among the Urdar clans of hunters and trappers. His mother was their matriarch until her death in war, after which his sister became queen. As the queen’s brother, Hoarmûrath held a high position within his society.

His close relationship with the Avari of the south, who taught him magic and power, put him at odds with Urd traditions. When he proposed to wage war for territory, his sister instead ordered him exiled. A struggle ensued, and Hoarmûrath's retainers slew his sister. To avoid punishment, he declared himself the first King of Urd. With the aid of the Avari, he crushed all opposition and became the Lord of the Urdar in S.A. 1992.

Hoarmûrath expanded his dominion rapidly, , ruling much of the land between the Northern Seas, but his alliance with the Avari soured when he coveted their immortality and wealth. In S.A. 1999, he turned on them, but the Avari were victorious in two great battles. In desperation, Hoarmûrath sought help from Sauron. The Dark Lord sent Khamûl with a Ring of Power. In S.A. 2000, Hoarmûrath accepted and became the sixth King to fall under Sauron's sway.

Invigorated by his Ring, Hoarmûrath led a renewed and successful campaign against the Avari. He styled himself as the Lord of the North and ruled as a client-king for Sauron for over two hundred years. In S.A. 2250, having secured his kingdom and his succession, he was summoned to Mordor by Sauron to help prepare to counter the growing might of Númenor. For the next thousand years, he oversaw the construction of defences around Udûn, including the Gates of Mordor, though he still visited his own kingdom.

He fled back to Urd after Númenor's invasion in S.A. 3261 but returned to Mordor after the Downfall. He led campaigns in Rhovanion and commanded the northern flank in the invasion of Ithilien. He passed into shadows as Sauron was overthrown in the War of the Last Alliance.

Hoarmûrath reappeared around T.A. 1050, and by T.A. 1640 had rebuilt his kingdom. He joined the other Nazgûl in Mordor and made his lair in the abandoned castle of Durthang. He later participated in the capture of Minas Ithil in T.A. 2002.

During the War of the Ring, he rode with the Black Riders in search of the One Ring. He was one of the Ringwraiths who fought in the Battle of Pelennor Fields, later joining the remaining wraiths at the Battle of the Morannon, where he perished with Sauron's defeat.

Weaponry in Middle-earth Role Playing

Beyond a Morgul-knife, the Ringwraith is noted to have possessed the following weapons:

• Snow Hammer: A war mattock made of clear laen, inlaid with drake-horn.
• Hue Changer: A dírwooden spear which can change colour.