In his creation Sauron was Ainur, a Maiar of the people of
Aule. he was regarded as mighty among that people until he lent ear to
the foul wisdom of Melkor. Thus Sauron fell from the light of the Valar
and took
upon himself the yoke of Darkness, and he bowed to Melkor and called
him
lord.
Under the service of Melkor, Sauron's power grew great becoming
a mastery of sorcery clothed in a shadow of fear. He rose to become
Lieutenant of Melkor, and was given command of Angband while Utumno
lasted. In Angband Sauron wrought shadows and dark phantoms and he bred
the fell race of werewolves for his lord.
In the early days of the world, the Valar made war on Melkor and
his servants. Utumno was broken and Melkor was captured and was put
into
the Halls of Mandos for three ages. Sauron was not found for he hid
himself
in the cracks of the earth. Secretly he prepared Angband for the return
of his
lord. Melkor did return and Sauron was again his lieutenant and Angband
was built anew. Sauron would later again rule the forces of Angband in
Melkor's stead, as his lord went in secret to seduce the secondborn in
the hour of thier awakening.
Towards the middle part of the First Age, Sauron played a
pivotal role in Melkor's plans of the conquest of Middle Earth.
Sauron would become entangled in the 'dooms' of those days (as did
many), most notably the oath of Finrod Felagund to Barahir and his kin,
the doom of Huan hound of Valinor, and the fate of Beren and Luthien.
Those were the years of 'The War of Sudden Flame' and the years that
followed shortly after. In that
war most of the kingdoms of elves and men were broken, but Minas Tirith
the Tower upon Tol-Sirion held fast.
Sauron it was whom Melkor sent against that Tower. Sauron came
at them with force and put forth his 'shadow of fear' and the defenders
of Minas Tirith fled before his menace. From Tol-Sirion, later called
Tol-in-Gaurhoth the isle of werewolves, Sauron spread fear into the
lands of Dorthonion
and the wilderness of Dungortheb.
The Sindar of those days named Sauron, Gorthaur the Cruel or Thu
the Hunter, for in Dorthonion and in Dungortheb Sauron sent forth
werewolves to cleanse the land in Melkor's name. Sauron made those
places a domain
of evil which stood in the face of Doriath and the protection of Melian
the Maia. It is told that none could enter these lands that Sauron did
not espy
from his Tower in Tol-in-Gaurhoth.
As is told before Sauron was named Gorthaur the Cruel and Thu
the Hunter by the Sindar and he earned those names in that he would
hunt down the enemies of Melkor and with cruel torture learn their
places of hiding. In this manner the hiding place of Barahir was laid
bare and Sauron fulfilled Melkor's order to slay Barahir of Dorthonion.
Sauron did not find Beren son of Barahir and a price was set on the
head of Beren and Sauron was commanded to find him.
Upon a time Sauron did capture Beren though he knew not who he
was at the time. Beren was at that time travelling with Finrod Felagund
who had left his own kingdom to fulfill his oath to Barahir and his
kin.
Felagund with his power made Beren, himself and their companions
disguises
in the likeness of orcs. But Sauron in his Tower espied them and
doubted
them as they passed swiftly through Taur-nu-Fuin. Sauron and Felagund
strove
together in a song of power, but Sauron won the duel and cast away
their
disguises and learned their race, but not their names or their mission.
Sauron put his captives into the pits of his Tower and promised
them death unless they give their names and errand. Sauron slew all of
the companions of Beren and Felagund with cruel jaws of his wolves, but
saved Felagund for last. But as Sauron's wolf came to take the life of
Beren, Felagund
burst his own bonds and slew the wolf yet died also, but by this he
spared
Beren. Sauron knew it not but he had helped Felagund fulfill his oath
to
Barahir and he knew not that the wisest and fairest of the Noldor had
died
in his pits.
Luthien, the love of Beren, came to Tol-in-Gaurhoth to rescue
Beren, and with her came Huan, the hound of Valinor. Sauron the lord of
werewolves knew well the doom of Huan, for he had lost many a wolf to
the jaws of Huan, and he knew that the capture of Luthien would bring
him great reward from Melkor, so Sauron put forth his power and made
himself into the greatest wolf that ever walked and he came forth from
Tol-in-Gaurhoth to fulfill Haun's doom and to capture Luthien.
Even as powerful as Sauron was, he could not complete the doom
of Huan nor could he hinder the fate of Beren and Luthien and keep them
apart. So it was that Huan defeated Wolf-Sauron and he surrendered the
Tower
of Tol-in-Gaurhoth to Luthien, but Sauron was not utterly vanquished.
Sauron fled to Tar-nu-Fuin and built a new fortress and he
filled that land with evil. For the remainder of the First Age Sauron
would serve his lord in all his deeds until the Valar came and ended
the reign of Angband.