Gandalf’s Escape from Saruman’s imprisonment
Gandalf would send a message by a brown moth to Radagast the Brown as Gandalf believe Radagast wouldn’t have joined Saruman’s betrayal. Radagast after receiving message from Gandalf would ask Gwahir, the lord of the eagles to help Gandalf.
Gwahir would soar to Orthanc and rescued Gandalf from Saruman’s imprisonment at Orthanc. Gandalf would arrive at Rivendell with Gwahir’s help and alerted Elrond of Saruman’s betrayal and the alliance of Saruman and Sauron.
Saruman of Many Colors – Establishment of the forces of Isengard
Saruman claimed that the One ring was long gone in the Belegaer Sea at the last White Council as the chairman. However, Saruman had his own ambitions to secure the One Ring.
Saruman started to gather the orcs of the Misty Mountains and the wild men of Dunland, the Dunlendings under his command. Saruman also planted spies all over Middle Earth including the Shire.
Saruman would start breeding men and orcs creating half-orcs and eventually created the Uruk-Hai of Isengard. Saruman would start his campaign against Rohan by sending raiding parties of orcs, half-orcs and Dunlendings to harass the lands of Rohan.
Saruman would take off his title as the White Wizard and claimed himself as Saruman of Many Colors. Saruman asked Gandalf to join his cause but as Gandalf refused, Saruman locked Gandalf in the tower of Orthanc.
White Hand – Symbol of Saruman
The White Hand or the White Hand of Saruman became a symbol of the forces of Isengard led by Saruman. The Uruk Hai would have the White Hand and the S symbol that would represent Saruman.
Saruman’s creation of half-orcs and the Uruk-Hai
Saruman used to be called Curumo as a Maia and apprentice of the Valar of craftsmanship Aule. Saruman had great talent in creation and craftsmanship as well as magic.
Saruman would use his skills to create half-orcs and developed a much stronger Uruk Hai. In the original novel, the Uruk Hai aren’t an exclusive invention by Saruman but in the movie, the Uruk-Hai became an exclusive invention created by Saruman. In the novel, Saruman utilized many Uruk-Hai and half-orcs under his command.
Evil humans of Dunland, Dunlendings and the Crebain crows of Saruman
Dunlendings were originally people who resided in Eriador but were pushed off to Dunland as the Dunedain(Numenoreans) deforested the lands.
The Dunlendings would become hostile with the Dunedain and eventually resist Arnor and Gondor as well. After Gondor granted the lands of Calenardhon to the first Rohirrim where they would found Rohan, Dunlendings would invade the lands of Rohan and oppose the Rohirrim as well.
Saruman absorbed the Dunlendings into his forces as he promised to return the lands of Rohan to the Dunlendings. The Dunlendings were called the wild men of Dunland as well and would harass the lands of Rohan by Saruman’s command. The crows of Dunland were called Crebain and these acted as spies for Saruman.
Saruman and the Uruk-Hai
Orcs were described much weaker in the original novel of the Lord of the Rings and in the novel, the uruks and Uruk-Hai were described as orcs as strong as humans.
However, as many culture, media, games generally describe orcs as strong as humans, the movie Lord of the Rings also made orcs as equally strong as humans.
Lesser orcs were called Snaga or goblins while Uruks of Mordor and the Uruk Hai were much stronger than the snaga and goblins.
General orcs were weak under the sunlight and couldn’t properly function. However, the most notable characteristics of the Uruk-Hai were resistance to sunlight and their much powerful strength compared with general orcs.
The exact origins of the Uruk-Hai is unknown; however another notable trait of the Uruk-Hai was the pride and loyalty they had for Saruman and themselves.
The Uruk-Hai would underestimate and undermine ordinary orcs and pledged loyalty to Saruman. Most orcs only served Sauron and his former master Morgoth(Melkor) because of fear so betrayal and fleeing was very common for general orcs.
The Uruk Hai would have a “S” Rune of Saruman graved on their weapons and would wield the White Hand where both were symbols of Saruman.
Origins of Orcs
Although in the film, Saruman reveals the origins of orcs to the first Uruk Hai created named Lurtz (Lurtz is a film adaptation). Saruman states that the orcs were once elves but were corrupted. However, J.R.R. Tolkien never clearly stated the origins of orcs or how they were created.
However, media adaptations of Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion continue to develop the idea that orcs were created by corrupt elves. These ideas were based on speculations that Sauron’s master Morgoth tortured elves and created the orcs from them.
Saruman and Sauron’s relationship – The Two Tower Alliance
Saruman and Sauron make a shaky alliance named the Two Tower Alliance named after Barad-dur and Orthanc. Sauron sent orcs to Saruman to establish the forges of Isengard but the orcs of Sauron were also spies to watch over Saruman.
The purpose of Saruman’s betrayal was to eventually double cross Sauron all the time. Saruman believed that he could defeat Sauron if he could possess the One Ring.
Saruman and Sauron would spy on each other and didn’t share the critical intel of the One Ring as well. If the humans, elves and dwarves didn’t resist, Saruman’s Isengard would have gone to war with Sauron’s Mordor.
