I tried four times now to submit a review and it is not working.

Bottom line loved the story,

This is excellent; I love it!  You write such a deliciously nuanced Sauron.

As always, your Mairon is a delight to read.

In particular, I loved your descriptions of his process of "scoping out" the tree (if you will). Your word-choice was vivid and clinical, yet beautiful all the same.

I love this trip inside the tree just as I always love to delve into the DM's mind (very risky, but at the same time fascinating and addictive). This is excellent!

Now if I can only get him to tell me what he's doing with those gloves...

Oh yeah! I hope the DM is co-operative! :D *prods prods*

"So like Númenor, rotting from the inside long before I set foot on its shores.  They may as well have handed me their kingdom on a platter."

I love that line (and, I fear it may be all too true).  As always, I thoroughly enjoyed your scientifc elaboration upon the great matters Tolkien sketched.  I would be remiss to not add that your portrayal of Mairon is endlessly entertaining to me, though that probably goes almost without saying.