After being slaughtered alongside his family at the Black Gate, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor’s protagonist, Talion awakes as if from a long slumber and must put the pieces together as to why he has been denied the peace of death.

Talion realises he is inhabited by a mysterious Wraith, who is revealed to be Celebrimbor, the greatest Elven Smith of the Second Age. Celebrimbor was deceived by Sauron into working with him to forge the Rings of Power. After they made the Rings, Sauron betrayed and murdered Celebrimbor as well as his family in circumstances that mirror the death of Talion and his family. This connection unites the two heroes in their pursuit of the Dark Lord.