I had a few ideas for chapter artwork for The Tower of Cirith Ungol, and I created three designs that focus on different parts of the chapter.
When Sam goes to save Frodo in the Tower of Cirith Ungol, he encounters the orc Snaga who is whipping Frodo in a hidden room beyond a trap door. Sam springs to Frodo's rescue and cuts Snaga's whip-hand from his arm. This design represents Sam's bravery in saving Frodo.
“At that rage blazed in Sam's heart to a sudden fury. He sprang up, ran, and went up the ladder like a cat. His head came out in the middle of the floor of a large round chamber. A red lamp hung from its roof; the westward window-slit was high and dark. Something was lying on the floor by the wall under the window, but over it a black orc-shape was straddled. It raised a whip a second time, but the blow never fell.
With a cry Sam leapt across the floor, Sting in hand. The orc wheeled round, but before it could make a move Sam slashed its whip-hand from it's arm. Howling in pain and fear but desperate the orc charged head-down at him. Sam's next blow went wide, and thrown off his balance he fell backwards, clutching at the orc as it stumbled over him. Before he could scramble up he heard a cry and a thud. The orc in its wild haste had tripped on the ladder-head and fallen through the open trap-door. Sam gave no more thought to it. He ran to the figure huddled on the floor. It was Frodo.”
—Excerpt from LotR chapter The Tower of Cirith Ungol
The Tower of Cirith Ungol was built by the men of Gondor but had been taken over by Sauron. It had three tiers with a horn on it's topmost turret. Two red lights shining through narrow window slits appear as eyes to Sam as he approaches the tower.
“Sam looked up towards the orc-tower, and suddenly from its narrow windows lights stared out like small red eyes.”
“...[Sam] could see the Tower of Cirith Ungol in all its strength. The horn that he had seen from the other side was only its topmost turret. Its eastern face stood up in three great tiers from a shelf in the mountain-wall far below; its back was to a great cliff behind, from which it jutted out in pointed bastions, one above the other, diminishing as they rose, with sheer sides of cunning masonry that looked north-east and south-east.”
—Excerpts from LotR chapter The Tower of Cirith Ungol
Sam bravely enters the Tower of Cirith Ungol through a door at the bottom of the tower. He must jump over a dead orc that is blocking the entrance.
“Across the court a great door at the foot of the Tower stood half open, and a red light came through; a large orc lay dead upon the threshold. Sam sprang over the body and went in; and then he peered about as a loss.”
—Excerpt from LotR chapter The Tower of Cirith Ungol