Discovery of the Ring by BilboIII 2941 |
The beginning and end of the Third Age are tied to the loss and recovery of the
One Ring. The Third Age begins when Sauron is defeated and the One Ring is cut
from his hand by Isildur. Soon thereafter, the Ring is lost in the River
Anduin,
to be recovered after nearly 2500 years had passed. The Hobbit Deagol discovered
it while fishing, and his cousin Sméagol murdered him to posses it. Smeagol
(later known as Gollum) then fled deep within the Misty Mountains, and the Ring
remained hidden there until nearly another 500 years pass. Bilbo finds the ring
while wandering lost in the same orc-filled caves beneath the Misty Mountains.
He escapes the caves and Gollum, and then completes his adventures -
with the help of the ring - and returns to quiet anonymity in Hobbiton.
Why did Bilbo leave his comfortable home in The Shire, to find the ring? He was "drafted" by Gandalf to help the Dwarves recover their home and treasure. But, what was Gandalf's motive for including the Hobbit in the party? In the end, Bilbo's stealth only served to arouse the wrath of Smaug, and trap the Dwarves and Bilbo deep in Lonely Mountain. But Bilbo's actions served to alert Bard, who slew the Dragon, and to bring together the armies of Men, Elves, and Dwarves, who together with the Eagles defeated the Orc Army. If Smaug had survived, or id the Orc army remained intact, the War of the Ring might have turned out differently. But, clearly, it was not by Gandalf's design that Bilbo was captured by the Orcs and lost in the caves. Gandalf did not send Bilbo in search of the Ring. Bilbo was simply MEANT to have it. Gandalf was suspicious about the Ring when he learned about it after Bilbo rejoined the party in the Misty Mountains, but he did not pursue the matter until 60 years latter, when Bilbo left The Shire for Rivendale. Gollum, however, did not forget. He continued to seek for his lost Ring. And when the search took him to Mordor, he was caught, and Sauron learned that the One Ring had been found. | |
Inheritance of the Ring by FrodoIII 3001 |
No other being who had borne the ring gave it up willingly. It was cut from Suaron's hand, it slipped from Isildur's and he was killed, it slipped from Gollum's hand, and in the end it is bitten from Frodo's hand. When Sam takes up the Ring from the presumably dead, Frodo snatches it back as soon as he is able. Only Bilbo gave it up. None too enthusiastically at first, but gratefully in the end. Passing it to a younger and stronger Hobbit (Frodo) may have been the only way it could have been carried to Orodruin to be destroyed. Bilbo was a very old Hobbit at the time the Fellowship was formed. | |
Identification of the Ring by GandalfIII 3018 |
Gandalf discovers nearly too late that Frodo bears the One Ring. But he does not
act on this knowledge swiftly enough. His imprisonment by Saruman nearly gives the
Ring to evil, and it is sheer providence that prevents its capture by the Ringwraiths
in The Shire, in Bree, on Weathertop,
and at the Ford of the The Loudwater (Bruinen).
Paradoxically, had Gandalf acted sooner, the outcome may have been no more certain,
because Frodo's erratic movements were much more difficult to anticipate than the direct
route that Gandalf may have taken. After the four Hobbits accept Strider as their guide,
the are taken by a hidden path, but one that leads straight for the Ford of the Bruinen,
where the Ringwraiths await its arrival. How did Gandalf identify the One Ring? First, it gave to those who wore it (Gollom and Bilbo) long life and invisibility when worn. That meant it was one of the Great Rings. Second, the other great rings could be eliminated. Only a few were made. Six of the Seven Dwarf Rings were destroyed by dragons, and the seventh was taken by Sauron. The Nine Rings of Men were on the hands of the Ringwraiths, and the Three Rings of the Elves were hidden (Two were present at the Council of Elrond, one on Gandalf, the other on Elrond, the third was in Lórien on the hand of Galadriel). Each of these had a gem, but the One did not. Gandalf went to Minas Tirith and studied the scripts there, and discovered and unknown text written by Isildur, describing the ring and its inscription.
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them | |
The Council of ElrondIII 3018 October, 25 |
The Council of Elrond decided the fate of the Ring. Any course other than Frodo's doom to destroy the Ring would eventually have lead to the triumph of evil. The Council was held in Rivendale, one of the few places in Middle Earth where Sauron's forces could not go. Those assembled come from throughout Middle Earth, representing different races, bringing various reports, and seeking answers to unique questions. Only Frodo came seeking an solution to the fate of the Ring. But in Rivendale a Fellowship was formed to help Frodo in his task. No champions other than Gandalf and Aragorn could have accompanied Frodo on his task, because the Elf Lords: Círdan, Elrond, and Galadriel were bound to their strongholds. Each of the nine members of the fellowship plays a role in Fellowship's success. None more so than Boromir, whose betrayal decides Frodo's course, and attracts Saruman's and Sauron's attention away from Frodo to Merry and Pippin, whom he suspects to be the Ring Bearers. | |
Death and Resurrection of GandalfIII 3019 January, 23 |
At the time of the War of the Ring, Sauron is the most powerful being in Middle Earth. Of the wizards sent by the Ainur to oppose him, only one, Gandalf, remains faithful to their mission. When he falls in Moria, the fate of Frodo and the Ring seem grim, but Gandalf is sent back more powerful than before. So powerful that he is the master of Saruman, and greater than the Ringwraiths. Gandalf can not defeat Sauron and his mighty army alone, but his presence is a terrible threat to Sauron, because he is one of the Mighty who could wield the Ring against him. So, Sauron's attention is ever drawn to the treat of Gandalf, of Aragorn, and of Merry and Pippin. When they attack Mordor, Sauron's thoughts are on them alone, and he is completely blind to Frodo as the Ring approaches Orodruin. | |
Breaking of the FellowshipIII 3019 February, 26 |
Not only were the mighty not able to wield to ring to do good, but their accompaniment of Frodo would have exposed him to Sauron. Only by avoiding attention are Frodo and Sam able to accomplish their task. The betrayal of Boromir shatters the fellowship and propels all but the two ring bearers to Minas Tirith, against which Sauron hurls his mighty army. Sauron does not learn about Frodo and Sam, and their mission until it is too late. | |
Battle of Helm's DeepIII 3019 March, 3 |
Saruman's mighty army is a mere toy compared to that of Sauron, but it is nonetheless greater than the army of Rohan or Gondor. Théoden sends a small force lead by Erkenbrand to guard the crossing of the River Isen. After he is restored to his kingly self by Gandalf, Théoden rides to Erkenbrand's aid, but he is too late. Saruman has emptied Isengard and the huge army is pouring across the River Isen, straight toward Théoden's much smaller force. Théoden retreats into the mountains south of Isengard to the ancient redoubt of Helm's Deep. This consists of a dike and a walled compound surrounding a maze of caverns. Saruman's Orcs, half Orcs, and humans pour through the dike and - at tremendous cost -- breach the wall. Much of Théoden's force then retreats into the caverns, but Théoden leads a crushing charge of his cavalry into the middle of Saruman's army. Just as they start to recover, Gandalf and Erkenbrand charge from the surrounding hills with a force of 1000 men. Gandalf's appearance routs Saruman's army and they flee into a forest of Hurons that has appeared unnoticed. The Hurons kill every one who enters their forest. Only a few Humans throw down their arms and beg for mercy. None return to Isengard to see the utter destruction of their impregnable fortress wrote by the Ents. | |
Battle of Pelennor FieldsIII 3019 March, 15 |
The Battle of Pelennor is the climactic conflict of the War Rings. There are great battles
before and after it, but none better captures the one-sided nature of the conflict
between good and evil.
On the side of good are the remnants of the once mighty men of the west. They are
gathered behind the walls of their last great fortress -
Minas Tirith, the White Tower.
Through the years their other bastions have fallen: Minas Ithil and Osgiliath near to
the east, and Fornost and Annúminus in the North. Other than
Minas Tirith, only
Eleosterion still stands at the time of the War Rings, but of it nothing is said. Minas
Tirith is vast and strong consisting of seven walls, each higher than the next, with
gates offset. Seven hundred feet above the entrance towers a citadel that overlooks
the battlements below. Behind those walls are all the fighting men of Gondor, and all
of their allies. On the side of evil is Sauron's vast army of Orcs, trolls, monsters, and men. But worse are the 9 captains of the army, the Ringwraiths. Wherever the Ringwraiths (Nazgûl) ride, men throw down their weapons in terror. And the army they lead is ten times greater than all of the men behind the walls. Gandalf reborn is more powerful than the Ringwraiths, but he can not be everywhere on the field at once. And, as vast as the army of evil is, another army of equal might waits in Mordor, and another army advances from Umbar to the south. | |
The Battle of The DeadIII 3019 March,15 |
The horsemen of Rohan were the greatest hope of the forces in Minis Tirith. Sauron began the battle before Théoden and the Rohirrim could arrive, but even though they avoid his forces and arrive at Pelennor Fields, they are far too few to lift the siege. However, a far greater force lies hidden in the West of Gondor. This is the army of Oath Breakers, who await release from the world of the living by the King of the Númenorians. Others have attempted the Paths of the Dead beneath the White Mountains, but none have survived. Aragorn fulfills the prophesy of his ancestors and leads The Dead against Sauron's allies in the south, the Corsairs of Umbar. The Dead utterly defeat the Corsairs, and, released from their oath, they leave Middle Earth. Aragorn takes the abandoned ships of the Corsairs and sails north up the Anduin to Minis Tirith, where his arrival routes Sauron's great army. | |
Battle at Mordor's TeethIII 3019 March, 25 |
The Army of the West has one more important role to play after the defeat of Sauron's army at Pelennor Fields. They must convince Sauron that one of the mighty of Gondor bears the One Ring, and is so confident as to directly attack Mordor. Thus they travel to Morannon, The Black Gate, the entrance to Mordor, and draw Sauron's remaining army into battle. They are far overmatched, and their destruction has begun when Frodo completes his task. | |
Destruction of the One RingIII 3019 March, 25 |
Sauron's confidence in the power of his ring over its bearers blinds him to the possibility
that its bearer might choose to destroy it. And, when Frodo and Sam at last reach Orodruin,
they prove Sauron correct. Frodo cannot bear to loose "his precious" and puts it on his
hand to claim it as his own. Instantly, Sauron is aware of the danger to the Ring and flies
to claim it. But the power of the ring is its own undoing. Gollum has sworn an oath upon
it which cannot be broken.
| ANIMALS / CHARACTERS / PLACES / RACES / THINGS |