THE LEGEND:
It began with the forging of the great rings.
Three were given to the elves- immortal, wisest and fairest
of all beings. Seven to the dwarf lords- great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls. And nine, nine rings were gifted
to the race of men, who, above all else, desire power.
For within these rings was bound the strength and will to
govern each race. But they were all of them deceived. For another ring was made.
In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark
Lord Sauron forged, in secret, a master ring to control all others. And into this ring he poured his cruelty, his malice and
his will to dominate all life.
THE ONE RING:
The One Ring, an innocent-looking golden band, is by far the
most powerful object in all of Middle-Earth. Put it on, and the wearer becomes completely invisible. Using its powers of invisibility
draws the attention of the Dark Lord Sauron, who may dispatch sinister creatures to retrieve The One Ring.
The One Ring has a strange corruptive influence, causing greed
and powerlust in many who are exposed to it. Possessing The One Ring can prolong the life of its keeper, but corruption from
The One Ring will eventually transform a normal hobbit into a selfish, hideous monster.
The One Ring was forged thousands of years ago by Sauron in
the fires of Mount Doom. He was close to using The One Ring's full powers to dominate Middle-Earth when it was cut from his
hand in battle. Sauron has been trying to reclaim The One Ring evers since losing it, and if he does, Middle-Earth will be
plunged into darkness and sorrow.
To prevent Sauron from possessing The One Ring, it must be
destroyed forever, and this can be accomplished only by throwing it back into the fiery chasm of Mount Doom. Frodo shows a
remarkable resistance to The One Ring's evil influence, so he volunteers to carry it on the perilous journey to Mount Doom.
MIDDLE-EARTH:
Middle-Earth is, by and large, a pleasant place. Hobbits,
Men, Elves and Dwarves live in peace with one another despite the obvious cultural differences. Lately, however, there have
been signs of darkness rising throughout the land.
Hobbits inhabit an idyllic agricultural valley called the Shire, where they live in undergorund
houses and have little to worry about besides nosy family members. Hobbits are very small, with big hairy feet, and they have
never been known for their courage or adventurous natures. Frodo's improbable journey shows that Hobbits can be the bravest
and boldest of all creatures.
The Men of Middle-Earth are heroic but not entirely trustworthy. They are known to be selfish
and have difficulty controlling their desires. Even the beloved wizard Gandalf is afraid to handle The One Ring for fear of
its corruptive powers. Still, Aragorn shows himself to be the best of men in terms of bravery, dedication and valour in battle.
Elves are gentle, graceful creatures that live in harmony with nature. They are immortal unless
killed in battle and they conduct themselves with the wisdom and calm of the millennia they have lived. Legolas is a prince
of the Elves, possessing keen eyesight and remarkable bravery and skill with a bow.
Dwarves are short, strong and often grumpy creatures that excel in underground endeavours
like tunnelling and mining for jewels and precious metals. Their prickly dispositions can often mask the deep bonds that they
develop with relatives and friends. Gimli is a proud dwarf and he wields his axe with skill and might that strikes fear in
the heart of much larger enemies.
THE FELLOWSHIP:
Gandalf discovers the true nature of the magical ring Frodo possesses and urges him to leave
the Shire. Learning of Sauron's efforts to recover The One Ring, Frodo quickly escaped the Shire, dodged numerous Ringwraiths
and made his way towards the Elven stronghold of Rivendell. Here, the great leaders of Middle-Earth discussed the problem
of The One Ring and Sauron's recent activities. It was agreed that The One Ring must be taken to Mount Doom to be destroyed.
After some debate (and an energetic but fruitless attempt by Gimli to destroy The One Ring with his axe) it was decided that
Frodo would bear the burden of The One Ring. Several agreed to accompany and protect him, including Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas,
Gimli, Boromir, Sam, Merry and Pippin. Together they formed the Fellowship of the Ring and set off towards Mount Doom on their
epic adventure.
