What Do the Rings of Power Do? Middle-Earth Explained

During the Second Age of Middle-earth, in the heart of Eregion, there bloomed a craftsmanship divine.

Anatar, claiming to be a messenger from the Valar, taught the elves the art of ringcraft.

Thus, amid the harmonious song of hammer striking anvil, the Noldor artisans forged the Rings of Power.

Greetings, fellow explorers of Middle-earth.

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Today, we will discover exactly what enchantments lie hidden within the Rings of Power and how they affect their bearers, for good and for ill.

Around the year 750 of the Second Age, the brotherhood of master jewel smiths, called the Gwaith-i-Mírdain, was formed under the leadership of Celebrimbor.

Then, in the year 1200, Sauron, in fair form and bearing the name Anatar, came to the Gwaith-i-Mírdain and unveiled the secrets of ringlore.

Thus, the Rings of Power were forged.

In Eregion long ago many Elven-rings were made, magic rings as you call them, and they were, of course, of various kinds: some more potent and some less. The Lesser rings were only essays in the craft before it was full-grown, and to the Elven-smiths they were but trifles - yet still to my mind dangerous for mortals.

The details regarding the forging of the Lesser Rings remains shrouded in uncertainty.

Even the exact count of Lesser Rings is lost to living memory.

Crafted in a time of innovation by Elven artisans who danced upon the precipice of creation.

Each of the Lesser Rings likely possess a unique semblance of experimental enchantments.

Although little is known of these rings, there are whispers within the legendarium.

Such as the following passage from letter 131.

The chief power (of all the rings alike) was the prevention or slowing of decay... the preservation of what is desired or loved...

The dance with decay emerges as a poignant motif within Tolkien's work.

We know that both Gollum and Bilbo have their lives stretched by the Ring, and it seems as though the power of preservation is the main theme involved in all ringcraft.

It would follow that this applies to the Lesser Rings too.

There is a clue to another power of the Lesser Rings within the pages of The Hobbit.

Just after Bilbo finds the Ring.

It seemed that the ring he had was a magic ring: it made you invisible! He had heard of such things, of course, in old old tales; but it was hard to believe that he really had found one, by accident. Still there it was: Gollum with his bright eyes had passed him by, only a yard to one side.

This passage tells us that magic rings, that made those who wore them invisible, were spoken of in old tales.

Could this folklore be based around the Lesser Rings?

If so, then this quote would tell us that at least some of the Lesser Rings granted the power of invisibility to the wearer.

It would therefore follow that the other spells found in the Great Rings would have also been practiced on the Lesser Rings.

Thus, within their unassuming forms, a tapestry of abilities may await discovery.

Should these comparatively modest rings indeed possess such mystical prowess.

They would undoubtedly become treasures coveted by all who yearn for the touch of enchantment.

But none shone brighter than the 20 Great Rings.

The way they were distributed is described in the following verse.

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows Lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows Lie.

Nine Rings graced the hands of men, within each circlet lay a mirror reflecting their deepest yearnings.

Beckoning to them with promises of might and mastery.

To those who hungered for dominion, the Rings whispered of crowns, castles and kingdoms bound by their command.

Kings rose, their crowns forged in the fires of ambition.

For those who craved power, the Rings whispered spells of potency and control.

Sorcerers emerged, their minds ablaze with arcane knowledge.

And to those who thirsted for glory's touch, the Rings sang tales of valor and renown.

Warriors ascended, their names destined to be written in the annals of history.

The Rings gifted to men, bore another power, that of invisibility.

Initially wielded only with the intent of the bearer, as time ebbed away, the cloak of invisibility grew into a permanent and binding state.

The fading occurred due to a peculiar intertwining of worlds.

The Rings allowed the wearer to walk between realms, straddling the verge between the physical world and wraith world.

They could walk, if they would, unseen by all eyes in this world beneath the sun, and they could see things in worlds invisible to mortal men; but too often they beheld only the phantoms and delusions of Sauron. And one by one, sooner or later, according to their native strength and to the good or evil of their wills in the beginning, they fell under the thraldom of the ring that they bore and of the domination of the One which was Sauron's.

The Rings also wielded a power that allowed for the stretching of the bearer's life.

It is important to note that these rings do not bestow life anew.

But rather, they pull at the fabric of existence.

Elongating the bearer's journey through time.

Still, the allure of immortality captivates the souls of mortals so fiercely.

That they refuse to relinquish their rings, even as the consequences of wielding them begin to manifest.

Gradually, inevitably, the corporeal forms of the nine dwindled and decayed.

Until their transformation into wraiths was complete.

And they became forever invisible save to him that wore the Ruling Ring, and they entered into the realm of shadows. The Nazgûl were they, the Ringwraiths, the Úlairi, the Enemy's most terrible servants; darkness went with them, and they cried with the voices of death.

As the Third Age dawned, they emerged.

Their dark cloaks veiling their emptiness.

Sauron's harbingers of dread and despair, haunting the lands of Middle-earth.

If this was the fate of mortals who received Rings of Power, then why did the Dwarven Ring bearers not also succumb to the wraith world?

The answer lies in the creation of the race of dwarves.

In the elder days of Middle-earth, Aulë, the Valar, crafted the dwarves.

With hands that knew strength and resilience.

Born in a time when the presence of the original Dark Lord Melkor still hung heavy on the world.

The dwarves were made to endure great hardships and resist domination of spirit.

Their innate fortitude, like forged iron, shielded them against the insidious influence of their rings.

Though they could be slain or broken, they could not be reduced to shadows enslaved to another will; and for the same reason their lives were not affected by any Ring, to live either longer or shorter because of it. All the more did Sauron hate the possessors and desire to dispossess them.

Sauron bestowed the seven Dwarven Rings of Power upon the leaders of the seven kindreds of the dwarves.

Without understanding how ineffective the Rings would be.

Yet they did have another unforeseen effect on the Dwarven lords.

One that would serve his dark purposes.

The only way in which the Rings held sway over the dwarves was in the igniting of an insatiable hunger for gold and treasure within their hearts.

This desire eclipsed all other joys, rendering them blind to the beauty of simpler pleasures.

Thus, the Dwarven lords reveled in their newfound riches, hoarding great wealth in their subterranean realms.

Little did they know, this treasure would beckon to a sinister force that lurked in the northern skies.

With wings spread wide, a calamity descended upon Erebor like a dark storm unleashed.

Smaug, fire drake of the north, wrought havoc upon the once thriving halls.

Leaving naught but ruin and desolation in his fiery wake.

And in Moria, Durin the Sixth's relentless pursuit of wealth within the roots of the Misty Mountains.

Roused Durin's Bane from slumber, resulting in the death of Durin.

And the complete desertion of Khazad-dûm.

Thus, two powerful Dwarven domains, potent allies in the looming conflict against Sauron.

Lay shattered and desolate, victims to the corrupting power of the Dwarven Rings.

In the wake of Anatar's departure from Eregion, Celebrimbor undertook the forging of the three Elven Rings alone.

In his solitude, they bore a semblance of purity.

Shielded from the direct touch of Sauron's malevolence.

Yet, their creation too was woven with the threads of knowledge imparted by Anatar.

Binding them to the unseen grip of the Master Ring's dominion.

Vilya, the Ring of Air, consisting of a blue sapphire set in a gold band.

Was the most potent among the Elven Rings.

And it found its home with Elrond in Rivendell.

The depths of Vilya's power remain a mystery.

Yet, hints can be found within the pages of the legendarium.

Casting faint reflections of its essence.

Elrond, the renowned healer, stands as a testament to Vilya's healing abilities.

Elrond himself alludes to this power in the following passage from The Fellowship of the Ring.

They are not idle. But they were not made as weapons of war or conquest: that is not their power. Those who made them did not desire strength or domination or hoarded wealth, but understanding, making, and healing, to preserve all things unstained.

Nenya, the Ring of Water, was fashioned from Mithril and adorned with a white stone of Adamant.

A gem of legendary fortitude.

Adamant is said to sparkle with the brilliance of diamonds and possess a similar unyielding strength.

In unfinished tales, Tolkien tells of the profound influence that Nenya held over Galadriel.

Through its magic, the land of Lorien flourished.

Adorned with newfound strength and beauty.

Yet, its impact on her proved to be a potent and unforeseen force, as it stirred and magnified her dormant yearning for the sea and a journey back to the West.

Thus, her joy in Middle-earth waned, overshadowed by the alluring call of distant horizons.

The last of the trio was Narya, the Ring of Fire or Red Ring.

Narya once adorned the hand of Círdan the Shipwright.

But it would go on to find that its destiny lay with Gandalf.

Círdan makes a vital sacrifice.

In gifting Narya to Gandalf.

As described in the appendices.

Take this ring, Master... for your Labours will be heavy; but it will support you in the weariness that you have taken upon yourself. For this is the Ring of Fire, and with it you may rekindle hearts in a world that grows chill.

Gandalf's mere presence sparks courage in the hearts of those around him.

A flame that guides Thorin's company alongside the hesitant Bilbo Baggins.

He fuels Frodo's resolve on his perilous journey to rid the world of the Ring, ignites the spirit of Théoden, and rallies the Rohirrim in defiance against the looming shadow of Saruman, and stands as a steadfast guardian in the defense of Minas Tirith.

Another way in which Narya would assist Gandalf is in the slowing of the relentless march of time.

For the living bodies of the wizards do age.

Albeit very slowly.

We can tell from the description of Gandalf's appearance in unfinished tales.

That he has taken on a form much older than the other Istari.

The first to come was one of noble mien and bearing, with raven hair, and a fair voice, and he was clad in white; great skill he had in works of hand, and he was regarded by well-nigh all, even by the Eldar, as the head of the Order. Others there were also: two clad in sea-blue, and one in earthen brown; and the last came one who seemed the least, less tall than the others, and in looks more aged, grey-haired and grey-clad, and leaning on a staff. But Círdan from their first meeting at the Grey Havens divined in him reverence, and he gave to his keeping the Third Ring, Narya the Red.

Círdan beheld that Gandalf, forsaking the ease of youth.

Had adopted a guise steeped in purpose and sacrifice.

It was possibly this dedication that stirred Círdan's heart.

And led him to deem Gandalf the paragon among the Istari.

Deserving of Narya.

With wisdom and foresight, Círdan spoke of the Ring's solace.

A balm to soothe the weary body.

To cradle the burdens willingly borne.

A promise carrying the weight of understanding and solidarity.

Some believe that Narya also greatly aided Gandalf in his clash with the Balrog.

Yet I won't delve into that tale anew, as this is a topic of which I've discussed in a previous episode.

Which you can watch by clicking on the link on your screen now or at the end of the video.

The trio of Elven Rings also possessed a cloak of invisibility.

Not for the wearer, but for the Rings themselves.

The bearers of these rings could don them.

Yet shield the rings from prying eyes.

This enchantment imbued upon the Rings by Celebrimbor may seem comparatively insignificant.

But it was of great importance.

For Sauron's heart burned with a longing for the Elven Rings.

If only he could pierce through the veil of uncertainty and grasp the knowledge of their whereabouts.

He would have pursued them, bringing death and destruction to the lands of the elves.

And at last, we now come to the One Ring.

The making of the Ring marked the culmination of the forging of the Rings of Power.

Born in clandestine flames and forged in secret, it emerged from the depths of Orodruin's fiery heart.

Fashioned by Sauron himself.

Its unassuming form mirrored that of the Lesser Rings.

It was described by Saruman.

Later accounted by Gandalf at the Council of Elrond.

“The Nine, the Seven, and the Three... had each their proper gem. Not so the One. It was round and unadorned, as it were one of the Lesser Rings; but its maker set marks upon it that the skilled, maybe, could still see and read.”

Despite the inherently evil nature of the Ring, it does offer several advantageous powers to the bearer.

In The Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo beholds a sight hidden to all others.

The Elven Ring Nenya adorning Galadriel's finger.

Eärendil, the Evening Star, most beloved of the Elves, shone clear above... Its rays glanced upon a ring about her finger... Frodo gazed at the ring with awe; for suddenly it seemed to him that he understood. 'Yes,' she said, divining his thought, 'it is not permitted to speak of it, and Elrond could not do so. But it cannot be hidden from the Ring-bearer, and one who has seen the Eye.

This vision, though not especially advantageous to Frodo, unveils a power that Sauron would have wielded.

In order to seek out the elusive Elven Rings.

As Frodo falls into the clutches of the Orcs within Cirith Ungol, it falls upon Sam to bear the Ring.

It is during this time that we discover much about the advantageous powers that the Ring offers.

Firstly, Samwise finds himself able to comprehend the guttural utterances of Orcs.

He heard them both clearly, and he understood what they said. Perhaps the Ring gave understanding of tongues, or simply understanding, especially of the servants of Sauron its maker, so that if he gave heed, he understood and translated the thought to himself.

Combined with this ability of translation, the Ring also bestowed the gift of heightened senses.

As Sam adorned the Ring.

The world around him sang with newfound clarity.

Thus, he was able to eavesdrop on the conversations of the Orcs within Cirith Ungol.

Guiding him to the rescue of Frodo.

Frodo also experienced a great heightening of the senses as he donned the Ring.

And settled upon the seat of seeing atop Amon Hen.

Here, he found a vast panorama of Middle-earth unfolded before him.

Revealing its breadth and depth in a breathtaking revelation.

He seemed to be in a world of mist in which there were only shadows: the Ring was upon him. Then here and there the mist gave way and he saw many visions: small and clear as if they were under his eyes upon a table, and yet remote. There was no sound, only bright living images. The world seemed to have shrunk and fallen silent.

Another great ability of the Ring is in the weaving of illusions which protect the bearer.

By bewitching the eye and fooling the mind.

These visions are able to shape the bearer of the Ring into a figure of grandeur and might.

In the eyes of those who behold the spell.

Within the tower of Cirith Ungol, we hear of such a vision.

Here, Sam clasps the Ring as he faces an Orc.

It stopped short aghast. For what it saw was not a small frightened hobbit trying to hold a steady sword: it saw a great silent shape, cloaked in a grey shadow, looming against the wavering Light behind; in one hand it held a sword, the very Light of which was a bitter pain, the other was clutched at its breast, but held concealed some nameless menace of power and doom.

Similarly, upon the slopes of Mount Doom, as Frodo and Sam found themselves ensnared in a perilous encounter with Gollum.

Frodo clenched his hand around the Ring and was transformed.

Sam saw these two rivals with other vision. A crouching shape, scarcely more than the shadow of a Living thing, a creature now wholly ruined and defeated, yet filled with a hideous Lust and rage; and before it stood stern, untouchable now by pity, a figure robed in white, but at its breast it held a wheel of fire. Out of the fire there spoke a commanding voice. Begone, and trouble me no more! If you touch me ever again, you shall be cast yourself into the Fire of Doom.

While separated from Sauron, the Ring would strive to return to him.

It possessed various devices with which to achieve this goal.

The Ring possessed the ability to alter its size, and it occasionally changed unexpectedly.

Slipping off of the finger of its bearer, such as the moment when it slipped away from Isildur.

As he struggled in the waters of Anduin.

And it betrayed him to his death.

In addition to this, the Ring was able to weave its will into the minds of those within its proximity.

It compelled Sméagol to commit the heinous act of slaying Déagol.

Similarly, it cast its beguiling spell upon Boromir, whispering temptations.

Causing him to attempt to seize the Ring from Frodo.

The Ring, with an intuitive discernment, found Sméagol's malevolence.

And Boromir's human vulnerabilities to be fertile soil in which its power could thrive.

The Ring could also attempt to force the bearer to yield to the servants of Sauron.

In a battle of wills.

The first instance of which is recounted in the following passage from The Fellowship of the Ring.

A sudden unreasoning fear of discovery laid hold of Frodo, and he thought of his Ring. He hardly dared to breathe, and yet the desire to get it out of his pocket became so strong that he began slowly to move his hand. He felt that he had only to slip it on, and then he would be safe... At that moment the rider sat up, and shook the reins. The horse stepped forward, walking slowly at first, and then breaking into a quick trot.

The Ring also maintained a mastery over the art of self-preservation.

Its form was of course impervious to all means of destruction.

Other than the singular vulnerability which lay within the fires of Mount Doom.

But even this weakness was considered, for the Ring's formidable influence barred any attempt to cast the Ring into the fire.

Also so great was the Ring's power of Lust, that anyone who used it became mastered by it; it was beyond the strength of any will (even his own) to injure it, cast it away, or neglect it.

Yet, beneath all of these abilities and enchantments, lies a deeper power, one rooted in the Ring's inception.

The essence of the Ring lay ultimately in Sauron's desire for dominion over all Middle-earth.

At its core, the Ring wielded its most potent force, an authority to command and subjugate the other Rings of Power.

Along with the minds and wills of those who bore them.

Sauron, with a sinister intent, conceived of these rings as shackles to enthrall the elves.

And bend the children of Eru to his will.

Thus, in the forging of the One Ring, we witness the embodiment of Sauron's desire to create order through subjugation and absolute control.

Yet, in his pursuit of dominance, he becomes enslaved by his own creation, ensnared and ultimately destroyed by the power of the Ring.

The Rings of Power, with their intricate web of abilities and effects, serve as cautionary tales.

Reminding us that true power lies not in domination.

But in the courage to resist its seductive call.

For, in the words of Gandalf the Grey.

Even the very wise cannot see all ends.

And it is in this humility, this recognition of the limits of mortal ambition.

That the truest form of power resides.

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Until next time, farewell, fellow explorers.