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Timeline Event

Elven-smiths of Eregion begin to forge Rings of Power

Event Type: Artifacts

Age: 2nd Age - Rings

Year: 1500

Description:

The Elven-smiths instructed by Sauron reach the height of their skill. They begin the forging of the Rings of Power.

The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, The Tale of Years: The Second Age

'In Eregion long ago many Elven-rings were made, magic rings as you call them, and they were... 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 Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 1, Ch 2, The Shadow of the Past

[The] Seven and the Nine were made with Sauron's aid, whereas the Three were made by Celebrimbor alone, with a different power and purpose.

Unfinished Tales, Part 2, Ch 4, The History of Galadriel and Celeborn: Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn

It was in Eregion that the counsels of Sauron were most gladly received, for in that land the Noldor desired ever to increase the skill and subtlety of their works.... Therefore they hearkened to Sauron, and they learned of him many things, for his knowledge was great. In those days the smiths of Ost-in-Edhil surpassed all that they had contrived before; and they took thought, and they made Rings of Power. But Sauron guided their labours, and he was aware of all that they did; for his desire was to set a bond upon the Elves and to bring them under his vigilance.

Now the Elves made many rings;... the power of the Elven-rings was very great....

The Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age

But at Eregion great work began — and the Elves came their nearest to falling to 'magic' and machinery. With the aid of Sauron's lore they made Rings of Power ('power' is an ominous and sinister word in all these tales, except as applied to the gods).

The chief power (of all the rings alike) was the prevention or slowing of decay (i.e. 'change' viewed as a regrettable thing), the preservation of what is desired or loved, or its semblance — this is more or less an Elvish motive. But also they enhanced the natural powers of a possessor — thus approaching 'magic', a motive easily corruptible into evil, a lust for domination. And finally they had other powers, more directly derived from Sauron..., such as rendering invisible the material body, and making things of the invisible world visible.

The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien, Edited by Humphrey Carpenter, Letter 131 to Milton Waldman, late 1951?

Contributors:
Anglachel - 15Apr03
Lyllyn, 19Apr05
Elena Tiriel 14Mar08, 17Sep10

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