# The Other Rings



## siptfire7 (Feb 1, 2003)

Everybody knows what the one ring can do, but what do the other rings givin to the elves, humans and dwarves do?


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## BlackCaptain (Feb 1, 2003)

I believe the Elven rings prolongs all life, and things that the elves hold dear to them. I think the Men's give power, and the Dwarves give strength. Im not positive though


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## Eledhwen (Feb 1, 2003)

Sauron's lie was that the rings would prevent the decay and fading that so grieved the Elves; and the three Elven Rings did in fact have that virtue, as Saruon had no part in their making.

The nine Rings for the kings of Men promised to hold back the hand of death; but that was at the cost of subjection to Sauron.

The seven Dwarf Rings did not have the effect on the Dwarves that Sauron had hoped for - the only noticeable effect was that they increased the wearer's lust for gold. 

All the rings forged by Sauron seemed to become precious to the wearer; thus were all the kings of Men ensnared, for they could not forsake their Rings.


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## Lantarion (Feb 4, 2003)

> _Originally posted by siptfire7_
> Everybody knows what the one ring can do


Really?? Well would someone please tell me as well?


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## Ithrynluin (Feb 4, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Lantarion _
> *Really?? Well would someone please tell me as well? *



Ermm..I think he meant the invisibility part.


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## Niniel (Feb 5, 2003)

In the letter which in included in the Sil, Tolkien writes about the Elven rings:


> 'The Elves of Eregion mad Three supremely beautiful and powerful rings, almost solely of their own imagination, and directed to the preservation of beauty: they did not confer invisibility.'


 Galadriel, Elrond and Gandalf wearing their rings are not invisible, but this is not caused by tehir opower over the rings, but because the Elven rings do not make you invisible anyway. The main power of the Elven rings is to stop decay, which is also a quality of the One Ring and the Nine(but not of the Seven rings I think-that's weird).
The qualities of the One Ring are described thus:


> 'The Ruling Ring that contained the powers of all the others, and controlled them, so that its wearer could see the thoughts of all those that used thee lesser rings, could govern all that they did, and in the end utterly enslave them.'


 So the One Ring has all the qualities of the other rings, and rules the others.


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## Eledhwen (Feb 5, 2003)

> _Niniel_: The main power of the Elven rings is to stop decay, which is also a quality of the One Ring and the Nine(but not of the Seven rings I think-that's weird).


I think the Dwarf Rings didn't behave as Sauron wished because they were worn by Dwarves - a creation unlike the first and secondborn, being created by Aulë and not Iluvatar (though he conferred true life on them). I suppose that once Sauron realised that the Dwarves were not succumbing to his power (their continued independence of him and failure to become invisible) he then sought (with success) to reclaim all the surviving Dwarf Rings.


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## Niniel (Feb 5, 2003)

That is very well possible, I think it must be that.


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## Ol'gaffer (Feb 6, 2003)

> Everybody knows what the one ring can do, but what do the other rings givin to the elves, humans and dwarves do?



They make the elves prettier.
They make the dwarves gruffier.
They make the humans greedier.


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## Eriol (Feb 6, 2003)

Now isn't it interesting that Sauron (originally a Maia from Aulë's people) would be so surprised by the effect his rings had on Dwarves, the children of Aulë? I wonder... Sauron was probably already on Morgoth's side by the time the Dwarves were created, and again probably did not come to Valinor with his Master when he was chained (is this mentioned somewhere, either his presence or absence). And on 'pure speculation' mode, would he be able to better enslave the Dwarves if he had talked with Aulë about them (or assisted him in their making!)

In any way it must have been a grievous blow for Aulë to lose a servant of Sauron's power and skill... It would be a fascinating scenario, Sauron at Valinor as a free Maia at the time of Feänor.


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## gate7ole (Feb 6, 2003)

The assumption that the 7 didn’t confer invisibility and/or ability to stop the decay is IMO erroneous. Also, I believe that the 7 were not different from the 9, or they were as different from the 9 as the 9 were the one from another. But since someone may oppose to it, I won’t insist on its accuracy.
Gandalf when he gave the account of the Ring to Frodo, he said that it was definitely a Great Ring, since it conferred invisibility. Since the 3 didn’t have such an ability, and the 9 were given to the Nazgul, it would mean only the 7 or the One. Or else, if the even 7 didn’t confer invisibility then Gandalf should have realized this was the One. So, we assume that the 7 turned the bearer invisible or Gandalf was wrong. I prefer the first option.

And about Sauron and the dwarves, Aulë had kept it secret from all the other Ainur, until the dwarves awoke for the second time(which was much later). I doubt that Sauron was still with him and thus, he couldn’t have known anything about their creation.


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## Theoden_king (Feb 7, 2003)

Did Gil-Galad own one of the three elven rings before he died? who were given the other two? was it Galadriel and Elrond?


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## GuardianRanger (Feb 7, 2003)

Galadriel had one originally (Nenya, the White.) Galadriel had Celebrimbor give the other two away, both to Gil-galad. Gil-galad gave one to Cirdan, who kept it until he passed it on to Gandalf (Narya, the Red.) Gil-galad held onto the other ring (Vilya, the Blue) until he passed it on to Elrond.

There is a great FAQ on ring history, etc at:

The FAQ of the Rings


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## Eledhwen (Feb 7, 2003)

> _Originally posted by gate7ole _
> *The assumption that the 7 didn’t confer invisibility and/or ability to stop the decay is IMO erroneous. Also, I believe that the 7 were not different from the 9, or they were as different from the 9 as the 9 were the one from another. But since someone may oppose to it, I won’t insist on its accuracy.
> Gandalf when he gave the account of the Ring to Frodo, he said that it was definitely a Great Ring, since it conferred invisibility. Since the 3 didn’t have such an ability, and the 9 were given to the Nazgul, it would mean only the 7 or the One. Or else, if the even 7 didn’t confer invisibility then Gandalf should have realized this was the One. So, we assume that the 7 turned the bearer invisible or Gandalf was wrong. I prefer the first option.*


Gandalf was not given to jumping to conclusions. The only property he was aware of in Bilbo's ring was that it conferred invisibility when worn. If that was its only property, then it could have been one of any number of magic rings. It wasn't until Gandalf observed Bilbo's remarkable preservation that he had enough evidence to spend years in the annals of Minas Tirith where he discovered the whole truth. Even then he would not state it as fact until he had the final proof of the fire.


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## gate7ole (Feb 7, 2003)

> FOTR: Shadow of the Past
> I wondered often how Gollum came by a Great Ring, as plainly it was – that at least was clear from the first.



So, Gandalf knew from the beginning it was a Great Ring, but didn't know which one.


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## Eledhwen (Feb 8, 2003)

Ringlore was not Gandalf's study, probably noting that Saurman was wise in such things and that his own time could be better spent. Fortunately, Hobbit lore proved to be more useful!


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## gate7ole (Feb 8, 2003)

Well, yes, Gandalf was not a master in Ringlore, yet, he should be capable of having a basic knowledge on the Rings, like which conferred invisibility and which not. He and Saruman would probably have discussed the subject in one of their many meeting, long before Saruman turned to evil thoughts. So, I take Gandalf’s note as correct.


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## Theoden_king (Feb 8, 2003)

> _Originally posted by GuardianRanger _
> *Galadriel had one originally (Nenya, the White.) Galadriel had Celebrimbor give the other two away, both to Gil-galad. Gil-galad gave one to Cirdan, who kept it until he passed it on to Gandalf (Narya, the Red.) Gil-galad held onto the other ring (Vilya, the Blue) until he passed it on to Elrond.
> 
> There is a great FAQ on ring history, etc at:
> ...



Thank you, the website was very informitive.


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## PipaHappyHobbit (Feb 11, 2003)

*THIS IS OFF TOPIC...*

but, I was thinking... Yavanna was Aule's spouse right?
Aule created the Dwarfs, and since he kept secret that he made the Dwarfs even from her, she said they wouldn't care for things that grew. Instead they would love metals, jems, stuff like that. Correct? Well, I thought since NOBODY that I know of, seems to know where hobbits came from, MAYBE, ( This is KINDA wacky ) JUST MAYBE, Yavanna made the Hobbits. Hobbit's are after all quite like Dwarfs in many ways. They are hardy, they are short like Dwarfs, they get along with Dwarfs, and one of the only differences are that they love things that grow. SO please give your info on this subject. ( I hope I spelled Yavanna and Aule right, I don't have the Sil with me. )


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## Ithrynluin (Feb 11, 2003)

It is said that Hobbits are a sub-category of Men, and therefore made by Eru Ilúvatar. 
I am sorry but I cannot provide any citations to back up my arguement, since my memory has been pretty bad lately. You'll just have to take my word on it, it's in one of the books.


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## gate7ole (Feb 11, 2003)

> _Originally posted by ithrynluin _
> *It is said that Hobbits are a sub-category of Men, and therefore made by Eru Ilúvatar.
> I am sorry but I cannot provide any citations to back up my arguement, since my memory has been pretty bad lately. You'll just have to take my word on it, it's in one of the books. *


And I back you with my assurance that the hobbits were considered a category of men and shared the same fate when they left the Circles of the World.


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## faila (Feb 11, 2003)

> _Originally posted by gate7ole _
> *And I back you with my assurance that the hobbits were considered a category of men and shared the same fate when they left the Circles of the World. *


 Its says so in the prologue to fellow ship of the ring.


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