Prologue:
I amar prestar aen…
The world is changed.
han mathon ne nen…
I feel it in the water.
han mathon ne chae…
I feel it in the Earth.
a han noston ned gwilith.
I smell it in the air.
Much that once was is lost. For none now live who remember it.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS
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.
"One Ring to rule them all.”
One by one, free lands in Middle-Earth fell to the power of the Ring. But there were some who resisted. A last alliance of Men and Elves marched against the armies of Mordor and on the slopes of Mount Doom they fought for the freedom of Middle-Earth.
<Vast armies of Men, Elves and Orcs assemble on the battlefield. Gil-Galad, Elrond and Elendil regard their enemies as the orcs snarl back, taunting them. Then the Orcs attack the Alliance, rushing across the field that separates the two armies. Elrond gives the command to the elven archers to engage>
<<Elrond: Tangado haid! Hado i philinn!>>
<The Elves raise their bows and releases a slew of arrows at the incoming orcs, taking down the first line of orc defense. As the wave of the orc infantry reaches the first line of the elven troops, the elves swing their swords up, slicing the orcs as they come, one after the other down the line. Soon the elves and the men are fully engaged in combat, taking down many of the orc troops>
Victory was near. But the power of the Ring could not be undone.
<Sauron strides onto the battlefield. Elrond looks up in trepidation. The Dark Lord, towering over both elves and men, brandishes a mace and shows the Ring of Power glowing on his finger. In fear, some of the warriors back off. Sauron wields his mace, hitting a group of warriors and sends them flying across the field. He repeats it with another fell swoop. Elendil, raising his sword to strike, attacks Sauron, but Sauron parries his blow and flings him against the rock, crushing him to death. Horrified, Isildur runs to his fallen father>
It was in this moment when all hope had faded, that Isildur, son of the King, took up his father's sword.
<Isildur grasps the hilt of Narsil but Sauron quickly stomps it down, shattering the blade. Sauron, with the Ring on his finger, reaches down towards Isildur. With a last desperate attempt, Isildur lets out a battle cry and strikes Sauron’s hand with the shards of Narsil, slicing the finger that bears the One Ring. Sauron lets out a cry as the Ring is separated from him. He implodes, sending a shock wave throughout the battlefield, knocking the warring troops off their feet. His armor falls unto the ground, his body vaporized>
Sauron, the enemy of the free-peoples of Middle-Earth was defeated. The Ring passed to Isildur, who had this one chance to destroy evil forever.
But the hearts of men are easily corrupted. And the Ring of Power has a will of its own. It betrayed Isildur to his death. And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost.
History became legend, legend became myth and for two and a half thousand years, the Ring passed out of all knowledge. Until, when chance came, it ensnared a new bearer.
<<Gollum: My Precioussssss>>
The Ring came to the creature Gollum, who took it deep into the tunnels of the Misty Mountains. And there, it consumed him.
<<Gollum: It came to me, my own, my love, my own prrrrreciousssss! gollum!>>
The Ring brought to Gollum unnatural long life. For five hundred years it poisoned his mind. And in the gloom of Gollum's cave, it waited. Darkness crept back into the forest of the world. Rumor grew of a shadow in the east, whispers of a nameless fear, and the Ring of Power perceived. Its time had now come.
It abandoned Gollum.
But something happened then the Ring did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable.
<<Bilbo: What’s this?>>
A Hobbit: Bilbo Baggins of the Shire.
<<Bilbo: A ring.>>
<<Gollum: (from afar) Losssst! My precious is lost!>>
For the time soon come when Hobbits will shape the fortunes of all.
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