Character List Character List Bookmark this page Manage My Reading List The volume in which a character appears is indicated in parentheses after his or her name. Where there is no indication, the character appears in all three volumes. (Note: FR = The Fellowship of the Ring, TT = The Two Towers, and RK = Return of the King.) Frodo Baggins A young well-to-do hobbit. When he discovers that the magic ring left to him by his eccentric "Uncle" Bilbo is the One Ring, he reluctantly takes on the quest to destroy it. Often referred to as the Ringbearer. Gandalf the Grey A wizard best known among hobbits for his fireworks and mischievous sense of humor, but actually one of the greatest powers of Middle-earth. He reveals the truth about the Ring to Frodo and acts as a guide and counselor. The leader of the Fellowship. Other names: Stormcrow, Mithrandir, the Grey Pilgrim, the White Rider, Tharkûn, Olórin, Incánus, and Gandalf the White. Samwise "Sam" Gamgee A hobbit, Frodo's gardener at home, and his servant and friend on the quest.

Sam is very fond of stories about dragons and elves. A member of the Fellowship, he stays with Frodo after it is broken. Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck A young hobbit, one of Frodo's many cousins. A member of the Fellowship. Friend of Treebeard the Ent and companion of King Théoden of Rohan. Peregrin "Pippin" Took A young hobbit, one of Frodo's many cousins. A member of the Fellowship. Later, a member of the Tower Guard of Minas Tirith. Aragorn The heir of Isildur and the rightful king of Gondor, a mighty warrior and healer. He was raised by the elves of Rivendell and now lives in exile as leader of the Dúnedain, the Rangers of the North. The time has now come for him to reclaim the throne. He leads the Fellowship after Gandalf's fall. Other names: Strider, Elessar, Elfstone, Dúnadan. Legolas Son of Thranduil, king of the Mirkwood elves. He is a great archer with keen eyesight. A member of the Fellowship.

Close friend of Gimli the dwarf and companion of Aragorn. Gimli Son of Glóin, a dwarf of the Lonely Mountain. A member of the Fellowship. Close friend of Legolas the elf and companion of Aragorn. He falls in love with Galadriel. Boromir (FR, TT) Son of Denethor, the Steward of Gondor. Sent to Rivendell to decipher a prophetic dream, he joins the Fellowship. He believes that the Ring should be used as a weapon against the Enemy and that trying to destroy it is foolish. He succumbs to the temptation of the Ring and tries to take it from Frodo. He dies defending Merry and Pippin from orcs. Sauron A powerful spirit of evil who now takes the form of a disembodied flaming eye, Sauron represents the worst aspects of power — especially greed, cruelty, and the desire for domination. He created the One Ring long ago as a weapon, lost it nearly three thousand years ago, and now needs it to achieve his conquest of Middle-earth. Other names: the Enemy, the Dark Lord, the Necromancer, the Eye, the Lord of the Rings.

The Nazgûl, Servants of the Enemy Once great kings, but Sauron gave nine rings to these men and enslaved them under the One Ring. They are generals for his armies, but he also sends them to capture Frodo and the Ring. The Witchking leads them. Other names: Black Riders, Ringwraiths, the Nine. Gollum An earlier Ringbearer. He carried the Ring, which gave him an unnaturally long life. He was living on an island in an underground lake when he lost the Ring to Bilbo, but he wants it back so badly that he has emerged to search for it. Although he fears Sauron and revealed the Ring's location to him, he also becomes Frodo's guide into Mordor. Despite the Ring's corrupt influence, Frodo still believes Gollum can be saved. Other names: Sméagol, Slinker, Stinker. Bilbo Baggins (FR, RK) Frodo's much older cousin, considered the most eccentric hobbit in the Shire, who adopted Frodo after the younger hobbit's parents died.

He won the Ring from Gollum in a riddle game 60 years before the start of the novel, and he passes it on to Frodo when he leaves the Shire for good. The only person to have voluntarily given up the Ring. Tom Bombadil (FR) A nature spirit of the ancient world who helps Frodo in the Old Forest and on the Barrowdowns. The Ring has no effect on him. Other names: the Master, Eldest, Iarwain Ben-adar, Forn, Orald. Glorfindel (FR) An elf-lord, sent by Elrond to help Frodo reach Rivendell during the first stage of the quest. Elrond (FR, RK) Master of Rivendell, a place of refuge and healing. He hosts the Council that decides to destroy the Ring. His halfelven lineage allows his daughter Arwen to choose between the Undying Lands and mortality in Middle-earth. Arwen Evenstar (FR, RK) Daughter of Elrond. She forsakes her elven immortality to betroth herself to Aragorn, although her father will not allow them to marry unless Aragorn reclaims the throne of Gondor.

Other names: Undómiel. Galadriel (FR, RK) Lady of the Golden Wood of Lothlórien, Galadriel rules one of the last elven strongholds in Middle-earth. Very old and very wise, she gives the Fellowship shelter and advice after Gandalf's fall. Her parting gifts to each member of the Fellowship become immensely significant. Saruman the White The head of the order of wizards. Although he was once the wisest, lust for power has led him to side with Sauron. The magic of his voice can seduce or overwhelm the will of most men. Saruman is obsessed with machinery, cutting down forests to fuel his engines and forges. He hopes to take the Ring for himself and take Sauron's place as Lord of the Rings. Other names: Saruman the Wise, Saruman of Many Colors, the Voice, Sharkey. Éomer (TT, RK) Son of Éomund. Nephew of Théoden (King of Rohan) and Éowyn's brother. Third Marshall of the Riddermark. Loyal captain of the horselords and a valiant warrior. He suspects Wormtongue's treachery.

Théoden (TT, RK) King of Rohan, a nation of horsemen and warriors. Wormtongue has played on his age and infirmity to keep the king and his warriors useless at home, but Gandalf counsels him back to life and valor. Éowyn (TT, RK) Niece of Théoden (King of Rohan). She serves her uncle in his old age, but she desires to fight with a sword and die bravely. Many see her as an ice maiden — beautiful, but chilled by despair. She falls hopelessly in love with Aragorn, then rides secretly into battle and destroys the Witchking of the Nazgûl. Sister of Éomer. Grìma Wormtongue (TT, RK) Counselor to Théoden, but actually an agent of Saruman, he keeps Théoden weak so that Saruman can move his armies through Rohan uncontested. Shadowfax The greatest horse in Middle-earth, this silver-grey stallion chooses to accept only Gandalf as his rider. Treebeard (TT, RK) The oldest mortal creature in Middle-earth.

Treebeard is an Ent, one of the shepherds of trees, and looks much like a stumpy old oak tree himself except that he can walk and talk. He speaks for the natural world, which otherwise could not speak for itself. Other names: Fangorn. Quickbeam (TT) An Ent who entertains Merry and Pippin during the Entmoot. He is one of the youngest Ents, and so moves and thinks closer to the speed of the shorter-lived hobbits; the other Ents describe him as "hasty." Other names: Bregalad. Shelob (TT) An ancient evil, Shelob is a giant spider whose webs block the pass of Cirith Ungol. She embodies insatiable hunger and greed, but she has no interest in the Ring. Faramir (TT, RK) Younger son of Denethor and brother of Boromir. Wiser and more learned than his brother, although also an admirable warrior. Denethor constantly compares his sons, and Faramir cannot seem meet his father's expectations. Nevertheless, Faramir resists the temptation of the Ring where his brother could not, and he helps Frodo on his journey.

Denethor (RK) Steward of Gondor, father of Boromir and Faramir. He rules the realm of Gondor and city of Minas Tirith in the generations-long absence of the True King. Once a wise leader, his own pride and the deceptions of the Enemy have led him to madness and despair. Beregond (RK) A member of the elite Tower Guard of Minas Tirith. He is devoted to Faramir and befriends Pippin when the hobbit joins the guard. Barliman Butterbur (FR, RK) The friendly yet frazzled and absent-minded innkeeper of the Prancing Pony in Bree. Dwarves in The Fellowship of the Ring Character Analysis Balin, Ori, and Óin These three Dwarves are surviving members of Bilbo's original expedition to the Lonely Mountain in The Hobbit. It is because of them that Glóin has come to Rivendell to be part of the Council of Elrond.

In the Mines of Moria, the Company discovers what has become of them: Balin, Lord of Moria, died in Dimrill Dale when an Orc shot him from behind a stone as he stood looking in the Mirrowmere. The Watcher in the Water – the snaky, tentacled thing at the western gate of Moria – killed Óin. And Ori's fate is unknown, but as he is the one who wrote the chronicle of the deaths of the other two and his last sentences are, "We cannot get out. The end comes [...] they are coming" (2.5.11), we are pretty sure he died in Moria. (Click the infographic to download.) Dáin Dáin is King Under the Mountain, the Dwarf lord of the Lonely Mountain stronghold. He became King Under the Mountain with the death of Thorín Oakenshield at the end of The Hobbit. He is over 250 years old, "venerable, and fabulously rich" (2.1.101).

Dáin is also a just man: when messengers came from Sauron offering the Dwarvish rings of power back in exchange for the One Ring carried by a Hobbit of Dáin's acquaintance (i.e., Bilbo), Dáin sends Glóin to Rivendell to warn Bilbo "that he is sought by the Enemy, and to learn, if may be, why he desires this ring" (2.2.24). (Click the infographic to download.) Durin Lord of Moria The great ancestor of the Dwarves; it was he who delved the Mines of Moria and built the Dwarf city of Khazad-dûm. On the door to Moria appears his symbol: a hammer and anvil surmounted by a crown with seven stars. But Durin's people dug too deep in Moria, awakening an ancient evil that is now called Durin's Bane. Since the day of Durin VI (not the first Durin, but a descendant) Moria has not been safe for people to travel. When Gandalf and Company have reached a huge, empty hall high up in the Mines, Gimli is moved to sing a song about Moria.

Gimli sings that darkness has fallen on Khazad-dûm, but "still the sunken stars appear/ In dark and windless Mirrormere;/ There lies his crown in water deep,/ Till Durin wakes again from sleep" (2.4.180). So the Dwarves believe that one day, Durin will come back to them. He's like King Arthur to the British. Dwalin, Dori, Nori, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur In The Hobbit, Thorín Oakenshield has twelve companions: Fili, Kili, Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oín, and Glóin. Of these thirteen Dwarves, three die at the end of the novel in the Battle of the Five Armies: Thorín, Fili, and Kili. Ten survive. Of these ten, Glóin tells Frodo, seven remain at the side of Dáin, King Under the Mountain: Dwalin, Dori, Nori, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and Glóin himself.

Glóin tells Frodo that Bombur (never slender) is now so fat that he cannot move from his couch on his own power, and it takes six young Dwarves to lift him. Flói, Frár, Lóni, and Náli These four Dwarves all appear in Ori's record of the expedition to Moria headed by Balin thirty years before the Ring quest. They all died in battle with Orcs. Glóin Glóin was one of the members of Thorin Oakenshield's band of Dwarves in The Hobbit. (See our learning guide on The Hobbit for further details on his adventures.) He has never been the most distinctive character – even in The Hobbit, where he has a much bigger role, he mainly appears as a background player in fight scenes. In The Fellowship of the Ring, Glóin appears at the feast celebrating the Ring-bearer's safe arrival at Rivendell. He is an important-looking Dwarf with a "very long and forked" white beard, "a silver belt, and round his neck hung a chain of silver and diamonds" (2.1.89).

He and Frodo fall to talking about his home at the Lonely Mountain, since Frodo doesn't want to discuss the Ring at dinner. Glóin serves the useful narrative function of filling us in on everything that's happened with the Dwarves since Bilbo's adventures in The Hobbit nearly eighty years before. He tells Frodo about Grimbeorn, son of Beorn, the men of Dale, and Daín and the ten Dwarf companions who survived the Battle of the Five Armies. Again, this is one of the rare couple of pages of The Fellowship of the Ring that will make much more sense if you've read The Hobbit (and/or our Hobbit Shmoop learning guide) first. Of course, Glóin serves the useful function of being Gimli's father as well; Gimli is much more central to the events of Lord of the Rings than Glóin is. Gimli is the inheritor of Glóin's role in the adventure of the Ring, much as Frodo is Bilbo's inheritor. Narvi Narvi is the Dwarf who built the western door of Moria, through which Gandalf and the Company pass.

This door is only visible in starlight and moonlight, because it is marked in ithildin. The door will open if you speak the word friend – mellon – in Elvish. Thrór Thrór was grandfather to Thorín Oakenshield and father of Thráin. He died in the Mines of Moria after his kingdom was stolen by Smaug the dragon. He was the only Dwarf since the children of Durin to dare to pass the doors of Khazad-dûm – at least, until Balin and his folk went to reopen the mines thirty years before the Council of Elrond. We also find out that he carried one of the seven Rings of Power belonging to the Dwarf lords; sadly, Thrór passed on the ring to Thráin, his son. Thráin died in the dungeons of the Necromancer in Dol Guldur, which means that Sauron has taken Thráin's ring. SparkNotes: The Lord of the Rings: Character List The Lord of the Rings ← Aragorn - Played by Viggo Mortensen The heir to the throne of Gondor.

Though Aragorn is the rightful king of Gondor, he travels under an assumed identity at the beginning of the trilogy: he is a ranger, known as Strider. The fact that he is not upon the throne reveals the weak state of the kingdoms of men. As the trilogy proceeds, Aragorn shows himself to be a noble leader with a pure heart. He is relatively unaffected by desire for the ring and routinely throws himself in harm’s way to ensure the fellowship’s survival. In love with the elf princess Arwen, he fights for her survival and for the successful return of the ring to Mordor. He becomes increasingly comfortable asserting his royal identity, but only when he addresses the men of the mountain in The Return of the King does he actually declare himself king of Gondor. By the time he is crowned king at the end of the final film, he has proven himself to be a worthy leader. Arwen - Played by Liv Tyler An elf princess and Aragorn’s future queen. Like many characters in the trilogy, Arwen must make a sacrifice. She must choose between the immortal life of the elves and a mortal life with Aragorn, whom she loves.

Not only does she choose the latter path, which goes against her father’s wishes, but she also encourages Elrond to stay in Middle-earth until its future is secure. At the end of the trilogy, she marries Aragorn and becomes queen of Middle-earth. Based on a vision Arwen has of the future, we know the couple will eventually have a child. Bilbo - Played by Ian Holm Frodo’s uncle, who possesses the ring at the beginning of the trilogy. Bilbo is a playful old hobbit, but he is restless and covetous of his ring. His unsettled feelings suggest how great a burden it is to carry the ring and foreshadow the great travails that await Frodo. Bilbo never realizes that his ring is the one ring of power. Like Gandalf and Frodo, he is invited to depart with the elves at the end of The Return of the King. Boromir - Played by Sean Bean The heir to the steward of Gondor. More than any other member of the fellowship of the ring, Boromir is the victim of desire for the ring. At the end of The Fellowship of the Ring, he attacks Frodo to try to take it from him.

Later, Boromir attempts to make up for this slip by fighting the oncoming army of Uruk-hai. He is killed in battle, but his bravery allows the other members of the fellowship to survive. Denethor - Played by John Noble The steward of Gondor. The ruler of Gondor in the absence of the proper king, Denethor has grown corrupt and weak-minded. He is reluctant to give up power should the real king return. Lamenting the death of his oldest and most beloved son, Boromir, he is cruel to his second son, Faramir, and sends him off into an unwinnable battle. When Faramir returns unconscious but alive, Denethor insists that his son is dead and builds a funeral pyre. Gandalf and Pippin save Faramir, and only Denethor burns. Elrond - Played by Hugo Weaving Ruler of the Rivendell elves and Arwen’s father. Though Elrond is sympathetic to the goals of the fellowship, his primary concern is the safety of his elf subjects.

The elves face a choice: they can leave Middle-earth for immortal life, or they can delay their departure and contribute to the fight against Sauron. Elrond has a low opinion of men, as he was with Isildur when the king failed to destroy the ring of power. For this reason and because of his concerns about Arwen’s life, he is reluctant to aid in the fight against Sauron. Eventually, he commits himself to the ancient alliance of men and elves, sends an army to defend Rohan, and reforges Isildur’s sword for Aragorn. Éomer - Théoden’s nephew and the leader of the riders of Rohan. Éowyn - Played by Miranda Otto Théoden’s niece. Éowyn falls in love with Aragorn, but he cannot return her love. Though Théoden has commanded her not to, she rides into battle with Merry and kills the witch-king. Faramir - Played by David Wenham Younger son of Denethor, the steward of Gondor. Faramir is forever living in the shadow of Boromir, his older brother and Denethor’s favorite.

When he learns that Sam and Frodo have the ring, he wants to bring them to Gondor, thinking the ring will help protect the kingdom. Eventually, he reconsiders his plan and sets the two hobbits free. Faramir fights bravely against Sauron’s army, even riding into an impossible battle in order to impress Denethor. He manages to survive, but only barely, and Denethor comes close to burning him alive on a funeral pyre. Frodo - Played by Elijah Wood The ring-bearer and protagonist of the trilogy. A young hobbit, Frodo is chosen by the wizard Gandalf to return the ring to Mordor. The ring offers terrible temptation to anyone who comes near it, and though Frodo on occasion succumbs to its power, he generally shows remarkable strength before its siren call. However, when it comes time to drop the ring into Mount Doom, he is unable to simply let the ring go. Only because the ring is torn loose in Frodo’s struggle with Gollum does it fall into the fiery pit of lava below, which suggests that Frodo is a very fallible hero.

Unlike the three other hobbits, Sam, Merry, and Pippin, Frodo is unable to readjust to life in the Shire upon his return. In this way, he resembles his uncle Bilbo, a former owner of the ring who is forever restless. The ring has a great effect on Frodo, changing him from an ordinary hobbit of exceptional qualities into someone extraordinary. He becomes a legend and eventually leaves the land of living mortals for immortal life with the elves. Despite Frodo’s success in returning the ring to Mordor, in some ways he is the least memorable character in the trilogy. In three epic films full of battles, he is a reserved, physically small, and ineffective fighter. Galadriel - Played by Cate Blanchett An elf queen known as the Lady of the Woods. Galadriel is the leader of the Sylvan elves. She offers spiritual aid to Frodo, giving counsel and encouraging him during the dark moments of his quest. She gives him a star of light that proves essential to Frodo when he is betrayed by Gollum and trapped in the spider Shelob’s webs. Gandalf - Played by Ian McKellen A grandfatherly wizard.

Gandalf is the first to understand the dangers that Bilbo’s ring poses, and his knowledge sets the whole trilogy in motion. Gandalf selects quiet Frodo to carry the ring and the bumbling Sam to be Frodo’s protector, and these hobbits seem unlikely choices for such a dangerous mission. Here and elsewhere, Gandalf exhibits a remarkable wisdom and insight into hobbits and men alike, and he seems to see potential and ability where others do not. Gandalf is affable, slow, and deliberate, but he is also a skilled fighter. His battles with Saruman and in the mines of Moria are heroic, and the Moria fight in particular provides the others in the fellowship with a model for the sacrifice their quest may require of them. The others assume Gandalf has died in this battle, but he returns, transformed from a gray wizard into a white one. Gandalf is often playful, but he is also deeply concerned about the fate of Middle-earth and always prepared to fight for its safety. At the end of the trilogy, he leaves with Bilbo, Frodo, and the elves for immortal life. Though this wizard seems human, he has always been a little different and a little better than any man could possibly be.

Gimli - Played by John Rhys-Davies A bearded, ax-wielding warrior dwarf. Gimli is a brave and loyal member of the fellowship of the ring. Gollum - Played by Andy Serkis A wretched swamp creature who covets the ring. Before becoming obsessed with the ring, Gollum was a hobbit named Sméagol. His transformation into the disgusting, raw-fish-eating Gollum serves as a cautionary tale about the evil effects of the ring. Both Gollum and Sméagol are vastly different from Frodo. Gollum is a living reminder of a possible alternate life for Frodo, and, while Frodo is incorruptible, Sméagol is weak-willed and criminal. From the moment he first laid eyes on the ring, Sméagol was obsessed with it, and years later it is still Gollum’s sole reason for living. Gollum leads Frodo and Sam to Mordor, and his intentions are constantly suspect. Usually he seems to be waiting for an opportunity to steal the ring, but at times he appears to be a faithful servant, won over by Frodo’s generous spirit.

His desire for the ring eventually wins out, and this desire ultimately leads to the destruction of the ring and his own death at Mount Doom. As is Sauron’s, Gollum’s identity is tied up with the ring. Whereas Sauron is pure evil, however, Gollum is pure weakness. He is always the ring’s victim. Haldir - Played by Craig Parker An elf leader. Haldir is killed defending Rohan, which suggests the larger sacrifice the elves have made by choosing to defend the human kingdom. Isildur - Played by Harry Sinclair The former king of Gondor. Isildur once defeated the forces of Sauron and came to possess the ring of power. He went to Mount Doom to destroy the ring, but at the last moment decided to keep it, a fateful decision that breathed new life into Sauron, allowing him to wage war on Middle-earth a second time. King of the Dead - Played by Paul Norell The ruler of the men of the mountain. The men of the mountain reneged on a pledge to the king of Gondor and were cursed to suffer eternal servitude for their transgression.

The King of the Dead listens to Aragorn when he requests their help. Aragorn succeeds in enlisting the ghostly army for his battle and says they will be free of their pledge when the battle for Middle-earth is over. When the forces of Sauron are defeated, the men of the mountain simply disappear. Legolas - Played by Orlando Bloom A boyish elf. Thanks to Legolas’s skill with a bow and arrow, his kill number is consistently higher than Gimli’s. Like his dwarf friend, he is a brave and loyal member of the fellowship of the ring. Merry - Played by Dominic Monaghan A mischievous and courageous hobbit. Like Pippin, his best friend, Merry is a rabble-rouser and troublemaker. However, he proves himself to be a fearless fighter at the great battle of Minas Tirith, when he helps Éowyn slay the witch-king. Pippin - Played by Billy Boyd A mischievous hobbit.

If Sam and Frodo are necessary members of the fellowship, chosen to carry the ring because of their essentially incorruptible spirits, Pippin and Merry are the accidental fellowship members, who come on the journey because they happen to bump into the other two. Pippin is playful and enjoys a good party, but his carelessness also causes many problems. When he steals the seeing stone from Gandalf, he alerts Sauron to the party’s whereabouts. He tries to atone for this error by pledging fealty to Denethor. Sam - Played by Sean Astin Frodo’s best friend and constant companion. If Frodo’s burden is to carry the ring, Sam’s is to carry Frodo, which he literally does as the two finally struggle up Mount Doom. Sam is Frodo’s loyal friend, as committed as Frodo is to returning the ring and keeping the Shire safe. Considering his proximity to the ring, Sam is remarkably immune to its call. Sam himself carries the ring for a short time, and, if necessary, could probably have completed the mission on his own. When the four hobbits return to the Shire at the end of The Return of the King, Sam emerges from Frodo’s shadow.

He approaches the woman he’s been dreaming about, and soon they are married. Within little time he is a father of two, with a nice house and garden. Back in the Shire, Frodo suffers, but Sam thrives. Sam is no less pure a soul than Frodo, but his purity is one rooted in his own world, not in a world beyond. His life represents the mortal life lived to the fullest. Immortality holds no charm for him, and he wants nothing more than to thrive in the present. Saruman - Played by Christopher Lee A wizard who joins forces with Sauron. A former friend of Gandalf, Saruman has been tempted by evil and has allied with Sauron. At his mighty tower, Orthanc, he creates countless Uruk-hai, monsters that terrorize Middle-earth. Théoden - Played by Bernard Hill The king of Rohan. Initially, Théoden is an elderly, decrepit king nearly out of his mind, doing the bidding of his evil advisor, Wormtongue. His insanity and decrepitude, however, are both symptoms of his being under the spell of Saruman.

When Saruman’s spell is overthrown and Wormtongue, Saruman’s disciple, is banished, Théoden becomes a strong, gray-bearded leader. He bravely leads his people in defense of Helm’s Deep and shows his true mettle when he answers Gondor’s call for help, despite the bad feeling between the two kingdoms of men. Théoden dies in battle but proves himself a worthy king. Treebeard - Voiced by John Rhys-Davies A friendly Ent who becomes Merry and Pippin’s protector. Ents are walking, talking trees who are well intentioned but generally pacifist. The Ents decide to join the battle against Sauron’s forces when they come upon a patch of scorched forest, which they blame on the orcs. The Ents defeat Saruman and flood the fields around his tower, Orthanc. The Witch-king - Played by Lawrence Makoare One of Sauron’s most feared warriors. Unable to be killed by men, the witch-king is eventually felled by Éowyn, a woman, with the help of Merry, a hobbit. Wormtongue - Played by Brad Dourif A disciple of Saruman.

The frightfully pale Wormtongue is evil but weak. He serves as advisor to the ailing Théoden and uses the king’s weakened state to advance his own agenda. When he wields power in Rohan, he banishes Théoden’s nephew, Éomer. Soon thereafter, he himself is banished when Saruman’s spell on Théoden is broken and Théoden sees Wormtongue’s true evil. Dwarves | The One Wiki to Rule Them All | Fandom powered by Wikia Creation "Aulë Prepares to Destroy His Children." Illustration, by Ted Nasmith. The Dwarves were made by Aulë , whom they themselves call Mahal, meaning “maker.” Aulë was unwilling to wait for the coming of the Children of Ilúvatar , for he was impatient and desired to have someone to teach his lore and crafts. Therefore, he made the first Seven Fathers of the Dwarves in secret in a hall under the mountains of Middle-earth . It was, however, not within Aulë's power to create life.

After being reprimanded by Ilúvatar and realizing his error, Aulë offered his creations to his father to do with as he would, including their destruction. Even as the offer was made, Ilúvatar accepted and gave the Dwarves a life of their own. So when Aulë picked up a great hammer to smite the Seven Fathers and destroy his presumptuous creations, they shrank back in fear and begged for mercy. Ilúvatar was however not willing to suffer that the Dwarves should come before the Firstborn ( Elves ), and he decreed that the Seven Fathers should sleep underground and should not come forth until the Firstborn had awakened. [2] First Age About a century after the Elves awakened, the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves were roused. Of those seven, only the name of one is known, Durin I , who was called the deathless. Each one of the seven fathers became a king of his own clan, and each built his own great hall. Three major holds are known to have been built in the First Age.

Belegost and Nogrod were built in the Blue Mountains , and the Dwarves of these holds formed alliances with the Ñoldor and fought in their wars. Durin I, on the other hand, wandered into a vale in the Misty Mountains he named Azanulbizar . In a still pool in that vale, he saw a reflection of himself with a crown of seven stars. Ever after, the constellation of stars that the Elves call Valacirca was called by the Dwarves Durin’s Crown , and it could be seen reflected in the water at any time of the day, though only Durin could see his own reflection. Durin I named the lake Kheled-zâram and proceeded to build his great hall, Khazad-dûm , in the mountains above. In the First Age, the Dwarves made alliances with the Elves, and both prospered from trade. Dwarves from Belegost invented the famous Dwarf-mail of linked rings and fashioned the finest steel the world had ever seen. They also constructed the hall of Thingol , Menegroth , and were rewarded with the pearl Nimphelos .

They fought alongside Elves and Men and participated in some of the major battles of the First Age , including The First Battle of Beleriand and the Nirnaeth Arnoediad in which the Dwarves of Belegost won great renown for being the only ones able to stand against the dragon Glaurung , for 'it was their custom moreover to wear great masks in battle hideous to look upon', which 'set them good stead against dragons', and besides they were 'naturally able to resist fire better than elves or men'. In that battle, Azaghâl the Lord of Belegost was killed by Glaurung, who crawled over him. Before dying, the dwarf stabbed at the dragon's belly with his knife and 'pricked him so deep that he fled back to Angband'. The Dwarves of Nogrod were famous for the craftsmanship of their weapons. Most notable amongst their smiths was Telchar . Dwarves from Nogrod crafted the necklace Nauglamír , and Thingol requested Dwarven smiths from Nogrod to set a Silmaril into that necklace. Thus were united the greatest works of Elves and Dwarves.

Those Dwarf-smiths were driven mad by gold-lust, however, and murdered Thingol and stole the necklace and the stone, igniting the bitter rivalry between Dwarves and Elves that would rage between the two races until the end of the Third Age. The Elves of Doriath pursued the smiths to their deaths and reclaimed Nauglamír. But two of the slayers of Thingol escaped from the pursuit and in Nogrod told how Dwarves were slain by command of the Elven-king, who thus would cheat them of their just reward. The Dwarves of Nogrod lamented the deaths of their kin and their great craftsmen and took thought of vengeance. Though the Dwarves of Belegost tried to dissuade them from their purpose, the Dwarves of Nogrod invaded Doriath . After a hard battle in the Thousand Caves , the Dwarves of Nogrod were victorious and took Nauglamír and the Silmaril. On their return journey to the Blue Mountains , however, the Dwarves of Nogrod were assailed by a company that included Beren , his son Dior , and many Green-elves of Ossiriand .

Many of the Dwarves were slain, and Beren himself slew the Lord of Nogrod and wrested from him the necklace Nauglamír. Some of the Dwarves escaped from the battle, but they were ambushed in the slopes beneath Mount Dolmed by the Shepherds of the Trees . Some stories from the first age tell of petty Dwarves who were called Noegyth Nibin . Those were Dwarves exiled from their homes during the Peace of Arda and were the first Dwarves to enter Beleriand . It was petty Dwarves who first inhabited and carved out The Caverns of Narog, which they called Nulukkizdîn , but were later taken over by Finrod and called Nargothrond . The last of this line were Mîm and his two sons who lived at Amon Rûdh and aided Túrin in his adventures. Second Age Durin III as depicted in The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game , holding his Ring After the First Age most tales telling of Dwarves are about the Dwarves of the line of Durin, who are commonly called Durin’s Folk or Longbeards.

Durin I enjoyed a very long life and lived through most of the First Age. Every now and then through the following ages a Dwarf was born of this line that was so alike to Durin that he was considered to be Durin reborn. Prophecy told that Durin would be reborn seven times and the coming of Durin VII would mark the decline of the Dwarves. Durin II was born in the Second Age. It is not known exactly when, but he was in power when the smith Narvi built the west gate of Khazad-dûm in the year 750. His reign was an era of great prosperity in which the halls of Khazad-dûm were greatly expanded and the Noldorin Elves of Lindon moved into Eregion to trade with the Dwarves for mithril. Population boomed because many refugees from Belegost and Nogrod, which were destroyed at the end of the First Age, moved to Khazad-dûm. Durin III was in power around the year 1600 of the Second Age. He was gifted with the seventh and most powerful of the Dwarven Rings of Power .

It was the Elven smith Celebrimbor and not Sauron who gave him the ring. The rings of power did not have the effects that Sauron had intended, possibly because Aulë had made the Dwarves especially resistant to evil domination. The only apparent effect of the Dwarven rings was that the Dwarves became more greedy with gold lust, but they were not turned into wraiths like men. Sauron tried to recover the rings. Two he reclaimed fairly soon and four ended up in dragon hoards. Sauron did not reclaim the ring of Durin until the 2845th year of the Third Age when he captured Thráin II . 50,000 of Durin's folk helped in the battles of the Last Alliance. Third Age Durin VI was born in the 1731st year of the Third Age. At that time the race of Dwarves had already begun to dwindle. Awakening of the Balrog In the year 1980 of the Third Age the Dwarves were deepening their mithril mines when they stumbled upon a Balrog of Morgoth .

Durin VI was slain by the Balrog, and a year later so was his son Nain I ( TA 1832 - TA 1981 ). After that the Dwarves of Durin's line fled and abandoned Khazad-dûm — but the Balrog , now known as Durin's bane, remained. Relocation from Khazad-dum Most of Durin’s Folk went to the Grey Mountains where they built new halls. However Nain's son Thrain I ( TA 1934 - TA 2190 ), now King of Durin’s Folk, went to the Lonely Mountain and founded the kingdom of the Lonely Mountain in the year TA 1999 . Deep within the mountain he found an extraordinary jewel that he called the Arkenstone and regarded it as the greatest treasure of his house. Thrain's son Thorin I chose to stay in the Grey Mountains rather than in the Lonely Mountain, so between TA 2190 and TA 2590 the Grey Mountains were the seat of Kings. In TA 2589 , however, the Dwarven halls in that region were attacked by cold-drakes from the north.

The King at the time, Dain I ( TA 2440 - TA 2589 ), was slain along with one of his sons, Frór ( TA 2552 - TA 2589 ). His older son Thrór ( TA 2542 - TA 2790 ) fled with his people to the Lonely Mountain. Sack of the Lonely Mountain Prelude Smaug enters the city of Erebor. For 200 years the wealth and fame of Lonely Mountain grew, until the coming of the fire-drake . Small dragon attacks were prevalent as the dragons continued to notice the Dwarves' increasing stores of gold, jewels, precious metals, and other minerals, as well as crafted treasures and artifacts. The Attack on the Lonely Mountain Eventually, the inevitable came; Smaug the Terrible came to the Lonely Mountain in TA 2770 . The dragon attacked the nearby town of Dale, knocking down towers and breathing fire down upon the buildings, but causing little damage and death, for his main target was the treasury of the Lonely Mountain.

He went down to the ground towards the Lonely Mountain and broke through the main door, and proceeded straight through the legion of Dwarven soldiers who were behind the door. The massive fire-drake completely disregarded the Dwarven soldiers' attacks and firepower and simply shrugged off anything they threw at him. The dragon went straight towards the treasury, ignoring the rest of the city and it's people. The Dwarves began to evacuate from the city in a vain attempt to get out of their city and to save what they could. The city of the Lonely Mountain was lost. Thrór managed to escape through a back door with his family with most of the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain evacuated, and the city and wealth of Durin's Folk lost. War of the Dwarves and Orcs A dwarven unit on the march in BFME2 Some time later Thrór gave his son Thráin II ( TA 2644 - TA 2858 ) the Ring of Power and started wandering the world with his friend Nar. He ended up in Khazad-dûm where he was murdered and mutilated by the Orc king Azog .

This was the catalyst of a war that was called the War of Dwarves and Orcs. The war lasted seven years and ended in the Battle of Azanulbizar , in which Dáin Ironfoot ( TA 2767 - TA 3019 ) slew Azog. In the years to come the Ring of Power slowly poisoned Thráin's heart with greed, and in 2845 he ( Thráin II ) set out alone to reclaim the Lonely Mountain. This resulted in his being captured by Sauron, and he died in the dungeons of Dol Guldur . The Quest of Erebor In 2941 Thorin Oakenshield , son of Thráin II , along with a company of 12 other Dwarves and the hobbit Bilbo Baggins , reclaimed the Lonely Mountain (with the help of three or four armies), but at the cost of Thorin’s life. Dain Ironfoot took up rule in the Lonely Mountain after that, and for a while the kingdom prospered in trade with the Elves of Mirkwood and Men of Dale.

Balin's Expedition to reclaim Khazad-dum In TA 2989, one of Thorin’s companions, Balin (2763-2994), took a host of Dwarves from the Lonely Mountain in an attempt to reclaim Khazad-dûm. For five years they fought the Balrog and an army of Orcs . Balin was killed by an Orc arrow in 2994 and the remainder of his host was cut off when the Orcs captured the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and the east gate. Not so much as one Dwarf lived to tell the tale. War of the Ring Gimli son of Gloin won considerable renown for the role he played in the War of the Ring . After the war he founded a new Dwarf Kingdom named Glittering Caves in the caves behind Helms Deep . Near the end of his life Gimli is said to have sailed with his Elven friend Legolas to the undying lands of Valinor which, if true, would have likely made him the only Dwarf to ever have made that journey.

After the Battle of the Pelennor Fields , a force of 30,000 Longbeards and 20,000 Men of Dale held the Lonely Mountain in a similar siege against 200,000 Men of Rhun who had taken all of Brand 's lands, leaving only his capital city of Dale. The Dwarves and Men of Dale stood for three days against the Easterlings, and once the news of Sauron's death spread to the Lonely Mountain the Easterlings retreated, having lost over 100,000 troops, as opposed to the defenders who lost 14,000 Dwarves and 12,000 Men. The sturdy nature of the Mountain Rock, combined with the Dwarven masonry and the Dwarven quality of the defenders' weapons, reduced the hitting power of the Easterlings' two-armed catapults and semi-automatic ballistas, and allowed the defenders to drive the attackers from the Mountain and out of Brand's realm. After the Third Age During the Fourth Age, which began after the destruction of Mordor and Sauron, Dwarves and Men re-forged their friendship.

Dáin was killed during the War of the Ring , and was succeeded by his son Thorin III Stonehelm who ruled well into the Fourth Age. During this time, Dwarves from the Lonely Mountain helped rebuild cities in Gondor and the fortress of Helm's Deep , and some went to the newly established Dwarven realm of the Glittering Caves where Gimli was lord . Nevertheless, the Kingdom of the Lonely Mountain apparently continued to prosper throughout the Fourth Age. [3] [4] Fourth Age Not much is known about the Dwarves in the Fourth Age. After the War of the Ring, Gimli brought a part of Durin's Folk from the Lonely Mountain to the Glittering Caves behind Helm's Deep and founded a colony there. Subsequently, Gimli went on many travels with his friend Legolas, and History lost track of their fate. Through their friendship and influence, the feud between the two races that had lasted for millennia finally ended, shortly before the departure of the last Elves from Middle-earth.

It is rumored that Gimli and Legolas eventually boarded a ship that sailed down the river Anduin, out to sea and across to Valinor in the year FO 120 Gimli would thus have become the only Dwarf to ever be permitted to cross to the Undying Lands. Durin VII (the Last), retook Moria and brought Khazad-dûm back to its original splendor, and the Longbeards lived there till the "world grew old and the days of Durin's race ended." Culture Appearance "It was a dwarf with a blue beard tucked into a golden belt, very bright eyes under his dark-green hood." — The Hobbit , Chapter 1: " An Unexpected Party " Dwarf-lords, raising their rings When Aulë created the Dwarves he had only a vague idea of what the Children of Ilúvatar should look like. Because of the threat of Morgoth over the world, Aulë made them very strong, both in body and character. Dwarves were a short, stocky race, a little taller than hobbits but much broader and heavier.

Most Dwarves had thick, luxuriant beards in which they took great pride, and often forked or braided them and tucked them into their belts. A typical Dwarf They seem to have favoured simple durable clothing, coloured hoods and heavy cloaks for travelling, and belts of gold or silver. For battle their soldiers would have elaborately crafted armor and helmets, bearing various angles and styles that were trademarks of Dwarven crafting styles. Their armor was masked with symbols (after the manner of those used in forges for shielding the eyes) that were hideous to look upon. An elder Dwarf Dwarven women were alike in manner, voice and appearance to their menfolk. They were few in number, less than a third of all dwarf-kind, and they were seldom seen outside their own halls, often not venturing far due to their duties as caretakers and crafters in Dwarven society. They typically only travelled when in great need, and they usually dressed similarly to Dwarf men. This often led other folk to believe there were no women among the Dwarves, that Dwarves grew from stone when created.

Few female Dwarven warriors were known, but some tales say that female Dwarves were as fierce as their male counterparts, especially in protecting their families and offspring. Dwarves were usually monogamous, and fewer than one-third of Dwarven men took a wife, the rest busying themselves with their crafts. Physiology King Dain II Dwarves were a proud and stern race and were made to be sturdy to resist the dangers of their time. They were physically very strong, had great endurance, especially in the ability to resist heat and cold, and they made light of heavy burdens. Dwarves lived longer than Men, [2] often up to two hundred and fifty years. The Dwarven lords of the First and Second Age may have lived for several hundred years. Dwarves had the ability to learn new artisanal skills quickly, especially those dealing with metal or stone. Dwarves were typically stubborn, secretive, and fiercely loyal to their friends. They cared greatly about mining, crafting, crafts, gold and gems, their acquisition of which often fueled the envy of the Elves. Dwarves were easily offended by rude comments, and had a propensity to hold long-lasting grudges.

Dwarves were often seen as greedy, but their nature gave them resistance to many external influences, including to the evil of the Rings of Power given them. Whereas the Men who owned the nine Rings were corrupted and became the Nazgûl , the Dwarves were unaffected, save by an increase of their goldlust and hatred for anything that stood between them and what they perceived as their treasure. Crafting Dwarves were taught special skills by the Vala Aulë and spent most of their time crafting, smithing and mining in their massive underground cities. The Dwarves were some of the greatest miners ever to exist in Middle-earth . The Dwarves dug immense halls under mountains where they built their cities. Dwarven miners dug for precious minerals such as gold, iron, copper, and silver from all over mountains in Middle-earth, though the Dwarves considered coal mining degrading. In ancient times, the Dwarves found Mithril in the mines of Khazad-dûm . While mining beneath the Lonely Mountains, they discovered the Arkenstone at the Heart of the Mountain.

They were also capable masons and smiths - Dwarven smithing skills were said to be rivaled only by those of the Elves, and their masonry creations were bested by none. The skill of the Dwarves was unmatched; they crafted objects of great beauty out of diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire. Everything Dwarven was beautifully crafted and intricate. They crafted many famed weapons, armors, and items of art and beauty, among them Narsil , the sword of Elendil , the Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin and the necklace Nauglamír . Dwarven armies were vast and powerful, and possessed vast legions of soldiers, cavalry and siege weapons, and their soldiers were equipped with powerful weapons, armors and tools for battle. Many different weapons were utilized by their soldiers, such as swords, axes, throwing axes, throwing knives, and warhammers. They had a knack for starting a fire almost anywhere out of almost anything. Although they knew how, Dwarves did not farm or herd often, as they preferred to spend their time underground mining and crafting. They rather traded crafted items with men and elves in exchange for food. Architecture The deep halls of the Lonely Mountain.

They built many famed halls including the Lonely Mountain, Belegost , Nogrod , Khazad-dum , and Menegroth . The Dwarves also reforged the gates of Minas Tirith and rebuilt the walls of Helm's Deep after the War of the Ring . Their cities appeared to be constructed just under mountains or mountain ranges. Dwarven miners would excavate into the mountains to create an entrance, and then dig through and under the mountain to create the groundwork for their cities. Dwarven cities were absolutely massive and very expansive, reaching the far depths of the earth. Dwarves continued to mine in their cities to expand them and discover more resources like precious metals and minerals. Dwarven cities ran throughout mountains and mountain ranges, stretched up, down and side-to-side in the massive caverns beneath the surface, but it was largely unknown how cities were structured and sectioned off. In Khazad-dum, there was a section of the city known as the Chamber of Mazarbul , also known as the Chamber of Records.

There were also sections of the city mentioned in the Book of Mazarbul such as the "First Hall," "Second Hall," "Third Deep," "Twenty-first hall" and the "North end." [5] The beauty of the Dwarves' cities was legend. One stronghold, Erebor (located in the Lonely Mountains), had its wealth coming from precious gems hewn from rock and in "great seams of gold running like rivers through stone." A name for where the Dwarves' were located was Phurunargian, which meant Dwarf-delving in the Common Tongue. [6] Notable Dwarven Realms Ancient dwarven battle cry meaning "The axes of the dwarves! The dwarves are upon you!" Language The Dwarven language was created by Aulë when he created the Dwarves themselves, and called it Khuzdul , which meant 'Dwarvish'. The language was a harsh sounding tongue and sounded strange and harsh to other races, and no other non-dwarf did they permit to learn their language [1] for it was guarded jealously. They rarely spoke their own language around other races, and preferred to use the languages of other races when around them.

Writing System The Dwarves used Angerthas , a runic writing system based on Cirth . There were different variations of Angerthas, which varied by each Dwarven clan; the Dwarves of Khazad-dum had their own variation and introduced a number of unsystematic changes in the system. The Dwarves of Erebor also used a further modification of the system, which was known as the mode of Erebor. The mode of Erebor was notably exemplified in the Book of Mazarbul . [7] Some examples of Angerthas were seen in notable Dwarven texts, including the Book of Mazarbul, Thror's Map , as well as other objects such as the Key to the Side-door , the key which unlocked the side door of Erebor. Weapons and Armour "Each one of his folk was clad in a hauberk of steel mail that hung to his knees, and his legs were covered with hose of a fine and flexible metal mesh.... In battle they wielded heavy two-handed mattocks; but each of them had also a short broad sword at his side and a round shield slung at his back.

Their beards were forked and plaited and thrust into their belts. Their caps were of iron and they were shod with iron, and their faces were grim." — See Dwarven Weapons and Armour Dwarven soldiers usually used axes as their weapon of choice because it can be used as a tool or a weapon, but in addition to axes they used hatchets, mattocks, short swords , war hammers, and very occasionaly there is mention of Dwarven archers. As for armor, Dwarves favored chain-mail and other metallic armor — the most expensive and precious of which was ring mail made of mithril. (A vest of mithril was given to Bilbo by Thorin before The Battle of the Five Armies. It was worn during the battle and later protected his nephew Frodo throughout his quest.) Gandalf said that this small coat was worth more than the whole of the Shire combined. [8] Music Many songs were sung in the deep and grand halls of the Dwarves.

One very notable song of the Dwarves was " Far over the Misty Mountains Cold ", also known as the "Song of the Lonely Mountain," and commonly referred by fans as the "Dwarf Song." [9] Another song sung in Dwarven culture was the Song of Durin . This song told of the history of Khazad-dum/Moria and honored Durin , first leader of Durin's Folk. [8] Wicked Dwarves Of the races, Dwarves are the most resistant to corruption and influence of Morgoth and later Sauron. The seven rings of Power of the dwarves did not turn them to evil, but it did amplify their greed and lust for gold. It is said that very few willfully served the side of darkness. The Hobbit refers to these as wicked dwarves . [10] Of the seven houses few fought on either side during The Last Alliance at the end of the Second Age, and none from the House of Durin ever fought on the side of evil. [11] However, in times of war, Dwarves often refused to ally themselves with Elves or Men, choosing to remain neutral or oblivious to the clashes between good and evil.

During the early parts of the Third Age, it is known that in some places wicked dwarves had made alliances with the goblins and orcs. [12] It is suggested by Tolkien in some of his notes that the dwarves that turned to wickedness most likely came from the far eastern mansions (and perhaps some of the nearer ones), and came under the Shadow of Morgoth and finally turned to evil. It is however unclear if these refer to Dwarves beyond Iron Hills (the most eastern known stronghold of the Dwarves) [13] Because Dwarves are not evil by nature, few ever served the Enemy of their own free will (though rumors of Men suggest the total was greater). [6] In some of Tolkien's earliest writings the Dwarven race as a whole was portrayed as an evil creation of Melkor , but Tolkien's ideas evolved as he continued to write about the Dwarves. The Seven Clans The Dwarves' seven clans were: 1. Longbeards , also known as Durin's Folk; originally from Mount Gundabad they also founded the great Dwarf Mansion of Khazad-dûm (a.k.a.

Moria or Dwarrowdelf) in the Misty Mountains , the Iron Hills , the holds in the Grey Mountains and, finally, the Lonely Mountain. 2-3. Firebeards & Broadbeams . Originally from the Blue Mountains , they were paired but Tolkien never cleared which tribe built Nogrod and which Belegost . 4-5. Ironfists & Stiffbeards . Originated somewhere far in the East. 6-7. Blacklocks & Stonefoots . Originated somewhere (else) far in the East. The Seven Clans of the Dwarves descended from the Seven Dwarf Fathers created by Aulë Line of Durin's Folk The Blue Mountains or Ered Luin, where the cities Nogrod and Belegost existed during the First Age. The Grey Mountains or Ered Mithrin, although the dwarves were later driven out by dragons. They possibly lived in the Orocarni , the Red Mountains of the East. Names The Dwarves called themselves the Khazad, the name Aulë gave them; this translates as the Hadhodrim in Sindarin , and the Casari in Quenya .

Casari was the common word for Dwarves among the Ñoldor , but the Sindar usually called them the Naugrim or Nogothrim, the Stunted People. Dwarves would, as a rule, not tell people of other races their real names, but take names in Westron instead, and keep their real names secret, not even on their tombs would they inscribe it. Many Dwarven names in the works of Tolkien are taken from the poetic Viking prophecies, Völuspá (Old Norse: Vǫluspá). A significant part of the prophecy describes the pagan world view of the Vikings, and in that part can be found the Count of Dwarves, which is mostly a list of names. All the dwarf names from the Hobbit are taken from that source as well as the name of Gandalf . Some other names, such as Gimli (meaning shelter from fire), and Harlan are taken from the Icelandic language, but not from Völuspá. Only a few Dwarves in the works of Tolkien have original names in Khuzdul. These include Azaghâl , and Telchar .

[6] In the earlier forms of Tolkien's Mythology , the Dwarves were also called the 'Nauglath'. [14] Earlier Forms of the Legendarium In the earliest forms of Tolkien's Middle-earth mythology , the Dwarves were mistaken to be evil beings created by Melkor . [14] Translations around the World

Question: What was the name of the dwarf who is a chief character in ‘Lord of the Rings’?
Answer: GIMLI