Death of Balin and the fall of the dwarves of Moria
Balin and the dwarves from Erebor successfully settled a colony at Moria at first where Balin would refer to himself as the Lord of Moria in the old rubbles of Khazad-dum.
However, only a few years later since Balin and the dwarves settled, the orcs of the Misty Mountains launched a surprise attack and successfully killed Balin.
The dwarves were able to make a tomb for Balin but they couldn’t ward off the attacks of the orcs and eventually the dwarves were all annihilated.
The dwarves of Erebor lost news from Moria and would send messengers to Moria but as all the messengers were also slayed, nobody would know what happened to Balin’s colony at Moria.
Dain Ironfoot would send Gloin and his son Gimli to Rivendell to receive news of Blain’s colony in Moria.
When Gloin and Gimli arrived at Rivendell, the Council of Elrond was assembled and Gloin and Gimli also participated unexpectedly. Gimli will later confirm the death of Balin when the Fellowship of the Ring tried to pass Moria and discover the tomb of Balin.
The complete corruption of Saruman
Saruman has been constantly playing a tug of war through the Palantir of Orthanc with Sauron who held the Palantir of Minas Morgul the old Minas Ithil.
Sauron, however, successfully infiltrated inside the mind of Saruman and finally completed the corruption of Saruman.
Still Saruman was confident that he could later defeat Sauron once he eliminated the humans and elves but eventually Sauron would benefit much more from Saruman.
Saruman started to breed orcs of his own kind where he would later develop the Uruk-hai, a much stronger orc species that didn’t weaken under the sun.
Gandalf’s visit to the Shire and Bilbo Baggin’s magic ring
Gandalf visited the Shire where he met his friend Bilbo Baggins and his adopted nephew Frodo Baggins. Gandalf found it very unusual that Bilbo Baggins didn’t age so much over the years and eventually learned of a magic ring that Bilbo Baggins possessed.
Gandalf would accuse Bilbo Baggins of being the source of the magic ring which Bilbo Baggins confessed that he as acquired it from Gollum during their quest together to Erebor at Goblin Town in the Misty Mountains.
Gandalf then felt ominous of this magic ring and suspected that the magic ring of Bilbo Baggins was certainly a ring of power.
Bilbo Baggin’s 111st birthday and Frodo Baggin’s inheritance of the One Ring
Bilbo Baggins longed for the old adventures that he had during his journey to Erebor and planned on leaving the Shire. On his 111st birthday, Bilbo Baggins planned a grand birthday where he invited guests to enjoy the fireworks prepared by Gandalf.
Bilbo Baggins would vanish by using the One Ring while he planned to sneak out of the Shire. Gandalf would insist Bilbo Baggins hand over the magic ring that he possessed before he would leave for Rivendell and start his book of elf language translation.
Gandalf and Aragorn’s hunt for Gollum
Gandalf strongly advised Frodo Baggins not to touch the magic ring that Bilbo Baggins had passed down while he left the Shire and searched for Gollum.
Gandalf would meet Aragorn to hunt for Gollum while he also asked Aragorn to put the rangers of the north on alert.
Aragorn would search for Gollum but he returned to Eriador because his mother Gilaren passed away. After Aragorn mourned of the death of his mother Gilaren, he would reunite with Gandalf to resume the search on Gollum
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Gollum’s capture by Sauron and exposure of Bilbo Baggins and the Shire
After Gollum was released from Shelob, Gollum was eventually caught by the servants of Sauron in Mordor. Sauron was very interested in Gollum as Gollum seemed to have worn out for ages but didn’t die so Sauron assumed that Gollum must have had possession of the One Ring as the One Ring would increase life span.
Sauron’s servants tortured Gollum severely for years where Gollum would only screech Baggins and Shire as these were the last words that Gollum remembered of Bilbo Baggins during their riddle battle at the Misty Mountains.
Grima Worm tongue and Saruman’s plot to weaken Rohan
Grima’s father was an adviser of king Theoden of Rohan, however Grima pledged loyalty to the corrupted White Wizard Saruman. Grima not only provided intel of the Rohan’s military strategies and the politics, but also actively engaged on the poisoning and poisoning of king Theoden.
King Theoden would gradually become weaker and lost judgement over time by the plots of Grima and Saruman.
Grima secretly desired Eowyn, the cousin of king Theoden while Saruman promised both the throne of Rohan and Eowyn to Grima.
Grima would constantly remonstrate to the distraught king Theoden that his son Theodred was too weak as an heir to the throne while his cousin Eomer was ambitious of overthrowing him.
Aragorn and Gandalf’s hunt for Gollum
Aragorn and Gandalf resumed their hunt and searched for Gollum where they’d searched from Mirkwood, Vales of Anduin where Smeagol used to live and the lands of Rhovanion.
Gandalf would regret not finding Gollum years ago when he had the thoughts so as he merely believed the words of Saruman that he One Ring was lost in the Belegaer Sea.
Gandalf was concerned that the magic ring of Bilbo Baggins now in the possession of Frodo Baggins was actually not a ring of power but the One Ring that ruled them all. Neither of them knew that Gollum was kept captive in Mordor.
Aragorn resumed the search and headed near Mordor while Gandalf headed to Minas Tirith to research evidence of the One Ring as he sought the records left by Isildur before he left for Arnor.
Aragorn’s capture of Gollum
Gollum was released after almost 10 years of torture by the servants of Sauron, however Gollum was caught by Aragorn right away at the Dead Marshes.
Aragorn would take Gollum while he evaded the forces of Sauron through Emyn Muil, along the Fangorn Forest and reached Lothlorien.
The elves of Lothlorien would send a message to Gandalf at Minas Tirith to inform him of the capture of Gollum. Aragorn would then head to Mirkwood to the palace of Thranduil where Gollum was kept captive.
Gandalf’s interrogation of Gollum
At Minas Tirith, Gandalf would discover the scrolls of Isildur who once held the One Ring and recorded specifications of the One Ring. Gandalf would use the information on the scroll of Isildur to identify the One Ring later on at Frodo Baggin’s house at the Shire.
Gandalf received message that Gollum was caught by Aragorn and they’ve headed to Mirkwood by the elves of Lothlorien.
Gandalf interrogated Gollum but wasn’t successful in obtaining much information as Gollum feared the vengeance of Mordor more.
However, Gandalf learned that Gollum was locked up in Mordor and had already exposed much information to Sauron. Also, Gandalf observed the effect that this magic ring or precious of Gollum inflicted on Gollum.
Gandalf was now almost certain that Bilbo Baggin’s ring was not a ring of power but it was the One Ring itself. Gandalf would rush to the Shire to confirm the existence of the One Ring while he would put Gollum under custody of Thranduil.
Sauron and Mordor’s attack on Mirkwood and Osgiliath
Sauron and the forces of Mordr would attack both Mirkwood and Osgiliath of Gondor and Gollum managed to escape. Gollum escaped to Moria and dwelled there for a long time and would later encounter the Fellowship of the Ring.
