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tolkiens legendarium - What happened to the "other" Rings of Power?


In the Lord of the Rings it is said



"In Eregion long ago many Elven-rings were made, magic rings as you call them, and they were, course, 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. But the Great Rings, the Rings of Power, they were perilous.” [LotR I 2 (60)]




There is a clear distinction here between the 20 Rings of Power in the Ring Rhyme (the 7,9,3,and 1) and these other rings. What happened to the "lesser rings"?



Answer



There was almost no canon mention of the lesser rings other than the one quoted.


The only possible mention was Unfinished Tales - allusion to more rings is made when Sauron invaded Eregion to reclaim by force all the rings he had sought to rule by the forging and wearing of the One:



"There Sauron took the Nine Rings and the lesser works of the Mírdain; but the Seven and the Three he could not find."




The lesser rings were mentioned in 2 of the adaptations (src: http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Lesser_rings):





  • Middle-earth Collectible Card Game (1995-1997)


    Several cards describing and depicting lesser rings were released, for example "The Oracle's Ring", "Wizard's Ring", and "Magic Rings" of different power (lore, stealth, courage, etc.).




  • The Lord of the Rings Online (2007)


    Narchuil was one of the lesser rings forged by the elven-smiths. It was worn by Amarthiel.




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