The first ring

[bunn]

"Do you remember that first ring? Made for no great reason, but simply to see if it could be done? Simply to find out if the theory could be translated into cold metal and gems. The first time anyone took the power of mind, hand and eye, and caught it in a thing of metal and stone...

It was an arm-ring, that first ring, far too large and heavy to wear on a finger. In the beginning, the only way we could hold the power balanced within the ring was to set it with four gems and inscribe it with the key-spell inside and out. Remember how we had to set the gems apart, in case the wearer should be burned?

A clumsy thing by the standards of later days, but still, something to be proud of; this new made thing of Middle Earth. "




The real version looks better than this. Oh well!

Comments

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

Is that Angruin second left?

I like the idea of a large prototype, made before they learnt how to miniaturise the technology. Just as well they started off with a heroic level of skill, or we might have ended up with a prototype Hula Hoop of Power.

And I shouldn't have said that, since I now have the idea of Sauron hula-hooping his way into battle, and I can't seem to shift it. Gah!

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I think it might be. He seems to have the rather Richard III hair that the miniature had.

Obviously that's supposed to be Sauron on the right, but he looks terrible. He was sort of working, then I decided he looked too much like a surfer and tried to make him look tired, on the grounds that being undercover among people who hate you must be fairly tiring even for the Evil. This was a mistake. :-(

I reasoned that the One Ring is like something designed by Apple, all tiny and smooth - you can't even see the inscription unless you activate it. Whereas the 'lesser' rings 'had each their proper gem'. Which made it seem like they were becoming less and less ornate...

A golden hula hoop sounds perilous for the toes. I hope Sauron has steel-capped boots. What am I talking about, of COURSE Sauron would have steel-capped boots.

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

And now I want to filk Surfin' USA for Surfer Dude Sauron. ("Everybody get craftin', craftin' rings of power.")

I think it makes sense that he might find it rather wearying to be working undercover, forced to patiently bide his time while they slowly worked on all the prototypes. But I guess it depends on how his fair form is maintained. Is it all an illusion, in which case he can just illusion away the bags under his eyes? Or is it a genuine form, subject to bags and all?

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking it was a physical form, eye-bags and all. That somehow seems like it makes more sense with him not being able to make another pretty one after the downfall of Numenor than if it was just an illusion.

Plus, the illusion idea seems rife with risk for someone who was hoping to take in not just Celebrimbor but Elrond, Galadriel and Gil-galad too, somehow.

[huinare.livejournal.com]

+1. I'm fond of the idea that physical forms required some commitment on the part of the Ainur, fatigue and all.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

And I shouldn't have said that, since I now have the idea of Sauron hula-hooping his way into battle

Did you have to say that?

[huinare.livejournal.com]

I now have the idea of Sauron hula-hooping his way into battle

That's actually a thing (http://i.imgur.com/n8RBwsj.jpg)(fair warning--what has been seen cannot be unseen, and I probably should be encouraging goofiness at the expense of one of my favorite characters, but still, it's a thing...)

[bunn.livejournal.com]

ARG! *staggers away in horror* :-DDD

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

Gosh. It is indeed a thing.

This must be the fanart equivalent of Rule 34: If you can imagine it, someone else has already done fanart for it.