A golden ring's curse turned cousins into killer and victim in seconds
A chance discovery during a fishing trip led to a brutal murder over 2,400 years ago. Déagol, a Hobbit of the Stoor kindred, found the One Ring in the River Anduin—only to lose his life minutes later at the hands of his cousin. The ring's corrupting power turned friendship into deadly greed in an instant. The One Ring was crafted by the Dark Lord Sauron to control the other Rings of Power. For nearly 5,000 years, it spread its influence across Middle-earth, often hidden or lost. For much of that time, it lay forgotten at the bottom of the River Anduin, buried in silt and shadow.
In the year TA 2463, Déagol and his cousin Sméagol were fishing along the Gladden Fields, as they often did. The two were close, sharing a bond common among the river-loving Stoor Hobbits. But when Déagol pulled the golden ring from the water, its power took hold. Greed twisted his thoughts, and he refused to give it to Sméagol—even though his cousin had asked for it as a birthday gift.
Sméagol's desire turned to violence. Within minutes, he strangled Déagol and seized the ring. The murder marked the birth of Gollum, a creature consumed by the ring's corruption. The One Ring's brief time in Déagol's hands ended in bloodshed, proving its ability to destroy even the simplest of bonds. Its long history of deception and ruin would continue for centuries, until its final destruction in the fires of Mount Doom.
