Celebrimbor

Celebrimbor is a fictional character In J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. His name means "silver fist" or "Hand of silver" in Sindarin (Telperinquar in Quenya).

As to his birth, one idea is that he was born in Valinor, and when the Noldor left for Middle-earth his mother stayed behind. However, other information points out that since Celebrimbor had no part in the Oath of Fëanor it is possible that Celebrimbor was not born until after the exile of the Noldor, in Middle-earth. He was the son of Curufin, fifth son of Fëanor (son of Finwë and his first wife Míriel) and Nerdanel, and the only known grandchild of Fëanor. Little is said of his deeds during the First Age. He probably fled to Nargothrond after the Dagor Bragollach. However, he took no part in the deeds of Curufin and Celegorm regarding Lúthien, Beren, and Finrod. He even repudiated his father and uncle's deeds and did not follow them when the two brothers were expelled from Nargothrond. Celebrimbor survived the First Age, but probably was forced due to the Doom of Mandos — or perhaps freely elected — to remain in Middle-earth rather than return to Valinor.

In Tolkien's stories, Celebrimbor plays an important role as the maker of the Rings of Power. During the Second Age, he lived in the Elvish realm of Eregion and founded a brotherhood of jewelsmiths, the Gwaith-i-Mírdain (lit, "People of the Jewel Smiths"). Under the seemingly benevolent guidance and instruction of the unexpected Vanya visitor "Annatar", the "Lord of Gifts", of the fairest race of elves, who claimed he had been sent by the Valar to share his wisdom and skills in ring and jewel making for the benefit of all Middle-earth but who was in fact the Dark Lord Sauron in fair disguise, Celebrimbor led the smiths of Eregion into making sixteen Great rings for the peoples of Middle-earth—seven to the Dwarven lords and nine to Men. But secretly, without Sauron's knowledge, Celebrimbor also forged Three Rings for the Elves, the greatest and fairest of the Rings of Power. These rings were thus free of Sauron's corrupting influence. Celebrimbor named the rings Vilya, Narya, and Nenya after the principal Middle-earth elements of air, fire, and water, respectively.

At this same time, Sauron was secretly forging the One Ring which would enable him to rule Middle-earth. Sauron reassumed his role as the Dark Lord and placed the One Ring on his finger, claiming dominance over all the Rings of Power and their bearers. Before this, Celebrimbor had believed Sauron to be what he had claimed to be, but realising the truth he and the Elves of Eregion defied Sauron by withholding the other rings from him. He had already sent the three rings away for safekeeping: Vilya and Narya to Gil-galad in Lindon, and Nenya to Galadriel in Lothlórien, but Sauron underestimated their spiritual strength and they became aware of his attempt to mentally enthrall them through their rings and ceased to wear them. With his scheme exposed to at least the elves, Sauron retaliated by attacking Eregion, initiating the War of the Elves and Sauron and laying waste to the realm. Celebrimbor was captured in the sack, and was forced under torture to disclose where the Nine and the Seven were held, but he would not reveal the whereabouts of the three Elvish rings. Sauron captured the lesser rings and used them as instruments of evil in later years, particularly against Men. Celebrimbor died from his torment, the last direct descendant of the line of Fëanor.