Narya - a gift for Annatar?

[Gordis]

I have had some new ideas about the Three which I would like to share.

For whom were the Three made? Let us try to have a closer look at the happenings in Eregion around SA 1500.

Celebrimbor’s ancestry and background
Celebrimbor son of Curufin son of Feanor was born in Valinor. In HOME 12 "Of Dwarves and Men", there is a following note:

It seems probable that Celebrinbaur (silverfisted, > Celebrimbor) was son of Curufin, but though inheriting his skills he was an Elf of wholly different temper (his mother had refused to take part in the rebellion of Fëanor and remained in Aman with the people of Finarphin)... But Curufin, dearest to his father and chief inheritor of his father's skills, was wedded, and had a son who came with him into exile, though his wife (unnamed) did not. […] During their dwelling in Nargothrond as refugees he had grown to love Finrod and was aghast at the behaviour of his father and would not go with him. He later became a great friend of Celeborn and Galadriel. - cf: HoME Vol XII, pp. 317-318

So, firstly, Celebrimbor was a Calaquende, with great power both in "the Seen and the Unseen." Secondly, it is likely that Celebrimbor left Valinor as already a full-grown Elf (otherwise I guess he would have had no choice but to remain behind with his mother). Therefore it is also likely that he learned his craft directly from his grandfather Feanor, maybe he even knew Aule - thus he indeed could have some rare skills that even Sauron lacked.

Then, there is the question of the Oath. If Celebrimbor were a full-grown Elf at the time of the rebellion, then he could have taken the Oath along with his father. Did he or did he not? It may be very important - as the Oath was a terrible one. If he did take the Oath, but broke it later in Nargothrond, then "the Everlasting Darkness" was awaiting him after death - something that may be worse than even Feanor's imprisonment in Mandos. I believe in this case Celebrimbor was even more likely to do everything to prevent fading and the necessity to return to Valinor.

The Chronolgy (LOTR App.B ; Unfinished Tales: History of Galadriel and Celeborn)

1200. Sauron endeavours to seduce the Eldar. Gil-galad refuses to treat with him; but the smiths of Eregion are won over. (App B)
between 1350 and 1400. So great became [Annatar's] hold on the MÃ*rdain that at length he persuaded them to revolt against Galadriel and Celeborn and to seize power in Eregion. Galadriel thereupon left Eregion and passed through Khazad-dûm to Lórinand. (UT)
c. 1500 The Elven smiths having been instructed by Sauron reach the height of their power and begin the forging of the Rings of Power (App. B)
c. 1500 Sauron himself departed from Eregion about the year 1500, after the Mirdain had begun making the Rings of Power. (UT)
c. 1590 The Three Rings are completed in Eregion (App.B)
c. 1600 Sauron forges the One in Orodruin. Celbrimbor perceives his designs.(App.B)
c 1600-1693 During this time Celebrimbor seeks counsel of Galadriel regarding the Rings of Power. They should have destroyed all the Rings of Power at this time, ’but they failed to find the strength’. Galadriel advises that the Three be hidden outside Eregion, and receives Nenya.(UT)
1693 War of the Elves and Sauron. the Three are hidden ( Narya and Vilya are sent to Gil-Galad in Lindon). (App. B; UT)
1697 Sauron tortures Celebrimbor and then orders his death. Sauron regains the Nine and the "lesser’ rings, and learns where the Seven are, (from Celebrimbor under torment)but not the Three. (App.B.; UT)

So, Galadriel had departed Eregion long before Celebrimbor and Annatar started on the Great Rings, but likely while they were forging the Lesser ones. The Nine and the Seven were made shortly before 1500; the Three were made in 1500-1590.

I believe the question of major importance (and one left entirely to speculation) is why Annatar had departed from Eregion in 1500. It was not because of Galadriel, who was long gone. In their conflict of 1350-1400 Sauron had been the victor, and Celebrimbor was on his side against the woman he secretly loved.


So, was there some quarrel with Celebrimbor in 1500? Then Annatar could have left in anger and Celebrimbor could start making the Three in secret and in defiance of his former collaborator. But then why would Celebrimbor feel so hurt and betrayed in 1600? I have a gut feeling that back in 1500 they had parted on friendly terms- that would make Annatar's betrayal much more dramatic and painful.

More likely, IMO, by 1500, Sauron grew impatient to finish the long-drawn project and start working on his own creation - the One Ring. In this case, he could simply tell Celebrimbor: "Well, you finish here on your own, old friend, now you have skills enough, and I have other very important matters to attend to".

Why would Sauron be opposed to more Rings? After all, ALL of them would be bound to the One. More rings simply meant more enslaved Elves. Under the One, the wielders of the Three would have been manipulated and corrupted regardless of the properties of their Rings. OK, there was no direct "Sauron's taint" in the Three. But it only became important when the Three were wielded in the absence of the One. And, no doubt, back in the Second Age, Sauron never imagined losing the Ruling Ring.

But why didn't the Three confer invisibility? What was Celebrimbor's goal in making the Three ALONE? - Here is my answer - or my speculation, if you like.

The Three, unlike the 7 and 9, were tailor-made for specific persons, neither of whom needed a Ring to get access into the Spirit World. They already had this access, by virtue of their very nature.

One of the Three - and likely the strongest of them, Vilya, was meant for Celebrimbor himself, a Calaquende Elf. I believe he was not disinterested enough not to make the strongest ring for himself.

The other - Nenya, was likely from the very start made for Galadriel, another Calaquende. Though not the strongest of the Three, it is sometimes called "The Chief of the Three". I think Nenya was indeed the summit of Celebrimbor's craft: for his lady-love he made the most beautiful ring using not gold, sullied by Morgoth, but pure Mithril and adorned it by the most precious of stones, adamant - pure white, hard and indomitable - much like Galadriel herself.

Suppose (hypothetically) that the Three were made by Annatar and Celebrimbor together: would Annatar ever agree to give the best Ring to Galadriel? (Perhaps he would, because it was a Trojan horse sort of gift, but Celebrimbor had no means of knowing it.) He knew there was no love lost between the two, so Annatar could well oppose to giving a ring to Galadriel. Now when Celebrimbor made the Ring all alone, he could present it to anyone he chose, including Galadriel. Also (and it is quite important) Celebrimbor wanted it to be only his gift, - his personal gift for the lady he loved and who he had offended. It was a peace offering as well.

And here we come to an interesting question: for whom was the third of the Three - Narya- made? I think Celebrimbor may have made Narya for his dear friend Annatar, the one who had inspired the whole project, and again the one who needed no invisibility option for an access to the Spirit World. Wouldn't it be fitting if Celebrimbor expressed his gratitude by presenting his friend with the Ring of his own craftsmanship? And isn't the Ruby, the stone of Fire, fitting for the former pupil of Aule, the one who knew how to kindle hearts and lead others to greatest achievements? (Also perhaps there was something in this Ring that made it more suitable for a Maia. Just this consideration may have prompted Cirdan to give it to one of the Istari).

I think by 1600 Celebrimbor was quite pleased with himself. He hoped Annatar would return, recieve his gift and be impressed and proud of his pupil. He hoped Galadriel would receive her gift and forgive him and have to admit that her misgivings about Annatar had been groundless.
And then they would all live happily ever after in peace and friendship in the healed world. But lo, it was not to be. Imagine Celebrimbor's shock, when instead he heard "Ash nazg durbatulûk" and knew himself betrayed by his dearest friend Annatar…