Part 3/8:
The One Ring, forged by the dark lord Sauron during the Second Age, is imbued with his essence and serves as a powerful magical artifact. When Sméagol came into possession of the Ring, it catalyzed his transformation from a simple Hobbit into Gollum, a creature hauntingly distorted by the Ring's influence. The Ring not only extended his life far beyond natural limits, but it also enslaved him, creating an obsession that would define his existence.