A/N: This is specifically on the Ring. I do not make any comparisons to anything, nor am I accusing anyone of anything. To quote Tolkien: “I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history, true or feigned, with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that many confuse 'applicability' with 'allegory'; but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author.” (Not that I dislike allegory, but I am merely following Tolkien’s lead.)

“Against the power of Mordor, there can be no victory. We must join with him…” —Saruman in ‘Saruman the White’, FOTR movie.

“… Blinded by their greed they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness and now they are slaves to his will...At all times they feel the presence of the Ring. Drawn to the power of the one...” — Strider in ‘At the Sign of the Prancing Pony’, FOTR movie.

Corruption

When the ring has taken hold of you,

No longer is it called obsession.

-

Rather, it is the beginning of corruption.

Corruption of the mind,

The soul,

And the spirit.

-

Slowly, ever so slowly,

It breaks you,

Corrupting you until all you remember is the Ring,

Lusting after it,

Its alluring beauty,

Its beckoning is most persuasive,

Swaying your resistances until you fall.

-

And you no longer fight,

Though you have tried,

You feel weak.

-

Your can barely remember the days before your obsession.

You have forgotten how to be free,

How be feel alive,

How to taste the wonders of the world,

For you care only about the one thing that you have your life bound to—

The Ring.

-

The Rings revels in this,

In the power it has over you.

-

You care nothing for simplicity,

Your youth,

And even your life is naught compared to the Ring.

-

You only think of corruption,

Corruption of yourself,

Of others,

Misleading them on the road you have chosen.

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But it is not too late to turn back,

To renew your thinking,

To escape addiction.

-

Do not be distracted by your desire for the Ring.

Though your intentions at the start may have been for good,

You must remember:

You cannot do any good deed with the weapon of the enemy.

-

For there is only one lord of the ring;

Only one who can bend it to his will.

And he does not share power.

-

Turn back before you fall into the shadow world,

Never to return.

The End