The War of Wrath had caused Middle-earth to change its shape. Yet many of the Elves still dwelt
Yet Sauron sought to persuade Elves and Men into his service. With Men he did so easily, but the Eldar doubted his fair-seeming ways, save in Eregion where they welcomed him. Sauron aided Celebrimbor, the greatest craftsman of Eregion, to create the Rings of Power. Sauron, however, did not lay his hands on the three Elven Rings, which alone remained pure. The Three were Narya (the Ring of Fire or the Red Ring), Nenya (The Ring of Water or The Ring of Adamant), and Vilya (The Ring of Air or The Ring of Sapphire). These rings prevented the decay of time, and postponed the weariness of the world.
Yet Sauron betrayed the Elves and crafted the Ring of Power or the One Ring for himself to rule the other rings. Celebrimbor percieved his deceit and hid the Elven Rings, and entrusted their care to Elven Ringbearers, Gil-galad, Galadriel and Círdan. Círdan eventually gave his ring to Gandalf in the Third Age and Gil-galad gave his ring to Elrond before he went to war.
Sauron, angry that the Elven Rings were hidden, attacked and destroyed Eregion, taking the Seven and the Nine Rings of Power. Celebrimbor defended his rings to the last, but was killed by Sauron.
Sauron gave the Seven rings to the Dwarves in an attempt to corrupt them to evil. The only effect that the rings had on the Dwarves was that it increased their lust for gold and riches, for they could not be dominated by others nor turned into shadows.
The Nine rings Sauron also gave to great kings and sorcerers among Men, who desired the glory and unending life that the rings seemed to provide. However, these Men fell under the dominion of Sauron and became the Nazgûl, or Ringwraiths. Darkness and great fear went with them and they cried with the voices of death.
As told in the Rise and Fall of Númenor, the Númenóreans assailed Sauron and held him hostage in Númenor. Sauron's lies corrupted the Númenóreans and led to thier downfall. Númenor was drowned, yet some of the Faithful escaped. They were led to Middle-earth by Elendil and his sons Isildur and Anárion, who eventually established the realms of Gondor and Arnor. Sauron also escaped from the ruin of Númenor and returned to Mordor, where he rebuilt his power. Hoping to assail him before he became too strong, Elendil and Gil-galad formed an alliance of Men and Elves, called the Last Alliance. It was the greatest army ever assembled besides the War of Wrath. During the battle, Elendil, Gil-galad, and Anárion were killed. To avenge his father's death, Isildur cut the One Ring off of the hand of Sauron, and kept it for himself. Sauron was only temporarily defeated, for as long as the One Ring survived, Sauron remained alive.
