1. Frodo Baggins
   • Hobbit form Bag End in the Shire.
   • Cousin of Bilbo Baggins, finder of the Ring. Bilbo gives the Ring to Fordo before knowing its full power.
   • Known as the Ring Bearer.
   
   
2. Gandalf
   • Wizard, sent to Middle Earth to aid in the fight against Sauron.
   • Known as Gandalf the Grey, the Grey Pilgrim, or Mithrandir.
   • Chief wizard to Middle Earth after Saruman the White.
   
   
3. Aragorn
   • Man.
   • Known as Strider to the Hobbits.
   • Leader of the Rangers, also known as the Dunedain (Men of the West) they protect the North from evildoers.
   
   
4. Gollum
   • Hobbit, deformed by long possession of the Ring which he called "My Precious."
   • Lost the Ring to Bilbo in a riddle game, as told in "The Hobbit."
   
   
5. Sauron
   • The Dark Lord of Mordor, living in the fortress of Barad-Dur.
   • Maker of the Ring.
   • Once having human form (a former servant of Malkor, who was defeated by the Gods long ago), he now is unseen, known sometimes as Red Eye of the Dark Power.
   
   
6. Elves
   • Once the greatest race of Middle Earth now in the third age living in small bands here and there.
   • Chief strongholds: Rivendell (Imladris) and Lorien (Lothlorien).
   • Immortal but can die, either in battle, by accident, or by choice.
   
   
7. Hobbits
   • People of the Shire and surrounding area, in the north-west of Middle Earth.
   • Short in stature, know as Halflings to outsiders.
   • Lovers of stories and songs, as well as a good beer and pipe weed.
   
   
8. Man
   • Appeared in Middle Earth long after the Elves.
   • In the past, their greatest kingdom was on the island of Numernor to the West. By the lies of Sauron, they attempted to attack the land of the Gods, and Numenor was destroyed. The survivors created kingdoms in Middle Earth.
   • Chief kingdom: Gondor.
   
   
9. Dwarves
   • Created by a god trying to make his version of the Elves.
   • Workers of stone and metal.
   • Prefer to live underground in caves, their chief stronghold was Moria, now long abandoned.
   
   
10. Orcs
    • Made long ago by Melkor by perverting the bodies of Elves.
    • Sauron's foot soldiers.
    • Known sometimes as goblins, they shun the sunlight.