LOTR: Every Place That The One Ring Has Ever Been Ended In Ruin And Despair

gamerant.com:

There are lots of franchises that explore the concept of corruption. They use dark objects, serums, potions, and even more human elements like natural greed, lust, and hunger for power to explore the concept. As is often the case with these themes, it is difficult to tell if the dark object in question has turned someone evil, and corrupted them from their once pure potential towards a path of damnation — or if these objects are simply bringing out traits and qualities that are already prevalent within a character, but perhaps hidden just below the surface. The hubris of humanity means that these objects are often just encountering and drawing out qualities that the person already tends towards. This seems especially true for the rings of power in Tolkien’s world, which draw out the very worst of people, and drive them to do all sorts of terrible things.

Just the thought of the power they contain is enough to turn some characters to madness. Consider Denethor, who nearly gets both of his son’s killed in his insistence that the ring be brought to Gondor; or like Saruman, whose own self-interest corrupts him with the mere concept of power and dominion. But the One Ring doesn’t only tempt and corrupt people. It also corrupts creatures, magical beings, and even places. In fact, all the places in Middle Earth where the ring is taken at any point in end up ruined or desecrated in one form or another.

LOTR: Are Orcs In The Second Age Weakened By Sunlight?

Starting at the point at which Bilbo first finds the ring, there are the goblin tunnels within the mountains. Here Bilbo meets Gollum, beats the tricky creature in a game of riddles, and just about manages to escape with his life, thanks to the invisibility powers of the ring.