The Hobbit: Does Smaug Covet The Arkenstone Because The Dwarves Desire It?
In Tolkien's Middle Earth, the Arkenstone is a rare and precious jewel found deep in the heart of the Lonely Mountain, centuries before Bilbo’s quest in The Hobbit takes place. It’s never explicitly explained within Tolkien’s books or the movie adaptations what the stone is made of. Readers know only that it is white in color, with glints of the rainbow glittering throughout its core.
The Arkenstone shone so brightly that it seemed to steal the light out of the room and turn it into something even more iridescent and radiant. It became the crowning jewel of the dwarven race, and was passed down from generation to generation of Durin’s folk. The stone can be seen displayed in pride of place above the throne of Thror, Thorin’s grandfather, during Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of the story.
LOTR: Does Thorin Succumb To Dragon Sickness More Quickly Because Of The One Ring?
The Arkenstone gave whoever held it the right to summon the seven armies of the dwarves from across the land, who had sworn an oath of fealty long ago. This is why it was not only considered a precious gem, but also a tactical weapon to protect the dwarven kingdom from invaders. This is how it became so closely linked with all the hoards of gold that Thror had begun to amass within the mountain. He saw the Arkenstone as a shield to keep them impenetrable and believed it allowed him to keep digging. The Arkenstone fueled the greed and ruthlessness that Thror was experiencing because he wore one of the seven dwarven Rings of Power, designed by Sauron in the Second Age to corrupt and twist this already stubborn race of beings. Spurred by the combination of the Arkenstone and the ring of power, it wasn’t long before Thror fell to dragon-sickness, and could no
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