The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) is a consumer protection statute, first passed in 1974. One of its purposes is to help consumers become better shoppers for settlement services. Another purpose is to eliminate kickbacks and referral fees that increase unnecessarily the costs of certain settlement services.
Danielle Maurer, Noldor Elf in search of Silmaril. Views. Sauron is a Maia, one of the spirits that rank below the Valar in terms of power. They are more than the elves and other creatures of Middle-Earth, but not as powerful as the Valar (who function like the gods of Middle-Earth, even though they did not create themselves).
It is the first installment in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, and was followed by The Two Towers (2002) and The Return of the King (2003), based on the second and third volumes of The Lord of the Rings. Set in Middle-earth, the story tells of the Dark Lord Sauron (Sala Baker), who is seeking the One Ring. The Ring has found its way to the young hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood).