The Lord of the Rings the other Rings of Power as the ultimate weapon in his campaign to conquer and rule all of Middle-earth. From quiet beginnings in the Shire, a hobbit land not unlike the English countryside, the story ranges across Middle-earth, following the course of the War of the Ring through the eyes of its characters, not only the hobbits Frodo Baggins, Samwise "Sam" Gamgee, Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck and Peregrin "Pippin" Took, but also the hobbits' chief allies and travelling companions: the Men, Aragorn, a Ranger of the North, and Boromir, a Captain of Gondor; Gimli, a Dwarf warrior; Legolas Greenleaf, an Elven
Frodo Baggins cousin to Meriadoc's father, Saradoc Brandybuck. Their common ancestors are Gorbadoc Brandybuck and Mirabella Took Brandybuck. Frodo is moreover second (through her paternal grandfather Hildigrim Took) and third (through her paternal grandmother Rosa Baggins) cousin to Meriadoc's mother, Esmeralda Took. Frodo is also related to Peregrin Took, being his second and third cousin once removed (Peregrin's father, Paladin Took is, like his sister Esmeralda, second and third cousin to Frodo, as explained above). Even Fredegar Bolger (through his mother Rosamund Took) is second cousin once removed to Frodo. Frodo also shares a close relationship with his gardener Samwise Gamgee although