Set in a mythical universe of Middle-earth, this book continues in the same tone as The Hobbit. The Dark Lord, Sauron, is the Lord of the Rings, who is on a mission to reclaim the One Ring and use it to enslave all of Middle-earth. The Fellowship Of The Ring commences with a birthday party in Hobbiton. Bilbo Baggins, the current possessor of the Ring, turns 111 and bequeaths the ring to his cousin, Frodo Baggins. Several years pass and the wizard Gandalf routinely visits Frodo in Bag End. One spring night, he tells Frodo the truth about the Ring and the story behind it. He informs him that Sauron has risen again and is in search of the Ring. Upon learning this, Frodo departs from the Shire alongside three Hobbit friends: Sam, Merry, and Pippin. Along the way, the four of them are faced with several obstacles and distractions, including Ringwraiths, who are the servants of Sauron, a malevolent willow tree, and an evil tomb ghost. The group befriends wandering Elves on the way and set upon their path across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, intending to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lords' plan.