"The Nazg\u00FBl (from Black Speech nazg, \"ring\", and g\u00FBl, \"wraith, spirit\", possibly related to gul, \"sorcery\"), also called Ringwraiths, Ring-wraiths, Black Riders, Dark Riders, the Nine Riders, or simply the Nine, are characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. They were nine men who succumbed to Sauron's power and attained near-immortality as wraiths, servants bound to the power of the One Ring and completely under the dominion of Sauron."@en .