TheOneRing.net (TORn), the largest fan site of author J.R.R. Tolkien, announced it is beta testing a subscription service in preparation of Amazon Prime’s launch of TORn Prime, an upcoming Lord of the Rings TV series. The site, which boasts more than 8,300 members, hosts discussion boards where members can discuss the author, their favorite books, characters like Frodo, Gandalf and Aragorn, plot lines, top quotes and, of course, the new TV series when it goes live.

‘With a Middle-earth TV series announced, we’re expecting a lot more fans will want to join TORn so we have to be prepared for the influx,’ said TORn spokesperson Sarah McLeod in an announcement on the site. ‘Some users may have noticed that our “Donate” button has not been updated for some time; as part of the new configuration, we will be introducing new channels to purchase subscriptions.’

McLeod said they have been working on the subscription idea to ‘continue to deliver a top-class website’ for Tolkien’s biggest fans. While the site is reconfiguring the discussion boards in early April, the message boards will be offline. When they return, current members will need to log back in to gain access. They will be allowed to access the message boards for free until October 1. New members, however, will have to subscribe at one of the following annual payment levels, ranging from $0 to $50:

Poh-tay-to (free): read-only access to the discussion boards

Silver ($10*): Users can access all boards and reply to existing posts, but they cannot create new posts or post photos.

Gold ($15): Users can access all boards, respond to existing posts, create new posts and a personal avatar and footer, and can post photos.

Jool ($30): Users get the same perks as Gold level members, but they can also create polls in the Pollantir and get moderation privileges (voting posts up or down and showing approval or disapproval) and read-only access to a hidden board open to people involved with the Middle-earth movies.

Mithril ($50): Users get the same perks as Gold level members, plus full access to the hidden board. Members of the level have the right to summon one Nazgul a year for no more than two hours (advance booking is required).

*prices quoted are in U.S. dollars but all foreign currencies will be accepted and multiple payment methods will be offered

In addition to the subscription levels, TORn will launch merchandise to earn revenue on top of their branded T-shirts. Merchandise to be offered includes mugs, hats and backpacks.

‘We’re also looking at branching into themed merchandise, such as cloaks with a smart design that could be worn in the office and a new energy drink that also warms you up. Fans of the books and movies will know what we’re referencing with those products!’ said McLeod.

TheOneRing.net was founded in 1999 by a group of fans in anticipation of the popular Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings films. Nearly 20 years later, the site continues to grow as fans talk about their favorite movies, themed events, publications, fan gatherings and other Tolkein-related events and topics.

Last November Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) announced it had acquired global TV rights to produce The Lord of the Rings for multiple seasons. The series will be produced by Amazon Studios in cooperation with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line Cinema.

‘The Lord of the Rings is a cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of generations of fans through literature and the big screen,’ said Sharon Tal Yguado, Head of Scripted Series, Amazon Studios. ‘We are honored to be working with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line on this exciting collaboration for television and are thrilled to be taking The Lord of the Rings fans on a new epic journey in Middle Earth.’

Amazon said the series, which includes the possibility of a spin-off series, will be set in Middle Earth, and the storylines would precede Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring. No date has been set yet for the premier of the series.

‘We are delighted that Amazon, with its longstanding commitment to literature, is the home of the first-ever multi-season television series for The Lord of the Rings,’ said Matt Galsor, a representative for the Tolkien Estate and Trust and HarperCollins. ‘Sharon and the team at Amazon Studios have exceptional ideas to bring to the screen previously unexplored stories based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s original writings.’

Insider Take:

With the popularity of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movie trilogy – The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King – which collectively earned $2.91 billion in global ticket sales, according to Forbes, there is, indeed, a huge market for a related subscription. Out of TheOneRing.net’s current members, it may lose members who want to troll the discussion boards, but not pay for a membership, but it is likely that the new TV series will draw more new members, making TORn a viable, profitable enterprise.