Arthedain » Ainur

Yavanna

Kjell Arne Brudvik — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 09:01:28 +0000

Beginning in the Years of the Lamps during the Spring of Arda, she planted and caused to grow the first growing things of the world (trees and plants) which she had long prepared. At first, just as every other thing in the world that the Valar nurtured and cared for these things prospered and throve for a time. Melkor however had his own plans and they involved taking the world from his brethren and ruling it for himself. From his great fortress of Utumno in the far north, he sent forth his poisons into the veins of the world blighting the Spring of Arda. Then the things of Yavanna fell sick and rotted and soon after Melkor assaulted and destroyed the Two Lamps, breaking the world.

Afterwards, the Valar relocated to the continent of Aman where they created the Two Trees; the only light in the whole world. Middle-earth was left in darkness and the living things that survived were put into a great sleep by Yavanna until the rise of the Sun and the Moon many thousands of years later. After Eru allowed Aulë’s creations, the Dwarves, to survive, Yavanna feared that they would cut down all the trees in Middle-earth. Eru answered her plea by creating Ents to protect the trees.

Called the ‘Giver of Fruits’, Yavanna was the Vala whose province was all growing things upon the earth. She was the spouse of Aulë the Smith.

Wolf-Sauron

Kjell Arne Brudvik — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 09:00:30 +0000

“There befell the battle of Huan and Wolf- Sauron, and the howls and baying echoed in the hills, and the watchers on the walls of Ered Wethrin across the valley heard it afar and were dismayed.” - Quenta Silmarillion

The name given to the dreadful wolf-shape that Sauron took when he went from Tol-in-Gaurhoth to do battle with Huan, the Hound of Valinor.

According to prophecy, Huan would not die until he had encountered the greatest of all wolves, so Sauron contrived to take on that role and defeat the hound. He failed: the greatest of all wolves was not Wolf-Sauron, but Carcharoth of Angband, and through Lúthien’s magic and Huan’s valour Sauron was defeated. Surrendering his tower on Tol-in-Gaurhoth, he fled in the form of a vampire into the woods of Dorthonion, and was not seen again for many years.

Wizards

Kjell Arne Brudvik — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 09:00:25 +0000

A name for the order of the Maiar more properly called Istari, who came to Middle-earth after the first millennium of the Third Age to aid the Free Peoples against the return and rise of Sauron.

See entry for Istari for in-depth information regarding the Wizards.

White

Kjell Arne Brudvik — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:59:31 +0000

Title apparently used to denote the head of the Wizards in Middle-earth, originally borne by Saruman, but taken up instead by Gandalf after his return. kinglistWrapper”> I Saruman The original White Wizard, and the acknowledged head of the Istari from the time they arrived in Middle-earth in around the year III 1000. He was known as ‘the White’until the beginning of the War of the Ring more than two thousand years later, but he ultimately abandoned the title in favour of ‘Saruman of Many Colours’. II Gandalf A little under seven months after Saruman’s giving up the title ‘White’, Gandalf the Grey fought the Battle of the Peak against the Balrog known as Durin’s Bane. Gandalf defeated his foe, but his spirit passed out of his body. Nonetheless, he was sent back, and he returned to life as Gandalf the White. From this time he became the most powerful of the Istari, and when he next met Saruman, Gandalf broke the staff of his old leader and cast him out of the Order of Wizards.

This title was also given to Aredhel the sister of Turgon, for her habit of dressing in whites and silvers, and also to Celebdil, the snow-capped mountain above Khazad-dûm where Durin’s Tower was built.

Varda

Kjell Arne Brudvik — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:58:13 +0000

The Queen of the Stars and spouse of Manwë the King of Arda, great among the Queens of the Valar. She set the stars in the sky, for which the Eldar of Middle-earth revered her, calling her by the name of Elbereth.

Vána

Kjell Arne Brudvik — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:58:10 +0000

A lady of the Valar, the sister of Yavanna and spouse of Oromë. Flowers were said to open, and birds sing, at her passing.

Valier

Kjell Arne Brudvik — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:58:05 +0000

A title for the seven Queens of the Valar; Varda, Yavanna, Nienna, Estë, Vairë, Vána and Nessa. The name ‘Valier’only appears in the Valaquenta to describe the seven Queens – it is never used elsewhere. kinglistWrapper”> I Varda Elentári Called the Kindler and the Lady of the Stars, Varda was the spouse of Manwë, and dwelt with him in the halls of Ilmarin on Taniquetil’s peak. In Middle-earth, she was most often known by her Sindarin name and title: Elbereth Gilthoniel. II Yavanna Kementári Called the Queen of the Earth and the Giver of Fruits, the province of Yavanna was the life of the olvar, things that grow from the earth. She was the sister of Vána, and spouse to Aulë the Smith. III Nienna The sister of Mandos and Lórien, who dwells alone in the far western edge of the World, where she grieves of the destruction wrought by Melkor. IV Estë Called ‘The Gentle’, Estë was said to bring healing and rest. She is the spouse of Nienna’s brother Lórien, with whom she dwells in his gardens in Valinor. V Vairë Vairë dwells with her spouse Mandos in his halls. As time passes, she weaves a great tapestry of the World’s history, that adorn of Halls of Waiting. For this reason she is known as Vairë the Weaver. VI Vána Vána the Ever-young is the younger sister of Yavanna, and like Yavanna she has power of the natural world, causing flowers to open and birds to sing. Her spouse is Oromë, the Huntsman of the Valar. VII Nessa Famed for her swiftness and fleetness of foot, Nessa runs with the deer, and dances on the green grass of Valinor. She is the spouse of Tulkas Astaldo. captionWrapper”> captionSpace”>

This table shows the seven Queens of the Valar in descending order of power. Only the first three, Varda, Yavanna and Nienna, were counted among the Aratar or greatest of the Powers.

Valaraukar

Kjell Arne Brudvik — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:57:58 +0000

A Quenya name formed from words vala, ‘power’and rauko, ‘demon’. The Valaraukar were the monstrous Maiar that Melkor took into his service, to become some of his most feared and dangerous servants. In Middle-earth, their name was changed from the Quenya form Valaraukar to the more familiar Sindarin form: Balrogs.

Valar

Kjell Arne Brudvik — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:57:57 +0000

‘Valar’is the name given to the fourteen powerful spirits who took physical form and entered Arda after its creation to give order to the world and combat the evils of Melkor. They dwelt originally on the Isle of Almaren, but after its destruction long ages before the Awakening of the Elves they removed to Aman and there founded the realm of Valinor. infoWrapper”> Lords of the Valar Queens of the Valar (Valier)

Manwë Súlimo

Ulmo

Aulë

Oromë

Mandos (Námo)

Lórien (Irmo)

Tulkas Astaldo

Varda Elentári

Yavanna Kementári

Nienna

Estë the Gentle

Vairë the Weaver

Vána the Ever-young

Nessa

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This table shows the fourteen Valar in ‘due order’ (i.e. in descending order of power).Names shown in bold indicate one of the eight Aratar,the mightiest of the Valar.

These are the names of the Valar as they were known to the Eldar in Valinor. In Middle-earth, they were known by other names of Sindarin origin; for example ‘Elbereth’for Varda, or ‘Araw’for Oromë. Their names among Men are said to be legion.

The Valar in the Beginning of Arda

The Valar were in origin the greatest of the Ainur who witnessed the Vision of Ilúvatarand so descended into Eä to fulfil the vision and create Arda. It seems that, in the first beginnings of the World, the four mightiest spirits came down into it; Manwë, Ulmo and Aulë to prepare it for the coming of the Children of Ilúvatar, and Melkor to claim it for his own domain.

There was conflict between Manwë and Melkor, and Manwë called many other spirits into the World to aid him in his struggle. Among these were the other Valar, and those of lesser order known as Maiar. Melkor then withdrew for a time from Arda to some other hidden place in the deeps of Eä.

In time, Manwë and his followers began to achieve their purpose, and make the World ready for the coming of the Children. Seeing this, Melkor grew jealous, and returned to do battle over the fate of Arda. The Earth then saw great upheaval as the rival powers struggled over its destiny (it is thought that the Misty Mountains were raised at this time). Slowly, though, and with great hardship, the Valar succeeded in shaping the World, although everything they created was in some way marred by Melkor.

The Nature of the Valar

Like the Elves, those Valar who chose to enter the World at its beginning are bound to it until it reaches its destined end; they may not return to the Timeless Halls of Ilúvatar.

As spirits, the Valar have no fixed physical form, although they often took the shapes of the Children of Ilúvatar. They could, though, assume any form they chose, or cast aside their shape altogether and travel formless and invisible through Arda.

Vairë

Kjell Arne Brudvik — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:57:49 +0000

A Queen of the Valar, the spouse of Mandos, who weaves the tales of the history of Arda.