Valaquenta

Account of the Valar and Maiar according to the lore of the Eldar

Much of what happened before the coming of the Eldar (Elves) has been lost in history but only some tales are known to the Eldar through the songs sung to them by the Valar and the Maiar themselves. This is a detailed account of the Valar and Maiar and describes each of them and their significance in the making of Arda.

Of the Valar

Valar are known as the Powers of Arda and Men have often called them Gods. In the grand scheme they are more of demi-gods while the One God being Eru Ilúvatar.

There are seven Lords of the Valar and seven Queens of the Valar (called Valier). The names of the Lords in due order are-

The names of the Queens are-

Melkor is no longer counted in Valar and his name is not spoken upon Arda.

Manwë Súlimo, King of the Valar

Manwë and Melkor were brothers in the thought of Ilúvatar, but Manwë is dearest to Eru and understands most clearly his purposes. So, he is the greatest Valar in authority, but not in power. He is appointed the King of Arda and all the Valar submit to him. In Arda, his delight is in the Winds and the Airs and the clouds and all the creatures of the Winds (Eagles, birds, etc) are his servants. He is surnamed Súlimo by the Eldar meaning Lord of the Breath of Arda. His halls are on Taniquentil, the tallest mountain of Arda, and from there he look upon the entirety of Arda through everything with the aid of Varda.

Varda Elentári, Queen of the Stars

Varda is the wife of Manwë and most beautiful of the Valar, for the light of Ilúvatar lives in her face; Manwë and Varda are seldom parted and they live in Valinor.

Her power is in Light and the Stars and she brings Joy to all. She came down to Arda to help Manwë in his war with Melkor, and she is the only one that Melkor fears the most. Of all the Valar, Elves loves her the most and this is why they hold the Powers of the Stars and their music the highest in reverence.

Ulmo, Lord of the Waters

Ulmo is alone and stays nowhere but moves in deep waters around or under Arda. He is next in might to Manwë and is closest to him in friendship. But he rarely visits Valinor and never went to the councils of the Valar, but only when great and important matters were discussed. He cares for Arda the most and will rarely walk upon land or clothe himself like other Valar do. Ulmo loves Elves and Men the same and never abandoned them even when the other Valar were angry with the Children. His horns, Ulumúri are wrought of white shell and when he plays them, Elves and Men hear this as the sound of the Sea. He was the most instructed in Music by Eru and so, the music of the Sea is the most harmonious.

Aulë, the Smith

Aulë is next in might to Ulmo and he is the lord of all the substance that makes up Arda. In the beginning, he worked hard along with Manwë and Ulmo to fashion all lands of Arda. He is a smith and master of all crafts. Of the Elves, he was the closest to the Noldor and was a friend to them. He was closest in thought and powers to Melkor and there was a long strife among them. Both, also had a desire to make Being things on their own, which we will see later on in the tales.

Yavanna Kementári, the Giver of Fruits

Yavanna is the spouse of Aulë and is the lover of all things that grow in the Earth, big and small. She is next in reverence to Varda among the Queens and in her form of a woman, she is tall and clothed in green. And sometimes, she stands as a tall tree.

The Fëanturi, masters of spirits, are brothers and are called Mandos and Lórien. But this is actually the place of their dwelling and they are commonly called that.

Mandos (Námo), Judge of the Dead

Námo the elder lives in Mandos and is the keeper of the Houses of the Dead and the slain. He forgets nothing and knows all things that will be and is the Master of Fate, but he pronounces his judgement only at the bidding of Manwë.

Vairë, the Weaver

Vairë is the spouse of Mandos and weaves all things that have ever been in Time into her storied webs that are adorned in the halls of Mandos.

Lórien (Irmo), Master of Visions and Dreams

Irmo the younger lives in the gardens of Lórien that is the fairest of all places in the world, filled with many spirits.

Estë, the Gentle

Estë is the spouse of Lórien and the healer of hurts and weariness. She dresses herself in grey. From the fountains of Lórien, those who live in Valinor draw refreshment and Valar often come to her to relax and ease themselves of the burdens of Arda.

Nienna, Lady of Mercy

Nienna is mightier than Estë and is their sister of Mandos and Lórien. She knows grief and mourns for every wound of Arda in the marring of Melkor. Even during the Music of Ainur, her song was full of sorrow and the sound of mourning was forever woven into the themes of the World. Those who come to her in pain, learn pity and hope and endurance. She often visits the halls of Mandos where the Dead wait and cry to her and she brings them strength and turns their sorrow into wisdom.

Tulkas Astaldo, the Valiant

Tulkas is the most powerful in strength of all the Valar. He came to Arda last to help the Valar in the first battles with Melkor. He rides nothing and can outrun all things that go on feet and he is tireless. He wields no weapon as his hands are what he fights with. He is also very careless and seeks no counsel and laughs in the face of danger, but he is a hardy friend.

Nessa, the Dancer

Nessa is the spouse of Tulkas and is fleet-footed. She loves Deer and they follow her when she goes into the wild. She takes delight in dancing and dances in the Valinor.

Oromë Aldaron, the Lord of the Forests

Oromë is Nessa’s brother. He is less strong than Tulkas but more dreadful in anger. He loved the lands of Middle Earth and came reluctantly to Valinor. He often goes East-wards on Nahar, his horse and hunts monsters and fell beasts.

Vána, the Ever-young

Vána is the spouse of Oromë and is the younger sister Yavanna. The flowers spring as she passes and open if she glances upon them and all the birds sing at her coming.

These are the Valar and among them, Nine were of chief power and reverence and one was removed - Melkor. They were named Arater, the High Ones of Arda: Manwë and Varda, Ulmo, Yavanna and Aulë, Mandos, Nienna and Oromë.

Of the Maiar

Maiar were the lesser Ainur spirits that came with the Valar down to Arda to help them in their tasks. They are of the same order as the Valar but of less degree. Their number is not known and a lot of them don’t have names in the language of the Children of Ilúvatar simply because they never interacted with them or have not seen them.

Chief among the Maiar Ilmarë — the handmaid of Varda, and Eönwë — the banner-bearer and herald of Manwë.

Ossë and Uinen are best known to the Children of Ilúvatar.

Ossë is a vassal of Ulmo and is the master of seas that wash the shores of Middle-earth. He rarely goes into the deep and loves the coasts and the isles; in storm he delights.

Uinen is his spouse, the Lady of the Sea and loves all creatures that live in the salt streams and deeps of the ocean. Sailors worship her and cry to her because she is the only one who can calm the wildness of Ossë.

Melkor despised the Sea as he could not subdue it and it is said that he tried to lure Ossë to his side, promising him the power that was originally with Ulmo. This is the reason the Sea was so rough and full of anger in the making of Arda, and Uinen, at the prayer of Aulë restrained Ossë, bringing him before Ulmo and he was pardoned and since then he has remained forever faithful to the Sea.

He is know to be of a defiant nature and will rage without the consent of Ulmo. This is why Men who live by the sea do not trust it and are always cautious.

Melian served both Vána and Estë and lived in Lórien tending the gardens. She will play an important role with the Elves later on.

Olórin was the wisest of the Maiar. We all know him from the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings as Gandalf. He was the servant of Manwë and Varda but he lived in Lórien and often spent time in the house of Nienna from whom he learned pity and patience. Not much is told of Olórin by the Elves because he often lived among them in their form indistinguishable and so he knows them really well.

Of the Enemies

Melkor, He who arises in Might. This is what he was called but that name has been forfeited and the Elves gave him a new name — Morgoth, the Dark Enemy of the World. He was given the most might by Eru but he turned his powers to evil purposes and wanted the kingship of the Kingdom of Arda.

He began with the desire of Light but when he could not possess it for himself he fell into Darkness and Fire and then darkness is what he used most in his evil works on Arda.

He was not alone, since a lot of Maiar were drawn to his powers in the days of his greatness and he corrupted them for his service. The most dreadful of these Maiar were Valaraukar, the spirits of fire and they were later known as Balrogs, demons of terror.

Some of his servants have names. Mairon was called by the Eldar - Sauron, the Cruel. In the beginning, he was of the Maiar of Aulë, and remained mighty in the lore of that people. But once corrupted, he rose like a shadow of Morgoth and walked the ruinous path down into the Void.

[It should be note that since he was of Aulë, the Smith, Sauron himself was a master smith which lead to him forging the Rings of Power and in general we see how Mordor is seen as an industrial fire pit.]