Notable individuals of the Ainur (31).
Showing 1 to 24 of 31 figures
Creator of Eä
Eru Ilúvatar, the One, is the creator of all that is. He is not one of the Ainur but their maker, who proposed the theme of the Great Music, gave the World real being, and alone can create life and free will. He acts directly in the histories only rarely, most notably in the drowning of Númenor.
Wizard
Gandalf, called Olórin in Valinor and Mithrandir by the Elves, was the wisest of the Istari, a Maia sent by the Valar to rouse the free peoples against Sauron. Bearer of Narya, the Ring of Fire, he uncovered the Necromancer, set the quest of Erebor in motion, unmasked the One Ring, led the Fellowship, died against the Balrog of Moria and returned as Gandalf the White to guide the West to victory in the War of the Ring, after which he sailed into the West.
King of the Valar
Manwë is the King of the Valar and the Elder King of Arda, lord of the winds and the airs, who of all the Ainur understands the mind of Eru most deeply. Brother in thought to Melkor, he is the appointed ruler of the World, dwelling with Varda on Taniquetil and served by the Eagles.
Lord of Utumno
Melkor, named Morgoth by Fëanor, was the mightiest of the Ainur and the first Dark Lord, who marred the Music, warred with the Valar for the mastery of Arda, destroyed the Two Trees, stole the Silmarils and ruled Beleriand from Angband until the Valar cast him into the Void at the end of the First Age. All evil in Arda descends from him.
Head of the Istari
Saruman the White, Curunír to the Elves, was the chief of the Istari and head of the White Council, a Maia of Aulë whose great knowledge of craft and Ring-lore turned to pride. He seized Isengard, fell under Sauron's sway through the palantír, bred the Uruk-hai and made war on Rohan, was overthrown by the Ents and cast out of the order by Gandalf, and died a beggar's death in the Shire at the hand of his own servant.
Lord of Mordor
Sauron was a Maia of Aulë who became Morgoth's lieutenant in the First Age and, after his master's fall, the Dark Lord of the Second and Third Ages in his own right. He forged the One Ring to rule all others, brought about the Downfall of Númenor, and was finally destroyed when the Ring was unmade in Mount Doom.
Lord of Waters
Ulmo is the Lord of Waters, second in majesty only to Manwë among the Valar, who dwells alone in the deep seas rather than in Valinor. He never abandoned Middle-earth, and through streams, rivers and dreams he counselled the Elves and Men of Beleriand, above all Turgon of Gondolin and Tuor.
Queen of the Valar
Varda, called Elbereth by the Elves of Middle-earth, is the Queen of the Valar and the maker of the stars. Spouse of Manwë, she kindled the constellations under which the Elves awoke, hallowed the Silmarils, and is the Vala whom the Elves love and invoke above all others.
Lord of the Earth
Aulë is the smith of the Valar, master of all crafts and lord of the substances of the earth, who shaped the mountains and made the vessels of the Sun and Moon. Impatient for the Children of Ilúvatar, he made the Dwarves in secret, and his people, including Sauron and Saruman, were the most gifted and the most prone to fall.
Balrog of Morgoth
Durin's Bane was a Balrog of Morgoth that escaped the War of Wrath and lay hidden beneath the Misty Mountains until the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm, delving for mithril, released it in T.A. 1980. It slew two Dwarf-kings, emptied Moria, and ruled the dark there for a thousand years until Gandalf fought it from the Bridge of Khazad-dûm to the peak of Zirakzigil and cast it down.
Lord of Balrogs
Gothmog was the Lord of Balrogs and high-captain of Angband, the deadliest of Morgoth's servants in battle. He gave Fëanor his death-wounds, killed the High King Fingon and took Húrin captive at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and led the assault on Gondolin, where he and Ecthelion of the Fountain slew each other.
Doomsman of the Valar
Mandos, properly named Námo, is the Doomsman of the Valar and keeper of the Halls of the Dead, where the spirits of slain Elves wait. He forgets nothing and knows all that will be, save what Eru keeps hidden, and he pronounced the Doom of the Noldor and the judgement on Lúthien and Beren.
Queen of Doriath
Melian is the Maia who took bodily form in Middle-earth, wedded the Elven-king Thingol and reigned with him in Doriath, protecting the realm for an age with the Girdle of her power. Mother of Lúthien and the only Ainu to have children among the Eldar, she was the wisest counsellor in Beleriand; after Thingol's death she withdrew her protection and returned to Valinor.
Huntsman of the Valar
Oromë is the huntsman of the Valar, lord of forests and hunter of monsters, who alone of the Powers loved to ride in Middle-earth during the darkness. He discovered the newly awakened Elves at Cuiviénen, led them on the Great Journey, and his horn Valaróma and his horse Nahar became legends among Elves and Men.
Wizard
Radagast the Brown, Aiwendil in Valinor, was the Istar of Yavanna's people, a master of birds and beasts and of the changing of shapes and hues, who settled at Rhosgobel by Mirkwood. Gentle and unworldly, he was used by Saruman as an unwitting messenger to trap Gandalf, but his birds also carried the news that brought Gwaihir to Orthanc. His later fate is unrecorded.
Champion of the Valar
Tulkas is the strongest of the Valar and the last to come into Arda, arriving from the Timeless Halls when the others were hard pressed by Melkor. Laughing in battle and tireless, he drove Melkor from the World in the first war, wrestled him down in the Battle of the Powers, and alone of the Valar never trusted him.
Queen of the Earth
Yavanna is the Vala of all growing things, from the great trees to the moss on stones, and the spouse of Aulë. She sang the Two Trees of Valinor into being, obtained the Ents as guardians of the forests, and coaxed from the dying Trees the fruit and flower that became the Sun and Moon.
Guide of the Sun
Arien is a Maia of fire, once a servant of Vána among the golden flowers of Valinor, who was chosen to guide the vessel of the Sun made from the last fruit of Laurelin. Too bright to be looked upon, she has driven the Sun across the sky since the first sunrise and was feared even by Morgoth.
Herald of Manwë
Eönwë is the herald and banner-bearer of Manwë, counted with Ilmarë as the chief of the Maiar and unmatched in Arda in feats of arms. He led the host of the Valar into Middle-earth in the War of Wrath, took the Silmarils from Morgoth's crown, refused to judge the surrendered Sauron, and taught the Edain before they sailed to Númenor.
Lord of Lórien
Irmo, usually called Lórien after his gardens, is the younger of the Fëanturi, the master of visions and dreams, whose gardens in Valinor are the fairest place in the World and a refuge for the weary. Melian and Olórin, who became Gandalf, both dwelt in his realm.
Queen of the Valar
Nienna is the Vala of grief, pity and endurance, sister of Mandos and Irmo, who dwells alone and weeps for every hurt in Arda. Her tears watered the mound of the Two Trees, and Olórin, who became Gandalf, learned from her the compassion that shaped his whole mission.
Vassal of Ulmo
Ossë is a Maia of Ulmo, master of the seas that wash the shores of Middle-earth, a lover of storms who was once nearly won over by Melkor. He befriended the Teleri on the coasts of Beleriand, persuaded some to remain as the Falathrim, anchored Tol Eressëa in the bay of Eldamar, and taught the Sea-elves the building of ships.
Wizards of the East
Alatar and Pallando, the Ithryn Luin or Blue Wizards, were the two Istari chosen by Oromë who passed into the East of Middle-earth with Saruman and never returned to the West. Nothing certain is known of their work, and it was feared that they failed in their mission.
Guide of the Moon
Tilion is a Maia of Oromë's hunting company, a lover of silver light, who was chosen to steer the vessel of the Moon made from the last flower of Telperion. Wayward in his course and drawn to Arien's fire, he was attacked by Morgoth's spirits of shadow and bears the scars on the Moon's face; he raised the first moonrise seven days before the Sun.