Search results
The Maia Melian went to Middle-earth prior to the First Age, where she later fell in love with the Elven-king Elu Thingol, King Greymantle, and with him ruled the kingdom of Doriath. When war with Morgoth came to Doriath, she used her powers to guard and defend her realm with an enchantment called the Girdle of Melian (List Melian in Sindarin).
- Ainur
The Maiar were more numerous than the Valar, but less...
- Melian (Middle-earth)
Melian is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien 's...
- Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the human-inhabited world, that is, the...
- Ainur
- Overview
- History
- Characteristics
- Powers & abilities
- Named Maiar
- Descendants of Melian
- References
The Maiar (singular Maia) were primordial spirits created to help the Valar first shape the World. They were numerous, though not many were named.
Their chiefs were Eönwë, banner-bearer and herald of Manwë, and Ilmarë, the handmaid of Varda. Five of these spirits, in the Third Age, became the incarnated Wizards.
Each of the Maiar is associated with one or more particular Vala of similar stock, though less powerful. For example, Eönwë is the herald of Manwë and Ilmarë the handmaiden of Varda, while Olórin served both the Wind-king and the Star-Queen. Olórin's ways took him often to the house of Nienna, and he learned from her pity and patience. Curumo and Mairon (who later become a servant of Melkor, taking the name of Sauron) belonged to Aulë, while Aiwendil served Yavanna. Ossë, Uinen and Salmar, as spirits of the sea, belonged to Ulmo, Alatar and Pallando belonged to Oromë and Melian served both Vána and Estë.
The Sun and Moon were also piloted by Maiar: Arien, a servant of Vána, was selected to guide the Sun, while Tilion, a hunter in the company of Oromë, was chosen to steer the Moon.
Some of the Maiar were corrupted by Melkor's dissonances since the Ainulindalë and become known as the Úmaiar. Among this race was a group known as the Balrogs (Valaraukar in Quenya).
After the creation of the One Ring and the subsequent rise of Sauron's power, the Valar hold a council in which decided to send a group of Maiar disguised as the Istari, an order of old and powerful wizards, with the quest of unite the Free People of Middle-earth against the power of the second Dark Lord. The Maiar chosen for this quest were Alatar and Pallando (who took respectively the identities of Morinehtar and Rómestámo, the Blue Wizards), Curumo (who became known as Saruman the White), Aiwendil (known as Radagast the Brown) and Olórin (known among the Elves as Mithrandir, among the Dwarves as Tharkûn and Gandalf the Grey among the Men). However for various reasons only Gandalf accomplished his mission and come back to the Uttermost West.
Maiar, like Valar, did not array themselves in a fixed form but could freely change shape. Olórin, or Gandalf, walked among the peoples of Middle-earth in an uncertain form for many years before being sent on the errand of the Valar as one of the Istari.
Like the Valar, however, this power could be lost when abused. Following the dark trails blazed by Melkor, Sauron took upon the form of - and remained - the Dark Lord in the Second Age. And yet, even fallen Maiar retain their immortality. From all indications, when the physical body of a Maia is destroyed, their spirit wanders houseless and their power diminished until they may take a physical form once more, or are restored by their respective Valar. Examples of this can be seen in the threat of Lúthien to Sauron upon his defeat at the Tower of werewolves, whereby it is said:
"Ere [Sauron's] spirit left its dark house, Luthien came to him and that he should be stripped of his raiment of flesh, and his ghost sent quaking back to Morgoth; and she said 'There everlastingly thy naked self shall endure the torment of his scorn, pierced by his eyes, unless thou yield to me the mastery of thy tower."
—The Silmarillion, "Of Beren and Lúthien"
A further example includes the resurrection of Gandalf after he and the Balrog of Moria were both slain, one by the other, on the mountain peak of Zirakzigil:
"Naked I was sent back – for a brief time, until my task is done. And naked I lay upon the mountain-top. There I lay staring upward, while the stars wheeled over, and each day was as long as a life-age of the earth."
Like most of the Ainur, the abilities and powers of the Maiar remain unknown and presumably diverse. Given the nature of the Maiar was to aid the Valar in shaping the world, they likely have considerable power to augment the world around them. Maiar, as primordial spirit beings, are functionally immortal and essentially immune to the ravages of time; even from physical destruction, they remain in spirit form.
Being of divine origin, they can shapeshift if they so choose. They wander the world unseen or shape themselves in any fashion, be they Elves or other creatures; called Fanar in Quenya could be destroyed, but their being, not extinguished.
It is suggested that the Maiar, in their service to the Valar in shaping the world, presumably could manipulate the elements and energies like their Valar counterparts. They were able to be given a physical body again over time or with help from the Valar. Presumably, the Maiar possessed the ability to perform Magic, thus performing blessings, spells, curses, exorcism, etc.
Given the vastness of the universe and the ability of the Maiar to occupy such points, they are capable of teleporting vast distances. By taking the form of a flying creature (like vampires, bats, birds, etc.) the Ainur could fly.
•Alatar (Morinehtar)
•Aiwendil (Radagast)
•Arien
•Boldog (a name used by Orc-formed Maiar)
•Curumo (Saruman)
•Eönwë
•Lúthien (1/2 Maia)
•Dior (1/4 Maia)
•Elwing (1/8 Maia)
•Elrond (1/16 Maia)
•Elros (1/16 Maia)
•Arwen (1/32 Maia)
1.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. X: Morgoth's Ring, Part Two "The Annals of Aman"
2."Sí Qente Feanor and Other Elvish Writings", Parma Eldalamberon, n. XV
People also ask
Where did Maia Melian go before the first age?
What is Middle-earth based on?
What is the difference between Arda and Middle earth?
Who are the 5 Maia emissaries?
Jan 16, 2024 · Images of Maiar. The Maiar (singular Maia; Quenya, pronounced [ˈmaɪ.ar]) were those spirits which descended into Ëa to help the Valar shape the World. They were numerous, yet not many were named, and few also took visible shapes in Middle-Earth. The Maiar were Ainur — technically, any Ainu in Ëa that is not counted as a Vala is a Maia.
- Aman, Middle-earth
- the Beautiful, the Folk of the Valar
- Creation of the Ainur
Apr 29, 2023 · Valar & Maiar is the first title in ICE's Peoples of Middle-earth adventure game series. Each work in this collection documents a specific race or group found in Tolkien's Middle-earth. Other volumes includes Dwarves, Hobbits, Orcs, Trolls, etc. Each is a comprehensive compendium describing all the notable characters from one of Endor's varied ...
May 13, 2024 · Melian's love for the trees brought her to Middle-earth, filling its silence with her and her birds' voices. After Oromë found the Elves in Cuiviénen, the Valar planned to make War against Melkor and during their preparations, they sent Melian to Cuiviénen, and then a group of great Maiar to guard the Elves. Melian was their leader, the only ...
