Alatar

**Alatar** (Quenya; IPA: [ˈalatar] - "After-Comer"), also called **Morinehtar** (Quenya; [moriˈneçtar]), meaning Darkness-slayer, was a Maia and an immortal Istar wizard. He travelled to Middle-earth in the Second Age with Rómestámo (Pallando), and they became the Ithryn Luin, or "Blue Wizards".

They travelled to the east of Arda, to countries in far eastern Middle-earth such as Rhûn and Khand, where they were sent to stir up rebellions against those serving Sauron. In this, they were successful, and they later returned to Middle-earth in the Third Age and travelled East and South once again, but they never returned to the West after their journey with Saruman. It is possible that they became the founders of secret and magical cults, but their ultimate fate remains unknown.

**Alatar**, who is called *Bachai* by the Easterlings, is one of the Blue Wizards and the only female of the Istari.

## Biography

### Second Age

Alatar was originally a Maia of Oromë the Huntsman. Other servants of Oromë included later Pallando, a friend of Alatar, and whom he later chose to journey with him. At some point in the Second Age, around the forging of the Rings of Power, Alatar and Pallando were chosen to become the first of the Istari, and were sent to the east of Middle-earth to stir up rebellion against Sauron and assist the few tribes of Men who had refused to worship Morgoth in the First Age.

### Third Age

During the Third Age, the Valar selected Alatar to be one of the five Maiar to travel from the Undying Lands to Middle-earth and serve as wizards. Alatar, Curumo (Saruman the White) and Olórin (Gandalf) were assigned the objective of encouraging the peoples of Middle-earth to oppose Sauron. However, two more joined the original three and they became five. Aiwendil (Radagast) was chosen by Yavanna to travel with Curumo, and Alatar took Pallando as a companion. Upon arrival in Middle-earth, Alatar and Pallando were dressed in robes of sea-blue. Due to this, they were called the Blue Wizards (or *Ithryn Luin* in Sindarin). With Saruman, they travelled east in an attempt to help free the last Men of Númenor, who were now Haradrim and Easterlings. Later, Saruman came back to the west alone. However, Alatar and Pallando were never seen again, and their fates are untold.

## Appearance

In her old woman form by which the Easterling wainriders know her best, Bachai is tall and slender to the point of boniness, with a face like beaten bronze, seamed and wrinkled with age and her deep-set black eyes crinkled at the corners. Her straight white hair falls down her back, unadorned, but her tunic and pantaloons are covered with thick sky-blue embroidery.

## History

Alatar was also known as "the Hunter" and "the bearer of the root", named so for her discovery of The Bearer's Sleeping Root. Senior of the two "Blue Wizards", Alatar was a brilliant and aggressive emissary from Valinor. (Pallando, once her friend and companion, was a lesser Istar). The Vala Orome chose Alatar to journey to the original homelands of Elves and Men, just as the Huntsman did in the First Age. Thus, her interest took root in the East of Middle-earth but, like Radagast, she had no great asperations beside looking after the best interests of her people under her patronage, the Wainriders. Alatar possessed considerable inherent power. She originally was second in the hierarchy of the Istari (beneath Saruman above Gandalf) and, like her slightly more senior brethren, the Blue Wizard was a peer of Sauron. No Maia stood higher in the eyes of Orome's people.

She and her compatriot Pallando were known as the **Ithryn Luin**, the Blue Wizards, for the color of their robes. Originally they both were Maiarin Spirits, but when they arrived at the Grey Havens the Elves called them Morinehtar and Rómestamo. These two wizards, the remaining pair of the Heren Istarion, went into the East to counter and undermine the efforts and influence of Sauron in that region, but in contrast to Saruman, the Blue Wizards never returned, and by their own choice. Alatar chose to live with the nomadic Wainriders, who called her Bachai, and refused to enter into any city willingly, preferring the great open plains of the Wainrider lands.

Chief region of their operations seems to have been southeastern Middle-Earth where they contested the Nazgûl Dwar and Khamul. Ultimately the Blue Wizards failed in their original purpose, although not to the extent of Saruman or Radagast, and to a degree their success in aiding the peoples of the East and south in rebellion against the Nameless helped to weaken Sauron´s armies and by this made a victory of the free peoples possible. She would much later found the land of Fëamardi, providing a protected settlement for the Wianriders she had come to love.

By the end of the Third Age, all that remained of the Blue Wizards were magical cults and traditions in the East, which they had formed. Alatar would eventually take on the the title of The Sable in the early Fourth Age after sacrificing her body to defeat the dragon tyrant Deminrae, and forged a new magic Ring, Élëya, Ring of Lightning, for that very purpose. Afterwards, she took refuge for a time in Sarn Goriwing in northern Greenwood using the Easterling Lord Vacros, who only knew her as Taladhan the Black, as part of her cover.