Valar

The **Valar** are the greatest of the Ainur and the "gods" of angelic powers who work under one God, Eru Ilúvatar.

The term Valar is applied occasionally by Tolkien to include all of the Ainur who entered the world, but more frequently to refer specifically to the fourteen greatest of them, the "Lords and Ladies of the Valar."

When the Valar entered Eä, Manwë and Melkor fought, and Manwë called other spirits to help him in his battle. Among these were the other Valar and the Maiar. After this First War with Melkor, the Enemy withdrew from the battle into distant places of Eä, and the others continued to shape the World.

Long before the Awakening of the Elves, the Valar - namely Aulë, Varda and Manwë - created the Two Lamps that illuminated the world, and while they were dwelling in the isle of Almaren, nature prospered in the Spring of Arda. But Melkor saw this, and returned to fight for control of Arda, destroying the Lamps and thus marring the world further. The Valar retreated to Aman and founded Valinor. Outside the golden gates of the city Valimar, the Valar gathered in Máhanaxar to hold their great councils, bathed in the light of the Two Trees, and some of the most momentous decisions of Eä's history were made.

While they dwelt in Valinor, most of Arda was dark and under the control of Melkor. Eventually the Valar (even Ulmo) came to the Ring of Doom, and fearing about what would befall the Children, they began the Battle of the Powers, at the end of which they broke Utumno and imprisoned Melkor for three Ages. It was then decided to invite the Elves to Valinor. Ulmo, despite initially disagreeing with this decision, helped the Eldar traverse the Great Sea to the West. During that period the Valar welcomed the Calaquendi in Valinor and they prospered under their guidance and the holy Light of Valinor.

But Melkor and Ungoliant killed the Two Trees and their Light, and the Valar and the Elves mourned the Darkening of Valinor. Fëanor, the most gifted of the Elves, rebelled against the Valar and refused to surrender the Silmarils to rekindle the Trees, and then opted to leave Valinor to wrest the Silmarils from the Dark Lord after he stole them. He blamed the Valar for Morgoth's deeds and most Elves were persuaded that because the Valar had abandoned them, the Noldor must follow him to Middle-earth. He and his sons vowed to fight anyone and everyone—Elf, Man, Maia, or Vala—who withheld the Silmarils.

After the departure of the rebelling Noldor, the Valar created the Sun and Moon from the last living growth of the Two Trees and appointed two Maiar to steer them through the skies. However, after the Enemy attempted to destroy the Moon, the Valar fortified Valinor. The Hiding of Valinor made it inaccessible to Morgoth, but also exiled the Noldor who followed Fëanor.

The Valar virtually abandoned the peoples of Middle-earth who suffered during the Wars of Beleriand, although they had their ways to guide them through their sufferings: Ulmo urged Turgon and Finrod to build their hidden kingdoms and guided Tuor to Gondolin as a messenger for Turgon.

Near the end of the First Age, Eärendil breached the Hiding of Valinor and went before the Valar, and asked them for aid for Men and Elves in Middle-earth, to fight against Morgoth; and the Valar accepted his plea. The Host of the Valar, composed of Maiar and Amanyar came to Beleriand and fought the great War of Wrath and managed their final victory over the Dark Lord, who was judged again, and expelled from Arda. The road to Valinor opened again for the Elves, both the exiled Noldor and the Moriquendi of Middle-earth.

The Edain suffered much during the Wars and under Morgoth, and the Valar created the isle of Elenna for them, and blessed them and their descendants with wisdom, knowledge and longevity. But they imposed a ban on them to never travel westwards. Although the Númenóreans dominated the mortal lands, eventually they were restricted by the Ban of the Valar and the fear of death. They envied the Valar and the Elves for their immortality, and King Tar-Atanamir was the first to speak against the immortals.

Eagle-shaped storm clouds, called the "Eagles of the Lords of the West", were sent by Manwë when he tried to reason or threaten the Númenóreans. But after several generations, Númenor fell under the corrupting influence of Sauron, who eventually assured King Ar-Pharazôn that if he ever reached Aman he would become immortal. He gathered a great host of ships and sailed to break the Ban of the Valar and wage war upon them. But Manwë was aware of what transpired, and the Valar then laid down the Guardianship of Arda. Ilúvatar responded by catastrophically changing the shape of Arda. After the destruction of Númenor, the Undying Lands were removed from Arda so that Men could not reach them and only the Elves could go there by the Straight Road and in ships capable of passing out of the Spheres of the earth.

By the Third Age, the Valar worried about the growing Shadow of Sauron, and they held counsel. They sent some Maiar who came to the mortal lands in the guise of old men, a part of some restrictions imposed upon them. They formed the order of the Wizards and opposed Sauron until his demise in the War of the Ring.

It is said that their guardianship will grow weak and the Dark Lord will eventually escape the Doors of Night. The Valar will fight him again in the Dagor Dagorath, when the world will be destroyed, but the Ainur along with Elves and Men will sing anew a Second Music of the Ainur. All the Ainur know is that the Second Music will be greater than the First Music. Even the Ainur do not know anything of the second world or the Second Music only that it will be greater than the First Music.

### Lords of the Valar

* Manwë Súlimo the King of the Winds, and the King of the Valar, and husband of Varda.
* Melkor (Morgoth Bauglir) the First Dark Lord, was the strongest Vala before he was banished from the group.
* Ulmo the Sea King, and the Lord of Water.
* Aulë the Smith, and the Lord of Earth and all that's underneath, and the husband of Yavanna.
* Oromë Aldaron the Huntsman, the Lord of Forests, and the Great Rider, and the husband of Vána.
* Námo (Mandos) the Doomsman, and the Judge of the Dead, and husband of Vairë.
* Irmo (Lórien) the Lord and Master of Dreams, Visions, and Desires, and Creator of the Oloré Mallé, or Path of Dreams, and the husband of Estë.
* Tulkas Astaldo the Wrestler, the Champion of Valinor, and last of the Valar to come to Arda, and the husband of Nessa.

### Ladies of the Valar

* Varda Elentári the Star Queen, and the Queen of the Valar, and the wife of Manwë.
* Yavanna Kementári the Fruit-Giver, and the Lady of Earth, and the wife of Aulë.
* Nienna the Weeper, and the Lady of Mercy.
* Estë the Gentle, Lady of Healing and Rest, and the wife of Irmo.
* Vairë the Weaver, and the wife of Mandos.
* Vána the Ever-young, and the wife of Oromë.
* Nessa the Dancer, and the wife of Tulkas.