Ainur

The Ainur are divine spirits, the 'Holy Ones'. They were the first beings created by Ilúvatar (known in the Transformers Multiverse as The One), the 'order' of the Valar and Maiar, made before Eä.

They were primordial spirits who existed with Ilúvatar, and with him created the world through the **Ainulindalë,** the **Music of the Ainur**. After the creation of Arda, many of the Ainur descended into it to guide and order its growth; of these there were fifteen more powerful than the rest. Fourteen of these great Ainur became known as the Valar, or Powers of Arda. The fifteenth, Melkor, turned aside from that path and became the first Dark Lord. The many lesser Ainur that accompanied the Valar into Arda are known as Maiar. The Ainur, in the Tolkienverse, resemble the Greek & Norse gods.

## History

### Origin

The Ainur were the 'offspring of Ilúvatar's thought' and each was given understanding only of that part of the mind of Ilúvatar from which he or she came. The exception to this was Melkor, a brother in spirit to Manwë, who later became The Lord of the Valar and he was given some of the parts from which the others had come, but for all his gifts he did not know the full mind of Eru. Melkor and Manwë were the most powerful of the Ainur.

The Ainur were 'kindled with the Flame Imperishable', which can be taken to mean that they were granted free will by their Creator. Ilúvatar instructed them in the arts of music, until he brought them together to make the Music of the Ainur: the great song that created the Vision of Ilúvatar and ultimately the real world. In the beginning of the Music, the Ainur were all in harmony with Eru and one another, but Melkor turned instead to his own pride, seeking power for himself and attempting unsuccessfully to bring discord to the Great Music. He later led many of the Maiar astray.

### Ainur and the World

Through the Music of the Ainur, Ilúvatar created a Vision of the World; he showed it to the Ainur, and explained much of its nature and destiny to them - the Ainur therefore have much knowledge of the World, but are not themselves omniscient. Ilúvatar then granted the World true being by declaring "Eä", causing these visions to come into being. Melkor and many of the other mighty Ainur desired to descend into it and form it in readiness for the coming of the Children of Ilúvatar (that is, Elves and Men).  Upon descending into the World, the Ainur became known as the Valar and the Maiar.

Those Ainur who entered the World and chose to live in it at its beginning remain bound to it until its end. Though Melkor was eventually thrown into the Void by the others, he is prophesied to return before the end in the **Dagor Dagorath**, the final battle. Little is known of the ultimate future of the Ainur, even by themselves, but it is said that after the great battle at the end of the World, they will make a Second, even greater Music with the Children of Ilúvatar.

### The Line of Melian

Among the many Ainur who entered the World long ago, there was one of the order of the Maiar named Melian. Alone of all the Ainur, she wedded one of the Children of Ilúvatar, King Elu Thingol of Doriath, and wove the Girdle of Melian that protected Doriath for many centuries. Through her, an essence of the Ainur entered the bloodlines of the Elves and Men, passed down through generation after generation, and was still present at the time of the War of the Ring. Elrond was Melian's great-great-grandson, and Aragorn, too, was her descendant, though through many more generations than Elrond.

## Powers & Abilities

### General

* Transcendent Physiology
	+ Eternal Souls
	+ Creative Force Manipulation
		- Transcendent Songs
		- Continent Creation
		- Holy Sound Manipulation
			* Life Sound Manipulation
			* Life Music Manipulation
		- Creator Deity Physiology
	+ Primordial Spirit / Deity Physiology
	+ Greater Divinity
	+ Absolute Physical Prowess
		- Godly Strength
		- Ultimate Regeneration
			* Ultimate Force Regeneration
	+ Secondary World Powers
	+ Mythic Physiology
	+ Divine Magic

### Valar

* Transcendent Physiology
	+ Planetary Utopia Creation
	+ Void Movement
		- Temporal Walking
	+ Nigh-Omnipotence
	+ Transcendent Hero
	+ Near Absolute Immortality

### Maiar

* Transcendent Physiology
	+ Void Movement
	+ Shattering
	+ Magic: mainly for the Istaris/Wizards
	+ Transcendent Hero
	+ Near Absolute Immortality

## Members

### Valar

The most powerful of the Ainur.

* ***Kings***
	+ Manwë (Súlimo): leader of the Ainur, king of the Valar & greatest servant of the true god, Eru Ilúvatar.
		- Sky Deity Physiology / Sky Lordship
			* Supernatural Vision
				+ Telescopic Vision
		- Supreme Deity Physiology
			* Mythical Plane Lordship
		- Creative Power
		- King
	+ Ulmo (Ulubôz)
		- Ocean Lordship
		- Absolute Hearing
			* Underwater Hearing
		- Divine Communication
	+ Aulë (Návatar): the divine smith & creator of the Dwarves
		- Craftsmanship Deity Physiology
			* Supernatural Craftsmanship
			* Meta Crafting
			* Star Creation
			* Craftsmanship Magic
			* Ultimate Weapon Creation
			* Sapient Race Creation
				+ Mythical Creature Creation
					- Dwarf Creation
				+ Species Creation
			* Moon Creation
			* Creative Power
		- Alleviation
		- Mountain Creation
		- Conceptual Material Manipulation
			* Conceptual Constructs
				+ Continent Creation
		- Mythical Creature/Being Manipulation
			* Humaniod / Demihuman Manipulation
				+ Dwarf Manipulation
	+ Oromë (Aldaron)
		- Hunter Deity Physiology
	+ Námo (Mandos): the judge of the dead
		- Judge of The Dead
		- Immortality Removal
	+ Irmo (Lórien)
	+ Tulkas (Astaldo)
		- Strength Deity Physiology
			* Absolute Strength
		- Lightning Bruiser
* ***Queens***
	+ Varda (Elentári): leader of the Ainur & queen of the Valar
		- Light Deity Physiology
			* Star Power
				+ Star Creation
					- Constellation Manipulation
						* Constellation Creation
			* Sacred Light Manipulation
				+ Sacred Light Generation
		- Absolute Hearing
		- Queen
		- Creative Power
	+ Yavanna (Kementári): creator of the Ents
		- Transcendent Plant Physiology
			* Spiritual / Divine / Mystic Plant Manipulation
				+ Plant Grow
				+ Plant Generation
					- Fruit & Vegetable Generation
					- Mystic Plant Generation
				+ Plant Detection
				+ Life Plant Manipulation
				+ Plant Solidification
		- Plant Kingdom Embodiment
			* Flora Aura
			* Plant Arts
		- Creative Power
	+ Nienna
	+ Estë
	+ Vairë
	+ Vána
	+ Nessa
		- Dance Deity Physiology
* Lúsion (male)
* Makar (male) and Meássë (female)
* Nielíqui (female)
* Nornorë (male)
* Òmar (male)
* Telimektar (male)

### Maiar

Not the most powerful as the Valar, but still very powerful.

* Arien (female)
* Eönwë (male): leader of the Maiar & loyal servant of Manwë
	+ Herald
* Ilmarë (female): leader of the Maiar & handmaiden of Varda
* Lëa (female)
* Melian (female)
* Ossë (male)
* Salmar (male)
* Tilion (male)
* Uinen (female)
* Velindo (male)
* ***Istari/Wizards***
	+ Olórin (Gandalf)
		- Supernatural Survivability
		- Divinity
		- Pure Good
		- Light / Benevolent Sorcerer
		- Pure Good
	+ Aiwendil (Radagast)
	+ 2 Blue Wizards
		- Alatar (Morinehtar)
		- Pallando (Rómestámo)
* Maenads
* Naiads
* River Gods
* Wood Gods

### Other Ainur

* Aluin (male)
* Danuin (male)
* Fanuin (male)
* Ranuin (male)
* Aqua Regina (female)
* **Dwarven Deities**
	+ Gûntera: king of the dwarf deities
	+ Helzvog: god of stone
	+ Kílf: goddess of water
	+ Morgothal: god of fire
	+ Sindri: goddess of the earth
	+ Urûr: god of the heavens
	+ Gûntera's Mother

### Former/Dark Ainur

They are the archenemies of Eru Ilúvatar, the Ainur & the free peoples of the Tolkienverse.

* **Former Valar**
	+ Melkor (Morgoth)
		- Dark Lord / Fallen Physiology
			* Tyrant Deity Physiology / Immortal Tyrant
				+ Humaniod / Demihuman Manipulation
			* Devil Physiology
			* Fallen Deity Physiology
			* Supernatural Durability
			* Supernatural Survivability
			* Absolute Strength
			* Darkness Wizard
			* Pure Evil
				+ Undying Villainy
			* Curse Inducement
* **Former Maiar**
	+ *Úmaiar*
		- Sauron (Mairon)
			* Dark Lord / Fallen Physiology
				+ Tyrant Deity Physiology
					- Humaniod / Demihuman Manipulation
				+ Devil Physiology
				+ Supernatural Survivability
				+ Craftsmanship Magic
				+ Supernatural Durability
				+ Absolute Strength
			* Evil Sorcerer
				+ Darkness Wizard
				+ Illusion Manipulation
			* Pure Evil
				+ Undying Villainy
		- Balrogs
			* Gothmog
			* Durin's Bane
			* Lord of Balrogs
			* Lungorthin
			* Tar Goroth
		- Ungoliant
		- Shelob
	+ Curumo (Saruman)
	+ Demons
* *Urgal Deities*
	+ Rahna the mother goddess
	+ Svarvok: god of war
	+ Ahno the Trickster: son of Svarvok
* Angvard: god of death
* Jadis (female)
* Servants of the Shadows
	+ Agents of Saruman
	+ Minions of Angmar (location)
	+ Servants of Morgoth
	+ Servants of Sauron

## Extended Links

* Ainur from Tolkien Gateway
* Ainur from LOTR Wikia
* Ainur from Conservapedia
* Ainur from Middle Earth Film Saga Wikia