Tag: Valar

Know Your Valar: Namo, Lorien, and Nienna

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Today we have three siblings: Námo (whom we’ve previously met as Mandos), Irmo, and Nienna…

Námo

  • Type: Vala
  • Name meaning:  “Ordainer”/”Judge”
  • Other titles: Mandos (“Prison-fortress”)
  • Appearance: 
    • Dark figure
    • Loud, solemn voice
  • Location: Halls of Mandos
  • Notes:
    • Responsible for the judgement of the elves after death

Lórien

  • Type: Vala
  • Name meaning: –
  • Other titles: Irmo (“Master of Desires”)
  • Appearance:  –
  • Location: Lórien
  • Notes:
    • Master of Visions, Dreams, and Desires

Nienna

  • Type: Vala
  • Name meaning: “She Who Weeps”
  • Other titles: –
  • Appearance:  –
  • Location: –
  • Notes:
    • Her mourning of the Two Trees brought forth their last flower and fruit, and made into the Sun and Moon.

Know Your Valar: Melkor and Manwë

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Today we have the siblings. The first is Melkor, who is clearly the baddie (you can tell by his tailor)…

Melkor

  • Type: Vala
  • Name meaning: “He who arises in might”
  • Other titles: Morgoth (“Black Foe of the World”)
  • Appearance: 
    • Crown with the Silmarils
  • Location: Utumno, Angband
  • Notes:
    • Primordial source of evil in Eä.

…and we already met Manwë, the King of Arda:

Know your Valar: Oromë and Vána

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Today we have another couple, Oromë and Vána…

Oromë

  • Type: Vala
  • Name meaning: “Horn-Blower”, “Sound of Horns”
  • Other titles: –
  • Appearance: 
    • Horn (“Valaróma”)
    • Steed “Nahar”)
    • Hound (“Huan”)
  • Location: –
  • Notes:
    • Great Hunter
    • First of the Valar to discover the Elves and named them Eldar
    • Brother of Nessa

Vána

  • Type: Vala
  • Name meaning: “Beautiful One”
  • Other titles: “Vána the Ever-Young”
  • Appearance: Golden Hair
  • Location: –
  • Notes:
    • Responsible for the preserving of the youth made for all life in Arda.
    • Younger sister of Yavanna

Know Your Valar: Tulkas and Nessa

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We have another couple today, who get married early on in The Silmarillion, Tulkas and Nessa:

Tulkas

  • Type: Vala
  • Name meaning: “Strong” or “Steadfast”
  • Other titles: “the Wrestler”
  • Appearance: Golden hair and beard
  • Location: –
  • Notes:
    • Last of the Ainur to enter Arda who entered to fight Melkor.

Nessa

  • Type: Vala
  • Name meaning: “Young”
  • Other titles: “The dancer”
  • Appearance: Beautiful!
  • Location: –
  • Notes:
    • Loves to dance
    • Runs swiftly

Know Your Valar: Aulë and Yavanna

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It’s time to talk about more of the Valar! Today we look at another couple, Aulë and Yavanna…

Aulë

  • Type: Vala
  • Name meaning: “Invention”
  • Other titles: “The Smith”, “The Maker of Mountains”, “Mahal” (The Maker)
  • Appearance: –
  • Location: Central Valinor
  • Notes:
    • He is a master of all crafts who fashioned and crafted the substances of which Arda was made
    • He created the Dwarves
    • Made the Lamps of the Valar
    • Forged the vessels which hold the Sun and Moon
    • Taught the Noldor Eleves about stonework

Yavanna

  • Type: Vala
  • Name meaning: “Giver of fruits”
  • Other titles: “The Fruitful Queen of the Earth”
  • Appearance: Tall as a cypress tree and clothed in green
  • Location: Her gardens are in south Valinor
  • Notes:
    • Planted seeds of everything which grows
    • She thought of the Ents
    • She made the Trees of Light which lit Valinor,
    • She used the last fruit of those trees was used to make the Sun and Moon
    • She also made the White Tree of the Eldar in Tirion.

Know Your Valar: Ulmo

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Last time we looked at a couple, the King and Queen of Arda. Today we look at a bachelor…

Ulmo

  • Type: Vala
  • Name meaning: “Pourer”/”Rainer”
  • Other titles: “Lord of the Waters”
  • Appearance: A gigantic king with silver and emerald armour. Has sea-shell horns (the Ulumúri).
  • Location: Ulmonan, his palace, on the bottom of Vaiya.
  • Biography:
    • Helped bring the Elves to the Undying Lands during the Age of Stars.
    • Taught the Elves music and seacraft.
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