From the Archives of Barad-Dûr @barad-dur-archivist - Tumblr Blog

The Restored Archives of Barad-Dûr

(all lore-posts are free to reblog)

*

NAVIGATION AND NOTES

TRANSLATOR’S NOTE

The works that are found within this archive are a vast compendium of texts, by many different authors, concerning the Elder Days up until the end of the Third Age. They originally came in countless languages, dialects and scripts, bound in all manners from stone tablets, to scrolls, to volumes. Many, however, were written or annotated in the same hand, of an elegant style of Tengwar in the Sindarin mode, or in what appears to be the same author in the even-older Cirth script. A vast majority of the texts appear to have been contemporary records, and those concerning older events, those of the First Age and before, were written by one with what seemed indeed to be a close, personal knowledge of these things. For those texts dated from the Third Age, a different handwriting is used, one that I have been able to match to that of the former Loremaster of Barad-Dûr, whose words concerning these texts I have translated and transcribed here.

The texts compiled in this archive were discovered in an excavation of a mountainous area not far from the ancient ruins of Minas Tirith, and a few of them were delivered to me and my students to decipher the ancient texts. Once we found that these texts were of some significance, and that indeed some of them were also found in the later volumes of the Red Book of Westmarch (Thain’s Book), though heavily annotated, an excavation began in earnest, and we have spent many years now deciphering them and compiling them. As the texts in themselves are far too vast and varied to present in their entirety, even in this digital archive, for the most part these will be summaries of specific events and persons of note, gleaned from the texts excavated from the ruins of Barad-Dûr, and compared to the writings found in the Thain’s Book. Though some of the smaller texts, I hope, will someday be shared here in full, with annotations and notes intact.

LOREMASTER’S NOTE (Translated in the entirety from Late Ghashnum-Burz)

This Great Library of Barad-Dûr is intended as a storehouse for all of the knowledge of Arda, at least as much as can be gathered. The task has fallen to me to organize and, where needed for contemporary events, to inscribe this knowledge myself. The texts within the Library contain only the absolute, unbiased truths of Eä, Arda, and Middle-Earth, or have had their inaccuracies noted and corrected. All those texts describing current events, written by myself, are to be kept to this same standard under pain of death or worse.

Though this archive is to contain all of the knowledge in the world, there is to be no admittance to anyone but the Lord of the Earth and myself. I know not why such a law is in place, but though I have my theories, it is not my place to question-- only to obey.

Archive Navigation can be found below:

#pinned post #reference post #tolkien

THE NATURE OF THE AINUR

VI. EÄLA AND FANA

Just as the Children of Ilúvatar possess each a fëa— an immaterial spirit— and a hröa— a physical body— so too do the Ainur within Arda possess a similar duality. These are the eäla and fana. The eäla, the spirit, lies within the realm of the Unseen, while the fana is the physical manifestation thereof. Ainur that have crafted and donned a fana are called “incarnate” or “clad,” while those that have not are “disincarnate” or “unclad.”

#silmarillion #tolkien #tolkien worldbuilding #ainur #maiar #valar #worldbuilding: the ainur #the nature of the ainur #ok to rb and use

THE NATURE OF THE AINUR

V. ON VALAR, MAIAR, AND THE AINURIN HIERARCHY

Hierarchy meant little to the Ainur within the Timeless Halls, and they thought little of it. However, upon entering Eä, their existence and work became much more tangible, and as such, organisation became necessary.

#silmarillion #tolkien #Tolkien worldbuilding #ainur #valar #maiar #worldbuilding: the ainur #the nature of the ainur #ok to rb and use

THE NATURE OF THE AINUR

IV. THE AINUR WITHIN EÄ

Upon the creation of Eä, the first of the Ainur to enter it was Melkor, followed by the original thirteen Ainur who later became known as the Valar (minus Tulkas, who arrived later). After the Valar came many lesser Ainur, who aided the Valar and became the Maiar. There were many spirits who did not enter Eä, and they remained just as they had been— formless spirits, dwelling amidst the Timeless Halls with Ilúvatar. But the great majority of the Ainur did, ultimately, come to dwell within the World.

These Ainur that entered within Eä and took part in its formation became bound to the world, their very beings becoming woven into the very fabric of Eä itself. It is with their own Song that they wrought the world, and thus a great part of their power went into the things which they created. This is why the Ainur are attuned each to one or more of the nine elements of Eä: Earth, Air, Water, Fire, Light, Nature, Spirit, Fate, and Energy. It is the Music of the Ainur that brought these things into being, and they are a part of them.

Though they used their power to create the world and all within it save alone the Eruhíni, the Ainur, for the most part, did not diminish. This is because that which they formed was their own, and they remained closely connected to it. Though their power became concentrated within their creations, they could call upon it at any time. It is in this way that the elemental powers of the Ainur are manifested— they do not control the elements of Arda, but in fact it is simply their own power and being following their will.

Melkor differs from the other Ainur in that, though he did create some things of his own, the majority of his power went into the twisting and corruption of that which his brethren formed. As such, when the power he used left him, he could not call upon it at will, though that which he warped remained following his whim. In this way, while his influence over the world only broadened, the power within his own person greatly diminished. It became severed from his direct control, though it still followed his will. As such, the things that he corrupted remained so long after his banishment, and Arda would never be truly free of the power of Melkor.

#silmarillion #tolkien #tolkien worldbuilding #ainur #valar #maiar #worldbuilding: the ainur #the nature of the ainur #ok to rb and use

THE NATURE OF THE AINUR

IIIc. AINURIN SPIRITUAL BONDS | THE VALA-MAIA BOND

The last of the three main Ainurin spiritual bonds is the Vala-Maia bond. This is the most complex bond, as not only must it represent the spiritual relationship between two Ainur, it must also take into account the often extremely significant power imbalance between the bonded parties.

#silmarillion #tolkien #tolkien worldbuilding #Valar #maiar #ainur #worldbuilding: the ainur #the nature of the ainur

barad-dur-archivist

The masterpost has been updated!

#not lore #it's been awhile since i updated it #but now all of the posts should be linked and sorted

THE NATURE OF THE AINUR | Appendix A: Atypical Ainurin Marriages

A brief overview of the three marriages that took place in Eä, in which at least one partner was of the Ainur— those of Tulkas and Nessa, Melian and Thingol, and Melkor and Mairon.

Further information on Ainurin Marriage and Spousal Bonds can be found here, and may be read to more fully understand the nature of such a bond, and how it differs from “marriage” as known to the Children of Ilúvatar.

#silmarillion #tolkien #ainur #worldbuilding #angbang #(unhealthy)#worldbuilding: the ainur #the nature of the ainur #character: mairon

The Nature of the Ainur

IIIb. Ainurin Spiritual Bonds: The Spousal Bond

The second of the three main Ainurin bonds is the Spousal Bond. Though it is named such, it is vastly unlike Marriage between Men or Elves, though Elven marriage may share a few traits with the Ainurin Spousal Bond. This is, once more, an attempt to translate the untranslatable into a word— and as such, it diminishes and obscures the true meaning.

In many ways, the Spousal Bond is not unlike the Sibling Bond, save in one way only: while siblings’ Songs were woven together from their creation, Spouses chose to interweave their Music together after they had already begun to develop their part in the Music.

A great majority of Ainurin “marriages” occurred before the creation of Eä, and indeed, before the Great Music was sung in its entirety. There was no ceremony, no ritual to it— it simply happened naturally and instinctively when two Ainur whose Songs created harmony together found one another, during the time before the Music when they sang and developed alone or with their siblings within the Timeless Halls.

No single Ainurin “marriage” is alike to the others, as each one specifically relates to the way the pair’s Songs are intertwined, and the specific nuances of the bonds are as unique as the Ainur that form them. But there are some traits that are common between spousal bonds. Being of the Ainur’s own choosing, as mentioned, is one of those. A high Resonance between Ainur involved is another, though this may also take different forms.

Some Ainur seek these relationships for companionship, others to increase the power and intricacy of their Songs, but many do not even know they even seek such a relationship until they have found the one that their Song can harmonise with. And still many others are just fine singing alone or with their siblings, and do not seek such a partner, and do not join with one.

Many Ainurin spousal pairs are aligned not only in Resonance, but in Thought as well, and seek to work together to build a common goal. But there is one thing that is found in each and every one of these relationships: just like when siblings sing together and their Music is enhanced, so too are spouses, but in a different manner. Where sibling-shared Music becomes merely greater in power or intensity, the Music shared between spouses is different. Each partner’s Song is whole and complete on its own, but when joined with their partner’s, it becomes something not quite one or the other, but instead wholly new, like when two colours combine to create another.

These things are seen in Arda reflected within the domains of the Valar, and in some ways one can even see how these “marriages” between the Ainur are each one unique. The air and the winds are whole creations in themselves, and the stars their own as well, and yet the colors and hues of the night sky, and the joy they bring, are a new thing of their own, created through the Union of Manwë and Varda— a union formed of the companionship and the joy that they felt with one another. In the meantime, trees and flowers grow upon the earth and are nourished by it, while the roots of these plants help the hills and landscape to hold its shape. Thus, the earth and its fruits build upon each other and need one another— and so is the bond between Aulë and Yavanna, whose own Songs, while still complete, felt less marvellous to them than the whole that they formed together, and which they intertwined into a bond unbreakable.

Though it is called “marriage” by the Firstborn, there are a great many differences. The Ainur, as beings of spirit and constructs of Thought, do not experience physical attraction to one another, and while they appreciate the Music of one another, this is itself different than the attraction that the Eruhíni feel. They innately have no physical bodies, and thus no physical sex, and thus the concepts of sex and sexual attraction are entirely foreign to them. Romantic attraction as well is a grey area— though if one can call becoming enamoured and fascinated by the way their songs combine “romance,” a case could be made that Ainur do experience a form of romantic attraction. Ainurin attraction, however, is far more akin to a strong friendship than the attraction often shared between Human spouses, and the sense of working well together. In fact, many Ainur are somewhat baffled by any form of sexual attraction, and that such things play a definitive role in Human marriage relationships. Though after interacting with the Firstborn and learning of it, and as those that had entered Arda became more tied to the physical and their fanar due to spending so much time incarnate, some of the Ainur did take an interest in physical pleasure, few to none would ever actually experience sexual attraction, and none without a significant component of emotional attraction along with it. And as most of their spousal bonds had already been formed long before the beginning of Eä, sexual attraction continued to play no part in the formation of a marriage between Ainur.

Unlike a sibling bond, a marriage bond between Ainur may not be broken, as it was through their own choice that they formed their Songs together, and their union is written into the very fabric of Eä. An Ainurin marriage cannot be undone without the unmaking of the World— and even so, may also require the unmaking and remaking of the Ainur themselves. This inseparability carried over into the Ainur’s beliefs about the marriage between the Firstborn, though the marriage-bonds of the Firstborn could be released by the wills of both partners.

#silmarillion #tolkien #tolkien worldbuilding #ainur #worldbuilding: the ainur #the nature of the ainur

The Nature of the Ainur

IIIa. Ainurin Spiritual Bonds: The Sibling Bond

As the Ainur were each crafted from a portion of Eru’s Thought, they do not possess any sort of biological family ties in the sense that incarnates do. They have no parents, or blood-siblings, or cousins, or any other such relations— though they do refer to Eru as their parent in the languages of incarnates, for ease of translation. The closest thing that an Ainu has to a biological relative would be another Ainu with which they share what is known as a sibling bond. It is typical for Ainur to have one or more “siblings.” In fact, it could be argued that all Ainur, in a way, are siblings, being formed from the aspects of a single being, and the sibling bond is present, to some very slight degree, between every one of the Ainur. However, neither the term nor relationship are to be interpreted quite the same way as when referring to the Eruhíni, and all Ainur do not view themselves as siblings and are not viewed as such despite this.

Sibling bonds among the Ainur are spiritual bonds that are present upon their creation. They are frequently found between Ainur that were formed from closely related aspects. Within Eä, Ainur that share a sibling bond are often attuned to the same or to complementary elements— such as two attuned to fire, or one to fire and one to air.

Among the Ainur, there are close siblings and more distant siblings, and the bonds between them are stronger and weaker, depending on the degree. Typically, only those with strong sibling bonds are thought of as actual siblings (such as Oromë and Nessa, or the Fëanturi), or refer to themselves as such, while others, though they do share a bond still, are not commonly regarded as such. Before becoming acquainted with the Firstborn, the Ainur did not bother to fully quantify the relationship. They naturally gravitated towards those they shared sibling bonds with, but they did not refer to themselves as “brothers” or “sisters” until describing the nature of these bonds to the Firstborn.

The nature of the sibling bond itself is that of a spiritual bond that allows for easy communication by Thought across distance, as well as shared empathy and awareness of one another. The level of this is dependent upon the innate closeness between siblings— those with very close bonds can often feel the other’s emotions and sensations almost as if they were their own, while more distant bonds only allow for an echo of that.

Ainur that are siblings often find their power increased exponentially when they work in tandem. The high resonance between them causes an overall increase in strength.

Of the three types of bonds between Ainur, the sibling bond is the most innate, and is the only one that is not a matter of choice— for these bonds exist upon creation.

However, the bond can be severed. This process is quite uncomfortable, as it detaches one’s Thought and Song from another where the two had been joined. Only one’s will is needed to sever the bond, or to close it off— a less final and less brutal type of severing, in which one simply closes off their minds from their siblings. A severed sibling bond cannot ever be fully restored, though it may be somewhat repaired. A closed bond may be reopened fairly easily. Those that sever or close their bonds with their siblings often find their senses and power somewhat stunted and diminished for a time, though these things will return once they have recovered. The severing is more painful to one whose bond is severed against their will or without their knowledge, and the recovery period is longer.

Stronger sibling bonds are easier to sever or close off than weaker ones— as the more closely attuned two Ainur are, the more aware of the bond they are, and the easier it is to isolate and destroy it, rather than the weaker bonds which ripple underneath the surface.

A sibling bond can only be severed by those who share it— however, it could be blocked by another with greater power. The one exception is when an Ainu’s eäla is fragmented to the point where their consciousness is destroyed completely. This creates the illusion of a severed bond, with many similar but less severe effects to those who share a bond with the destroyed Ainu— but the bond is not severed, it is only fragmented and thus becomes quite weakened.

#silmarillion #tolkien #tolkien worldbuilding #ainur #worldbuilding: the ainur #the nature of the ainur

The Nature of the Ainur

II. Song, Resonance, and Thought

Before the creation of Eä, there were three aspects of the Ainur, similar to the Body, Mind, and Spirit of the Eruhíni. These three aspects are Song, Resonance, and Thought. Though they are not direct parallels, if related to these aspects of the Eruhíni, Song would be equal to Spirit, Resonance to Body, and Thought to Mind.

Thought is most likely the simplest aspect to understand, as it can be most easily understood in terms familiar to the Eruhíni. An Ainu’s Thought encompasses the mental workings, logic, decision-making, and conscious thought of an Ainu. It deals with expression of personality and personal will. It is also a means of communication between Ainur, however, communication by Thought is somewhat different than the aspect of Thought. Thought can be summed up, then, as personality, will, and intent. Thought would correspond to technique and embellishment in music.

A little harder to explain, and yet still quite simple, is Resonance. This corresponds to the Body, but it has very little in common. It is the most physical aspect of an Ainu, as physical as one can be while being a disincarnate spirit. Resonance primarily deals with bond-type relationships between Ainur, as well as the use of powers and their influence over other Ainur and over Eä. There can be strong and weak Resonance between Ainur. Those with high Resonance between them, when working together, are stronger than when working alone. High Resonance is the basis of spousal, sibling, and Vala-Maia relationships. Resonance has an almost physical sensation, comparable to harmony in music. One’s own Resonance isn’t noticeable unless it is being contrasted with another’s. Continuing with the musical analogy, high Resonance between Ainur, or between an Ainu and a substance, object, or element, would be comparable to the feeling of a perfect fifth or octave. Average Resonance would feel like a third, while very low Resonance (incompatibility) would feel like a major seventh or tri-tone.

The last and somewhat difficult to explain, Song is central to each Ainu. For the most part, Song isn’t audible music, rather, it’s the essence of every Ainu’s person, their core values and individuality. An Ainu’s Song is like their fingerprint, each Ainu’s Song is different. Over time, the Song can shift and change, but there always remains some aspect of the original. Song would correspond to melody in music. Each Ainu has their own melody, which may or may not fit into the melodies of other Ainur. The Song is relatable to the purpose and identity of an Ainu, the very essence of themselves.

The Song of Melkor was unique because, as he was designed, his Song would not clash with any of the other Ainur. Rather, it would weave in and out amongst their music and unite them together. However, Melkor chose to alter his Song, based on his own Thought and his desire to create things of his own. These alterations caused Melkor’s Song to clash with many of the others. It is in the nature of Ainur to attempt to align their Song to one another and find harmony, as their entire existence is based strongly on connection between one another as co-aspects of Ilúvatar, devised from the thought of a single being. Thus, those whose Song clashed most strongly with Melkor’s either closed off their own or conformed to his in order to return to some semblance of harmony. Thus, their identities were suppressed or changed.

Just like the aspects of harmony, melody, and interpretation in music, and the aspects of Body, Mind, and Spirit of the Eruhíni, work in tandem, the Thought, Resonance, and Song of the Ainur area also interwoven. Those who either complement or match one another in all three of these aspects are known to be the strongest pairs. This is why many siblings, spouses, and Vala-Maia relationships (the strongest bonds between Ainur), are often between those attuned to similar or complementary elements.

#silmarillion #headcanons #tolkien #ainur #valar #maiar #worldbuilding #worldbuilding: the ainur #the nature of the ainur

In this post

https://barad-dur-archivist.tumblr.com/post/676905194442899456/the-complete-finwean-birth-order-marriage-and

You say Feanor and his family travel around Valinor but I can't remember reading it and I have read almost all of Tolkiens book more than once and I don't think I ever read that, is that your own headcanon or a fact in one of Tolkiens letters (early version) becouse if it is would you tell me where so I could find it and read that too?

Hi there Nonnie!

Putting this under a cut because it got a little bit rambly.

#answered #faq

The Nature of the Ainur

I. The Creation of the Ainur

There are distinctive similarities between all of the Children and Adopted Children of Ilúvatar— the way they are formed, the way that they develop and grow. The Ainur, though when incarnate they may appear only a little different from the Children, are in fact a vastly different sort of being. Aside from their great power and their base nature as disincarnate spirits, the way they came into being is unlike anything within Eä— for they are not by nature from Eä.

Before any of the Ainur existed, there was only Eru— and the nature of Eru is unknown to any save they, and not even fully known to them. For He is not of the Ainur, nor is he a “god” in the way that Men considered him. Rather, He is the embodiment of all that is, for all that is was generated through Him. He is the conscious embodiment of the universe itself, and all that it contains. For long He was alone amidst the Void, and within Him was the Flame Imperishable, and the designs for a world and for beings to dwell within it. But alone, Eru could not act upon these designs or weave them into being, for though the themes of the world existed within Him, they were entangled and difficult to decipher or command while they remained within Him.

Thus, the first of the Ainur was made. It was Eru’s desire to bring things into being that created Melkor, whose first essence was manifested by a great part of Eru’s creativity, and emblazoned with His ambition.

When Eru saw what His own Thought had created, He imbued the resulting construct with a fragment of the Flame Imperishable— and thus, the first spirit was made. For the Flame Imperishable is the core of the identity of Eru, and those that He gifts it to become beings with their own free will and identity, and act not only according to their Nature and instincts, but also according to a Thought of their own. In a sense, those gifted with the Flame become beings not altogether unlike Eru Himself.

For a time, Melkor was alone with Eru amidst the Void, and he was taught to Sing, and of all of the many things within the mind of Eru. In time, Melkor’s own spirit was nurtured and he began to grow and develop on his own, according to his own will and not only that of Eru. Melkor began to desire to create things of his own, and through his questioning he learned from Eru of the Flame Imperishable— and set out on journeys into the Void seeking it. Now, this was done outside of the will of Eru, and being concerned by it, Eru created a second being to be a companion for Melkor.

This second spirit was manifested from that concern, and from Eru’s will for his creations. And thus, the second of the Ainur, Manwë the brother of Melkor, was created out of loyalty first to Eru as well as to Melkor, as his brother. Manwë too was kindled with the Flame Imperishable, and for a long while these two existed with Eru. Manwë was alike in many ways to Melkor, though he never strayed from Eru’s will as his elder brother did, and his Song blossomed according to the wishes of Eru.

These two were the first of many spirits created of Eru out of fragments of his own consciousness and being, and kindled into life and wills of their own by the Flame Imperishable. Some of these spirits were greater, others lesser, depending on which aspects they were created from and the strength of those aspects within the mind of Eru.

Thus were the Ainur created, and Songs were placed within each of them that were a fragment of the Great Music that would bring the universe into being, and Eru built the Timeless Halls amidst the Void for them to dwell within.

Of this existence before the beginning of Eä and before time itself, of a time before the Great Music of the Ainur echoed through the Void, little is known and little is told. For it was a time before language, and many things cannot be told in words that the Children would understand. Thus, much of the Nature of the Ainur, and especially of the Nature of Eru, remains a mystery to those that dwell within the World.

#silmarillion #tolkien #ainur #Valar #worldbuilding #meta #worldbuilding: the ainur #the nature of the ainur

Emblems and Color Heraldry of the Valar — typically worn and used by Maiar or others in their service, or incorporated into architecture and heraldic devices.

#silmarillion #tolkien #valar #worldbuilding: the ainur #ok to rb #ok to use

The Complete Finwean Birth Order, Marriage, and Death Timeline

This timeline includes basic life information (birth, marriage, and death years and orders), as well as notes about when individuals sailed into the West. It does not include rebirth years, as it is impossible to know precise timelines, especially after the reshaping of the world, as time now passes much more slowly in Aman than in Endor. Let it be known, however, that those in this timeline that have died, save Elros and Arwen who chose mortality, would be able to be reborn in Aman after the beginning of the Second Age if certain conditions were met.

Key:

*House of Fëanor

^House of Fingolfin

~House of Finarfin

(1,2,3, etc.) denotes generation

THE TIMELINE

#tolkien #silmarillion #lord of the rings #lotr #reference #timeline #Finweans #worldbuilding: house of finwe #worldbuilding: house of feanor #worldbuilding: house of fingolfin

barad-dur-archivist

REQUESTS ARE OPEN!

While I get some of the old manuscripts translated and transcribed to post here, feel free to send a message (on or off anon) if there’s something in specific you’d like to read about. I’ll do my best to find some material in the archives about it.

Ainurin Tokens and Oath-Marks

Among the many abilities of the Ainur is the ability to bestow a token upon an individual or an object. In the giving of this token, a very, very small portion of that Ainu’s power is imparted as well, and imbues the object that bears the token.

The token itself appears as a mark that resembles the Ainu’s emblem. This mark is placed wherever the Ainu bestowing it desires, and the precise nature varies greatly upon the individual. It may be permanently visible, or might fade and reappear when the token’s power comes into effect. It may be entirely Unseen, and only able to be felt by those who are attuned to such things.

Every Ainu’s token is unique to them, and its effects are pre-determined and devised, and there is typically only one form and function that a token will take, though the most powerful of the Valar may have a few different tokens. They are typically bestowed only on rare occasions, and those things that receive an Ainurin token, especially from a Vala, often perform significant feats and find themselves at the center of Vairë’s tapestries.

The bestowing of a token is also considered a blessing, and involves the Ainu in question touching the object or being they are blessing and often Singing to create the mark itself, followed by an activation, in which they transfer a small fragment of their own power into the mark, and thus into the imbued object or person. Oftentimes, the more detailed the mark, the stronger the effect of the token, and various versions of the token may have differing strengths. Some tokens, however, do not have much variation in strength (such as Nienna’s token, which as a single effect that is not quantifiable).

Known instances of the use of Ainurin tokens, as well as known functions of individuals’ tokens, are as follows.

#silmarillion #tolkien #ainur #valar #maiar #worldbuilding #worldbuilding: the ainur #worldbuilding: house of feanor

barad-dur-archivist

REQUESTS ARE OPEN!

While I get some of the old manuscripts translated and transcribed to post here, feel free to send a message (on or off anon) if there’s something in specific you’d like to read about. I’ll do my best to find some material in the archives about it.

#not lore

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