The struggle of Ainulindalë

The War of shaping Arda

After Ilúvatar`s declaration to the Ainur, he showed forth to them a vision of the World. He then gave Being to this vision and the Ainur entered the World and age long labours began as Rúmil told to Aelfwine. Melkor, however, desired to have dominion of it and strife between Melkor and the Valar began.

The Valar labored beyond knowledge or reckoning towards the shaping of the lands and the waters of Arda. They labored from the bottom of the seas to the top-pinnacles of the mountains towering into the air. But in their work they were frustrated and thus turned aside from their design and desire, for Melkor had claimed the kingship of Arda and whatever design the Valar wrought, Melkor marred it all with fire and deadly cold and tried to bring it to ruin. Melkor contested the Kingship of Manwë and declared Arda to be his. Manwë, however, called unto himself many spirits both greater and lesser and they came down into the fields of Arda and aided Manwë. Among these spirits came Tulkas the Strong, who from far off had heard that there was war in Arda and thus came out of the distant regions of Eä to aid Manwë. ( Valian Year 1500 ) The air was filled with Tulkas` laughter, but at his arrival he turned a face full of anger towards Melkor. Melkor, seeing he was outnumbered and with inferior forces fled before Tulkas` wrath, withdrew and departed to other regions of Ea.

Now the Valar continued their labor once again and clad themselves in the raiment of Arda and worked together in the ordering and preparations needed for the coming of the Children. When the lands and the seas were ordered the Valar had need of light for the seeds of Yavanna. Then Aulë wrought two great lamps, Illuin and Ormal, Varda filled them with light and then the lamps were placed upon the mighty pillars, Helkar in the North and Ringil in the South ( Valian Year 1900 )

Then the Valar continued their labor until all of Arda was ordered. this was the Spring of Arda and there was a growth of both Olvars and Kelvars. Upon the isle Almaren, in a lake between the two lamps, the Valar made their abode. But Melkor knew all that had been done, for he had secret friends and spies among the Maiar, and chief among them was Sauron. Melkor was filled with hatred. Thus he gathered unto himself spirits out of the void, which he had perverted to his service, and drew near unto Arda.

In 3400, the Valar were gathered upon Almaren to feast and make merry. Tulkas was asleep and none feared evil. Because of the light of the lamps, the Valar did not perceive the shadow growing in the North. Thus Melkor passed over the Walls of the Night with his host and began the delving of his fortress Utumno. Living things near his abode became sick and started to rot or were corrupted into monstrous forms.

Then the Valar ( Valian Year 3450 ) knew that Melkor was at work again and sought out his hiding place. But Melkor, trusting in the strength of his servants and fortress, struck the first blow and assailed the lamps and overthrew the pillars. The seas rose in tumult, mountains crumbled, and fire poured out over the earth. But fear struck the heart of Melkor as he saw the wrath of Tulkas and the roaring of the winds of Manwë and the trampling of earth beneath the anger of Valar. He thus escaped to his stronghold and there lay hidden, biding his time. At that time the symmetry of the world was marred. Almaren vanished in the floods of the falling Ormal, and the waters pouring out over the world created the wide strait between Belegaer, the Western Sea and the Eastern Sea. In the South below the Hither Lands and in the North, where Illuin stood upon the pillar Helkar, the Inland Sea of Helcar was made.

The Valar had need of nearly all their strength to restrain the tumults of the earth, and they could not at the time overcome Melkor. Afterwards they feared to rend the Earth again, for they did not know where the Children would awake. Thus they removed themselves from Middle-Earth and went in search of a new abiding place. They came to the land of Aman, the westernmost of all lands upon the face of the Earth, and there set themselves up.

Related Links.: Misc.: Making of the Lamps. Reckoning of the Years.