Olórin.

Gandalf.

( Writings about Olórin are only concerned about the Maia Olòrin, not the wizard known to Men / Elves / Hobbits / Dwarves as Gandalf.)

Olórin served Nienna and he is the wisest maia, from Nienna he learnt compassion and patience. He was humble in the land of the blessed ( Mr.) In LotR. Gandalf said he was called Olórin in his youth in the West ( Valinor ). Olòrin had a good fore-knoledge of what would happen and a great understanding of the world, as a Maia he had attached himself to the greatest of the Valar Manwë who had a fairly complete knoledge of the mind of the creator Eru Ìluvatar and so chiefly and inderectly knew many things through the mind of Manwë.

Many things are told of Olòrin in short notes here and there. Olòrin is a High-Elven name and must therefore have been given to him in Valinor by the Eldar. Olor is a word often translated as "Dreams" but not as the dreams of sleep but as memory and imagination and clear vision in the mind of things in full form and detail.

As also told Olòrin dwelt in Lorien and served Nienna and it is told too that he was counsellor of Irmo/Lorien and that in the hearts of those who listened to him awoke thoughts of fair things that had not yet been but might yet be made for the enrichment of Arda. Though Olòrin loved the Elves; he walked among them unseen or in the form as one of them, and they did not know whence came the fair visions or the promptings of wisdom that he put into their hearts.

Valian Years ( V.Y.) 0 - 3450.

V.Y 0 - 1500. Uncounted years filled with labouring had gone by in the timeless ages before the Gods decented into the world in year 0. But Melkor contested the overlordship of Manwë and strife were in the world. Manwë summoned help and among those who heard was Tulkas and he came to the aid. Before his face Melkor fleed out into Eä.

1500 - 1900. Now the gods planned and schemed and ordered and for all the seeds Yavanna had planted Aulë made two great lamps Ormal and Illuin to lit the earth and these were set in 1900 upon Helkar and Ringil.

V.Y. 1900 - 3450. Now began the Spring of Arda, the Gods settlet at Almaren and the world came to life, threes and beasts swollened the earth but Melkor saw it from the outside of the Wall of Things and grew hot and he heard it from his spies of whom Sauron was the chiefest and among the Gods. Manwë had called for a great feast and while the Gods were afterwards resting Melkor crept over the Wall and entered Arda in the North and assailed the Lamps and overtrew them and the blossom of the earth was checked.

V.Y.3450 - V.Y.3500 The Gods departed to Aman where Aulë deemed the plains of Valinor a good place to build their new home. A great labour now began for the Gods. In the V.Y. 3500 came the two trees Silpion and Laurelin into being.

Related Links.: Battles: War of shaping Arda. Misc.: Making of the Lamps.

Now began the Valian Years of the Trees. ( V.Y.dt ) and a new reckoning of time

V.Y.t 0 - 1000 This was the Noontide of Valinor though Middle-earth was still in darkness and only Oromë and Yavanna came there at times and the stewardship of Middle-earth was partly neglected and Melkor ruled there with violence. Manwë took council in his heart and with Iluvathar and summoned the gods and declared to them his thoughts and the gods decided to capture Melkor. The gods went to war and made Melkor captive ( Year 1100 ) and brought him to Valinor where he was doomed to serve 3 ages in the fastness of Mandos.

Related Links.: War of the Gods.

First Age.

Second Age.

Third Age.

T.A. 1000. Olórin was specifigly appointed by Manwë to leave Valinor and Aman to aid in the quest against Sauron and in the mind of Varda he was not the third but the first and wisest.

Related Links.: Misc.: The Istari.