In the beginning, there was Eru Iluvatar, an all powerful god who embarked upon a campaign
of creation, forming an area of empty space called the timeless void.
Within this void, he made the timeless halls, serving as a celestial home for the Ainur,
the first beings to which he gave life.
The Ainur were primordial spirits of independent thought with varying levels of power, each
of whom inherited knowledge from a specific portion of the creator’s mind.
All save for Melkor, greatest of the Ainur who shared in the gifts of nearly all the
others, making him insatiably curious, yearning to break free from the restrictions imposed
by Eru, by becoming a creator in his own right, embarking upon a quest through the Void searching
for the Flame Imperishable, as he knew this was the key to making lifeforms of independent
thought.
Yet this was impossible, as the Flame was not something to be found and used but rather
a powerful lifesource that came directly from Eru Iluvatar.
Throughout his search for the flame, Melkor spent so much time alone, his thoughts started
to grow apart from the others, becoming more independent, self-interested and ambitious.
This in turn led to feelings of frustration because he could not find the flame and impatience
towards Eru because he left the void empty, rather than filling it with new creations,
which was his own greatest desire.
Melkor’s new attitude then resulted in rebellion and the first war in all of creation, not
fought with weapons, but rather voices, as the clash erupted during the Ainulindale,
a theme of great music introduced by Eru and sung in blissful harmony by the Ainur.
Yet Melkor sought to make the music his own and so disrupted the harmony with aggressive,
loud, repetitive notes, engaging in a war of sound until Eru ended the music and showed
them a visual representation of what they created.
This Vision of Arda depicted scenes of a world unlike anything they imagined, with new creatures
and wondrous locations featuring moments of great joy and triumph.
Yet the vision also showed images of terrible cruelty and suffering, wickedness infused
by the music of Melkor.
Fascinated, the Ainur asked for the vision be made real, and so Eru agreed, on the condition
those who entered this universe, could not leave until its natural conclusion.
Faced with an important decision, some Ainur remained in the Timeless Halls, while others
descended into the Universe Ea, and descended onto the building blocks of a world they called
Arda.
Understanding that it was their task to bring about what they saw in the vision, the 14
most powerful Ainur became the shapers and overseers of Arda, primarily seeking to prepare
a home for the Children of Eru, creatures of independent thought who would one day populate
the world.
Though other intelligent beings lived upon Arda, the Children of Eru were specially formed
with unique gifts and destinies.
United in their cause, the 14 most powerful Ainur, called the Valar, were aided in their
mission by many of the other spirits who came into the world, the more numerous but less
powerful Ainur called Maiar.
Then there was Melkor, the most powerful of them all who was not considered one of the
Valar because upon entering Arda he sought to make himself king.
Refusing to accept his self appointment, the Valar instead followed Melkor’s brother,
Manwe as King of the Valar.
A good natured being of great power, who was dearest to the creator and best understood
his will.
Though the Ainur were all spirits born from the Eru Iluvatar, specific traits like gender
and familial relationships differed between them.
In this case Melkor and Manwe were brothers because Eru the creator considered them brother
from their inception.
Similarly many of the Ainur assumed a physical form upon entering the world, taking the shape
of males or females depending on what they felt best represented their individual identity.
Yet taking a body was not actually necessary, as the Valar and Maiar had access to both
the world of the Seen, containing physical reality, and the world of the Unseen, the
realm of spirits, accessible only to immortal beings.
In their spirit form the Valar and Maiar could not die, but their specific powers were not
a limitless resource.
The magic of the ainur, though great, was finite, meaning it could not be replenished
after use.
Everytime they used their powers, their overall strength lessened, and should they use up
this energy entirely, they would revert to wandering spirits so weak they could not interact
with the world.
Therefore, while Melkor was the most gifted among them, he could not stand against all
the Valar who united in their opposition to his rule.
Realizing kingship was no longer possible, he grew bitter and angry, seeking instead
to destroy all of creation.
Fighting a series of devastating wars, the Dark Lord Melkor caused so much damage, the
lands of Arda changed form a number of times.
Though most of the Maiar served the Valar and fought at their side, some joined the
Dark Lord, while others still remained neutral, preferring to explore the world in their own
fashion and pursue their own goals.
A powerful figure who was gathering followers even in the timeless halls, some Maiar were
drawn to Melkor and served him faithfully, possibly because they were corrupted, or had
their own dark ambitions, while others still may have been loyal because they were part
of his rebellion during the war of sound.
Often used as messengers and agents of the Valar or Melkor, some of the Maiar were well
known in later ages, gaining great reputations for their powers and deeds.
Some of these famous Maiar who served the valar included Gandalf the Grey, Saruman the
White, and the other wizards of their order, while among those that served Melkor was his
chief Lieutenant Sauron, as well the great fire spirits called Balrogs under Gothmog,
a Lieutenant more dedicated to combat.
During a time of respite between the wars of Melkor, the Valar brought light into the
world through two great lamps.
But they were destroyed by the Dark Lord in another conflict which caused the lands and
seas of Arda to change form.
Originally creating a great symmetrical landmass surrounded by sea upon a flat world, the damage
inflicted by Melkor eventually left three great continents and several oceans.
Choosing the western continent of Aman as their homeland, the Valar and Maiar founded
the realm of Valinor as an enchanted paradise.
These undying lands, flowed with magic and served as a home to immortal races, but it
was not the land itself that was special, but rather the land was made special by the
presence of the Valar and Maiar.
Requiring a new light source, the Valar created the two Trees Laurelin and Telperion, beginning
the years of the trees, while Melkor claimed the central continent of Middle-earth, ruling
from a mighty northern fortress.
The eastern Land of the Sun was uninhabited.
Learning of the Dark Lords presence in Middle-earth, the Valar grew concerned for the Elves the
first of the children of Eru, who awoke in Cuivienen.
Though the light of the trees could not reach so far east, they were sparred total darkness
by the stars in the sky, created by Varda, the Queen of the Valar wed to Manwe.
Seeking to dominate all of Middle-earth, Melkor started capturing wayward Elves, to torture
and twist into the orc race, monstrous creatures ready to obey the Dark Lord’s every command.
Unable to create his own lifeforms as he could not grant the Flame Imperishable, he found
another way by using his dark powers to twist and corrupt creatures which already existed,
including intelligent species like the Elves, turning them into a horrifying mockery of
their former selves.
Wanting to protect the Elder children of Eru, the Valar and Maiar invaded middle earth and
defeated Melkor in the War for Sake of the Elves, capturing him with the special chain
before returning west.
Yet after fight another devastating war which changed the world, the Valar were so eager
to be done with the conflict they failed to eliminate the remaining servants of the Dark
Lord, who escaped the fighting or remained hidden in the lowers levels of his fortresses.
With Melkor gone, the Valar invited the tall, elegant, beautiful Elves, distinguished by
their pointed ears, to live with them in Valinor, as Eru meant for this world to be their eternal
home, and for that reason granted them the gift of immortality, meaning they could withstand
the magic energy flowing through the Undying Lands.
The Elves, like the Maiar and Valar could see the world of the Unseen and had spirits
that could not die, though their physical bodies could be destroyed.
Though many were eager to journey west, not all were willing to go, and so the elves were
sundered, with those who accepted the great journey west becoming the Eldar, while those
who remained behind were called the Avari.
The Eldar elves were then split into three more factions, with the Vanyar and Noldor
making it to Valinor without issue, while some of the Teleri abandoned the journey for
varying reasons, settling the lands they passed.
While some of these Teleri chose the lands east of the misty mountains, others established
realms in the northwestern region of Beleriand, like their leader Elwe who married Melian,
a great Maia from Valinor with an independent spirit who enjoyed journeying through middle
earth on her own, allowing them to meet, fall in love and found the realm of Doriath where
they ruled as King and Queen.
Elwe, then became known as High King Elu Thingol, holding authority over all the Sindar of Beleriand.
Sindar was the name given to those Teleri who left the great journey to settle this
region, and included the Havens of the Falas, a western realm established along the coast,
ruled by Lord Cirdan, a wise old Elf who was specially instructed by the Valar to remain
in Middle earth, so he might build ships to transport future Elves who might eventually
wish to travelling west to Valinor.
As for those who completed the great journey west, the Teleri became great ship builders,
while the Vanyar dedicated themselves to serving the Valar and the Noldor became great craftsmen
and smiths, all the while Melkor seethed in captivity, hating the Elves and plotting his
revenge.
Imprisoned for 3 ages, Melkor at last enacted his plan, feigning repentance to seek pardon
from his good natured brother Manwe, King of the Valar, who released him over the objections
of others.
At first Melkor was helpful and kind, but everyone learned the truth when he launched
a devastating attack that destroyed the two trees of light, plunging the continent into
darkness.
He then moved north to the Fortress of Formenos where Melkor killed Finwe, ruler of the Noldor
Elves, stole the 3 precious silmaril jewels of the High King’s eldest son Feanor, and
fled east to Middle Earth.
In order to accomplish so much, Melkor allied with the Ungoliant, a mysterious, primordial
being of unknown origin whose greatest desire was to feed her endless hunger from sources
of power and light like the Two Trees of Valinor.
The Ungoliant was so powerful, that once they reached middle earth she fought and defeated
Melkor to take possession of the Silmaril jewels, which were the greatest gems ever
crafted, containing light form the two trees.
Yet Melkor was saved and he remained in possession of the Silmarils thanks to his loyal Balrogs
who were awaiting his return in a nearby fortress and heard his cries of pain.
The Ungoliant then fled south where she became mother to the race of Great Spiders, like
the famous Shelob which Sauron considered his cat and who played an important role in
the War of the Ring at the end of the Third Age.