Who is Aulë?

In the Arda continent of Second Life:

Character formal name:
Aulë ("Inventor" in Quenya Elvish) Talka (Smith) Marda (of the World)

Name of player:
Arth Karas

Additional character names and titles:

Aulë "the Smith", Patriarch of House Aulë in Valimar. Curumo (the Smith), Aratar (Exalted) Lord of the Valar (Powers), of the race of the immortal Ainur (Holy Ones), offspring of the thought of Eru Illúvatar (The One Father of All). Mâlon ni Noldor (Elf-Friend of the Noldor), Mahal Khazâd (Dwarvish: Dwarf-Maker), Aĥûlêz(Ancient Valarin: Invention). Regional variants of the above include: Oli, Ola, Ola Mar, Aulë Mar, Maltagros, Tagros, Taglos, Mbartano, Martamo, or (subtle pun) Barthan (Sindarin Elvish).

Short character description:

Older than time, the fifth most powerful being in all Eä (Creation), Lord over all substances of which Arda (Earth) is made. Gifted in & delighting in workers & works of skill & invention, arts & crafts, magic & science, stone & mineral. While Arda exists, Aulë will inhabit & sustain it with other Valar.

Typical character appearance:
He is natively invisible and undetectable to mortals and elves. As an Aratar Ainur, Aulë is a shape shifter of skill, and might be found in any shape or size at all. In the presence of elves and men, he appears a tall, noble & muscular elf, to show his respect and friendship for them. He is fond of wearing stones (diamonds, amethysts), metals (mithril), and rich fabrics.

Where the character lives, plays, & works

In the Timeless Realm, Aulë dwelt with other Ainur & Eru Illúvatar, singing his part of The Song of Creation. He was near & saw clearly the first Vision of the World, of what was, is, & is to come. Aulë willingly left the Timleless Realm to aid in the building of Arda (Earth) in preparation of the Coming of the Children of Illúvatar (Elves and Men).

In the First Ages, Aulë made & fashioned all lands & habitats of Arda, in fellowship with the host of Valar & Maiar & despite the meddling of Melkor. He is comfortable & is found ANYWHERE: day, night, air, mountains, underground, earth, water, ice or fire.
In later ages, he is usually in & around his Forge in Valimar (City of Valar) in company of his family, peers, protégés, students & friends. His palatial home, crafted of webs of light, is very near the city. While easily found in their chosen domain, the remote & oft hidden continent of Aman (the Undying Lands), he & the other Valar might travel to Middle-Earth as invisible spirit or may take some other unassuming living form there. In the final ages, Aulë's role is undetermined.



Character relationships: (spouse, children & how they get on with other races, individuals or groups of characters)

Aulë works & plays well with others: The other Valar, Ainu and Elves assist, admire & rely on his work & willingness. Openly & genuinely friendly & admiring of creativity & skill wherever he finds it, & often found learning & teaching, Aulë has little love for incompetence, but will patiently assist the willing.
He wearies of repairing the mischief of the hated Melkor (Mighty) & his misguided Balrogs (terrors), Orcs (monsters) and minions, who seek to mar & destroy, imprison & subjugate. He is not a willing battler, but the tools, builds, weapons & defenses he makes are legendary.
Particularly fond of the crafty Noldor Elves & Dwarves (his secret creation, ultimately approved & adopted by Illuvatar), & of his many proteges, vassals & aides among the Maiar (Makers) of the Ainur (Holy Ones), Aulë loves (even though he often neglects them for his work) his family: his spouse & Valier (Valar Queen) Yavanna (Giver of Fruits) Kementári (Earth Mother), their son Oromë, (Trumpeter), their daughter Nessa (Youth), & their houses.

Key vision and values

"Of the fabric of Earth has Aulë thought, to whom Ilúvatar had given skill & knowledge scarce less than to Melkor; but the delight & pride of Aulë is in the deed of making & in the thing made, & neither in possession nor in his own mastery; wherefore he gives & hoards not, & is free from care, passing ever on to some new work."
~~ The Silmarillion, Ainulindalë, by JRR Tolkien

Key motivators

Enabling of creation, creativity, craft, skill & education thereof, & sharing works of all types, whether of beauty, of utility, of protection or offense, or of any cleverness & cunning.

Typical behaviours:

Making stuff. Helping others make stuff. Fixing stuff. Help others fix stuff. Giving stuff. Helping others give stuff. Delighting in well-done stuff. He is carefree (rarely insisting on ceremony or protocol or formality), moving from interest to interest rapidly, quick with words (he invented at least two languages in wide usage), a fastt friend (even if he chooses his friends & protégés poorly), and he seeks & gives good counsel & aid, especially in the arts & crafts, magics & sciences.

References:

JRR Tolkien: The Ainulindalë, The Valaquenta, The Silmarillion, The Book of Lost Tales.

Encyclopedia of Arda Online

Quenya & Valarin wordlists at Ardalambion

(This is a reprinted article from http://secondherald.blogspot.com/2007/09/herald-in-valimar.html)