Customs about Aulë

Since my first post, I've imagined a few things I like to play about Aulë:

Home Life

Aulë is fond eating. While Aulë is not a strict vegan, like Yavanna, nor even a vegetarian, since he is the inventor of husbandry, he prefers to dine on cleverly prepared dishes from fresh ingredients where no plant nor animal met an early death in the making.  Wines and distillations are a special favorite and a recurring topic of his own experimentation. Some experiments are most delicious and healthful; others are not palatable.

"Live and Learn."

"Make good"

Yes, Ainu can breed. So can Dwarves. No, you do not need details.  

Gift Giving

If Aulë comes to visit you, you will certainly receive a gift from him. When you visit him, it is good manners to bring a gift of your own, preferably something you had some hand in the making. Edibles that can be shared are always appropriate.  If you give Aulë a gift, he will give you one also.

Things you have made are intensely interesting. One should vocally admire cleverness.

Weaponry

Since they too easily cause disaster, avoid sharpened edges or explosive or poisonous charges on tools or weaponry. When they must be used, learn extreme respect and caution.

"Make armory with a heavy heart: regret what those creations will cause."

"I do not teach others to make the most destructive devices invented: there is no merciful cause for their use."

A Vala cannot reasonably expect others to sanctify his symbols utterly to peaceful purposes in a dangerous world. Those who worshipfully use a hammer in battle receive a hesitant blessing. Those who seek a non-destructive end to battle receive a joyous blessing.

The hammer shape of "T" resembles the second tengwar letter of the name "Aulë" (the "L") .

Battle
 

Ever since Eru Ilúvatar prevented his deadly hammer from slaying newly forged dwarves, Aulë uses the hammer against no living thing. Further, he shuns deadly violence to ANY thinking creature since The One allowed such mercy to his dwarves.  Aulë considers the living creations of The One and Yavanna superior to his attempt in this area, but he is still proud of his Dwarves.

Aulë will not violently battle in the presence of elves. Even his physical attacks and defenses damage nearby elves too easily.  Even chanting phrases of the Ainulindalë that form every part of existence can create a profound magical effects. Since some elves are terrified and dismayed by the powers wielded, Aulë is cautious about invocations.   Thus, in active conflict, he may help arm his allies, but absents himself or takes takes the role of healer.   He will help clean up and repair the battle-space.

Others naturally must be free to act as predator and executioner. Aulë's nearest kin are among the fiercest combatants in all creation. That is how The One made them.

Aulë's preferred tactics:

• Inventive, non-destructive solutions
• Enchant sleep
• Restrain with cages, webs, chains, or earth.
• Find where then enemy belongs and get them there.
• Arm then heal allies already present and engaged. 
• If all foes are mindless, throw boulders.
• Bring Oromë or Tulkas there

Education

Aulë main purpose is "To Teach", all else he does is to help make the world a place where learning can happen.  Building for himself is secondary, sharing is primary.  

Aulë will attempt to teach anything to anyone who asks.  He prefers to refer a question to an existing reference or an advanced student: it teaches the questioner how to research (a most basic study skill) or solidifies the advanced student's knowledge by codifying it for another.

Without skill and practice, talent cannot express.  Skill can be taught: Talent cannot. One can be skilled without much talent yet be productive in any craft.  Not all have the ear, voice or will for music, chanting, or magic. Not all have the eye, mind or strength for stone, metal, earth and wood work; nor have all the touch, heart, or artistry for writing, drafting and design, yet anyone can do these things with some success. 

"Gain skill. Talent may follow."

Criticize another's work only on invitation. It's better to ask what the student finds improvable in his own work, then agree with guidance or disagree with examples. It's bad form to criticize a beginner for failing to create a master-work.  Offering a work up for sale is an invitation to criticism. Selling instead of gifting or donation is also a reasonable act: it's good for the soul that the receiver give something in exchange for work for able hands.

"Eggs cannot harmonize."

Damaging a student or letting a student damage himself is an abomination, no matter what the provocation, circumstance or device. When a student is a likely danger to himself or others, touch or restrain him to get his full attention.  Only in safety and respect can correction and instruction occur.

Incognito in Last Ages

In later ages, long after the events of the Lord of the Rings, Aulë travels as an humble itinerant tinker  "from a large and diverse family from Almaren" crafting, repairing, selling and gifting doodads, gadgets, and knickknacks using one of his many names.  (( This is merely to open up role playing possibilities, since he likely stayed in Aman til the wide world ends))  He will teach crafts should students and need appear.  ((If we role play this, Aule will really teach you something of Second Life  content creation as the scene warrants.))

He'll stay a while, set things better, then move on. Repeat for many, many years.   As this kind, magical, and generous fellow gains a fondness of mortals, he may become a mysterious yet legendary jolly old elf of fable, considered a saint even.   We'll see how that plays.

A History of Elvish Weaponry, Part 1

JRR Tolkien gives weapons and armor special attention in his books. To clarify, this article ranges a bit larger than simple weaponry, since warfare includes not only the tools and weapons, but defenses, tactics, and natural ability.

The elves very first tactic for defense was "safety in numbers". To illustrate, the elves' first foes were Melko and his cohorts, and it was hardly fair warfare: Elves were newly created, babes though appearing adult while Melko's forces were mature in their ainu powers and seasoned campaigners, two wars already waged among the aniu. Even at Cuivienen, though, Melko and his minions did not directly attack the elves newly awakened there; they hunted only those who wandered off from the group. Still, while some elves were lost in that first campaign, the far majority survived. Elves, en masse, between their shared wisdom and might, are never defeated. Is there ANY group of elves that lost a battle to another race?  The elves greatest asset is their unity and safety in numbers.

Orome, the Hunter

Granted, the first elve's foes were keeping a low profile at the time because Oromë was on the hunt.

As Melko began corrupting and despoiling the world by creating many unnatural monsters, weapons became necessary, if not preferred, by Oromë, the great hunter. He's recorded as often in Middle-Earth hunting these unnatural abominations with bow, arrow, spear and javelins.Those first weapons are the same as those of Human antiquity.  Archaeologists of the Prehistoric eras claim that humans used wooden clubs, sling and stone, shaped spear, knife, bow and arrow. The elves would have copied and constructed those first weapons on the Great Trek and learned to use them from Oromë himself and each other.

Aulë, the Vala Inventor in Aman would have crafted tools and  weapons that human history records ancient: the hammer, the shield, the staff, the sickle, the chain, the shackle, and the bola. They are only incidentally weapons, firstly being used as agricultural, husbandry, and crafting tools.

Quenya words for weapons of antiquity:

• Dagger, Knife: sicil (Noldorin Sindarin: sigil
• Axe:  pelekko, (North Sindarin: hathol, Khuzdul: baruk or burk )
• Bow quinga, ( Noldorin Sindarin: peng also poetically cû ("arch"))
• Helmet: cassa, harna, harpa and carma 
• Shield: turma, umbas (umbaÞ); (Þ is the letter "thorn" with a "th" sound)
• Spear: hatal and ehte

This would be partial list of names, since elves name everything several ways, including weapons.  Naming and even inscribing names on them is wholly in elvish character. Many elvish and ainu tools and weapons had individual names, especially if the object is meaningful and unique. (Wikipedia List of Middle-earth weapons and armour)

 

ANCIENT WEAPONRY:

This brings elvish warfare into the Ancient era of Earth warfare: bronze then iron sword, shield, helmet, armor, crossbow,

The Silmarillion chapter 7

when Melkor saw that these lies were smouldering, and that pride and anger were awake among the Noldor, he spoke to them concerning weapons; and in that time the Noldor began the smithying of swords and axes and spears. Shields also they made displaying the tokens of many houses and kindreds that vied one with another; and these only they wore abroad, and of other weapons they did not speak, for each believed that he alone had received the warning. And Fëanor made a secret forge, of which not even Melkor was aware; and there he tempered fell swords for himself and for his sons, and made tall helms with plumes of red. Bitterly did Mahtan rue the day when he taught to the husband of Nerdanel all the lore of metalwork that he had learned of Aulë.

The passage implies Mahtan taught Feanor to make swords before Melko put the idea in their heads. Thus the swords Noldor elves might bear before Melko is out of prison are the very earliest ones ever made, so sword-craft and technique are new in the Age of the Trees, making instruction classes on sword use and defense especially appropriate.  Noldor invented it.

it clear that Feanor's "fell swords" are a new invention, but it's highly likely more normal swords already existed.  Fell: (in this sense) destructive, deadly, from Middle English "felon"[wicked], related to "villain", "filet", and "warlock"

a few other notes about swords: images: http://www.squidoo.com/lord-of-the-rings-swords

• Sword: makil, macil, (Noldorin Sindarin: crist, magl, magol, North Sindarin magor)

• Variations: lango (broad sword),  lhang (curved, long two-handed sword for movie Elves)

•  Armor has no Quenya word, but elves had it.

The Kinslaying at Algualondë

Ted Nasmith's fantastic art clearly shows armor, including the red-plumed helms and others in the not-too-distant future, showing Noldor in melee with shields, swords and armor before humanity had awoken.  

Looking even farther forward in time....

When Melkor returned to Middle-earth after stealing the Silmarils, his armies attacked the Sindar elves. Those elves were almost totally unprepared, lacking in heavy weapons and suffering heavy casualties but not succumbing.  This event was the beginning of thousands of years on and off warfare against the forces of darkness. The elves or dwarves of Middle-Earth may have been developed some Ancient and Antiquity weaponry independently later, but JRRT makes the high Noldor elves the solution to this imbalance. Here are two quick quotes:

from -Unfinished Tales, The Disaster of the Gladden Fields. [Of the Dúndain:]

“They had with the teaching of the Noldor acquired great skill in the forging of swords, of axe-blades, and of spearheads and knives.”

from -The Silmarillion, Akallabêth [Of the Numenorian]

"Eönwë came among them and taught them great lore."

Eonwë is one of the strongest of the Ainu, and a sword master himself, but nowhere is he the inventor of the thing; although he is a herald and messenger, apparently Eonwë learned sword work from the Noldor, mastered it, and passed it on.

Even Men get armor with Noldor guidance, once both meet in Middle Earth.  Noldor elves continue their innovations in warfare, including other "Ancient" techniques: fortifications, rams and ladders, the war horse and , chariots and war-ships. In later ages, full "medieval" warfare is paralelled in Lord of the Rings: siege towers, ramps, cavalry with lances, infantry formations, plate armor, and the introduction of explosives.

Fingon and Gothmog,  Ted Nasmith

But for "here and now", year of the trees 1240, ... the summary is thus:

we have several hundred years of elvish experience
with the bow, the arrow, the knife, the stone.

the javelin and the spear are well known,
as are healing with herbs and rest.

Noldor are just leaning the use of swords, armor, and shields. 

And the first elvish defensive technique: safety in numbers.

Their shared wisdom and skill is undefeated.

This was a presentation and discussion of his fictional history of armaments, warfare and tactics as regards JRR Tolkien's works.

Tirion Forest is a Noldor Elf roleplaying sim, set in the age of the Trees, the noon-time of Aman, when evil is securely bound and the elves and the world are in harmony. Mostly.