Tolkien Canon

When two Tolkien references differ in details, which details do you choose to portray?

Specifically, I adore the detailed and imaginative descriptions that J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in "The Book of Lost Tales".  They often amplify but sometimes differ in detail from his better-known "The Silmarillion".  Both books (and many others) were edited by Christopher Tolkien and published posthumously.  Both carry about the same authority because they're largely JRRT's own writing, but he didn't finalize either one of them.  Thus, neither is quite "canon Tolkien". 

 "Canon" (from the Greek kanon "rule") is defined

1. a general law, rule, principle, or criterion by which something is judged.

2.

 a collection or list of sacred books accepted as genuine

     3. the works of a particular author or artist that are recognized as genuine.

The two works JRRT published in his own life-time are recognized as canon:  The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.  While reenacting some events of "THE WAR FOR THE SAKE OF THE ELVES" told in both Sil and BOLT but not TH or LOTR, we must guess what would JRRT have written, had he written it out in full.

Happily, we have an example of that:  The last two pages of the 365 page-long Silmarillion collection tell all of Hobbit and LOTR.  Comparing the Silmarillion version and a canon version of the same story gives us what JRRT left out of "The Silmarillion":  Hobbiton, Sam's name,  Merry and Pippin,  all the families from Boffinses to Proudfoots, and that's just the first chapter.   Bilbo's name didn't make it to Silmarillion, even though he's the main character in the already-published The Hobbit,  and illustrates other differing details:  In Hobbit, Bilbo is fleeing goblins when he finds the One Ring; in Silmarillion, he's "a wanderer fleeing orcs"  These omissions and discrepancies are understandable: the Silmarillion is not a complete novel, but an outline of potential stories.  So "it's not in Silmarillion" is a bad reason to exclude people, places, and things that JRRT wrote about elsewhere. 

Discrepancies

In real life, factual accounts vary from witness to witness.  Ancient history is filled with guesses.   Modern history and news omit much.   It might be impossible to ever find the real "truth" of some real events, and even more impossible for fictional ones.  Like all authors, JRRT changed his mind about details.  He admitted sometimes that he forgot things then wrote something else in a later draft.
 

There are in-character reasons for discrepancies. The Silmarillion's lack of detail might be because the elves knew none of the details of the war for the sake of the elves.   They could not write about it unless the Valar had told them about it.  In BOLT,  a tourist hears the story from an ancient elf-princess who admits that even many elves do not know this history.  The ainu who might tell the elves what happened would differ in their tales, and not just because eye-witnesses accounts differ:  Aulë hides the truth when it suits him, Lorien distorts facts for fun, and Vairë says little but weaves pretty pictures.  The elves (and we) might never get the whole, consistent truth from them.

When bringing in non-canon elements that conflict or contradict, which do you choose to portray? Ultimately, "what is canon", like "WHAT IS TRUE"  seems to be an artistic question without an ultimate answer.   If you're exploring  literature, why choose at all?   Explore the ideas and versions and compare them. You'll enjoy the process and learn some things on the way.

Here and Now in Tirion Elfhome

Here is a revision of the poem from "What Time Is It" describing "Here and Now" as being played in Second Life's "Tirion" region.  There's some praise of it, so I left it where it was, but after some welcome criticism, have revisited it.

 ye Guides of Tirion, learn and share it,
As you will, four quatrains and a couplet.

---------------------------------------

Bilbo and Frodo of far Bag-End
Will come to write beloved stories someday
One hundred hundred years from now, then wend
Here, over half the great round world away.

Gandalf, Sauron and Saruman find aims
As glad, young, idealistic wizards who
Learn power under fair but different names.
Galadriel's parents begin  to woo.





Now, Human-kind has yet to wake or be,
As Elves are in the flower of their age.
Dwarves and Ents are waking and made free,
While evil's types are scattered or in cage.

 


Nor Sun nor Moon have not been made, nor rose
O'er this flat world beneath her star-filled skies.
From Two Trees, gold and silver light now glows
O'er this calm world.  In peace, warm twilight lies.

This be where ye be in time and space.
Welcome, elves, to this first homely place.


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Magic

In early versions of the legendarium, (the Book of Lost Tales, specifically) Aulë's house, situated in the outskirts of Valmar near its bordering open vale, contains a great court, "filled with magic webs woven of the light of Laurelin and the sheen of Silpion and the glint of stars"; still other webs were woven of gold, silver, iron, and bronze. Here also, per The Shilmarillion, Aulë laboured long while making "many beautiful and shapely works both openly and in secret", creating both the tools and the lore of the craftsmen.

This suggests a level of magic and craftsmanship not seen elsewhere in Tolkien's world.  Aule and his people likely have constructive and magical abilities surpassing Suaron, Gandalf, balrogs, the peoples of Rivendell, and even (the oft overlooked) Tom Bombadil.

To that end, I made a few effects for myself. More importantly, though I borrow and use others' work.  Here are credits to creators who helped shape Aule's magic in SL:

Mystical Cookie's Mystitool HUD:  

 

I first got this tool-rich device as a SL Mentor-only gift, and to date, I've still found nothing quite like it.  One can purchase the full version cheaply, but the basic HUD is a freebie 

Abranimations Couples HUD

 While I don't use the item pictured with 77 animations, ask me, and I can share the freebie version with 16 poses that isn't for sale, only by transfer.  I've emulated the scripts in this for all sort of other things, too.

Jopsy Pendragon's Particle Lab

While not a HUD or device I wear, most of my own created effects owe a nod to this excellent free full perm script- and tutorial-packed  sim.  If you go to Teal Sim (it's been there forever, and still evolves), do tip.

 

 

Aaron Cerveau's SpellFire 1.8

Aaron's since gone on to version 2, 3 and Azora and Omega meters with similar goals and usage.  It's a good system and a gold standard in SL combat systems.

 

Blackdog Ashbourne's "Empower Magic" 

You could spend months just seeing what's in the spendy Empower Magick HUD.   It's infinitely modifiable with great service, free updates for life, and a helpful community.  Here is an interview with BDA about a new RP HUD he's developing.  

Torley Linden's VidTuts

This enthusiastic fellow invented SL Vidtuts, creating items on nearly any subject you can name in SL. While now growing outdated, Torley's Video Tutorials still teach basic usage and creative techniques like no other.

 Thank you, each.

 

History of Noldor

This note was found in the Tirion library in Second Life. Who wrote it exactly, I cannot tell, but twas likely a Noldo.

--------------------------

Noldor in Valinor

The Noldor are accounted the best of the Elves and all the peoples in Middle-earth in lore, warfare and crafts.

In Valinor "great became their knowledge and their skill; yet even greater was their thirst for more knowledge, and in many things they soon surpassed their teachers.

 They were changeful in speech, for they had great love of words, and sought ever to find names more fit for all things they knew or imagined."

They were beloved of Aulë the Smith, and were the first to discover and carve gems.

On the other hand, the Noldor were also the proudest of the Elves; and, by the words of the Sindar, "they needed room to quarrel in".

Their chief dwelling-place was the city of Tirion upon Túna.

Among the wisest of the Noldor were Rúmil, creator of the first writing system and author of many epic books of lore.

Fëanor, son of Finwë and Míriel, was the greatest of their craftsmen, "mightiest in skill of word and of hand",and creator of the Silmarils.

The Noldor earned the greatest anger of Melkor, who envied their prosperity and, most of all, the Silmarils.

So he went often among them, offering counsel, and the Noldor hearkened, being eager for lore.

But Melkor sowed lies, and in the end the peace in Tirion was poisoned. Fëanor, having rebelled against Fingolfin his half-brother, was banished, and with him went Finwë his father.

Fingolfin remained as the ruler of the Noldor of Tirion.

But Melkor had yet other designs to accomplish.

Soon after with the aid of Ungoliant he slew the Two Trees, and coming to Formenos he killed Finwë, stole the Silmarils and departed from Aman.

  Fëanor then, driven by the desire of vengeance, rebelled against the Valar and made a speech before the Noldor, persuading them to leave Valinor, follow Melkor to Middle-earth and wage war against him for the recovery of the Silmarils.

He swore a terrible oath to pursue Melkor and claimed the title of the High King; but though the greater part of the Noldor still held Fingolfin as King, they followed Fëanor to be not separated from their kin.


 Exile to Middle-earth

The Noldor led by Fëanor demanded that the Teleri let them use their ships.

When the Teleri refused, they took the ships by force, committing the first kinslaying.

A messenger from the Valar came later and delivered the Prophecy of the North, pronouncing Doom on the Noldor for the Kinslaying and rebellion and warning that if they proceeded they would not recover the Silmarils and moreover that they all will be slain or tormented by grief. 

At this, some of the Noldor who had no hand in the Kinslaying, including Finarfin son of Finwë and Indis, returned to Valinor, and the Valar forgave them.

Other Noldor led by Fingolfin (some of whom were blameless in the Kinslaying) remained determined to leave Valinor for Middle-earth. Prominent among these others was Finarfin's son, Finrod.


The Noldor led by Fëanor crossed the sea to Middle-earth, leaving those led by Fingolfin, his half-brother, behind.

Upon his arrival in Middle-earth, Fëanor had the ships burned. When the Noldor led by Fingolfin discovered their betrayal, they went farther north and crossed the sea at the Grinding Ice which cost them many lives. With the Two Trees destroyed by Melkor, the departure of the Noldor out of the Undying Lands marked the end of the Years of the Trees, and the beginning of the Years of the Sun when the Valar created the Moon and the Sun out of Telperion's last flower and Laurelin's last fruit.

Fëanor's company was soon attacked by Morgoth. When Fëanor rode too far from his bodyguard during the Battle under Stars, he was attacked by several Balrogs including their Lord Gothmog, who had issued forth from Angband, the enemy's fortress in the north. Despite a valiant fight, Fëanor he was mortally wounded and would have been captured and taken to Angband had it not been for the swift arrival of his sons. However Fëanor died whilst being taken back to his own people.

Because Fëanor had taken the ships and left the Noldor led by his half-brother on the west side of the sea, the royal houses of the Noldor were feuding, but Fingon son of Fingolfin, saved Maedhros, son of Fëanor, from Morgoth's imprisonment and the feud was settled. Maedhros was due to succeed Fëanor, but he regretted his part of the Kinslaying and the abandonment of Fingolfin and left the High Kingship of the Noldor to his uncle Fingolfin because he was the eldest, who became the first High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth. His brothers did not agree to this, and began to refer to themselves as the Dispossessed, because the High Kingship had passed them by. It should be stressed that after the fall of Fingolfin that there is little evidence that the Feanorians respected the command of his successors.

In the north-west of Middle-earth the Noldor made alliance with the Sindar, the Elves of Beleriand, and later with Men of the Three Houses of the Edain. Fingolfin reigned long in the land of Hithlum, and his younger son Turgon built the Hidden City of Gondolin. The Sons of Fëanor ruled the lands in Eastern Beleriand, while Finrod Finarfin's son was the King of Nargothrond and his brothers Angrod and Aegnor held Dorthonion. Fingolfin's reign was marked by warfare against Morgoth and in the year 60 of the First Age after their victory in Dagor Aglareb the Noldor started the Siege of Angband, the great fortress of Morgoth. In the year 455 the Siege was broken by Morgoth in the Battle of Sudden Flame, in which the north-eastern Elvish realms were conquered. Fingolfin in despair rode to Angband and challenged Morgoth to single combat. He dealt Morgoth seven wounds but perished, and he was succeeded by his eldest son Fingon, who became the second High King of the Noldor in Beleriand.

In the year 472, Maedhros organised an all-out attack on Morgoth and this led to the Nírnaeth Arnoediad, the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Betrayed by the new-come Easterlings, and surrounded by the forces of Morgoth, the Noldor, Sindar and Edain were utterly defeated. Fingon the Valiant was slain by Gothmog and other Balrog; he was succeeded by his brother Turgon.

Morgoth scattered the remaining forces of the Sons of Fëanor, and in 495 Nargothrond was also overridden. Turgon had withdrawn to Gondolin which was kept hidden from both Morgoth and other Elves. In 510, Gondolin was betrayed by Maeglin and sacked. During the attack Turgon was killed; however, many of his people escaped and found their way south. Turgon had no sons, so Gil-galad, last surviving male descendant of Fingolfin, became the fourth and last High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth.

Finally the Valar came to Middle-earth and in the years 545-583 the War of Wrath was fought and Morgoth was cast into the Void. But Beleriand sank into the sea, except for a part of Ossiriand (Lindon), and a few isles. The defeat of Morgoth marked the end of the First Age and the start of the Second.

Second and Third Ages

Most of the Noldor sailed back to Aman at the End of the First Age; but some, like Galadriel (daughter of Finarfin) or Celebrimbor (grandson of Fëanor), refused the pardon of the Valar and remained in Middle-earth. Gil-galad founded a new kingdom at Lindon, and ruled throughout the Second Age, longer than any of the High Kings except for Finwë. He was also accepted as High King by the Noldor of Eregion. But after a while Sauron had replaced his master Morgoth as the Dark Lord. With the aid of the Ruling Ring he fortified Mordor and began the long war with the remaining Elves. He attacked Eregion, destroying it, but was withstood in Rivendell and Lindon. With the aid of the Númenóreans, the Noldor managed to defeat him for a time.

However, in the year 3319 of the Second Age Númenor fell due to Ar-Pharazôn's rebellion against the Valar, in which Sauron had a great part. When Elendil with his sons escaped to Middle-earth and established the realms of Arnor and Gondor, Sauron tried to conquer Gondor before it could take root. Both Elendil and Gil-galad set out for Mordor in the Last Alliance of Men and Elves and defeated Sauron in the Battle of Dagorlad and finally in the Siege of Barad-dûr. There Gil-galad perished, and so ended the High Kingship of the Noldor. No new High King was elected, as no one claimed the throne; for this reason, the High Kingship of the Noldor was said to have passed overseas, to the Noldor of Valinor, ruled by Finarfin, the third son of Finwë who had never left. In Middle-earth of the descendants of Finwë only Galadriel and Elrond Half-elven remained (and the Númenórean Kings through Elrond's twin brother Elros).

In the Third Age, the Noldor in Middle-earth dwindled, and by the end of the Third Age the only big communities of Noldor remaining in Middle-earth were in Rivendell and Lindon. Their further fate of fading utterly from the World was shared by all Elves.

 High Kings of the Noldor

In Valinor:
Finwë, first High King
Fëanor, first son of Finwë; claimed the title after his father's death
Fingolfin, second son of Finwë; held to be the High King by the majority of the Noldor
Finarfin, third son of Finwë; ruled the Noldor remaining in Aman

In Middle-earth:
Fingolfin, after Maedhros son of Fëanor gave up his claims
Fingon, first son of Fingolfin
Turgon, second son of Fingolfin.
Gil-galad, son of Orodreth, son of Angrod, the last High King of the Noldor in exile.

It is not known exactly how Finwë became High King: he may have been a descendant of the Noldorin primogen "Tata", or simply have been accepted as leader based on his status as ambassador to the Valar. The Noldor had many princely houses besides that of Finwë: Glorfindel of Gondolin and Gwindor of Nargothrond, while not related to Finwë, were princes in their own right. These lesser houses held no realms, however: all the Noldorin realms of Beleriand and later Eriador were ruled by a descendant of Finwë.

The Mannish descendants of Elros (the Kings of Arnor) now claimed the title High King, although there is no indication that this referred anything other than a High Kingship over the Dúnedain. As descendants through the female line Elros and his brother Elrond were not considered eligible, and Elrond indeed never claimed Kingship.

It is perhaps notable that Galadriel, the last of the House of Finwë in Middle-earth (other than the Half-elven) and Gil-galad's great-aunt, likewise never claimed a king title let alone the title of High Queen. Indeed the only known Elven Kingdom in Middle-earth after the Second Age was the Silvan realm of Mirkwood, ruled by the Sinda Thranduil.

Thou, Thine, Thy, Thine, and Ye

I like seeing "thee" and "thou", "thy" and "thine" being used in these olden days.  Understandably, flaws and errors in their use are common because few of us (none of us?) learned these words as any part of a spoken, living language.

One using language incorrectly appears pretentious or unschooled.  That might be wholly in character.  Thus, best it is that others do react in their own character.  The educated will, with varying degrees of indulgence, compassion and skill, wish to correct bad grammar and usage, but they might appear snooty, pedantic, or parental in doing so. 

Therefore, taking the risk of appearing EXTREMELY snooty, pedantic and parental, I shall set the example.  While there are many books and grammars that give hows and wherefores, they often demand a grasp of grammar that most (mono-lingual Americans) simply do not have.  Instead, we start start with:

YE* CHART 

Read this aloud:
speaker:
                   I am   mine,   as me, my thing,   mine end.  
speakers:
                  We are  ours,  as us, our thing,   our end.     
one male:
                   He is     his,   as him,  his thing,    his end.  
one female:  
                    She is  hers,  as her, her thing,   her end. 
one whatever:
                   It is   its,         as it,      its thing,    its end.
a group:
             They are theirs,   as them, their thing, their end.
one listener:      
                 Thou art thine, as thee, thy thing,  thine end.   
listeners:
                 Ye* are   yours, as you,  your thing, your end. 


Whatever way you want to use one of these words, something in the above chart will guide you thus.

"am", "are", "is", and "art" stand in for any action or being word (verb).
"as" stands in for any relational word. (preposition)
"thing" stands in a word starting with a consonant.(noun)
"end" stands in for a word starting with a vowel.(noun)

[rant] I'd argue that this distinction between nouns beginning with vowels or not affecting "my" to "mine" and the pronunciation of "the" is evidence of linguistic gender in Modern English, but most linguists ignore or discount this. [end rant]

* "Ye" is especially confusing.. "Ye" sometimes substitutes for "the", since an old y-like letter  " þ " called "thorn" for the "th" sound got often confused for "y".  Why "thorn" disappeared from the alphabet is a whole epic, but it left "y" and "th" to fill in for it while it's gone.  Further, "ye" as "you-all" shifted to being "you" much earlier than "thee" and "thou" did.  Thou mayst use "You are" instead of "ye" correctly in even the oldest of ages, but only when speaking of several listeners.  Thus, "ye" is rarely ever the best choice of word, but use it anyway if so moved.

THEE or THOU

"Thou hast", "Thou art", and "thou dost"  are correct;
"Thee hast" and  "thee dost" are not.
"To thee". "For thee", and "of thee" are correct.
 "To thou", "of thou", or "to I" are not..
"Thee" and "Thou" replace "you" as when talking of one person,
"Thy" and "Thine" replace "your" and "yours" when talking of one person

Use "thine" or "mine" before a vowel:  "mine eyes".  "thine anger"
Use "thy" or "my" before a consonant:  "my stars", "thy grief"
"Thine" and "mine" can stand alone, "thy" and "my" cannot:  "My heart is thine."

One quick test for these:  change the idea to talking about one's self:

• Thou <=> I
• Thee <=> Me
• Thy <=> My
• Thine <=> Mine

Nicely for memory, these even mostly rhyme.  "I gave my love a cherry".  <=>  "Thou gavest thy love a cherry". It's not always perfect, especially if thine own grasp of  the difference between "I" and "me" is weak in the first place, but even so, thou wilt hit right on often. 

NOTE:  "-st", "-th", "-en" verb endings were undergoing huge changes in usage during the "Early Modern English" period, from about 1500 when all this "thee" stuff was still happening even to today.  Just about anything thou canst dream up for them was written by some reliable sources sometime or another when used with "thou", "thee", and "you".  Even the "Great Bible" of 1538 and Shakespeare (b1564, d 1616), the best known example of the Early Modern English writer himself, inconsistently used these endings.  However, those endings were became old-fashioned and ceremonial by 1780, giving up to the simpler, more modern forms we now enjoy.  Art thou old-fashioned and ceremonial?  Useth thou these forms, then.

UNCHANGED

"I", "we", "he", "she", "it", and "they", and the rules that govern them are unchanged thru Modern English since about 1500.  Your modern ear will guide you correctly.  Parts of "you" are still the same:

• Your superiors, even only one of them,  are always called "you", never "ye", "thee" or "thou".  
• This "you" is the other side of "Royal We"  "We are not amused." "Your Majesty is not."
• For your social equals, the obsolete rules above for "thee", "thou", "thine", and "thine" apply.
• If you love "ye", then use "ye", unless you are talking to your betters:  
• When talking of many listeners, use "you", "your" or "yours", with the rules you know...

"Hear Ye!  These lessons, dear friends, are yours. You may have and hold them."


All this is good old English, but not good Old English, or even good Middle English,
The elvish is much more complex.

Aulë and the Dwarves

In a blog post titled "The Real First Born", Lord of the Rings Online dwarf role player Haakon Stormbrow writes:


Although the Dwarves have long since ignored the whole argument, Elves being better record keepers and slippery opponents in any debate, they have long held themselves to be the older race. Elves love nothing more than to glory in the title of the Elder Race, Firstborn, etc. They lord it over the other races like a spoiled Kindergartener, and their self declarations hold as much authority.  Let us now examine the record. We shall even deign to use the Elvish record of events from the Silmarillion to prove their own argument in error.

It is told that in their beginning the Dwarves were made by Aulë in the darkness of Middle-earth; for so greatly did Aulë desire the coming of the Children, to have learners to whom he could teach his lore and his crafts, that he was unwilling to await the fulfillment of the designs of Ilúvatar. And Aulë made the Dwarves even as they still are, because the forms of the Children who were to come were unclear to his mind, and because the power of Melkor was yet over the Earth; and he wished therefore that they should be strong and unyielding. But fearing that the other Valar might blame his work, he wrought in secret: and he made first the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves in a hall under the mountains in Middle-earth.
Now Ilúvatar knew what was done, and in the very hour that Aulë’s work was complete, and he was pleased, and began to instruct the Dwarves in the speech that he had devised for them, Ilúvatar spoke to him; and Aulë heard his voice and was silent. And the voice of Ilúvatar said to him: ‘Why hast thou done this? Why dost thou attempt a thing which thou knowest is beyond thy power and thy authority? For thou hast from me as a gift thy own bring only, and no more; and therefore the creatures of thy hand and mind can live only by that being, moving when thou thinkest to move them, and if thy thought be elsewhere, standing idle. Is that thy desire?’
Then Aulë answered: ‘I did not desire such lordship. I desired things other than I am, to love and to teach them, so that they too might perceive the beauty of Eä, which thou hast caused to be. For it seemed to me that there is great room in Arda for many things that might rejoice in it, yet it is for the most part empty still, and dumb. And in my impatience I have fallen into folly. Yet the making of thing is in my heart from my own making by thee; and the child of little understanding that makes a play of the deeds of his father may do so without thought of mockery, but because he is the son of his father. But what shall I do now, so that thou be not angry with me for ever? As a child to his father, I offer to thee these things, the work of the hands which thou hast made. Do with them what thou wilt. But should I not rather destroy the work of my presumption?’

Then Aulë took up a great hammer to smite the Dwarves; and he wept. But Ilúvatar had compassion upon Aulë and his desire, because of his humility; and the Dwarves shrank from the hammer and wore afraid, and they bowed down their heads and begged for mercy. And the voice of Ilúvatar said to Aulë: ‘Thy offer I accepted even as it was made. Dost thou not see that these things have now a life of their own, and speak with their own voices? Else they would not have flinched from thy blow, nor from any command of thy will.’ Then Aulë cast down his hammer and was glad, and he gave thanks to Ilúvatar, saying: ‘May Eru bless my work and amend it!’
But Ilúvatar spoke again and said: ‘Even as I gave being to the thoughts of the Ainur at the beginning of the World, so now I have taken up thy desire and given to it a place therein; but in no other way will I amend thy handiwork, and as thou hast made it, so shall it be. But I will not suffer this: that these should come before the Firstborn of my design, nor that thy impatience should be rewarded. They shall sleep now in the darkness under stone, and shall not come forth until the Firstborn have awakened upon Earth; and until that time thou and they shall wait, though long it seem. But when the time comes I will awaken them, and they shall be to thee as children; and often strife shall arise between thine and mine, the children of my adoption and the children of my choice.’ Then Aulë took the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves, and laid them to rest in far-sundered places; and he returned to Valinor, and waited while the long years lengthened.

-The Silmarillion
(Illustrations above by Ted Nasmith)


Now, in the simplest terms, to come first would mean to be created and sentient first. It is possible that the Elves were created first and were lying dormant somewhere in Middle-Earth even during the time of the interlude described above. However, it is clear that the dwarves were actually awake and sentient at this time, if only for a few minutes. Unfortunately, you, I, or even Eru can’t undo what was done. The dwarves were awake first, so, it becomes apparent that the Dwarves were, in fact, the firstborn race.
But, the Elves are indeed a noble race, blessed with unending life, and grace and charm above all others. Do not be disheartened just because you are not the oldest race on Arda.

To Haakon's mildly edited post above I'll add this photo, made in Second Life today,

The Firstborn of the Firstborn

and two remarks:

~ While clearly first created, no dwarves were BORN before any elves were born.  The very "first born" would not be Durin, but some anonymous elf at Cuivienen.  Elves can legitimately claim the title "firstborn". 
~ Aulë still feels some embarrassment over his folly in that event, but none at all over the outcome.

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.

Name the Bad Guy Entries.

A handful of entrants gave multiple entries to "Name the Bad Guy"

Our Elven RP leader, Maralee Greenwood, teaches that The Silmarillion states that the Noldor do not speak Melkor's name and that JRRT wrote "The Fallen One" for them to use instead. Quoting Valaquenta, "Of The Enemies":

"Last of all is set the name of Melkor, He who arises in Might. But that name he as forfeited; and the Noldor, who among the Elves suffered most from his malice, will not utter it, and they name him Morgoth, the Dark Enemy of the World."

This could justify the Noldor calling the bad guy Morgoth from the very beginning. Since the Noldor had not suffered anything unusual of his malice by the Noontide of Valinor, we play that the elves call The Bad Guy neither "Melkor" for fear of the power of the name, nor "Morgoth" for it hasn't been coined yet.

The phrase "Fallen One" never appears in Tolkien's the Silmarillion. The word "fallen" appears less than 20 times, and never in reference to Melkor. Still, the elves might indeed use "Fallen One" as the Quenya lantë (a moral fall) suggests "Lantwë". Of the Ainu, though, only Aulë claims "I have fallen into folly" in his chapter. Hearing the useful "Fallen" or "Lantwë" would make Aulë, fallen yet forgiven, regretful.

The Entries:

• ~ "Lantwë", Quenya for "The Fallen One"
• ~ "Límilawë" for "The Chained One"
  
• ~ "i túra nancar" for "The great destroyer"
  
• ~ "Morier" for Dark One,
• ~ "Feuyaer" for the disgusting one
• ~ "Ksher" for the Evil one
• ~ "Oklem" or "Roklem" are Melko and Melkor backwards, so as to mimick his feature that he never did anything on this own but only corrupted and distorted what others had made before, so we do not give him a "new" name but rather take the "old" one and corrupt it ourselves.

the entrants did not attempt to translate these last into Quenya, but I did:

• ~ "First of tyrants", Quenya has no word for tyrant. Perhaps "First Night Lord", or "First Slave Lord" will do: Lómëheru-minya or Mólheru-minya
• ~ "Sourvoice", as stink- holwë + voice óma = "Holoma"
• ~ "Badsong" as bad Olca + song linde = "Olcalin"
• ~ "Shouty" or "Shouter" as "Ramando"
• ~ "The Discordant" deserves some thought:

in JJRT's Ainulindale, other words appear for the Bad Guy once each: "loud", "vain", "clamorous" "braying" "disturbed" "turbulent" "uproar". Three times the word "discord" describes what the Bad Guy makes:

Dis-cord
~Lack of agreement among persons, groups, or things.
~Tension or strife resulting from a lack of agreement;
~strife, dispute, war, dissension.
~confused, harsh or inharmonious sound or sounds.
~a dissonance in music.
~To fail to agree or harmonize;
~clash.

"Discord" isn't in Quenya wordlists, nor most above, but these are:

"NOT" ú-, in-, un-, prefix usually has a "bad" connotation
MUSICAL SOUND lin, lind-, linda
PEACE sérë, rainë, sívë;

suggesting "Úlinwë", "Úlin", "Úlinda", "Úsérë", "Úrainë", and "Úsívë".

The etymological roots of discord offer another direction:

[Middle English, from Old French descorde, from Latin discordia, from discors, discord-, disagreeing : dis-, apart; see dis- + cor, cord-, heart; see kerd- in Indo-European roots.]

HEART hón (physical heart), órë (inner mind), indo (mind, mood), enda (centre, soul or mind), elwen (is early “Qenya”).
BREAK APART terhat-; hat- ; ascat-

suggests: "Hatórë", "Hatenda"

Judging

JRRT's own names that the Noontide elves called The Bad Guy could fit our needs nicely "The Hunter" ("Roimë" in Quenya), "The Dark Rider", ("Moroquen") and "Dark Hunter" ("Moroimë"), even if all are similar to "Oromë".

Top prizes go to "Lantwë" (Fallen One), "Morier" (Dark One), and "Roklem" (arising in might backwards) for whimsey, style and brevity. Honorable mention goes to "The Discordant", translated as "Úlin", "Úrainë" or "Hatórë".

I'd like to make one entry myself, obvious yet overlooked:
"The Bad Guy": "Olcawë", or better, "Úwë".

The Noldor of Tirion in Second Life will soon get ALL these entries and the JRRT to use as they wish. I will take a survey among them after March 14 regarding which of these names actually get used and award another prize at that time.

Name the Bad Guy Contest

Arth Karas here, not quite fully in character as Aulë

Melko has many names in later Ages, but few in the Age of the Trees. As you can see in the chat below, the ones we have are a bit unwieldy or being avoided. Thus, we need a unique and appropriate name to call him.

NAME THE BAD GUY CONTEST

Acceptable names will be:
~ Either chosen or translated directly from JRRT Tolkien sources
~ rooted in Quenya or Valarin or English, since Sindarin, Latin and other such languages are unknown yet in our RP.
~ clearly not some other character nor confusingly similar to such
~ accurate to Melko's character
~ not overly respectful (for reasons of story arcs to come)

Please look over what I have here and send me names by SL IM, which forwards to arth.karas@-at-gmail.-dot-com. Multiple submissions accepted. I will choose the acceptable submissions (and likely write an article here about which and why) based on creativity, originality, duplication and whimsy. After entries are collected thru Jan 1, 2012, I will split a L$ 1200 entry prize among to Sheriwood and ~Aglarond~ group members. All accepted suggestions will go to Noldor Elves of Tirion to use in role play. From their natural selection by use, I will choose a grand prize winner of another L$ 600 by March 4, 2012.

Learn more:

http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Morgoth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melkor
http://aulethesmith.blogspot.com/2010/09/aule-versus-melkor.html
http://users.bestweb.net/~jfgm/valaquenta/texts/21%20Melkor.htm

Open Chat excerpt prompting this contest:
Second Life, Tirion Forest Sim 01Dec2011 ~ 1400 PST
During a 3 player discussion on Melko's character.

Marwen: The One's mind has turned so bad
Aulë: WHAT?
Marwen: this cannot be a mere coincidence
Aulë is agitated. WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?
Anairë: The evil one do you mean?
Marwen: My lord
Aulë mimics Marwen: The One's mind has turned so bad
Marwen: forgive me Mylord
Marwen: my wording is poor indeed
Aulë: THE ONE is Eru, Ilúvatar.
Aulë: WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU MEANT?
Marwen: The Fallen One
Aulë: pfff.
Aulë: Just call him Melko.
Aulë: Melkor.
Aulë: he's not "fallen" any more than I am.
Marwen: we are not supposed to say his name
Marwen: that's why
Anairë: Lady Yavanna suggested we not name him?
Aulë stammers a moment.
Marwen looks down ashamed
Anairë: You may be safe from his attention Vala Aule...but if we came to his special notice
Aulë: composes himself.
Aulë: Your respect of the Lady Yavanna's suggestions are wholly commendable. I'm proud of you.
Aulë: and I see her point... and yours.
Anairë: We are a little more vulnerable than you are Vala Aule...smiles
Aulë: I'm already Melko's target for mischief.
Aulë: aye... and your keeping a low profile makes sense.
Anairë: Oh he has caused you harm?
Aulë waves aside the question impatiently...
Aulë: but when the names you chose to use infect your very speech and ideation to say such silly things as I just heard...
Aulë: you need to choose another solution.
Anairë: nods
Marwen: we learned at the last barding his name among the Noldor is "The Fallen One"
Aulë: might I suggest something less similar to Eru's name?
Anairë: mmm thinks of a name
Aulë: in my own though, he is often "HotHead"
Aulë: and lately... "Chained"
Anairë: He who is chained would not be mistaken
Anairë: Well unless any Noldor are taken and chained.... shudders
Marwen: and you made the chains
Aulë: aye. I made them special just for him. Fire is my domain as well among the Vala now.
Marwen: so it would be your domain to make an exception here too
Aulë: I have no objections to naming Melko after chains or fire. They are his more than mine.
Aulë: Perhaps I should host a contest...
Marwen: this would leave us at "the chained one"
Anairë: What aspect was he who is chained supposed to have dominance over if the song was perfect?
Marwen: deliberately without capital letters
Aulë: Melko is an aspect of extremes: very hot, very cold, very beautiful, very abhorrent.
Aulë: and he has great gifts in all areas of creation.
Aulë: "what to name Melko, when you must speak of him"
Aulë: yes.... I think I will do that. Sponsor a creative contest to find names for that character...
Anairë: Evil seems a good description of him
Anairë: but there are many names for such an evil one
Aulë: names that are at once accurate, yet not overly respectful.
Aulë hums in thought, taking up quill and scroll.

Relative Quenya Names

This in Aulë's Second Life In-box:

hello

I think you are the language expert in Tirion and I was wondering if you could tell me the correct forms of address for family members as my friend and I are playing aunt and neice. Do you know what the Quenya elvish for these are?

Also mother, father, brother, sister, and if possible, grandparents?

We've been using English terms, but they jar a bit in Tirion. I think the Quenya would be more resonant :)

Thankyou!
Iminwiel

Allasár, Mellonin! (Blessings, girlfriend!)

My favorite source for researching such questions is the website Ardalambion

In the downloaded Quenya files, I use "find" to locate my words of interest:
~~aunt.... not found ...
~~niece... not found ....
Failing there, I look up related words and educe the words we want: aunt = parent's sister. niece = siblings's daughter
~~PARENT #nostar (pl nostari) or ontan (pl ontani) ; also father ontaro; mother: ontarë or ontari .
~~'s is possesive: -rya (possessive suffix, e.g. aratarya "her sublimity". for all genders . words ending in a consonant take the shorter form -ya, e.g. talya “his foot”,
~~SISTER nésa (þ; older form néþa), colloquially also nettë (probably netti-); also "sister" seler (Þ) (pl. selli), onómë, onónë; SISTER (usually not of bloodkinship) osellë (Þ)

so,
~~AUNT: parent's sister: nostar+rya+nésa, shortens to nénostárya. less formal: nettë-ontar-rya, shortens to nettontarya. even shorter, "nettarya".

That is still a bit of a un-resonant mouthful. Maybe something prettier will show up with more searching.

~~sibling... not found. But I have sister, so.
~~BROTHER háno, colloquial hanno . also toron (pl. torni) (= natural brother); cf. otorno "sworn brother, associate".
~~DAUGHTER selyë; also yendë, yen, yeldë, suffixes: –iel (e.g. Uinéniel "daughter of Uinen") obsolete: -wen, -yel.

so
~~NIECE is either sister's daughter: nésiel, nettiel , seleriel or onómiel .... or brother's daughter: hanniel, hánoyel, toroniel
Noldor elves in our early RP age would use archaic forms.: néþyel ( Néthyel) or toroniel. I like those.

You can easily find the other words in the pages above, except for grandparent:
~~ Grand not found except grandchild. After poking around, I find.
~~DOUBLE (prob. adj) atwa, tanta; DOUBLE (vb) tatya- (repeat). (Note: tatya also means "second".) –AT(AT), TATA

This "tatya" is especially apt: the First of the Noldor clan to awaken was named Tata. Then consider AUNT in spanish or french is tanta or tante.

So
~~GRANDMOTHER: tatya-amillië -> tatamillië.
and
~~AUNT = grandmother's daughter: tantamilier. Even simpler:
~~AUNT = second mama: tatyamil.

That resonates.

Love, Arth.

"Peace and Joy and wisdom"

Several years ago, searching thru Tolkien, I found this as a motto for the Arda groups of Second Life in "the Book of Lost Tales"

of more worth than all the glory of Valinor and all the grace and beauty of Kor is peace and happiness and wisdom,

I translated the "peace and happiness and wisdom" using [site] into quenya, " Sére ar alasse ar saila!", meaning (Peace and joy and wisdom!)". This short gesture has been popular since then.

But much darker than the snippet I give is the full quote from a speech of Manwë (King of the Valar, called "Gods" in this version). The Noldor from Kor (Tirion) had behaved selfishly and unfriendly to the Valar and each other. Taking advantage of this created sorry state, Melko caused the first death of an elf, the first regicide, and the first orphan.

Without the Gods who brought you to the light
and gave you all the materials of your craft,
teaching your first ignorance,
none of these fair things you love now so well
ever would have been;

what has been done may again be done,
for the power of the Valar does not change;

but of more worth than
all the glory of Valinor and all the grace and beauty of Kor
is peace and happiness and wisdom,
and these once lost
are harder to recapture.

Cease then to murmur and to speak against the Valar,
or to set yourselves in your hearts as equals to their majesty;

rather depart now in penitence
knowing full well that Melko has wrought this evil against you,
and that your secret trafficking with him has brought you all this loss and sorrow.
Trust him not again therefore,

nor any others that whisper secret words of discontent among you,
for its fruit is humiliation and dismay."

While Manwë certainly preaches eloquently, I am simpler spoken:

if you must chose between
your friendship and your stuff,
choose your friends.
They are harder to come by and harder to make
than anything made by hands.

And, when you make that mistake, as we do because we love our stuff,
apologize and atone to your friends and those that helped you.
and turn away from those that lead you astray.

Letters about Dwarves

This, from a unsent addenda of a letter JRR Tolkien to Rhona Beare in October 1958, colors "The Silmarillion" (published posthumously in 1977 from stories JRRT had been writing since 1914) Chapter 2 "Of Aulë and Yavanna" comparing "Christian Mythology" (JRRT's own phrase) "sin and the fall" to good races erring in his own stories.

Aulë, for instance, one of the Great, in a sense 'fell'; for he so desired to see the Children, that he became impatient and tried to anticipate the will of the Creator. Being the greatest of all craftsmen he tried to make children according to his imperfect knowledge of their kind. When he had made thirteen [One, the eldest, alone, and six more with six mates], God spoke to him in anger but not without pity; for Aulë had done this thing not out of evil desire to have slaves and subjects of his own, but out of impatient love, desiring children to talk to and teach, sharing with them the praise of Ilúvatar and his great love of the materials of which the world is made

The One rebukes Aulë, saying that he had tried to usurp the Creator's power; but he could not give independent life to his making. He had only one life, his own derived from the One, and could at most only distribute it. 'Behold' said the One; 'these creatures of thine have only thy will, and thy movement. Though you have devised a language for them, they can only report to thee thine own thought. This is a mockery of me.'

I notice dialogue differences and a few additional facts in this version of the story: "mockery", "thirteen", and later, "laughter".

Then Aulë in grief and repentance humbles himself and asked for pardon. And he said; "I will destroy these images of my presumption, and wait upon thy will.' And he took a great hammer, raising it to smite the eldest of his images; but it flinched and cowered before him. and as he withheld his strike, astonished, he heard the laughter of Ilúvatar.

'Do you wonder at this?' he said. 'Behold! thy creatures not live, free from thy will! For I have seen thy humility, and taken pity on your impatience. Thy making I have taken up into my design.'

This is the Elvish legend of the making of the Dwarves; but the Elves report that Ilúvatar said thus also: 'Nonetheless, I will not suffer my design to be forestalled: thy children shall not awake before mine own." And he commanded Aule to lay the fathers of the Dwarves severally in deep places, each with it's mate, save Dúrin the eldest who had none. There they should sleep long, until Ilúvatar bade them awake. Nonetheless there has been for the most part little love between the Dwarves and the Children of Ilúvatar. and of the fate the llúvatar had set upon the children of Aulë beyond the circles of the world Elves and men know nothing, and if Dwarves know they do not speak of it.

And one more later paragraph, marginalia to Colonel Worskett in September 1963

No one knew where the Ents came or first appeared. The High Elves said the the Valar did not mention them in the 'Music'. But some (Galadriel) were of the opinion that when Yavanna discovered the mercy of Eru to Aulë in the matter of the Dwarves, she besought Eru (through Manwë) asking him to give life to things made of living things not stone, and that the Ents were either souls sent to inhabit trees, or else that slowly took the likeness of trees owing to their inborn love of trees. (Not all were good [illegible word]) Then Ents thus had mastery over stone. The males were devoted to Oromë, but the Wives to Yavanna.

Nice to find answers about ent-wives, dwarf-wives, and the laughter of The One.

Noldor in Aman Timeline

This time-line focuses on the Noldor in Aman. This portion of history is 3500 years after the creation of the world that is: Eä. A year in this age was between nine and ten sun-years long.

The Age of the Two Trees in Valinor
and
The Age of the Stars in Middle-Earth

0: The Valar create the Two Trees of Light, Telperion the Elder and Laurelin the Younger.

c.500: Aulë and Yavanna create and the hibernate the Dwarves and Ents.

1050 : Varda finishes the star-making by kindling the Sickle of the Gods.
The Elves awake in Cuiviénen. Melkor discovers and harasses them.

1085 : Oromë discovers the Elves. Melkor breeds Orcs.

1092 - 1099 : The Valar [Powers] protect the Elves and battle Melko.

1100: The Valar raize Utumno and chain Melkor, now doomed to spend 300 Valinorean years confined in the Halls of Mandos.

The Great March

1101 The Valar summon the elves to Valinor.

1102 the Vala Oromë escorts Ingwë, Finwë, and Elwë to Valinor.

1104 The Three return to convince many elves to follow them to Valinor.

1105 The Great March begins. The Avari [the Unwilling] stay behind.

c. 1110 Awakening of the Dwarves.

1115 The Eldar [marchers]reach Anduin the Great and the Hithaeglir (Misty Mountains)

1125 Awakening of the Ents. The Vanyar and Noldor reach Beleriand.

1128 The Teleri re-join the other Eldar in Beleriand.

Sundering of the Elves

1130 Melian enchants and detains Thingol (Elwë) in Nan-Elmoth.

1132 The Vanyar and Noldor travel over the western sea with Ulmo on Tol Eressëa

1133 - 1140 The Vanyar and Noldor arrive in Aman. They build Tirion upon Tùna and the Tower of Ingwë. The Vanyar begin to settle Valmar.

1142 Yavanna gives the Noldor in Tirion the White Tree Galathilion from Telperion.

1149 Ulmo returns to Middle-earth to bring the Teleri to Aman, but Ossë persuades some to remain in West Beleriand (Falas) to become the first mariners, having Cìrdan as Lord.

1150 - 1151 The Teleri travel overseas west from Beleriand with Ossë on Tol Eressëa.

1152 Thingol awakes from the trance, marrying Melian.

1161 Ossë teaches the Teleri the art of shipbuilding, who travel to Valinor.

The Noontide of Valinor

1162 Olwë, the Teleri, and the Noldor begin building Aqualondë.

1165 The last Vanyar depart Tirion for Valmar.

1179 Mùriel births Féanor, then departs to the Halls of Mandos. The House of Finwë discovers earth-gems, and devises tools for their cutting and shaping. Noldo Rùmil devises letters.

1189 Finwë takes Indis, Ingwë's sister, as second wife.

1190 Indis births Fingolfin.

1200 Melian births Lùthien.

1229 Fëanor marries Nerdanel.

1230 Indis births Finarfin. Nerdanel births Maedhros.

1240 Fingolfin weds Anairë.

1245 Anairë births Fingon.

1250 Fëanor revises Rùmil's letters, creating the Tengwar script.
Dwarves enter Ered Luin mountains and found Nogrod and Belegost.

1280 Finarfin weds Eärwen, daughter of Olwë.

1300 Anairë births of Turgon. Eärwen births Finrod. Sindarin lore-master Daeron designes his Runes. Dwarves and elves build Menegroth of the Thousand Caves.

1320 Menegroth is fortified against wolves and other evil creatures roaming Beleriand.

1330 The first orcs invade Beleriand.

1350 Denethor and the Nandor come to Beleriand and settle in Ossiriand.

1362 Eärwen births Galadriel.

c. 1400 Dwarf Durin founds Khazad-dùm.

Melkor Unchained

1400 Melkor is unchained under Tulkas' guardianship.

1410 Manwë gives Melkor freedom within Valinor. Melkor feigns love for the Eldar, teaching and lying to precipitate disputes between Fëanor and Fingolfin.

1449 - 1450 Fëanor constructs the Three Silmarils, enclosing the Lights of the Two Trees.

1450 - 1490 Melkor raises further dissension, teaching sword-making among the Noldor. Fëanor and Fingolfin quarrel. Many Noldor divide their allegiances and forge weapons in secret.

1490 Fëanor threatens Fingolfin at swordpoint. The Valar banish Fëanor from Tirion for 12 years. Finwë and Fëanor's sons also leave Tirion to build Formenos secretly in the North. Fingolfin is regent in Tirion. Known fomentor Melkor eludes the Valar.

1492 Fëanor rebuffs Melkor's parley in Formenos, naming him 'Morgoth Bauglir' [Black Foe].

The Darkening of Valinor

1493 Melkor seeks and finds the monstrous Ungoliant in southern Aman.

1495 Melkor and Ungoliant fatally poison the Two Trees. Melkor kills Finwë and steals the Silmarils. Melkor and Ungoliant flee across the Helcaraxë, battling and separating at Lammoth. Melkor, shape-trapped as the Tyrant of Utumno, regains Angband.

Many Noldor revolt with Fëanor to leave Tirion, battling the Teleri in Alqualondë [the First Kinslaying], then sailing to Middle-earth and burning the swan-ships of the Teleri at Losgar.

1496 Mandos utters of the Prophecy of the North and the Doom of the Noldor.
Repentant Finarfin returns to Tirion, there to rule the remnant of the Noldor in Aman.

1497 Melkor invades Beleriand. Orcs slay Denethor. Melian raises The Girdle around Doriath.

1498 Fëanor and the Noldor attack Melkor in Angband to recover the Silmarils. Balrogs slay Fëanor, Maedhros is captured. Fingolfin and his tribe march over the Helcaraxë to Middle Earth.

The Second Spring of Arda:
The First Age of the Sun and Moon

1500 Aulë and the Valar prepare the Moon and the Sun from the last Silver Flower of Telperion and the last Golden Fruit of Laurelin.The Moon rises, crossing the sky seven times before the rising of the Sun.

This able time-line is borrowed and abridged from the Tolkien Forums