The Maïar

The Maïar composed the vast majority of the Ainur who came to Eä in the beginning. Although servants of the Valar, they share the nature of their greater brethren.

Like the Valar—and indeed all the Ainur—the Maïar are im¬mortal spirits without need of form. Their corporeal bodies simply enable them to interact with Eru’s Children, and permit them to per¬form their primary task, which is the tending of Arda. This role per¬mits them to interact with the inhabitants of Middle-earth more directly than do the Valar, for the Maïar carry their masters’ word and serve as their intermediaries.

An Overview of the Maïar

The number of Maïar is unknown; however, these lesser spirits make up the people of the Valar and are numerous enough to nur¬ture their own societies and raise their own great war-host. Their varie¬ty is great and their tale reflects this varied character; and, although the Maïar were born before Existence itself, they share many of the passions and shortcomings of lesser peoples.

Maïa History

As noted in 4.11, Eru’s thought gave birth to the Ainur, the Holy Ones, including those who would become the Valar and Maïar. Through the Great Music conceived by Eru and sung by the Holy Ones, the pattern and being of all that exists was born. Eä—the World and the Heavens—grew out of the Song, as did Fate.

The Maïar served the Valar before the latter entered Ea. They were the lesser Ainur loyal to the fifteen (counting Morgoth) greater Ainur who accepted wardship over the newborn World. When the Valar left the Timeless Halls of Eru and ventured into Eä, the Maïar followed.

After the Valar and Maïar came into the World, they set about shaping Arda. The Maïar’s role was, as always, to aid their lords in completing the scheme envisioned by Eru. However, with Morgoth’s Rebellion, many of the Maïar fell away from their appointed path. Some, like Aulë’s high servant Sauron, actually entered Arda in the service of the Black Enemy; others, like the Fire Spirits who would become known as the Balrogs, succumbed to Darkness at a later time.

Only one Maïa who submitted to Morgoth’s soothing flattery was restored to grace. Ulmo’s servant Ossë was the only fallen Maïa to be saved. With the aid of his spouse Uinen, Ossë returned to the righteous fold and was pardoned.

The Destruction of the Two Lamps and the Rise of Aman

The struggle between the Downfallen Morgoth and the other four¬teen Valar lasted throughout the First Age. From his holds at Utumno and (later) Angband, Morgoth defied his brethren and assailed their creations. In his first assault, the Black Enemy ruined the two lamps that lit the World during the Spring of Arda, and the cataclysmic aftermath forever ruined the conception of a perfect, symmetrical landscape. Almaren, the home of the Valar and Maïar, perished in the flood.

The continents that now compose Arda arose out of this destruc¬tion. The Valar and Maïar occupied their current home in Aman. Morgoth remained in Endor. Seeking his overthrow, the Valar—in an act that presaged the mobilization that began the War of Wrath—assembled the first host of Maïar. This army drove the Black Enemy into his refuge at Utumno in the north of Middle-earth, but they failed to bring about his surrender.

A long period of uneasy peace followed. For a while, Arda was illuminated only by starlight, but eventually the Two Trees sprouted and gave their light to the World. The Count of Time began. The Dwarves were created, and then the Elves awoke and started to ex¬plore the East. Soon thereafter, the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves arose.

The Battle of Powers

All the while, Morgoth plotted his conquest. He conceived the race of Orcs from captured Elves, and created the trolls in mockery of Ents. His armies grew in the breeding pits deep beneath the earth. Eventually, his minions delved a new fortress in Endor’s Far North, founding Angband. From this lair, the Black Enemy’s lieutenant Sauron threatened those regions that served as the gateway from Aman into Middle-earth. Morgoth prepared to enslave the Elves and armed his hordes in Utumno.

It was at that bleak moment that the army of the Maïar returned to Endor. Led by the Maïa Eönwë and the Vala Tulkas, this Host of Valinor swept across Middle-earth, protecting the Elvenhome and driving the Black Enemy into Utumno once again. This time, however, the Fallen Vala did not escape justice; his hold was broken and razed. Captured and chained, Morgoth was imprisoned in Aman. The over¬whelming army of the Maïar prevailed in its first test of arms.

Settlement in Valinor

In the safe years that followed, the Elves began their Great Journey westward, and many reached Aman. Others settled in the West of Endor. It was there, in Beleriand in the early First Age, that the Maïa Melian met and married the Elf-lord Elwë (Elu Thingol). Together, they founded the Kingdom of Doriath.

Few of the other Maïar—save those that served the Black Enemy—remained in Middle-earth. Those that did were like Goldberry, Nature-spirits bound to Endor itself. The majority of Maïar stayed in Valinor in Aman under the lordship of the Valar. There, they formed the middle strata of a society that included the Vanyar Elves.

Morgoth’s Repentance and the Long Night

After three ages in imprisonment, Morgoth was pardoned. Peace ended soon thereafter. Not long after his release into Aman, the Black Enemy struck against the Ainur once again, this time in conjunc¬tion with the demon Ungoliant. Poisoning the Two Trees and drain¬ing the Wells of Arda, the Evil Vala and his unspeakable companion threw the World into Darkness. Thus, began the Long Night.

Taking Fëanor’s Silmarils, Morgoth stole away to Angband in Middle-earth and joined his surviving minions. The Fallen Maïa Sauron and the Balrogs awaited their lord’s return. Upon his arrival, they strengthened his kingdom, carving new delving deep into En¬dor’s bowels. With the refuse of their toil, the Black Enemy raised the triad of peaks called Thangorodrim (S. “Mountains of Tyranny”).

Morgoth’s armies quickly multiplied, and soon he made war on the Elves of Beleriand. Once again, downfallen Maïa lords led his hordes to battle. The doom of the Sindar neared as events in Aman laid the foundation for their rescue.

The Creation of the Sun and the Moon

Two events intervened to halt the onslaught of the forces of Evil. First, the greater part of the Noldor began their march back to Middle-earth in order to reclaim the Silmarils and avenge the slay¬ing of their King. Secondly, the Valar chose two Maïar to journey into the heavens and restore light to Arda.

With the last Silver Flower of Telperion and the sole remaining Golden Fruit of Laurelin, the Valar rescued the essence of the Light of the Two Trees. Placing them in vessels, they sought to create new lamps to illuminate the World, and so created the Moon (Isil) and the Sun (Anar). Two Maïar—Arien, the Queen of Fire-spirits, and Tilion the Hunter—came forth to guide them into the sky and toward them in the Heavens. As they rose, daylight once again graced Arda and Morgoth’s host was stunned and in disarray.

The Last Days of the First Age

After the ascension of the Sun and the Moon, none of the Maïar—save Melian—actively campaigned against Morgoth’s forces un¬til the very end of the First Age. Instead, the burden of the wars ver¬sus the Great Evil fell upon the Elves and their allies, the Edain. The struggle raged for centuries. With the death of Thingol and the depar¬ture of Melian, however—after five major campaigns—Morgoth was prepared to launch the final blow against the Free Peoples of Middle-earth. The Elves appealed to the Valar for aid against the Black Enemy.

Once again, the Host of Valinor sallied forth from Aman. Led by Manwë’s Herald Eönwë, the army of the Maïar was the greatest force ever assembled. Sweeping into Endor from the Northwest, they fell upon Angband and decimated Morgoth’s seemingly invincible horde of Orcs, Trolls, Dragons, Fell Beasts, and Men. Maïa fought Maïa as the servants of the Valar smote the Balrogs in the Great Battle.

This War of Wrath marked the last time that the Maïar intervened so directly in the affairs of Endor. It was a cataclysmic event, ending in the complete destruction of northwest Middle-earth. Vast regions slipped into the sea amidst the engulfing thunder. Morgoth was cap-tured and shackled in his own Iron Crown. His highest Maïa ser¬vant, Sauron, humbled himself before the victorious Eönwë.

With the War of Wrath, the Black Enemy was cast into the Void outside Eä, and the First Age ended. The cause of Darkness was set back; however, at the same time, the Valar’s direct guardianship over Endor ended. A new era began as those of Aman retreated from the affairs of Eru’s Children. Still, they remained responsible for the Balance of Things, but their methods changed.

The Maïar in the Second Age

In return for the Edain’s loyalty to the Elves and the cause of Freedom, the Lords of Aman called upon the Maïa Ossë to raise a great island continent which would serve as the new home of High Men. Ossë cleared the waters of the central Belegaer and summoned the land from beneath the surface, thus creating Númenór.

Númenór (S. “Andor;” W. “Westernesse”) prospered and gave birth to a flowering of Mannish culture. Its inhabitants developed under the guidance of their Elven friends, creating a wonderous Kingdom. Their ships returned to explore the coasts of Endor and to teach their less fortunate kinsmen. In time, though, Númenór might fostered hubris. Explorations became colonization and then conquests. The gifted became proud.

About thirty-three centuries after its settlement, Númenór reached the apogee of its power under the rule of Ar-Pharazôn. His armies challenged Sauron’s dominion in Endor and captured the Dark Lord of Mordor. But the keepers became captives, as the smooth tongue of the Lord of the Rings wove gentle deceptions and preyed upon Númenórean pride.

Eventually, Sauron’s plots corrupted Andor, culminating in the Great Armament. Believing that mere residence in the Undying Lands would confer immortality for Men, Ar-Pharazôn launched an awesome fleet in hopes of conquering Aman. The High Men of Númenór defied the age-old Ban of the Valar, which decreed that Mortals should not set foot in the Immortal homelands.

The Maïar and Their Adoption of Form

The Mortal Lands exert an even more physically-oriented force than Aman. Life in Middle-earth is tied to spirits which are completely interwoven with form. After all, Endor was the birthplace of Eru’s Children and remains their home. The land reflects the nature of the Free Peoples, all of whom require bodies. (Even the immortal Elves require form.) Although they are perhaps only transient residents in Middle-earth, they are Children of Arda.

The Maïar are not of Arda; instead, they entered Eä as caretakers—servants of the higher guardians, the Valar. Yet Maïa spirits, while originally free, can become entombed in form. In every physical act of creation outside the scheme conceived by Eru, a part of the creator is tied to the physical world; and this rule holds true for Eru’s Children and the Ainur alike. All the Fallen Ainur gradually became tied to their bodies. As they sought to manipulate the World they were entrusted with guarding and cultivating, they became a part of that world and suffered its weaknesses. Nowhere was the danger greater than in Endor. This change occurred in Morgoth himself, as well as his Maïa underlings—notably Sauron and the host of Balrogs. Tom Bombadil and Goldberry also became rooted in form (as well as wedded to a specific area in Middle-earth). Later, it affected the Istari.

The Immortality of the Maïa Soul

All Ainur are immortal, of course, and the destruction of their form merely serves to sever their spirit from their corporeal bodies. Without a body, however, a Maïa cannot affect the physical world, except in some cases indirectly. In the time that it takes a Maïa to reassume form, he is effectively apart from Arda and outside the concerns of Eru’s Children.

This breach of faith, this act of defiance, spelled the end of Númenór. Realizing that their wardship over Arda had failed, the Valar temporarily laid down their guardianship and called upon Eru to right the Balance of Things. Eru intervened and, in the Change of the World, Númenór was swept into the tumultuous maelstrom, perishing beneath the waves of the Belegaer.

Aman was removed from Arda in the Change, and new lands and seas were formed. Middle-earth was forever sundered from the Un¬dying Lands as Arda was reformed. From this time onward, Aman could only be reached by traveling the elusive Straight Way across the Bent Seas.

The Maïar Called Istari

With the Change of the World, the Maïar became further removed from life in Endor. Travel between Middle-earth and Aman all but halted, except for those Elves who longed for the Light of the lands undying. Nevertheless, the Valar and their Maïa servants remained protectors of the Balance of Things. With the rise of Sauron in the Third Age, Darkness once again threatened to enslave all of Middle-earth.

Manwë chose indirect means to combat the threat posed by the Evil One. Selecting trusted Maïar from the Order of the Wise—the Istari—the Vala King hoped to send emissaries to Endor who might unite the Free Peoples and spur them to overthrow the Lord of the Rings. Thus, five Maïar set out to combat the greatest of their brethren, the fallen Sauron. Disguised as old men, these Wizards entered Middle-earth around T.A. 1000.

Only one of the five remained true to his quest. Four of the Wise became tied to Endor through their adopted bodies, eventually fall¬ing prey to their emotions and sliding away from their appointed mis¬sion. Gandalf (Olorin), wisest of the Maïar, prevailed over tempta¬tion and pride and ultimately fostered the alliance that defeated the Dark Lord.

Despite the fact that Maïa, like all beings, could succumb to the frailties of the flesh, Gandalf the Grey remained purposeful. He helped to ensure that the Balance of Things was maintained without intervening beyond the point of employing his power only to com¬bat an equal or greater threat. The Grey Istar fought Sauron and his minions, and sacrificed his body in the struggle against the Balrog of Moria, one of the fallen Maïa Fire-spirits. In the end, the One Ring was destroyed and the Dark Lord’s spirit, unable to reassume form, passed from Arda.

With Saruman’s death and Gandalf’s departure at the end of the Third Age, three Wizards remained in Middle-earth. Like the Maïa Nature-spirits that inhabited the land, and like the Maïa demons locked deep beneath its soil, these Maïar stayed away from their home in Aman. As the years passed, they became more tied to their form and gradually changed, remaining Maïa in spirit but losing much of the strength of their origin. Their fate explains much about the Maïar’s desire to remain apart from Eru’s Mortal Children.

Maïa Nature

As Ainur, the Maïar are essentially immortal spirits, souls that are originally fully severable from any form they might adopt. Their bodies, while not required, enable them to interact in Arda, for a physical being is essential to a complete experience in a physical world. Even while at home in Valinor, the Maïar maintain form, walking among their Elven compatriots.

This was the case with Sauron. The Dark Lord’s form was destroyed twice in the Second Age, and each time he was unable to bring his power to bear upon Middle-earth until he could take a new form. With the destruction of the One Ring, his physical link to Arda was shattered, and he could never again assume a body. Accordingly, the Lord of the Rings passed out of the World. His soul did not die; it was simply incapable of affecting or remaining in Arda.

The Spirit’s Effect on Maïa Form

When a Maïa takes a form, it reflects the nature of his soul. His metaphysical spirit invariably colors his physical body. Some elemen¬tal Maïar become manifestations of their one-dimensional character. Fire- and Water-spirits, for instance, take forms which display their elemental essence. Arien and the Balrogs—all Fire-spirits—adopted fiery variations of form, the former pure and the latter corrupted. The Water-spirits such as Ossë, Uinen, and Goldberry took more gen¬tle, “liquid” forms which embodied the character of their watery association.

Evil affects form, just as it perverts the spirit. Thus, the corrupt Maïar inevitably find themselves tied to a hideous body. Even Sauron, strongest of the Maïar, eventually became unable to adopt a beautiful or pleasing form. Weakened by the loss of his Ruling Ring, as well as the death of his third body in the Downfall of Númenór, the Dark Lord never again assumed a fair-seeming guise. Throughout the Third Age, his body was an unveiled manifestation of his inner self—his soul—just as the Balrogs’ bodies reflected their character.

Saruman the Wizard experienced a similar slide. As he fell from grace, he became tied to his body, a form which declined as his essence was debased. With the diminishing of his power, his body aged rapidly until it became enfeebled. When he was murdered by Gríma Wormtongue, his form was a pale shadow of its earlier incarnation. This decline mirrored the weakening of his spirit which, by the time of his body’s death, was too weak to reassume form. Saruman, like Sauron, passed from Arda.

The Maïa Spirit’s Ties to Physical Creation

When Eru gave the Valar guardianship over Arda, the Maïar assumed the role of executing his vision. It was their job to imple¬ment the details of the scheme for the World, assisting the Valar in the process of creation. This mandate defined the Maïar’s presence in Ea.

Creations outside this scheme, however, were not contemplated or condoned. Thus, Maïar who sought to make things on their own required more effort and, in a sense, were forced to put more energy into their labors. In each creative act, a part of their spirit was im¬parted to their legacy. Maïar like Sauron, who sought to craft powerful things of their own vision, instilled much of their inherent essence and strength into their creations. The One Ring, for example, em¬bodied a tremendous part of the Dark Lord’s soul. While it preserved and accentuated the Evil One’s strength, he was crippled without it; and the further the Ring and its master were apart, the weaker the Lord of Mordor became.

Fallen Maïar—those acting independently of Eru’s scheme and the Valar’s guidance—gradually diminished in spirit. Just as they slowly became tied to their adopted form, their creative acts sapped their inner strength. This process was accelerated in areas outside Aman, where the Light of the Valar lent power to all around them. With the fall of Morgoth, the diminution of the corrupt Maïar was further hastened, since they could no longer draw on the awesome spirit of the Black Enemy.

Saruman’s tale illustrates this decline. As he deviated from his given mission, he enjoyed less help from above. Then, as he utterly aban¬doned the quest and decided to create his own host, his decline began. The more effort he expended, the weaker his spirit became.

The Maïar’s Use of Power

Maïar restraint was also exemplified in their selected use of power. Those who adhered to Eru’s vision deployed their magic selectively, in accordance with the Balance of Things. They abided by the scheme born out of the Song of the Ainur. Their role defined, these Maïar executed their goals carefully, always knowing that their great strength harbored the potential for vast abuse. Even a well-meaning enchant¬ment could produce uncontemplated and adverse effects.

Other Maïar, of course, did not care to restrain their obviously superior talents. The Fallen sought to dominate lesser beings and create their own visions. The misled or confused—such as the wayward Wizards—endeavored to achieve their own goals, often believing they were right. In either case, grim results followed, and the Balance of Things was upset.

Nowhere was the Balance as precarious as it was in Endor. Ever aware of the dangers of intervening in the affairs of Eru’s Children, the Valar were reluctant to send the Maïar into Middle-earth. Such missions were rare. They justified the embassy of the Istari in the Third Age on the grounds that their enemy, Sauron, was also a Maïa. As always, the Lords of Valinor ascribed to the rule that power should be used only to combat like power.

Gandalf maintained his commitment to the unwritten law gover¬ning a Maïa’s use of power in Endor. His displays of magical strength were tempered with restraint and never involved any enchantments beyond those minimally appropriate for the given situation. The other Wizards, particularly Saruman and Alatar, proved less reluctant to exercise their skills overtly.

GM NOTE: See 7.2 for more information regarding the use of magical power in Middle-earth. Generally, the rule of thumb for playing with Maïa characters in Endor is simple: a Maïa loyal to the Valar who sent him or condoned his visit will always employ the minimum of power necessary to complete his mission. Subtlety is at a premium. Of course, renegade Maïar like Sauron or the Balrogs rarely concerned themselves with the Balance of Things, and they did as they pleased. Their only concern was being discovered before they were assured absolute success.

Maïa Sub-Groups

Eru conceived of the Maïar as a varied lot, as diverse as the spirits found in any race. Their souls manifested themselves in many ways. Some were embodiments of aspects of the World they helped shape and tend, the spiritual essence of the elements which compose the foundation of Arda. Others were akin to less tangible aspects of Eru’s conception, such as manifestations of feelings or other features of character or mind. Many represented general themes found in nature

The General Powers of Maïa Characters

With the exception of the Valar, the Maïar are the greatest living powers in Ea. Their strength reflects their Ainu origin.

While each Maïa is unique, of course, certain common elements bind the Maïar. They are all naturally incorporeal spirits with enchanted qualities, beings with awesome in-dividual power. As shown in the tale of the Balrog of Moria, even a lesser Maïa is considerably stronger than an individual from the ranks of Middle-earth’s Free Peoples. Sauron, one of the greatest Maïar, nearly dominated the whole of Endor.

The following are guidelines which provide a breakdown of general powers or attributes common to all Maïar. We suggest that a GM use them when employing Maïa characters in an FRP game.

• Critical strikes · Unless otherwise noted, critical strikes against a Maïa are rolled on the Large Creature Critical Strike Tables. This applies to both physical attacks and spells. (Use MERP CT-10 and CT-11 or Arms Law 8.14 and Spell Law 10.85.)
• Death of form · When a Maïa is “killed,” only his form is slain. In such case, the Maïa’s soul immediately departs from Middle-earth and either (i) returns to Aman or, (ii) as in the case of Fallen Maïar (e.g., Balrogs), dissipates. Maïar returning to Aman may take a new form, but they will not return to Endor without specific leave of the Valar. If granted, this might take some time (say 1–1000 years); however, a Maïa with a specific mission (e.g., Gandalf) might return very quickly (say in 1–10 days). Fallen Maïar do not enjoy Eru’s support, and their death might signal the permanent depar¬ture of their presence from Middle-earth. Saruman suffered this fate. Sauron’s Ruling Ring tied him to Endor and enabl¬ed the Dark Lord to reassume form despite his status as a renegade Maïa (see 7.2).
• Vitality of form · The Maïar, despite being saddled with an adopted body, can utilize their form to its uppermost limits. For instance, even though the five Wizards shrouded themselves as old Men, their vigor and physical aptitude rivaled those of the stoutest and most youthful Warriors of the Mannish races. Maïar do not suffer from penalties associated with age, nor do they weary easily. They require no sleep per se, only a minimum amount of meditative rest (e.g., 4 hrs for Maïa in Mannish form, 2 hrs in Elvish form, 3 hrs in Dwarvish form, 5 hrs in Hobbitish form, etc.).
• Form and mind · With the adoption of form, a Maïa also takes on the thoughts and emotions associated with the body. The Wizards, for instance, suffered from the desires and fears of Men, for they guised themselves as Men. They also understood the concept of mortality and the emotions associated with aging, even though they themselves were im¬mortal. A Maïa taking Dwarvish form, then, might suffer from a more materialistic and more conservative outlook.
• Spell-casting · Unless otherwise stated, the ranges, ef¬fect radii, and effect diameters of spells cast by Maïar are doubled. A spell that normally has a “touch” range has a range of 5′ in the hands of a Maïa. These rules do not, however, apply to spells imbedded in an item and cast by a Maïa.
• Power Points · References to Maïa power points in Sec¬tion 5.2 do not include the effect of their spell enhancing items (e.g., PP multipliers). These include only inherent capabilities based on the Maïa’s relevant stats, which are calculated differently than those of Eru’s Children. Where the Maïa’s stat is 102 or more, the PPs per level equal 3 + (stat—101). For instance, a Maïa with a relevant stat of 107 would have 9 PPs/lvl, while an Elf or Man with a 107 stat would only have 6 PPs/lvl

The Elemental Maïar

The elemental Maïar incarnated fire, water, earth, light, and air. Arien and the Balrogs were the most famous of the Fire-spirits, while Ossë, Uinen, the River-woman, and Goldberry were the best known of the Water-spirits. Ilmarë embodied light and Iarwain Ben-adar—Tom Bombadil—was an Earth-spirit tied to the heart of Middle-earth.

Like all Maïar, each Elemental Maïa served a Vala of like spirit. Those of the air owed allegiance to Manwë, just as those of light looked to Varda as their patron and high mistress. Water-spirits paid homage to Ulmo, the Earth-spirits to Yavanna or Aulë, and the Fire spirits to Varda or Morgoth.

The Thematic Maïar

A less clear association holds true for most of the Maïar, since the elements are better defined and easier to distinguish than the more elusive natural themes. Maïar like Sauron and Saruman represented crafts and often focused on the development of inanimate objects. The incarnation of the servants of the Smith Aulë (who embodied the non-living earth) are intertwined in the relationship between material objects and the living. Those who serve Aulë’s wife Yavan¬na tend the Olvar: the flora, the living earth.

The other Maïar are associated with similarly general themes col¬ored by their fealty. Oromë’s vassals—particularly Tilion—ex¬emplify their master’s essence and concern themselves with the rela¬tionship between Eru’s Children and the other Kelvar (living things that move). Their concerns revolve around herding, hunting, and animal-taming, as well as forestry.

The servants of Oromë’s spouse, Vána the Ever-young, deal with the affairs of youth and renewal—the spring of life. The Maïar pledg¬ed to Mandos dwell on death and the twilight of life. Those Maïar who follow Oromë’s sister, Nessa the Dancer, are incarnations of wildness. Nessa’s husband, Tulkas, rules over a group of Maïar associated with the strength of body and spirit, and most notably the bonds between individuals, such as loyalty. Estë’s gentle people heal things, while the Maïar of Vairë (wife of Mandos) maintain the fabric of Fate. Pity, hope, and forgiveness, and the related emotions of despair and suffering are the province of Nienna’s Maïar.

Sub-groups of the Maïar societies lie within, or cross, the boun¬daries of these exalted groupings. Of these orders, the most renowned is that of the Heren Istarion, the Order of Wizards. Except for the enemies, members of this Maïa sub-society had the most direct in¬fluence on the events that shaped the later history of Middle-earth.