Middle-Earth Tours

The Prequels Tour

The Maiar
With the Valar came other spirits whose being also began before the World, of the same order as the Valar but of less degree. These are the Maiar, the people of the Valar, and their servants and helpers. --The Silmarillion, "Valaquenta"
Ungoliant and Melkor,
by John Howe

Thû [Sauron], as Wolf More Great,
by Roger Garland		 Maiar can assume many different shapes and sizes, and some are powerful enought to threaten even a Vala. Ungoliant did.


Gandalf, One of the Istari,
by John Howe
But in the north Melkor built his strength, and he slept not, but watched, and labored....And in Utumno he gathered his demons about him, those spirits who first adhered to him in the days of his splendour, and became most like him in his corruption: their hearts were of fire, but they were cloaked in darkness, and terror went before them; they had whips of flame. Balrogs they were named in Middle-Earth in later days. --The Silmarillion, "Of the Coming of the Elves"

Fingon and Gothmog,
by Ted Nasmith
Glorfindel and the Balrog,
by John Howe
detail from "Gandalf Falls with the
Balrog," by John Howe
The best known (and most powerful) of the evil Maiar was, of course, Sauron.

Guards were set at the haven of Moriondë in the east of the land, where the rocks are dark, watching at the king's command without ceasing for the ships' return. It was night, but there was a bright moon. They descried ships far off, and they seemed to be sailing west at a speed greater than the storm, though there was little wind. Suddenly the sea became unquiet; it rose until it became like a mountain, and it rolled upon the land. The ships were lifted up, and cast far inland, and lay in the fields. Upon that ship which was cast highest and stood dry upon a hill there was a man, or one in man's shape, but greater than any even of the race of Númenor in stature.
    He stood upon the rock and said: "This is done as a sign of power. For I am Sauron the mighty, servant of the Strong" (wherein he spoke darkly). "I have come. Be glad, men of Númenor, for I will take thy king to be my king, and the world shall be given into his hand." --The Lost Road, "The Lost Road"


The Havens of Moriondë,
by Roger Garland

Turin Begs Leave of Thingol and
Melian, by Anke-Katrin Eiszmann		 Unlike the Valar, Maiar do not dwell exclusively in Valinor. Melian lived for ages in Doriath, Saruman in Isengard, and Sauron in Mordor. The one constant in their dwelling places seems to be the connection between their personalities and the homes they choose.

Isengard, by Rob Alexander
Barad-Dûr, by Roger Garland

Melian, by Daniel Govar		 Melian was a maia, of the race of the Valar. She dwelt in the gardens of Olofantur, and among all his fair folk there was none more beautiful than she, nor more wise, nor more skilled in songs of enchantment. It is told that the gods would leave their business, and the birds of Valinor their mirth, that the bells of Valmar were slient and the fountains ceased to flow, when at the mingling of the lights Melian sang in Lorien. Nightingales went always with her, and she taught them their song. --Morgoth's Ring, "The Later Quenta Silmarillion"

And Elwë followed the birds deep into Nan Elmoth, and there he saw Melian standing in a glade open to heaven, and a starlit mist was around her. Thus began the love of Elwë Greymantle and Melian the fair; and he took her hand, and it is said that they stood while the stars measured out the courses of many Years, and the trees of Nan Elmoth grew tall and dark about them. --Morgoth's Ring, "The Annals of Aman"

Here's a rather obscure version of the Arien story which I just love.
Then said Manwë, looking upon the glory of that ship as it strained to be away: "Who shall steer us this boat and guide its course above the realms of Earth, for even the holy bodies of the Valar, meseems, may not long endure to bathe in this great light."
    But a great thought came into the heart of Urwendi [Arien], and she said that she was not adread, and begged leave to become the mistress of the Sun and to make herself ready for that office as Ilúvatar set in her heart to do. Then did she bid a many of her maidens follow her, even of those who had aforetime watered the roots of Laurelin with light, and casting aside their raiment they went down into that pool Faskalan as bathers into the sea, and its golden foams went over their bodies, and the Gods saw them not and were afraid. But after a while they came again to the brazen shores and were not as before, for their bodies were grown lucent and shone as with an ardour within, and light flashed from their limbs as they moved, nor might any raiment endure to cover their glorious bodies anymore. Like air were they, and they trod as lightly as does sunlight on the earth, and saying no word they climbed upon the ship, and that vessel heaved against its great cords and all the folk of Valinor might scarce restrain it. --The Book of Lost Tales I, "The Tale of the Sun and the Moon"
Arien, by Dan Govar
Many theories exist concerning the nature of Tom Bombadil and Goldberry. The most logical, to my mind, is that they were Maiar who "went native" like Melian.


Tom Bombadil and Goldberry,
by Ted Nasmith
Tom Bombadil, by Daniel Govar
Baccador (Goldberry), by
Maura Boldi
Full-size versions of these pictures are on display at Rolozo Tolkien and There and Back Again.