The Istari

[jdraper]

I would like some information please, about the origin of the Istari, the five wizards, for a start, who are the other three? And why were they brought to middle-earth, and by whom?

[Mithadan]

Welcome to the Barrow Downs Nefadel! I have to assume you have not read either the Silmarillion or Unfinished Tales. The Istari were Maiar who dwelt in Valinor together with the Valar. The five Istari were Saruman the White, Gandalf the Grey, Radagast the Brown and the two Blue Wizards, Alatar and Pallando. They were selected by the Valar to oppose Sauron and were sent to Middle Earth during the Third Age. They were not allowed to use force but rather were to seek ways to marshall and inspire the free races in their opposition to Sauron. Unfinished Tales discusses their selection by the Valar.

[jdraper]

Thankyou mithadan, I've only just started silmarillion, so you can tell I'm an amateur.
SEE YEZ!

[Ereinion]

Unfortunately, we never learn of Allator and Pallando after this, as they are sent into the far east. And have fun with the Silmarillion, it's one of my favorite books.

[Elrian]

Actually the more detailed account of the Istari is in Unfinished Tales, in the chapter istari. You might want to read that after the Sil. smilies/wink.gif

[Tarlondeion Of Gondolin]

which unfinished tales or is there only 1 I can never remember

[Elrian]

There's only 1 Unfinished Tales. I think maybe you were thinking of Lost Tales 1 and 2.

[BSSTRIDER]

MITHARAN, WHERE DID YOU FIND THE NAMES OF THE TO OTHER ISATRIA, I HAVE LOOKED EVRYWHERE AND EVERY WHERE I GO PEOPLE DONT NO THERE NAMES.

[Elrian]

They're in the glossary of Unfinished Tales, at the back of the book. smilies/wink.gif

[obloquy]

The two Blue Wizards were also named Morinehtar and Romestamo. This is found in HoMe XII Last Writings. This note continues:
{the names meant} Darkness-slayer and East-helper. Their task was to circumvent Sauron: to bring help to the few tribes of Men that had rebelled from Melkor-worship, to stir up rebellion ... and after his first fall to search out his hiding (in which they failed) and to cause [? dissension and disarray] among the dark East ... They must have had very great influence on the history of the Second Age and Third Age in weakening and disarraying the forces of East ... who would both in the Second Age and Third Age otherwise have ... outnumbered the West.
Curly brackets are mine.
Hope this helps. smilies/smile.gif

[Palan]

I am curious by the quote. How did the blue wizards have an effect on the SA, as the Istari did not appear until ~1000 TA? The Valar did not send in these Maiar unitl reappearance of the shadow and in the midst of the downfall of the North Kingdom of the Dunedain.

[busybee]

Apparently the 2 Blue Wizards went to the East with Saruman but didn't come back....I think they formed cults of their own

[Manwe Sulimo]

Tolkien actually says that (I don't have the actual quote...) "I fear that they were corrupted {defected?} by Sauron and their missions failed."

Or something like that.

[Legolas]

Here it is, Manwe. Found in footnote 3 for the Istari chapter of Unfinished Tales.

I think they went as emissaries to distant regions, East and South, far out of Numenorean range: missionaries to enemy-occupied lands, as it were. What success they had I do not know; but I fear that they failed, as Saruman did, though doubtless in different ways; and I suspect they were founders or beginners of secret cults and 'magic' traditions that outlasted the fall of Sauron.