[Findegil]

I am not so sure that this chapter is really easy. We have to solve the cosmological riddles that Tolkien left us, to get it done. So let us see what we can do.

For me gondowe’s addition of “now” does not help. In all version of the Legendarium the Ainur after they entered into Eä were bound to stay within until the end. Thus Eärambar must be unpassable (probably until the Valar build the Door of Night). Which means that the flight of Melkor after Tulkas came to the help of the Valar can only be out of Arda not out of Eä. Since we are dealing with a flat earth version, we have to carefull with what we use from MT, But the following sentences makes much sens:

But as is elsewhere written Melkor was at that time defeated with the aid of Tulkas (who was not among those who began the building of Eä) and driven out again into the Void that lay about Arda.

But if we follow the diagrams to the stroke, where is than the space for Melkors abiding after his flight?

The Stars, therefore, in general will be other and remoter parts of the Great Tale of Eä, which do not concern the Valar of Arda. Though, even if not explicitly, it will be an underlying assumption that the Kingdom of Arda is of central importance, selected amid all the immeasurable vast of Eä as the scene for the main drama of the conflict of Melkor with Ilúvatar, and the Children of Eru. Melkor is the supreme spirit of Pride and Revolt, not just the chief Vala of the Earth, who has turned to evil.
Varda, therefore, as one of the great Valar of Arda, cannot be said to have 'kindled' the stars, as an original subcreative act – not at least the stars in general. … It was after the First Battle[ in which Tulkas drove Melkor out of Arda] that Varda set certain stars as ominous signs for the dwellers in Arda to see.

Even Tolkien wrote this when he was re-creating his legendarium as round earth version, we might take this by necessity. How would we imaginge the catalysem at the Fall of Númenor, that clearly should lead to the real well know cosmos, if before that Eä would be exactly as drawn in diagram I and II?
So what? Either:
A) What ‘Ambarcanta’ and the diagrams describe is only Arda, or
B) Ilmen and Vaiya must be much greater then described, or
C) both.
Any how some points must be changed:
- The Ice north and south can for sure not reach out to the Wall of night.
- Vista cannot be a barrier for the Ainur. Since other wise how could Melkor leave the area described?
- The chasm of Ilmen is difficult any how, as we have the later Quenta telling us on the one hand that at the west side of Valinor is a silent shore and that the chasm is beyond Ekkaia. On the other hand we have in the Ambrakanta:

The Land of Valinor slopes downward from the feet of the Mountains, and its western shore is at the level of the bottoms of the inner seas.

I have for the moment no conclusion for this issue.
- I agree with gondowe that the lakes can be brought into being by the fall of the pillars of the Lamps even so they were in our version most probably not made of ice.

Respectfully
Findegil