The works of J. R. R. Tolkien are often considered needlessly dense. Though casual fans won’t need all the glossaries and historical details to enjoy the main story, there’s a lot of depth to explore. For example, viewers and readers know Elves from a lifetime of other fantasy stories, but the lore tells the tale of the various Elven tribes and their great Sundering.
Many varieties of Elves exist in a fantasy universe likeDungeons & Dragons. They’re differentiated by what they’re capable of for gameplay purposes. Tolkien takes a different approach.The Elves inLord of the Ringssplit into various tribes and subcategories with unique traditions, languages, and histories.
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The Three Elf Tribes
Hundreds of years before the sun shone over Middle-earth, the Elves were awoken. The deity Eru Ilúvatar gave life to 144 Elves on the far eastern shore of Cuiviénen.The first Elves towake were Imin and his wife Iminyë, then came Tata and his wife Tatië, and the third pair was Enel and Enelyë. These six Elves wandered the forests of Cuiviénen and encountered more newly awakened beings. Each married couple of elder Elves claimed a group of followers as their people. Imin’s people became known as the Minyar, Tata’s were called the Tatyar, and Enel’s were named the Nelyar. Each group would grow to take on a new name, but these three tribes would become the main branches of Elvenkind.
The Minyar became known as the Vanyar or Fair Ones. They were the smallest tribe and widely considered the most beautiful of the Elves. The Tatyar became the Ñoldor or Deep Ones. The Ñoldor were sometimes referred to as Gnomes. They were the most knowledgeable of the Elves, skilled in crafts, and their dark hair helped them stand out. Finally, the Nelyar became the Teleri, or Those who come last. The Teleri were the largest of the three major tribes. They werecelebrated for their voices, the finest singers among the Elven race. The three tribes lived harmoniously, inventing song, language, and poetry. Unfortunately, the first Dark Lord, Morgoth, discovered the Elves. He planted evil spirits among the Elves and had his riders kidnap any who wandered too far. The Elves grew fearful and suspicious until a savior arose to offer them a new opportunity.
The Summoning and Sundering of the Eldar
TheValar are a race of fifteendeific beings that worked with Eru Ilúvatar to shape the world. Morgoth was the first and fiercest of the Valar. His ideas were alien to the will of Eru Ilúvatar, so the other Valar selected Manwë as their leader. Morgoth wanted to destroy and corrupt the Elves. He sewed seeds of distrust in the Elves, convincing them that the Valar were their enemies. The second Vala to find the Elves was named Oromë. The Elves initially doubted Oromë, but his might and skill as a hunter convinced them of his good intentions. Oromë offered the Elves the chance to live in peace and security among the Valar.
All the Vanyar, half of the Ñoldor, and most of the Teleri followed Oromë on a quest that would come to be called the Great Journey.This divide in Elven culturecame to be known as the Sundering of the Elves. Oromë gave those who followed him the name Eldar, meaning Star People. As the Eldar traveled to Valinor, one group left the party and settled in the Misty Mountains. They became the Nandor and eventually sired the Silvan or Wood-Elves. A group known as the Sindar or Grey Elves also abandoned the quest near its end and remained in Middle-earth. The remaining Eldar who reached Valinor and saw the light of its Two Trees were called Calaquendi. All those who didn’t wereconsidered Elves of Darknessor Moriquendi.
Who are the Avari?
When Oromë came to the Elves, some refused to follow him to Valinor. They earned the name Avari, which means “the Unwilling.” Some Avari didn’t trust the Valar, while others wanted to keep their land in Middle-earth. For whatever reason, the Avari ignored the call of the Valar and spread throughout Middle-earth. They lived in the forests as wild folk. Some Avari merged with the Sindar or the Nandor. The Eldar believedthat the first orcs were createdby Morgoth’s brutal capture and torture of Avari Elves, though that was never clarified in the books.
It is said that by the end of the Fourth Age, almost all Elves had departed Middle-earth for Valinor. Only the Avari remained. The Sundering of the Elves is responsible for the wide variety of cultures that make up the race, even as manyElves returned to Middle-earth. It’s a fascinating story of mass migration that changed the face of the entire world. The actions of the powerful can reshape the lives of millions, but the Avari demonstrate the freedom to stick around.
