The Beginnings

In the beginning, there was Eru, the One, in Elvish tongue is named Illúvatar, He that is Alone; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, before anything else is made. To each of them were given thoughts and themes of music, and they sang and before Him. Through the Music of the Ainur, Eru revealed to each of them inner thoughts and visions, that each may understood his purpose and intent, and the themes are woven together in unison and harmony.

Among the Ainur, Melkor is bestowed the greatest gifts of power and knowledge, and he often seek the places of the void alone, which it seem to him that Illúvatar took no thought of it. In time, he grew impatient of the void and his desire grew more into bringing Being things of his own, and he begin to conceive his own thoughts. These thoughts have woven into the Music, and brought discord onto the theme of his brethren, and the Music broke down into a cacophony of sounds, one that is deep and beautiful, and the other that is loud and vain. Twice Illúvatar proclaimed a new theme, but twice Melkor contended to it, until the third time, Illúvatar rose, high and terrible, and the Music ceased.

To this chaos Melkor brought, Illúvatar rebuke him, and the Ainur were afraid. Those things that Melkor seek from the void and sung, Illúvatar proclaimed to show them forth, but warned that no music may be played that is not from Him. Thence Melkor was filled with shame, and sowed anger in his heart. Then Illúvatar brought them into Eä (the World) and behold them the vision of their Music, giving them sight which before it was only hearing, set in His design the things that were sung before. But not all things were revealed unto the Ainur, for Illúvatar has kept hidden the things that were to come forth an in age, the coming of the Children of Illúvatar, the Elves and Men.

In the beginning, the World was empty, stretched out miles immeasurable, and Illúvatar had chose a place for Ainur, in Arda (Realm of Earth), set apart from the place that He had prepared for the Elves and Men. In the mind of Illúvatar, the forming of lands, stones and mountains were set in perfect precision and order. Seas were formed symmetrical. Thus begun the long labour of the Ainur of the building and shaping of Arda in accordance to the visions wrought into the theme of Music until a time; wherein Illúvatar will set a place for the Firstborn, the Elves.

Melkor the mightiest of the Ainur saw these visions too and his mind was ever bent towards that place. And thus he feigned to aid the Ainur in the building and ordering for the good of all things; but deep in his heart, he desired rather to subdue the Elves and Men into his will, to control them and to make him their formidable Ruler and Master, and to them his servants.