The Races Of Middle Earth Groups of intelligent beings capable of speech, including humans, animals, and gods. For animals not capable of speech, such a horses, see LOTR Animals

The Good - The Bad & The Godly

THE GOOD

Dwarves

Dwarves are the creation of Aüle, the smith of the Ainur, made in his own image, and in anticipation of the creation of Elves and Men by Ilúvatar. Rather than force Aüle to destroy the dwarves after they were created, Ilúvatar instructed Aüle that the Seven Fathers of Dwarves should sleep until the arrival of Elves and Men. When awakened at last, Durin I became their king, and they dwelt in Moria beneath the Misty Mountains. There they made vast halls and tunnels filled with great wealth. But their mining awakened Durin's Bane who killed Durin I and forced the Dwarves to abandon Moria. They fled northward to the Lonely Mountain (Erebor) and to the Gray Mountains. But, the mines in Gray Mountains were then attacked by Dragons, and the Dwarves moved eastward into the Iron Hills or west to Erebor. Then, Erebor too was attacked by the dragon Smaug and was lost. Fleeing Erebor, Thrór, the last King of Erebor, traveled back to Moria, where Azog, lord of the orcs killed him and mutilated his head. This atrocity began the War of the Dwarves and Orcs (III 2793-2799). At a tremendous cost in lives, the Dwarves destroyed all of the orc strongholds of the Misty Mountains, and Dáin Ironfoot cut the head from Azog. The remaining Dwarves withdrew, and Thorin Oakenshield and his kin, their wealth was gone, fled to the Blue Mountains. There they worked for Men as blacksmiths and in coal miners. Returning from one such task Thorin chanced to meet Gandalf at the Prancing Pony in Bree. Gandalf saw Smaug to be a great threat in the coming war with Sauron, and proposed a stealthy attack on Smaug's lair relying on the "thieving skills" of (Bilbo) to gain entrance to the dragon's lair using a key given to Gandalf by Thráin, Thrór elder son. "The Hobbit" tells of Dwarves reclaiming of Erebor, and the death of Smaug. Erebor, and the Human Kingdom of Dale then became mighty forces that were able to resist the army of Easterlings and Orcs that Sauron sent against Gondor from the North. Without the "adventure" of the Dwarves and Bilbo, the outcome of the War of the Ring might have been different.

The Dwarves are shorter, heavier, and more somber than Elves or Men. By Aüle's design they are indomitable by Melkor or Sauron. They are free from disease and they live for centuries. It is possible that they are reincarnated in subsequent generations, but their women (who appear no different from the males) are born only half as often as the males. And, they bear few Dwarflings. Dwarves are known for their love of gold, their stubbornness, their skill in mining and metal-working, and their unequaled artistry in stone. They are fierce, grim, and tireless in battle; for which they typically are armed with an axe.

The children of a lesser God, they are a race apart from the other three, with their own secretive language. There are no Dwarf-Elves or Dwarf-Human beings in Middle Earth. At the time of the War of the Rings, there is only one large settlement of Dwarves remaining of the original Seven. Those are the Dwarves of Erebor, ruled by Dáin Ironfoot. After he is killed by by Orcs at the Battle of The Dale, he is succeeded by Thorin Stonehelm. Dwarves persist elsewhere in Middle Earth, in the Iron Hills and in the Blue Mountains, but they are not numerous.

Elves

The Eldar, The "firstborn" children of Ilúvatar. Eru made the Elves more like the Ainur in spirit and understanding, but lesser in body and ambition than Men. The power of the greatest elves rivaled that of the Maiar, but they had a physical body that could be destroyed. Elves are taller, lighter, and more graceful than men. And they have tremendous long-distance vision and the Elf Lords can read the thought of men. They are melancholy, but they laugh more often than Men. They need little sleep, they are never sick, and they live forever, except for injury.

After the Elves first awakened, the Maiar brought to Valinor three representatives of the elves who later became Kings: Ingwë Finwë, and Elwë.
  • Dark Elves (the Unwilling, Avari): The Elves who refused the invitation of the Maia, and never lived in Valinor.
  • High Elves: The followers of Ingwë who went to Valinor first, and never returned to Middle Earth.
  • Noldor: The followers of Finwë who lived in Valinor while the light of the Two Trees shone, but later rebelled over the Simarills and return to Middle Earth. At the time of the War of the Ring, they have been decimated by wars among themselves and with Sauron and are no longer numerous.
  • Teleri: They came last the Valinor, they loved the sea and never forgot it. Their lords were Elwë and Olwë. After returning to Middle Earth, the Teleri separated and some became the Grey-Elves, who remained true to Elwë (who wedded a Maiar), and a small portion of those become the secretive Green Elves. Other descendents of the Teleri include the Woodland Elves, such as the inhabitants of Greenwood (later Mirkwood) and Lórien. The Sea-Elves followed Olwë, some crossed the sea and returned to Valinor, but others remained in Middle Earth. Círdan was their king.

At the time of the War of the Ring four main populations of Elves remain in Middle Earth
  • Mirkwood: Woodland Elves under the rule of Thranduil, father of Legolas. During the War of the Ring, Thranduil was attacked, but he overcame his enemies. Thereafter, Mirkwood became The Wood of Greenleaves Eryn Lasgalen.
  • Rivendale: Forest Elves and Noldor living with Elrond the Half-Elven
  • Lothlórien: The Galadrim (Woodland Elves) ruled by Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel (Noldor) after the death of their Lord Amroth. During the War of the Ring, Galadriel's many gifts aided the Fellowship of the Ring, and in III 3019, March 28, Celeborn and Galadriel crossed the Anduin and destroyed Dol Guldur. Mirkwood was freed of evil, and renamed The Wood of Greenleaves Eryn Lasgalen. Thereafter, Thranduil ruled the northern Wood, for a time Celeborn ruled the southern Wood, and the Beornings and Woodmen held the central Wood.
  • The Gray Havens and Lindon: Sea-Elves and Noldor under Lord Círdan, after the Death of Gil-galed.

    The Noldor Realm of Eregion (Hollin) had fallen to Sauron, II 1697.

Ents

Onodrim. Shepherds of the Trees. Tree-like beings 15 feet tall, with thick skins and very deep eyes - very slow to act, but very, very strong. Ilúvatar created the Ents before the the coming of the Elves and Men to Middle Earth to protect the woods from Melkor and his minions. At the time of the War of the Ring, Ents have lost their Entwives, and are in steady decline. However there is a gradation from Ents to normal trees through 'Hurons,' with Ents sometimes slowing to become Hurons, and vice versa. During the Battle of Helm's Gate, the Hurons are moved by their hatred of Orcs to travel to the battlefield, there to utterly eliminate the Orc army of Isengard.
See "Treebeard and the Ents" by Timothy Ide at Rolozo Tolkein

Half-Elves

Half-Elves are the descendants of Beren (human) and Lúthien (Elf), who are intermediate between Elves and Humans in most physical ways. Lúthien (Tinúviel) was the daughter of the Elf Lord Thingol and the Maia Melian. She was the most beautiful mortal ever to have existed. Sauron captured Beren but he was rescued by Lúthien and the Maia hound Huan who defeated Sauron, who fled as a werewolf. Then they went to Morgoth, and the song of Lúthien put Morgoth to sleep, and they stole a Simarill from his crown. But the wolf Carcharoth bit off the hand of Beren and the Simarill it held. Later Carcharoth was killed and the Simarill was retrieved, and the Simarill came into the hands of the Dwarves. Finally it was given to Elwing (grandaughter of Beren and Lúthien) and her husband Eärendil, who carried it to Valar. There he beseeched the Valar to save Middle Earth from Morgoth. Manwë consented, but consigned Eärendil to ever after carry the Simarill across the heavens as the evening star. Manwë also decreed that all descendents of Beren and Lúthien could choose (only once) whether they and their descendents should be immortal like Elrond or be mortal as are the Númenorians. At the time of the War of the Ring, Elrond is the wisest immortal half-elf, and Aragorn, his student, is the most powerful Númenorian.

Hobbits

Periannath. The fourth race of beings, appearing long after the Dwarves, Elves, and Men. Of the three strains - Harfoots, Fallohides, and Stoors - the Stoors appear to be most ancient, and were the last to move west of the Misty Mountains to Eriador. The Hobbits all are small, with large hairy feet, and loving comfort of all kinds.
Perhaps Eru tired of the unrelenting tragedies of the elder races, and created the Hobbits for comic relief. But, it cannot be assumed that Hobbits were the creation of Ilúvatar, because the Valar were also capable of creation. For example, the dwarves were the creation of the Aüle. Perhaps Aüle created a second race, or maybe another Vala -- Manwë, or his Queen Varda (Elbereth) -- created the Hobbits to counter the evil of Sauron, just as they sent the Istari to Middle Earth to thwart his evil. This would explain the Hobbits' incorruptible nature (in comparison with Men!), which was reminiscent of the indomitable will of the Dwarves, whom Aüle bestowed with the ability to resist The Enemy. Creation by the Valar also might explain the historic association between Harfoots and Dwarves, and their habit of living in tunnels and holes. (I am aware that this is somewhat heretical, since Tolkein stated that Hobbits were a type of Men, but then he also had more that one view on other matters, such as the histories of Glorfindel, Galadriel, and Celeborn.)

At the time of the War of the Rings, the Hobbits are found only in Eriador, principally in The Shire and some in Bree.
  • Fallohides: tall and slim, with light hair and skin. They may have interbred with men before migrating west of the Misty Mountains. They are found most often in woodlands. The founders of the shire, Marcho and Blanco, were Fallowhides as are the Tooks (primarily).
  • Harfoots: beardless, darker, smaller, shorter, and more nimble than the other Hobbits. Historically, they had more interactions with Dwarves than did the other Hobbits. They prefer hillsides. Bilbo and Samwise were Harfoots, and Frodo was Harfoot & Fallohide.
  • Stoors: rather broad, with very large hands and feet. Unlike the other two strains, Stoor males have beards. They are by far the most common of the Hobbits. They inhabit the flatlands and riversides and are the renown farmers of The Shire. Déagol and Sméagol (Gollum) were Stoors.

Men

The younger children of Ilúvatar, to whom Eru gave disease and the Gift of Death, by which they leave the world after old age and go beyond it. Men first appear in the far east 1000 years after the Elves, when the Noldor return from Valinor. The first men wandered westward for 300 years from the East, to where the Noldor dwelt. These were the Edain, and their leader was Bëor. From them were descended the Dúnedain.
Although they all share the same "gift," men vary in allegiance and appearance, being far more diverse than Elves or Dwarves. In the Third Age, the groups consist of
  • Beornings the descendants of Beorn who occupied the valley of the Anduin near Carrock at the western edge of central Mirkwood.
  • Drúedain: Drughu, Woses, Púkel-men. an secretive group of Men living in the Drúedain forest of Gondor. They are very rare by the Third Age. Short (four feet), very broad beings with heavy faces, flat noses and dark skin; wearing only grass skirts. Formerly builders of some ability, at least of roads and statues, they no longer use tools or live in cities, but they are very skilled in woodcraft. They fought against Melkor in the First Age, but are no longer recognized as human by the other inhabitants of the regions, the Rohirrim and the Dunlendings.
  • Dunlendings: barbarian enemies of the Rohirrim and Gondor, living west of the Misty Mountains, west of Rohan. They ally with Saruman in the War of the Ring.
  • Easterlings: followers of Sauron who lived in Rhûn. They did not travel west with Bëor, and were never friends of the Elves. They are shorter, stouter, and darker than the Numenorians; and they are bearded.
  • Haradrim: followers of Sauron from Haradwaith, South of the Bay of Belfalas. They are dark skinned, black-eyed men with long black hair. They typically wear crimson paint in battle and fight with scimitars.
  • Lossoth: barbarian enemies of Sauron of the northern coast of Middle Earth.
  • Northmen: allies of Gondor, from Rhovanion, north of Mirkwood in the headwaters of the Anduin. Bard, who slew Smaug the dragon, was a Northman. He then became King of the Dale, and was succeeded by his son Brand, who defeated Sauron's northern army at the Battle of Dale. There he fell and was succeeded by his son Bard II, who swore fealty to Gondor.
  • Númenóreans: (Dúnedain) the Half-Elven "Kings of Men," unhomed by the destruction of Atlantis (Westernesse, Anadûnê Atlantis), which was made for them by the Valar in reward for their oposition of Melkor, and which was destroyed because of their prideful attack on the Valar. Few survived the drowning of Westernesse other than Elendil and his sons Isildur and Anárion, and their followers. In Middle Earth, they founded two great kingdoms Arnor and Gondor, but they slowly fell into decline through intermarriage with lesser Men.
  • Rohirrim: horsemen of the Rohan region north of Gondor. Rohan was a part of Gondor before its decline, after the death of Eärnur, the last Númenórian King. The Rohirrim became allies of the Stewards of Gondor, of the Númenórian house of Mardil.
  • Variags: allies and vassals of Sauron, living southeast of Mordor and paying massive tribute that supported Sauron's armies.
THE BAD

Evil: that which results from the taking by one, to the harm of the others. That which divides beings one from the other. That which opposes the creative force of nature.

Orcs

(Goblins) The most numerous spawn of Morgoth. Melkor was not able to "create" because that is not an act of evil, but he was able to corrupt that which was already made by Eru, and he corrupted Elves to make the Orcs. Orcs are the size of dwarves, hairless, with prominent fangs and sparse coarse hair, like pigs. They have long arms and are by nature cruel and base.
Most Orcs live underground and cannot stand the light, coming forth only at night to raid and plunder. Their diet is mostly meat - that of animals and the other human races. At the time of the War of the Ring, a larger breed, unafraid by the sun, was formed by Saruman (the Uruk-hai). He had also made hybrids between Orcs and Dunlendings (humans).
  • Orcs of the Misty Mountains and Moria (Azog's folk, Goblins)
  • Orcs of Morgoth (Barad-Dûr) Snaga
  • Orcs of Isengard, Saruman's Uruk-Hai (Hobgoblins)

Ringwraiths

Úlari, Nazgûl Sauron's evil counterparts to the wizards, turned to his will by the power of the One Ring over the Nine Rings given to men. The nine great rings of men were made by the Elves, but Sauron forged the One Ring to rule them all. The nine rings worn by Men gave them great wealth and power, and the rings preserved their lives until their bodies fell away and they became shadows that existed in the real world only through Sauron's devices. In life they had been Dark Númenórians or other sorcerers and kings. Under the power of the Ring, they became fell spirits whose visages were fear and their voices death. The first and greatest of these was Murazor (Tindomul) born II 1820 the son of Tar-Ciryatan, King of Númenór. Murazor served his master as the Witch King of Angmar, who defeated the Dúnadain kingdom of Arnor in III 1974. The second was Khamûl, the Easterling. He is the Názgul who searched the Shire for Frodo, and nearly captured him at Bucklebury Ferry. Khamûl held Dol Guldur for Sauron, during the War of the Ring. Third was Morendil, born II 1910 in Lond Daer. In life, he knew Murazor and was his superior, but Murazor was favored by Sauron for he turned first to his service. The rest are named Dwar, Indûr, Akhôrahil, Hoarmurath, Ren, and Uvatha. Alternate names include Herumor and Adunaphel. Only Khamûl is named by Tolkein, the others are the inventions of ICE (Iron Crown Enterprises) see http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mr_lucifer/members.html, except Morendil of Lond Daer.

Trolls

Ent-sized monsters made by Melkor in mockery of Ents in the First Age. They are very strong, and as hard as rock. Exposure to sunlight causes them to turn to stone, but the darkness made by Sauron during the War of the Ring allows the trolls to attack the army of Gondor during daylight.
THE GODLY

Ainur

The "Angels" of Tolkien's pantheon - the Valar (archangels or gods) and Maiar (angels) made by Ilúvatar. Although they lived in Middle Earth in The Time Before Days the Sun, the came there seldom thereafter, only to spy on the evil of The Enemy but also occasionally marrying the Elves. Except once. In the War of Wrath all of Valinor attacked the might of Melkor in Middle Earth, and the host of Morgoth was destroyed. But he released on them his dragons, and they were driven back. Eärendil then attacked with the eagles, and the dragons were thrown down, and Melkor's feet were cut off and he was put in chains. And the Valar thrust him through the Door of Night, beyond the Walls of the World, into the Timeless Void; and Eärendil keeps watch on the Door forever. Thereafter the Valar dwelt only in Valinor, a land unseeable to the utter west of Middle Earth.

Balrogs

Evil Maiar that were seduced by Melkor in The Time Before Days. Their physical form is four or five times the height of men, possibly with large black wings on their backs. At the time of the War of the Ring, they are the chief forces of evil, rivaling Sauron, and far more powerful than the Ringwraiths. The served Morgoth before his distruction, and a few fled to hidden places after the War of Wrath, lest they be discovered by the Valar.

Istari

The Istari (wizards) are Maia who were sent from Valinor (III 1000) to counter Sauron and the nine Ringwraiths. Five were sent; and Gandalf, Saruman, and Rhadgast remained in the West; but Alatar and Pallando (the blue wizards) traveled to the east (Rhûn) and never returned. The Istari took on a mortal form in Middle-Earth similar to Elves. And, although that form could be destroyed (as was done with the Sauron and Gandalf), the essence could reform and again take on the mortal appearance. Each has a color - white being the greatest.
  • Alatar: blue, disappeared into the East
  • Gandalf: grey, champion of Eriador and the West
  • Pallando: blue, disappeared into the East
  • Radagast: brown, home in Rhosgobel (Headwaters of Gladden Ri.)
  • Saruman: white, Cirunír, the Man of Skill, home in Orthanc

Maiar

The lesser Ainur and (except for Sauron who served Melkor) servants or followers of the Valar. Immortal and unaging but less powerful than the Valar, and not central to the creation of Arda. Entering Middle Earth and active in its affairs only at the bidding of the Valar.

Valar

The Valar are the "Gods" of Middle-Earth. They live in Valinor and they formed Middle-Earth in harmony with the design of Ilúvatar. They are the most powerful beings created by him. In ages before the Sun they take an active role in the affairs of Middle Earth, more than once destroying portions in battle with Melkor - the evil Vala. But, during the Ages of the Sun they withdrawn, and only indirectly combated the influence of Sauron by sending the Istari, and in other subtle ways. They are named Manwë, Ulmo, Aulë, Ormë, Mandos, Lórien and Tulkus; and Varda, Yavanna, Nienna, Estë, Vairë, Vána, and Nessa.
Chief among them are
  • Aulë the smith, God of crafts and materials, creator of the Dwarves.
  • Ilúvatar Eru. the creator of Eä, all that is, and within it Arda wherein live the Valar and all creatures.
  • Manwë first among the Valar, closest in thought and might to Eru, God of the air and wind and breath. Husband of Varda.
  • Melkor Morgoth. master of evil and greatest of the Valar, save Manwë. His theme is counter that of Ilúvatar. That which Eru creates, Melkor corrupts and destroys. That which Eru gives, Melkor takes away. Creator (corruptor) of the Orcs, Dragons, Trolls and other evil creatures. Many Mair are seduced to the service of Melkor, the greatest of these is Sauron. At the end of the First Age, he is cast out from Arda forever.
  • Tulkus last of the Valar made by Eru. God of War. Master of all in battle.
  • Ulmo God of waters, who does not dwell in Valar and seldom cloths himself in body.
  • Varda (Elbereth) Goddess of light and thought. Beauty incarnate. Wife of Manwë.
ANIMALS / CHARACTERS / EVENTS / PLACES / THINGS
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