Ulmo

Ulmo (Quenya Tengwar: ; IPA: ; means 'Pourer or rainer' and came from the Valarin Ulubôz, Ullubôz) is an Ainu, second greatest of the Lords of the Valar and one of the Aratar. A lover of water, Ulmo was one of the chief architects of Arda, always in close friendship with Manwë. Ulmo had always distrusted Melkor (Morgoth), and the Dark Lord feared the Sea almost as much as he feared Varda because the sea cannot be tamed. Ulmo had no dwelling in Valinor, or any permanent dwelling on land as he preferred the deeps of the seas and the rivers. His palace, on the bottom of Vaiya, was called Ulmonan.

He seldom came to the Councils of Máhanaxar, and only when in great need. He preferred to stay in Arda, not by walking on the land, as his form would fill man or elf with great dread. All waters were under his government; bays, rivers and even the waters under the earth. It is through these that he kept in touch with Arda, and thus knew more of the goings on with the Children of Ilúvatar than even Manwë, for it was said he lived in the very veins of the world.

He was said to be fearful to look upon to mortal eye, dressed like a giant wave in glittering green armour, blowing his great horns, the Ulumúri.

History


Ulmo had always loved the Eldar and the Edain, even when the Valar forsook Middle-earth. He opposed Oromë's plan to bring the elves to Aman, but helped those that were willing to reach it. He uprooted a large island which was later known as Tol Eressëa and used it to ferry them across the Belegaer to the Blessed Realm. Afterwards, he anchored it in the Bay of Eldamar, which he did because he knew the minds of the Teleri.

Ulmo was the Vala most responsible for the fall of Morgoth, by urging Turgon to build Gondolin and Finrod to build Nargothrond (FA 50). He appeared before Tuor and urged him to go to Gondolin as a messenger to Turgon. When he got there, he eventually married Turgon's daughter Idril and fathered Eärendil. Ulmo saved Eärendil's wife Elwing from the sack of the Havens of Sirion, allowing her to take a Silmaril to her husband, which allowed him to gain admittance to Valinor and plead for aid. Ulmo also defended them in the council from the potential wrath of Mandos.



Ulmo's vassal Ossë, Ossë's wife Uinen, and Melian (to the elves) and Salmar were the best known of the Maiar. Through them Ulmo would learn much of the Elves.

External link

 * Ulmo at Tolkien Gateway