Emissaries to the East Cory Rushton
Wilt thou learn the lore that was long secret of the Five that came from a far country? Only one returned. Others never again...
(UT 395) 395) This essay attempts to reconcile various writings found throughout the Tolkien corpus on the subject of the Blue Wizards, the Istari Alatar and Pallando. In the Silmarillion they Silmarillion they appear to arrive with their more more famous counterparts: Saruman, Gandalf and Radagast. Yet in later writings writings mad e him we are told they came with Glorfindel in the mid-Second Age, when Sauron’s Ring had made extremely dangerous. Complicating matters is the ICE canon, wherein both traditions seem to be active: the Wizards arrive together at the dawn of the second millenium TA, yet Alatar assists Ringlin Sindacollo defeat his evil father near the end of the the Second Age. I hope this essay will present a workable solution to this and a number of related problems. When Matters Became Very Dangerous The ‘other two’ came much earlier, at the same time probably as Glorfindel, when matters became very dangerous in the Second Age. Glorfindel was sent to aid Elrond and was was (though not yet said) pre-eminent in the war in Eriador. But the other two Istari were sent for a different purpose ( HoME HoME XII.384) XII.384)
In the mid-Second Age the Valar became deepl y concerned with the growing power of the renegade Maia Sauron. Sauron had disappeared into the East, fleeing the just judgement of the Valar after the War of Wrath; a millenium later later he began fortifying the land of Mordor. He had fostered dissent in Eregion, winning many of the E ldar to his cause by disguising himself as Annatar, Lord of Gifts. At last he revealed himself openly and attacked the Elves in their cities and strongholds. The Valar heard their prayers, and around 1600 SA they sent emissaries emissaries to combat Sauron’s ever -increasing -increasing might. The first of these messengers was Glorfindel, a mighty hero of ancient Gondolin who had 1 slain a Balrog in single combat only o nly to perish himself of his grevious injuries. He was asked to attend Elrond, and was instrumental instrumental in the war which followed. Although Eregion was laid waste waste and Eriador devestated, Sauron was unable to win to tal mastery of the north-west, in no small part
due to Glorfindel’s valiant efforts. The Valar did not give thought to Elrond Elrond and the Elves of Eregion alone. The lands of the distant East and the Utter South were also threaten ed, especially the Elven realms in those parts, surrounded as they were by increasingly increasingly hostile Men. The Valar sought among the ranks of the Elven heros in the Halls of Mandos for two more emissaries. At last, they decided upon Queen Mormiresûl and Lord Laurrë Menelrana. 1
In the essay essay on the Istari Istari which appeared in Unfinished Tales, Tales, Tolkien wrote that it should be
assumed that the Istari “were all Maiar, that is persons of the ‘angelic’ order, though not necessarily of the same rank” ( UT 394). 394). His later insistence insistence that Glorfindel Glorfindel of Rivendell and Glorfindel of Gondolin (a hero of the First Age) were one and the same solved a lengthy debate, even though it was based on happenstance: it was a case of “random names from the older legends” being used in early ea rly drafts and somehow escaping “reconsideration” ( HoME HoME VI.214). VI.214).
Mormiresûl had ruled distant Helkanen, an Avari Elven realm on the western slopes of the northern Orocarni. There she had welcomed refugees from other Avari settlements throughout the northeastern peninsula of Endor, a land quickly coming under the domination of the Womaw peoples. The Womaw had been recently unified, partly through the spiritual teachings of a golden drake named Utomkudor, or Kod Ultor. Her teachings seemed peaceful, even if her human followers were becoming more aggressive with each century, so the Avari merely kept a wary e ye and did nothing. In 560 SA Mormiresûl had been horrified when Elven refugees from their ancient home at Helcar Sael fled over the mountains with the news that the Womaw Hionvara (Old Wm. “Chieftans”) had begun asking Utomkudor to attack their enemies. Entire villages had been
destroyed by the dragon’s might. Mormiresûl crossed the mountains with her warriors and slew the drake in a long, terrible battle; at the end, she was wounded unto death herself. Ordering a
golden suit of armor made from the dragon’s scales in imitation of the Hionvari, she asked to be 2
buried in this trophy of war. Laurrë Menelrana had accompanied his father Chrys Menelrana from the court of Finrod Felagund to the distant south in YS 41, where Chrys knew he would find powerful and d ark forces at work. Chrys formed the Guild of Elements, and personally led the assault on the Court of Ardor at the time of their first ritual against the Sun and Moon. Although the Guild was victorious, four of the inner Five Lords died, and with them Laurrë. Grief-stricken, Chrys delayed his journey to the West long enough to form the Watchers, giving them orders to accept his son as their lord should he return; for as with many of the Eldar, Chrys Menelrana was oft blessed with prophetic visions. 3 Both Mormiresûl and Laurrë gladly accepted the new task proposed to them. As with
Glorfindel, they were now almost equal to some of the Maiar, because their “spiritual power had been greatly enhanced by [their] self-sacrifice” ( HoME XII.381). Mormiresûl was to return to her people in the East and work to prevent Sauron’s power from becoming further entrenched among the dark tribes of Lurs Vorganis and Rûbor, and to provide advice and comfort for the growing Womaw Empire. Laurrë was to again disrupt the a ctivities of the Court of Ardor, now reformed under much the same leadership but with a greater number of servants and several hidden
fortresses. At the same time, Laurrë was to combat Sauron’s influence over the tribes and kingdoms of the region, again through advice and hope. Mormiresûl was to be Rómestámo, the East-helper; Laurrë became Morinehtar, the Darkness-slayer. In this he was to be joined by Lord Fëatur, whom he met at Guinarnen in Harad in SA 1800. The Lord Fëatur, like his twin sister Lady Fëatur, had entered the service of Morgoth in his youth; the Black Enemy had found their similarity amusing, and cast dark spells that they might never 2
The brief description of the battle between Mormiresûl and Utomkudor in Creatures of Middle-earth describes Mormiresûl as “evil” (CoME 52). In postulating her rebirth as the truly evil “Dardarien,” the queen responsible for Khamûl’s corruption ( LoME 91), I hope to provide more background for Elven history in the East. At the same time, ICE (and the Lords series in particular) had an unfortunate tendency to flood the East and South with evil Avari; merging the
“evil” Mormiresûl with Dardarien provides a rationale for Dardarien’s evil while limiting the total number of evil Avari lords. 3
“Their task was to circumvent Sauron: to bring help to the few tribes of Men that had rebelled
from Melkor-worship, to stir up rebellion ... and after his first fall to search out his hiding (in which they failed) and to cause [?dissension and disarray] among the dark East ...” ( HoME XII.385).
remember their earlier separate names. Lord Fëatur, losing his way upon the Grinding Ice, renounced his service and remorsefully offered his life to the Valar. His fëa was taken to Mandos, and after a time of contemplation he was sent to disrupt the schemes of the Court of Ardor if he could. Fëatur had infiltrated them in the guise of his sister and aided the Guild of Elements in preventing the Fall of the Lights. In a sense, Fëatur was the first emissary, sent in a time of 4 darkness to aid the light. Laurrë Menelrana and Fëatur succeeded in their mission, although it took them many centuries of waiting for the Court to make its move. After the fall of the Second Court, Fëatur disappeared from the tales: some said he returned to the distant West. Laurrë Menelrana travelled West, after giving his great sword Kirlhach to Nefertae, a princess of Hathor who had aided the Guild and was dedicated to the destruction of the things of darkness.
Mormiresûl’s tale was darker. Returning to Helkanen, she took the name Daradêrien (Beth. “Long Sojourn Beneath the Trees”) to celebrate her rebirth. She visited her own opulent tomb, taking upon herself the golden armor created of Utumkodor’s scales. The dragon had long given each successive leader of the Womaw a suit made of her scales, and each was buried with the Hionvar when he died. Yet the armour had the effect of making the wearer aggressive and war-like; only death had prevented each successive Hionvar from turning fully to evil. Daradêrien, immortal, became twisted by the golden memento of her greatest deed, falling into evil and allying herself with the Dark Lord, utterly ab andoning her mission. The Council of the Valar
The fall of Sauron at the end of the Second Age was neither complete nor final. All three of the early emissaries to Middle-earth were still active: Glorfindel at the side of Elrond in Imladris, Fëatur (aided by Laurrë Menelrana) in the distant south playing a deadl y game against his former companions in the Black Service, and Queen Daradêrien beginning to rule as a tyrant in the forsaken East. Still, the mission was considered a success despite the Queen’s fall.5 It came into the minds of the Valar to send three more emissaries (UT 393). Aulë chose his servant Curumo, and Oromë chose Alatar; Manwë asked the reluctant Olórin. Two more were added to their company: Yavanna begged Curumo to take her servant Aiwendil, while Alatar asked leave to bring his friend Pallando, a servant of Mandos who nevertheless spent much time in the company 6 of Oromë. 4
The sending of Fëatur did not break the Ban of th e Valar because he was not to aid the Noldor on their quest to recover the Silmarils. On the con trary, upon his re-arrival in Beleriand he stayed aloof from that great conflict until it was time to journe y south in the shadow of his sister. 5
‘They must have had a very great influence on the history of the Second Age and Third Age in
weakening and disarraying the forces of East [ sic] ... who would both in the Second Age and Third Age otherwise have ... outnumbered the West” ( HoME XII.385). 6
Tolkien assigns Pallando to both Mandos and Oromë in separate notes, and there is little evidence to prefer one version over the other (UT 393). Christopher guesses that Oromë may have sent two servants because he had greater knowledge of eastern Endor than any other of the Valar (UT 394); but surely this might be said of Mandos as well. In any event, ICE chose to make Pallando a follower of Mandos, and I have maintained the assignation in the interests of continuity.
The five either arrived at separate times or disembarked in small groups: Saruman (Curunír) first, accompanied by Radagast (Aiwendil), followed by Alatar and Pallando. Last and almost unheralded was Mithrandir (Olórin), most reluctant but in the end the greatest of them; it is said that Glorfindel met him at the Grey Havens ( HoME XII.384). It is soon afterwards that the word Istari appears, derived from the Quenya verb ista- (“to know”), translated into Westron as “wizard.” It later days they would come to be called “angeloi, ‘messengers’, emissaries from the Lords of the West” ( HoME VII.422). They were incarnate angels, “those who know” (Letters 202).
Of a higher order than the earlier emissaries, they were called the “chiefs” of their order (UT 389). Glorfindel had come to the Havens after being directed by a vision, and he placed himself at the service of the Grey Wizard. Fëatur, when Pallando eventually travelled as far as the Mûmakan, often sought and took whatever counsel the Blue Wizard would offer. It is thought that Pallando befriended Fëatur in the Halls of Mandos during his recovery from darkness. Laurrë Menelrana was also an ally of Pallando, who called himself Lianis in the south; however, Laurrë
held some of his father’s visionary power and was never able to fully trust the Blue Wizard. Only Alatar failed entirely to win the allegiance and respect of his particular trust, the cruel Queen Daradêrien; their battles throughout the Third Age were legenda ry in the East, even when Men failed to perceive their whole nature. Radagast and the Blighted Places For Radagast, the fourth, became enamoured of the many beasts and birds that dwelt in Middl e-earth, and forsook Elves and Men, and spent his days among the wild creatures (UT 390).
Saruman, a servant of Aulë, had been imposed upon by Yavanna (Aulë’s spouse) to bring her servant Aiwendil, later known as Radagast. Saruman thought little of his companion, and there is no record that they ever worked together closely ( LOR 276). It seems that Radagast had close dealings only with Gandalf. His failure was different from that of the Blue Wizards, or of Saruman. Radagast never turned to thoughts of ambition and power, but instead abdicated his responsibilities entirely, preferring to spend all of his days among the kelvar and olvar . However, it was Yavanna, mistress of the olvar and kelvar , who sent him in the first place, presumably with some sort of stewardship of the earth in mind (UT 393). How then, did he fail? Firstly, no matter what other tasks they had, the Istari were to counsel the Free Peoples; Radagast clearly failed to do that. Furthermore, he seems to have failed even to enlist Mannish or Elvish assistance in protecting the natural world. Secondly, he seems to have remained a static presence on the eaves of Mirkwood, protecting the forest. Mirkwood was the last great forest in northwestern Middle-earth, and was actively being corrupted by various dark agencies. It may be that he was essential in preserving enough of the forest that it could be cleansed in the Fourth Age. However, it is my conjecture that Radagast had a wider purpose in the Middle-earth, one which he neglected. The ICE module The Northern Waste shows Radagast, early in his mission, visit the Elves of Evermist, giving them counsel from Yavanna which would eventually lead to the healing of the blighted lands of the north. Perhaps it is his special task to visit and attempt to heal all the blighted places of Middle-earth, those harmed by the actions of Sauron or Men in general. To this purpose, he could have been intended to act as the emissary to the South, with its vast deserts caused by the upheavals which accompanied the wars against Morgoth in the First Age. This would solve a riddle associated with the Istari, that the Valar send three emissaries to
the northwest, and two to the East, but none to the south. If Radagast was sent to the South, and perhaps failed to even visit the deserts, it would explain why (despite the good he does in Mirkwood), his mission must be considered a failure.
The Coming of the Ithryn Luin Of the Blue little was known in the West, an d they had no names save Ithryn Luin ‘the Blue Wizards’; for they passed into the East with Curunír, but they never returned, and whether they remained in the East, pursuing there the purposes for which they were sent; or perished; or as some hold were ensnared by Sauron and became his servants, is not now known (UT 390).
The Blue Wizards journeyed across Middle-earth, taking fifty years to exp lore the lands between Mordor and the eastern coasts, but always working towards the empires of the Womaw, Lochans, Chy and Lynir. It was in these realms, which from ancient times had resisted the Shadow in their own ways, that the Wizards hoped to find people willing to listen to a quiet call to arms from a distant, half-doubted land beyond the Sea. In honor of those who had gone on a similar journey centuries before, Alatar and Pallando adopted the names of two of the earlier messengers, and became Alatar Róméstamo and Pallando Morinehtar. Saruman too travelled widely, at times with the Blue Wizards but more often apart (Sil 361, UT 392). Significant factors in the task facing the Wizards were the Nazgûl Dwar and Khamûl, the latter the former pupil and lover of Daradêrien. Eventually the greatness of the task forced the Ithryn Luin to go their separate ways, although their sadness was great upon the parting. Perhaps in the mind of Pallando a doubt set in, that this parting was to prove the end of their ancient friendship. Certainly they began to work at cross-purposes, even in pursuit of the same goal, and eventually their friendship turned to hate. When they came into kingdoms of their own, their wars would be long and bitter; yet this was still far in the future as Men see it. Pallando Among the Womaw
Pallando concentrated his efforts in mighty Womawas Drus. Coming before the Hionvar, Pallando tapped his black staff against the ground, slowly at first but with increasing strength and
speed. The sound began to fill the Hionvar’s court with an inexplicable terror. At last Pallando ceased, and after a moment of total silence, he said: “Great Hionvar of the mighty Womaw, Lord of All You See. You shall soon see All slip away before Your eyes grow too dark to see altogether. Your empire is dying. The empire’s hated son Komûl sends his shikome (Wm. “Orcs”) down from the Mountains of Wind to assail you, the Shay and other barbarians clog the mountain passes and attack your cities with little fear. I come from a far place, the realm of the Shining Hionvar of the West, the Eagle-King. He has for you a message. Resist, and know that the Eagle-King thinks upon you, his fellow Hionvar.” He joined the Awg Uscurac, the ancient order of mages and seers which advised the Womaw Hionvara. By the mid-Third Age, the Awg Uscurac was composed primarily of imperial appointees and descendents of original members; few of them were mages, and Pallando stood out accordingly. From this position of power he began to direct imperial policy, becoming more enmeshed in mortal affairs with each passing century. His efforts were integral in allowing the Womaw, often divided amo ngst themselves, to resist the depredations of Khamûl, hidden in the high fortresses of Sart and Mang in the Orocarni. If his efforts added to the daily burdens of the Womaw people, and if his policies often seemed cruel and oppressive, Pallando knew his cause to be just and his heart pure. Thus the road to Udûn
is paved with the best of intentions. It is perhaps telling that when Saruman himself visited the Womaw Empire (c. 1800 TA), he decided that Pallando Morinehtar was the only one of his brethren whom he truly respected.
Pallando began to choose protégés within the Empire. One such was Li K’oyung, prince of the Sha-t’o, a Shay tribe working as mercenaries for the ruling Tinglü Dynasty in an increasingly divided Empire. Blind in one eye, Li K’oyung still became a great warrior and tactician. Pallando arranged for him to take over the border kingdom of Khaeltan, the an cient Kael; he personally saw
to the development of the new Liao Dynasty. When Li K’oyung died, Pallando kept his spirit bound to Middle-earth so that the warrior might continue to fulfil his oaths to the Blue Wizard. It
was the first of Pallando’s evil acts, but unfortunately not his last. With Khamûl’s forces putting increasing pressure on the Empire’s dwindling resources, in 2125 TA Pallando convinced the Hionvar to persecute the various faiths in his domains, appropriating their gold and lands. Pallando reasoned that they were deviations from the proper worship of the Valar in any event. Despite a brief respite, Khamûl proved too implacable a foe, and his victorious troops poured into the Empire i n 2400, founding the brutal Shayün Dynasty. Pallando had already fled the Womaw Empire. Alatar: Everywhere and Nowhere
In the meantime, Alatar Róméstamo had turned so uth, travelling through Ralian and into the Lochan Empire, and beyond into the lands of the Ormal Bay. He shared his wisdom with all who would consult with him, and his efforts at first were directed to the cleansing of the Zurghôr, an abomination to any true servant of Oromë. When he turned his attention to mortal realms, he came first to King Kâsgharî of Gan’jag, a small border -kingdom between Lochas Drus and Ralian; Gan’jag was a client-kingdom of the Lochan Hionvar. Kâsgharî’s support was necessary, for the Lochan Hionvar would see no emissary not referred to him b y a client-king. Kâsgharî further had a reputation as a benevolent monarch with a spiritual bent. Alatar announced himself as Alutâr, the “Messenger of the King”: “ For I bring to you a message of hope from the realm of the spirit. The forces arrayed against you are dark, but far across the western seas there lies a realm of light. I have come from this golden kingdom to give you hope and to counsel you. You, O King, have heard the tales of emissaries from heaven, sent to Men that they may see the truth and live without fear. The kings of Lochas must abandon their quarrels and hearken unto me, for I shall guide you to a greater understanding and a perfect peace.” Kâsgharî was impressed, and sent Alatar south to the Lochan High Court. Over the years Alatar visited kings and sages, oversaw battles against the forces of Dwar of Waw. Alatar did his best in many causes, perhaps too many causes. Where Pallando chose one realm (and one noble house) and concentrated all of his efforts therein, Alatar scurried from one realm to the next, always giving a little of his time and then moving on. No single realm long benefited from his presence, and although he generally found himself welcome wherever he went, his counsel was often forgotten between visits. Monarchs would come and go without seeing him, and the impatient Alatar would grow angry when the grandson of some king he had spoken with knew nothing of their earlier decisions. th The greatest example of Alatar ’s career as a travelling benefactor came in the early 18 century TA. Alatar agreed to accompany the young Prince Ringlin Sindacollo of Ralian to 7 confront his father at Arxdukanga. His assistance proved invaluable, but in his absence on the 7
The entry for Ringlin in Lords of Middle-earth II is not dated, but the back story of Ringlin’s
distant islands the Lochan Empire disintegrated past the point of restoration. The Dral lord of Brôd and his family died in a petty dispute with the lords of Tîrabhukti. Ironically, the dispute arose over the terms of a marriage alliance between the two realms arranged by Alatar in the interests of peace and unity. Without his counsel, the bickering lords fell to arms. Upon his return, Alatar found that there were now at least five major states to add to his already large and seemingly eternal itinerary. On another such journey, Alatar came across the remains of a great red spruce-like tree,
resting along the shores of the Eastern Sea in Old Ka’ish. The root system spread 120 feet down and 300 feet across. Curious about its nature and properties, Alatar sent forth his will and awakened the slumbering spirit of the ancient Huorn. It had been planted by minions of Morgoth from a seed of Telperion, poisoned by the foul secretions of Ungoliant the Spider. Alatar barely escaped with his life, but in the battle he cut for himself a root, the fabled E Thrond. He fashioned the root into a magnificent white staff, capable o f great feats; yet when he bound it to his will, it bound him as well, and the effort needed to control the evil spirit had wearied him. In his heart, Alatar began to yearn for a place to rest from his long wanderings. He turned north, seeking to found a realm from which to continue his fight.
Two Kingdoms in a Sea of Shayün I think they went as emissaries to distant regions, East and South, fa r out of Númenórean range: missionaries to ‘enemy-occupied’ lands, as it were. What success they had I do not know; but I fear they failed, as Saruman did, though doubtless in different ways; and I suspect they were founders or beginners of secret cults a nd ‘magic’ traditions that outlasted the fall of Sauron ( Letters 280).
In the dark days of the Shayün invasions, Khaeltan had fallen in 2114 to a Shay tribe called the Jurkhaen, who came over the northern passes with Khamûl himself leading them. Yehlü Tashi,
a prince descended from Li K’oyung, led his people across the mountains by a smaller pass. Many died before they reached a sparsely inhabited forest surrounding an extensive marsh. Calling the new kingdom Liao-ga Krä after his old dynasty, Prince Yehlü accepted a life of exile. When Pallando saw that the Womaw Empire was going to fall to Khamûl despite all his efforts, he cast his eye across the mountains to the plains of Lurs Vorganis and saw Liao-ga Krä, a kingdom founded by the grandson of his old protégé. Taking his spirits with him, Pallando set his feet towards the forest. When he arrived, Prince Yehlü eagerly made him chief advisor. When Yehlü died childless a scant three years later of a swamp influenza, Pallando took the reins of power directly for the first time around 2300 TA. He called his new realm Fëamardi (Q. “The
birth is taken from a book dated 3190 SA. Furthermore, Ringlin’s sword, Luingurth, also appears as Luingurth II in the entry for Randae Linvairë. Randae’s career stretches from 3241 SA- 130 TA, suggesting that he carries Ringlin’s sword (since reforged) on later adventures. However, Alatar is mentioned as the most prominent of Ringlin’s allies, hinting that author Peter Fenlon had access to the notes in which Tolkien places the coming of the Blue Wizards to the Second Age. However, LoME II was released in 1986, four years after Christopher Tolkien wrote that he was unable to decipher these notes, which were only published in 1996 after “longer scrutiny” ( HoME XII.384). It can be assumed that Alatar’s presence was a mistake; however, I have placed Ringlin’s career in the mid-Third Age in order to provide a suitable adventure to accompany the fall of the Lochas Drus. Others might come to different conclusions.
Dwellings of the Spirit”); it became known far and wide as Lygar Kraw. Alatar knew of a place to the north of Lygar Kraw called Ŭster Kryl, a forest where many refugees from Daradêrien’s court at Helkanen had settled. They lived in constant fear of discovery, yet hesitated to move further west through the land s of the Chey and the Variags into an unknown West which their people had earlier rejected. Alatar went to them and offered to live among them as their chief counsellor and leader in war. The Avari accepted, and although Alatar was never referred to as a king, he was in all respects their ruler. The realm became known as the
“Place of the Blue One,” Luinemar. Luinemar became a beacon of hope to Avari throughout northeastern Endor, who flocked
to Alatar’s care. A summer palace was built and fortified on the shores of Lake Daldunair, almost as far west as Rycolis. Whereas Pallando’s kingdom was increasingly dark and haunted, Alatar’s realm was warm, pleasant and cultured. Alatar’s standing was further heightened when he adopted a young Avari girl, orphaned in the persecutions which marked the end of the Shayün Dynasty. Princess Lossiriel of Ŭster Kryl had been brought out of Helkanen by servants of her murdered parents, and she was a symbol of resistance to the evil Daradêrien for the remainder of the Third
Age and beyond, learning the skills of Oromë’s Huntsmen from her new father and wielding his great longbow Luinlúva in battle. Despite their ancient friendship, contact was at first limited between the realms of Pallando and Alatar. They briefly combined their forces in 2656 to defeat a Shayün army bent on reasserting Womaw control over Lurs Vorganis and the ancient paths to the West. News of the defeat helped weaken the Shayün at home, eventually leading to their overthrow and the birth of a
new dynasty, the Ōn. The Ithryn Luin had perhaps saved the West from having to face reinforcements from Womawas Drus during the War of the Ring. If the routes to the West had remained in Womaw or Shayün hands, Rhovanion would surely have fallen, and the forces arrayed
on Gondor’s northern borders would have been even greater than they actually were. Despite their moment of co-operation, Alatar and Pallando increasingly found themselves vying for power in the Lurs Vorganis region. The Shay and other tribes still living west of the Orocarni, and those few Shayün refugees fleeing the fall of their dynasty in 2688, were lured by both sides as the old friendship turned to open hostility and conflict. The Elves of Luinemar and Fëamardi would never battle one another, leaving the wars to be fought exclusively by the Shay and their fellow nomads. These conflicts continued well into Fourth Age, with various Shay tribes switching from one side to the other, the Blue Wizards locked in continual strife. The Valair, the
‘Aża and other tribes alternately benefited and suffered from this state of affairs, but again the actions of the Blue Wizards kept these nomads from migrating west and putting any pressure on the early recovery of the Reunited Kingdom and its allies. If the kings of the West ever paused to wonder why the East no longer seemed to produce threatening hordes, it might be imagined that they would give little thought to the nameless Blue Wizards, who came not into the tales of Gondor.
