Irmo

Irmo was one of the Ainur and Valar, the highest beings of Iluvatar, responsible for creating the universe. His power was in desires, dreams, and visions. He was the Master of Dreams, and his name means Master of Desires or Desirer in the Quenyan language. But his popular name was Lorien, the same name as his realm in Aman. Irmo-Lorien's wife was Estë the Gentle. She was the Ainur and Valar of healing, and together they reside in Lorien. Irmo's elder brother was Namo, also called Mandos as the name of his realm, and together they were the Masters of Spirits or Fëanturi. Their sister was Nienna, the Ainur of tears, sorrow, and forgiveness. Irmo was the keeper of the Garden of Lorien, with whom he dwells with his wife and tends to those seeking rest, visitors, and some who sought his counsel and aid.

Lorien was a glorious refuge in Valinor, the dwelling of many spirits, and the most captivating garden in all of Arda. Lorien was distant from the grand city of Valmar, the residence of the Valar, but still in the lands of Valinor, in the continent of Aman. The Valar would drink from the fountains of Lorien to find peace in its beautiful garden and ease their weariness from the affairs of Arda. There were also many Maiar who stayed in Lorien to attend to Lorien and Este, including Gandalf. The Maiar Melian also lived in the garden once, caring for its blossoming trees before she left for Middle-earth. Lorien cared for the Elves of Valinor in the garden of Lorien's orchards and assisted them with dreams and visions.

In the Noontide of Valinor, as the Noldors lived in Valinor, Miriel gave birth to her son Feanor, which later intensely drained her vigor, even her will to live, that she wished to depart from her life. Manwe charged Miriel's care and healing to Lorien. As she lay in the gardens of Lorien, she continuously waned, and her spirit left her body for the Halls of Mandos. Hence, Este charged her maidens to take care of Miriel's body and protect it for a future time when she would awake once more. When Finwe, the husband of Miriel's, died, the Valar allowed her to come back to life and serve Vaire, one of the Valar Queens, who has the responsibility to spin the events of Arda into tapestries. Miriel resided from then on in the Halls of Mandos. She weaved the history of his husband's clan, the House of Finwe, [1] into intricate fabrics of the Tapestry of Time.

Irmo-Lorien rendered an expectation of a better outcome for the Children of Iluvatar during the dark days Morgoth brought upon Middle-earth. Although he rarely displayed his powers, his mastery is behind the physical realm and has no principal impact on the Elves. His help is not for wars and its unfortunate consequences, but they often need him for strength against evil through aspiration, passion, possibility, and courage. On the creation of the Sun and Moon, the Ainur Varda laid one trail for both lights, so they would continually illuminate high above the Ilmen, the outermost firmament of Arda. But Lorien and Este prayed concerning the lack of rest and slumber in Arda. And so Varda altered the Sun and Moon's activity and granted a period of rest, so the evening was dim with only a faint light.

The abode of Lorien resides at the base of Aman's majestic mountain range in the south. Aule, the Ainur of artistry, formed the halls of Lorien through the vapor covering the cloudy seas to the distant Avathar. Thus, the structure was grand and misty. The vast Garden of Lorien spanned up to the remarkable Silver Tree called Telperion, which lighted the garden with its silver radiance. The vast Garden of Lorien spanned up to the remarkable Silver Tree called Telperion, which lit the garden with its silver radiance. Meanwhile, Yavanna the Aiur, and Queen of Earth, generously provided Lorien an abundance of cedars, pines, and yew trees that towered over the fountains and brought a calming fragrance in the garden at nightfall.

Lorien placed Silindrin, Lorien's vessel for seeing visions, under a circle of misty yew trees that arched above it. There were garden mazes, glowworms, poppies gleaming red at sunset, and Fumullar, night blossoms that could make one fall asleep. There was the Lake Lorellin, and in the middle was a small island where Este sleeps, while on its banks rests a humble abode.

The Valar decided to conceal Valinor from the rest of Arda, which saddened Manwe. As the race of Men was also about to awake, Manwe directed Lorien to form a passage so the Elves and Men may reach Valinor through their spirits. Lorien made the Path of Dreams, which the Elves called Olórë Mallë. The journey takes Elves and Men to the Garden of Lorien, only those who were faithful to the Valar. But when the Noldor Elves revolted against the Valar, Manwe permanently banned them from Valinor. Therefore, Lorien closed the Olórë Mallë [2] to the Noldor. Lorien also covered Tol Eressea (the island used by the Elves to sail to Valinor) with enchantments, casting the sailors who found and entered the island in a spell of eternal sleep, never to awake again.

1. ^The House of Finwe.
2. ^Olórë Mallë.