August 19, 2002

The Blue Wizards
Peter D.

This just in response to Dannys list of Maiar in Middle-Earth, - of the Istari at least, there were two more. Tolkiens mentions briefly in Unfinished Tales that originally five emissaries of the West were sent to Middle-earth, the remaining two are named Alatar and Pallando who were meant to go furthest to the east, presumably to do there what only Gandalf achieved in the Northwestern part of Middle-arth, as both Saruman and Radagast ultimately failed, the latter being engrossed in the beasts and birds of Middle-earth instead of aiding in the long struggle.
The "Blue Wizards" (as opposed to the white,grey and brown of the others) are mentioned a couple of times in extracts in Unfinshed Tales, and an interesting thought from Tolkien in a note discusses what might have become of them: (quote) "and I suspect they were founders or beginners of secret cults and "magic" traditions that outlasted the fall of Sauron" (end quote) pp.401, note 3.
Well, having violated the copyright laws (again), I´ll end for now - who knows if the list is now complete. Maybe one or two Balrogs in the deep places of the earth?