[Man-of-the-Wold]

Great lists. Also, I think Olorin (aka Gandalf) had connections with Mandos and Varda, but essentially I want to respond to Elenhim's reply, which took me to task on somethings. Excuse my lack of facility with the quote generating thing:

1. I still not sure about the arrival in Arda, but I suppose its implied that the Valar brought the Maier in later, and that Tulkus was sent to join the fight against Melkor.

2. Yes, quite, the Melkor corrupted an unspecified number of Maiar to various ends. My thinking is that the ones that became Balrogs were primarily or exclusively "Fire Spirits" which I connected with Aule's folk, but I can't find any such indication now. They may have simply been the first corrupted by Melkor and not of any other Valar's at that time.

3. I agree that Orcs were like Elves, in that they were likewise immortal and did not die of natural decay. But putting aside genetics and reproduction through spawning, they were fully corrupted and perverted spirits. The antithesis of the Elves from which Melkor derived. That he could do this to the raw material Eru is conceivable. As far as where they went when killed, one could see them as being saved and reverting to an Elven spirit, but I think not. They were another type of people, and what cruel spirit was relieved of the torment of life when an Orc was killed probably either went to where Morgoth waited until the second doom, or they vanished completely into the void like Sauron, Saruman, the Balrogs and the Nazgul.

4. Yes, I agree that the Elves were more engrained in the world of Arda, both physical and spiritual, where human spirits are not of Arda. So, yes, Elven lives were more pre-determined. Thus, for them to excercise free will in a fully evil way is very extraordinary. In their natural state Elves would be a model of sin-less-ness, which is why Ulmo resisted the migration of Elves to Aman. Admittedly, Morgoth serves as the Serpent in the Garden of Eden (or Hildorien, and is part of the human condition. But his power was checked in those days, and he also had opportunity to influence the early elves. No, I still think that Free Will is for men the norm rather than the exception that it is for the Quendi in Tolkien's world.

5. This is why kinslaying among men did not CAUSE a curse to be issued, whereas for Feanor and sons to have done such, brought a terrible DOOM, which in turn entangled others beyond even the Noldor, including the Sindar and Edain. In a way, the tragedy of Eol, Aredhel and Maeglin is just part of that Doom working its way through. Again, in many ways I think that Feanor, his sons and the other Noldor were in many ways striving for that human like freedom. Again, Eol is a craftman too, unusual among the Teleri. And, as with Aule, the desire to make and control the world while it can be very good, can be the cause of evil.

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All this land is the land of the Teleri, and I will nolt deal nor have my sone deal with the slayers of our kin, the invaders and usurpers of our homes.