Creation

J.R.R. Tolkien intended to create an entire world of myth over the course of his life. The documents that compose The Shaping of Middle-Earth show the development process of the broader cosmology and history of The World that Middle-Earth is a part of. Creation begins when the Allfather or Iluvatar creates the greater and lesser spirits, named the Valar and the Valarindi respectively.

When Iluvatar creates the World, he allows the Valar and Valarindi to enter it, permitting both good and evil in the world. Initially all the beings created by Illuvatar existed in a singing of a universal song that kept them in harmony but the music was eventually broken by Melko, the first Valar, who eventually became Morgoth and was exiled to Earth.

Nine good Valar came to the Earth and made their home, though battles with Morgoth eventually drove them to create Valinor...