Uinen

Uinen (Sindarin; IPA: [ˈuɪnen] - "Ever Water") is a Valar known as The Queen of the Sea, Lady of Waters and Dweller of the Deep and the wife of the Maiar Ossë. She was responsible for the control over the oceans of Arda. A lover of water, Uinen was one of the Arda's chief architects and was always in a close friendship with Varda. She always distrusted Melkor, and the Dark Lord feared the Sea almost as much as he feared Varda because the sea cannot be tamed. Uinen has no dwelling in Valinor or any permanent dwelling on land, as she preferred the deeps of the seas and the rivers. Her palace, on the bottom of Vaiya, was called Uinenan.

Biography

Uinen seldom came to the Councils of Máhanaxar, and only when in great need. She preferred to stay in Arda, not by walking on the land, as her form would fill man or elf with great dread. All waters were under her government: bays, rivers and even the waters under the earth. Where the power of Morgoth was strong, however, Uinen's own power would be sapped from waters near to Morgoth's corruption. It is through the rivers that she kept in touch with Arda, and thus knew more of the goings on with the Children of Ilúvatar than even Manwë (but not Varda), for in that way she lived in the very veins of the world.

Her visible form caused fear in mortals and even the Elves. In the Fall of Gondolin she was described as having a tall crown like silver, and her hair was like shimmering sea foam. She wore a grey cloak which appeared as a mist veiling a coat of mail which glittered like fish scales flickering green. And the horns she blew were called the Uinmúri.

Uinen always loved the Eldar and the Edain, even when the Valar forsook Middle-earth. She opposed Oromë's plan to bring the elves to Aman, but helped those that were willing to reach it. She uprooted a large island which was later known as Tol Eressëa and used it to ferry them across the Belegaer to the Blessed Realm. Afterwards, she anchored it in the Bay of Eldamar, which she did because she knew the minds of the Teleri.

Uinen was the Valar most responsible for the fall of Morgoth, by urging Turgon to build Gondolin and Finrod to build Nargothrond (FA 50). She appeared before Tuor and urged him to go to Gondolin as a messenger to Turgon. When he got there, he eventually married Turgon's daughter Idril and fathered Eärendil. Uinen saved Eärendil's wife Elwing from the sack of the Havens of Sirion, allowing her to take a Silmaril to her husband, which allowed him to gain admittance to Valinor and plead for aid. Uinen also defended them in the council from the potential wrath of Mandos.

Uinen loves all creatures that lived in the saltwater streams of the world and the weeds that grew in them. Her love calmed the violent tidal waves and storms created by Ossë her husband by keeping him in line and not going too far. Her hair spread throughout waters and lies on their surfaces. During the early days Arda, Ossë rebelled against his Lady and served Melkor instead, being carried away by the false promises that Melkor gave to him. From then on, for a while, there rose great tumults in the sea that wrought great ruins to the lands. At that point, Uinen bring Ossë back to her allegiance by restraining her husand and bringing him before her. Following that, Ossë was pardoned and gave his allegiance back to the Valar remaining thereafter faithful then ever to them. To her husband Ossë, Uinen gave the task of the governing of the waves and the movements of the Inner Seas. Plus ever afterwards, Uinen was the one who restrained her Spouse's violence in the seas and on the coasts.

Later on, the Teleri remained long on the coast of the western seas, awaiting still for Uinen to take them to Aman. Likewise, Uinen and Ossë came among the Teleri at the coasts and befriended them. In addition, the Teleri had much love for Uinen and her spouse, for Uinen and Ossë continued being friends with the Teleri who then dwelt by the mouths of the great river Sirion of Beleriand which flowed into the sea. Ultimately, the Teleri with their King Olwë at last reached Aman where they built their dwelling as a city-haven named 'Alqualondë' on the shores of Eldamar in Aman. However later on, the 'Kinslaying at Alqualondë' took place at the Swanhaven of the Teleri where Fëanor, eldest son of King Finwë of the Ñoldor, and his host of exiled Ñoldor attacked the Teleri and forcefully stole their white ships for their voyage to Middle-earth. Notwithstanding though, Uinen wept for the many of the Telerin mariners who had been wickedly slain and tossed into the sea. What's more, the sea then rose in great wrath by Uinen against the Noldorin slayers in that so many of the Telerin ships were wrecked and those of the Ñoldor in them were drowned.

When the Hiding of Valinor took place, Ossë raised the enchanted Isles. Then next, Uinen enchanted those who ever managed to reach the Isles by weaving them in her hair before Irmo (Master of Dreams & Desires) put them to age-long sleep.

Second Age

In the Second Age, the mariners of Númenór would cry to Uinen for help, because she was the only one capable of calming Ossë who loved to create tumults in the seas. And the Númenóreans lived under her protection while their respect for the Valar endured. Therefore, the Númenóreans held Uinen in great reverence.

Relationship with Eltariel

Like the other Valar, Uinen loved and cherished Eltariel greatly. During Years of the Trees she made third most powerful gear set ever created.She gave it to Eltariel during her coronation.It includes:Outfit,Dual Swords,Bow and "Silmaril"."Silmaril"."Silmaril" contains Spirit of Water itself.Like other Valar and the Maiar, she considers Eltariel the greatest, fairest and wisest of all the Eldar.