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Heren Istarion

The Five Wizrads

The Heren Istarion or Order of Wizards was an organisation of mighty individuals who had been sent to middle-earth by the Valar to aid the free peoples in their struggle against Sauron.The exact number of the members of the Heren Istarion was not known but their heads were believed to be five individuals, known as the five wizards.The supreme Head of the order was always the white Wizard.

The Five Wizards[]

Istari

The Heren Istarion

For millennia, the Order of Heren Istarion worked quietly in the shadows of history, with its sanctuary accessible only to the most trusted individuals. Due to this secrecy, much about the order remains shrouded in mystery. However, it is said that its leadership was composed of five Istari, under the guidance of a figure known as Saruman. These five formed the highest council, known as The Council of Five, directing the order's endeavors. The Wizards direct precursor were the Guardians of the Elves, a group that already had included the later five Wizards but was originally led by Melian of Doriath

Lesser Wizards[]

Lesser Wizards

Lesser Wizards

The Games MERP and LOTRRPG both suggest lesser Wizards as members of the Heren Istarion. These can be lesser Maiar who accompanied the five Wizards or elves or mortals who were accepted as members of the Order via Wizard's apprenticeship.

Known lesser Wizards[]

Chronology[]

  • T.A. 1000: Arrival of the Istari in Middle-earth. They spread out across the land, forming the early groundwork of the Heren Istarion.
  • T.A. 1100-1300: The Five Wizards begin gathering acolytes and allies, focusing on research, diplomacy, and rooting out dark cults.
  • T.A. 1300: The shadow of Angmar rises; the Istari, led by Saruman, unofficially form a coordinated alliance that evolves into the Brotherhood of Wizards. Though their unity was often strained by individual goals and philosophies, the Brotherhood became a significant force for good.
  • T.A. 1400–1600: The Blue Wizards embark on their journey eastward, where they establish secret resistance cells against Sauron.
  • T.A. 1409: Angmar destroys the northern kingdom of Arnor. Gandalf and Radagast travel through Eriador, aiding refugees and helping the remnant Dúnedain.
  • T.A. 1701: The Brotherhood aids in rebuilding the defenses of Eriador following the wars with Angmar
  • T.A. 1636: The Great Plague devastates Gondor and Rhovanion. Radagast aids survivors in the Vales of Anduin, while Gandalf helps preserve Gondor’s archives.
  • T.A. 1640: Saruman begins his prolonged study of the palantíri, becoming particularly fascinated with the stone of Orthanc
  • T.A. 2460: Saruman, as the head of the council, directs the order’s attention toward Dol Guldur, suspecting it to be a stronghold of Sauron.
  • T.A. 2941: The White Council drives Sauron out of Dol Guldur. Saruman assures the council that the One Ring is lost forever, though he himself begins searching for it.
  • T.A. 2851: Disagreements between Saruman and Gandalf arise over the strategy for combating Sauron. The seeds of internal discord are sown.
  • T.A. 3019: The fall of Saruman marks the symbolic end of the Brotherhood as a cohesive entity, though individual members continue their work.
  • F.A. 1: Gandalf departs Middle-earth with Frodo, Bilbo, and the Elves. The Brotherhood is effectively dissolved.
  • F.A. 120: Mortal followers of the Brotherhood establish the "Order of Balance," a secret society preserving the wizards’ teachings.

Names[]

  • Heren Istarion
  • Order of Wizards
  • The Star-Born Order
  • Gwaith Istarion

Notes[]

Tolkien gave contradicting statements on the exact number of the members of the Heren Istarion. While most of the time he just mentions five in at least one other text he stated that there were five Wizards who were the heads of the Order, leaving open the possibility of a greater number of lesser Wizards. The Nature of Middle-earth also suggests that Melian was chief of the "Guardians of the Elves" in the First Age, whose five other members included the exact same Maiar who would later form the Istari.

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