Radagast the Brown

Radagast the Brown

Radagast the Brown was a servant of Yavanna and went to Middle-earth as one of the Istari.

A lover of plants and lesser beasts - particularly birds - he cared little for politics or societal norms and was considered rather odd by his fellow Wizards. Radagast's name was derived from the language of the Woodmen, his original name was Aiwendil (Q. "Friend of Birds").

In Fo.A. 70 Radagast plays a pivotal role in detecting an underlying evil influence during the capture of Gundabad by a great alliance of Men and Dwarves

Aiwendil

Before the beginning of time Radagast had been a youth of the Ainur.He was close to Yavanna the Valie of earth and became one of her Maiar, he also was one of the six mighty guardians who sheltered the newly awakened elves at Cuivienen from evil.During his time at Valinor, or even earlier, during the great journey, he also got his Quenya name:Aiwendil, the friend of birds.

The Radagast Birds

For decades Radagast made his home at Rhosgobel until he chose to go on a neverending journey.He was however waylaid by mighty minions of the Nameless and almost defeated in battle.With his last power he changed himself into a flock of birds who vanished into all directions.For years both Saruman and Mordor tried to catch and imprison these Radagast birds of an unknown number, while an impostor, a demon under Sauron's command posed as Radagast returned at Rhosgobel.

However a company of valiant adventurers eventually freed all birds and enabled Radagast to restore his former shape and defeat the false Radagast.

(Interplay:J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I)

Familiars

• Carnil (Q. "Ares") (Horse)
• Schûte,Radagast's Black Bird
• Eglerion (Q."Sebastian") (Hedgehog)
• Inc the Stick-Bug
• Ada, Radagast's Owl
• Red Fellow (Squirrel)
• Rhosgobel Rabbits ("Atheg", "Daelaus", "Enraeninc", "Gwaeron", "Hawn", "Honeg", "Pechol", "Rincon", "Tadloboth", "Tammaron")
• Snow lions
• Wildcats

Artifacts

• Alchemical tools
• Erivagil (Sword)
• Forest sled
• Glove of Radagast
• Hickory Staff
• Pocketed Robes
• Robes of Aman
• weather beaten hat

Other Names

• Ae'idil (Northern Peninsula)
• Aiwendil (Aman)
• Âyawin-gimabâz(Ainur)
• Bird-Tamer
• The Brown
• Changer of Hues
• The Fool
• Master of Shapes
• Radegast (Dorwinrim)
• Rádhgasti (Bardings, Dwarves)
• Radost (Easterlings)
• Redgest (Rohirrim, Eriador)
• The Simple
• the Tamer

Name

The Name Radagast had a double meaning in Adûnaic the name meant Tamer of Beasts while it meant "Advising Guest" in the language of the Woodmen.

Notes

Unlike other Northron names, Radagast's ("Advising Guest" or " dear guest") name is not latinized Gothic, Anglo-Saxon or Old Norse but seemingly rather Old Frankish , Lombardic or Burgundian in form (the parts "Rada" and "gast" are well attested for all three languages, though not as one combined name), more common for personal names found among some Hobbit families. The name may be related to a supposedly slavic deity named "Radigast" by Adam von Bremen, "Radigast" or "Radegast" might be the old saxon rendering of the slavic name "Radagościć" or "Radagostь".

Sources

• merp.com wiki
• MERP:Middle-Earth Adventure Guidebook II