#Nieliqui Aesthetic

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Nieliqui

The Little Maiden of the Valar

Nieliqui was the young daughter of Vána and Oromë at a point in Tolkien's early works when the Valar were more like Greco-Roman gods and had children with each other. These children of the Valar were referred to as the Valarindi, and these characters existed before the concept of the Maiar was developed. Even Melkor had a son at this stage (Kalimbo/Kosomot) with an ogress whose name was either Ulbandi or Fluithuin. Most of the Valarindi characters were dropped, but a few managed to be reincorporated as Maiar and Kalimbo/Kosomot was reimagined as the Balrog lord Gothmog. Those who were dropped became part of a group of characters known as The Lost Valar who only appear in Tolkien's early drafts.

Not much is said about Nieliqui besides the fact that she was a small maiden who liked to dance in her father's woods. This often took place while Ómar-Amillo (another Lost Vala), who was the Vala of song and music, would sing in the woods. Both of Nieliqui's parents had strong connections to nature, especially trees, and some fans have imagined her as a dryad-like character. Her love of dancing suggests that she also takes after her aunt Nessa, the Vala of dancing.

At this stage in Tolkien's writings, Nessa and Oromë were the children of Aulë and Yavanna, making Nieliqui the grandchild of two of the most powerful Valar. Another of the Valarindi was Telimektar, the warrior son of Tulkas and Nessa, who was Nieliqui's cousin.

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Nieliqui Tag Drop

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Oromë (Winter Aesthetic)

Oromë was the husband of Vana and the brother of Nessa, and was known as The Lord of Forests, The Huntsman of the Valar, and The Great Rider. He was known for his love of hunting and when the Valar retreated from Middle-earth to Aman following the destruction of the two lamps, he would occasionally return to hunt the creatures of Melkor. It was during one of these hunts that he discovered the first elves wandering in the starlight, and he named them the Eldar, The People of the Stars. After dwelling with them for a while he returned to Aman to inform the rest of the Valar that the first Children of Illuvatar had awakened, and were already being plagued by Melkor’s creatures. It was eventually decided to invite the Eldar to join the Valar in Aman, setting in motion the beginning of the major events that lead to The Silmarilion. 

Oromë loved horses and hounds and rode on a great horse named Nahar. It was for this reason that he was known of and loved by the people of Rohan, who claimed that their great horses known as the Mearas were descended from steeds Oromë brought from the West. It was also believed that the wild oxen the lived near the sea of Rhun were descended from Oromë’s oxen as well. Huan, The Hound of the Valar, was one of Oromë’s hunting dogs who had been granted special powers by the Valar. 

Oromë was one of the Aratar and had a great horn called the Valaroma that he blew, which sounded like thunder and frightened even Melkor himself. It was for this reason that the people of Rohan named him Bema, a name that comes from a rootword for trumpet. 

In Tolkien’s early writings, when the Valar were more like Greco-Roman gods and could have children, Oromë was the son of Aulë and Yavanna and he and Vana had a daughter named Nieliqui. 

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Vána

The Ever-Young, The Beauty

Vána was the younger sister of Yavanna and the wife of Oromë and, like her sister, was associated with the flora and fauna of Middle-earth. Whereas Yavanna is concerned with all plants and animals, Vána is mostly mentioned in association with flowers and songbirds and seems to represent the beauty of the natural world. Her connection to blooming flowers might also indicate that she was associated with the season of spring. She has gardens of golden flowers, which she used to decorate Nessa (the sister of Vána’s husband) for her wedding to Tulkas. It’s said that all flowers open when she walks by and all birds sing at her coming. In Valinor she was served by two of the most powerful Maiar, Melian and Arien, though were destined to eventually leave her service. 

Vána was more prominent in Tolkien’s early works than she is in the published Silmarillion. She helped cause the golden tree Laurelin to spring forth, and she loved the tree very much. After the destruction of the Two Trees she and Irmo/Lorien tried to revive them with their stored dews but were unsuccessful. Then, even after Yavanna fails to revive Laurelin, Vána embraces it in mourning and her love causes one last fruit to come forth to become the Sun.  She cut her golden hair short to weave into sails for the ship of the Sun that would be guided by Arien, who at that time was known as Urwen/Urwendi. Vána is eager to invite the elves to come live in Valinor, but her desire for peace and happiness also causes her to support the Hiding of Valinor from the elves following the destruction of the Two Trees and the First Kinslaying. 

At a point in Tolkien’s writings when the Valar could have children and the Maiar didn’t exist, Vána and Oromë had a young daughter named Nieliqui. She was a Vala maiden who enjoyed dancing in her father’s woods, sometimes to music played by the Vala Omar.