[mistressofbucklebury]

I'm just wondering if any of the Tolkien scholars out there might be able to anwser a question that's been bugging me.

Is there ever a name given for Sauron prior to his fall into darkness with Melkor? I know he was a maia in the service of Aule but I was wondering what he would have been known as at that time. He had plenty of names after that, but they obviously either reflect his evilness (for want of a better term) or are directly linked to him trying to decieve people so I don't think I can use them for the bunny that's running rampant in my brain at the mo.

Any help would be gratefully recieved... even if it's just to suggest a non-canon name I could use as I'm really stuck on this one.

Cheers

[inglor]

Only ones I know of are post corruption. Gorthaur, Sauron, and Annatar. In BoLT, his character is an evil wizard named Thu, but I think that was early in the developement and before the Prof decided to flesh out more of Sauron's past.

Inglor

[ellisk]

There's a really nicely researched character sketch in the Library section on Sauron--I think the list of names given there is as complete as it gets.

http://www.openscrolls.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=989

Scroll down--I think he's the second entry after the template.

Maybe it will help? Not a Sauron expert myself.

[mistressofbucklebury]

Thanks for that ellisk, I had no idea that thread existed!

So it would appear that Tolkien never gave Sauron's Valinorian name, shucks!!! Looks like I'm gonna have to make one up

Any suggestions of where to start gratefully recieved!

[AngmarofCarnDum]

I do not believe the listed article gave this name of Sauron:

Artano
Sauron also called himself Artano meaning "High Smith" when he worked with the Elven smiths of Eregion. The word ar means "high, royal" and tano means "craftsman, smith."
Unfinished Tales: "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn," p. 253-54 note 7
The History of Middle-earth, vol. V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies," entry for TAN

[ellisk]

That's a toughy. I'd probably go with something in Quenya having to do with fire (since he was into fire, right?)

From the dictionary on Council of Elrond's site, here are the words for fire in Quenya:

1.) nár (noun) 2.) náre (noun) 3.) úr (noun) 4.) urwa (adjective) on fire 5.) urúva (adjective) like fire

and then here are some name suffixes, according to that same site for Quenyan names:

-ndil: masculine suffix meaning "friend/lover of ..."
-ndur: genderless suffix meaning "servant of ..."
-incë : masculine diminutive suffix.
-indo: masculine agentive suffix.
-ion: means 'son'.
-mo: agentive masculine suffix.
-no/-do: masculine suffixes, latter used after consonants L & N.
-o: masculine suffix.
-on: suffix denoting masculinity of a name.
-ro: masculine agental suffix.
-u: masculine suffix.
-wë: masculine suffix.

But names are hard for me. Maybe this will give you a start.

You've certainly piqued my curiosity about the story where you will be using this.

[ghettoelleth]

Jes and MoB, a story in pictures:

[mistressofbucklebury]

[ghettoelleth]

Not only that, I've led you down the road to perdition. How do you go from Roy to Satan in one conversation? Talk to Ghetto, hehe.

[Aganuzir]

Unfinished Tales, " THE HISTORY OF GALADRIEL AND CELEBORN " note 7

"Sauron endeavoured to keep distinct his two sides: enemy and tempter. When he came among the Noldor he adopted a specious fair form (a kind of simulated anticipation of the later Istari and a fair name: Artano "high-smith," or Aulendil, meaning one who is devoted to the service of the Vala Aulë. (In Of the Rings of Power, p. 287, the name that Sauron gave to himself at this time was Annatar, the Lord of Gifts; but that name is not mentioned here.) The note goes on to say that Galadriel was not deceived, saying that this Aulendil was not in the train of Aulë in Valinor, "but this is not decisive, since Aulë existed before the 'Building of Arda,' and the probability is that Sauron was in fact one of the Aulëan Maiar, corrupted 'before Arda began' by Melkor." With this compare the opening sentences in Of the Rings of Power: "Of old there was Sauron the Maia. ...In the beginning of Arda Melkor seduced him to his allegiance."

So, you have a choice, either Artano (proposed earlier by Angmar), or Aulendil. The latter may be somehow better, as it was meant as a name used earlier in Valinor.

[Rhapsody]

Sauron only used this name in the Second Age, so it was not is Maiar name in Valinor (yes I did check my books for that).

[mistressofbucklebury]

[Aganuzir]

[Alassante]

[mistressofbucklebury]

Roy the ranger would be terribly upset with that suggestion and I can't afford to insult my muse... not when he's given me such a great bunny for the VV.