The Lord of the Rings is known for Middle-earth, but Middle-earth is just one continent in Arda, which is the world within E - the universe created by J.R.R. Tolkien. Middle-earth's God, Eru Ilvatar, created spirit beings called Ainur first, and they lived with him in the Timeless Halls outside E. Eru proposed a musical theme and the Ainur sang the magical Ainulindal, which Eru then revealed had visualized a plan for E. The 15 most powerful Ainur, the Valar, went down into E with Ainur of a lesser degree called Maiar, and together they built what they had visualized.

As Eru ordained, these Ainur couldn't leave E until it was ended. Outside E lay the void. The Vala Melkor sought total control and gathered many Maiar to his service. The other Valar opposed Melkor and his forces from the Days before Days into the First Age. Coming to be known...