#aule

The Timeless Halls

Aulë: Don’t you mean inevitable?

As we know, many (if not all) Maiar serve more than one Vala. Melian is mentioned with two at least, but I keep forgetting which of Irmo, Vána and someone else. Olorin worked with Nienna, famously, but seems more directly employed by Manwë, and there was some mention of Varda, and his name and MO if not the book itself suggests Irmo too.

Was Sauron really only serving Aulë before his betrayal, or was Aulë simply the Vala most willing to take the shame?

Sauron invented necromancy. I've seen it said that Morgoth taught him, but we never see Morgoth doing necromancy himself. Seems like a Sauron thing.

I'm not pointing fingers, but Námo isn't very talkative, he wouldn't talk to the Noldor chroniclers about his fallen Maia.

Aulë would. He talked much with the Noldor, and I think that after the dwarf incident he's very humble (somewhat confirmed by the book when Melkor's bullying discourages him from doing anything bigger), and willing to admit a mistake, or a perceived mistake.

Also, Sauron and his shapeshifting. Not a very Aulë thing. I think Oromë would fit the best. Also, association with big canines. And all the monster lore.

Tbh if I worked with Oromë, and then fell to evil, and repented, and was asked to go back to Aman... I can see why this was so hard to Sauron.

Oromë is explicitly said to be unforgiving, even in the published silm where the Valar don't have many faults. So, the thought of meeting him, after betraying him personally, and using his lore for evil (and getting beaten by his dog, which was quite humiliating)... Ouch.

Ha! Investigative journaling 💯, Oromë, I found your dirty secret!

Also this would explain how Sauron knew so much about Huan! Also, Sauron and Huan being sort of ex-colleagues is hilarious.

Plus I feel like being tied to two more Valar makes it easier to imagine Sauron's personality as more than just "control freak". The fatalism and theatricality he got from Námo. The vengefulness and joy of the hunt he got from Oromë.

Also, not about Sauron, but Ossë: why did Aulë, of all people, help him (why besides: Aulë knew the feeling and related to Ossë, because the dwarf incident)? I think that, just as the shallows are between the land and the sea, Ossë was tired both to the Vala of the land and the Vala of the sea.

He was simply closer to Ulmo, or maybe Aulë didn't want to claim the credit for the Maia who actually came back. I think Aulë would be the source of many of Rumil's information. He was the Vala who talked the most to the Noldor.

Aulë and Yavanna chillin'