After the flight of Melkor, the Valar sat long unmoved upon their thrones in the Ring of Doom and without voices they held council. Their thought passed back beyond Ea and forth to the end. Only when they learned that the Noldor had reached Middle-Earth, the Valar began to move again.

At that time, Yavanna and Nienna tried to heal the Two Trees of Valinor.

"But the tears of Nienna availed not to heal their mortal wounds and for long Yavanna sang along in shadows. Yet even as hope failed and her song faltered, Telperion bore at least upon a leafless bough one great flower of silver and Laurelin a single fruit of gold."

These Yavanna took and gave the to Aulë. Aulë and his people made vessels to hold them and these vessels were given to Varda, so that they might become lamps of heaven.

"Varda gave them the power to traverse the lower regions of Ilmen, and set them to voyage upon appointed courses above the girdle of the Earth from the West unto the East and to return."

Isil the Sheen the Vanyar named the Moon, flower of Telperion, and Anar the Fire-golden, fruit of Laurelin, they named the Sun. The maiden whom the Valar chose from among the Maiar to guide the vessel of the Sun was named Arien. To guide the vessel of the Moon, Tilion was choosen.

Isil was first wrought and made ready and first rose into the realm of the stars.

"Then for a while the world had moonlight and many things stirred and woke that had waited long in the sleeps of Yavanna."

Tilion had traversed the heaven seven times and thus was in the furthest east when the vessel of Arien was made ready. Then Anar rose in glory.

Now Varda purposed that Tilion and Anar should pass from Valinor into the east and return, the one issuing from the west as the other turned from the east. But Tilion was wayward and uncertain in speed. He held not to his appointed path and he sought to come near to Arien, being drawn by her splendour. Thus the island of the Moon was darkened.

Now Varda changed her counsel and allowed a time wherein the world should still have shadow and half light.

But Morgoth hated the new lights and he assailed Tilion, sending spirits of shadow against him and there was strife in Ilmen beneath the path of the stars, but Tilion was victorious.

"And Arien Morgoth feared with a great fear, but dared not come nigh her, having indeed no longer the power, for as he grew in malice and sent forth from himself the evil that he conceived in lies and creatures of wickedness his might passed into them and was dipersed, and he himself became even more bound to earth, unwilling to issue from his dark strongholds.With shadows he hid himself and his servants from Arien and the land near his dwelling were shrouded in fumes and great cloudes."

Seeing the assault upon Tirion the Valar were in doubt what the malice and cunning of Morgoth might yet contrive against them. And they raised up the Pelóri to protect their land and also the Enchanted Isles were made and the seas about them were filled with shadows and bewilderment.