Is there any info on the two eastern Astari in HOMES?

[Northern_Piper]

In the Silmarillion, there’s the enigmatic reference to the two Astari who went into the East and do not enter into the tales. I was just wondering if any of our Tolkien experts know of any further info about them in the HOMES series - seems odd that Tolkien would even bother mentioning them if he didn’t have any plans for them at some time, even if he eventually didn’t use them.

Also, did they have a colour? for some reason I associate blue with them, but I can’t find the reference.

[What_Exit]

The where called the Blue Wizards and went into the East. It was implied that they falled in their mission.
They were named: Morinehtar, meaning Darkness-Slayer and Romestamo, meaning East Helper. Also called Alatar and Pallando.
From The Encyclopedia of Arda

One of the five Wizards who came to the northwest of Middle-earth in the Third Age; he journeyed into the east with Pallando, and never returned to the western lands.

Alatar was one of the original three2 Wizards selected by the Valar for the journey from Valinor to Middle-earth (the other two being Curumo and Olórin - Saruman and Gandalf).

Alatar and Pallando arrived in Middle-earth dressed in sea-blue. For this reason, they were together given the name Ithryn Luin, the Blue Wizards. With Saruman, they journeyed into the far east of Middle-earth, but while Saruman returned to the west, Alatar and Pallando did not. Of their fate, we know almost nothing3.
Notes
1 The name Alatar can be interpreted (somewhat awkwardly) as ‘after-comer’. If this is correct, it must be a reference to his being selected as the second Wizard, after Curumo (Saruman). It might equally have been given to him after his arrival in Middle-earth (he arrived after Saruman), but Tolkien specifically states that neither Alatar nor Pallando had a name in the known regions of Middle-earth - in this case, Alatar must be viewed not so much as a name, but rather as a simple description.
A curious, and probably spurious, alternative meaning is álat ar, ‘noble giant’.

2 The Valar originally intended to send just three Maiar as emissaries to Middle-earth. Aiwendil (Radagast) was added to this number by Yavanna, and Pallando was taken by Alatar ‘as a friend’.
3 Tolkien tells us ‘What success they [Alatar and Pallando] had I do not know; but I fear they failed, as Saruman did, though doubtless in different ways; and I suspect they were the founders or beginners of secret cults and ‘magic’ traditions that outlasted the fall of Sauron.’ (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, No. 211).

This covers more than I know. Perhaps **QtM ** has more information.

Jim