The "Other" Istari, or the rest of the Heren Istarion

[Maeglin]

Of this order the number is unknown; but of those that came to the North of Middle-earth, where there was the most hope (because of the remnant of the Dunedain and the Eldar that abode there), the chiefs were five.

Does anyone have any guesses at what the actual number might be? And where in Middle-Earth were the others sent? And were they all sent to contest the will of Sauron? And one more thing, does anyone think one of the others that we don't know about could be greater than Saruman or Gandalf? Oh and one more thing, did these others succeed in their tasks?

[Anamatar IV]

there were only FIVE istari. 1 suceeded. ummm...where did you get that quote because id like to read the surrounding paragraphs. hehe. Heren Istarion attracted me here;)

But Ill be more helpful once I know what that quote is about.

[Maeglin]

I got that quote from Unfinished Tales: The Istari, on Page 389, middle paragraph on the page.

[Aiwendil2]

Well, if you've read Unfinished Tales, then you know nearly everything there is to know about the Istari, save for some bits in HoMe XII.

[Maeglin]

well I haven't actually read all of Unifinished Tales, I just got the book and was reading over the part about the Istari, and nowhere else are the others mentioned anyway

[Maeglin]

Oh pleasssse does anyone know anything about this? You wise ones such as Grond and Maedhros must know something, dig deep and search hard wise ones.

[Maedhros]

The quote that you use, provides the answer for the question. Who knows how many Istari they were, but because their chiefs were five, I would say that those who went to North in ME, the greater of them were Saruman and Gandalf.
In the Peoples of Me: The Five Wizards
The 'other two' came much earlier, at the same time probably as Glorfindel, when matters became very dangerous in the Second Age. Glorfindel was sent to aid Elrond and was (though not yet said) preeminent in the war in Eriador. But the other two Istari were sent for a different purpose. Morinehtar and Rómestámo. Darkness-slayer and East-helper. Their task was to circumvent Sauron: to bring help to the few tribes of Men that had rebelled from Melkor-worship, to stir up rebellion ... and after his first fall to search out his hiding (in which they failed) and to cause [? dissension and disarray] among the dark East ... They must have had very great influence on the history of the Second Age and Third Age in weakening and disarraying the forces of East ... who would both in the Second Age and Third Age otherwise have ... outnumbered the West.
They are the same as Alatar and his friend Pallando. Without their help, who knows what would have happened.

[Maeglin]

Thanks Maedhros, thats something thats been driving me crazy for awhile, I just had to know.

[Shaky_the_Mohel]

That's the best press I've seen given the Blue Wizards so far!

[Inderjit S]

Tolkien rather inexplicably changed the Ithrynluin's history, from the Alatar and Pallando story (Unfinished Tales, Letters of Tolkien) to the Morinehtar and Rómestámo which, at least gives a little more credence to the Istari and the Valar's choices in picking the Istari, as these didn't fail and had a positive impact on the peoples of M-E rather then the negative aspects of Alatar and Pallando's influence.

Though one wonders what happens to Saruman's journeys into the East of M-E now. Unless Morinehtar and Rómestámo remained in Middle-Earth through the T.A.