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Elves
The Firstborn Children of Illúvatar
(mainly taken from the Encyclopedia of Arda, one of the best and greatest Tolkien resources on the net)
The Elves awoke at the the lake Cuiviénen some three ages (about 9.000 years) before the First Age. Unlike Men, the Elves are not subject to death or illness but could be slain or die of grief.
When an Elve dies his spirit removes to the halls of Mandos awaiting to be reincarnated. Due to this the number of the Elves grow not (as given by Christopher Tolkien in the History of Middle Earth).
When the Elves awoke at the Water of Awakening under the starlight of the Years of the Trees nothing was known of them to the Valar at first. The spies of Melkor first discovered them and many of the Elves were carried to the fortress of Utumno were it is thought that they were the origin of the orc´s since these were a mockery of the Elves.
The Valar discovered that the Elves had awoken when Oromë, hunting in the lands of Middle-earth, heard their singing voices. He named them Eldar, the People of the Stars, but the Elves' own name for their kind was Quendi, those who speak with voices. Because of the horrors of Melkor, many of the Elves were at first suspicious of the Vala, but (after briefly returning to Valinor to tell the other Valar of his discovery) he remained with them and protected them for a time
Concerned for the safety of the Elves in Middle-earth, which was at that time under the control of Melkor, the Valar left Valinor and made war against the Dark Lord: this was the Battle of the Powers, which saw Melkor taken as captive back to Valinor.
After the defeat of Melkor, the Valar debated the fate of the Elves - whether they should be left to dwell in Middle-earth, or brought to Valinor to be kept under the direct protection of the Valar. It was decided to bring them to the land of the Valar, and Oromë was sent back to Cuiviénen to summon them.
When he returned, though, he found that the Elves feared the Valar, and were reluctant to make the journey. Three ambassadors were chosen, Ingwë, Finwë and Elwë, to travel to Aman with Oromë, and help the Elves decide on their course. These three were filled with awe by what they saw there, and by the light of the Two Trees, and counselled their people to follow the summons.
The followers of Ingwë, and most of the peoples of Finwë and Elwë agreed, and set out on the Great Journey westwards across the wide lands of Middle-earth. These were the peoples later known as the Three Kindreds, the Vanyar, the Noldor and the Teleri. Not all the Elves obeyed the summons; those who refused are known as Avari, the Unwilling.
Oromë led the peoples of the Three Kindreds out of the east of Middle-earth. The Vanyar were the least numerous, and the most eager to reach Aman, and they came first on the Journey, followed by the Noldor of Finwë.
The Teleri, led by Elwë and his brother Olwë, were the greatest host, and many were uncertain and doubtful. Not a few of these people left the Journey and remained in Middle-earth3. The most notable of those who turned from the Journey were the Nandor, who were led away down the Vales of Anduin by Lenwë.
At last, the Vanyar and the Noldor reached the shores of the Great Sea, in the regions between the Bay of Balar and the Firth of Drengist (regions later known, at least for the most part, as the Falas). Ulmo brought a great island to the shores, and on it transported the Elves to Aman.
The Teleri were the hindcomers, though, and arrived in Beleriand too late to embark on Ulmo's island. They dwelt for a while on the banks of the Gelion in eastern Beleriand, but later spread to the shores. In this time, two events of historical importance occurred - their lord Elwë was lost for a time in Nan Elmoth, and they encountered Ossë, a Maia of the Sea.
Many of the Teleri wished to remain in Beleriand, some to seek for their lost lord, and others because of desires stirred in their hearts by Ossë. When the time came for Ulmo to return to Beleriand to take the Teleri to Valinor, then, many of them remained behind. These people became known in after years as the Sindar, the Grey-elves, and those who dwelt by the shores under the lordship of Círdan became known as the Falathrim.
Most of the histroy of the First and Second Ages is concerned with the Elves (mainly it's kingdoms and wars) whereas the Third Age is moreover concerned with Men. The final overthrow of Sauron marked the beginning of the domination of Men.
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