Bhalli Stonehand

Balli Stonehand was born In the northern Ered Luin (S. "Blue Mountains") in S.A. 2680. Named for Balli the Rash, his life parallels that of the Founder of Ruuriik, for in S.A. 2741 the young Dwarven Animist helped to refound the great Dwarven "Kingdom in the East," A great friend of Elves and Men and the spirit behind the successes of King Fulla VII Stonehand, the lean, handsome Animist helped unite and strengthen the Two Tribes of Druin and Barin. The story of Balli's early life is clouded, but he left the Blue Mountains as a youth, accompanying his friend, King Fulla of the House of Druin, on his epic thirty-year journey homeward from exile in the West. While Balli was of the Line of Barin North-king, his family was close to the Kings of Druin´s Folk and Balli and Fulla grew up together as fast compatriots.Balli tutored and counseled Fulla and their quests were the same; they hoped to find and resurrect Ruuriik. the land of their forefathers. Balli and Fulla arrived in Ruuriik in S.A. 2741. There, they found the besieged remnants of Barin's Folk, Balli's kinsmen, who were virtually imprisoned in a delving in the mountains of northern Ruuriik. The fearsome Balrog Muar ruled Ruuriik and threatened their survival. Unfortunately, Muar duped Balli and Fulla into helping him gain entry into the Dwarf-hold and the Fire-demon slew scores of Naugrim and wounded Fulla. Balli, however, called upon Mahal and somehow miraculously slew the awful Balrog. During the fight, a Mage under Muar's sway cast an incantation which turned Balli's right hand to stone. This unwelcome turn of events gave birth to the stoic Dwarf's nickname. After overcoming the Balrog, Balli brought upon himself and his tribe a dreadful retribution. Captured by the Wild Men of Ralian, who served the Nazgul known as Khamul the Easterling, Balli refused to reveal the whereabouts of the secret entrance into the inaccessible Dwarf-realm of Ruuriik. The enraged Nazgul ordered dozens of Balli's Folk captured and killed before Balli's eyes. Yet Balli would not betray his people. The Easterling roared with ire, and called upon his legion of assassins to go out across Middle-earth (even to the West) and kill everyone who had offered even a piece of bread and a cup of cold water to the selfless Dwarf. Each assassin, or "Slayer" was told to cry "In the name of Balli!" as he murdered his victim and Balli bore witness to every Slayer's departure. Still the Dwarf refused to speak. Then Khamul ordered that Balli's ancestors be disturbed and their tombs desecrated. StiLL Balli would not talk. In the end the tree planted beneath Balli's throne-trap eventually impaled the Dwarf, providing an agonizing end to his once-triumphant life (and offering a sight of rare amusement to Khamul). The lesson of Balli's long and important life is clear: that selflessness, like selfishness, has its limits. The proud and fierce Dwarves of Ruuriik have a saying regarding the merit of futile gestures; "costly as the silence of Balli." A great cost, indeed.