Balin (Del. "Shining-one"?) ruled Moria for five years (T.A. 2989-94) as the self-proclaimed "King of Khazad-dûm". Originally a follower of King Thrain II during the War of the Dwarves and Orcs, he escaped when his overlord was captured by the minions of the Necromancer in T.A. 2845. He then became a follower of Thrain's son, Thorin Oakenshield. In T.A. 2941, Balin fought beside King Thorin II (as one of the famed Thirteen Dwarves) in the victorious battle to reclaim Erebor. The Dwarven triumph in the Battle of Five Armies enabled the Naugrim to reestablish the Dwarven "Kingdom Under the Mountain," a grand Dwarf-hold which had been abandoned by the Khazad after the coming of Smaug the Dragon. At that time, Balin formed an unusual friendship with Bilbo Baggins. Dain Ironfoot succeeded Thorin Oakenshield after the latter's death in the Battle of Five Armies. Balin was sorely hurt by the loss of his friend and did not get along well with Dain, so he settled with his followers in Erebor rather than accompanying the King to the Iron Hills. Restless and driven, however, Balin resolved to leave Dain's fold altogether in T.A. 2989. That year, Balin led an expedition to reclaim Khazad-dum. He gathered a colony of Dwarves there and found many treasures in Moria including Durin's items; but in 2994, Orcs attacked Balin's realm and Balin perished battling Orcs outside the Great Gates of Moria. He fell in the famous Valley of Azanulbizar, where two hundred years before the greatest of the battles that comprised the War between the Dwarves and the Orcs bad been fought.
Balin was buried in the Chamber of Mazarbul (the Chamber of Records in Old Moria, on the Seventh Level) which was once his throne-room.
Character[]
Balin was the older brother of Dwálin, and the oldest of Thorin's Dwarves. He was a wise, deliberate, and a loyal councilor to Thorin, a great orator, but also an ambitious politician. His name probably came from the tongue of Dunland or Minhiriath and possibly meant the Shining One in Old Norse.
Family[]
(N) = non-canonical
Items[]
- Beard-comb
- Scarlet cloak
- Comb
- Dwarven boots
- Dwarven capsule
- Dwarven dagger
- Dwarven Short Sword
- Hood of scarlet
- Jewelled belt
- Leather pouch
- Long knife
- Pen-knife
- Pendulum
- Pipe
- Quills, inkpot, escritoire
- Scissors
- Signet of the House of Dúrin
- Silver spoon
- Tiara of Erebor
- Umbrella
- Viol
Later:
As Lord of Moria:
- Durin's Axe
- Durin's Armor
- Durin's Hammer
- Shield of Durin
References[]
- MERP: Lords of Middle-earth Vol. III - Hobbits, Dwarves, Ents, Orcs & Trolls
- MERP: Middle-earth Adventure Guidebook II