Balin

Balin, son of Fundin, was a Dwarf of Durin's Folk, a companion of Thorin Oakenshield on the Quest of Erebor, and later the self-proclaimed Lord of Moria, whose doomed expedition to reclaim the ancient Dwarf-kingdom ended in his death and the annihilation of his colony. His fate, discovered by the Fellowship of the Ring, stands as a central tragedy of the War of the Ring, a testament to both Dwarven pride and the enduring malice of the Shadow.

Identity and Background

Balin was one of the twelve Dwarves who accompanied Thorin Oakenshield and Bilbo Baggins on the quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug. He was a member of Durin's Folk, the Longbeards, and was present at the Battle of Five Armies, where Thorin was slain. After the re-establishment of the Kingdom under the Mountain, Balin remained in Erebor, serving King Dáin II Ironfoot. He was a figure of considerable renown, known for his friendship with Bilbo and his deep connection to the lost history of his people.

The Expedition to Moria

Years after the victory in Dale, a shadow of disquiet fell upon the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain. Whispers spoke of a wider world and greater wealth, and many turned their thoughts to Moria, the ancient Dwarf-kingdom of Khazad-dûm, which had been abandoned for centuries after the awakening of Durin's Bane, a Balrog of Morgoth. Despite Dáin's reluctance, Balin listened to these whispers and resolved to go. Around thirty years before the War of the Ring, he took with him Ori, Óin, and many of their folk, and they journeyed south to Moria. For a time, messages reported that Moria had been entered and a great work begun there. Then, silence fell, and no word ever came from Moria again.

The Fall of Balin's Colony

The fate of Balin's expedition was recorded in the Book of Mazarbul, a chronicle found by the Fellowship of the Ring in the Chamber of Records within Moria. The book tells a grim story. The colony initially succeeded in driving out Orcs from the Great Gate and established a foothold, with Balin setting up his seat in the Chamber of Mazarbul. They found truesilver and mithril, and for a time, hope endured. However, the colony was under constant siege. The record notes that Balin fell in the Dimrill Dale, shot by an Orc from behind a stone while he went alone to look into the Mirrormere. The colony barred the gates, but they could not hold out. The final entries are desperate: "We cannot get out. They have taken the Bridge and second hall. Frár and Lóni and Náli fell there." The last lines, written in a trailing scrawl, read: "The pool is up to the wall at Westgate. The Watcher in the Water took Óin. We cannot get out. The end comes... drums, drums in the deep. They are coming."

The Tomb and the Fellowship's Discovery

The Fellowship of the Ring, led by Gandalf, stumbled upon the tomb of Balin in the Chamber of Mazarbul. The chamber was lit by a shaft of light, and in the middle of the room lay a single oblong block of stone, upon which was laid a great slab of white stone. Deeply graven runes read: "Balin son of Fundin, Lord of Moria." The discovery filled the Company with dread. Gimli, Balin's kinsman, cast his hood over his face in grief. The chamber was strewn with the bones of Dwarves and Orcs, and the shattered remnants of weapons, a testament to the final, desperate stand. Gandalf took the Book of Mazarbul, intending to return it to Dáin, and the Company was forced to flee as the drums of the Orcs began to beat once more in the deeps.

Significance and Legacy

Balin's failed expedition serves as a powerful symbol of the decline of the Dwarves and the enduring peril of Moria. His death, and the destruction of his colony, directly led to the Fellowship's perilous journey through the Mines, the fall of Gandalf to the Balrog, and the subsequent revelation of the true nature of the One Ring's power. The discovery of his tomb is a moment of profound pathos, highlighting the futility of the Dwarves' attempt to reclaim their ancient home and the tragic cost of their pride. Balin's story is a reminder that even the greatest of deeds can end in ruin, and that the shadows of the past can reach out to claim the present.