For thousands of years, the Longbeard Clan, AKA the Dwarves of Durin’s folk lived in
the realm of Khazad Dum, built deep within the Misty Mountains of Middle Earth.
Growing rich from mining Mithril and other precious gems, the Dwarves dug deep into the
mountain, until the year 1980 of the Third Age, when they awoke a Balrog of Morgoth.
Evoking the wrath of this creature they named Durin’s Bane, the Longbeards fled from their
ancient home to settle in their northern colony of Erebor, founding the kingdom under the
Mountain.
There they lived for the next two centuries, until relocating once more in 2210 to settle
in the nearby Grey Mountains.
Yet as the Dwarves continued to accumulate great stores of wealth, they came under threat
from the dragons of the north, prompting King Thror I to move many of his people back to
the Kingdom under the Mountain, while his younger brother Gror led others to a colony
in the Iron Hills.
For years they prospered in their reclaimed home, bringing forth new generations of clever,
loyal and industrious Dwarves, such Balin son of Fundin, who went on to become a great
leader amongst their people.
A distant cousin of the royal family through his great grandfather Borin, brother to the
King, Balin lived in Erebor for much of his life, proving both wise and courageous.
However the ill fortune of Durin’s Folk had not yet run its course, and in 2770, the
fire breathing dragon Smaug attacked and occupied the Lonely Mountain, forcing the Dwarves to
once again flee for their lives.
Settling for a time in Dunland, their King Thror was soon slain by the Orcs of Moria,
who’d taken up residence in their ancient homeland of Khazad Dum.
Both Balin and his younger brother Dwalin then fought in the War of Dwarves and Orcs
which culminated in the Battle of Azanulbizar in 2799.
Though the Dwarves wiped out great portions of the Orc population within the Misty Mountains,
they failed to recover Khazad Dum, as Durin’s Bane still dwelt within, alongside a great
many orcs and trolls.
Therefore, when the war finally ended, many of the Longbeards established themselves in
the Blue Mountains, under King Thrain, son of Thror, whose reign grew increasingly sorrowful
over the next 40 years, desperate to reclaim the riches left behind in their former kingdom.
In 2841, Thrain left his son Thorin as leader of their people and embarked upon a quest
with a small company, that included his friends Dwalin and Balin, to explore the lonely mountain
and see if the danger from Smaug the Terrible was still present.
Learning of their mission, the Dark Lord Sauron laid a trap by sending beasts and bad weather,
forcing them to take shelter in the forest of Mirkwood, where his agents came in the
night to capture the king.
Bringing Thrain to Dol Guldur, they took his ring of power, inflicted torture and left
him to die.
Balin and Dwalin meanwhile could not locate their leader, and so returned to the Blue
mountains where they served Thrain’s son Thorin Oakenshield.
A longtime friend to the new King, Balin became one of his most valued advisors, and so in
2941, when Thorin embarked upon a quest of his own, to reclaim the Kingdom under the
Mountain, he was joined by 12 dwarven companions which included both sons of Fundin.
Joined by the wizard Gandalf the Grey and the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, their company endured
a thrilling and perilous adventure, journeying to Rivendell, the Misty Mountains, the forest
of Mirkwood and the Woodland realm, during which time they were captured by and escaped
from Trolls, Goblins, and Wood Elves.
They also flew with the eagles, met the skinchanger Beorn and passing through the human settlement
of Lake Town, before at last reaching the Lonely Mountain.
Making their way into a secret side tunnel, Balin was the only Dwarf to accompany Bilbo
part way through the entrance, as the small Hobbit was sent in as a scout to determine
the status of Smaug and their lost treasure.
Unfortunately, the dragon was alerted to their presence and went on a rampage, attacking
nearby Laketown, until he was shot and killed by the black arrow of Bard the Bowman.
Entering into a dispute with the humans of lake-town and Elves of mirkwood over the treasures
of Erebor, Balin and his companions joined the Dwarves of the Iron Hills, to defend their
homeland.
Yet in the end, these warring parties joined together, alongside the eagles and Beorn the
Skinchanger, in order to repel the armies of Orcs and Wicked Beasts led by Bolg son
of Azog, a longtime enemy of the Dwarves.
Fighting valiantly in the Battle of the Five armies, Bolg was killed and his forces defeated,
though victory came at a great cost, with Thorin as well as his nephews Fili and Kili
lost in the fighting.
With the King dead, Balin spent the next few decades living under the rule Thorin’s kinsman,
Dain Ironfoot, though in 2949, he set off on a brief voyage to visit his old friend
Bilbo in the Shire.
A few decades later in 2989, Balin was ready to lead an expedition of his own, and so set
off to reclaim their ancient homeland of Khazad Dum.
In addition to housing the monstrous Balrog Durin’s Bane, the realm now called Moria
was teeming with dangers, as it became a refuge for Orcs and wicked creatures loyal to Sauron.
Yet even so, Balin was determined to make the journey, joined by a number of loyal friends
including Óin, Ori, Náli, Frár, Lóni, and Flói.
Fighting their way into the misty mountains, the Dwarven company slew many Orcs and settled
their colony in the Twenty First Hall, where Balin was declared Lord of Moria.
Surviving for 5 years, they recorded their activities inthe Book of Mazarbul and recovered
many of the ancient treasures of their people, including Durin’s Axe.
But eventually, the colony fell to the continued onslaught of their enemies, with Balin shot
and killed by a poisonous Orc arrow.
Though they fought valiantly until the end, the Dwarves were all slain and the colony
lost.
Years later, when the Fellowship of the Ring passed through the Misty Mountains on their
great journey to Mordor, it was Gimli, the son of Balin’s cousin Gloin, who found the
tomb of the Lord of Moria, and discovered the truth of their fate, mourning the loss
of his beloved relative.