Balin's folk

2012-09-29T13:38:46Z

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'''Balin's Colony''' was a group of [[Dwarves]] that followed [[Balin]] to recolonize [[Moria]] in {{TA|2989}}.

==History==
Though the riches of [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]] had made the Dwarves prosperous again, their suddenly rose a strange darkness amongst the people of Erebor, and rumor grew of even greater wealth elsewhere. Chiefly among these grew that Durin’s folk now had the strength and numbers to return Khazad-dûm, which Balin and many others had decided to journey to. Despite King [[Dáin Ironfoot]]’s advice against their plan, he gave leave of Balin and his followers to take the expedition in {{TA|2989}}.
<ref name="Many Meetings">{{FR|Meetings}}</ref> They had hoped to regain the treasures of Moria, and Balin had also hoped to find the [[Ring of Thrór]], which was assumed to have been lost when [[Thrór]] entered the [[East-gate]] years before.<ref name="Council">{{FR|Council}}</ref>

[[File:Joona Kujanen - Upper armories of the Deep.jpg|300px|thumb|Balin's expedition discovers the upper armories.]] Eventually Balin and his followers reached and entered the [[Dimrill Dale]]. Battle soon ensued that day leaving many orcs dead, and [[Flói]] who was killed after slaying an orc chieftain. The Dwarves subsequently took the East-gate and [[First Hall]].
Afterward Flói was buried under the grass near [[Mirrormere]],and the Dwarves continued systematically taking the eastern parts of the city which chiefly included the [[Twenty-first Hall]]. Where Balin set up his set in the [[Chamber of Mazarbul]], proclaiming himself [[Lord of Moria]].<ref name="Bridge">{{FR|Bridge}}</ref>

For five years the colony explored and thrived. Even sending messengers to Erebor to inform their kin of their doings. The Colony also managed to find many old treasures such as [[Durin's Axe]], mithril, gold, and other treasures.
This all changed on [[10 November]] {{TA|2994}}. As Lord Balin went to go look in Mirrormere, an orc archer fatally shot him from behind a rock. The Dwarves killed the archer, but many more orcs came up the [[Silverlode]] river. After a short battle, and with Balin’s body rescued, the surviving Dwarves retreated back into the First Hall and barred the East-gate. Eventually the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]] was captured, along with the [[Second Hall]], but only after a [[Battle of the Second Hall|great battle]] there that left [[Lóni]], [[Frár]] and [[Náli]] dead. [[Óin]] apparently led a group west, hoping to find and escape through the [[Doors of Durin]], but the [[Watcher in the Water]] killed him and of his group only four returned. Trapped, the remaining Longbeards with [[Ori]] retreated to the Chamber of Mazarbul, where they placed Balin’s body in [[Balin's Tomb|a tomb]]. There Ori wrote the last pages in the [[Book of Mazarbul]] before he and the last few remaining Dwarves perished in a [[Last Stand of Balin’s Colony|final stand]].<ref name="Bridge"/>

After receiving no news from the Colony for years, the [[Dwarves of Erebor]] became worried about the fate of their kin. As a result, [[Dáin Ironfoot]] sent [[Glóin]] and his son [[Gimli]] to [[Rivendell]] to seek news about the colony and advice from [[Elrond]]. When [[Frodo Baggins]] met Glóin and asked him abut Ori, Balin, and Óin, his face darkened, saying that he did not know.<ref name="Council"/> [[Gimli]] eventually learned of their fate when he crossed the dwarven realm with the [[Company of the Ring]]. He later reported their fate to [[Thorin Stonehelm]].<ref name="Bridge"/>

== Known Members ==
* [[Balin]]*
* [[Óin]]*
* [[Ori]]*
* [[Náli]]
* [[Frár]]
* [[Lóni]]
* [[Flói]]

''(*) A member of [[Thorin and Company]]''
{{references}}
[[Category:Dwarves]]
[[Category:Moria]]

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Balin's folk