Balin Son of Fundin, Lord of Moria Quiz

Answer: Thrain

Balin and Dwalin were with Thrain, then King of the Dwarves, as he made his way to Erebor. The expedition was lost when Thrain was abducted by servants of Sauron (the Necromancer) near his camp on the edge of Mirkwood. Thrain was taken to Dol Guldor where Gandalf found him. Then Thrain passed the key and map to Gandalf to give to his son Thorin.

Answer: Balin sent Bilbo toys from Dale for his 111st Birthday Party.

Balin died six years before Bilbo's eleventy-first Birthday. I would guess that Bilbo may have considered going to live with Balin when he left the Shire instead of settling in Rivendell, but Balin had already gone to Moria.

Answer: He laughed saying, "Good old Bilbo."

Balin was watching for Bilbo outside of the Green Dragon Inn just before Thorin and Company left Hobbiton. He was also look-out during the Barrel-Escape and was the first to announce the Troll's campfire and the arrival of the Host of Mirkwood Elves and Men of Lake-town before the Siege of the Lonely Mountain. (The other quote was said by Thorin after Bilbo confessed to stealing the Arkenstone).

Answer: True

Tolkien doesn't mention why Bilbo releases Balin first during the escape, I would guess it could have been because Balin was a good look out man or maybe because Balin and Bilbo were friends. Balin was the last into a barrel because he was the look out.

Answer: True

Balin was the Dwarf who accompanied Bilbo part of the way when he entered the Lonely Mountain the first time. When Bilbo returned, Balin was very happy and carried Bilbo back to the camp on his shoulders.

Answer: about Carc the wise Raven that once lived there

Balin was born in Erebor and told Bilbo a lot about what he remembered of Dale and Erebor from when he was a Dwarf-lad. Balin is the one that remembered the bridge and path to Ravenhill (the SW look out post). The "diamond waistcoat" quote was said by Balin, but well before they hiked to Ravenhill.

Answer: They were destroyed in the Battle of the Five Armies.

Most of the Orcs were gone when Balin came to Moria, but by that time Sauron had risen again and soon sent Orcs from Mordor up the Silverlode to take the East side of Moria. So with the Watcher in the Water blocking the West gate, and a Balrog in their depths, the retaking of Moria by Balin's colony was pretty much hopeless.

Answer: valiant but foolish

At the Counsel of Elrond, Gloin told of how Balin had "listened to the whispers" and rumors of the lost wealth and glory which could be reclaimed in Moria, but Gandalf knew, even then, that Moria was a death trap (but he did not say that Balin was foolish until after he had seen his tomb).

Answer: taken by the Watcher in the Water

The Watcher was a monstrous Kraken that had dammed the river Sirannon, blocking the West Gate, trapping the Dwarves in Moria. Oin was Balin's cousin. Ori was probably killed making a last stand in the Chamber of Records just after writing the last entry in the Book of Mazar-bul.

Answer: the Kheled-zarum

The description of what Gimli, Sam and Frodo see when they look into the waters of the Mirror mere is a beautiful passage at the beginning of the "Lothlorien" chapter of "Lord of the Rings." The "Book of Mazar-bul" sets the date of Balin's date at November 10th 2994.