Balrog lore
from rustydomino@lemmy.world to lotrmemes@midwest.social on 31 Oct 19:32
https://lemmy.world/post/21489775

#lotrmemes

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finitebanjo@lemmy.world on 31 Oct 20:36 next collapse

A 400 MPH Balrog is kind of fucking terrifying.

tacosanonymous@lemm.ee on 31 Oct 23:15 collapse

It really fits with their whole vibe.

BrazenSigilos@ttrpg.network on 01 Nov 00:29 collapse

Ormagöden, The Fire Beast, Cremator of the Sky!

<img alt="" src="https://ttrpg.network/pictrs/image/95184e68-ed07-40fc-93a0-0b66b205d3b8.jpeg">

ochi_chernye@startrek.website on 31 Oct 21:37 next collapse

Perhaps the Balrog underestimated Gandalf, thinking it could cast him into the abyss, then fly back up to deal with the rest of the Fellowship. Alternatively, maybe it calculated that its best chance of defeating the wizard was to grapple with him at close quarters. Either way, the Balrog falling doesn’t necessarily mean that it wasn’t capable of flight.

eagris@lemmy.world on 01 Nov 01:15 collapse

Aren’t Balrogs just corrupted Maiar? I’ve never understood why it’s assumed that they all have to be the same. Presumably, they could have taken different forms, either by their own choice, by Morgoth’s, or just by the way the corruption took hold. Maybe some had wings and some didn’t?

Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de on 01 Nov 10:24 collapse

maybe they had elytras to hide the wings unless needed, and some of them had the wings atrophy while keeping elytras for aggression displays?

BearGun@ttrpg.network on 01 Nov 03:20 next collapse

The cry of Morgoth in that hour was the greatest and most dreadful that was ever heard in the northern world; the mountains shook, and the earth trembled, and rocks were riven asunder. Deep in the forgotten places that cry was heard. Far beneath the ruined halls of Angband, in vaults to which the Valar in the haste of their assault had not descended, Balrogs lurked still, awaiting ever the return of their Lord; and now swiftly they arose, and passing over Hithlum they came to Lammoth as a tempest of fire. With their whips of flame they smote asunder the webs of Ungoliant, and she quailed, and turned to flight, belching black vapours to cover her.

It doesn’t actually say anything about how fast they got there. “In that hour” simply means “at that time” here. On the other hand, they travelled “as a tempest of fire”, which certainly implies magic and speed. Either way, with such inherently magical creatures as the Balrogs, saying that they cannot travel very quickly without flying seems somewhat naive.

Good meme though, always appreciate something that makes me go back to the scriptures.

threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works on 02 Nov 17:37 collapse

they arose, and passing over Hithlum

To me, this implies some form of flight, since they passed over, rather than through some place.

ccdfa@lemm.ee on 02 Nov 18:18 next collapse

It could also mean they trampled over it, destroying it in their wake, thus going over it without flying, so to speak

BearGun@ttrpg.network on 02 Nov 19:29 collapse

I mean no, they arose from their hiding in the depths of Angmar is definitely how I’d interpret that

Bougie_Birdie@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 01 Nov 05:06 next collapse

Gandalf’s Balrog fell in a pretty narrow crevasse though, right? The real question there is if they could VTOL

RootBeerGuy@discuss.tchncs.de on 01 Nov 05:22 next collapse

How about… Hear me out…

<img alt="" src="https://i.makeagif.com/media/2-25-2021/4mbN-4.gif">

RizzRustbolt@lemmy.world on 02 Nov 19:18 next collapse

Kind of hard to fly when you’re getting smashed in the face by a wizard.

Skkorm@lemmy.world on 03 Nov 06:54 collapse

Honestly it’s not a problem that the Balrog fell. Something that large falling would struggle to stop itself from such a free fall, especially with Gandalf beating it’s ass all the way down