One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them.

MORIA. (S). “Black Chasm”.Moria

The home of Durin, the eldest of the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves, Khazad-dûm was the greatest of the Dwarven mansions, especially after the destruction of Beleriand which partially destroyed Nogrod and Belegost. The name given to the realm of Khazad-dûm after it was deserted by the Dwarves. Founded by Durin after he began tunnelling into the side of the Misty Mountains, the Dwarves delved deep in search of the precious metal Mithril. It was there in the depths they disturbed a Balrog, forcing them to flee Khazad-dûm where upon it became known as Moria.Many dwarves fled from Nogrod and Belegost to Khazad-dûm, swelling its population. Khazad-dûm was the only place where mithril could be found, but mithril was also the cause of their destruction, as in mining for mithril, they accidentally freed the Balrog. The Dwarves abandoned Khazad-dûm in the year 1981 of the Third Age. After the Dwarves left, Sauron sent orcs to gather all the mithril, gold and jewels that could be found. The Elves called Khazad-dûm Moria, the Black Chasm afterwards. It was in Moria that Gandalf fell fighting the Balrog. There was a prophecy that one day the Dwarves would retake Moria, referred to in the following: The Peoples of Middle-Earth, page 278:And the line of Dain prospered, and the wealth and renown of the kingship was renewed, until there arose again for the last time an heir of that House that bore the name of Durin, and he returned to Moria; and there was light again in deep places, and the ringing of hammers and the harping of harps, until the world grew old and the Dwarves failed and the days of Durin's race were ended.The Lord of the Rings, page 341: So ended the attempt to retake Moria! It was valiant but foolish. The time is not come yet. -BLACK GULF. -BLACK PIT. Black Pit-BLACK CHASM. Black Chasm-CASARRONDO. (Q). “Dwarf-delving?”.

-DWARROWDELF. "Delving of the Dwarves". Tolkien invented this form of Dwarf-delving. It is the translation of Phurunargian (Wg) and of Khazad-dûm (Dw). DwarrowdelfDwarrowdelf means "Dwarf-delving" from dwarrow, an archaic plural of dwarf and delf, or "delving, mining." -DELVING OF THE DWARVES. -HADHODROND. (S). "Delving of the Dwarves". HadhodrondThe Sindarin name Hadhodrond is the equivalent of Khazad-dûm. The word Hadhod, or Hadhodrim, was a name used for the Dwarves in an attempt to approximate the sounds of the word Khazad in the Elvish tongue. The word rond means "vaulted or arched roof" or a chamber or hall with such a roof. -KAZADDUM. -KHAZAD-DUM. (Khazad-dûm). (S). "Dwarrow-delf". Khazad-dûm Khazad-dûm was called Hadhodrond by the Eldar and the Dwarrowdelf by Men. Dwarrowdelf is an anglicized representation of the Common Speech name Phurunargian. After Khazad-dûm was taken over by evil creatures it was called the Mines of Moria or simply Moria - the Black Pit or Black Chasm. Khazad-dûm means "Mansion of the Dwarves" from khazad, the Dwarves' name for their own race, and dûm meaning "excavations, halls." -KHAZADDUM. -MANSION OF THE DWARVES. Mansion of the Khazâd-MINES OF MORIA. Mines of Moria -MINES THE. -NORNHABAR.-PHURUNARGIAN (gen.W) "Dwarf-delving". PhurunargianThe name Phurunargian is the actual Common Speech name for the Dwarrowdelf, also meaning "Dwarf-delving." The word phuru is derived from phur meaning "to delve" and the word nargian is related to narac meaning "dwarf."

See also ALPHABET OF MORIA.

DWARF-DOORS Concealed entrances constructed by the Dwarves. See West-gate and East-gate.The earliest known, the Doors of Durin, dated from the middle of the Second Age, though the skill to make such doors probably predated those particular doors by some time.Known Dwarf-doors stood at the West-gate of Moria and the hidden entrance to Erebor.All known examples were made by Durin's Folk (the Longbeards) but the generic name 'Dwarf-doors' implies that Dwarves of other clans also had this skill.Especially associated with Khazad-dûm and Erebor.The Dwarves had a particular skill in making doors that would blend into their surroundings, becoming so well concealed that even those who had made1 them could not find them again once their secret had been lost. The means of finding and opening Dwarf-doors varied from door to door, but was often magical in nature.We have two examples of Dwarf-doors, each operating in a quite different way. The hidden entrance on the mountainside of Erebor remained hidden until it was struck by a ray of sunlight on a particular date, while the West-gate of Moria responded to a particular magical incantation.The means of opening the Dwarf-doors also varied: on Erebor, once revealed, the hidden door could be opened using a simple key. The Doors of Durin were more magical in nature, opening only in response to the spoken word mellon, 'friend', but otherwise remaining sealed.These secrets kept Dwarf-doors hidden from and closed to outsiders, but for those inside, at least in the case of Khazad-dûm, they were much easier to use: a simple push would cause them to open. The door on Erebor seems to have been more secure: clearly it must have been possible to operate it from the inside (since Thrór and Thráin escaped Smaug's attack through it) but once closed from the inside it would certainly not open easily.In earlier editions of The Lord of the Rings, Gimli stated that '...their own masters cannot find them ... if their secret is forgotten.' The word 'masters' here was an error: the word should have read 'makers'. This error persisted through several editions, but is corrected in the more recent copies of the book.

FIRST DAY. See DAYS

FIRST HALL. The great eastern hall of Moria (Khazad-dûm). First Hall

GATES OF MORIA.Gates of Moria

DOORS OF DURIN. Doors of Durin -DOORS OF MORIA.-DOORS THE. -DWARF-DOOR AND ELF-DOOR. -DWARVEN-DOOR AND ELVEN-DOOR. -ELF-DOOR AND DWARF-DOOR, -ELVEN-DOOR AND DWARVEN-DOOR-GATE OF MORIA. -GATE THE. -GATES THE. -GREAT GATES OF MORIA. Great Gates-MORIA GATE. Moria GateThe doors of Moria (Khazad-dûm). Also appearing in the form 'Moria-gate', a term used for either of the two gates of Moria. One opened westward to the old Elvish land of Eregion, the other eastward onto the valley of Nanduhirion (Dimrill Dale).

EAST-GATE The eastern gate of Moria. Facing Dimrill Dale. The Gates were broken when Balin's Dwarf-colony was attacked in 3A2994. They had not been repaired by the time the WR.The East-gate of Khazad-dûm, or Moria. The Dimrill Gate was the main entrance to Khazad-dûm. It opened onto the Dimrill Dale on the east side of the Misty Mountains. Broad stone steps led down from the threshold to a paved road that ran through the valley past Mirrormere and alongside the Silverlode. The Dimrill Gate had two great doors that hung from tall doorposts. The doors bore messages in several languages inscribed in runes. In Khuzdul, the language of the Dwarves, there were spells of prohibition and exclusion. There were also warnings against entering without the permission of the King of Khazad-dûm written in Quenya, Sindarin, the Common Speech, and the languages of Rohan, Dale, and Dunland. Inside the Dimrill Gate was a guardroom and a pair of doors to the First Hall. The Dimrill Gate was on the First Level of Khazad-dûm. The Levels above were numbered in relation to the First Level while the levels below were called Deeps. From the First Hall, a passageway and a staircase led down to the First Deep. At the foot of the stairs, the Bridge of Khazad-dûm spanned a deep chasm to the Second Hall. The halls nearest the Dimrill Gate were known as Old Moria. They were the oldest part of Khazad-dûm, made by the Dwarves in the time of Durin I. Khazad-dûm was gradually expanded until it stretched 40 miles from the Dimrill Gate in the east to the Doors of Durin in the west. The realm of Khazad-dûm endured for many millennia until 1981 of the Third Age, when the Dwarves fled after encountering the Balrog. Orcs and other evil creatures came to dwell there and it became known as Moria. In 2790, Thror, the King of Durin's Folk, came to the Dimrill Gate in hopes of reclaiming Khazad-dûm. The Gate was open and Thror entered but he was slain by the Orc-leader Azog and his body was thrown out onto the steps. The Dwarves declared war on the Orcs. In 2799, the Battle of Azanulbizar was fought in the Dimrill Dale. The Dimrill Gate was damaged during the battle. Nain of the Iron Hills approached the Gate and called for Azog to come out, and they fought on the steps. Azog slew Nain, but Nain's son Dain Ironfoot killed Azog. Dain then looked through the Gate and realized that the Balrog still dwelled there, so the Dwarves did not reclaim Khazad-dûm. Gandalf entered Moria through the Dimrill Gate while searching for Thrain II who disappeared in 2845. Aragorn also passed through the Dimrill Gate during his journeys in Middle-earth. In 2989, Balin led an expedition of Dwarves to reclaim Khazad-dûm. The Dwarves drove the Orcs from the Dimrill Gate and established a colony. In 2994, Balin was killed and Orcs attacked the colony. The

Dwarves barred the doors on the East-gate but they were overwhelmed and the colony was wiped out. The doors of the Dimrill Gate were shattered and cast down. Gollum entered the Dimrill Gate in August of 3018 and made his way through Moria to the West-gate. The Fellowship entered Moria through the West-gate on January 13, 3019, and journeyed eastward followed by Gollum. On January 15, Gandalf confronted the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and fell into the abyss. Aragorn led the others out of Moria through the Dimrill Gate. East-gate of Moria-DIMRILL GATE. Dimrill Gate -DURIN'S DOORS.-DOOR THE. -GATE THE.-GREAT GATE(S). Another name for the East-gate of Moria, the greater of the two entrances to that realm, and the Gates through which the Company of the Ring escaped during their journey southward. WEST-GATE. The Elven Door.Gate in Moria built by Narvi in 2A to facilitate trade between the Dwarves and the Noldor of Eregion. The gate was controlled by the spell placed on it by Celebrimbor. When Sauron overran Eregion the West-gate was closed. Some time after 3A1981, the gate was blocked by the Watcher in the Water, who in 3A2994 prevented Balin's Dwarf-colony from escaping by that route. When the Company of the Ring opened the West-gate in 3A3019 the Watcher closed the doors and barricaded them with bolders and holly trees. The West-gate was made of ithildin, and only opened when it was visible and when the person desiring entry spoke the word mellon.The Doors of Durin were named after one of the Kings of Khazad-dûm named Durin. This could have been Durin III, though his reign was at the very end of the period of commerce between Khazad-dûm and Eregion and it seems likely that the Doors would have been made earlier. Another possibility is Durin II who may have reigned in the early part of the Second Age though his dates are unknown. Also called the West-door, the West-gate, the Hollin Gate, and the Elven Doors. Doors on the West-gate of Khazad-dûm, or Moria. The Doors of Durin were located in a cliff called the Walls of Moria on the west side of the Misty Mountains. The Doors opened onto a shallow valley at the base of the cliff. A road marked by two holly trees began at the Doors of Durin and ran westward to the Elven-realm of Eregion. Sirannon, the Gate-stream, flowed alongside the road. At the edge of the valley, the Sirannon cascaded over another cliff and formed the Stair Falls. Inside the Doors of Durin was a flight of 200 stairs leading upwards. At the top was an arched passageway that twisted and turned and went downwards and was joined by many other hallways. The distance between the West-gate and the East-gate of Khazad-dûm was about 40 miles. The Doors of Durin were two tall stone slabs that opened outwards. From the inside they could be pushed open, although they were heavy and required two people or a strong person to do so. The Doors could not be forced inwards from the outside. Like other Dwarf-doors, the Doors of Durin could not been seen when they were closed. Opening the Doors from the outside required a password which revealed the outline of the Doors and caused them to swing open. The password was mellon meaning "friend" in the Sindarin language of the Eldar. The Doors of Durin bore an elaborate design drawn in ithildin - a silvery substance derived from mithril. Ithildin could only be seen in starlight or moonlight and first had to be activated by touch and a special incantation. At the top of the design was an arch with an inscription in Sindarin using Tengwar characters. It gave the password to open the Doors: Ennyn Durin Aran Moria: pedo mellon a minno. Im Narvi hain echant: Celebrimbor o Eregion teithant i thiw hin. The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Say "friend" and enter. I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Eregion drew these signs. Doors of Durin. Two pillars were drawn on either side of the Doors beneath the arch. Beside the pillars stood two trees. Both trees represented Galathilion, the Tree of the High Elves. Galathilion was made for the Eldar by the Vala Yavanna in the image of Telperion - one of the Two Trees of Valinor. Telperion gave off a silver light and the Moon was made from one of its flowers. In the engraving, the leaves of the trees were shaped like crescent moons.

Near the top of the Doors under the arch was a hammer and anvil surmounted by a crown with seven stars. These were the emblems of Durin I. The stars each had eight rays and collectively represented the constellation called the Sickle of the Valar (known to us as the Plough or the Big Dipper). At the center of the Doors was the eight-pointed Star of the House of Feanor. This emblem may have represented one of the Silmarils wrought by Feanor. Near the bottom of the Doors was the Tengwar character ando which means "gate" and represents the letter d as in "Durin." In the upper left-hand corner of the Doors was the character calma representing c as in "Celebrimbor." The character óre in the upper right-hand corner usually represents r but in the Mode of Beleriand used on the Doors it stood for n as in "Narvi." Narvi was the Dwarf-craftsman who made the Doors of Durin, and Celebrimbor was the Elven-smith who drew the design on the Doors. Celebrimbor lived in nearby Eregion which was founded by the Eldar in 750 of the Second Age. The Dwarves of Khazad-dûm and the Eldar of Eregion traded with each other, and the Doors of Durin were made to faciliate commerce between the two realms. During this peaceful period, the Doors usually stood open guarded by doorwards. Eregion was destroyed during the War of the Elves and Sauron in 1697 of the Second Age. The King of Khazad-dûm at this time was Durin III. He sent an army of Dwarves to help the Eldar but in the end they were forced to retreat. The Doors of Durin were shut and Sauron's forces could not breach them. In 1980 of the Third Age, the Balrog was awakened and the Dwarves abandoned Khazad-dûm the next year in 1981. Evil creatures came to live there and it became known as Moria, the Black Chasm. In 2989, Balin and a company of Dwarves entered Moria through the East-gate and tried to establish a colony, but within five years they were besieged. They tried to escape through the West-gate but discovered that the Gate-stream had been dammed and a wide pool had formed in front of the Doors of Durin. Oin was killed by a tentacled creature called the Watcher in the Water lurking in the pool. In August of 3018, Gollum entered Moria through the East-gate and slowly made his way to the West-gate. He could not figure out how to open the Doors of Durin and he was too weak to push them outward regardless. He was lurking inside the West-gate when the Fellowship entered. The Fellowship arrived at the Doors of Durin on January 13, 3019. Gandalf remembered the incantation to illuminate the design on the Doors but he did not know the password to open them. He initially translated the inscription as "Speak, friend, and enter." Merry Brandybuck questioned the meaning of this phrase but Gandalf thought the words were of no importance. Finally he realized that Merry was on the right track and that the password was contained in the phrase pedo mellon a minno which was correctly translated as "Say 'friend' and enter." As the Fellowship started to enter the West-gate, they were attacked by the Watcher in the Water. Once they made it inside, the Watcher slammed the Doors of Durin shut behind them. The Watcher piled boulders in front of the Doors and uprooted the ancient holly trees that had stood before them. It is possible that the Doors of Durin were unblocked after the War of the Ring. The realm of Khazad-dûm was reestablished by Durin VII, probably during the Fourth Age. There is a question as to why the word Moria is used in the inscription on the Doors of Durin. At the time the Doors were made, Khazad-dûm was the name of the Dwarves' realm, and the Sindarin equivalent was Hadhodrond. The name Moria meaning "Black Chasm" became widely used after the Dwarves abandoned it in the Third Age. However, it is possible that the Eldar used the name Moria at an earlier time to signify a dark underground place rather than a place of evil. Another possibility is that Gandalf translated the word Hadhodrond into the more common Moria when he read the inscription (as he read Hollin for Eregion) and that the illustration of the Doors in the Red Book was based on his translation instead of the actual inscription. West-gate of Moria-WEST-DOOR OF MORIA.-WEST-DOORS OF MORIA. -WESTGATE OF MORIA. -WEST GATE(S) OF MORIA.

PLACES IN MORIA.-BALIN'S TOMB. -CHAMBER OF MAZARBUL. Chamber of Mazarbul

Also called the Chamber of Records. The word mazarbul means "records" in Khuzdul, the language of the Dwarves. Chamber of Records in Khazad-dûm. The Chamber of Mazarbul was located on the Seventh Level of Khazad-dûm, six levels above the East-gate. It was north of the Twenty-first Hall on the right-hand or east side of the corridor. The main entrance from the corridor was a stone door on hinges. The Chamber of Mazarbul was a large square room. There was a window shaft high in the eastern wall and below it was a second door leading to a downward staircase. Records were kept in wooden iron-bound chests that were set in recesses in the walls. When Balin came to reclaim Khazad-dûm in 2989 of the Third Age, he set up his seat in the Chamber of Mazarbul and the Dwarves lived in the Twenty-first Hall nearby. The Dwarves kept a record of their expedition which was known as the Book of Mazarbul. In 2994, Balin was killed by an Orc and a stone tomb was made for him in the Chamber of Mazarbul. The colony was soon overrun by Orcs and the Dwarves made a last stand in the Chamber of Mazarbul but they were all killed. Ori wrote the last entry in the Book of Mazarbul before he died. The Fellowship came to the Chamber of Mazarbul on January 15, 3019, after spending the night in the Twenty-first Hall. They discovered Balin's Tomb and the Book of Mazarbul. Like the Dwarves they became cornered in the Chamber when Orcs and a Cave-troll approached the main door. Frodo Baggins stabbed the foot of the Cave-troll when it tried to force open the door. The Orcs broke in with hammers and battering rams and the Fellowship fought them, killing thirteen until the rest fled. Frodo was speared by an Orc-chieftain but his life was saved by his coat of mithril mail. The Fellowship escaped through the east door of the Chamber of Mazarbul and down the stairs. Gandalf remained and placed a shutting-spell on the door, but the Balrog came into the Chamber of Mazarbul and engaged in a battle of wills with Gandalf through the closed door. During the struggle, the door broke and the east wall and the roof of the Chamber of Mazarbul collapsed. The room and Balin's Tomb were buried in rubble. --CHAMBER OF RECORDS. Chamber of Records--HALL TWENTY-ONE.--TWENTY-FIRTS HALL.-DEEP(S) OF MORIA. -FIRST DEEP. -SEVENTH LEVEL. Chamber of Mazarbul.-THIRD DEEP.

BOOK OF MAZARBUL. See RED BOOK OF WESTMARCH

CLOUDYHEAD THE GREY. Cloudyhead was called Bundushathur or Shathur by the Dwarves and Fanuidhol the Grey by the Eldar. The Elvish name Fanuidhol translates as "Cloudyhead" in the Common Speech, from fána meaning "cloud" and dôl meaning "head." It is likely that the Dwarvish name Bundushathûr also means "Cloudyhead." The element bund probably means "head"; u may mean "of" or "in"; and shathûr probably means "clouds." THREE MOUNTAINS OF MORIA: CLOUDYHEAD, REDHORN, SILVERTINE.One of the three Mountains of Moria in the Misty Mountains. Southern mountain.Mountain in the Misty Mountains. Cloudyhead was one of the three Mountains of Moria under which lay the ancient Dwarf realm of Khazad-dûm. The other two mountains were the Redhorn and the Silvertine. Cloudyhead -BUNDU-SHATHUR. (Bundu-shathûr). Bundushathûr-BUNDUSHATUR. (Dw). -FANUIDHOL. (S). Fanuidhol-FANUIDOL. -FANUIRAS. -GREY THE. -HORN OF CLOUD. -SHATHUR. (Shathûr). (Dw). Shathûr -UDUSHINBAR.

DIMRILL. The name Dimrill means "dim or shadowy stream." A rill is a small stream.

Stream in the Dimrill Dale. The Dimrill began high on the slopes of Caradhras. It cascaded down the mountainside in a series of waterfalls alongside the Dimril Stair. The Dimrill flowed into the northern end of Mirrormere.

DIMRILL DALE. Also called Azanulbizar by the Dwarves and Nanduhirion by the Eldar. The Common Speech name Dimrill Dale comes from dim - referring to the deep shadows in the dale - and rill - a small stream or rivulet such as those flowing down the mountains into the dale. There are two slightly different translations of the Dwarvish name Azanulbizar. In HoME VI it is said to mean "Vale of Dim Streams" from the root ZN meaning "dark, dim," ûl meaning "streams," and bizar meaning "dale, valley." But in a draft manuscript cited in The Reader's Companion, azan is said to be the plural of uzu meaning "dimness, shadow" while ul means "of" and bizar is a plural of the root BZR meaning "small stream." Thus Azanulbizar means "streams of the shadows" and the full name was Duban Azanulbizar where duban means "valley." The Elvish name Nanduhirionalso means "vale of dim streams." The word nan means "valley." The word dú means "night, dimness." The ending hirion comes from sirion meaning "rivers, streams." (The letter s becomes h in the middle of a word.) Valley on the eastern side of the Misty Mountains. Dimrill Dale was formed by the arms of the three Mountains of Moria: Silvertine, Cloudyhead, and Redhorn. The northern end of the dale lay in deep shadow. There at the head of the dale the Dimrill Stair descended from the Redhorn Gate. Beside the stair, a stream called the Dimrill cascaded in a series of short falls. A long, oval lake called Mirrormere stretched from north to south in the dale. The Dimrill flowed into its northern end. At the southern end of Mirrormere was the source of the Silverlode. It was a deep well from which the icy waters spilled over a stone lip into a rocky channel. The Silverlode was joined by other mountain streams as it ran southeast to the Anduin. The East-gate of Moria was on the western side of Dimrill Dale. A paved road ran from the gate down to Mirrormere and then turned southwards and led out of the dale. Birch and fir trees grew on mounds along the road and the Dwarves had erected works of stone along it as well. Beside Mirrormere was a pillar called Durin's Stone. There Durin was said to have looked into the waters of the mere and the seven stars of his crown could be seen in the depths. Durin was the eldest of the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves, and he came to Dimrill Dale after he awoke in ancient times. There under the mountains Durin founded the realm of Khazad-dûm that was later called Moria. Dimrill Dale was part of this realm. In the year 1980 of the Third Age, as the Dwarves delved for mithril, a Balrog that had lain under the mountains since the First Age emerged from the depths and slew Durin's descendant Durin VI. The Dwarves fled from Khazad-dûm in 1981. In 2790, Thror decided to return to Khazad-dûm. He descended the Dimrill Stair into Dimrill Dale and entered the East-gate but he was slain by the Orc leader Azog. Thror's companion Nar hid in the dale for many days until Azog threw Thror's body from the East-gate; then Nar returned to his people with news of what had happened. Thror's son Thrain mustered an army of Dwarves and launched a war against the Orcs of the Misty Mountains in 2793. In 2799 the Dwarves came to Dimrill Dale and fought the Orcs in the Battle of Azanulbizar. Azog was slain by Dain Ironfoot and the Dwarves were victorious, though they had suffered much loss. They felled many trees in the Dimrill Dale to burn their dead, and few trees grew in the valley thereafter. The Dwarves did not reclaim Khazad-dûm, for Dain had looked through the East-gate into Moria and became aware that Durin's Bane, the Balrog, still lurked there. Balin led a group of Dwarves to Khazad-dûm in 2989. When they arrived in the Dimrill Dale, they found Orcs guarding the East-gate. A Dwarf named Floi was slain by an arrow and was buried in the dale, but the Dwarves slew many Orcs and drove them away from the gate. Balin established a colony in Khazad-dûm that lasted five years. On November 10, 2994, Balin went into Dimrill Dale to look into Mirrormere and was shot and killed by an Orc. The colony was overwhelmed and all the Dwarves were slain. The Fellowship journeyed through Moria and emerged from the East-gate into Dimrill Dale on January 15, 3019. Gimli led Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee to look into the waters of Mirrormere where they saw the stars of Crown of Durin. The Fellowship the followed the road past the springs of the Silverlode and out of Dimrill Dale to the woods of Lothlorien. When the Fellowship left Lothlorien, Haldir told them that Dimrill Dale was filled with vapor and smoke. It was later learned that this disturbance was caused by the Battle of the Peak between Gandalf and the Balrog on the Silvertine.

The valley below the East-gate (Great Gates) of Moria where in 3A2799 was fought the great battle that ended the War of the Dwarves and Orcs. Dimrill Dale was located between two arms of the Misty Mountains. It contained the Mirrormere and the source of the Silverlode.The Dimrill Dale is the valley outside the Western Gates of Moria. This area is in between two small arms of the Misty Mountains. The Last Great Battle of the War of Dwarves and Orcs was fought here. See also WAR OF THE ORCS AND DWARVES. See also BATTLE OF DIMRILL DALE.Dimrill Dale -AZANUL. (Azanûl). -AZANULBIZAR. (Dw). Azanulbizâr. Azanulbizar-NANDUHIRION. (S). Nanduhirion-URUKTHARBUN (Dw). -VALE OF DIM STREAMS.

DIMRILL GATE = EAST-GATE.

DIMRILL STAIR. See also REDHORN GATE.Dimrill Stair

DURIN'S BRIDGE. Bridge of Khazad-dûm. Bridge between the First Hall and Second Hall of Khazad-dûm. The Bridge of Khazad-dûm spanned an abyss of unmeasured depth. On the west side of the Bridge was the Second Hall. On the east side was a doorway and a broad staircase. The stairs led up to a wide passage to the First Hall, beyond which was the East-gate. The Bridge was a 50-foot long stone curve with no railing. It was narrow so that people had to walk single-file across it as a preventative measure against invaders. On January 15, 3019 of the Third Age, the Fellowship came to the Bridge of Khazad-dûm pursued by Orcs and a Balrog. Gandalf stopped on the Bridge to confront the Balrog in order to allow the others to escape. He broke the Bridge with his staff and the Balrog fell into the abyss, but the Balrog snared Gandalf with its whip and they both plummeted together into the depths of the earth. Durin’s BridgeBridge of Khazad-dûm

DURIN’S STONE. See THINGS

DURIN'S TOWER. Tower upon the Silvertine. Durin's Tower was built by the Dwarves in ancient times on the peak of the Silvertine, which they called Zirak-zigil - one of the three Mountains of Moria under which lay the realm of Khazad-dûm. The tower was carved out of the living rock of the mountain and stood upon a high eyrie. The Endless Stair led to the tower from the foundations of the mountain. By the end of the Third Age, Durin's Tower had long been lost. Some Dwarves believed it had been destroyed, while others thought it was only a legend. On January 23, 3019 of the Third Age, Gandalf and the Balrog climbed the Endless Stair to Durin's Tower. Upon the Silvertine they fought the Battle of the Peak from January 23 to 25. During the battle, the tower was destroyed and the entrance to the stair was blocked. Durin’s Tower -ENDLESS STAIR. Stairs in Khazad-dûm. The Endless Stair began in the lowest depths beneath Khazad-dûm and ascended to Durin's Tower on the peak of the Silvertine. It was a spiral staircase of many thousand steps. The Endless Stair was made in ancient times. The Dwarves eventually forgot where it was and some believed it existed only in legend. The Balrog that dwelled beneath Khazad-dûm knew the location of the Endless Stair and it led Gandalf there after they fell into the abyss from the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. Gandalf and the Balrog climbed the Endless Stair and reached the top on January 23, 3019 of the Third Age. In the Battle of the Peak, Durin's Tower was destroyed and the top of the Endless Stair was blocked with rubble. Gandalf was rescued from the peak of the Silvertine by Gwaihir.

Endless Stair

GATE STREAM. Sirannon. The Gate-stream of Moria (Khazad-dûm). The name Sirannon means "Gate-stream" from sîr meaning "river" and annon meaning "great door or gate." It was called the Gate-stream in the Common Speech. The Sirannon began under the Mountains of Moria and emerged from the base of the Walls of Moria near the West-gate. It flowed through the valley in front of the gate and then cascaded over the Stair Falls. The Sirannon then continued into Eregion. Its course is not known, but it may have joined the Glanduin to the southwest. The Sirannon was a swift and noisy river with a bed of red and brown stones. A road ran along the northern bank of the Sirannon. The road connected the realms of the Eldar of Eregion and the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm. It seems likely that the Elvish city of Ost-in-Edhil was somewhere along the Sirannon at one end of the road. The other end of the road wound up the cliff of the Stair Falls to the West-gate of Khazad-dûm. After Khazad-dûm was abandoned by the Dwarves and was populated by evil creatures, the Sirannon was dammed. It formed a great lake between the West-gate and the cliff of the Stair Falls. The rest of the river dried up so that it was nothing more than a trickle of water in a deep channel. A creature called the Watcher in the Water lived in the lake. In 2994 of the Third Age, the Dwarves of Balin's expedition to Moria were prevented from escaping through the West-gate by the Watcher and the rising water. On January 13, 3019, the Fellowship followed the dry riverbed of the Sirannon to the cliff of the Stair Falls. They circled the lake to the West-gate and were attacked by the Watcher as they entered Moria. It is possible that the Sirannon was unblocked and allowed to return to its normal course after the War of the Ring. Gate-stream-SIRANNON. Sirannon The Gate-stream of old Khazad-dûm, that flowed from its westward walls into Eregion. Its precise course is unknown, but it was presumably a tributary of the River Glanduin.

MIRRORMERE. Mirrormere was so-called because of the lake's reflective surface. Mere is an archaic word for lake. The Dwarves called the lake Kheled-zâram meaning "glass pool." The Dwarvish word kheled means "glass" and the word zâram means "pool." The Elvish name was Nen Cenedril which means "Lake Looking-glass" in Sindarin.Water in Dimrill Dale east of Moria.Lake in the Dimrill Dale east of Khazad-dûm. Mirrormere was a long, oval lake shaped like a spearhead. The lake stretched southward from the northern end of the valley. Around the lake a green lawn sloped down to the shore. The waters of Mirrormere were a deep, dark blue and the surface was flat and still. A stream called the Dimrill flowed into the northern end of Mirrormere from the slopes of Caradhras. At the southern end of the lake there was an icy spring fed by the waters of Mirrormere which was the source of the Silverlode. In ancient times, Durin- the eldest of the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves - came to the Dimrill Dale. He looked into Mirrormere and saw a crown of stars appear above the shadow of his head, and he decided to found the realm of Khazad-dûm in the mountains above the valley. A column called Durin's Stone was erected to mark the spot where Durin first looked into Mirrormere. In 2889 of the Third Age, Balin led a company of Dwarves to recolonize Khazad-dûm. On November 10, 2994, he went out to look into Mirrormere and was shot by an Orc. The rest of the colony perished soon afterwards. On January 15, 3019, Gimli led Frodo Baggins and Sam Gamgee to look into Mirrormere.“At first they could see nothing. Then slowly they saw the forms of the encircling mountains mirrored in a profound blue, and the peaks were like plumes of white flame above them; beyond there was a space of sky. There like jewels sunk in the deep shone glinting stars, though sunlight was in the sky above. Of their own stooping forms no shadow could be seen”. Mirrormere -KHELED-ZARAM. (Dw). Kheled-zâram "Glass-lake" (Kheled-zâram). Kheled-zâram-NEN CENEDRIL. (S).

MOUNTAINS OF MORIA.Mountains of MoriaThe three peaks above old Khazad-dûm.

REDHORN THE CRUEL. The Redhorn was called Caradhras by the Eldar. Because of its ill reputation it was referred to as Caradhras the Cruel. The Dwarves called it Barazinbar or simply Baraz. The Redhorn was so named because the mountain's peak appeared red in the light of the rising or setting sun. The Sindarin name Caradhras also means "red horn." The word caran means "red." The element ras means "stick up" or "horn" - usually applying to animals but also to mountains. Similarly the Dwarvish name Barazinbar translates as "red horn" from baraz meaning "red, ruddy" and inbar meaning "horn." THREE MOUNTAINS OF MORIA: CLOUDYHEAD, REDHORN, SILVERTINE.One of the three Mountains of Moria in the Misty Mountains. Northern mountain. In the Misty Mountains high above the Mines of Moria are the snowclad peaks of Caradhras. The fellowship were waylaid as they attempted the Redhorn Pass beneath Caradhras.Mountain in the Misty Mountains. The Redhorn was one of the three Mountains of Moria under which lay the ancient Dwarf realm of Khazad-dûm. The other two mountains were Cloudyhead and the Silvertine. The Redhorn was also commonly known as Caradhras, as it was called by the Eldar. The Redhorn was the tallest and northernmost of the three Mountains of Moria. Its peak was snow-capped and in the light of the rising or setting sun it could appear stained red as if with blood. The Redhorn had a cruel reputation, and the Redhorn Gate leading over the Misty Mountains was narrow and dangerous. The pass overlooked a deep ravine as it wound up the southern side of the Redhorn. It led down the Dimrill Stair into the Dimrill Dale on the eastern side of the mountains. The mithril lodes under the Mountains of Moria led north to the roots of the Redhorn. There in the darkness the Dwarves delved too deep and awoke the Balrog that had lain hidden there since the fall of Morgoth at the end of the First Age. King Durin VI was slain by the Balrog in 1980 of the Third Age. The Dwarves abandoned Khazad-dûm and it became an evil place. On January 11-12, 3019, the Fellowship tried to cross the Misty Mountains at the Redhorn Gate but they were thwarted by a blizzard. They thought they heard shrill cries and howls of laughter and rocks fell down at them from the mountainside. The snow became too deep for them to continue and they were forced to turn back. Legolas discovered that the storm had only affected the Redhorn Gate and that it was clear to the west. Boromir suggested that the storm might have been a contrivance of the Enemy, but Gimli believed it was the ill will of the Redhorn itself. As soon as the Fellowship had retreated from the Redhorn Gate there was an avalanche and the pass was completely blocked. They then decided to go under the mountains through the Mines of Moria. -BARAZ. (Dw). Baraz-BARAZINBAR. (Dw). Barazinbar-BLISCARN. -CRUEL,THE. The Cruel A title of Caradhras, and of Sauron.-REDHORN THE. Redhorn-RUDDYHORN. -CARADHRAS. (S). Caradhras-CARADRAS.

REDHORN GATE. Pass over the Misty Mountains. Redhorn Gate & Dimrill StairPass over the Misty Mountains. The Redhorn Gate was on the southern slopes of the mountain called the Redhorn, or Caradhras. The pass was high and narrow. For part of the way, a sheer cliff rose on the north side of the pass and a deep ravine lay on the south side. There were no other passes south of the Redhorn Gate until the Misty Mountains ended at the Gap of Rohan. The Dimrill Stair descended from the Redhorn Gate into the Dimrill Dale on the eastern side of the Misty Mountains. It was a steep set of steps cloven into the rocky slopes. A stream called the Dimrill cascaded down the mountainside in a series of waterfalls alongside the Dimrill Stair. In the Second Age, the Redhorn Gate was used for travel between the Elven realms of Eregion and Lothlorien. A broad road ran through Eregion to the mountain pass. But Sauron destroyed Eregion in the year 1697 and over time the road became overgrown.

In 2509 of the Third Age, Elrond's wife Celebrian was crossing the Redhorn Gate on her way to Lothlorien when she was captured by Orcs. Although she was rescued by her sons Elladan and Elrohir, she was deeply troubled by what she had endured and she left Middle-earth for the Undying Lands the next year. On January 11-12, 3019, the Fellowship tried to cross the Misty Mountains over the Redhorn Gate. They were caught in a blizzard, and they heard strange voices in the air, and rocks fell down the mountainside at them. Boromir speculated that the storm might be the work of the Enemy, while Gimli thought it was the ill will of the mountain itself. The Fellowship spent the night under the meager shelter of a cliff and the next day they returned the way they had come. Once they descended from the Redhorn Gate, an avalanche blocked the pass completely. The decision was made to cross the Misty Mountains using the underground passages in the Mines of Moria. Other Names: Also called the Redhorn Pass and the Pass of Caradhras. Redhorn Gate -PASS OF CARADHRAS. Pass of Caradhras-REDHORN PASS. Redhorn Pass

SECOND HALL. Second HallThe great hall that held Durin's Bridge.

SILVERLODE. River. See LÓRIEN

SILVERTINE THE WHITE. Silvertine was called Celebdil the White by the Eldar and Zirakzigil (also written as Zirak-zigil) or simply Zirak by the Dwarves. A tine is a point or prong. Celebdil means "silver point" from celeb meaning "silver" and til or dil meaning "point, horn." The translation of Zirakzigil is most likely "silver spike," but it is not clear which element means "silver" and which means "spike." A note written by J.R.R. Tolkien proposed that zirak meant "silver" and zigil meant "spike," but a later note said the reverse - that zigil meant "silver" and zirak meant "spike." Silvertine (Zirak-zigil) THREE MOUNTAINS OF MORIA: CLOUDYHEAD, REDHORN, SILVERTINE.One of the three Mountains of Moria in the Misty Mountains. Midst mountain.Mountain in the Misty Mountains. Silvertine was one of the three Mountains of Moria under which lay the ancient Dwarf realm of Khazad-dûm. The other two mountains were Cloudyhead and the Redhorn. The Dwarves called the mountain Zirak-zigil. In ancient times, they built the Endless Stair - a spiral staircase of many thousand steps - from the roots of the mountain up to its peak. On an eyrie atop the mountain they builtDurin's Tower. By the end of the Third Age the stair and the tower were remembered only in legend. Then on January 23, 3019, Gandalf and the Balrog climbed the Endless Stair to the summit of the Silvertine. There they fought the Battle of the Peak, which lasted three days. During the battle, Durin's Tower was destroyed and the stairs were blocked. The Balrog was killed and Gandalf the Grey died and was returned to life as Gandalf the White. He was rescued from the Silvertine by Gwaihir the Windlord on February 17. Silvertine -CELEBDIL. (S). "Silvertine". Celebdil-CELEBDIL THE WHITE.-CELEBRAS. -KELEBRAS. -WHITE THE. White-ZIRAK. (Dw). For short by the Dwarves. Zirak-ZIRAK-ZIGIL. (Dw). -ZIRAKZIGIL. (Dw). Earlier name Zirakinbar. Zirakzigil -ZIRIK. -ZIRAKINBAR. Earlier name.See DURIN'S TOWER.

STAIR FALLS.

Gate stream in Moria.Waterfall outside the West-gate of Moria. The Stair Falls were formed by Sirannon, the Gate-stream, which flowed from the valley in front of the West-gate and over a cliff about 30 feet high and then continued southwestward, probably joining the Glanduin. There was a flight of stone steps carved into the cliff on the northern side of the falls, but the main path wound up the cliffside a bit north of the stairs. The Stair Falls were once strong and full. But the waterfall was cut off when the Sirannon was dammed, forming a pool where the Watcher in the Water lurked. The Fellowship came to the cliff where the Stair Falls had been on January 13, 3019 of the Third Age. Gandalf, Gimli, and Frodo climbed the Stair and discovered that the pool blocked their path. They returned down the Stair and used the main path up the cliff and around the pool. It seems possible that after the War of the Ring, the Sirannon may have been unblocked and the Stair Falls may have flowed once more, but this is nowhere stated. Stair Falls

THREE MOUNTAINS OF MORIA CLOUDYHEAD, REDHORN, SILVERTINE.

WALLS OF MORIA. Walls of MoriaThe western cliffs of the Mountains of Moria. At the height of Eregion's power, a road ran out of that land towards the western Misty Mountains. At the Stair Falls, it led over a small cliff, and then down a shallow valley running eastward, and led towards a wall of immense, unclimbable cliffs: the Walls of Moria. At the road's end was the West-gate of Moria, which at that time would have been kept open most of the time, guarded by Dwarvish doorwards. In the middle of the Second Age, the War of the Elves and Sauron saw Eregion laid waste, and the West-gate was shut. By the craft of its makers, the doorway blended into the Walls of Moria, and could only be opened again by one who knew the password. The Encyclopedia of Arda

ChronologyAncient Times? - First Age?: Durin founds the realm of Khazad-dûm and rules until his death. (Dates unknown.) Second Age: 0040 c. 0040 Dwarves from Nogrod and Belegost come to Khazad-dûm. 0750 The Eldar found the realm of Eregion west of Khazad-dûm. 1200 Sauron comes to Eregion in disguise. 1500 c. 1500 The Rings of Power are forged in Eregion. 1600 Sauron forges the One Ring and the Eldar realized they've been deceived. 1695 Sauron invades Eriador. 1697 Sauron destroys Eregion. Durin III sends out a force, but they retreat and the Doors of Durin are shut. 3434-3441 Some Dwarves from Khazad-dûm fight in the War of the Last Alliance. Sauron is defeated. Third Age: 1050 Sauron returns in secret and builds Dol Guldur in Mirkwood. 1300 Evil things begin to multiply and Orcs begin to attack Dwarves in the Misty Mountains. 1980 The Balrog awakes and kills King Durin VI. 1981 The Balrog kills King Nain I and the Dwarves flee Khazad-dûm. 2480 Sauron sends Orcs, Trolls and other evil creatures to live in Khazad-dûm, now called Moria. 2509 Celebrian is captured by Orcs in the Redhorn Pass. 2790 Thror enters the Dimrill Gate of Moria and is slain by Azog. 2793 The War of the Dwarves and the Orcs begins. 2799 Battle of Azanulbizar outside the Dimrill Gate. The Dwarves are victorious but do not recolonize Moria, where the Balrog still dwells. 2989 Balin comes to Moria and establishes a colony of Dwarves. 2994 Balin and the other Dwarves are killed and Orcs reclaim Moria. 3018 August: Gollum enters Moria through the East-gate and becomes lost. 3019

January 13: The Fellowship enter Moria. They spend the night in the guardroom where Pippin drops a stone down the well. January 14: The Fellowship reach Hall 21 and camp there. January 15: The Fellowship discover the Chamber of Mazarbul and learn Balin's fate. They fight Orcs in the chamber and flee to the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, where Gandalf confronts the Balrog and falls into the abyss. Aragorn leads the others out of Moria. January 23: Gandalf and the Balrog climb the Endless Stair to the peak of the Silvertine. January 25: Gandalf casts down the Balrog. Gandalf dies and his body lies on the peak. February 14: Gandalf returns to life and lies on the peak in a trance. February 17: Gwaihir rescues Gandalf from the peak.

Khazad-dûm was the greatest of the Dwarf realms in Middle-earth. Its vast and beautiful halls lay under the Misty Mountains. From its mines came great riches and it was the only source of the precious metal called mithril. But a Balrog slept in the deeps beneath Khazad-dûm, and when it awoke the Dwarves were driven from their home. The halls of Khazad-dûm were taken over by Orcs and other evil creatures and it became known as Moria, the Black Chasm, and was a place of fear and dread. Khazad-dûm was located in the Misty Mountains under the three Mountains of Moria - Cloudyhead, the Redhorn, and the Silvertine. On the eastern side of Khazad-dûm was the Dimrill Dale where the lake of Mirrormere lay. On the western side was the region known as Eregion, or Hollin. The halls of Khazad-dûm stretched about 40 miles from east to west. The Dimrill Gate was the eastern entrance to Khazad-dûm. The great gates were hung on towering doorposts. Inside was the First Hall, which had high windows on the eastern side that let in light. A wide road led from the First Hall down a broad set of steps to the First Deep - the level just below the Dimrill Gate, at a distance of about a quarter mile. At the foot of the stairs was a deep abyss spanned by the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. The bridge was 50 feet long, and it was narrow with no railing. It had been built as a defense against any invader who might get past the Dimrill Gate and take the First Hall. On the other side of the abyss was the Second Hall, a vast chamber with a double row of pillars in the center. The pillars were tall and were carved like trees; at the top their branches supported the high ceiling. Beyond the Second Hall, the underground city spread out in a vast and intricate network of passages, stairs, rooms, and halls. There were many streams and wells throughout the city. The Dwarves hung crystal lamps to illuminate their city, and many of the upper chambers had high windows in the mountainside. One such chamber was the Twenty-first Hall on the Seventh Level - a huge hall with doors on each side and towering stone pillars and polished black walls. Down the corridor from the northern door of Hall 21, on the right-hand side, was the Chamber of Mazarbul, or the Chamber of Records. From the western door of Hall 21, a wide road led eastward and downward. The road grew narrower near the bottom and ended at an archway where it met two other corridors also coming from the east - one running straight and one coming up from the deeps. There was a guardroom at the juncture of the three corridors. In the Third Deep of Khazad-dûm were the upper armories. Far below were the treasuries of the Dwarves. In the mines of Khazad-dûm were found gold, silver, iron, beryls, pearls, opals, and other precious metals and gems. The lodes of mithril were deep under the mountains, running north toward the roots of the Redhorn. On the peak of the Silvertine - which the Dwarves called Zirak-zigil - stood Durin's Tower. The tower was carved out of the living rock of the mountain and stood upon a high eyrie. A spiral staircase of many thousand steps called the Endless Stair led to the tower from the foundations of the mountain. At the western end of Khazad-dûm, a flight of two hundred stairs led down to the West-gate, called the Hollin Gate. There hung the Doors of Durin, made by the Dwarf craftsman Narvi and engraved by the Elf craftsman Celebrimbor. On the doors were drawings and writings traced with ithildin, a silvery substance made from mithril. At the top was an inscription reading: "The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs." Beneath the inscription was the Crown of Durin and seven stars over a hammer and anvil. Below these were drawn the Two Trees of Valinor, and in the middle of the door was the Star of the House of Feanor. From inside, the doors could be opened outward with a push, but from the outside they could only be opened by speaking the password: mellon, or "friend."

Two great holly trees stood on either side of the Hollin Gate. Sirannon, the Gate-stream, flowed through the valley in front of the gate and over a waterfall called the Stair Falls. A road ran alongside the stream from the gate and down the cliff near the waterfall. There was also a flight of stairs beside the falls. Khazad-dûm was founded in ancient times by Durin, the eldest of the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves. After Durin awoke in Mount Gundabad, he came south to the Dimrill Dale. There he looked into Mirrormere and saw a crown of stars appear above his head. In the caves above the dale, Durin established his realm. Durin was long-lived and ruled his people for many years. He died before the end of the First Age, and he was laid to rest in Khazad-dûm. But his line continued and the realm of Khazad-dûm grew and expanded over the course of the centuries. The halls were filled with light and music. The Dwarves found great riches, including the hard, malleable, silver-colored metal called mithril, which was found nowhere else in Middle-earth. They forged weapons and wrought many things of beauty, and they traded their works of skill with Men for food. In the Second Age, Khazad-dûm reached the height of its glory. Around the year 40, many Dwarves came to Khazad-dûm from the Blue Mountains after the Dwarf cities of Nogrod and Belegost were destroyed during the War of Wrath with Morgoth at the end of the First Age. These Dwarves brought new skills and talents with them, and the wealth and power of Khazad-dûm increased. The Elves founded the realm of Eregion on the western side of the Misty Mountains in the year 750 of the Second Age. They engaged in trade with the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm and traffic flowed in and out of the West-gate. The two races were on friendly terms, and in particular the great craftsmen - Narvi of the Dwarves and Celebrimbor of the Elves - became close friends. Together they wrought the Doors of Durin, which stood open most of the time guarded only by doorwards, for the land was at peace. Around 1200 of the Second Age, Sauron came to Eregion in a fair disguise and insinuated himself with the Elven-smiths. From Sauron the Elves learned secret skills and lore and around 1500 they began making the Rings of Power. Seven of these Rings were for the Dwarves, and it is said that the first of these Rings was given King Durin III of Khazad-dûm by the Elven-smiths. But Sauron forged the One Ring in secret to rule the others and Celebrimbor became aware that they had been deceived. Celebrimbor hid the Three Rings of the Elves - which he had made himself without Sauron's help. Sauron was enraged and he launched an attack against the Elves. In 1697, Eregion was destroyed and Celebrimbor was slain. Sauron took the Nine Rings of Men and the remaining six Rings of the Dwarves. King Durin III sent a host of Dwarves from Khazad-dûm to aid the Elves, but they were forced to retreat. The Dwarves shut fast the Doors of Durin and Sauron's forces were unable to breach them. Sauron came to hate the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm and his Orcs pursued the Dwarves wherever they found them. Orcs infested other parts of the Misty Mountains as well as the Grey Mountains. Communication between the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm and the Dwarves of other places such as the Iron Hills became difficult. During the War of the Last Alliance at the end of the Third Age, some Dwarves from Khazad-dûm fought with the Men and Elves against the forces of Sauron. In that war, Sauron was defeated and afterwards the One Ring was lost. Sauron returned in secret around 1100 of the Third Age, and by 1300 evil things began to multiply again. Orcs attacked Dwarves in the Misty Mountains, though Khazad-dûm remained impregnable. The Dwarves of Khazad-dûm maintained their wealth, but their numbers began to dwindle. They began to delve more deeply for mithril, which was becoming harder to find. While mining for mithril in 1980, the Dwarves discovered a terrible creature in the depths of Khazad-dûm. It was a Balrog - a demon of shadow and flame created by Morgoth in the First Age. It had escaped the War of Wrath and had hidden at the roots of the Redhorn. The Balrog may have awoken when Sauron began to stir once more, or it may have been roused by the delving of the Dwarves. King Durin VI was slain by the Balrog, and the next year it killed his son King Nain I. The Dwarves of Khazad-dûm fled and scattered far and wide across Middle-earth. Khazad-dûm came to be known as Moria, the Black Chasm, and few people dared to enter its gates. Around 2480, Sauron sent Orcs, Trolls, and other evil creatures to live there. In 2509 in the Redhorn Gate over the Mountains of Moria, Elrond's wife Celebrian was abducted by Orcs. She was wounded and tormented before her sons Elladan and Elrohir were able to rescue her. King Thror of Durin's line came to the Dimrill Gate of Moria with his companion Nar in 2790. He had become tired of wandering homeless and poor and he dreamed of recovering the wealth and majesty of Khazad-dûm. He entered the Dimrill Gate alone and was slain by the Orc-leader Azog, who cut off Thror's

head and carved his name on the Dwarf's forehead. Azog threw Thror's body into the Dimrill Dale and told Nar to warn his people that they would meet the same fate if they returned to Khazad-dûm. The Dwarves were enraged, and Thror's son Thrain mustered an army to wage war against the Orcs of the Misty Mountains in 2793. In 2799 they came to the Dimrill Dale and the Battle of Azanulbizar was fought before the gates of Khazad-dûm. Azog was slain by Dain Ironfoot and the Dwarves were victorious, though they suffered great loss. But Dain looked through the Dimrill Gate and perceived that Durin's Bane, the Balrog, still dwelled within. He counselled Thrain that the time had not yet come to recolonize Khazad-dûm, saying: "The world must change and some other power than ours must come before Durin's Folk walk again in Moria." In 2989, Balin led an expedition to Moria with a number of Dwarves from the Lonely Mountain, including Floi, Frar, Loni, Nali, Oin, and Ori. When they arrived in the Dimrill Dale, Balin and the Dwarves found Orcs guarding the Dimrill Gate. Floi was killed, but the Dwarves slew many Orcs and took up residence in the Twenty-first Hall. Ori began to keep a record of the colony called the Book of Mazarbul. Balin set up his seat in the Chamber of Mazarbul and was named Lord of Moria. The Dwarves found mithril in Moria but their colony lasted only five years. On November 10, 2994, Balin went into Dimrill Dale to look into Mirrormere and was shot and killed by an Orc. He was entombed in the Chamber of Mazarbul. Many more Orcs came up the Silverlode. The Dwarves barred the Dimrill Gate, but the Orcs broke through and took the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and the Second Hall. Frar, Loni, and Nali were killed there. At the West-gate of Moria, an aquatic creature with many tentacles called the Watcher in the Water killed Oin and dammed Gate-stream, preventing the Dwarves from escaping that way. The Dwarves were besieged and all of them perished. Moria was reclaimed by the Orcs. On January 13, 3019, the Fellowship of the Ring arrived at the West-gate of Moria. With the help of a hint from Merry Brandybuck, Gandalf at last discovered the password and the Doors of Durin opened. At that moment, Frodo Baggins - the Ringbearer - was attacked by the Watcher in the Water. The Fellowship fled into Moria and the doors were blocked behind them by the Watcher. Gollum was at the West-gate when the Fellowship came in. He had entered Moria through the East-gate the previous August and had become lost in the tunnels. As the Fellowship began their eastward journey through the Mines, Gollum trailed them. When the Fellowship came to the archway where the three corridors diverged, Gandalf could not recall which way to take, so they camped in the guardroom for the night. Pippin Took threw a stone down the well in the guardroom and far below the sounded of tapping hammers was heard as if in response. The next morning of January 14, Gandalf decided to take the right-hand passage that rose upward. After eight hours, the Fellowship came to the Twenty-first Hall where they camped for the night. On January 15, they found the Chamber of Mazarbul and Balin's Tomb. Gandalf read from the Book of Mazarbul and they learned the tragic fate of Balin's colony in Moria, and Gimli mourned the loss of his kinsman. Suddenly the Fellowship heard drums pounding and realized they were trapped. They barred the western door but kept the east door ajar. A Cave-troll thrust its foot through the door and Frodo stabbed it with Sting. But the Orcs managed to break down the door and a battle ensued in the chamber. Frodo was speared by an Orc-chieftain, but was saved by his mithril shirt. Sam Gamgee received a gash on the head and managed to kill an Orc. The others fought valiantly and thirteen Orcs were slain; the rest fled. The Fellowship left the chamber through the east door. Gandalf attempted to seal the door with a spell, but he sensed an opposing presence in the chamber beyond and the effort to counter it cost him much strength. The walls and door of the Chamber of Mazarbul collapsed and Balin's Tomb was buried in rubble. Gandalf led the Fellowship down to the Second Hall in the First Deep. They ran to the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and were pursued by a fiery creature that Legolas realized was a Balrog. As the others reached the far side of the abyss, Gandalf turned to confront the Balrog. He shattered the Balrog's sword with Glamdring and the Balrog leaped onto the bridge. Aragorn and Boromir started to come to his aid, but Gandalf smote the bridge with his staff and shattered the rock under the Balrog's feet. The Balrog's fiery whip dragged Gandalf to the edge of the abyss, and with a cry of "Fly, you fools!" Gandalf fell into shadow as his friends looked on helplessly. Aragorn led the Fellowship through the First Hall and out the Dimrill Gate. Gandalf fell into the deep abyss with the Balrog, burned by his fire, until they landed in a subterranean lake. The Balrog's fire was quenched but still he fought Gandalf in the caverns deep under the roots of the mountains. Then they climbed the Endless Stair to the pinnacle of the Silvertine where they fought the Battle of the Peak from January 23 to January 25. In the struggle, Durin's Tower was destroyed and the entrance to the stair was blocked. At last Gandalf smote the Balrog down upon the mountainside.

Gandalf passed into darkness out of thought and time, but Eru sent him back to Middle-earth as Gandalf the White to complete his task. He awoke on February 14 on the peak of the Silvertine and was trapped there until Gwaihir the Windlord came on February 17 and bore him to Lothlorien. There is no detailed information on what became of Khazad-dûm after the War of the Ring. However, according to one source (HoME XII, p. 278) there came a time when a king named Durin VII returned to Khazad-dûm and its halls were filled with light and music and the sound of hammers once more and the realm endured until the world grew old and the days of Durin's race were over.