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Balrog 5
Malraugin
Biographical Information
Other namesDurin's Bane, Nameless Terror, Flame of Udûn, Shadow and Flame, Servant of the Shadow, Servant of the Eye, Son of the Son, The Son of Darkness, Sauron's Son, The First of the Valaraukar
TitleLord of Moria (under Sauron's overlordship)
AffiliationValaraukar
LanguageBlack Speech
Date of birthAfter the creation of Arda
Year ascended to the throne1980 3A
Date of deathNovember 10, 3001 3A
WeaponryFiery whip, Flaming Sword, Powers of Sauron
Physical Description
RaceBalrog
GenderMale
CultureValaraukar
Height20 feet
Hair colorMane of red flames
Eye colorRed-white
Family
FamilySauron, Arien, Varda Iluama
ParentageSauron (father), Varda Iluama
SiblingsArien (sister), Ravenna (sister)
Lord of the Rings film trilogy
ActorCGI

Malraugin, the Son of the Dark One and more commonly known as Durin's Bane, the Balrog of Moria or the Nameless Terror, was a former Ainu, son of the Dark Lord Sauron, one of his father's most feared lieutenants, first of the Balrogs and the Lord of Moria under the the Dark One's overlordship.

Biography[]

Beginning[]

Malraugin was a Maia, the son of the God Mairon and the Vala Varda Iluama. As such, he was among the strongest of the Ainur, far more powerful than later Maiar such Gandalf the Grey or Saruman the White.

He was very close to his father, who was also his mentor and taught him many dark secrets to power. Malraugin was loyal to Mairon and deeply admired his parent, regarding him as rightful to supplant Eru Iluvatar as King of the World.

He was among the Ainur who followed Mairon to Arda once his fortresses were built. Due to his relationship to the One, he quickly rose through the ranks and become one of his high-ranking lieutenants, second only to Kosomot. Despite this, the Evil God disliked his son to call him "father" and had him call him "Master".

His Master gave him and a few other powerful Maiar bodies of fire and shadow, which made them into Balrogs, the most terryfying of Sauron's servants in the First Age. It is said that he was the first to be chosen for the Valaraukar order, despite the fact that Kosomot - now Gothmog the Lord of Balrogs - was put as their chieftain.

Years of the Trees[]

During the Dagor-nuin-Giliath, Fëanor pressed to Angband with his company, and in that hour, the Balrogs were issued forth and none other than Gothmog himself led them. Fëanor came even within sight of Angband, but was ambushed with few elves about him. Soon he stood alone, but long he fought on alone with all Balrogs. Gothmog turned in at the end of the bout, and at the last the Lord of the Balrogs smote him to the ground, inflicting a mortal wound, and the High King of the Ñoldor plunged to the ground. Malraugin cut the Elf lord's hand and took it as a trophy to Sauron.

First Age[]

Fall of Gondolin[]

During the Siege of Gondolin, Malraugin acted as second-in-command to Gothmog the Lord of Balrogs and fought against the Elven warrior Glorfindel. The duel, ended with each other having inflicted wounds on each other, but neither triumphed and the latter retreated to help his kin escape the wrath of Sauron's host. Despite the success, the Dark Lord's lossess were still significant: Gothmog himself was slain while fighting Echtelion.

War of Wrath[]

As the War of Wrath begun, Lungorthin was chosen as Lord of Balrogs, while Malraugin became the High Captain of Angband, both of them replacing the fallen Gothmog in his duties.

As the War of Wrath neared it's end, Lungorthin led the Valaraukar in battle, crushing both allies and enemies in the process. However, Tulkas challenged them and the servants of the One accepted, each of them lunging towards him. But the Vala had anticipated their strategy and easily dispatched most of them. Lungorthin threw his fiery whip at Tulkas, binding him and bringing him down. As the Vala lay incapacitated, the Lord of Balrogs moved in to end him, only for the spear of Eonwe, who was coming to reinforce the Host of Valinor, to spring towards the Flame and Shadow creature, cutting it's way through it's chest, before returning to it's Maia owner. With his chieftain dead at his feet, Malraugin took command over the remaining Balrogs and led a valiant defense of Angband, until Sauron himself appeared, raising the morale of his servants, who enthralled by his will, rallied to the Dark Lord.

Gloating in his triumph, thinking that victory was at hand, Sauron unleashed Ancalagon the Black to destroy the Host of Valinor and the Free Peoples. The dragon was slain by Eonwe however, and fell on the mountain of Thangorodrim, crushing the fortress of Angband and the cowardly Melkor, who had stayed there to hide, only to find that he had chosen his own tomb. Realizing his defeat, Sauron ordered his servants to flee as he himself did and his great army was scattered across the Misty Mountains and Mordor.

The Balrogs were sent by their Master to various locations, waiting for him to once again declare himself so that they would take up arms once again in the Dark Lord's service.

Second Age[]

War of the Last Alliance[]

During the War of the Last Alliance, Sauron's Army clashed against the united forces of Men and Elves. The Balrogs returned at their Master's side, serving as generals for his legions of Orcs, Trolls, Dragons and evil Men.

As the conflict neared it's end, Malraugin rallied Goblins to him and led Sauron's campaign against the Dwarves, making sure that if they tried to aid their allies, they would be kept from doing it. But when his father was defeated, the Balrog fled and hid once again deep in the Misty Mountains.

Third Age[]

dr e56For more than three thousand years, Malraugin lay dormant at the roots of the mountains in Khazad-dûm waiting for the return of Sauron. He remained undisturbed throughout most of the Third Age, until the miners of Dwarf-King Durin VI awoke it when they mined too deeply and too greedily in their search for mithril. Malraugin slew Durin, and was thereafter known as Durin's Bane. The Dwarves attempted to fight Malraugin, but its power was far too great. Despite their efforts to hold Khazad-dûm against it, King Náin and many of the Dwarves were killed, and the survivors were forced to flee.[]

News of the disaster reached the Silvan elves of Lothlórien, who called Malraugin the Nameless Terror (not knowing its true nature at the time), and who began to refer to Khazad-dûm as Moria (dark abyss).

Sauron's return[]

As the mysterious Necromancer settled in Dol Guldur, Malraugin, now known as "Durin's Bane" sensed that his Master had returned. Uncertain of it however and fearing not to reveal himself to early and ruin his father's plans, he remained in the mines, waiting for a sign.

When Azog the Defiler entered Moria, he encountered the Balrog, before whom he cowered in fear, before revealing that he was in the service of Sauron. Pleased that his Master was alive and that he would return at his side, Durin's Bane tolerated the presence of the Orc colonists from Gundabad, as long as they did not disturb him.

Through messengers, Sauron was able to learn what the Nameless Terror that lurcked in Moria was, being pleased that his son had not been slain as he had initially thought. Despite knowing what his servant was capable of, the Dark Lord ordered Durin's Bane to remain there until he said it would be time for the "final stroke". He planned on using the Balrog only if he needed to, but for now, the creature did well by keeping the Free Peoples of the North separated from the others and realized that Malraugin did a better job at guarding Moria than the Orcs did.

War of the Ring[]

The crow Cyflym informed Durin's Bane that the Fellowship might try to pass through Moria. Having had no one to face except for Orcs who were not such fierce warriors, he was eager to both sate his bloodlust and retrieve the One Ring for his Master.

When the group attempted to escape the pursuing goblins through the halls, Durin's Bane scared the creatures off in order to deal with the group himself. Sensing both the ringbearer Frodo Baggins and the wizard Gandalf, he chose to focus on the latter, thinking that he would easily slay the old fool and than be able to take the Ring. However, he soon found out that the mortal Man before him had been one of the Maiar as he he himself had once been, still the Balrog of Moria was greater in power than Olorin. They fought on the Birdge of Khazad-dum, with Gandalf warning the creature that he would not let it reach Frodo. Overconfident, Durin's Bane stepped on the bridge, only for it to crumble beneath him. As he fell into the chasm bellow, he threw his fiery whip at the wizard and dragged him with him.

After a long fall, they reached a subterranean lake, it's waters quenching the flames of Durin's Bane, transforming it into a creature of slime, Despite this weakened state, the Nameless Terror renewed his attack upon Gandalf, until he was forced to flee through ancient tunnels. They fought again once they reached the mountain peak, each of them empowered by their lord: Gandalf sword was covered in the Lightning of Eru Iluvatar, while the Balrog returned to it's fiery form, fueled by the Flame of Sauron. As their lords locked themselves in a battle of wills while their emissaries dueled, the wizard was able to overpower Durin's Bane and send him plummeting to his death.

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