I love how tragic and yet inspiring Tolkien's writing is. Though Balin, emboldened by his previous success, undertook a doomed quest, in time the quest he failed was completed by another. It's a nice thought that even when we fail it may lay the ground work for others to succeed.
Seems the Dwarfs of Middle Earth could never seem to hold on to a place that would seem defensable for long... To be fair a Dragon and a Balrog is poor luck.
well, compared to the other old races they werent doing too bad. But their numbers had been waning for a long time and they just couldnt keep a homestead as big as moria against any sizable opposition. many dwarven settlements were held much longer than most human or elven ones
To be fair, Moria was extremely hard to protect and with all the levels, floors, rooms, passages and ways in and out, both made by dwarfs and by Orcs/goblins/trolls over time, it would have been almost impossible to secure the entire place, with the numbers they had. Erebor is similar, it was too vast, with the number of dwarfs they had to protect it, though I do believe that due to Dain’s help and the people of Laketown, along with the Beornings, the dwarfs were able to hold onto it during the War of the Rings.
Well, sort of. The Dwarves were excellently fortified in the Iron Hills, so much so, the good races were worried the Dwarves were just going to sit the War of the Ring out. Historically, they were in a slow, but steady decline, losing capitals to monsters and the relentless orc invasion.
Al Lewis That seems like it was happening everywhere, Sauron was throwing so many Orcs and goblins and monsters at the strongholds of Men, Elves and Dwarves, that they were all too overwhelmed to help each other. Moria fell because it became overrun with Goblins, Trolls and the Balrog, plus the Watcher in the Water blocked an escape route, Theoden almost didn’t send help to Gondor because of the constant attacks and raids in Rohan by both Saruman and Sauron and the constant flow of overrun of foul creatures and Orcs and fighting in Osgiliath caused Gondor to have to abandon defending it. Even with the powerful magic and skill of the Elven rings of Elrond and Galadriel, Rivendell and Lothlorien were constantly under attack - that is why they were “safe zones” on the journey to rest, but the Ring couldn’t stay there. They were only barely handling their own defences at that moment - Rivendell being only slightly less often attacked, due to it being so far North - they could never handle the onslaught that would occur, if Sauron found out the Ring was there, and without the Ring’s destruction, Sauron would just keep throwing things at them to wear them down, until they were too exhausted and had no magic or Elves left to fight with. And with Saruman no longer blocking Sauron at the Gap of Rohan, it is only a matter of time, before Orcs flooded the North. The ONLY reason that the Hobbits remained as obvious and as peaceful for so long, is because of the Dunedain/Rangers who are the most badass elite fighting group, but even they would only be able to hold off so many for so long, before the Orcs broke through and just murdered the defenceless Hobbits. Sure, the Breelands with the Brandybucks and Tooks might give them a fight, but not by much.
Is this in the book? If so can you tell me. I'm not that much familiar with the books but I would very much like to read them. I'm also curious about the moria expedition and what happened
Alphawolfpack101 The Moria expedition was Balin and several dwarves from *The Hobbit* leaving Erebor to retake Moria, the dwarves kingdom that was taken by orcs a couple centuries back. The tale was recounted in *Fellowship*, and is given a lot of detail. The part that spooked me was before that when Frodo could hear a drum for three days but didn’t know what it was and couldn’t do anything about it.
I have so many friends who can't stand Tolkien's writing style but they fail to notice that Tolkien was not an author, he was a scholar and his academic style of writing proves that. I am in love with world-building and I feel like Tolkien was the ultimate world-builder.
I feel the same about George R. R. Martin's writing: People I know mention how dull his writing is compared to other authors when I hand them the book. It's not about that though, it's about the story of the world he's telling.
And yet he chose to present his woolgathering in the form of a fictional novel. Of course he wasn't an author, and his prose and general readability suffered for it. He didn't feel compelled to engage with the reader as a reader.
It must have been really terrifying to live in a colony of Dwarves in Moria, knowing that there were thousands of orcs along with the Watcher in the water and Durin's bane lurking in the shadows....
To be fair even Gandalf thought there was a chance that the Dwarves had been successful and that most of the orcs had been destroyed or scattered after the Battle of Five Armies. But yet...Durin's Bane was a detail that Balin definitely should not have overlooked to say the least!
"Moria.....you fear to go into those mines. The dwarves delve too greedily You know what they awoke in the darkness of Khazad-dum... Shadow and Flame" I was so sad when I first found out it was Balin's tomb, he was my favorite dwarf in the Hobbit 😭😭😭
@@MarionBaggins 😭 Yup My favorite memory of Balin is at the end of the Hobbit when he, Bilbo, and Gandalf were just smoking in Bagend and being friends again Good times 🥰
The best part of Tolkien’s writings is the fact that he built a universe with so much history and background to the point that he even had languages for the differant races. Reading his stories you can’t just put the book down because he’s protagonists are shown with faults thus you can relate to how each character is developing through out the story while at the same time wondering how they will overcome each obstacle. Tolkien put so much effort and thought into his works one can’t help but admire his passion and love of writing. Also I love the videos watch them every Sunday when I get that notification.
He honestly wrote the Hobbit and Lotr just to give his world a story! He fiddled with creating a language of his own when he was young (which was the elvish language) and then over the years he kept adding lore and lore. And then one day the idea of the Hobbit came into his head while he was grading papers and he was outlining the story on a student's test! lol
Indeed the complex and grand lore behind this all, language construction etymologies etc., writing systems, but even more amazing is Tolkien's dedication to making his work, which is beyond anything,... you haven't seen anything yet :) just look at that: ""Reluctantly...I had to abandon, under pressure from the 'production department', the 'facsimiles' of the three pages of the Book of Mazarbul, burned tattered and blood-stained, which I had spend much time on producing or forging." Now THAT'S incredible Tolkien making actual physical pages of the Book of Mazarbul (apparently he also did other such works like the letter of Aragorn as king to Samwise and a piece of Bilbo's contract/letter from the Dwarves :). Tolkien even liked drawing scenes from his books, my favorite image he drew was 'Bilbo coming to the huts of raft-elves', very nice artwork by author himself :).
The language thing is quite unique to Tolkien. Many fantasy authors have tried to replicate it, but with little success. Tolkien was a trained linguist. He studied linguistics for decades and was uniquely qualified to build realistic languages for his fantasy setting
I mean, he helped take down a dragon. He definitely got a lot of XP and some high level gear out of that. He had no idea there was a max level raid boss waiting in there.
Even guilds with high-level dungeon gear and experience wipe. These guys were playing on hardcore, so even one wipe and they would never be able to attempt the dungeon ever again. Imagine if every high-level dungeon could only be attempted once... There's no video game comparison for Balin's expedition to Moria, because it would be the worst, most frustrating game ever designed. At least in a rogue-like you can start over. Balin's dead. He's not rerolling shit.
I like everything except for the "lesson" or "moral of the story" I appreciate the insight and research that's put into each video but I find the moral lesson to be cringe
Hey everyone, thank you all so much for the kind and inspiring comments! You all have really mentioned some incredible things about Tolkien's works, and I wish I had more rings to give out! More giveaways will come in the future, and the window of time to enter will be extended with those giveaways! The winner of the giveaway has been chosen, chevin0! They have 24 hours to contact me before I choose another winner! Once again, thank you all so much. I love you all and I'll see you in the next video!
Hudson Ball Oh dang, I’m sorry about that. Not sure why the notification took that long! But still feel free to comment with your answer and I’ll consider it if our winner does not reply within 24 hours! I appreciate ya!
That really sucks. I was excited for a chance to win and then feel I got jipped. An hour only? Really? Guess we better not have a life and better sit here refreshing TH-cam just in case. Never mind that my two year old daughter has been in the hospital all week for surgery.
The Silmarillion is easily my favourite part Tolkien's work. The stories span so much time and almost always achingly tragic, it's like looking at all the damage and corruption that came before and wondering how it ever be fixed. In fact it couldn't be, and it is a tragic tale, but through out there's tales of heroes and love... but those all end in tragedy too. But it only carries all of its weight because of The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings.
Another lesson from this is that even though the expedition ended in tragedy, you don't know what the outcome will be until you attempt the endeavor. My favorite thing about Tolkien's writing is the immersiveness. You become an absolute part of the universe he creates. You feel what the characters feel. You laugh with them, you cry with them.
I mean, Thorin went out to reclaim Erebor with no plan at all for what to do about the dragon part and that turned out great! ;) Less facetiously, there are some big parallels between the two stories of dwarves reclaiming their homes and being rather optimistic of the result while dismissing any difficulties. I don't know if it's Tolkien knowingly writing a more "grown up" version for Moria, but it sure can be read like one. Also seems like an aspect of dwarven greed. They're going to go get what they want (in this case their old homes) damned be the other cost.
my favorite thing of anything toiken made is the actual universe revolved around how everything was created from the good, and bad, I enjoy how Tokien made my life as a kid inspired of elves, dwarves, orcs, and the likes I am humbled I get to do what I like to enjoy doing D&D related things thanks to him.
Moria's West gate. I remember tracing by hand the door and it's runes when I was 10 years old and read The Fellowship of the Ring for the first time. I was in total awe and I can still feel that same sensation when I revisit the chapter about Moria.
Hey everyone, I really hope you all enjoyed the video! I wanted to address this here since I keep seeing comments about it. From what I can tell in Tolkien’s works, the diphthong “ai” typically makes an “eye” sound, so “Dúnedain” would be pronounced “Dune-eh-dine” and “Dáin” would be “dine”. As for “Óin” and “Glóin” there are competing theories about whether they are pronounced “glow-in” and “oh-in” or some variation of that, as “oi” typically makes an “oy” sound in Tolkien’s works. I’ll try to keep improving my pronunciations as much as I can! www.reddit.com/r/tolkienfans/comments/3vhqai/how_do_you_pronounce_oin_and_gloin/ Thank you for the support!
Actually, you have to remember that the languages being used are different. In Khuzdul (the Dwarves' language) the Name Dáin isn't pronounced Dane or Dine, the name would be pronounced Day-in or more probably (due to the accent above the a) Dah-in. Dunedain is a Sindarin word, not Khuzdul, so different language conventions apply.
What I love about talking is writings are the messages he put in them which are still relevant today. He put his life experiences in and made them real which is evident in that they are still so loved and relevant today. Ultimately I love that he made a magical, absorbing world that is so engaging. I can never get enough of it. I always want to know more.
I always love these videos. Mondays are bad, but these start it off right! I think the thing i like best about these stories is the sense of ancient history, and characters (mostly Elves) who witnessed it. like how at the Council of Elrond, they probably met Elves who had seen every one of he runs they visited before and after, but had seen them in their glory. Minas Morgul to the Hobbits is just a place of evil, but to Elrond, he would remember Minas Ithil, not that long ago for him. It always just fascinates me to have young characters feel fear, where the Wise look at a place and feel sadness for what was.
Hey chiven0, thanks for the support and the really wonderful comment! I see exactly what you mean and it is quite incredible to think about the history of Middle-earth and its places through the eyes and minds of different characters. You have won the giveaway! Please contact me on Facebook, Twitter or through email within the next 24 hours with the info listed in the video and description, and I will get you your ring. Thanks! Talk to you soon!
Men of the West let me know if you do another ring give away from this papillon site. or lotr pendent etc. ?? I wish I had a chance to unload it when it happened. didn't watch the video till a 2 days later. didn't get the notification but bell was on. all good. Congrads man. nice give away too sir. just be cool to win another lotr ring from this sight again. neat site for jewelry. I was thinking xmas gifts but I forgot and then took too long to decide and they are swamped with orders recently when I asked last week. your men of the west influence did big business for them. I'm sure they would be down again for some more lotr ring or pendent give aways. papillon people. they don't know English though very well. nice work they do. cool they contacted you. neat story I'm sure. later sir. let us know next time you give away. "give us a chance precious... give us another chance? " Smeagul lol ot gollum.
The art work compliments the analysis so well. Very polished channel you've got here! Lord of the rings lore and mythology is amazing. Great work mate!
I'm so happy to have discovered your channel a few month ago! I love listening to your videos while I work on my demo reel. Thank you for all your research and hard work :)
I love how deep the lore and world of Tolkien is. Its because of all the care, detail and depth that makes LoTR a fantasy series that stands the test of time.
Excellent job! Thank you very much for making this video I'm sure that I speak for many of us out there that always wondered what exactly happened the Balin and his company thank you very much for your detail and your work.
My favorite thing about Mr.Tolkien's work, would have to be that he changed the world of fantasy forever. Not only did he bring new life to it, but he also inspired authors like me to continue his great work. I believe he is the reason we still have fantasy stories in our world today. I want to be a great writer like him someday, but I know I will never surpass him. No one can, and that is what makes his world legendary.
This is by far my favorite type of video you’ve created! So many of these “what really happened” moments in Tolkien’s work and who better to delve into it than my main man from the west!
My favorite thing about Tolkien’s work are the hope they inspire, how even when it seems the world is against you it will all work out if you keep fighting.
Like this new series, hope your do more on it. Been reading Tolkein since I was a kid. I've always enjoyed how many stories like this are in his works- unfinished adventures that allow the reader to wonder about something unrelated to the main story, adding depth to the worksheet created. Keep up the great work Yoysten!
My favorite thing about Tolkien's works is the fact that he was a linguist writing an amazing story rather than an author trying to write an amazing story. I think his works are so great because his words can move people, paint pictures in your mind, and make it feel like an actual history rather than just another story.
My understanding was Tolkien meant them to be O'in and Glo'in, pronounced like the traditional Celtic name Owen. However, with the popularity of the films, your pronunciation has become the more common.
I get chills thinking about what Balin's company must've felt in their final days. A sense of dispair and terror, but also a sense of pride to die within such a grand place. I can only imagine how ferociously they must've fought.
The one thing I love about these works is the open ended nature in which their written. It leave a lot to the imagination, but keeps enough detail to give you a good idea of the events. It really is reminiscent of our own historical writings and how many parts of it are lost, leaving us to fill in the blanks of what could have been. Also, I think it opens the door for great content to be created, giving creators the framework to take some license with the details of timelines, while still holding to the core themes. All those missing pages are opportunities for those true and respectful fans to create great stories and content, without having to break the lore.
2019: How do you feel now? The world is in plague, democracy is both threatened and sought throughout the world, vast populations move from danger to hope. These are EPIC TIMES. As for simpler, Tolkien's world was not simple, but there is always the simplicity of knowing and doing what is right, whether in his world or in ours. Be a hero worthy of Tolkien's vision.
What I enjoy the most is the impact that Feanor had on the future Ages of Middle Earth. Sometimes I feel that his actions seem to only effect the Noldor/Sindar of the First Age but his residual touch is felt throughout the latter two Ages. A close reading will show to both directly and indirectly, Feanor had such a profound influence on the races of Middle Earth and the ramifications of such were not fully realized until the destruction of the One Ring. Great video as always! Your knowledge and love of Tolkien's lore is amazing!
The thing I most like in Tolkien works is that there’s always hope even in the darkest times and that there is good in the world that is still worth fighting for
Yea the lord of the rings and hobbit shows that even though things got bad and then worse people stood by each other and saved the world. And in the end good won sauron was defeated for good everyine went back to their lives but were completly different as when they first started thier journey,s.
My favorite part of Tolkein's works was the fact he created a world that is now so hard to beat due to how huge and fascinating it is. By the way I love your videos and Middle Earth so the fact you are making videos of this stuff is so cool, even when this world was created long ago!
The richness and depth of tolkien is what makes it so great. The ability to see into and visualize a world he created because of his passion and detail is amazing.
Very well done, and it kind of blows my mind that as many times as I've read, listened to the audiobooks and see the movies it never clicked that the Balin that went to Moria was the same Balin who was one of the dwarves from Bilbo's party years before.
Unsurprisingly I find this tale to be rather bittersweet. Tolkien had a habit of making it to where even if the hero managed to succeeded against all odds in their great mission in life, they could still fall tragically later. Or meet some other inglorious, mundane or other unexpected and unwanted end. Just because they were the hero and managed to survive one story doesn't mean they're invincible and it doesn't mean their next story will end happily for them.
Things worse than Balrogs? Yes, just rereading The Two Towers , and when Gandolf the White rejoins Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, I imagined him shuddering as he speaks "Far, far below ... the world is gnawed at by nameless things."
Hello my good sir. My man among boys, my thundering voice among the squeaks of normal men. You greater my knowledge so very well, and my heart is joyous when you post. Thank you so much, this video is excellent
@@MenoftheWest I have recently came across this channel and you are a God send to Tolkein devotees. You do so much Herculean work in bringing the history of Middle Earth to life. It would be great if Peter Jackson made a movie about Ballin's expedition to Moria using the same actors from The Hobbit. Obviously there would be no original Tolkein dialogue but you would have an original Tolkein plot which high quality screen writer's could work around. As a fan of Tolkein I always thought Peter Jackson would make more movies from the rich history of Middle Earth. Tolkein left a wealth of material to work from and with Middle Earth's rich history they would rival both The Hobbit and LOTR in terms of stories and plot's. Wishing you success in all your future enterprises and endeavours.
I love your videos, this is absolutely dynamite. Moria is such a good piece and you did it with such grace. "A balrog, a demon of the ancient world" *growling and flame appear from an intense shadow climbing the pillars of that great hall, legolas is shaken by fear* "This foe is beyond any of you." *RUN*
I believe that the drums in the deep and what the fellowship heard were Not physically being drummed by huge trolls etc but where supernatural and of dark magic, conjured by the Balrogs presence. Gimly asked Gandalf when Gandalf had to sit down on the steps “did you meet the beater of the drums?” “Im not sure, what it was I could not tell, but was suddenly faced with something I have not met before. It laid hold of the great iron ring and then it perceived me and my spell. The counter spell was terrible, it almost broke me. The door 🚪 burst in pieces and something dark as a cloud blotted our all light. The wall and ceiling have way. I am afraid that balin is buried deep and perhaps something else is buried too”.
Might be too late, but I will throw my name in the hat for the ring. I came to Tolkien's work later in life (LOTR movies), but since then have read as many of the books I can get my hands on. My fav is the Silmarillion as it lays the foundation of middle earth and creates the history that all stories lay within. I like this world as it is a deep, fulfilling and all encompassing dive into a place far from my everyday world, when I need to step out and take a break. I enjoy your channel, as it fills in story gaps and are short visits to middle earth when I dont have time to read.
Easy to say with the benefit of hindsight. It was far less risky than the expedition to Erebor. There was enormous wealth and an opportunity to resume Dwarven influence in the area.
@@IronDragon-2143 It's been a while, but if I remember Gloin's telling of the tale, there were whispers and suggestions encouraging Balin, too. As if the subtle hand of the Necromancer was involved. One of the things I dearly love about Tolkien is the way he doesn't just force his characters into a path. Balin had decent reasons to try to resettle Moria. Not just greed or pride. Like the way Tolkien treated Denethor(and Peter Jackson didn"t). A great man, great leader, doing his best but eventually falling. I'd like to think that Balin could have successfully restored the place if the rising tide of Sauron-driven evil hadn't swamped him.
He had no clue THAT was going to happen .....remember how the dwarves behave they hide in the caves ever digging ever searching for riches they don't care about elves or men
The Mines of Moria are such a frightening place. When I read the books, the silent ambience of the caverns, the slight sound of Gollum following the Fellowship, the account of the Mazarbul book, and the drums in the deep kept me up at night, legitimately. I actually became really afraid of Gollum and the Nazgûl after reading Fellowship of the Ring, and couldn't bear to even look at a picture of Gollum without getting chills. I'm well past that now, but looking back at the dread that the Mines of Moria gave me, I don't want to imagine how horrible must Gimli have felt, kneeling by the tomb of his father's cousin while he hears the tale of how his uncle and many other kinsmen of his were slain, trapped, pretty much staring at death in the face knowing that they were doomed and there was nothing they could do about it. It is so horrifying and dark, but I think it makes Galadriel's kindness towards Gimli in Lothlórien all the more meaningful to him, which makes his respectful love towards her even more pure and thankful.
What I love about Tolkiens works is that every single story has a meaning behind it and is simillair to our world and what still happens today. Like sarumans greed and love of industry. It's excacly the same as today: people destroy woods and forests only with the intention to get money. Love the way that all of his stories have a meaning. Love your video's! By the way, I am from the netherlands!🇳🇱 So you got fans all over the world!
I don’t know🤔. We had one that got an arm taken off by a devouring bag, but still was valuable. Of course, we always had to protect them a bit more.😂. We never put him in the front after that. Too bad too, because we kinda made him the tank.
Only an hour to reply! Oh well... My favorite part about Tolkien's works is definitely the languages. I'm a language nerd, myself, so I love it that so much thought and care went into crafting the different languages you encounter in the Legendarium; they really add a lot to the different cultures and histories of the world's peoples - something a lot of authors fail to recognize. It made me very happy when I found out that the developers behind LOTRO also paid attention to this part, and did their best to further develop existing Tolkien languages, or supplement the cultures with new ones. I'm thinking especially of the Earthkin and the Lossoth that you encounter in the game.
I think my favourite part of Tolkien’s legendarium is most probably the races. I love the depth and stories behind all of them. Great videos! I’d love to hear more tales of the mighty dwarves in this channel if possible as they are the race I find I know the least about.
Finally, Thorin III or his son retook Moria and established themselves there. Later at 4th age they closed the gates of its kingdom to live inside the mointains away from humans
Aragorn rebuilt the Kingdom of Arnor and had many wars against the sourtheners and easterlings (hordes of Rhûn, Khand and Harad), winning and subjugating them. He reconstructed the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor, and he fought against the hordes I said before with Rohan (with king Eomer and his son too)
@@aviz5044 also the capital of the Reunited Kingdom became Annúminas, Minas Morgul was cleanesed ,after the departure of Gandalf, but he pronounced that no one would live there for 10 years because of the evil that still endured there, but im guessing he recontructed Minas Ithil after those 10 years. Osgiliath was recontructed and Ithilien was populated again. The Shire remained independent BUT King Elessar made sure no man would enter there (so im guessing he reconquered the whole region around the Shire). Also a guy told me this theory (which i find kinda dumb) where he made a peace treaty with some orcs and gave them land in Mordor.....that does not sound probable to me (but i might be wrong) If i was mistaken in something please correct me, i just want to know more about the lore
@@Thouse_Muchachos well said, if I remember correct Aragorn gave the land around the sea of nurn to the men who were enslaved as farmers so they could build themselves up and live good lives; so far as the orcs go they primarily fled in to the mountains and hid from the other races, the orcs of Moria were eventually destroyed by Durin the VII
Excellent video dude! Balin was my favorite of the Dwarves and his story has such a tragic ending. After everything he went through in recovering Erebor, he died from some random Orc with a bow 😢
I’m sorry that I missed the contest, but it’s taken me long enough just to get to this video: my Mom is visiting, and TH-cam-binging has to be put on hold.
I love your videos i always look forward for the next one i enjoy ur in depth looks and just everything great job keep em coming and il keep on watching and supporting 👌🏼😁
The one thing I wish most of Tolkien's writings is that I wanted to read more about the Dwarf race. They are by far the most interesting to me. It's a shame it never happened...
Now I wonder what would've happened if Balin and his company knew that Thror's ring had been given to Thrain. Would Balin and his company still have gone to Moria and settled there?
Good question. I would say, probably yes. Gimli said at the Council of Elrond: “Indeed, I may now reveal that it was partly in hope of finding that ring that Balin went away.” Which suggests that Balin regarded Thror’s Ring as a possible bonus, not as the main objective of the expedition.
I discovered Tolkien shortly after discovering 'Dungeons & Dragons' in the 1980's- These books were not only a fantastic trip into unapologetic escapism but also contained a 'realism' that was lacking in all of the fantasy literature I had been exposed to up to that point.. Suspension of disbelief is something easily attained by anyone with enough imagination but with Tolkien you were inundated into a living, breathing world complete with 'real' locations and histories so grand and well thought out that even today, and even centuries to come we can discuss and theorycraft and learn together as we uncover layers upon layers upon layers of 'meat'- Tolkien spans the chasm of generations and can read as a mere tale or studied with scholarly care. Children know of the tale of Bilbo Baggins and can delight in its simplistic storytelling of a grand adventure and as one grows older, one can delve deeper into this world with LOTR or the Simarillian...I go back to these books often and can see everything through new eyes and my own life has changed. One single sentence from these books can become a quest in itself to learn more- I still wish we knew more of what happened in the Dungeons of the necromancer among many other things.... All I know is that Tolkien created something that has grown into and touched every single facet of society- Even the normies who would never pick up a book (more less a book a fantasy) have had opinions formed and interests peaked through words and tales that they may not know even exist- Tolkien would be quite amused by all of this, I believe.
i love how tolkien involves the concept of music throughout his works. from the ainulindalë to bilbo's song in Rivendale. as a music composer i find it really amazing how he had a deep concept of music theory and how music can shape all that is around us.
I find anything about the dwarfs very fascinating. I think Balins expedition was doomed from the start, due to the orcs and the balrog, if one didn't end the expedition I think the other would have.
I have always loved how in all of Tolkien’s story there is always a very deep learning to be had. You are the only person I have known with the passion to show us this wonderful misc stories from the LoTR story. I hope I win the give away i have always loved the ring and since being little I’ve been trying to get a good copy of the one ring 🙏🏽
Man, watching and reading that scene in Fellowship was soo tense!!! Thanks for the video Mellon...Marion Baggins Out Voting... P.s One of my many favorite things about Tolkien's works is...Excluding you make great videos about it every week... No not just that, it's he makes some of my favorite relatable and realist characters such as Samwise Gamgee!!!
I remember this always being one of the saddest aspects of Tolkien's work to me as a young child. I remember reading the Hobbit and loving Thorin's company, and of course being wrecked when Thorin and his nephews were killed during the battle of five armies. It was that much more tragic to learn when I read LOTR that Balin Ori and Oin found a similar fate trying to reclaim another ancestral home. Of the free peoples of middle Earth, I think the dwarves can sometimes be overlooked as having some very saddening history. I love that Tolkien paints them as a sort of wandering people who seek to reclaim lost homes and to rekindle their culture. It's sort of sadly beautiful.
“Drums in the deep. We cannot get out, A shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out. They are coming”!
This still gives me chills
then pippen started making noises.
werewarwolf3366 I do prefer the movie noise of the fool lol. It was an accident not him just throwing shit down a well xD
@@Shatter149 Fool of a Took!
Yeh it was awesome the fellowship of the ring is a perfect film for me it has everything
Movie adaptation of Moria was perfect. It always gives me chills.
I love how tragic and yet inspiring Tolkien's writing is. Though Balin, emboldened by his previous success, undertook a doomed quest, in time the quest he failed was completed by another. It's a nice thought that even when we fail it may lay the ground work for others to succeed.
I'm a great wingman at the bar
Seems the Dwarfs of Middle Earth could never seem to hold on to a place that would seem defensable for long... To be fair a Dragon and a Balrog is poor luck.
well, compared to the other old races they werent doing too bad. But their numbers had been waning for a long time and they just couldnt keep a homestead as big as moria against any sizable opposition. many dwarven settlements were held much longer than most human or elven ones
Ha
To be fair, Moria was extremely hard to protect and with all the levels, floors, rooms, passages and ways in and out, both made by dwarfs and by Orcs/goblins/trolls over time, it would have been almost impossible to secure the entire place, with the numbers they had.
Erebor is similar, it was too vast, with the number of dwarfs they had to protect it, though I do believe that due to Dain’s help and the people of Laketown, along with the Beornings, the dwarfs were able to hold onto it during the War of the Rings.
Well, sort of. The Dwarves were excellently fortified in the Iron Hills, so much so, the good races were worried the Dwarves were just going to sit the War of the Ring out. Historically, they were in a slow, but steady decline, losing capitals to monsters and the relentless orc invasion.
Al Lewis That seems like it was happening everywhere, Sauron was throwing so many Orcs and goblins and monsters at the strongholds of Men, Elves and Dwarves, that they were all too overwhelmed to help each other.
Moria fell because it became overrun with Goblins, Trolls and the Balrog, plus the Watcher in the Water blocked an escape route, Theoden almost didn’t send help to Gondor because of the constant attacks and raids in Rohan by both Saruman and Sauron and the constant flow of overrun of foul creatures and Orcs and fighting in Osgiliath caused Gondor to have to abandon defending it.
Even with the powerful magic and skill of the Elven rings of Elrond and Galadriel, Rivendell and Lothlorien were constantly under attack - that is why they were “safe zones” on the journey to rest, but the Ring couldn’t stay there.
They were only barely handling their own defences at that moment - Rivendell being only slightly less often attacked, due to it being so far North - they could never handle the onslaught that would occur, if Sauron found out the Ring was there, and without the Ring’s destruction, Sauron would just keep throwing things at them to wear them down, until they were too exhausted and had no magic or Elves left to fight with.
And with Saruman no longer blocking Sauron at the Gap of Rohan, it is only a matter of time, before Orcs flooded the North.
The ONLY reason that the Hobbits remained as obvious and as peaceful for so long, is because of the Dunedain/Rangers who are the most badass elite fighting group, but even they would only be able to hold off so many for so long, before the Orcs broke through and just murdered the defenceless Hobbits. Sure, the Breelands with the Brandybucks and Tooks might give them a fight, but not by much.
The Moria situation was one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever read.
I know, and you even feel a connection with some of these dwarves from the Hobbit. What a tragedy....
The Fremd Dinge Guy No, for me, it was more of the drumming and the dread it out over Frodo but nobody else.
For me, Shelob’s Lair and the Spiders Nest in The Hobbit terrified me - Moria was more panic than fear, it made me anxious.
Is this in the book? If so can you tell me. I'm not that much familiar with the books but I would very much like to read them. I'm also curious about the moria expedition and what happened
Alphawolfpack101 The Moria expedition was Balin and several dwarves from *The Hobbit* leaving Erebor to retake Moria, the dwarves kingdom that was taken by orcs a couple centuries back. The tale was recounted in *Fellowship*, and is given a lot of detail. The part that spooked me was before that when Frodo could hear a drum for three days but didn’t know what it was and couldn’t do anything about it.
I have so many friends who can't stand Tolkien's writing style but they fail to notice that Tolkien was not an author, he was a scholar and his academic style of writing proves that. I am in love with world-building and I feel like Tolkien was the ultimate world-builder.
I feel the same about George R. R. Martin's writing: People I know mention how dull his writing is compared to other authors when I hand them the book. It's not about that though, it's about the story of the world he's telling.
World building is arguably more important than the story and writing style.
I highly recommend Steven Erikson
Even with his more academic style though his poetry and prose can still be beautiful, I got chills the first time I heard the One Rings transcription
And yet he chose to present his woolgathering in the form of a fictional novel. Of course he wasn't an author, and his prose and general readability suffered for it. He didn't feel compelled to engage with the reader as a reader.
It must have been really terrifying to live in a colony of Dwarves in Moria, knowing that there were thousands of orcs along with the Watcher in the water and Durin's bane lurking in the shadows....
Pure insanity more like it. This is the Dwarf version of the Lost Colony at Roanoke
To be fair even Gandalf thought there was a chance that the Dwarves had been successful and that most of the orcs had been destroyed or scattered after the Battle of Five Armies.
But yet...Durin's Bane was a detail that Balin definitely should not have overlooked to say the least!
"Moria.....you fear to go into those mines.
The dwarves delve too greedily
You know what they awoke in the darkness of Khazad-dum...
Shadow and Flame"
I was so sad when I first found out it was Balin's tomb, he was my favorite dwarf in the Hobbit 😭😭😭
Yeah its really sad but in the long run it helped out the future dwarves
I love Balin Too!!!
@@MarionBaggins RIGHT?!?!
@@orrointhewise87 Right Hurtful in many ways!!!
@@MarionBaggins 😭
Yup
My favorite memory of Balin is at the end of the Hobbit when he, Bilbo, and Gandalf were just smoking in Bagend and being friends again
Good times 🥰
The best part of Tolkien’s writings is the fact that he built a universe with so much history and background to the point that he even had languages for the differant races. Reading his stories you can’t just put the book down because he’s protagonists are shown with faults thus you can relate to how each character is developing through out the story while at the same time wondering how they will overcome each obstacle. Tolkien put so much effort and thought into his works one can’t help but admire his passion and love of writing. Also I love the videos watch them every Sunday when I get that notification.
He honestly wrote the Hobbit and Lotr just to give his world a story! He fiddled with creating a language of his own when he was young (which was the elvish language) and then over the years he kept adding lore and lore.
And then one day the idea of the Hobbit came into his head while he was grading papers and he was outlining the story on a student's test! lol
Indeed the complex and grand lore behind this all, language construction etymologies etc., writing systems, but even more amazing is Tolkien's dedication to making his work, which is beyond anything,... you haven't seen anything yet :) just look at that:
""Reluctantly...I had to abandon, under pressure from the 'production department', the 'facsimiles' of the three pages of the Book of Mazarbul, burned tattered and blood-stained, which I had spend much time on producing or forging."
Now THAT'S incredible Tolkien making actual physical pages of the Book of Mazarbul (apparently he also did other such works like the letter of Aragorn as king to Samwise and a piece of Bilbo's contract/letter from the Dwarves :). Tolkien even liked drawing scenes from his books, my favorite image he drew was 'Bilbo coming to the huts of raft-elves', very nice artwork by author himself :).
Amen.
The language thing is quite unique to Tolkien. Many fantasy authors have tried to replicate it, but with little success. Tolkien was a trained linguist. He studied linguistics for decades and was uniquely qualified to build realistic languages for his fantasy setting
Tolkien would make a better DM than even Matt Mercer.
"Drums in the deep"
I've always been amazed at how he was able to write such epic passages.
Never venture into high-level dungeons without putting in the appropriate grind.
I mean, he helped take down a dragon. He definitely got a lot of XP and some high level gear out of that. He had no idea there was a max level raid boss waiting in there.
Even guilds with high-level dungeon gear and experience wipe. These guys were playing on hardcore, so even one wipe and they would never be able to attempt the dungeon ever again. Imagine if every high-level dungeon could only be attempted once... There's no video game comparison for Balin's expedition to Moria, because it would be the worst, most frustrating game ever designed. At least in a rogue-like you can start over. Balin's dead. He's not rerolling shit.
nah, he was well prepared. only mistake was to play first edition
@@nightsong81 he didnt get a lot of xp due to raid penalty
@@TheVergile yeah it was bugged. They patched it later
"Drums, Drums in the deep" gives me the chills
Not me, I hear them every friday because someone decided to open a drumming school right next to the shop.
@Mischievous MaleFox was even more chilly in the book
Makes me wanna BOOGIE DOWN!
My favorite thing about Tolkien’s works is the lesson that we learn from them. I love how you wrap up every video with a moral or lesson to the story.
Yes....he is a true story teller
I like everything except for the "lesson" or "moral of the story" I appreciate the insight and research that's put into each video but I find the moral lesson to be cringe
Amen.
Oy, if you don't get that Middle Earth Lore is *deeply* rooted in morality, you've barely paid attention.
Hey everyone, thank you all so much for the kind and inspiring comments! You all have really mentioned some incredible things about Tolkien's works, and I wish I had more rings to give out! More giveaways will come in the future, and the window of time to enter will be extended with those giveaways! The winner of the giveaway has been chosen, chevin0! They have 24 hours to contact me before I choose another winner! Once again, thank you all so much. I love you all and I'll see you in the next video!
@Matt R Oh, I definitely second this.
But... but... I only just got the notification of this video 20 minutes ago....
Hudson Ball Oh dang, I’m sorry about that. Not sure why the notification took that long! But still feel free to comment with your answer and I’ll consider it if our winner does not reply within 24 hours! I appreciate ya!
@@hudsonball4702 Same here...
That really sucks. I was excited for a chance to win and then feel I got jipped. An hour only? Really? Guess we better not have a life and better sit here refreshing TH-cam just in case. Never mind that my two year old daughter has been in the hospital all week for surgery.
It’s a fine Sunday evening when Men of the West releases a new video.
Look forward to it every Sunday
Yes sir
For me, very early Monday morning
It was the perfect way to end a sunday. But now is my perfect way to start a monday morning.
The Silmarillion is easily my favourite part Tolkien's work.
The stories span so much time and almost always achingly tragic, it's like looking at all the damage and corruption that came before and wondering how it ever be fixed. In fact it couldn't be, and it is a tragic tale, but through out there's tales of heroes and love... but those all end in tragedy too.
But it only carries all of its weight because of The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings.
Another lesson from this is that even though the expedition ended in tragedy, you don't know what the outcome will be until you attempt the endeavor. My favorite thing about Tolkien's writing is the immersiveness. You become an absolute part of the universe he creates. You feel what the characters feel. You laugh with them, you cry with them.
I mean, Thorin went out to reclaim Erebor with no plan at all for what to do about the dragon part and that turned out great! ;) Less facetiously, there are some big parallels between the two stories of dwarves reclaiming their homes and being rather optimistic of the result while dismissing any difficulties. I don't know if it's Tolkien knowingly writing a more "grown up" version for Moria, but it sure can be read like one. Also seems like an aspect of dwarven greed. They're going to go get what they want (in this case their old homes) damned be the other cost.
my favorite thing of anything toiken made is the actual universe revolved around how everything was created from the good, and bad, I enjoy how Tokien made my life as a kid inspired of elves, dwarves, orcs, and the likes I am humbled I get to do what I like to enjoy doing D&D related things thanks to him.
I can't express enough how much your love for the writings of Tolkien helps me stay true to my own passion. Thank you good friend.
Moria's West gate. I remember tracing by hand the door and it's runes when I was 10 years old and read The Fellowship of the Ring for the first time. I was in total awe and I can still feel that same sensation when I revisit the chapter about Moria.
Also my favorite part of Tolkien’s works is how you turn them into such beauty. I live these videos so much!
Hey everyone, I really hope you all enjoyed the video! I wanted to address this here since I keep seeing comments about it. From what I can tell in Tolkien’s works, the diphthong “ai” typically makes an “eye” sound, so “Dúnedain” would be pronounced “Dune-eh-dine” and “Dáin” would be “dine”. As for “Óin” and “Glóin” there are competing theories about whether they are pronounced “glow-in” and “oh-in” or some variation of that, as “oi” typically makes an “oy” sound in Tolkien’s works. I’ll try to keep improving my pronunciations as much as I can! www.reddit.com/r/tolkienfans/comments/3vhqai/how_do_you_pronounce_oin_and_gloin/ Thank you for the support!
Actually, you have to remember that the languages being used are different. In Khuzdul (the Dwarves' language) the Name Dáin isn't pronounced Dane or Dine, the name would be pronounced Day-in or more probably (due to the accent above the a) Dah-in.
Dunedain is a Sindarin word, not Khuzdul, so different language conventions apply.
What I love about talking is writings are the messages he put in them which are still relevant today. He put his life experiences in and made them real which is evident in that they are still so loved and relevant today. Ultimately I love that he made a magical, absorbing world that is so engaging. I can never get enough of it. I always want to know more.
I always love these videos. Mondays are bad, but these start it off right!
I think the thing i like best about these stories is the sense of ancient history, and characters (mostly Elves) who witnessed it. like how at the Council of Elrond, they probably met Elves who had seen every one of he runs they visited before and after, but had seen them in their glory. Minas Morgul to the Hobbits is just a place of evil, but to Elrond, he would remember Minas Ithil, not that long ago for him. It always just fascinates me to have young characters feel fear, where the Wise look at a place and feel sadness for what was.
Hey chiven0, thanks for the support and the really wonderful comment! I see exactly what you mean and it is quite incredible to think about the history of Middle-earth and its places through the eyes and minds of different characters. You have won the giveaway! Please contact me on Facebook, Twitter or through email within the next 24 hours with the info listed in the video and description, and I will get you your ring. Thanks! Talk to you soon!
@@MenoftheWest oh sweet, thank you!!
chevin0 congrads
Men of the West let me know if you do another ring give away from this papillon site. or lotr pendent etc. ?? I wish I had a chance to unload it when it happened. didn't watch the video till a 2 days later. didn't get the notification but bell was on. all good. Congrads man. nice give away too sir. just be cool to win another lotr ring from this sight again. neat site for jewelry. I was thinking xmas gifts but I forgot and then took too long to decide and they are swamped with orders recently when I asked last week. your men of the west influence did big business for them. I'm sure they would be down again for some more lotr ring or pendent give aways. papillon people. they don't know English though very well. nice work they do. cool they contacted you. neat story I'm sure. later sir. let us know next time you give away. "give us a chance precious... give us another chance? " Smeagul lol ot gollum.
I like that every character feels like the main character in their own story, the more you dig into them. This channel helped me see that.
The art work compliments the analysis so well. Very polished channel you've got here! Lord of the rings lore and mythology is amazing. Great work mate!
Thanks Lee, I really appreciate that, my friend!
Your efforts to bring the mystique and uniqueness of Tolkiens work is highly appreciated and again, top class videos and commentary mate!
I'm so happy to have discovered your channel a few month ago! I love listening to your videos while I work on my demo reel. Thank you for all your research and hard work :)
I love how deep the lore and world of Tolkien is. Its because of all the care, detail and depth that makes LoTR a fantasy series that stands the test of time.
Excellent job! Thank you very much for making this video I'm sure that I speak for many of us out there that always wondered what exactly happened the Balin and his company thank you very much for your detail and your work.
The most I love about Tolkien i can say are his characters in the books and the clear definition of what good is and what bad is . 🙂
I am glad for this channel. It is a peaceful moment do delve further into these great works of literature.
My favorite thing about Mr.Tolkien's work, would have to be that he changed the world of fantasy forever. Not only did he bring new life to it, but he also inspired authors like me to continue his great work. I believe he is the reason we still have fantasy stories in our world today. I want to be a great writer like him someday, but I know I will never surpass him. No one can, and that is what makes his world legendary.
One of the few channels I'll upvote right up front. Great work dude.
They dug too deep.
And to greedily
@@samueldoesthings5108 you know what they awoke in the darkness of Khazad-dûm
@@TheWartechgaming shadow and flame...
That's what my girlfriend said
@@Lowieiscool Let the ring bearer decide
This is by far my favorite type of video you’ve created! So many of these “what really happened” moments in Tolkien’s work and who better to delve into it than my main man from the west!
My favorite thing about Tolkien’s work are the hope they inspire, how even when it seems the world is against you it will all work out if you keep fighting.
Like this new series, hope your do more on it. Been reading Tolkein since I was a kid. I've always enjoyed how many stories like this are in his works- unfinished adventures that allow the reader to wonder about something unrelated to the main story, adding depth to the worksheet created. Keep up the great work Yoysten!
My favorite thing about Tolkien's works is the fact that he was a linguist writing an amazing story rather than an author trying to write an amazing story. I think his works are so great because his words can move people, paint pictures in your mind, and make it feel like an actual history rather than just another story.
Thank you for your in-depth study, and your comprehensive and artful presentations!
We need a 2-3 hour spin-off movie about this.
naruto tricked me sry no it hasn’t
I love every time you do a video on the dwarves of tolkien's work. Baruk Khazad!
You're pronouncing Oin and Gloin wrong.
It's not "Owin" and "Glowin", "Oyn" and "Gloyn".
Balin too..
And Fundin.
And Dain.
took me a second to realize who he was talking about lol
My understanding was Tolkien meant them to be O'in and Glo'in, pronounced like the traditional Celtic name Owen. However, with the popularity of the films, your pronunciation has become the more common.
Men of the West, I'm a silent supporter. I sub. I watch. I enjoy. Keep up the good work and thank you for making these videos.
Tolkien made a world in which the rest of the world builded on, games ,rpgs ,dnd, and so many movies and series!!!
He is the creator!
He was George Lucas before George Lucas.
I get chills thinking about what Balin's company must've felt in their final days. A sense of dispair and terror, but also a sense of pride to die within such a grand place. I can only imagine how ferociously they must've fought.
My first thought is the look on gimlis face when they first found that room.
The one thing I love about these works is the open ended nature in which their written. It leave a lot to the imagination, but keeps enough detail to give you a good idea of the events. It really is reminiscent of our own historical writings and how many parts of it are lost, leaving us to fill in the blanks of what could have been. Also, I think it opens the door for great content to be created, giving creators the framework to take some license with the details of timelines, while still holding to the core themes. All those missing pages are opportunities for those true and respectful fans to create great stories and content, without having to break the lore.
I love Tolkien, because his work allows me to fly to another reality, when I'm sick of this one, and I long for simpler and yet more epic times
2019: How do you feel now? The world is in plague, democracy is both threatened and sought throughout the world, vast populations move from danger to hope.
These are EPIC TIMES.
As for simpler, Tolkien's world was not simple, but there is always the simplicity of knowing and doing what is right, whether in his world or in ours.
Be a hero worthy of Tolkien's vision.
What I enjoy the most is the impact that Feanor had on the future Ages of Middle Earth. Sometimes I feel that his actions seem to only effect the Noldor/Sindar of the First Age but his residual touch is felt throughout the latter two Ages. A close reading will show to both directly and indirectly, Feanor had such a profound influence on the races of Middle Earth and the ramifications of such were not fully realized until the destruction of the One Ring. Great video as always! Your knowledge and love of Tolkien's lore is amazing!
The thing I most like in Tolkien works is that there’s always hope even in the darkest times and that there is good in the world that is still worth fighting for
Yea the lord of the rings and hobbit shows that even though things got bad and then worse people stood by each other and saved the world. And in the end good won sauron was defeated for good everyine went back to their lives but were completly different as when they first started thier journey,s.
Just found this channel and absolutely love it! Thank you for creating it, and, Your amazing work. It's an inspiration.
" drums drums in the deep. "
its like death is calling them. scary
My favorite part of Tolkein's works was the fact he created a world that is now so hard to beat due to how huge and fascinating it is.
By the way I love your videos and Middle Earth so the fact you are making videos of this stuff is so cool, even when this world was created long ago!
My favorite part of Tolkien's world is the work he put into the lore and extensive world building. It just makes the whole experience more immersive.
Great channel man I look forward to it every week super happy that this channel is around great job keep up the good work !!!👍👍👍
It's a tragedy that he died as such and I surmise that he journeyed to reclaim moria because it's what thorin would have done
The richness and depth of tolkien is what makes it so great. The ability to see into and visualize a world he created because of his passion and detail is amazing.
First my internet bad rn I’m in goblin town
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
goblins quaff and goblins beat goblins laugh and goblins bleat batter jabber whip and hammer hoooooo you go my lad ho ho my lad
Mungo658 Reeeeeeeeeeeeee
Very well done, and it kind of blows my mind that as many times as I've read, listened to the audiobooks and see the movies it never clicked that the Balin that went to Moria was the same Balin who was one of the dwarves from Bilbo's party years before.
Another great video of LOTR lore. Keep up the great work.
Unsurprisingly I find this tale to be rather bittersweet. Tolkien had a habit of making it to where even if the hero managed to succeeded against all odds in their great mission in life, they could still fall tragically later. Or meet some other inglorious, mundane or other unexpected and unwanted end. Just because they were the hero and managed to survive one story doesn't mean they're invincible and it doesn't mean their next story will end happily for them.
"There are older and fouler things than Orcs, in the deep places of the world"
Things worse than Balrogs? Yes, just rereading The Two Towers , and when Gandolf the White rejoins Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, I imagined him shuddering as he speaks "Far, far below ... the world is gnawed at by nameless things."
@@veralenora7368
The Watcher in the Water is believed to have been one of those nameless things that made it to the surface.
The history of middle earth is so in depth, that’s probably my favorite part of his writings. Thanks for another great video!
Hello my good sir. My man among boys, my thundering voice among the squeaks of normal men. You greater my knowledge so very well, and my heart is joyous when you post. Thank you so much, this video is excellent
Thank you so much, my friend! Your comments get more poetic each week haha!
@@MenoftheWest I have recently came across this channel and you are a God send to Tolkein devotees. You do so much Herculean work in bringing the history of Middle Earth to life. It would be great if Peter Jackson made a movie about Ballin's expedition to Moria using the same actors from The Hobbit. Obviously there would be no original Tolkein dialogue but you would have an original Tolkein plot which high quality screen writer's could work around. As a fan of Tolkein I always thought Peter Jackson would make more movies from the rich history of Middle Earth. Tolkein left a wealth of material to work from and with Middle Earth's rich history they would rival both The Hobbit and LOTR in terms of stories and plot's. Wishing you success in all your future enterprises and endeavours.
John Roche Thank you, my friend! I really appreciate that, it means a lot!
I love your videos, this is absolutely dynamite. Moria is such a good piece and you did it with such grace.
"A balrog, a demon of the ancient world" *growling and flame appear from an intense shadow climbing the pillars of that great hall, legolas is shaken by fear* "This foe is beyond any of you." *RUN*
I believe that the drums in the deep and what the fellowship heard were Not physically being drummed by huge trolls etc but where supernatural and of dark magic, conjured by the Balrogs presence. Gimly asked Gandalf when Gandalf had to sit down on the steps “did you meet the beater of the drums?” “Im not sure, what it was I could not tell, but was suddenly faced with something I have not met before. It laid hold of the great iron ring and then it perceived me and my spell. The counter spell was terrible, it almost broke me. The door 🚪 burst in pieces and something dark as a cloud blotted our all light. The wall and ceiling have way. I am afraid that balin is buried deep and perhaps something else is buried too”.
Might be too late, but I will throw my name in the hat for the ring.
I came to Tolkien's work later in life (LOTR movies), but since then have read as many of the books I can get my hands on. My fav is the Silmarillion as it lays the foundation of middle earth and creates the history that all stories lay within. I like this world as it is a deep, fulfilling and all encompassing dive into a place far from my everyday world, when I need to step out and take a break.
I enjoy your channel, as it fills in story gaps and are short visits to middle earth when I dont have time to read.
Obviously Balin made a poor decision going back to Moria.
100%
Easy to say with the benefit of hindsight. It was far less risky than the expedition to Erebor. There was enormous wealth and an opportunity to resume Dwarven influence in the area.
@@BenFrayle That is true. Balin couldn't have known about either Durin's Bane or Sauron's return.
@@IronDragon-2143 It's been a while, but if I remember Gloin's telling of the tale, there were whispers and suggestions encouraging Balin, too. As if the subtle hand of the Necromancer was involved.
One of the things I dearly love about Tolkien is the way he doesn't just force his characters into a path. Balin had decent reasons to try to resettle Moria. Not just greed or pride. Like the way Tolkien treated Denethor(and Peter Jackson didn"t). A great man, great leader, doing his best but eventually falling.
I'd like to think that Balin could have successfully restored the place if the rising tide of Sauron-driven evil hadn't swamped him.
He had no clue THAT was going to happen .....remember how the dwarves behave they hide in the caves ever digging ever searching for riches they don't care about elves or men
The Mines of Moria are such a frightening place. When I read the books, the silent ambience of the caverns, the slight sound of Gollum following the Fellowship, the account of the Mazarbul book, and the drums in the deep kept me up at night, legitimately. I actually became really afraid of Gollum and the Nazgûl after reading Fellowship of the Ring, and couldn't bear to even look at a picture of Gollum without getting chills.
I'm well past that now, but looking back at the dread that the Mines of Moria gave me, I don't want to imagine how horrible must Gimli have felt, kneeling by the tomb of his father's cousin while he hears the tale of how his uncle and many other kinsmen of his were slain, trapped, pretty much staring at death in the face knowing that they were doomed and there was nothing they could do about it. It is so horrifying and dark, but I think it makes Galadriel's kindness towards Gimli in Lothlórien all the more meaningful to him, which makes his respectful love towards her even more pure and thankful.
Wait. I’m actually watching this within moments of the video being uploaded and not years later!!? Holy shnikies!!!
Long live LOTR and The Hobbit 😆♥️
What I love about Tolkiens works is that every single story has a meaning behind it and is simillair to our world and what still happens today. Like sarumans greed and love of industry. It's excacly the same as today: people destroy woods and forests only with the intention to get money. Love the way that all of his stories have a meaning.
Love your video's!
By the way, I am from the netherlands!🇳🇱 So you got fans all over the world!
Lesson: Dwarves shouldn't play D&D with that low roll stats.
They shouldn't enter a dungeopn without a wizard.
I don’t know🤔. We had one that got an arm taken off by a devouring bag, but still was valuable. Of course, we always had to protect them a bit more.😂. We never put him in the front after that. Too bad too, because we kinda made him the tank.
I am truly looking forward to this series of videos.
Thank you my good sir.
"What Happened to Balin's Expedition in Moria?" It failed. They all died.
Only an hour to reply! Oh well... My favorite part about Tolkien's works is definitely the languages. I'm a language nerd, myself, so I love it that so much thought and care went into crafting the different languages you encounter in the Legendarium; they really add a lot to the different cultures and histories of the world's peoples - something a lot of authors fail to recognize. It made me very happy when I found out that the developers behind LOTRO also paid attention to this part, and did their best to further develop existing Tolkien languages, or supplement the cultures with new ones. I'm thinking especially of the Earthkin and the Lossoth that you encounter in the game.
I would’ve loved a flashback in the movies about the crusade.
this was awesome! really look forward to the future videos in this new series!
This is devastating, even more so when I just finished reading the hobbit.
Why?
I think my favourite part of Tolkien’s legendarium is most probably the races. I love the depth and stories behind all of them. Great videos! I’d love to hear more tales of the mighty dwarves in this channel if possible as they are the race I find I know the least about.
Video idea: what did aragorn do about the orcs when he became king?
Finally, Thorin III or his son retook Moria and established themselves there. Later at 4th age they closed the gates of its kingdom to live inside the mointains away from humans
Aragorn rebuilt the Kingdom of Arnor and had many wars against the sourtheners and easterlings (hordes of Rhûn, Khand and Harad), winning and subjugating them. He reconstructed the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor, and he fought against the hordes I said before with Rohan (with king Eomer and his son too)
Roasted them on a BBQ
@@aviz5044 also the capital of the Reunited Kingdom became Annúminas, Minas Morgul was cleanesed ,after the departure of Gandalf, but he pronounced that no one would live there for 10 years because of the evil that still endured there, but im guessing he recontructed Minas Ithil after those 10 years. Osgiliath was recontructed and Ithilien was populated again. The Shire remained independent BUT King Elessar made sure no man would enter there (so im guessing he reconquered the whole region around the Shire).
Also a guy told me this theory (which i find kinda dumb) where he made a peace treaty with some orcs and gave them land in Mordor.....that does not sound probable to me (but i might be wrong)
If i was mistaken in something please correct me, i just want to know more about the lore
@@Thouse_Muchachos well said, if I remember correct Aragorn gave the land around the sea of nurn to the men who were enslaved as farmers so they could build themselves up and live good lives; so far as the orcs go they primarily fled in to the mountains and hid from the other races, the orcs of Moria were eventually destroyed by Durin the VII
Excellent video dude! Balin was my favorite of the Dwarves and his story has such a tragic ending. After everything he went through in recovering Erebor, he died from some random Orc with a bow 😢
Easily captivating
Weird finding you here.
@@nelsonr1467 huge LOTR fan. One day I hope to complete the Silmarillion but I’m going to have to make a flow chart for that shit
Love this channel. Always great quality content. Keep up the great work!👍🏼
Man, this is giving me some strong Dwarf Fortress vibes
Love your videos and learning about the world of Tolkein. I kinda came at it sideways through LOTRO and love your references to it.
I’m sorry that I missed the contest, but it’s taken me long enough just to get to this video: my Mom is visiting, and TH-cam-binging has to be put on hold.
I love your videos i always look forward for the next one i enjoy ur in depth looks and just everything great job keep em coming and il keep on watching and supporting 👌🏼😁
The one thing I wish most of Tolkien's writings is that I wanted to read more about the Dwarf race. They are by far the most interesting to me. It's a shame it never happened...
If you love dwaves so much read about Warhammer 40k it's really good
i love the pics and the narration, the video is really cool!, the lotro pics are always epic
Now I wonder what would've happened if Balin and his company knew that Thror's ring had been given to Thrain. Would Balin and his company still have gone to Moria and settled there?
Good question. I would say, probably yes.
Gimli said at the Council of Elrond: “Indeed, I may now reveal that it was partly in hope of finding that ring that Balin went away.”
Which suggests that Balin regarded Thror’s Ring as a possible bonus, not as the main objective of the expedition.
I love the lore, the dedication in a unbelievable scale for every detail and the wisdom that you can only get from Tolkien's works!
I discovered Tolkien shortly after discovering 'Dungeons & Dragons' in the 1980's- These books were not only a fantastic trip into unapologetic escapism but also contained a 'realism' that was lacking in all of the fantasy literature I had been exposed to up to that point..
Suspension of disbelief is something easily attained by anyone with enough imagination but with Tolkien you were inundated into a living, breathing world complete with 'real' locations and histories so grand and well thought out that even today, and even centuries to come we can discuss and theorycraft and learn together as we uncover layers upon layers upon layers of 'meat'- Tolkien spans the chasm of generations and can read as a mere tale or studied with scholarly care.
Children know of the tale of Bilbo Baggins and can delight in its simplistic storytelling of a grand adventure and as one grows older, one can delve deeper into this world with LOTR or the Simarillian...I go back to these books often and can see everything through new eyes and my own life has changed.
One single sentence from these books can become a quest in itself to learn more- I still wish we knew more of what happened in the Dungeons of the necromancer among many other things.... All I know is that Tolkien created something that has grown into and touched every single facet of society- Even the normies who would never pick up a book (more less a book a fantasy) have had opinions formed and interests peaked through words and tales that they may not know even exist- Tolkien would be quite amused by all of this, I believe.
i love how tolkien involves the concept of music throughout his works. from the ainulindalë to bilbo's song in Rivendale. as a music composer i find it really amazing how he had a deep concept of music theory and how music can shape all that is around us.
I find anything about the dwarfs very fascinating. I think Balins expedition was doomed from the start, due to the orcs and the balrog, if one didn't end the expedition I think the other would have.
I have always loved how in all of Tolkien’s story there is always a very deep learning to be had. You are the only person I have known with the passion to show us this wonderful misc stories from the LoTR story. I hope I win the give away i have always loved the ring and since being little I’ve been trying to get a good copy of the one ring 🙏🏽
Nothing makes my day like an opportunity to yell "Fool of a took!" at my friend when he screws something up. Tolkien is my life.
My sister says that to me alot
The proper way to say it would be ... Fool of a "insert mother's family name"
I'll never not love these lore videos. Mazing as always :D
if they had taken it for a few years wouldn’t they have gotten more dwarfs to begin turning it back into a home and populating it.
Man, watching and reading that scene in Fellowship was soo tense!!!
Thanks for the video Mellon...Marion Baggins Out Voting...
P.s One of my many favorite things about Tolkien's works is...Excluding you make great videos about it every week...
No not just that, it's he makes some of my favorite relatable and realist characters such as Samwise Gamgee!!!
Just thinking about Moria makes me claustrophobic.
see and i get chills of heights...the stairs...those fucking stairs^^
I remember this always being one of the saddest aspects of Tolkien's work to me as a young child. I remember reading the Hobbit and loving Thorin's company, and of course being wrecked when Thorin and his nephews were killed during the battle of five armies. It was that much more tragic to learn when I read LOTR that Balin Ori and Oin found a similar fate trying to reclaim another ancestral home.
Of the free peoples of middle Earth, I think the dwarves can sometimes be overlooked as having some very saddening history. I love that Tolkien paints them as a sort of wandering people who seek to reclaim lost homes and to rekindle their culture. It's sort of sadly beautiful.