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Old 02-05-2008, 12:45 PM   #1
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alatar is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.alatar is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
And note whereas Balrogs taste like roast chicken, Sauron would taste more feline.
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Old 02-05-2008, 11:16 PM   #2
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Also, I think Legolas' comment about the Balrog in Moria (Durin's Bane) makes it pretty clear that Sauron was not a Balrog:

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"It was a Balrog of Morgoth," said Legolas; "of all the elf-banes the most deadly, save the One who sits in the Dark Tower."~The Mirror of Galadriel
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Old 02-05-2008, 11:21 PM   #3
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Now who was the first of the Maiar that followed Melkor? Sauron.
No. It's never said that he was. Indeed it is said that the Balrogs were first drawn to Melkor: with the strong implication that they turned to him before Arda. They were never of the people of the Valar. Whereas Sauron was a Maia in good standing before he switched sides.
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Old 02-06-2008, 02:04 AM   #4
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No. It's never said that he was. Indeed it is said that the Balrogs were first drawn to Melkor: with the strong implication that they turned to him before Arda. They were never of the people of the Valar. Whereas Sauron was a Maia in good standing before he switched sides.
Actually this quote is what I originally thought could have been the origin of the question - but only if the "one" were with small "o".
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Old 02-06-2008, 07:47 AM   #5
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Indeed it is said that the Balrogs were first drawn to Melkor: with the strong implication that they turned to him before Arda. They were never of the people of the Valar.
Where's that said? I have somehow got the impression that they were of Aulë's people.
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Old 02-06-2008, 08:04 AM   #6
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Where's that said? I have somehow got the impression that they were of Aulë's people.
Definitely not Aulë's. I don't know from where I have it, but for some reason I am convinced that they were originally like Arien. To my surprise, though, after trying to look it up, I did not find the quote. Maybe I just don't know where to look, but it's also possible that I am suffering from some unexplainable suggestion.
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Old 02-06-2008, 08:11 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aganzir View Post
Where's that said? I have somehow got the impression that they were of Aulë's people.
It's in the Valaquenta and in Of the Coming of the Elves.

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Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc View Post
Definitely not Aulë's. I don't know from where I have it, but for some reason I am convinced that they were originally like Arien. To my surprise, though, after trying to look it up, I did not find the quote. Maybe I just don't know where to look, but it's also possible that I am suffering from some unexplainable suggestion.
Are you thinking of this?

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she was chosen because she had not feared the heats of Laurelin, and was unhurt by them, being from the beginning a spirit of fire, whom Melkor had not deceived nor drawn to his service.
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And note whereas Balrogs taste like roast chicken, Sauron would taste more feline.
Uh... yeah... whatever you say...
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Old 02-06-2008, 09:06 AM   #8
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Uh... yeah... whatever you say...
Sorry; must have been a little nutty at that moment.

What I obviously meant to write was that Balrogs maintain the same shape/form/appearance whether they're whipping Ungoliant away or fighting Gandalf on the Bridge. Even when wet, Balrogs do not radically change shape. Sauron, on the other hand, had taken many different shapes - some fair (Annatar) and others foul (wolf, Eye, etc).

Clearly horses of different colours.

The Encyclopedia of Arda has Arien as a Maiar of Vána.
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Old 02-06-2008, 08:11 AM   #9
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I don't know from where I have it, but for some reason I am convinced that they were originally like Arien.
Me too... And I thought Arien was of Aulë's folk as well. I really have no idea where I've got this impression, maybe it's just something we speculated years ago with a certain downer.

edit: xed with Nerwen. Thanks.
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Old 02-06-2008, 08:25 AM   #10
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Are you thinking of this?
Oh yes, possibly. I must have made a conclusion based on this a long time ago and it grew to incredible size. Thank you anyway.

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Me too... And I thought Arien was of Aulë's folk as well. I really have no idea where I've got this impression, maybe it's just something we speculated years ago with a certain downer.
Hmph. Well, that Aulë thing is quite logical - you know, Aulë, forges, fire, earth, lava, these things. I probably thought so as well at first - but later, when I "learned" that the Balrogs were Varda's, I considered it as much interesting as unlikely, and so that settled it.
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