Before the Fellowship was another cavernous hall. Down the center stalked a double line of towering pillars. Right across the floor, close to the feet of two huge pillars a great fissure had opened. Out of it a fierce red light came, and now and again flames licked at the brink and curled about the bases of the columns. Wisps of dark smoke wavered in the hot air.
Gandalf said “This is the Second Hall of Old Moria; and the Gates are near: away beyond the eastern end, on the left, not more than a quarter of mile. Across the Bridge, up a stair, along a wide road, through the First Hall, and out!”Turn 1 – Good priority. Gandalf turned left and pointed across the floor of the hall. “Look ahead!” called Gandalf. “The Bridge is near. It is dangerous and narrow.” “At the double!” shouted Aragorn, urging the hobbits forward. Frodo took point along with Boromir. Away beyond the shadows at the southern side of the hall there came goblin cries and horn-calls, as a force of eight goblins led by their captain poured into the Second Hall.
Turn 2 – Good priority. While others moved as fast as they could towards the Bridge, Legolas took just a few steps and readied his bow, and Gandalf, sensing an approaching evil, also moved more towards the center of the hall. More goblins poured in from the south, and the first wave, urged by their captain, was already approaching fast.
As Gandalf suspected, something was coming up through the northern entrance to the Second Hall, beyond the fiery chasm. It was like a great shadow, in the middle of which was a dark form, of man-shape maybe, yet greater, and a power and terror seemed to be in it and to go before it. It came to the edge of the fire and the light faded as if a cloud had bent over it.
“Ai! Ai!” wailed Legolas. “The Balrog! The Balrog is come!” Gimli stared with wide eyes. “Durin’s Bane!” he cried.
Legolas let go his three arrows, two of which hit the goblin captain. One arrow bounced harmlessly from the rusty armor, but the other one found a chink, and the captain fell down dead.
Turn 3 – Good priority. Muttering the strongest spell he could muster, Gandalf managed to immobilize the Balrog! Legolas still lingered behind, too, but the rest of the Fellowship continued their dash towards the Bridge and the freedom beyond. Suddenly Frodo saw before him a black chasm. At the end of the hall the floor vanished and fell to an unknown depth. The outer door could only be reached by a slender bridge of stone, without kerb or rail, that spanned the chasm with one curving spring of fifty feet. It was an ancient defense of the Dwarves against any enemy that might capture the First Hall and the outer passages. They could only pass across it in single file. Aragorn and Boromir positioned themselves as barriers against the oncoming tide of goblins, who were brandishing spears and scimitars shining red as blood in the firelight. In a clash of steel and iron, Boromir won his combat and cleaved a goblin in half.
Another group of goblins was dangerously near Gandalf, but Legolas managed to stop one of them with an elven arrow.
Turn 4 – Evil priority. Shouting “with me!” Aragorn urged the hobbits to run onto the narrow bridge, while he, Boromir and Gimli charged the goblins. More goblins joined the fights, some with spear support. Nearer the center of the hall Gandalf, too, was engaged in combat before he could try to immobilize the fiery demon.
With a rush the Balrog leaped across the fissure. The flames roared up to greet it, and wreathed about it, and a black smoke swirled in the air. Its streaming mane kindled, and blazed behind it. In its right hand was a blade like a stabbing tongue of fire; in its left it held a whip of many thongs.
More clashing of weapons ensued, and the Fellowship seemed nigh unstoppable – Gandalf, Aragorn and Boromir killed one goblin each, while Gimli hewed down two.
Turn 5 – Good priority. The hobbits were now on the Bridge, while Legolas, Aragorn, Boromir and Gimli charged enemies nearby. Gandalf attempted to immobilize his enemy, but to no avail. The Balrog advanced, facing Gandalf, and the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings. The fire in it seemed to die, but the darkness grew. Fighting continued all around the Second Hall, with Boromir mightily killing his goblin. Legolas lost, but was not wounded. Closer to the Bridge, both Aragorn and Gimli continued to reduce the goblin numbers.
Turn 6 – Good priority. With the hobbits nearly reaching the eastern end of the Bridge, Aragorn saw his opportunity for tactical retreat. Shouting “At the double”, he urged the others to converge towards the narrow escape route. Gandalf succeeded in casting an immobilizing spell, but the Balrog easily resisted. Foolhardy goblins attempted to engage Boromir and Aragorn, but only found their deaths.
Turn 7 – Evil priority. Aragorn shouted “with me!”, causing everyone to retreat to the Bridge, with Gandalf standing as the rear guard. “Over the Bridge! Fly!” the wizard shouted. The Balrog drew itself up to a great height, and its wings were spread from wall to wall, as it approached the Bridge, driving the remaining four goblins in front of it to pursue the escaping prey. Gandalf, however, skillfully sliced the nearest goblin dead with Glamdring.
Turn 8 – Good priority. With urgency, Aragorn shouted “at the double” in order to get the Fellowship off the Bridge as soon as possible. Gandalf, however, stayed behind. He stood near the middle of the span, leaning on the staff in his left hand, but in his other hand Glamdring gleamed, cold and white. “You cannot pass!” “I am a servant of the Secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the shadow. You shall not pass!” He banged the staff on the Bridge, and a sorcerous blast cracked the stone – but the Bridge held, as three goblins rushed across towards Gandalf.
Turn 9 – Evil priority. With a bound the Balrog leaped full upon the bridge. Ahead of it, a goblin charged Gandalf, with another supporting him. As the Fellowship continued to flee towards the nearby stairs, Legolas stayed behind, aimed carefully and shot an arrow hitting the goblin fighting Gandalf. Alas, the arrow only bounced off the dented goblin armor. Gandalf mightily finished the job and the goblin fell off the bridge, screaming.
Turn 10 – Evil priority. “He cannot stand alone!” cried Aragorn suddenly and ran back towards the bridge. “Elendil!” he shouted. “With me, Gandalf!”
Gandalf lifted his staff and another sorcerous blast shook the Bridge, but still it held. Two goblins found themselves in a rather precarious situation with the Balrog behind them, and a mighty wizard ahead of them. Still, bravely they charged. This time, however, Legolas was able to kill the enemy before he could fully engage Gandalf.
Turn 11 – Good priority. Once more Gandalf targeted a sorcerous blast to the Bridge, but it seemingly had no effect. Meanwhile, the hobbits had already reached the stairs to freedom. The last goblin, certain of its death either by the wizard ahead of him, or the displeased Balrog behind him, had nothing to lose. Bravely, he engaged Gandalf, barely even noticing the elven arrow bouncing off his chest plate. Feeling weary, the wizard faltered, and gasped as the goblin scimitar caused him a painful wound. Jubilant, the goblin was quite certain that they would sing black speech songs about his heroic deed for many years!
Turn 12 – Evil priority. Hearing only faintly Aragorn’s shout “with me, Gandalf”, the wizard summoned his last bit of strength. At that moment Gandalf lifted his staff, and crying aloud he smote the Bridge before him. A blinding sheet of white flame sprang up. The bridge cracked and collapsed into the gulf. With a terrible cry the Balrog fell forward, and its shadow plunged down and vanished, along with the heroic goblin. Gandalf, too, staggered and fell, as he grasped vainly at the stone, and slid into the abyss.
From the stairs Frodo watched this in horror, and he shouted: “Gandalf!” The wizard cried “Fly, you fools!” and was gone.
With a cry Aragorn roused the stunned Fellowship. “Come! I will lead you now!” he called. “We must obey his last command. Follow me!” They ran on. The light grew before them. They passed into a hall, bright with daylight from its high windows in the east. They fled across it. Through its huge broken doors they passed, and suddenly before them the Great Gates opened, an arch of blazing light. Out of the Gates they ran and sprang down the huge and age-worn steps, the threshold of Moria. Thus, at last, they came beyond hope under the sky and felt the wind on their faces. Far beyond in south golden leaves glimmered in the distance. “Lothlórien!” cried Legolas. “Lothlórien! We have come to the eaves of the Golden Wood!”
Conclusion – What a nail-biter! The causeway bit could have used more goblin archers; now the Fellowship managed to kill all at around the gap; perhaps additional 4-5 archers should appear around turn 10 or so to make the remainder of the staircase descent a bit more interesting. In any case, that was well compensated by the Second Hall part. The evil might have had a better luck leaving the goblins behind and charging Gandalf with the Balrog instead, but as it went down, the end result was just like in the book. At some time in the future, then, there will be a final (?) confrontation between Gandalf and the Balrog at the top of Zirak-zigil (yay – more extensive terrain to build). But in the meanwhile, the rest of the Fellowship has now reached the safe haven of Lothlórien, where they may rest for a while. Stay tuned for Amon Hen, the last scenario of the second season in our ongoing – and definitely not dead - Lord of the Rings campaign!
{ PORTAL }
Print view
Top
