Who Am I?

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

I think I found him. Dain Ironfoot. He dissuaded his cousin from going into Moria on his own.

That's the chap. More specifically, he said that no dwarf should enter Moria, because he alone had seen what waited within - Durin's Bane.

90 years later, he let Balin lead an expedition there. Dude had a very bad grasp of the lifespan of Balrogs.

Over to you.

hS

[Urwen]

By the way, you also have the honor of making a new riddle.

[Urwen]

My actions lead to the death of exactly twelve people.


(This is one of my tricky ones, where the clue isn't what it seems at first glance)

[Pervinca Took]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

That's the chap. More specifically, he said that no dwarf should enter Moria, because he alone had seen what waited within - Durin's Bane.

90 years later, he let Balin lead an expedition there. Dude had a very bad grasp of the lifespan of Balrogs.

Over to you.

hS

Why was Gandalf so surprised to find one there? Catastrophic hole in his knowledge!

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

My actions lead to the death of exactly twelve people.


(This is one of my tricky ones, where the clue isn't what it seems at first glance)

How large was Turin's outlaw band? Anyone know?

Wait, or is this circling back to Beren and Barahir again?

Originally Posted by Pervinca Took

Why was Gandalf so surprised to find one there? Catastrophic hole in his knowledge!

Now there's an interesting question. My best answer is that everyone thinks of Balrogs as creatures of fire first; notably, Gandalf and Legolas only recognise Durin's Bane when it steps through the fire and catches alight. If Dain saw it in Shadow form, then he could have shared everything with Gandalf and still not tipped him off. (Evil shadow creatures are probably a tharni a dozen in Middle-earth.)

hS

[Urwen]

One of your thoughts is the right one.

And please make a new riddle.

[Huinesoron]

Okay, so Barahir had twelve companions, and Barahir + eleven of them died. Beren was the sole survivor.

But whose actions led to their deaths? Hmm...

-Gorlim the Unhappy was the actual betrayer. His secret hunting for Eilinel led to his capture, and his yielding to Sauron's temptation led to his death and that of Barahir's band. So he gets the actions part.

-Sauron planned and organised their deaths, but also plenty more, so 'exactly' rules him out.

-Eilinel is blameless. Sauron seems to have used an illusion, not her actual spirit, to tempt Gorlim.

-Barahir could arguably be blamed, given that his actions in keeping the gang in Dorthonion led to their deaths... but that also, ultimately, led to Beren's death.

So I think the answer has to be Gorlim, son of Angrim, husband of Eilinel, called the Unhappy.

hS

[Urwen]

It is right, but I had someone else in mind. Let's say that those twelve deaths include the speaker's own.

You're cĺose with Gorlim, though.