The Bovo Popuo

[aldarron]

Well, I think the Freds World Balrogs are pretty close to how the beasties were seen in early Blackmoor and OD&D. The OD&D Balrog is listed as a sub variety of dragon, perhaps very similar to "half Dragons" and related creatures from Wotc D&D. So, taken together, I wouldn't have any qualms about seeing them as an ancient "race" and not necessarily as "demons" whatever exactly demons may be.

My understanding is that the connection to dragons is a game mechanical one rather than anything to do with their origins.

each to 'is own.
I don't think the connection was simply a game mechanic though. On the face of it it seems a dead obvious connection - both dragons and balrogs are winged intelligent creatures who immolate and like to den in underground lairs. Heck they are almost the same, except that one immolates by breath and the other by touch.

The whole "demon" designation seems to me to be nothing more than creative/desperate reimagining in the face of a legal challenge from the Tolkien estate.

But then again my bias is to not want to mix in middle-eastern mythologies - angels, demons, djinn - and so forth, in to my game, particularly in a northern setting. Feels to gonzo to me to be comfortable with that.

As to their power level, all of these people had read Lord of the Rings so how powerful a Balrog is depends on how powerful you see Gandalf as being.

Personally I think they should be possible to defeat only by the most powerful mortals. In a 36 level setup such as in BECMI D&D, you'd have to be in your 30s to have a chance IMO.

-Havard

For an eldar Balrog, just as for an eldar dragon, I'm right with you, but young balrogs, like young dragons, are much less dangerous, and more likely to be out iand about in the world, judging from what we see in blackmoor and Freds world.