[gurps] gandalf movie version

[midnightwind at comcast.net]

Balrogs were great spirits (presumably from Udun-- or Hell) summoned by Morgoth (Sauron's teacher) to fight the War of the Jewels (see The Silmarillion).

Gandalf was actually presumably Valar-- he was sent as a "messenger of the Valar" but was forbidden to use his godlike powers (implied that he assumed a more mortal form when passing to Middle Earth, and therefore possessed only a fraction of what was available to him).  This was because the Valar had-- in their efforts to thwart Morgoth-- brought about the downfall of Numenor (Aragorn's predecessors).  In horror, they promised never to interfere in the affairs of Middle-Earth again, except for the Istari.

Source: The Tolkien Companion byJEA Tyler


 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Nigel McCarty-Eigenmann" <n.mccartyeigenmann at ntlworld.com>
> > > Istari - the same race as the Balrog incidentally.
> > 
> > No, Maiar. The Istari is just another name for the Wizards and is
> > specific to the Five; the Balrogs were not Istari.
> 
> Happy to be Corrected.
> 
> McE
> 
> 
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