abigailbrady | (no subject)

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Cafe Scientifique this evening - this time is The Science of Middle Earth, given by Henry Gee, an editor for Nature. Did a bit of usenet searching and it seems he (a) knows his stuff about science, (b) knows his stuff about Tolkien and (c) is a good speaker. Not clear what he'll be talking about, but it apparently might include what Mithril could be, Hobbits vs those skeletons they found in Flores, and whether Balrogs have wings (and if so can they fly?).

[Poll #507935]

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I gather we are talking LOTR Balrog and not any other form? D&D etc.

If so then yes they do and yes they can.
Compelling evidence (http://tolkien.cro.net/balrogs/ddueck.html)

Obviously, I am not talking about cheap imitation Balrogs.

Far from compelling. See, I am not compelled!

Yes I realise that was probably a bad choice of phrase. :)

D&D doesn't have, and has never had, balrogs. The lawyers wouldn't let them.

Ah didn't know that. I would have looked it up in the Monstrous Manual but I'm at work :)

Balrogs do have wings. Whether they are physical or not is what the question should be about *chuckle* Personally I feel that they have physical wings and also the power to generate a shadow around themselves to show the power they have. (like a reverse halo)

Only my thoughts though ;)

And how do they keep burning?

They are wired to the gas mains. This is why they can't fly.

A balrog can fly/float. It can see invisible creatures. It is poisonous if eaten.

how can you eat it if it leaves no corpse? no, don't answer that.

Some monsters in Nethack can swallow melee opponents whole.

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