(Character) has come to rest not far from where he has noticed a small ruined tower topping a scorched hillock. Flames still lick at the sides of the charred tower, but the unbearably hot fire is clearly diminishing and promises to soon die. The area appears desolate, but a sense of great dread fills the air. Whatever force started the fire seems already to have left.
Character Encounter
?
| Options | Free People | Neutral | Dark Servants |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENTER the ruins to see if anyone inside yet lives | Killed | Killed | Killed |
| SEARCH around the ruins but do not enter | Combat/Killed | Combat/Killed | Combat/Killed |
| FLEE | Escape | Escape | Escape |
| WAIT for the flames to die and enter the tower | Combat/Killed | Combat/Killed | Combat/Killed |
| Say (only one word) | ? | ? | ? |
WAIT: Dark Servants, Combat. I have heard of one DS player surviving. (Bobbins)
Balrogs will affect pop centers like dragons, positively for Dark Servants, negatively for Free Peoples, and randomly for Neutrals, though such changes are usually minor (a few points at most).
If you go toe-to-toe with a Balrog don't expect to come out alive! However, I have heard of one player (a DS) fighting a Balrog and surviving (once).
Most common locations: Misty Mountains mostly, but also Southern Mirkwood area including the plains, southern Dunland near the White Mountains, Gap of Rohan.
Balrogs randomly affect the loyalty of neutrals; they don't automatically decrease it, as they do with Free Peoples.
I also have an unconfirmed rumour that if the character WAITs, the Balrog will exit the tower and attack the character. Note that the description may vary slightly (ruined tower/hut/house/etc.).
If you get this as a character encounter, you CANNOT recruit the Balrog. If you get this as an army encounter, he'll join a Dark Servant army automatically (for a Free/Neutral army, he'll attack and slaughter troops left and right).
Balrogs will indeed attack a Free or Neutral army by themselves, killing many troops in the process. Unlike dragons, they don't have to be attached to a DS army to initiate combat.
The Balrogs are rumored to carry artifacts 165 and 166 so it's a good way to track them. (need to confirm)