Thrain, son of Thror

Part of my weekly Tolkien sketchblog.

"Such was the tale that Nar brought back to Thrain; and when he had wept and torn his beard he fell silent. Seven days he sat and said no word. Then he stood up and said: 'This cannot be borne!' That was the beginning of the War of the Dwarves and the Orcs, which was long and deadly, and fought for the most part in deep places beneath the earth."

ROTK, APPENDIX A, DURIN"S FOLK

Thrain son of Thror, Heir of Durin and ruler of the displaced people of Erebor really typifies dwarven grimness. If his son Thorin comes off a touch hard edged at times it's helpful to know the family line he comes from. I imagine Thrain here, the lord of the dwarves living in exile, having just heard Nar's account of the murder and desecration of his father Thror by Azog, just before ripping those long ropes of beard from his face in anguish, to the grief and horror of his guards and kinsman gathered nearby. Yet another scene i'd like to eventually do as a painting, but we'll see.

Royal Cousins [link]
Thorin son of Thrain [link]