Chamber of Mazarbul

The Chamber of Mazarbul, or Chamber of Records, was the name of a room in Moria containing the tomb of Balin.
== History ==
In TA 2989, after the events of The Hobbit, Balin established himself at this chamber after driving out the Orcs from Moria. Balin, along with all those accompanying him, was ultimately killed by Orcs in TA 2994. His tomb was built in the chamber before the last members of his colony were destroyed, however, positioned so that the shaft in the wall spilled its light directly upon its stone. The chamber itself had two wooden doors inlaid with iron trusses for fortification on either side. 
When the Fellowship of the Ring arrived at the Chamber of Mazarbul in TA 3019, it was long unused. Littered about the floor of the chamber were many bones, papers, skeletons, and weapons such as Orc-scimitars. There were recesses carved into the walls, filled with broken chests of wood. Beside one of them was a badly damaged book called the Book of Mazarbul, with the records of the dwarves' colonization and attempt of defense found within. 
During their short stay, the Fellowship of the Ring was attacked in the Chamber by many Orcs of the Misty Mountains, Gundabad, and Mordor[citation needed]. The Fellowship were able to drive them back before fleeing the chamber. Gandalf attempted to put a shutting-spell on the door as the rest of the fellowship fled, but something the orcs were calling ghâsh (their word for "fire", which they shouted amongst the drum sounds in the deep) put some counter-spell upon the door, and the door broke. The wall and roof of the Chamber gave way, burying Balin's tomb, as Gandalf was knocked down the steps - he soon recounted this to the Fellowship as they entered the Hall of the Dwarrowdelf on their way down to the Third Deep, only to be stopped by Durin's Bane.