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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faenor" data-source="post: 7696730" data-attributes="member: 6788085"><p>How I read the powers of the Maiar and Valar is that each had a finite power reservoir. Their essence or Angel energy. They could choose to invest that power according to their interests. Balrogs as 'spirits of fire' were like elementals. The dragons created a body that also had a breath weapon. That body was incredibly powerful, except that it was biological and therefore could be killed with a well placed arrow. Ungoliant invested in a spider form that could absorb energy, which was powerful except that it could be starved and made.it hungry for more constantly. Yavana (was it yavana with the trees?) Invested her power in green growing things, but then sank it all into the trees which could then be destroyed. Sauron's interests were power over people, so he invested his power in a biological form with a high charisma, control over lots of minions, and then he sank lots of his power into the rings, but mostly his power went into the one ring, which was still his power as long as he had the ring. Then, when his body was destroyed in Numenor's destruction, he didn't have enough power to create a new charismatic body. For Saruman, same thing but with a lower level of Angel power. Saruman created his own biological body, then he sank his power into minions and mind control power. Gandalf invested his power in his body, but then because he worked through the goodness of men, elves, and hobbits, and played on the greed of dwarves, didn't need mind control powers. So he could invest his energy into what d&d would call evocation powers, plus healing powers, and generally just minor effects here and there. Then because he had Narya and a magic sword, he could beat the Balrog, which had only fire powers.</p></blockquote><p></p>

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