Copyright to Middle-earth Enterprises

Thorin has more cause than most, to hate orcs.

After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first.

Moria had been taken, by legions of orcs, led by the most vile of all their race, Azog the Defiler. The giant Gundabad orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin.

He began, by beheading the King.

Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed. We did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat, and death, were upon us. That is when, I saw him -

A young, dwarf prince, facing down the Pale Orc. He stood alone, against this terrible foe - his armour rent, wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield.

Azog, the Defiler, learned that day, that the Line of Durin, would not be so easily broken.