Óin was one of the original twelve companions of Thorin and Bilbo on the Quest to Erebor. He was the oldest son of Gróin, older brother of Glóin, and paternal of Gimli. Óin served as the healer in Thorin's company. After the Quest of Erebor, Óin later went on another expedition with Balin, which Moria's clan did not last long. He was later taken from the Watcher in the Waters and eaten by it.
Along with his brother Glóin, Óin was a distant cousin of Thorin Oakenshield. A brave Northern Dwarf, Óin joins The Company of Thorin Oakenshield out of a sense of loyalty to his kin, and also because he has a substantial sum of money invested in the venture. Well read, with an inquiring mind, Óin was the healer among the Company, often applying an herbal salve of his own invention – which has since come to be known as 'ointment' after its maker.
Biography[]
Third Age[]
Óin was the older brother of Glóin, cousin of Dwalin and Balin, and uncle of Gimli. Óin's uncle was Fundin, the father of Balin and Dwalin. He usually wore a brown-hooded cloak when travelling. Óin fought in the Battle of Azanulbizar along with Thorin Oakenshield, and in TA 2941 joined with Thorin and Company on the quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain wearing a brown hood. Óin was one of the Dwarves who bet that Bilbo would come along with them to reclaim the Lonely Mountain. Óin and his brother Glóin were usually in charge of preparing the fire for the Company as they were the most skilled out of the others. He fought in and survived the Battle of Five Armies, and later settled in the Lonely Mountain with King Dáin II Ironfoot, along with many other dwarves of The Company of Thorin.
Later years[]
Forty-eight years later, in TA 2989, Óin went to Moria with Balin and Ori, along with many other dwarves, to recover the realm for the Dwarves of Durin's Folk. After Balin became Lord of Moria, according to the Book of Mazarbul, Óin was sent to look for the Upper Armories of the Third Deep, which were apparently westwards of the Hollin Gate (the west gate out of Moria). Some five years passed, with Óin at some point rejoining Balin, before the Moria Orcs attacked. The Dwarves could not escape by the eastern gate because the Orcs held the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, so they tried to escape by the Hollin Gate. But the water outside the door was right up to the wall, and the Watcher in the Water took Óin. He was likely ripped apart and eaten.
In TA 3018, the Fellowship of the Ring (including Óin's nephew, Gimli) learned of the manner of Óin's death after Gandalf read Ori's account in the Book of Mazarbul, in Balin's tomb chamber.