Balrons

Balrons -- the kings of the daemons! There is no foe more fear-inspiring than these rulers of hell and darkness... even the mighty dragons fear them. Their sheer presence is enough to cause any life around them to wither and die. Normally, balrons command hordes of lower daemons into battle, but when they take up the fight themselves, they are nearly unbeatable. Capable of debilitating magicks and equipped with tough skin and unearthly strength, the balron is a horrible enemy, to be avoided at all costs.

Thankfully, only rarely are they seen in our lands, and more often underground than on the surface world.

After their first appearance in Ultima I, balrons appeared in Ultima II, Ultima III and Ultima IV. Although they didn't appear by name after this, the Slasher of Veils in Ultima Underworld I may provide evidence that balrons still exist, but tend more towards flinging their underlings into battle.

Notable examples

 * The Slasher of Veils in Ultima Underworld I. This daemon, while not explicitly stated, is almost with deadly certainty a balron, because of its unbelievable power. The Avatar has to use a lengthy ritual to banish it into the Void. Otherwise, all of Britannia would perish, since no mortal spell or weapon could kill it. Armageddon could destroy it however, which most likely was a bug.

Trivia

 * Balrons are very likely inspired by the Balrog, from J.R.R. Tolkien's classic Lord of the Rings trilogy.
 * In the FM-Towns port of Ultima II, a "Pazuzu Balron" appears. Pazuzu, in addition to being an archaic Bablyonian wind god, is well known for appearing as the demon which possesses Regan McNeil in the film The Exorcist.