why are the rooms in Moria so tall. they're for dwarves
stonework flexing?
The ceilings actually used to be closer, that's just what happens when you start digging downwards
dwarves move in stacks
Dwarves actually dug them out much taller, knowing that over time they would creep downwards. They're about 2./3rds of the way through their expected lifetime.
no dwarf kingdom would ever fall if they just built all the ceilings 5 feet but they're psychologically incapable of not doing grand arched vaults
imagine how easy it would be to keep orcs and humans out
they can't even stand up
'okay we'll fall back and hit them from the tunnels' 'no good the balrog is advancing through the 200 foot processional avenue!'
they build big so their large spirit has room to breathe
the balrog wouldn't even have shown UP