About me: Azog, also known as the Defiler or the Pale Orc, was one of Sauron's greatest servants (i.e. the Dark Lord's champion) and the self-proclaimed Orc-king of Moria.
Of the Gundabad breed, Azog was the greatest Orc and, as a commander of legions, the one to hold the highest position within Sauron's hordes. He had been handpicked by his master to lead a campaign to reclaim the former lands of Angmar and conquer north-eastern Middle-earth. Around this time, the Pale Orc descended with many of his kind upon the Skin-changers: most of these Men were slain, others were enslaved or tortured to death; Beorn was the only survivor of Azog's atrocities. Azog occupied the Dwarven delving of Khazad-dûm (now Moria) and made it his own seat of power. But his kingship was soon contested by the Dwarves of Erebor led by Thrór. As the War of Dwarves and Orcs unfurled, the Pale Orc vowed to wipe out the line of Durin, long-time enemies of his dark master. During the final Battle of Azanulbizar, Azog engaged Thrór, whom he beheaded, and then his son, Thráin, whose Dwarf-ring he harvested for Sauron before taking him prisoner. But during that same skirmish, Azog found himself fighting with Thrór's grandson, Thorin Oakenshield, and was badly-wounded, losing an arm. The Defiler was then carried by his followers back to his domain, allowing Durin's Folk to drive the remaining Moria Orcs back.
Though, largely assumed dead, the Defiler had in fact survived and was still doing the bidding of his master, all while being consumed by a desire of vengeance against Oakenshield. As commanded by Sauron, Azog began assembling the Orcs of the Misty Mountains, as well as War Trolls, Gundabad Wargs and Ogres within the ruined fortress of Dol Guldur in Mirkwood; Sauron had even promised the Pale Orc Thorin's head as a reward for his long service and homage. Aside from claiming the Warg Matriarch as his mount, Azog had also left his spawn, Bolg, as Castellan of the stronghold of Gundabad and maintained an alliance with the Goblin King of Goblin-town.
During the Quest of Erebor, Azog received Sauron's blessing to track down Thorin to prevent him from reclaiming his homeland of Erebor. Gathering his own elite hunting party, the Defiler pursued the Company to the eastern side of the Misty Mountains. In a pine forest there, Azog cornered the Dwarves and challenged Thorin to battle from atop his Warg mount, injuring the Dwarf-king in their fight. But the Defiler was cheated out his victory by the Great Eagles' intervention: Gandalf's bird friends fended off the Warg-riders and carried the Company out of their reach to the eyot of Carrock. Though he followed them there, the Defiler was forced to abandon the hunt, for his master had summoned him. At Dol Guldur, Azog found himself being given command of the armies he had raised for Sauron, in spite of expressing frustrations concerning his vendetta with Thorin. With his master overlooking his insolence and dismissing him, the Defiler turned to another solution: he would send Bolg to hunt Thorin in his stead. After helping in the capture of Gandalf, Azog left with his legions to join Sauron's secret ally, Smaug, at Erebor and carry out the assault upon Middle-earth.
Though the Dragon was slain soon after, the Defiler was more concerned that the involvement of the Elves of the Woodland Ream could interfere with his master's plans. Therefore, while the army of Dol Guldur marched under his command towards Erebor, Azog tasked Bolg with bringing reinforcements from Gundabad. Just as the forces of the Wood-elves and Dwarves of the Iron Hills had started clashing with one another, the Defiler appeared at his command post at Ravenhill, followed by his legions emerging from Were-worm tunnels. Eventually, Thorin came to Ravenhill with his best warriors (Fili, Kili and Dwalin) to defeat Azog himself, a move which the giant Gundabad Orc had eagerly anticipated. Azog caught Fili and slew him in front of Thorin, drawing him to a battleground of his own choice. On the iced river near Ravenhill, the Defiler and the Dwarf-king fought one another, as the echo of the horn and marching feet of the former's reinforcements drew near. Azog's confidence was shattered, however, by the arrival of Gandalf's allies (the Great Eagles, Radagast and Beorn). But focusing his attention to the chance for revenge at hand. Azog managed to overwhelm Thorin and stab him fatally.
