Balaho: Difference between revisions
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{{Quote|From Balaho came the small methane-breathing Unggoy—the Grunts of the Covenant.|The [[Zo Resken|Prophet of Clarity]]<ref>''[[Halo: Broken Circle]]'', p. 211</ref>}} | {{Quote|From Balaho came the small methane-breathing Unggoy—the Grunts of the Covenant.|The [[Zo Resken|Prophet of Clarity]]<ref>''[[Halo: Broken Circle]]'', p. 211</ref>}} | ||
'''Balaho''', also known as '''Tala IV''', is the [[planet|homeworld]] of the [[Unggoy]] and the fourth planet orbiting the star [[Tala system|Tala]] | '''Balaho''', also known as '''Tala IV''', is the [[planet|homeworld]] of the [[Unggoy]] and the fourth planet orbiting the blue star [[Tala system|Tala]]. Hosting an atmosphere featuring large quantities of [[methane]], Balaho is orbited by two [[natural satellite]]s; [[Buwan]] and [[Padpad]]. Balaho is a hostile and frigid world, home to brackish tidal flats and numerous swamps,{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}}<ref name="enc 308">''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]'', p. 308 (2011)</ref> growing less hospitable due to environmental degradation.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}} | ||
Regarded as a backwater world, Balaho and the Unggoy were aggressively subjugated into the [[Covenant]] in [[2142]].<ref name="unggoy waypoint">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/species/unggoy ''Halo Waypoint'': Unggoy]</ref> After being stripped of its resources, Balaho was abandoned aside from a small population when the empire [[Great Schism|collapsed]] in [[2552]],{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}} until the [[Created]] brought the planet into its fold and sought to bring prosperity to a once volatile and unpredictable world.{{Ref/Reuse|driving}} | Regarded as a backwater world, Balaho and the Unggoy were aggressively subjugated into the [[Covenant]] in [[2142]].<ref name="unggoy waypoint">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/species/unggoy ''Halo Waypoint'': Unggoy]</ref> After being stripped of its resources, Balaho was abandoned aside from a small population when the empire [[Great Schism|collapsed]] in [[2552]],{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}} until the [[Created]] brought the planet into its fold and sought to bring prosperity to a once volatile and unpredictable world.{{Ref/Reuse|driving}} | ||
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An unpredictable and dangerous world, Balaho is a mostly frozen planet with temperatures ranging from -33 °C to 5 °C (-27 °F to 41 °F).{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}} It has two [[natural satellite]]s, [[Buwan]] and [[Padpad]], respectively the primary and secondary satellites.<ref>[http://majornelson.com/2011/08/26/news-from-halo-fest/ '''Xbox Live's Major Nelson''': ''News From Halo Fest'']</ref> With an atmosphere rating of 5.7, the terrestrial planet has significant amounts of [[methane]] in the atmosphere, in addition to [[carbon dioxide]] and [[helium]], necessitating that Unggoy wear [[methane tank]]s while off-world. This gas forms a largely opaque layer of clouds that prevents much of the world from being seen from orbit.{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}}{{Ref/Note|Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas (about 23 times stronger than carbon dioxide), making it very effective at insulating an atmosphere. As such, it is strange that Balaho is so cold when the planet's atmosphere is composed mainly of methane. The most likely explanation is that Balaho is much farther from Tala than most other habitable planets are from their stars and that is warm enough to support life because of its methane atmosphere. This also explains why the planet was not engulfed when Tala expanded into a blue supergiant.}} | An unpredictable and dangerous world, Balaho is a mostly frozen planet with temperatures ranging from -33 °C to 5 °C (-27 °F to 41 °F).{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}} It has two [[natural satellite]]s, [[Buwan]] and [[Padpad]], respectively the primary and secondary satellites.<ref>[http://majornelson.com/2011/08/26/news-from-halo-fest/ '''Xbox Live's Major Nelson''': ''News From Halo Fest'']</ref> With an atmosphere rating of 5.7, the terrestrial planet has significant amounts of [[methane]] in the atmosphere, in addition to [[carbon dioxide]] and [[helium]], necessitating that Unggoy wear [[methane tank]]s while off-world. This gas forms a largely opaque layer of clouds that prevents much of the world from being seen from orbit.{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}}{{Ref/Note|Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas (about 23 times stronger than carbon dioxide), making it very effective at insulating an atmosphere. As such, it is strange that Balaho is so cold when the planet's atmosphere is composed mainly of methane. The most likely explanation is that Balaho is much farther from Tala than most other habitable planets are from their stars and that is warm enough to support life because of its methane atmosphere. This also explains why the planet was not engulfed when Tala expanded into a blue supergiant.}} | ||
The parts of the surface that are not covered by polar ice caps or fresh [[water]] are equatorial brackish tidal flats where naturally occurring pillars of fire exist when the planet's methane condenses. Most of the Unggoy live in this area where the cold season is not as harmful to them. The planet is also home to several swamps, dire marshes,{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}{{Ref/Reuse|enc 308}} and shallow volcanic mountain ranges at the equator.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=209}} The world is still recovering from an environmental collapse caused by massive global over-industrialization prior to the activation of the [[Halo Array]].{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}} Balaho continues to experience environmental degradation and has become increasingly less hospitable over the centuries. Balaho's severe exploitation by the [[Covenant]] has only caused the environment to suffer further.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}} Until the Covenant's arrival, the planet's population was threatened by two consecutive winter seasons, plagues, and a general lack of food.<ref name="enc151">''Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe'', p. 151</ref> [[Blue Death]] is a risk to all Unggoy that were exposed to Balaho's harsh climate.<ref>''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'', p. 237</ref> | The parts of the surface that are not covered by polar ice caps or fresh [[water]] are equatorial brackish tidal flats and salt marshes where naturally occurring pillars of fire exist when the planet's methane condenses. Most of the Unggoy live in this area where the cold season is not as harmful to them. The planet is also home to several swamps, dire marshes,{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}{{Ref/Reuse|enc 308}} and shallow volcanic mountain ranges at the equator.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=209}} The world is still recovering from an environmental collapse caused by massive global over-industrialization prior to the activation of the [[Halo Array]].{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}} Balaho continues to experience environmental degradation and has become increasingly less hospitable over the centuries. Balaho's severe exploitation by the [[Covenant]] has only caused the environment to suffer further.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}} Until the Covenant's arrival, the planet's population was threatened by two consecutive winter seasons, plagues, and a general lack of food.<ref name="enc151">''Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe'', p. 151</ref> [[Blue Death]] is a risk to all Unggoy that were exposed to Balaho's harsh climate.<ref>''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'', p. 237</ref> | ||
The planet's hostile conditions and the methane atmosphere of Balaho sustains unusually hardy forms of life,{{Ref/Reuse|enc151}} most notably the Unggoy who are believed to have evolved from smaller amphibious primates. Balaho is home to many voracious predators, with the Unggoy evolving to have a rigid exoskeleton lined with spikes and barbs along their body to deter such threats.{{Ref/Reuse|unggoy waypoint}} The luminescent [[Zap-jelly|zap-jellies]] filled the brackish seas of Balaho,<ref>''Halo: Contact Harvest'', p. 186</ref> with [[mud wasp]]s and [[shade crab]]s being commonly [[Hunting rock|hunted]] for sport, particularly by Unggoy youth. Balaho is also home to [[scrub grub]]s, an arthropodic pest that feeds on machinery.<ref>''Halo: Contact Harvest'', p. 90</ref> Some methane tanks used by Unggoy resemble the [[Balahoan octopoda]].{{Ref/Reuse|evg4}} | The planet's hostile conditions and the methane atmosphere of Balaho sustains unusually hardy forms of life,{{Ref/Reuse|enc151}} most notably the Unggoy who are believed to have evolved from smaller amphibious primates. The majority of the planet's animal life appears to consist of arthropods and other invertebrates. Balaho is home to many voracious predators, with the Unggoy evolving to have a rigid exoskeleton lined with spikes and barbs along their body to deter such threats.{{Ref/Reuse|unggoy waypoint}} The luminescent [[Zap-jelly|zap-jellies]] filled the brackish seas of Balaho,<ref>''Halo: Contact Harvest'', p. 186</ref> with [[mud wasp]]s and [[shade crab]]s being commonly [[Hunting rock|hunted]] for sport, particularly by Unggoy youth. Balaho is also home to [[scrub grub]]s, an arthropodic pest that feeds on machinery.<ref>''Halo: Contact Harvest'', p. 90</ref> Some methane tanks used by Unggoy resemble the [[Balahoan octopoda]].{{Ref/Reuse|evg4}} | ||
====Locations==== | ====Locations==== | ||
*[[Gedgow]] | *[[Gedgow]] | ||