Editing Balaho

|system=[[Tala system]]<ref name="Bestiarum">''[[Halo 3]]'', [[Bestiarum]]</ref><ref name="warfleet">''[[Halo: Warfleet]]'', p. 55</ref>

|body=[[Tala]]{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}}{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}

|position=Fourth planet{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}}

|moon(s)=Two; [[Buwan]], [[Padpad]]{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}}{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}

|diameter={{Convert|7836|km|mi|sp=us}}{{Ref/Book|Id=EN|Enc22|Page=209}}

|gravity=0.709 G{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}}

|daylength=

|yearlength=

|atmosphere=5.7 ([[Carbon dioxide|CO₂]], [[Methane|CH₄]], [[Helium|He]]){{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}}

|temperature=-33°C to 5°C (-27°F to 41°F){{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}}

|demonym=Balahoan<ref name="evg4">''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]'', p. 37</ref>

*[[Unggoy government]]{{Ref/Novel|Id=badbloodchapt3|Halo: Bad Blood|Chapter=3}}

*[[Created]]<ref name="driving">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-driving-force ''Halo Waypoint'': Canon Fodder - Driving Force]</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 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}}

An unpredictable and dangerous world, Balaho is a mostly frozen planet with temperatures ranging from -33&nbsp;°C to 5&nbsp;°C (-27&nbsp;°F to 41&nbsp;°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.<br>On the other hand, the "pillars of fire" that are said to be common in Balaho's swamps suggest that both methane ''and'' oxygen exist in Balaho's atmosphere (otherwise the methane would not burn), and combined with its surface temperature being only slightly less than Earth's, suggest that the planet is in fact similar to Earth with a nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere, but with an unusually large amount of methane outgassed from the planet's extensive swamps. As such, it is even possible that Unggoy require both methane ''and'' oxygen to breathe, but that on most worlds they only require methane tanks, filtering oxygen from the atmosphere like other beings.}}

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 xeno-arthropod-vertebrate Unggoy.<ref name="waypointarticle">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/species/unggoy '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Unggoy'']</ref> Some Unggoy families on the planet had ancestral fish ponds.{{Ref/Book|Id=HTF|Halo: The Flood|2}} Balaho is home to many voracious predators, with the Unggoy evolving a rigid exoskeleton lined with spikes and barbs along their body to deter such threats.{{Ref/Reuse|unggoy waypoint}} The majority of their pre-Covenant dwellings were built below ground for safety from these predators. The luminescent [[Zap-jelly|zap-jellies]], which glowed with a faint pink light, 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 bizarre flocking creatures that [[Edward Buck]] said looked like flying salamanders.{{Ref/Book|Id=BadB|Halo: Bad Blood|3}} The methane tanks used by [[Unggoy Imperial|Unggoy Imperials]] resembles a species of [[Balahoan octopoda]], and the methane tank of [[Heavy (Covenant)|Grunt Heavies]] from [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]] is equipped with analog eye sockets meant to evoke the visage of a natural Unggoy predator.{{Ref/Reuse|evg4}}

{{Quote|Whereas most species were grafted into the Covenant by faith, or mutual beneficence, the Unggoy were not such. Their kind was brought into the fold by force. And it was by force that they were held captive. Their world had no prayer against our might and majesty. And their peoples were quickly laid low. Many of them brought into subjugation.|[[Unidentified San'Shyuum scribe|A San'Shyuum scribe]], referring to Balaho's subjugation into the Covenant Empire<ref name="h2a terminal10">''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'', [[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminal 10]]</ref>}}

When the Covenant came across the vulnerable Balaho and the Unggoy in [[2142]],{{Ref/Reuse|unggoy waypoint}}<ref name="enc 121">''Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe'', p. 121 (2011)</ref> most were more than willing to leave their hostile homeworld and join the hegemony.{{Ref/Reuse|enc 308}} However, others were unwilling to subject to the Covenant and Balaho was ultimately subjugated by the Covenant, with a large [[Covenant fleet|fleet]] arriving over the planet. The reluctant Unggoy quickly ceased their resistance and the Covenant landed to bring the Unggoy into the fold of their empire; the Unggoy surrendered to the imposing [[Sangheili]] and [[Kig-Yar]] that came to Balaho,{{Ref/Reuse|h2a terminal10}}{{Ref/Reuse|enc 308}} and the species was aggressively converted into the Covenant and forced into servitude.{{Ref/Reuse|unggoy waypoint}} Once under the severe threat of overpopulation, billions of Unggoy left Balaho to serve the Covenant and fight in the empire's wars, leaving the planet practically empty of life with only a comparatively small population of several hundred million. Covenant tithe [[fleet]]s stripped Balaho and its moons of their remaining resources, leaving little of value on the planet and hollowing out its moons to feed the [[assembly forges]] of the Holy [[City]] of [[High Charity]]. The Covenant also established a [[hydro-processing center]] on [[Buwan]].{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}

On [[2558#October|October 28, 2558]], [[Cortana]] claimed the [[Mantle of Responsibility]] and broadcast an offer of peace and prosperity to many species of the galaxy. The Unggoy on Balaho responded favorably to this proposition, and in response, they were granted nearly limitless resources by the [[Created]]. Crewless ships loaded with advanced technology arrived, along with agricultural support stations being installed in orbit, awaiting eager workers to feed the desperate masses below. Under the new management, stability and a semblance of order were restored to Balaho, along with a newfound purpose. The planet's previously abandoned factories were activated once again, and with their immediate requirements—food, shelter, medicine—met, the planet's Unggoy designers and crafters began to work tirelessly to construct new and old machines and weaponry based on knowledge the Unggoy had secretly learned over their centuries under the Covenant's rule.{{Ref/Reuse|driving}} Notably, the Balahoan factories have increased production of {{Pattern|Pnap|Goblin}} battlesuits.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-buzz-generating '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Buzz Generating'']</ref><ref name="glory">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/haze-of-glory '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Community Update - Haze of Glory'']</ref> Because the Unggoy on the planet agreed with Cortana's terms, no [[Guardian Custode|Guardian]] was sent there to enforce her law.{{Ref/Reuse|badbloodchapt3}}

Balaho is ruled by matriarchal tribes of [[Unggoy]],{{Ref/Reuse|Bestiarum}} led by den mothers struggling to maintain their society.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}} In [[2142]], the [[Covenant]] annexed Balaho, aggressively converting the Unggoy and forcing them into servitude.{{Ref/Reuse|unggoy waypoint}} Under the Covenant's rule, Balaho was a backwater world in a vast empire, avoided by most shipping routes. However, infant mortality decreased and life expectancy doubled on Balaho, with geronticide no longer being necessary for the survival of a tribe.{{Ref/Reuse|enc151}} Following the collapse of the Covenant, a new [[Unggoy government]] was set-up and running Balaho.{{Ref/Reuse|badbloodchapt3}} Under the [[Created]]'s control, Balaho has flourished and industry has returned to the planet.{{Ref/Reuse|driving}}

File:Reach-PenanceDLC-Planet.png|View of Balaho from Buwan on the multiplayer map [[Penance]]