View source for Ballas

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Character infobox
|variant=Ban
|name=Ballas
|image=[[File:Enc22 Ballas.jpg|300px]]
|homeworld=[[Doisac]]{{Ref/Book|Id=EN|Enc22|Page=459}}
|birth=[[2501#December|December 5, 2501]]{{Ref/Reuse|EN}}
|death=
|causeofdeath=
|parents=
|siblings=
|spouses=
|children=
|species=[[Jiralhanae]]
|gender=Male
|height={{Convert|256.5|cm|ft|sp=us}}{{Ref/Reuse|EN}}
|mass={{Convert|734.4|kg|lb|sp=us}}{{Ref/Reuse|EN}}
|hair=Red{{Ref/Reuse|EN}}
|eyes=
|affiliation=*[[Clan of the Ravaged Tusks|Ravaged Tusks]]
*[[Banished]]
|rank-title=Title|rank=*[[Jiralhanae Chieftain|Chieftain]]
*[[Legionmaster]]
|sn=
|notable=
}}

'''Ballas''' is the [[Jiralhanae Chieftain|chieftain]] of the [[Clan of the Ravaged Tusks|Ravaged Tusks]], a [[Jiralhanae]] [[clan]] known for being smugglers and slavers. He led the Ravaged Tusks for over two decades prior to the [[Battle for Zeta Halo]].{{Ref/Reuse|EN}} After allying with the [[Banished]], he led the Ravaged Tusks during their search for [[Menachite portal complex|a portal]] to [[Installation 00]] rumored to be hidden on [[Reach]]. As his clan has been organized into a [[legion]] in service of the Banished, Ballas holds the title of [[Legionmaster]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=SOR7|HSoR|Chapter=7}}

==Biography==
===Joining the Banished===
At some point before [[2559|July 2559]], Ballas and his Ravaged Tusks had formed an alliance with the Banished. Alongside [[Dokab]] [[Castor]] of the [[Keepers of the One Freedom]] and [[Jiralhanae Chieftain|Chieftain]] [[Deukalion]] of the [[Legion of the Corpse-Moon]], he reported directly to War Chief [[Escharum]] during [[Atriox]]'s absence.{{Ref/Novel|Id=SOR3|HSoR|Chapter=3}}

===The Search for the Portal===
When Escharum was contacted by Atriox who ordered him to find and activate the [[Forerunner]] [[Slipspace portal|portal]] facility on Reach in preparation for his return to the [[Milky Way|galaxy]], Ballas and the Ravaged Tusks were sent to the [[human]] [[Human colonies|colony]] alongside Castor, Deukalion, and their forces.{{Ref/Reuse|SOR3}} Each of the three clans were assigned roughly a third of the world to search, with  Ballas' search area including the southwestern third of the [[Eposz]] supercontinent.{{Ref/Reuse|SOR7}}

The clans explored the planet's [[glassing|glasslands]] until [[2559#October|October 2559]] with little to show for their efforts. Ballas and Deukalion began to fight over territory and resources stolen from the human "glass-breakers" attempting to resettle their homeworld. However, Castor convinced the two chieftains to help him in his plan to follow a [[Blue Team|team]] of [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartans]] that had attempted to stealthily land on Reach and come into contact with Banished forces at [[Kisköre Base]]. As far as the dokab could tell, the [[UNSC]] was looking for the Forerunner portal too and they seemingly knew where to find it. All the Banished needed to do was follow them. Meanwhile, Ballas had sent a hundred of his warriors to search [[Szurdok Ridge]] for any sign of the portal.{{Ref/Reuse|SOR7}}

At Castor's insistence, Ballas and Deukalion pledged to assist him in his plan by using their forces to search for the Spartans and draw out while continuing to defend their holdings on Reach. The Ravaged Tusks participated in the failed [[Battle of New Mohács|defense and recapture]] of [[Mohács|New Mohács]], a pioneer settlement originally established and operated by the [[Viery Militia]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=SOR14|HSoR|Chapter=14}} 

===Zeta Halo===
{{Main|Battle for Zeta Halo}}
Upon Atriox's return to the Milky Way, the warmaster gave the Ravaged Tusks new orders. They would accompany the Banished fleet to [[Installation 07]] aboard their warship ''[[Voidfaith]]''. Upon arriving, Atriox set Ballas loose against the humans, scouring the ring's surface for any enemies who might have survived.{{Ref/Reuse|EN}}

During Escharum's funeral, Ballas, among other Banished leaders and forces, gathered at the [[House of Reckoning (location)|House of Reckoning]] to pay respects to the fallen War Chief. There, he, [[Gallian]], [[Val 'Hasumai]] and [[Denakrium]] were the top leaders with the most claim to become the next leader of the Banished on the installation. Ballas, alongside Gallian, had the most experience to lead and had among the largest Jiralhanae numbers on their side.{{Ref/Novel|Id=EOD6|EOD|Chapter=6}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=EOD7|EOD|Chapter=7}}

It's unknown if he survived the destruction of the House of Reckoning by an [[Eris tactical nuclear weapon]] dropped by the Master Chief and [[Joyeuse]].{{Ref/Reuse|EOD7}}

==Physical description==
Ballas is a short and stocky Jiralhanae, almost as wide as he is tall. His head is distinctly rounded. Despite his less than average height, his silhouette is so massive that he nearly fills the loading hatch of a [[Eklon'Dal Workshop Phantom|Phantom]] dropship. At least one of Ballas' fangs is noticeably chipped.{{Ref/Reuse|SOR7}}

==Equipment==
Wearing a full set of his signature crimson [[Jiralhanae power armor|power armor]] with matching helmet, Ballas is often seen wielding a  [[Gravity hammer (fiction)|gravity hammer]]. During the mission to Reach, Ballas used a Banished Phantom as his personal transport.{{Ref/Reuse|SOR7}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Edge of Dawn]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

[[Category:Jiralhanae characters]]