Baloren (bay-LOR-un)

A race of demonic looking warriors from the planet Abyssia, located deep in the Megellanic Clouds. The Baloren are mercilessly evil, giving no quarter and destroying entire planets that do not submit to their iron rule. They take what they wish and destroy what is left. Those that survive a Baloren attack are enslaved for the Baloren’s own twisted purposes. There are legends of entire races committing suicide in order to escape the terror of the “devils from the edge”.
The average Baloren stands well over 12 feet tall and weighs in excess of 1700 pounds! They have large bat-like wings which seem inadequate to the task of allowing a Baloren to fly but serve that purpose very well. Their skin is highly resistant to damage, many able to withstand a hit from an explosive shell, and they possess great strength and fighting ability. The Baloren physique continues to grow and improve as the Baloren ages, making them more formidable opponents as they age. Constant battle actually seems to improve this ability. The weaker specimens rarely survive very long.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Baloren are bipedal creatures that strongly resemble mythical Earth demons. Their body is covered in thick, red, fur and they have two large horns protruding from their head. Large, bat-like wings sprout from their back giving them the ability to fly. Most Baloren have tails as well, but some have lost theirs in battle.

Ecology and Habitats

Abyssia, the home planet of the Baloren, is a hot and hellish volcanic world with seas of lava and skies full of poisonous clouds precipitating acid rain. Abyssia is located deep in the Megellanic clouds and obscured by thick, black clouds of dust and gas. Gravity is about 1.5 times that of Earth and the mean temperature is a constant 99 degrees. The red giant star that Abyssia circles casts a dull red light during the 27 hour day, barely casting enough light to see by. At night, the world is cast into utter darkness with the exception of illumination provided by the ever-present lava seas and flows.

Behaviour

Baloren only know aggression, violence and conquest. They have no common bond other than the one they have to obey those more powerful than them. Compassion, mercy and kindness are foreign concepts to the Baloren psyche and are seen as weaknesses within other beings. Their desire for bloodshed is one that can never be tamed. Many who have faced the Baloren hoard have lost their bravery upon hearing the shriek of their battle cry.

Additional Information

Social Structure

The Baloren society is barely a step above anarchy. They view all other races as inferior, useful only for slaves. Social standing is simply based on who is the strongest. Baloren constantly battle each other to improve their standing in their culture and therefore their share in the spoils of war. The Lord of the Baloren is the most powerful of all their race. However, he may be challenged at any time for his position with the winner becoming the new Lord and the loser being destroyed. The Lord only changes after many years.
Baloren females have no position in Baloren society except for reproduction, pleasure and domestic tasks. Any female that aspires to anything above their station are either sold into slavery or killed outright. After the children are born, the males are taken aside and trained in the ways of a Baloren soldier while females are given to the women for domestic training. Weak, crippled or sick Baloren are immediately killed to preserve the Baloren race.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Baloren eyesight allows them to be able to see in all but total darkness. They also have a strong sense of smell and can even stalk their prey with it.

Civilization and Culture

Average Technological Level

The Baloren never developed technology of their own. The technology they possess is from conquered races that they have enslaved. As such, they possess massive battle starships as well as advanced energy weapons and defenses.

History

Only two planets have ever managed to repulse a Baloren invasion. The first was the planet Atril. The Atrilians had developed technology capable of fending off the Baloren. After several unsuccessful attempts to invade Atril, the Baloren decided to destroy the planet. However, by this time, the Atrilians had escaped in thousands of starships on a mission to aid other planets in resisting the Baloren.
The only other planet to resist a Baloren invasion is Earth. The Baloren have attempted two invasions of Earth in the past two decades. The first was a singular attack by the then-leader Balor. Balor was the most powerful Baloren of all time and was convinced that he could conquer Earth single handed. He landed on a small volcanic island in the Pacific and quickly cut a path of destruction across several inhabited islands. A combined group of superheroes managed to stop Balor who perished when a device he had constructed exploded, sinking the very island he had landed on.
The second invasion took place in 1985 when a large contingent of Baloren, allied with forces from Apokolips, arrived in ships and took position over several major cities. Once again, Earth’s heroes allied themselves to defeat the invaders, but it was mutual distrust that broke the alliance between Abyssia and Apokolips and left the Baloren vulnerable to attack. The Baloren were defeated and driven off. In addition, Darkseid used his Omega Effect to cast the entire planet of Abyssia into Limbo. It remained there until shortly after The Change when it re-emerged into this dimension.

Historical Figures

Balor Balor was an extremely powerful leader of the Baloren and the first Baloren to attempt to invade Earth. Balor’s arrogance made him believe that he could conquer a small backwater planet inhabited by weak humanoid life forms single-handedly. Crashing into a volcanic island in the Pacific ocean, Balor wreaked havoc and destruction until a group of superheroes, and supervillains, banded together to stop him. It was the with the ultimate sacrifice of the Blue Monk that Balor was destroyed.
The Black Prince The history of the Black Prince is lost to time, perhaps only known to the Black Prince himself. What is known is that for millennia the Black Prince has been the harbinger of Baloren planetary invasion. Appearing as a humanoid male attired in medieval style armor, the Black Prince races through space in a chariot pulled by three Baloren warriors. Armed with the mystical Blood-Axe, his arrival has foreshadowed the destruction of untold worlds; he is the messenger of doom.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The only relations the Baloren have with other species is to conquer and enslave them, dooming them to the life of parasites living off of whatever the Baloren discard. Any race that has heard of the Baloren fears and hates them.

Average Height

Average height is well over 12 feet tall.

Average Weight

Baloren can weigh in excess of 1700 pounds!

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

There is very little variation in the physical appearance of one Baloren to another other than size. Many Baloren will decorate their horns with colorful stripes, pieces of gold hammered into crude adornments or other accoutrement.