Balmerans

Balmerans are an alien race native to the Balmera X-95-Vox which is ruled by the Galra Empire. It is not known whether the Balmera spawns Balmerans, or if they are a race that colonised Balmera in the distant past and now now live there.

Biology

Balmerans are large, bipedal aliens with grey, diseased-looking skin. They have fully yellow eyes and lack noses. Their skulls are protected by a darker layer of cartelidge or bone that resembles a helmet. These helmets have two conical tumours on either side of the head which might be ears. Each Balmaneran sports a distinctive combination of hooked and rounded horns on their temple and jaw. The length of their jaw horns may be an indicator of age.

Unlike several alien species seen so far, female-coded Balmerans do not display mammalian trait (i.e. breasts). Sexual dimorphism is still evident as most female-coded Balmerans have hoop-shaped piercings attached to their skull, are smaller in stature than their male counterparts and have shorter tails

Balmerans' skin is covered in irregular bumps and growths which may be due to their poor standard of living and lack of access to healthcare. Balmerans have two toes on each foot, four clawed fingers on each hand, and a long, stubby tail.

Society

Balmerans, at least those of Balmera X-95-Vox, are a peaceful and passive race. They are compassionate and family-oriented, preferring to avoid conflict and accept the Galra Empire's occupation if they can retain their family units. They particularly revere their elderly family members. Subjugated, they live below the planet's surface in a network of interconnected tunnels and caverns with no apparent leader or government. Their diet consists of bugs and small cave mammals.

Under the Empire's reign, they work as slaves mining the Balmera's Crystals. In the past, Balmerans allied with Alteans to perform regular Qunitessnce ceremonis in exchange for ship-powering Crystals. The Galra's unsustainable mining techniques means that without revitaising the Balmera with Qintessence, the structure will start to disintegrate, placing the entire Balmeran population at risk. 

Balmeran clothing consists of a short-sleeved tunic fastened with cloth belt. Some wear a long-sleeved shirt underneath. The tunics are dyed green, red, purple, or blue and accented liberally with yellow at the hem and neckline. Many Balmerans wear cloth braces around their ankles, presumably to provide support during their long hours of manual labour. 

Abilities

Balmerans use seismic communication to talk to the Balmera and eachother. The Balmera conducts their psychic messages as vibrations which can be received by another Balmeran, provided they are touching the surface of the planet. This connection works both ways: the Balmerans can also sense when the Balmera is in pain; a relationship that motivated the Balmerans of pre-Galra times to cater for the wellbeing of their planet. Balmerans are so devoted to their Balmera, that they would rather die than relocate off-world.

Balmerans also possess substantial strength and durability, as they are able to move an Altean flight pod and carry a gigantic Battle-Class Crystal with ease.^[1]

Gallery

Rax and Shay moving the Castle shuttle.

Shay with her folks.

From left: Hunk, Coran, Shay's grandmother, Shay, her mom, and her dad.

Allura leads Shay and her family to the surface so they can evacuate.

Wonder if color means anything in Balmeran culture – rank, job, etc?

Shay and her people watching as Allura lures the reanimated Drazil away.