Night Stalker/Lore

Balanar, the Night Stalker, is an ancient night creature who survived the decimation of his kin on the First Day. As ancient as the primordial darkness that predated daylight itself, his true history is lost to the ages. Only apocryphal stories woven into the lore of every race and culture exist to tell the tale of a boogeyman who stalks in the hours of darkness, invoked by the old stories of the elders to scare younglings into good behavior.

Those who dare to defy these warnings or stand against their fears are only met with their demise, a testimony to the fact that Balanar is not an abstract personification fabricated by the elders to warn their younglings, but a real being in the flesh—and that Balanar himself created that role just for the sake of it.

Biography
When the world was barely brightened by the rider of Light, it existed during a period when morning never came to pass and days were known as nights. In this perpetual state of umbra, creatures of darkness reigned unchallenged over the world. Soon after, the first among the prey of these beasts grew to worship their masters, forging armor and regalia to honor their magnificence. Balanar was one of the few among these masters who were gifted regalia by his prey, signifying that he was a very powerful figure among the creatures of darkness.

But soon these great creatures did not reign unmatched, nor did they have any impunity. They found themselves in conflict with the armies of the Children of Light, who took up the Keeper's mantle in bringing light to every corner of the universe, while having their own goal to purge the cosmos of all creatures of primordial night. One of their heralds, Valora the Dawnbreaker, came into conflict with these creatures as well.

On the dawn of the First Day, all the night creatures perished. Balanar survived this onslaught due to the sheer amount of darkness residing in his heart that allowed him to sustain himself through daylight (but in a weakened state) leaving him the sole survivor of the event. He now plays the role of the Night Terror, the Boogeyman, punishing those who ignore the tales and warnings of their communities with death, stalking the unwitting and unwary, and striking fear into generations of families and societies with his mere existence.

Fetters of Ra'hul
At some point in time, definitely after the eradication of his kin, Balanar was captured and bound by the Order of Ra'hul with cursed chains that were said to bring his ancient power to heel. Although the Order was initially successful, their prisoner escaped when nighttime fell, restoring the Night Stalker back to full power and allowing him to break free, possibly slaughtering the Order in the process.

Artifact
Balanar is not involved in any of the events in Artifact, but card art depicts him attacking Enchantress in a dark forest.

Personality and Mannerisms

 * Balanar is a malevolent creature. He seems to relish the role of the Night Terror or Boogeyman that was bestowed upon him by many fearful populaces, even though the Night Stalker simply slays others for their sustenance.
 * Fitting for someone with immense power, Balanar is a lordly being. Before the First Day extinguished his kin, the creatures that he preyed on grew to worship him and fashioned regalia that symbolized his magnificence. He also dislikes others who claim to have more authority or favor over the night or the moon.

Allies
is Balanar's superior. What they both have in common is their powers over void and shadow.

Enemies
As a night creature, Balanar should be hostile towards the Children of Light and their creations, including. These star progeny dispatched many armies to purge the cosmos of all creatures of primordial night, likely resulting in the catastrophic event known as the First Day which killed all the night creatures.

Physiology
Balanar is a Strength hero, a powerful embodiment of overwhelming force and great durability. A beast of the night, he relies on his claws and teeth to tear at his enemies. He has a pair of membranous wings that he usually unfolds during nighttime to fly untethered from the ground, allowing him to catch up to his prey should they choose to escape from him.

Powers
Although he is physically powerful, Balanar is no ordinary beast who merely relies on bodily weapons. He possesses a myriad of ancient powers revolving around fear and shadow to cripple his opponents and bring them to heel. This ancient power makes him an eldritch creature, although not as eldritch as the likes of a faerie dragon.

Lore-wise, Balanar's is a surprisingly powerful skill, if not an actual magic spell. The skill involves Balanar creating a vortex that pulls his enemies into the time period when the primordial darkness was still unlit by the First Day. Its description implies that Void is a time travel ability with offensive capabilities or a form of temporal banishment.

allows Balanar to transmit a vision of his unhinged maw into the minds of his victims, horrifying those he deigns to use this ability on. It is so horrifying that nearby spellcasters are silenced.

is not an actual ability that Balanar has in the lore. It is more of a translation of Balanar being at his strongest during nighttime into a gameplay mechanic.

His ultimate,, allows him to summon darkness to turn day into night or extend the duration of nighttime, at least according to its effects in gameplay.

Besides his gameplay abilities (that somewhat have a connection to the lore) and passive skills, Balanar has some other powers found in his lore. He has the ability to call upon the souls of his perished brethren from the void by using himself as their spiritual focus into the material plane, allowing them to haunt the living.

Friendships and rivalries
Allies meeting Night Stalker
 * vo_dark_willow_sylph_ally_121.mp3  We're going to own the night.
 * vo_dark_willow_sylph_ally_122.mp3  We'll hunt them all down.
 * vo_dawnbreaker_valora_ally_131.mp3  I'm surprised you haven't slithered away to whatever hole you hide in when day breaks.
 * vo_keeper_of_the_light_keep_ally_02.mp3  Well, Night Stalker, the daytime's not as bad as all that, is it?
 * vo_mars_mars_ally_72.mp3  I've followed some of your work, Night Stalker. I'm expecting big things!
 * vo_monkey_king_monkey_ally_117.mp3 vo_monkey_king_monkey_crown_ally_117.mp3   I guess you're not useless half the time, Night Stalker. That's pretty good.
 * vo_monkey_king_monkey_ally_118.mp3 vo_monkey_king_monkey_crown_ally_118.mp3   Do we really have to wait til night to start fighting?
 * vo_pangolin_pangolin_ally_125.mp3  Cruelty for the sake of it... I do not approve.
 * vo_pangolin_pangolin_ally_126.mp3  I did not want to say anything in front of the others, but your breath could use a bit of peppermint... Or something.
 * vo_snapfire_snapfire_ally_130.mp3  You don't have a kind bone in your body. But that don't mean we can't put something sweet in there.
 * vo_void_spirit_voidspir_ally_38.mp3  Your tastes are timeless, Night Stalker... I expect you'll never change.
 * vo_void_spirit_voidspir_ally_38.mp3  Your tastes are timeless, Night Stalker... I expect you'll never change.

Enemies killing Night Stalker
 * vo_axe_axe_rival_21.mp3 I said good night stalker!
 * vo_bane_bane_rival_01.mp3 I've forgotten more nightmares than you'll ever inspire.
 * vo_bane_bane_rival_02.mp3 In your dreams, Night Stalker!
 * vo_bane_bane_rival_03.mp3 Night Stalker, I remember when you were scared of the dark. Ha aha ha!
 * vo_batrider_bat_rival_16.mp3 Night Stalker, why have wings if you're not gonna fly.
 * vo_broodmother_broo_rival_05.mp3 Night Stalker, that's a face even a mother couldn't love.
 * vo_dark_willow_sylph_rival_121.mp3  The night is my dominion.
 * vo_dark_willow_sylph_rival_122.mp3  No one hunts me.
 * vo_dawnbreaker_valora_rival_131.mp3  You lasted longer than most, vermin. But daylight comes.
 * vo_ember_spirit_embr_rival_08.mp3 Night fades before dawn.
 * vo_grimstroke_grimstroke_rival_74.mp3  I take little pleasure in killing such a beautiful creature.
 * vo_hoodwink_hoodwink_rival_127.mp3  My uncle used to tell me bedtime stories about you. Those were some great adventures. Real happy to have killed you.
 * vo_keeper_of_the_light_keep_rival_07.mp3 Night Stalker, welcome to daylight.
 * vo_keeper_of_the_light_keep_rival_08.mp3 Night Stalker, I bring you into the light.
 * vo_keeper_of_the_light_keep_rival_09.mp3 You were as old as the first day, but I am as old as the first light.
 * vo_keeper_of_the_light_keep_rival_10.mp3 Here's light in your eye. Eh heh heh heh.
 * vo_luna_luna_rival_05.mp3 The moon does play favorites, Night Stalker.
 * vo_luna_luna_rival_06.mp3 The moon turns against the Night Stalker.
 * vo_luna_luna_rival_07.mp3 Having a bad night, Stalker?
 * vo_lycan_lycan_rival_17.mp3 The day has eyes. Night, ears. The wolf, teeth.
 * vo_lycan_lycan_rival_28.mp3 Even you should fear the full moon.
 * vo_lycan_lycan_rival_29.mp3 The night needs nobility, not a beastly fairy tale.
 * vo_lycan_lycan_rival_30.mp3 Behold the night's new ruler!
 * vo_mars_mars_rival_98.mp3  Aren't you beautiful? I'll mount your head above the mantle!
 * vo_mars_mars_rival_174.mp3  Fly-by-night, indeed!
 * vo_mirana_mir_rival_15.mp3 Your nights are at an end.
 * vo_monkey_king_monkey_rival_117.mp3 vo_monkey_king_monkey_crown_rival_117.mp3   I've heard a lot of stories about you. Oh, I guess this is the last one.
 * vo_monkey_king_monkey_rival_118.mp3 vo_monkey_king_monkey_crown_rival_118.mp3   Mistake me for easy prey, Night Stalker? You're a fairy tale. And I'm a legend.
 * vo_pangolin_pangolin_rival_123.mp3  Some days I love my job more than others. This is one of those days.
 * vo_pangolin_pangolin_rival_124.mp3  Day or night. It makes no difference to me!
 * vo_queenofpain_pain_rival_01.mp3 Night Stalker, you aren't the only thing that goes bump in the night.
 * vo_queenofpain_pain_rival_02.mp3 Night Stalker, you're only a little pain.
 * vo_snapfire_snapfire_rival_130.mp3  Rooster's crowin!
 * vo_snapfire_snapfire_rival_131.mp3  Guess it's high noon after all.
 * vo_terrorblade_terr_rival_24.mp3 vo_terrorblade_terr_morph_rival_24.mp3  vo_terrorblade_terr_shards_rival_24.mp3  I stalk all hours, not just the night.
 * vo_ursa_ursa_rival_19.mp3 Cubs! Rest in tranquility: the Night Stalker is no more.
 * vo_void_spirit_voidspir_rival_73.mp3  You must learn to respect your elders.
 * vo_winter_wyvern_winwyv_rival_18.mp3 You only wear your wings when none can see them!

Others
 * vo_oracle_orac_prophecies_063.mp3  Beware the dark that spreads its wings and falls at any hour.