Balefur was a big dogfox who had been "loosely attached" to the fox band of Shang Damsontongue residing in the Gorge. He was a loner, tough, independent, and fearless, answering to nobody but himself. On the march southwest from the Gorge, Balefur armed himself with a large double-headed battleaxe, and he apparently knew how to use it and was quite skilled. He is also presumably from the Northlands, if that is to be concluded from his speech, and he doesn't object when Swartt Sixclaw says the same.