Balaran is the name of a small town to the west of Shakista. The town's location was chosen to be the site of the new capital after the destruction of Shakista and Balaran was renamed Ximoran after General Ximor of Shakista who had held the armies of Chaos at bay for so long in the defence of the capital. Balaran, was famous for being the site of the last building section of the King's Highway, which began on 12th Nature's Curling (9th Hiding), in 1702OT (although many books refer to the town's later name of Ximoran applying it retrospectively).