Ballum was the younger brother of Elstred. During his brother's tenure as King of Deltora, Ballum was very popular among the people of Deltora. Elstred trusted Ballum's advice more than anyone else's, much to the chagrin of Agra, Elstred's mysterious chief advisor. Most notably, Ballum convinced his brother to continue wearing the Belt of Deltora even after it became tight around Elstred's plump stomach, despite Agra's insistence that the king remove the belt for his comfort.