Bala Nisi was a dark-skinned Jedi Master during the time of the Exar Kun's Sith War. Preferring earth tones and long, braided hair, the Jedi Master served on the Dantooine council alongside Jedi Masters Vrook Lamar, Aleco Stusea, and Qual. Following the Sith War, Bala helped direct the reconstruction efforts to help restore the galaxy from its devastated state. During the rebuilding efforts however, Bala and the Jedi received reports of missing Jedi and dead Jedi, their bodies horribly mutilated. An investigation was launched and it was discovered monsterous beasts known as terentateks had been emerging across the galaxy, killing Jedi.

These great beasts appeared on backwater planets such as Tatooine, Kashyyyk, and even the ancient Sith realm Korriban. To meet this threat, the Jedi organized a massive effort to eliminate the terentateks, known as The Great Hunt. Teams of Jedi spread across the galaxy rooting out these beasts and killing them. Eventually the Jedi were successful enough that the Council declared the hunt over; over in theory, but not reality. On the ancient Sith world of Korriban, a terentatek remained. The Jedi had to tread lightly, for Korriban was not to be taken lightly. Especially strong Jedi would be needed for the mission, not only to succeed in eliminating the beast, but in resisting the temptation of the Dark Side that permeated every catacomb of the planet.

During the hunt, three Jedi had emerged as some of the Order's better hunters: Duron Qel-Droma, Shaela Nur, and the Twi'lek Jedi, Guun Han Saresh. The Jedi Council on Coruscant felt that these three Jedi, who worked well in a team, had the best chance of success and tasked the Dantooine council of giving the three the mission. While some of Bala's contemporaries felt it was unwise to send another Qel-Droma to Korriban, Bala was not so quick to condemn Duron for the sins of his cousin.