"Ballast is a sapphire carbuncle that due to a mishap when summoned in the ocean led to him being quickly saturated with aether from the surrounding waters

The result is that he has become a veritable vat for aether, leading to his current shape. Despite not having to eat, he is rather fond of food.

Now, he sails the seas as a captain as part of the Limsa Lominsa Maelstrom."