Karakala

The Kalamer are a primal people, feeling the currents, tides, and winds in a profound way; some say that the ocean sings a song. Consider these philosophies when dealing with merfolk of Karakala:

• “The water is always moving; follow it, let the currents guide you.” Kalamer prefer to remain in motion, and deeply rely on instinct and intuition.
• “Flow around a problem or away from it.” Kalamer value flexibility over pride and aggression.
• “Keep only that which lifts you up, not what drags you down.” Kalamer avoid anything that anchors them too strongly to one place or mood, including property and vendettas.
• “Make no judgment until you know the story.” Kalamer are naturally curious and seek to understand the people and things they encounter.

Karakala is a culture rather than a nation. There are approximately ten thousand Kalamer spread across the Thunder Sea, but they claim no territory and have no single leader. Most live in small pods, following a pattern of migration between the manifest zones of the upper water. When they reach a manifest zone, they remain there for a week or so, performing primal rituals that stabilize the zone. They prize manifest zones to Lamannia, and time spent at a Lamannian zone is a time of celebration. However, they travel to all manifest zones, and their rituals can contain the harmful effects of any manifest zone.

The Kalamer don’t worship deities, but revere the forces of nature and believe the world speaks to those who listen. While outsiders might view this as worshiping Eberron, the Kalamer don’t need to anthropomorphize nature for it to be worthy of reverence. The Kalamer value wisdom over strength, and the leader of the pod holds that position because the others trust their instincts; often they’re an elder, but age isn’t a requirement.

In general, Karakala is peaceful; this is one reason both the Dominion and Protectorate allow the Kalamer to move freely. Most merfolk seek to understand any threats they encounter, to see if they can find a way to coexist—or failing that, to simply move past the danger. However, they can be dangerous foes when they’re forced to act or encounter a true threat to the balance of nature.

Kalamer fashion is simple and functional. It’s rare for Kalamer to wear anything heavier than leather armor, and most just wear leather straps to hold their tools and personal possessions. Many carry small tokens—shells, stones, bones—that remind them of a place or moment. Sometimes humans describe hearing the sound of the ocean in a shell; however, many Kalamer truly receive primal impressions from natural objects.

Kalamer speak Aquan, their native tongue from Lamannia. Most of them also speak either Elvish, Common, or Sahuagin, depending on where their route takes them, and merfolk bards may speak all of these. Any Kalamer capable of casting at least one Druidic spell can speak Druidic, which they consider to be the language of the wind and water.

The merfolk of Karakala can be found across the Thunder Sea; Kalamer pods follow migratory patterns, while wandering sirens let intuition guide them. The Kalamer remain in the upper waters where sunlight allows photosynthesis. There are no Kalamer cities, but they establish simple outposts along their migratory paths, often in masses of floating vegetation (which are especially common in Lamannian manifest zones).

Many pods bond with a dragon turtle, which serves as the locus of the pod; the merfolk strap themselves to the turtle when they sleep. Unlike the dragon turtles of the Eternal Dominion, this is a symbiotic relationship; the merfolk help their companion find food and keep the dragon turtle entertained. Other pods bond with gargantuan beasts that have passed into Eberron from Lamannia.

Karakala has no tradition of wizardry or artifice. However, most Kalamer possess at least a touch of primal magic, and can shape water or strike a foe with a thunderclap; this can be reflected by giving Kalamer merfolk a cantrip or single-use spell from the druid or ranger spell list. Kalamer with greater gifts are called stormcallers, and can summon lightning and wind; these are discussed in more depth in chapter 8. Kalamer champions could possess the abilities of rangers or druids, and might be able to assume the forms of deadly sea creatures.

Other Kalamer hear music in the motion of wind and water and become bards. Kalamer sirens can weave illusions with their words, or cloud the minds of enemies. These sirens often travel alone, sharing news and songs both with Kalamer pods and with all other ships and communities they come across. While most Kalamer bards seek to bring joy to everyone they encounter, there are stories of sirens turned bitter after the destruction of a pod or witnessing great cruelty; these merfolk may turn their powers to punishing those they see as evil. Kalamer bards generally rely on their voices as opposed to using instruments, and can sing while submerged.

The people of Karakala create their tools from natural materials—stone, shell, leather, bone. Their magic items— mostly potions, amulets, and charms—produce primal effects.

Karakala is politically neutral, holding no nation or people above any other. A siren or pod may have a strong bond to a particular fishing village, but that affection doesn’t extend to the dryskin nation that claims it. Generally, Karakala tries to ignore the actions of nations, focusing on its never-ending pilgrimage, though individual Kalamer—sirens, triton champions—may become more actively involved with a single nation.

While they maintain their neutrality and serve as messengers and couriers between all the people of the sea, Karakala doesn’t like the Eternal Dominion or the Valraean Protectorate. The Kalamer dislike seeing any creature held in bondage, and they may help renegade locathah or smugglers sailing beyond approved Dominion routes. However, while they may help peaceful smugglers, they dislike cruelty and greed; violent pirates can find that the merfolk are just as dangerous as House Lyrandar or a Dominion patrol.

To date, Karakala has been a passive, mediating force, trusted by all. But the fact remains that Kalamer dislike all forms of industry in the sea. If it were an option, many Kalamer would destroy all dryskin shipping and shatter the cities of the Dominion and Protectorate alike. Currently, they work to contain the manifest zones of the Thunder Sea and to keep peace; but if they chose, they could instead release the power of these zones to terrible effect. Hostile Kalamer could begin by calling elemental tempests and megafauna beasts from Lamannia and unleashing them into shipping lanes, increasing the dangers of the sea—with plausible deniability as to their source. By coordinating rituals with coterminous periods, the Kalamer could dramatically enhance the effects of manifest zones. Using the Lamannia zones in this way, they could create devastating hurricanes and tsunamis. Could tidal waves devastate Stormreach, or elemental hurricanes topple one of the towers of Sharn? Karakala has no interest in conquest; if the merfolk pursued this course of action, it would purely be to drive commerce and civilization from the sea.

Kalamer are at home in the water, and rarely have any interest in walking on dry land. However, a few do hear the wind calling them to emerge from the water. A Kalamer who embraces this path can gain the ability to transform into a fully humanoid form—that of a triton—able to operate freely in dry land.

Most Kalamer tritons have a strong sense of purpose—a call that’s drawn them to leave their pod and the sea behind. In general, the Kalamer work to protect the balance of nature; a triton might be drawn to investigate the Mourning, to help the Gatekeepers battle aberrations, or even to oppose the dragonmarked houses. Such a champion of nature might be a coastal druid of the Circle of Land, a ranger (likely a Hunter, Monster Slayer, or Horizon Walker), or even a paladin with the Oath of the Ancients.

The Kalamer triton could also be a bard; sometimes it’s easier to investigate the Mourning or fight dragonmarked houses with words instead of primal magic. Triton bards are likely to follow their people’s drive to help bring people together and settle disputes. The College of Glamour could reflect the enthralling song of the siren, but the College of Lore is also an option for a bard.

As a Kalamer triton, you’ve left your entire world behind you. Do you miss your pod and the songs of the ocean? Or are you following the basic drives of Karakala—to always move forward, and not to let the anchors of the past pull you down? As someone born in a wild, primal world, how do you deal with the intense civilization of a city such as Sharn?

The Kalamer aren’t conquerors. What could draw them into a story? Consider the following ideas.

The Traveling Siren. As adventurers visit a coastal town, they hear a beautiful, clear song rising from the harbor and see people running towards the pier. The arrival of a Kalamer siren is a celebrated event along the southern coast; even the Ghaal’dar welcome friendly sirens. These bards bring news and stories of the sea—of ships in the area, storms, or even just gossip from the next village down the coast—combined with enthralling song. Aside from being an interesting scene, the siren could bring news that’s directly relevant to the adventurers—perhaps news of a ship they were waiting for that was sunk offshore, or perhaps they’ll share a story of a ruin hidden off the coast. As sirens act as intermediaries, a bard could also come carrying a message for the adventurers from a powerful figure in the Dominion or Protectorate.

Salvation at Sea. Perhaps the characters’ ship leaves the safe trade routes and runs afoul of an endless storm. Or maybe they’re simply crippled by pirates, or by a forgotten weapon of the Last War. A pod of Kalamer can save the characters, using primal magic to allow the dryskins to breathe underwater helping them to safety. But do the Kalamer need something in return? A powerful monstrosity could be lurking around a manifest zone, preventing the pod from performing their rituals. Or an aboleth serving the Lurker in Shadow may have captured members of their pod; they need help to defeat the beast.

The Vengeful Storm. Though Kalamer are peaceful, the stormcaller Llaratala can no longer share the water with House Lyrandar and its oppression of elementals. She and her pod are targeting elemental galleons, shattering Lyrandar ships and freeing the bound spirits. The house hires the adventurers to find out who’s responsible for the destruction of their vessels. How will the characters track the merfolk mastermind, and what will they choose to do?

Druidic Allies. A Kalamer hails the druid of the party while the adventurers are on the coast or on a ship. The stormspeaker addresses them in Druidic, as a fellow defender of the natural world, asking them to help deal with an unnatural threat. This could be an aboleth or aberration, or a danger posed by a manifest zone—such as Mabar or Fernia—that’s experiencing a wild surge and steadily growing worse. Can the druid and their companions help contain the threat?

Intermediaries. The Kalamer act as couriers and envoys between the Valraean Protectorate and the Eternal Dominion. While sailing, the adventurers come upon a dead Kalamer. The message it was carrying could be the key to stopping a new outbreak of war between these two nations. Can the characters find a way to deliver it?

Source: ExE Chapter 8

A stormcaller feels the flow of the tides around, currents below, and shifting storms above the water, and can direct this power against those who threaten their people. Working together, a circle of stormcallers can bring down an entire fleet of ships. The greatest stormcallers have powers beyond what’s shown here; the merfolk tell stories of stormcallers who can command the beasts of the sea and transform into mighty squids or whales.

Wardens of the Water. Most merfolk stormcallers seek to maintain balance within their realm. Like the Wardens of the Wood, they strive to protect their region from outside threats, but also to protect foolish outsiders from the dangers of the deeps and the manifest zones the stormcallers guard. However, there are stormcallers who view any intrusion into their waters as an affront that must be punished.

Druidic Speech. Stormcallers know the Druidic language, which they believe to be the language of the world itself. Most stormcallers will parley with any creature who speaks Druidic, but they have high expectations of such beings. A stormcaller may ask a foreign druid to help with an unnatural threat or to serve as a mediator in a local dispute.