Kala are a primitive race of flesh-eaters and cannibals that inhabit the icy wastelands. They come in two main varieties, the cave kala, which lurk in mountain caves, and the earth kala, whichi wander the wastelands.
Appearance[]
Kala have bald, elongated, conical skulls. They have pale yellow skin that is cold to the touch, dull black eyes, big ears, and drooping snouts that hang over their upper lips. They have talon-like hands, and broad, flat feet that allow them to travel over the top of heavy snow easily. They dress only in a simple loincloth, no matter the frigid temperatures around them, being inured to the cold.
Combat[]
Kala attack warm-blooded creatures for food, and occasionally raid human settlements for the same. They have an ability set very similar to that of a ranger: they are good trackers, and they often dual-weild their primitive stone axes. They also have a venomous bite that gradually escalates the poisoned victim with wracking pains, util they are incapacitated. This venom is generally not fatal, and passes after a few minutes, but is extraordinarily painful while it lasts. Their exposure to the elements has also made them protected against cold damage.
Society[]
Kala live in family groups. Much like herd animals, they spar for mating rights, and kala who fail to earn a mate may spend the year wandering the wasteland, bitter and aggressive.
Ecology[]
Kala lair in regions of rocky desolation. They are carnivores, and they feed on any warm meat they can get their teeth into, including each other in times of scarcity.
Treasure[]
Kala themselves rarely keep more than their basic clothing and weapons, but areas that they live near frequently ofer bounties for the heads of kalas.
Earth Kala[]
There is a variety of kala that, rather than dwelling in rocky caves, wanders nomadically accross the plains. They are smaller and slower, and their skin is a rosy pink, with blonde or brown hair. The Earth Kala resemble the cave kala in most ways, but instead of a venomous bite, they have a diseased breath. The disease that infects a person then prevents wounds from healing correctly, and slowly wastes the body to nothing.
Sources[]
AD&D 2e Monstrous Compendium Kara Tur Appendix (1990)