Captain Kaelor

 

Captain Kaelor "The Scarlet Wave"

  Title: Corsair of the Inner Isles, Captain of the -Fire Tide-
Race: Triton
Apparent Age: 195 years
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Affiliation: Blood Sea Venture Company
Base of Operations: Thalaris Harbor, Western Archipelago
Personal Symbol: A trident entwined with a wave of red coral
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History

  Born in the vast Western Archipelago, Kaelor descends from one of the minor families associated with House Vir'Thal, known for naval discipline and military loyalty. From a young age, Kaelor displayed an innate mastery of the currents and an exceptional talent for navigation and naval warfare. He entered the Deep Sea Academy of Lethral at just 40, quickly becoming one of the most promising officers in the Northern Fleet.
  His spirit, however, was anything but docile. While others accepted military orders and rituals, Kaelor openly mocked them. He was known for his laughter during battles, for his improvised songs between trident strikes, and for the way he could turn a mutiny into a collective toast.
  During the War of the Chains, when House Vir'Thal battled the Phan for control of the trade routes, Kaelor was given command of the Wavefury, a triton frigate reinforced with nautilus shells and pressure crystals. But it was during that war that his tensions with the military hierarchy boiled over. After disobeying a direct order to save a merfolk slave village deemed "expendable" by his superiors, Kaelor was charged with mutiny and treason.
  The ensuing trial became legendary. Kaelor defended himself with a smile and a single sentence:
  > "I do not betray those who sink, only those who forget to swim."
  Sentenced to military excommunication, he escaped during the night on a stolen ship—the first "Firetide"—along with a crew of deserters, former slaves, and ruined merchants. From that day on, Kaelor's name became intertwined with the legend of the Blood Sea Corsairs.
  Over the next decades, he built his reputation by alternating acts of piracy with heroism. He preyed on Phan convoys and Aj'Snaga caravans, freed prisoners, and redistributed spoils to isolated communities. But he did not hesitate to plunder anyone bearing gold or power, if need be.
  His secret base, the Port of Thalaris, became a haven for outlaws, deserters, exiled singers, and even undercover diplomats. A small kingdom of freedom and danger, where the motto engraved on the pier reads:
  > -“No chains, no masters.”-
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Character and Personality

  Kaelor is an explosive mix of irony, charm, and danger.
He has the appearance of a powerfully built merman, with deep blue scales tinged with coral; his hair, a deep coppery red, floats like liquid flames. His eyes, black and shining, reflect the calm and ferocity of the sea.
  His temperament is constantly balanced between the charisma of a leader and the brazenness of an adventurer.
He is known for his booming laugh, his impossible gambles, and his tendency to toast before battle. But behind his cheerfulness lies an extremely clear mind: Kaelor can read a current like a general reads a map, and his strategic insights have earned him victories against fleets far more powerful than his own.

 

He believes in absolute freedom—not as anarchy, but as the sacred right to choose one's own destiny.

He cannot abide slavery or fanaticism.

He rejects the idea that the ocean should belong to anyone.

For him, every wave is alive, and the sea is the only judge that matters.

  Despite being a pirate, he has a strict code of honor:
 

He does not enslave or accept slaves aboard.

He does not abandon a comrade, even if guilty.

He does not betray a pact made at sea.

He who sheds needless blood is left to the tide.

  In battle, Kaelor is a whirlwind of movement and sarcasm: he attacks while laughing, sings while dodging blows, and taunts his enemies with improvised verses. But when one of his men dies, his voice fades and the ocean itself seems to darken.
  > “The sea does not forget its children. Neither do I.”
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Relationships and Conflicts

  With Mariale Vir'Thal: Kaelor and Mariale share a military past. Mariale considered him a brother in arms before his desertion, and still calls him “my most necessary mistake.” Despite having sworn to capture him, she often lets him operate undisturbed, knowing that Kaelor's attacks against the Phan serve the interests of the North.
Kaelor, for his part, respects Mariale but doesn't fear him: "He's a good commander, but he fights with golden chains."
  With Selina ShadowCoral: Between the two, there's a tension of respect, sarcasm and seduction. Selina considers him a diplomatic threat but recognizes his charisma; in the past, there were rumors of a secret alliance between House ShadowCoral and Kaelor to smuggle Phan relics.
Kaelor calls her "my siren dressed in poisonous pearls."
  With Lyraen, the Great Singer: Lyraen sees in him a rebellious yet pure soul. She once saved his life after a shipwreck, and ever since, Kaelor has worn an amulet blessed by the Mistsingers.
Yet, he can't stand the temples' moralistic tone. When Lyraen warned him about the danger of his "Black Pearl," Kaelor replied:

  > "Better a living pearl in the hands of a sinner than a dead one on a golden altar."
  With Xalorin, the MechanoLich: Kaelor hates Xalorin more than anyone. During an early raid, he destroyed a SeaThrall laboratory, but failed to prevent the MechanoLich's escape. Xalorin considers Kaelor an "irrational" obstacle, a relic of an era when freedom meant chaos.
Kaelor, however, dreams of taking down his former triumvir piece by piece.
  With the Triumvirate: He is both an enemy and a resource. The Tritonid Senate wants him dead, but when the sea darkens, many invoke his scarlet banner as a symbol of hope.
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Abilities and Powers

  Kaelor is a top-level merfolk warrior, specializing in dynamic aquatic combat and boarding techniques. His skills are fused with an almost magical touch, derived from his natural affinity with the tides.
  Key Skills:
 

Master Navigator: Can predict current and tide changes up to a day in advance; +10 on all Survival and Knowledge (marine geography) checks.

Charismatic Commander: Creatures under his command gain a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls and saves against fear.

Dance of the Coral Blades: Unique combat style using two crossed light tridents, dealing swirling blows (+1d6 points of damage per round of movement).

Whisper of the Tide: Supernatural ability (3/day) to infuse one's voice into the currents. Functions as Send on an ocean scale.

Blood of the Currents: Regenerates 5 HP/round when completely immersed in salt water.

  Extraordinary Powers (Legendary):
 

-Reverse Tide:- Once per day, Kaelor can call down an abyssal current that pushes enemy ships back (as -Control Water-, but with triple the strength).

-Laughter of the Storms:- Whenever he suffers a critical hit, he emits a laugh that confuses enemies (Will save DC 18 or -confusion- for 1 round).

-Blessing of the Blood Sea:- Kaelor cannot drown, and the waters around him turn red when he rages.

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Possessed Items

 

Black Abyssal Pearl

Minor artifact. Absorbs and stores up to 3 spells per day cast at the bearer. These can be released as a standard action, with a caster level equal to the original spell. However, each time the pearl fills completely, Kaelor must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or suffer visions of Xalorin and the "Deep Machine"—the entity corrupting the MechanoLich.
 

Red Coral Trident – "Slashing Tide"

A +3 weapon, sharp and as strong as adamantine, capable of generating shockwaves in water.
 

Can summon a "Destruction Wave" (as a "wave of force") 3/day.

Creatures struck must succeed on a DC 17 Fortitude save or be moved 20 feet.

The trident glows bright red in the presence of human or Phan blood.

 

Cloak of Free Mist

Grants "Water Walk" and "Occultizing Mist" 3/day. Additionally, it protects against "Detect Thought" and "Locate Creature."
 

Medallion of the Leviathan

Symbol of his pact with the ancient sea spirits. Once per week, Kaelor can summon a gigantic sea creature (such as -Summon Monster VI- or -Lesser Leviathan-) to assist him for 10 minutes.
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Conclusion

  Kaelor "The Scarlet Wave" represents the freedom of the sea in all its ambiguity: salvific and destructive, idealistic and opportunistic. He is loved by the free, hated by the powerful, respected by his enemies. His legend is not just that of a pirate, but of a man who chose the sea as his only homeland and freedom as his only law.
  > "I am not a hero, nor a monster. I am only a wave. And every wave, sooner or later, breaks where it will."
  Ability