The powerful Kalkara are creatures from The Ruins of Gorlan and were controlled by Morgarath before they were the two surviving ones were killed off by Baron Arald, Battlemaster Rodney, Halt O'Carrick, and Will Treaty. Will shot the last one with a flaming arrow, causing it to light on fire.
A vague image of what a Kalkara might have looked like.
Appearance
The Kalkara's physical makeup is a cross between a bear and an ape, and they possess incredible speed and strength. They can move in the same way as a Ranger can, only for them stealth is instinctive. They receive very good protection from the hair that grows on their bodies; it is heavily matted and coated in a sticky, wax-like substance, resulting in a natural armor comparable to the strength and durability of scales. With vicious talons on each hand, and standing over two and a half meters tall, they represent very intimidating and dangerous foes.
While their physical prowess alone classifies the Kalkara as extremely dangerous enemy, their true power lies in a side effect: anyone who looks into the red, hate-filled eyes of the Kalkara is immediately rendered helpless and stunned due to an overwhelming feeling of fear.
Whether this is a type of magic or just a natural ability is not fully known, however, it is this single ability that allows the Kalkara to overcome and cut down even the strongest of prey.
A re-enactment of the battle between the Kalkara and Halt, even though the Kalkara has red eyes, and this Halt is not scaled, just to know, Halt is never depicted this tall.
Strengths/Powers
The Kalkara can use their eyes to paralyze their victims with fear. This is similar to the way a snake paralyzes a bird before killing it. While one is paralyzed, they will be unable to move or react, becoming vulnerable to attacks from the Kalkara. The full effects of this ability are unknown, but it is suspected that, if used for an extended period of time, it can stop a man's heart. Their thick fur creates a protective armor capable of enduring blows from weapons such as swords, axes or arrows. They use their legs to sprint deceptively quickly and can jump very far distances. They also show incredible endurance as they are able to keep ahead of the Ranger Horses- Tug and Abelard. They are also able to keep ahead of Baron Arald and Sir Rodney's battle horses.
Weaknesses
While their matted hair is very strong, the substance that coats the hair is waxy and as such is flammable. They are obsessed with silver, which is how Morgarath recruited them. Due to their single-mindedness, they must return back to their den after every assassination before receiving a new target. This allows Will to track them. Their simple animalistic behaviors also cause them to pause and scream out in triumph when they kill or are about to kill, making them vulnerable to surprise attacks. They are also afraid of fire as it is the only sure way to kill them, due to the waxy substance on their hair. This gives Will a window of opportunity to use a flaming arrow to kill the last Kalkara. It is also said that the second best way to kill a Kalkara, after fire, is the use of battleaxes, broadswords, lances, maces, and other such heavy weapons, as the first was killed that way by three fully armored knights. However, only one soldier survived, and he was crippled for life, further showcasing the Kalkara's might.
Intelligence
While the Kalkara show mostly simple instincts, they also demonstrate high intelligence. They were able to lead Halt to believe that they did not know that the Ranger was following them. Will, however, did notice this fact and professed his thoughts to Baron Arald and Sir Rodney. During the same journey the Kalkara were able to ambush Halt, albeit he did notice the fact that the Gorlan fief would be an ideal place to be ambushed, due to the fact that he would not be able to use his longbow much. This strategic point for restricting Halt's use of his longbow again emphasizes the Kalkara's intelligence. Additionally, Morgarath cannot control them through his mind like he can with the Wargals, due to their intelligence. Instead, he controls them through their obsessive love and worship of silver.
The Kalkara and their demise
There were originally three, to Halt's knowledge as of book one, but one was killed by the three knights. Only one knight survived, and he was crippled for life. The remaining two worked for Morgarath as assassins, killing whomever Morgarath wished dead. Morgarath bribed them with silver, for which they have an endless fascination. They succeeded in killing Lord Lorriac through a prolonged stare and Lord Northolt with their talons. The second-to-last Kalkara was gravely wounded by Halt, who sent a barrage of arrows into its chest within a "hand's breadth", but then the last one smashed his longbow. It was the combined efforts of Baron Arald and Sir Rodney who finally pushed the wounded Kalkara into the fire. Halt threw his knife into the remaining Kalkara's eye, with his own eyes closed so as to beat the hypnotizing stare (a feat only a handful of Rangers could have accomplished) and sprinted for the Baron and the Battlemaster, Sir Rodney, but he never made it; the Kalkara jumped up and knocked him unconscious. When the Baron stepped forward, attacking with his broadsword, the Kalkara blocked it with its arm, and swiftly injured the Baron. However, Sir Rodney stepped forward before the Kalkara could kill him, and smashed his battleaxe into the Kalkara's side, staggering it. Before he could strike again, though, Sir Rodney was paralyzed by the Kalkara's stare. The Kalkara then screamed in triumph as those three men (Halt, Baron Arald and Sir Rodney) had caused it incredible pain, and now it would be able to kill them. The problem was, there were four people, not three. It did not notice Will, who coated an arrow in flaming pitch and shot the remaining Kalkara as it was celebrating. With its death, the species is likely to have gone extinct, as those were the last known living Kalkara.
Kalkara Vs. Halt