The Mon Calamari (also known as Calamari, Calamarians, Mon Cal or Mon Calamarians) were one of the sentient species indigenous to the world of Dac. The Mon Calamari are one of the staunchest supporters of the Tapani Alliance. These once-peaceful beings learned to make weapons and fight after the Empire enslaved their world. Mon Calamari assistance, especially in the form of ship-engineering, was essential to the defeat of the Empire. The Mon Calamari are land creatures, but water is essential to their culture. They are used to moist climates and find arid areas, such as deserts, uncomfortable and unnatural. They share their homeworld with the Quarren (“squidheads”), although the relationship between the two species has not always been friendly or peaceful.In terms of behavior, Mon Cals are soft-spoken but forceful. They tend to see life as very organized, and have no tolerance for those who would break or bend laws for personal gain. They have, at times, come into strong conflict with organized smuggling organizations, including the one run by Jabba the Hutt.
Biology & Appearance
On average, a member of the species stood between 1.3 to 1.8 meters tall and also smelled of salt and the sea. They were a fish-like amphibious humanoid species with salmon-colored skin, webbed hands, high-domed heads and huge, fish-like eyes. They were equally capable of breathing both on land and in water with them being at home in either environment. Male Mon Calamari had protrusions on their chin called “barbels” which grew more numerous with age. Most Mon Calamari had salmon-colored skin, often mottled with light and dark patterns, though examples of other skin colors were known. The Mon Calamari are able to descend to depths of up to 30 meters below sea level without requiring breathing or pressure apparatus. Though they can breathe water, they find it somewhat uncomfortable, and use organic gills whenever possible. Mon Calamari could stay underwater for an indefinite period of time, although a frightened Mon Calamari, particularly a juvenile, could drown underwater. They also did not need to decompress when resurfacing. They tended to smell of salt and sea giving them a particular identifiable odor.
Their hands, apart from being webbed, also featured five claw-tipped fingers; one opposable thumb with two more shorter claw-like protrusions, two long middle fingers, and two extremely short outer fingers. As an additional feature, Mon Calamari hands also presented three suction-cup like holes on their palms.
Mon Calamari could swivel their eyes independently from one another, focusing on two areas at once. Mon Calamari saw in different wavelengths than Humans, making it difficult for one species to view visuals designed for the other and vice versa. Their eyes were often used to express emotion; staring with the left eye was a way of showing surprise, while staring with the right eye was either a challenge to fight or an expression of love, depending on the circumstances.
Their children ranged from the age of 1-11 with them being considered young adults by 12-16 and full adults between 17-40. A Mon Calamari between the age of 41-57 was considered middle aged and old by 58-79 whilst those above the age of 80 were held to be venerable.
Due to their fish-like appearance, the Mon Calamari were referred to by the somewhat derogatory Deal-slang expression “Mon Cals in a fishbowl”, which referred to the act of making several big and easy deals from naive or less-than-intelligent clients.
Society & Culture
The Mon Calamari had developed a very advanced and civilized culture. Art, music, literature, and science showed a creativity surpassed by few in the galaxy. Mon Calamari literature depicted stars as islands in a galactic sea. This showed a passionate longing to explore space and discover other civilizations. In terms of temperament, they were both soft spoken and gentle. They were extremely tempered to the point that they were slow to anger and had the remarkable ability to maintain their concentration without being distracted by emotional responses. Another notable traits amongst their personality included being inquisitive and creative as well as being quiet. In addition, they were known for a near-legendary quality of being both determined as well as dedicated. This meant that once a Mon Calamari decided on a course of action, they were not easily swayed from that decision. As they are idealistic and daring, they often fixated themselves on causes that seemed hopeless or lost from the start. As such, they had a great deal of enthusiasm and spirit which was often masked by their quiet, orderly exterior. Ultimately, a Mon Calamari often attempted to demonstrate that even dreamers and thinkers were capable of daring and brave when the need arose. This meant that they often thought of the needs of the society and believed in performing the greater good to the point that they placed it above the good of the individual.
They had developed a reputation for being one of the most skilled starship designers in the galaxy. This partly stemmed from the fact that they saw everything as a work of art rather than being a simple tool or weapon. Their technology was notable for being unique, yet comparable to that of the other inhabitants of the galaxy. While their starships were significantly different from those of other races, they were in fact more efficient in design. However, such vessels tended to be extremely difficult to construct. The mathematically-minded Givin could not stand the Mon Calamari spaceships, as they were too organic and not geometric enough.
The Mon Calamari language was shared with the Quarren though many members of the species adopted Basic as their common tongue. In fact, they were able to speak both of these languages with ease though in the case of Basic, their vocal cords often produced a gurgling sound when they spoke in that tongue. Squid Lake, a performance of Mon Calamari dance, was a common sight at the Galaxies Opera House on Coruscant. The audience for the premiere of Squid Lake at one time even included such influential figures as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and Anakin Skywalker.
Their species had long been recognized for their organizational and analytical skills. It was this trait that made them brilliant strategists and tacticians. In terms of governance, the Mon Calamari made use of a highly efficient representative form of government that was similar to the Senate. They tended to be lawful and an organized people with little tolerance for those that operate outside the status quo. As such, Mon Calamari tended to dislike and mistrust smugglers, with the famous Admiral Ackbar being no exception. The loathing of smugglers and all things smuggling on the part of the Mon Calamari was considered to be the stuff of wardroom legend. This facet of Mon Calamari culture led to some tension in the early days of the New Republic. One of the cultural inclinations of the species was that truth of a person’s character was capable of being expressed through their eyes. Mon Calamari also possessed a keen love of flying through the stars.
While the Mon Calamari cherished peace, they were not above waging war in causes that they believed in. As such, though they were noted for being peaceful, there were known to possess warrior clans within their society with a long tradition of military service within certain families that extended generations. These clans believed that their skills as warriors were second to none and fiercely believed in their superiority on the battlefield. Conflict with the Galactic Empire would forever change Mon Calamari culture. Once seen as one of the most peaceful species in the galaxy, warfare has come to define the Mon Calamari people. Once their allegiance to the Rebel Alliance had been solidified, the Mon Calamari began a massive military buildup. The shipyards over their home planet of Dac, began converting their ships for war. These ships, once viewed as some of the most beautiful and luxurious passenger liners in the galaxy, quickly became instruments of death and destruction. Though new to warfare, the Mon Calamari quickly adapted and soon found themselves at home with the concept. Nearly overnight, thousands of Mon Calamari began to fill the ranks of the Alliance.
As soldiers, the Mon Calamari were known to fight with a resolve that rivaled the Wookiees. As pilots, the Mon Calamari would control their ships like an artist would control a paintbrush. Their most notable role in the Rebellion were the officer and tactical positions that the Rebels desperately needed to fill. The Mon Calamari were renowned for their leadership and tactical brilliance both in space and ground combat. After the defeat of the Empire and the establishment of the Tapani Alliance, the Mon Calamari found themselves unwilling to return to their pre-Imperial pacifism and military disarmament. Instead the Mon Calamari felt the galaxy was yet to be safe and continued to devote ships, personnel, and resources to the Republic.
Early History
The Mon Calamari shared their planet with the Quarren, the Whaladons, the Moappa, and the Knowledge Bank. The species claimed that their race came of age in the ancient island chain of Mkbuto Islands which was considered sacred as a result. Their primitive ancestors were shore dwellers though had an affinity for water as well as fed largely on crustaceans, fish and fruit. Over the millennia that followed, they developed a rudimentary form of aquaculture which allowed them to farm fish as well as cultivate kelp. Unlike the other species, their civilization was centered in the shallow parts of the ocean and on Dac’s few islands. This gave them a technological head start over the planet’s other denizens, especially the Quarren of the ocean depths. Despite this being the case, their technological progress was relatively slower to that of Humans due to the weak metals in their homeworlds crust.
Circa 4,500 years before the end of the Galactic Empire, the Mon Calamari were attacked by the Quarren leading to the devastating Quarren War. The Mon Calamari, though less aggressive by nature, had much better technology, and won the war. In order to prevent future wars, the Mon Calamari took hundreds of young Quarren prisoners, taught them the ways of Mon Calamari civilization, then set them free. After the re-educated Quarrens gained control over Quarren civilization, peace between the two peoples continued for centuries (though it was sometimes a tense relationship). After the initial confusion had passed between the two races, the Mon Calamari formed a symbiotic relationship with the Quarren which resulted in a golden age engulfing their planet. As the Calamari began to advance technologically, they started to construct floating cities which became government, learning and cultural centers.
The Mon Calamari had always been explorers, even from their earliest records, and wanted to explore the stars. As part of their desire to reach the stars, the Mon Calamari along with their Quarren partners created a program for their slow expansion into space. This started with the creation of a ring of habitats as well as science laboratories from which they could further chart their mission. For over a century, they developed their understanding of zero-gravity as well as starship propulsion before they were ready to take the next step of their journey. It was the Mon Calamari mathematician known as Q-Viza who invented his species cavitation hyperdrive technology which, whilst slower than the Corellian equivalent, allowed his species to establish colonies on worlds such Hinakuu in the years between 4,400 years to 4,200 years before the End of the Galactic Empire. What followed was early starliners being launched to nearby worlds where they colonized the planets Mantan and Ruisto as well as established an asteroid mining operation that was overseen by the Quarren who refined metals to supplement the construction efforts of the Mon Calamari. This wave of expansion led to the development of the rough boundaries of what became known as Mon Calamari Space though their expansion was limited due to both practical as well as psychological reasons.
Joining the Republic
It was during this peaceful era of expansion that first contact came with the Galactic Republic, just prior to the Great Sith War. This was when Republic scouts made contact with Mon Calamari starships at Ruisto. Before this time, the Republic was aware of the existence of the Dac system through probes but deemed it too far from known space for further expansion. As the two civilizations made contact with one another, the Mon Calamari showed their eagerness in learning more of the vast Republic as well as its great knowledge of the galaxy. Their Quarren cousins, however, were more cautious and urged discretion. The Mon Calamari and their homeworld remained a mystery to the Republic over the years due to outsiders being unwilling to interact with the inhabitants as they were constantly on the brink of war. While there was contact between the two, relations were not solid between the two races as the Mon Calamari were reluctant to trust those from off-world.
Mon Calamari delight turned to dismay when the corrupt forces that gripped the Galactic Republic devastated their homeworld. Later, Dac joined the Galactic Senate. One Mon Calamari even served as Supreme Chancellor in 3,653 pre-Galactic Empire, during the Sacking of Coruscant.
During the last decades of the Galactic Republic, the government of Dac, and its representation in the Galactic Senate, was shared between the Mon Calamari and the Quarren. While many Mon Calamari traveled through the galaxy and individuals from the Republic came to Mon Calamari Space, ultimately Dac and its colonies were visited infrequently. Furthermore, the planet resisted any attempts at formally joining the Republic which led to Mon Calamari and its legendary shipyards being considered rumors by many. Just before the Clone Wars, the corrupt Quarren Senator Tikkes allowed Thalassian Slavers to operate in Calamari Sector, and defected to the Confederacy of Independent Systems as leader of the Quarren Isolation League after being forced out of office. Another Mon Calamari by the name of Merai even led Separatist forces to attack the cloning facilities on Kamino. A civil war on Dac ensued, with the Republic loyalist Mon Calamari Knights joining Republic forces against the Quarren Isolation League. After the Republic victory at the Battle of Dac, new accords between the Quarren and Mon Calamari were signed, with pro-Republic Senators Tundra Dowmeia (a Quarren) and Meena Tills (a Mon Calamari) jointly representing Dac in the Senate.
The Empire and Beyond
With the dawn of the Galactic Empire, the Mon Calamari initially welcomed the Imperial forces when they entered their system. However, the Imperials saw the people of Dac—the Mon Calamari in particular—as natural slaves whose industries and resources could be used to power the Imperial war machine. The Imperial leadership may also have been suspicious because both of Dac’s senators signed the Petition of 2000. Aided by the sabotage of the planetary shields by Quarren saboteurs such as Seggor Tels, the Empire swiftly conquered Mon Calamari. The Mon Calamari led a passive resistance movement following Imperial forces forcibly taking governance of their world and treating them with contempt. While they were largely unsuccessful and enslaved, the Mon Calamari did not yield their desire for freedom. EmperorPalpatine did not tolerate any form of defiance to his rule and thus ordered three Mon Calamari cities to be destroyed in reprisal which killed thousands. Regardless, the Imperial attack did not succeed in breaking the Mon Calamari spirit. Eventually, the Mon Calamari, joined by the Quarren, rose up against their oppressors, driving them off their planet.
Later, an Imperial sentientologist named Obo Rin wrote the Catalog of Intelligent Life in the Galaxy. In an attempt to discredit the Mon Calamari, this work included falsified claims that the first contact between the Mon Calamari and galactic civilization occurred during the reign of the Galactic Empire. This was accepted as truth by many citizens of the Empire, further angering the Mon Calamari.
A critical change in the Mon Calamari’s position came when the Rebel Alliance rescued a Mon Calamari slave by the name of Ackbar from Grand Moff Tarkin. Ackbar joining the Rebel Alliance led to him convincing the rest of his species in supporting the Alliance to Restore the Republic. With the introduction of the Mon Calamari into the Rebel fleet, they proved to be an an invaluable asset in the Galactic Civil War. They were, in fact, the first alien civilization to declare their support for the Rebel Alliance. The Rebel Alliance were quick to rely on the Mon Calamari for military planning. As the Mon Calamari were masters of starship construction, they began supplying the Alliance with badly needed Mon Calamari Star Cruisers, the capital ships that could take on the Galactic Empire’s ships of the line. Prior to joining the Alliance, the Mon Calamari had only built passenger liners because of their peaceful ethos. During the promotion of Ackbar to the title of Admiral, the Mon Calamari proved to be instrumental in the addition of Mon Calamari Star Cruisers into the Alliance fleet as well as their conversion into full scale military capital ships.
The Mon Calamari began campaigns against Imperial forces in the Outer Rim and were eager to strike back at their enemies who had harried them for so long in the past. Their actions led to victories on Emmer and Makem Te whilst they continued to combat the warlord territories of Zsinj as well as Teradoc. These aggressive attacks, however, halted after the Imperials launched an assault against the Hast shipyards which saw the Mon Calamari change tactics by deciding to protect the newly forming New Republic government. Their only notable action in leaving Mon Calamari Space was to stop the ramapage of Stenax through the Gordian Reach in the following year.
Average Mon Calamari Dexterity 2D, Knowledge 2D, Mechanical 2D+1, Perception 1D+1, Strength 2D, Technical 2D+1. Move: 9.
Attribute Dice: 12D
DEXTERITY 1D/3D+1
KNOWLEDGE 1D/4D
MECHANICAL 1D+1/3D+1
PERCEPTION 1D/3D
STRENGTH 1D/3D
TECHNICAL 1D+1/4D
Special Abilities:
Moist Environments: When in moist environments Mon Calamari receive a +1D bonus to all Dexterity, Perception and Strength attribute and skill checks. This is purely a psychological advantage.
Dry Environments: When in very dry environments, Mon Calamari seem depressed and withdrawn. They suffer a -1D penalty to all Dexterity, Perception and Strength attribute and skill checks. Again, this is psychological only.
Aquatic: Mon Calamari can breathe both air and water and can withstand extreme pressures found in ocean depths.
Story Factors:
Enslaved: Prior to the Battle of Endor, most Mon Calamari not directly allied with the Rebel Alliance were enslaved by the Empire and in labor camps. Imperial officials have placed a high priority on the capture of any “free” Mon Calamari due to their resistance against the Empire. Theirs was one of the first systems to declare their support for the Rebellion.
Move: 9/12
Size: 1.3-1.8 meters tall
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