THE KAANHO

 The Kaanho are the godlike beings created by C'Don to order Tu and embody some of its traits. They live on Chialta, the White City, gleaming like a star on top of the highest mountain of Tu, far to the west past Zaer's realm. Mortals are strictly forbidden to worship them (although some minor sacrifices can please them) , but they are aware of the Kaanho's powers. (An individual of the Kaanho is referred to as a Kaan, which means, roughly, "Power".) They consult, atop this sealsame mountain, Gameng, a flame that burst forth at C'Don's bidding.

Kaan are basically humanlike beings in many ways...their basic form is humanlike (most of them...Linfal is like a centaur, Sashang like a mermaid, Tuao like a dragon) but with immense power. They are immortal, able to last forever naturally...although they can be slain by great force, usually applied by another Kaan. They can be hurt, blinded, lose a limb, or lamed. Yet it takes a lot to do so. A Kaan might be lamed (though not killed) by a fall from atop the highest mountain of Tu, Gameng. A bound Kaan, while struggling, could start an earthquake. The young Kaan grows very quickly, absorbing knowledge and gaining in stature at almost frightening speed...at the end of the first day, can talk, do mischief, and walk. By the end of the fourth day, they appear nearly grown and can use weapons such as a bow and arrow. Their power is so great that it seems to shine from them within. They oftentimes have to veil their splendour from mortal, because the full force of their unveiled presence could destory mortals, blasting them into ashes. Their very tears glow with a golden force. Luckily, though they have a "true" form they revert to when relaxed, which form can lose eyes, or be lamed, or lose a hand...they can also assume other, lesser shapes, of the other animals or beings of Tu. It is usually thus that they communicate with lesser races. They also can sometimes imbue their power on an unborn child, and that mortal becomes an extension of them, an avatar, whose experiences can be reabsorbed into the Kaan after their death.

Perhaps their greatest power is not just to alter their form (which is always a temporary change...their true form sooner or later reasserts itself) but the power to change others, permanently, to other forms. Angusin's changing of mist and stone into elves and dwarves is an example, or of his later changing those elves who rebelled against the Kaanho into dimunitive fairies and pixies is another. To them, form is plastic, easily molded, and transformation is easy...save for themselves, whose true nature is so powerful that it will sooner or later assert itself.

The Kaanho drink a special drink and eat special foods grown from a special tree tended by Hedene, from a seed brought from the Greater World by the Amonkaanho Cup. The drink is from the sap of that tree. This special food keeps time from affecting the Kaanho as much as it does mortals...keeps them youthful, for although they would not die, they possibly would grow older and older, without this special food and drink. (No mortal could endure the merest taste of such...it would kill them, burn them alive.) Though they can be hurt and scream with pain, many things do not pain them...for instance, they can walk on red-hot fire without ill effect.

However, the smell of roasted meat is an added spice to them...makes their own special food all the sweeter. Thus, sacrifices are sometimes performed, where animals are slain, and the mortals eat the main meat, and the fat and bones is burnt to bring an aroma pleasing to the Kaanho. It is one of the few things mortals can do for the Kaanho, and oftentimes such sacrifices are performed to draw favors from the Kaanho...a sacrifice burnt to summon Tjisir to bring more rain, for instance.

They can mate and even have children by mortals, which is more a function of their ability to change their shape rather than anything else. Since the full splendour of their form is too much for mortal frames, they in effect have to "become mortal" to interact with them...including their sperm and ova. Nevertheless, Kaan-mortal crossbreeding results in a hybrid with some of the power of the Kaan passed on. Giants are descended from a mortal and Tjisir, for instance, and centaurs are descended, through Klaschi, from Angusin and Linfal plus mortal blood. The Cathurian line of mortals, who seem so strangely predestined to rule and conquer, are similarly descended from Angusin and a mortal.

The Kaanho know there will be a final battle at the end of Tu, in which they all will participate.

Some of the more prominent Kaanho are...

Angusin, king of the Kaanho, famous for his blue armor and the control of the Flame of Chialta.

Mayalaph, the Kaan of love.

Zaer, the Kaan of Death.

Sagin, the Kaan of Evil and unrelenting foe of C'Don.

Tuao the Sun-Dragon.

Sashang the Kaan of the Ocean.

Linfal the Kaan of the Moon and Wisdom.

Tjisir the Kaan of the Storm, of Thunder, and of Winter.

Hedene the Kaan of plants and agriculture.

Edonarter the Kaan of the hunt and of war, and the swift messenger and herald of the Kaanho.

Donalgrimm the Kaan of pestilence and sickness, including sicknesses of the soul.

 The Amonkaanho live in the Greater World with C'Don, and are the parents of the Kaanho proper. They represent the more spiritual, eternal parts of existence, and sit in four thrones before C'Don. These four beings are...

Seyhe, the Kaan of Soul or Spirit.

Nado, the Kaan of Justice and Order and Fate.

Iader, the Kaan of Mercy and tender love and caring.

Pipiath the Kaaan of Imagination, of Art, and of Dreams.

 Then there are the almost-Kaanho, or the half-Kaan, such as...

Thron .

More will be added, later...

Those interested with comments, suggestions, things I have forgotten, things I messed up, contact me at... E-Mail:a l.schroeder@nashville.com

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