ehukto e|'huk|to

Language: Ksak-tuthasho

Noun: n. heaven, paradise. In Echa myth, it is one of the five houses in the Spirit World where dead souls go. It is the place where good souls who do not want to go to the living world, or are prevented by Setukota Ekatato, go to rest in bliss.

Etymology: Ehukto comes from huka - good, morally superior, and hakt - place. In addition, the superlative e...to is used, the Ksak-tuthasho equivalent of "most". A literal translation might be, "the best place."

Declension: (There is no plural of any sort for ehukto, as it is one specific, mythological place)

Nominative: ehukto

Accusative: ehukte

We're going to talk about Echa spirituality today, or, what the Echa believe happens to the soul after a person dies. Anything that appears to be stated as "fact" below, is actually the particular beliefs of the Echa, not necessarily the "truth" of what happens.

When a person's spirit dies, it flows downhill into a river, and eventually out to the sea, where it is picked up by a setukoto hesh (you'll remember these are basically white-and-red striped sharks) who then delivers it to Setukota Ekatato (the shark death god) in the Spirit World.

Setukota Ekatato sits in judgement on the soul, and when he comes to a decision sends it to one of the five houses that he has built in the Spirit World.

The first house is Huhksokto, the Library or Archive. Two kinds of souls come here, those with stories to tell, and those Setukota Ekatato can't make up his mind about. Setukota Ekatato's only servant, Chutuku (a giant spider) presides here. She weaves the unusual stories belonging to famous people, or those who have led unusual lives, and the story-webs she creates are carefully preserved. When Setukota Ekatato can't decide what to do with a soul, he sends it to Chutuku, and she weaves its story so a more accurate picture can be made.

The second house is Haksakto, the Gateway or Door. Souls who have been good, but deeply love the Living World, or have unfinished business, are sent here. This is an enormous door or gateway where they can find a setukoto hesh who will carry their souls in the Living World until they wish to return.

The third house is Ehukto, Heaven or Paradise. This is where good souls who do not have unfinished business, or who are prevented from returning by Setukota Ekatato, go to spend eternity in bliss. Essentially, this is like the modern Western concept of heaven, a reward for good people.

The fourth house is Tsokhakto, Hell or Purgatory. This is where Setukota Ekatato sends evil or bad souls for punishment. Rather than being a place of physical torment, it's a place of psychological torment where souls are forced to relive the worst times in their lives over and over again.

The fifth house is Hoshukto, Oblivion or Nothingness. Souls sent here are permanently unmade and disappear from existence. Setukota Ekatato sends souls here who are so deeply evil that there is no hope for them. In addition, some souls may choose to go here, those who do not want to continue existing, or those who would prefer oblivion to torment.

Unlike most conceptions of the Afterlife, the assignment of houses is not permanent in the Echa Spirit World, except for those who go to Hoshukto. This is why they are called houses - a spirit may travel from one house to another. For example, if one has finished one's business in the Living World, they may move from Haksakto to Ehukto, or if more information is provided by Chutuku in Huhksokto, they may be sent to one of the other houses. The only permanent house is Hoshukto, because the soul is unmade there.

Another Echa myth. I promised you guys you would get Otkotu Uat-su Uhkut and Ashukutata Uat-sa Okat, and here they are! This is their primary myth, although there are many others.

A little culture for you today. This myth comes from the Echa, a group of orcs from the island of Echa and the neighboring island chain, called The Necklace Islands (K-tuthu Osotsuh). This is their Creation myth.

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This myth belongs specifically to the Echa, a particular tribe of Ksak-tuthasho orcs who come from the island of Echa in the Necklace Islands east of the main continent. They eventually conquered the entirety of the Necklace Islands and much of the mainland, so their cultural heritage, myths, and language became foundational to much of the development of the modern civilized world. Most significant in their culture (which is somewhat reflected in the myth below) is that they believed that mixtures, combinations, and hybrids were important, good things, and anything in its pure state was bad or useless. For this reason they have always been the promoters of change, trade, and innovation.

Before the world began there were air and earth and water. The water stayed in its[1] place and the earth in its place and the air in its place. Then the water became greedy, for it was pure and thought itself the most beautiful thing in existence. It left its place and tried to take the earth’s place. Then the air saw what was happening and went to aid the earth. And so began the first battle of the world.

From the fighting a being was formed, and xe[2] was sturdy as the earth and changing as the water and had voice[3]. Xe was Hukhe.[4] And xe turned to the fighters, and xe spoke the first words of existence.

Xe spoke first to the water, “Be content with what you have.” Then xe spoke to the earth, “Be thankful, and do not seek revenge.” Then xe said to the air, “It is over. You have done your part.” So the first battle ended. In this way the places of the earth and the water and the air had become mixed and could not be made pure again.

Hukhe went forth and walked about the land. In all the places xir feet touched, beasts sprang up from the earth. Then Hukhe came to the shore and xe built for xirself a strong boat of wood. Hukhe sailed across the sea and from every wave that splashed against xir boat fish sprang up from the water. Hukhe reached the middle of the sea and at that time xe decided to go to the air. Xe made wings for xirself and flew into the air, and the boat xe had made became Echa, the jewel of the Necklace Islands. Hukhe flew through the air, and from every flap of xir wings birds sprang up from the air. So the creatures of the world were born. Hukhe flew up very high and was enamored of the air, and xe stayed there, and xir right eye became the sun, and xir left eye the moon.

But the world was flat and boring because Hukhe felt no emotion. The creatures of the earth and the water and the air came together saying, “The world is far too boring and pure – everything is all the same. Something must be done to cause Hukhe to feel.”

Then Eshta Chaketa[5] said, “I am a beast of the earth well acquainted with anger. Let me see if I can make Hukhe angry.”

So Eshta Chaketa made a ladder and climbed up it until he reached Hukhe’s feet. And he leaned out and put his mouth to Hukhe’s ankle and bit down hard.

Hukhe felt the bite and cried out in pain. Turning, xe saw him there, and Hukhe burned with anger. Xe roared, and Eshta Chaketa cowered. Hukhe caught him up and slammed xir hands down upon the earth. And from the impact mountains rose and valleys sank. Then from the mountains a dwarf was born. And so the first dwarf was created from anger.

And the mountains were good and the dwarves were good, but the creatures of the earth and the water and the air were still discontent. They said, “The world is still too boring. Something must be done to make Hukhe feel again.”

Then K-othotu[6] said, “I am a bird of the air well acquainted with laughter. Let me see if I can make Hukhe laugh.”

So K-othotu flew up to Hukhe’s face and there she flew about and cavorted and did such antics that would make any person rejoice to see it. And all the time she sang out joyful, merry songs and told funny stories.

And Hukhe saw her and delighted. Xe clapped xir hands together and laughed loudly. And from the moisture of xir breath clouds were formed, and it rained for the first time. Then from the rain an elf was born. And so the first elf was created from laughter.

And the rain was good and the elves were good, but the creatures of the earth and the water and the air were still discontent. They said, “The world is still too boring. Something must be done to make Hukhe feel again.”

Then spoke Setukotu Hesh[7] and her brother Setukota Ekatato[8], “We are fish of the sea well acquainted with grief. Let us see if we can make Hukhe sad.”

Setukotu Hesh and Setukota Ekatato were twins and the firstborn of all sharks and lords of all the fish that swam through the water. Setukotu Hesh was bright as the day and Setukota Ekatato was black as night and they ruled together well. Because they were lords of the sharks, the eyes of Hukhe were always upon them, the sun by day and the moon by night.

Setukota Ekatato said to his sister, “The eyes of the Hukhe fall upon us day and night, and we must make xir cry. We have no arms to make ladders and no wings to fly, so our drama must happen here in the sea.”

So they told sad stories and wrote plays and dramas, but Hukhe’s heart did not ache to see it. They tried everything that could be thought of, but Hukhe did not cry.

Then said Setukotu Hesh, “Hukhe does not see us, and xe cares not for our drama. We are too far from xir. We must ask the council of creatures to send others to make Hukhe feel.”

But Setukota Ekatato contradicted her, saying, “We are not too far. It is that our dramas have no substance, and their sorrow is only slight sorrow. We must find something sadder to perform.”

Then the two set to quarreling, and became quite angry with each other. Neither would yield to the other sibling’s view, and a separation grew between their souls, and each was accorded a pure feeling.

Then in hatred did Setukotu Hesh rise up at the twilight of the day, with both the sun and the moon in the sky. And she rose up and slew her brother in full sight of Hukhe. Bands of his blood stained her body, and for this reason she and her offspring are called setukoto hesh[9].

And Hukhe saw what had happened with both xir eyes, and the sight grieved xir so that xir heart ached, and xe shed two tears, on from xir right eye and one from xir left. The sun’s tear fell upon the ocean and made it salty, and the moon’s tear fell upon the hot springs and filled them with sulfur. So was bitterness introduced to the world.

From the waves of the salty sea an orc was born. And so the first orc was created from sorrow.

Setukotu Hesh grieved that she had done such a terrible thing, but Hukhe saw and took pity on her. Xe took the soul of Setukota Ekatato and gave him dominion over the souls of all the dead, and to Setukotu Hesh and her offspring xe gave the power to speak to the dead and to carry their souls in the living world. For this reason orcs revere all setukotuh hesh and do them no harm.

Thus was the world formed.

[1] The words translated here as “it” are third-person pronouns that agree with the femininity or masculinity of an object. They can also mean “he” and “she.” “It” has been used when the pronoun references an object or idea, “he” or “she” when it references a person.

[2] The Ksak-tuthasho word is chath, a gender-neutral pronoun that can refer to either an object or a person. It has been rendered as xe, xir, when referring to an individual and it when referring to an object.

[3] The word huhksas means alternatively “air,” “voice,” “breath,” and “soul.” It has been translated as appropriate.

[4] Hukhe sounds like hukhé “hybrid.”

[5] An eshto chakete is a carnivorous animal about the size of a large dog that looks very much like gray-furred hyena.

[6] A k-othote is a small bird about the size of a robin. It has brilliant blue plumage with bright yellow bands around its neck and across its wings, giving it its common name ‘little fettered one.’

[7] A setukoto hesh is a shark about 1.5-2 meters (5-6 feet) long, native to the Necklace Islands. It is white with dark red stripes across its body.