Catoble da Pon
Hailan Cato
Ah yes, the mysterious Catoble, the patron of the sick and dying.Hailan Catoble is often invoked in the prayers to heal or ease the pain of those sick and dying. But much about the Hailan is still left in mysteries.
The Appearance of Catoble
Catoble is often depicted as having a hunch on their back. Some stories tell, it was because their illness made their head too heavy for the body to hold straight. They often wear a cow mask, mostly because they were believed to be a great admiration of Kotoan, the Cow Hailan, while others think the abusive father made their face appalling. Inside the mast were herbs to keep him conscious and sharp minded when he was helping those in need of his herbal medicine.Due to them wearing the mask whenever they were in the presence of others, and them having a hunch, it became unclear what gender Catoble was born. There are in several literatures uncertainty whether to use female or masculine pronounce, some even mix the gender when talking about them, making readers even more confused and often think Catoble is several persons and not just the one.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Catoble is believed to have been born into a poor family in Aistana. They were never never allowed outside the family home because of their poor health, and the family could not afford any medicine should their health deteriorate. When their mother died, the father became drunk and slapped Catoble. The father then began having an alcohol problem and forced Catoble to beg for money using the people’s sympathy towards an ill child.
After nearly a year with Catoble’s health deteriorating because of the exposition of the outside, and one winter morning they collapsed in the snow. A young herbalist approached them and gave medicine to help regain their conciousness, he then brought Catoble to his house and slowly, Catoble became an apprentice to the herbalist. Yet over the years, Catoble felt something was missing, plagued by the visions and the guilt over other poor families was not as lucky as them. They bid the herbalist good bye, and travelled across most of Aistana, to help the poor families with their sickness. Those who were dying, they comforted and eased their pains.
Catoble did not reach 40. They died due to in their confusion caused by his born condition. They accidentally gathered poisonous herbs and inhaled them. They were placed on an ordinary Irathian Funeral Pyres. But when the ash priests started gathering the ash, one of those who touched Catoble’s ash felt all their ailments disappear. Catoble’s ash was placed inside the church, and in 647 they became patron Hailan of the said church and protector of the sick and dying.
After nearly a year with Catoble’s health deteriorating because of the exposition of the outside, and one winter morning they collapsed in the snow. A young herbalist approached them and gave medicine to help regain their conciousness, he then brought Catoble to his house and slowly, Catoble became an apprentice to the herbalist. Yet over the years, Catoble felt something was missing, plagued by the visions and the guilt over other poor families was not as lucky as them. They bid the herbalist good bye, and travelled across most of Aistana, to help the poor families with their sickness. Those who were dying, they comforted and eased their pains.
Catoble did not reach 40. They died due to in their confusion caused by his born condition. They accidentally gathered poisonous herbs and inhaled them. They were placed on an ordinary Irathian Funeral Pyres. But when the ash priests started gathering the ash, one of those who touched Catoble’s ash felt all their ailments disappear. Catoble’s ash was placed inside the church, and in 647 they became patron Hailan of the said church and protector of the sick and dying.
Divine Classification
Hailan
Species
Ethnicity
Church/Cult
Year of Death
107 AGD
Circumstances of Death
Died inhaling poisonous herbs.
Children
Belief/Deity
Irath
What an interesting character!
I loved how you mixed the traits of both the mythical and the slightly more earthly inspirations for this character in their characteristics. I found it interesting how the inconsistency in the pronouns made some people question whether Catoble was a single person or multiple characters as well. There seems to be a word or two missing in the conclusion of the article, as it indicates that "They died due to [???] in their confusion caused by his born condition"
A heads up as well, I featured Catoble in my Reading Challenge this year if you want to check it :)
Thank you so much. I'm extremely happy you noticed how I mixed the real catoblepon myth with Cato themselves :D Thank you for noticing this mistake, I think it was because they "died by inhaling poison due to their born condition made them confusing their healing herbs with poisonous ones" Also thank you for adding it to your reading challenge <3