The Endless Chambers of Cha

In the Glorious Palace of Cho, in the Endless Chambers of Cha to the north, for whatever need or want that arose in the First God Ohepa, that which fulfilled Ohepa’s need or want also arose instantaneously.

When Ohepa longed for soft light and harmonious music, these simply arose. When Ohepa longed for cradling beds and caressing sheets, these simply arose. And when Ohepa had longed for close friends, these simply arose as well.

As if they were of one mind, these five close friends, the five First Gods, went about delighting in the experience of all that was pleasurable or desirable. Although the desires of each of the five close friends had their own distinct character, the desires of one always complemented and never contradicted the desires of the others.

An entirely new set of doors unlocked and opened in the Endless Chambers of Cha to the north the day these five close friends discovered and began exploring the disc of chiʔ and the staff of cheʔ–what would later be known as the capacity, the markers, and the facilitators of procreation.

These five close friends held both disc and staff–Ohepa in complete balance; Ungoba holding more disc than staff; Agimu holding more staff than disc; Ikuwo holding twice more disc than staff; Ezhati holding twice more staff than disc.

These five close friends delighted in mating with each other, delighted in feeling new life swell within themselves, delighted in the rapture of giving birth, and delighted in feeling stillness again, gazing upon new life as new life gazed back at them–like a Young God, but new.

Ohepa would call these wondrous new life, “the New.” They would later be called by others, “the New Gods.”

The many delightful matings and wondrous birthings that took place between these five close friends in the Endless Chambers of Cha to the north gave rise to a multitude of New Gods–each possessing a fascinating variety of attributes and a charming array of manners.

On the whole, one distinct attribute of these New Gods was a discernible bias towards holding more strongly than their forebears either the disc of chiʔ or the staff of cheʔ.

Over time, five of the strongest holders of the disc of chiʔ arose:

Beautiful Iutha arose from the disc of Ikuwo joining the staff of Ohepa.

Adorable Hida arose from the disc of Ungoba joining the staff of Ohepa.

Savvy Iesu arose from the disc of Ungoba joining the staff of Agimu.

Mesmerizing Iato arose from the disc of Ungoba joining the staff of Agimu.

And elegant Iovi arose from the disc of Ikuwo joining the staff of Ezhati.

These five New Gods would later be called, “the Mother Gods.”

Also with time, five of the strongest holders of the staff of cheʔ arose:

Reliable Hesu arose from the disc of Ohepa joining the staff of Ezhati.

Endearing Eovi arose from the disc of Ungoba joining the staff of Ezhati.

Shrewd Eide arose from the disc of Ohepa joining the staff of Agimu.

Graceful Eutha arose from the disc of Ikuwo joining the staff of Agimu.

And dignified Eatu arose from the disc of Agimu joining the staff of Ezhati.

These five New Gods would later be called, “the Father Gods.”

In some circles, the ten Father and Mother Gods would later be called, “the Binary Gods,” while the five First Gods would be called by the same, “the Unary Gods.”

Delightful mating, wondrous birthing, and the raising of offspring, each possessing a fascinating variety of attributes and a charming array of manners was beginning to fill the Endless Chambers of Cha to the north.

One day, while luxuriating in rest, the five First Gods were approached by the five Mother Gods. To the five Mother Gods, the five First Gods appeared as impeccably-dressed, divine sovereigns of imposing presence, sitting upon self-illuminating thrones of ornately-carved, emerald-studded jade.

Bowing and prostrating, the five Mother Gods supplicated in unison thusly: “O First, the Grand Chambers of Cha to the north are so magnificent and splendid. We would delight to visit as often as you desire, if you would but grant us living space to widen our circles of family in the Glorious Palace of Cho..!”

Ohepa’s gaze returned from the right to look at these New God companions directly.

Now, it would be understandable to consider Ohepa omnipotent–that which fulfilled Ohepa’s need or want arose instantaneously as Ohepa’s need or want arose.

It would also be understandable to consider Ohepa omniscient–Ohepa could, and often would, look into the mind-mirror of friends and companions, discerning what they wanted or needed, often before they could articulate it for themselves.

What Ohepa found themselves mystified by is that these New God companions did not appear to possess the same capacity as Ohepa to have that which fulfilled their needs or wants arise instantaneously as their need or want arose.

The appeal of the five Mother Gods was but the latest observation to strengthen Ohepa’s sense of wonderment. But then, a light went on for Ohepa: making an appeal is what these New God companions must want and need: confirmation, permission.

What Ohepa did not realize is that Ohepa’s desire had primacy in the Glorious Palace of Cho. The five Mother Gods approaching to supplicate was a desire of theirs, but necessarily moreso, a desire of Ohepa’s--for the comfort of space.

At that, Ungoba spoke, “I see a vast field of villas spreading over a tree-speckled plain, bordered with gentle, rolling hills..” Ungoba’s words elicited a sympathetic softening among those present and blessed the five Mother Gods in particular with incentive for bravery.

Agimu continued, “I see stable stone walls, warm hearths, and gentle, moderate temperatures for rest and play..”

Ikuwo continued, “I see beautiful and smart, young children with smiling faces of abundant nourishment..”

Ezhati continued, “I see elegant and alluring young women, raising families in harmony with the cycles of the Great Black Clock.”

And Ohepa concluded, “Please enjoy raising your families in the Stately Villas of Chi to the west.”

The five Mother Gods bowed and prostrated, eyes swelling with gratitude, then taking their leave–and taking many New God companions west with them–to Ohepa’s own delight. And to the delight of Ohepa’s friends.

Delightful mating, wondrous birthing, and the raising of offspring, each possessing a fascinating variety of attributes and a charming array of manners continued apace in the Palace of Cho.

The five First Gods would couple with each other. The New Gods would couple with each other. The five First Gods would couple with the New Gods. And the New Gods would couple with the five First Gods. All to the good of pleasure, wonderment, and delight.

As the New Gods arose in this ferment of great coupling, they became curious and insightful about the act of coupling itself. The New Gods began to notice patterns in coupling, such as how the outcome of a coupling seemed to be affected by how the coupling individuals held disc of chiʔ and staff of cheʔ.

Particularly, those holding twice more disc than staff would generally not produce offspring with others also holding twice more disc than staff. This appeared to be the same for those strongly holding staff: those holding twice more staff than disc would generally not produce offspring with others holding twice more staff than disc.

Another shared observation that arose among the New Gods was that those holding greater proportions of disc to staff appeared intensely drawn to couple with others holding greater proportions of staff to disc. After coupling, these New Gods in particular would rest in deep relief with a momentary experience of balance between shared disc and staff.

The novel urgency with which these New Gods appeared drawn to couple with each other became a source of endearing amusement to the five First Gods and to other, disc-staff balanced New Gods. To Ohepa, coupling with close friends and companions was but another way to connect, one pleasure among many.

One day, while luxuriating in rest, the five First Gods were approached by the five Father Gods. To the five Father Gods, the five First Gods appeared as impeccably-dressed, divine sovereigns of imposing presence, sitting upon self-illuminating thrones of ornately-carved, diamond-studded alabaster.

Bowing and prostrating, the five Father Gods supplicated in unison, thusly: “O First, the Grand Chambers of Cha to the north are so wondrous and inviting. We would delight to visit as often as you desire, if you would but grant us living space to grow our lines of family in the Glorious Palace of Cho..!”

Ohepa’s gaze returned from the left to look at these New God companions directly.

The appeal of the five Father Gods was but the latest observation to strengthen Ohepa’s assessment: that what these New God companions must want and need was confirmation and permission.

What Ohepa did not realize is that Ohepa’s desire had primacy in the Glorious Palace of Cho. The five Father Gods approaching to supplicate was a desire of theirs, but necessarily moreso, a desire of Ohepa’s. And the desires of a New God always complemented and never contradicted the desires of a First God.

At that, Ungoba spoke, “I see a boundless net of great manor houses peppered across gently-steeped terraces, holding hidden gardens with soothing streams..”

Agimu continued with a wry smile, “I see the hidden gardens hiding some of your urgent acts of coupling from the rest of us..” Agimu’s words elicited a knowing laughter among those Gods present and blessed the five Father Gods in particular with self-aware humor.

Ikuwo continued from amusement, “I see your coupling bearing handsome and clever, young children with smiling faces of joyful kinship..”

Ezhati continued, “I see refined and dignified young men, raising families in harmony with the cycles of the Great Black Clock.”

And Ohepa concluded, “Please enjoy raising your families in the Great Manors of Che to the east.”

The five Father Gods bowed and prostrated, faces beaming with gratitude, then taking their leave–and taking many New God companions east with them–to Ohepa’s own delight. And to the delight of Ohepa’s friends.