Lore

Deities of Imarel - by T.A. Saunders ©2013 v1.0

Habakano, Warden of the Broken Lore

Habakano has the unique distinction of being a god created entirely from the urban legends and old wives tales of a mortal race. Originally an old ghost story, told to Albadosian children, the Thin Man, Habakano was said to always remember who was charitable and who was greedy, who was kind to helpless and who was cruel to them. “Habakano Remembers!” is considered a curse upon the wealthy and powerful, who abuse their status, and victimize those who cannot fend for themselves.

So strong in the belief that the Thin Man existed in the Albadosian people and for so long, the manifestation of that belief simply formed Habakano, where no such deity existed before. While nearly all Albadosians worship Ghozoth (more out of a desire to ensure he is content and never rises from The Deep), Habakano is paid homage to nearly as much by the masses.

For the poor and oppressed, Habakano represents a means of punishment against the ruling class. For the elite, paying homage to Habakano, through charitable works, is a means to keep from being visited by the the god's Shunu, who it is said, take the form of shadowy, thin men, who take something dear from the wealthy, if they have been needlessly cruel to the unfortunate. Often, this is one's health, resulting in a prolonged illness that forces one to spend a vast sum to find a cure (which may or may not be successful).

Habakano appears as a thin Albadosian male, dressed in rags, with a hooded cloak, that always hides his features from view. While he does not carry any visible weapons, he does always have a simple, handwoven basket that contains several pieces of flatbread. This bread is said to have the ability to cure all manner of ailment and infuse the one who eats of it, with a short period of ‘luck' when it comes to attaining wealth. Temples of Habakano can be found in the slums of almost every Albadosian city, and have started to spread to Taijun and abroad, as well.