Curious about Findail's story...

[Rocksister]

I'm reading The One Tree right now. I just finished the part where Starfare's Gem is in one of the calm parts of its voyage to find the Tree, and the Giants have gathered for a storytelling on the deck. After Covenant talks about Kevin, and Pitchwife tells a story, and others share their tales, Findail materializes and requests to be allowed to tell a tale of his own. He tells two stories, both of which are about the Appointed of the Elohim. The first one is about the Colossus of the Fall and how she was placed in her position in the Land. Then he tells about Kastenessen. He kept saying over and over about how Kastenessen was a youth when he was chosen to be Appointed. It got me to thinking, if the Elohim have youth, they have to procreate somehow. Now I am not an expert on the TC books, and I do not analyze them closely. But I have read them all at least ten times, and I do not remember anything being said about procreation among the Elohim. Do any of you have any thoughts about that? Even Findail referred to himself as a youth at one time and to himself getting older. So time DOES pass for them, even though they are "Earthpower incarnate." Just curious, if anyone knows anything about this. I plugged in a search about Elohim, but too many hits to go through. So I apologize if this has been asked before.

[Fist and Faith]

I'm sure we could think of ways for Elohim to come into being other than procreation. Could be the Earthpower itself makes another one from time to time? Maybe it "wants" to. Could be events of some sort, or of some significance, cause a reaction in the Earthpower, bringing another one into being.

[balon!]

Weren't elohim appointed because they were the ones meant for a certain task? That implies to me that the earthpower they are made of, is focused in a specific area with each elohim. One for the rabbits, one for the oak leaves, one for the lords-fire, etc... whatever.

What I'm getting at, is that a new elohim might be made every time something is created/happens that requires a new type of focus for earthpower, IE) another elohim is needed.

[Blackhawk]

great thoughts on the Elohim procreation. and this is what daphin said about their being...

Daphin concluded, "Sun-Sage, we are the Wurd-the direct offspring of the creation of the Earth. From it we arose, and in it we have our being. Thus we are the heart, and the
center, and the truth, and therefore we are what we are. We are all answers, just as we are every question.

I think every Couple hundred thousand millenia the earths heart could create a new Elohim from something as powerful as the earthblood....another form of the earths release of its potency. like a giant sunflare..or power surge. with the need to replace one of the appointed earth-heart gives birth to a new Elohim.

I was considering the idea that each elohim has its own appointment when it comes to dangers to the earthpower, but then i thought that cant be because each elohim would already know it was being appointed for a certain task when it came to what type of threat was presented to the earthpower, but it seems the Elohim are interchangeable...meaning they can all take on whatever form of earthpower they want, but like most beings they have a preference towards one or the other....Kasteniesen was appointed because he was being punished for something, and they took the easy road and appointed Findail because Kasteniesen already cursed him with the next appointment. and i have a feeling if there happens to be another appointed Chants number is coming up.

[Brasidas]

Daphin concluded, "Sun-Sage, we are the Wurd-the direct offspring of the creation of the Earth. From it we arose, and in it we have our being. Thus we are the heart, and the
center, and the truth, and therefore we are what we are. We are all answers, just as we are every question.

It's wonderful when we get a passage like this, because it can mean so many things to so many people.
'we are all answers, just as we arre every question.' Yeah, thanks for that Daphin. you've really cleared it all up for us...

[wayfriend]

My feeling is that Kastenessen's "youth" was more of an attitude than anything chronological. We know Elohim spend a lot of time in self-exploration. And we know that they don't all do it the same way at the same time.

Yet for Chant that shadow has become exigent. Risking much, as he does, he grows impatient with those who have not yet beheld or entered the shadows cast by their own truths. And others tread this path with him.

So, it seems clear that some have explored their "shadow" whereas others have not.

So. Kastenessen is a "youth", I feel, in that he hasn't performed as much self-exploration as the other Elohim, and so perhaps doesn't have as deep an understanding of his responsibilities and his own capacities for darkness.

[Rocksister]

Very interesting discussion. Since I'm reading the Second Chronicles right now, I also just read the passage you quoted about where the Elohim come from. Her quote would lead me to believe there have been no "new" Elohim since the creation of the Earth, therefore, if you count their time of existence chronologically, they are all the exact same age. It was Findail's story aboard Starfare's Gem that got me thinking about them age-wise. He mentioned both his own youth and Kastenessen's. You folks humble me with your depth of understanding of the TC books. It's why I love these forums. I learn and open my mind to others' interpretations. How cool! Keep on rockin'!

[Damack]

So. Kastenessen is a "youth", I feel, in that he hasn't performed as much self-exploration as the other Elohim, and so perhaps doesn't have as deep an understanding of his responsibilities and his own capacities for darkness.

I agree with this. I think "youth" here represents experience more so than actual age.