kraiaKy

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//**Kiikama**// are any manner of malevolent spiritual creatures in any [[:kavkem]] [[:kavkem:mythology]] based on //[[:kavkem:mythology:Taaravahr]]// (which is to say, all that are worth mentioning). While their exact nature varies, there is some common, shared imagery:

<fc #ff0000>**WARNING**</fc>: The following depictions have not yet had a chance to become canonical.

===== Kaanakava =====

Collectively, //kaanakava// share much of the kavkem appearance, or close kinship to something that in turn does. They are associated with [[:kavkem:mythology:Tkanetar]]. They cannot actually exist, though it's conceivable they were occasionally cast as illusions.

==== Pyreraptors ====

The pyreraptors (//ekiikava//) are free-roaming black-feathered and -scaled kavkema, something that is inherently a frightening concept to the kavkema, as any kavkem of that colour would be plainly visible aboveground amongst the mountains. The thicker or more elaborate occurrences of feathers (manes, tail tufts, arm feathers) are rendered as flames. Their eyes range from amber to blue, matching the colour of their flames. Pyreraptors frequently 'appear' to victims of [[:Nayabaru:technology:Serrata]].

==== Sharpkin ====

Sharpkin (//jonikama//) are kavkema whose feathers have been completely replaced by tiny thorns and spines. They are known to have a friendly, oblivious personality, often coming to visit the victims of pyreraptors or Nayabaru to offer their solace and companionship. Given [[:kavkem:society|kavkem social culture]], this generally involves body contact, which given their nature tends to cause great pain to the captive they've purportedly come to soothe. Rarely one might encounter stories of jonikama that instead are quite aware of their effect, but whose minds are twisted enough that they enjoy the pain they cause, or simply don't care, preferring the physical proximity to the victim's well-being.

==== Soulstranglers ====

Soulstranglers (//qita's̈elua//) are strictly acorporeal - they have no appearance once could describe. To some degree, one might call them proto-kiikama, still looking for a form to call their own. Indeed, by common interpretation, nearly all pyreraptors and jonikama began their metaphysical lives as soulstranglers.

Soulstrangers have only very limited influence upon the world. Often invisibly encountered, they are harmless to most kavkema - unless a kavkem has recently ingested even the smallest amount of ash. Even one grain of ash allows a soulstrangler to enter a kavkem body and bind itself to it, effectively taking it over from within - an irreversible form of possession much as though it ate through the mind of the kavkem while it replaced it with its own.

While an associated physical transformation is **not** guaranteed (and some cultures might consider //[[:kavkem:society|kaaru]]// untransformed soulstrangled kavkema), it's considered //common// that the victim becomes a pyreraptor, or a jonikam.

Various kavkem cultures have stories of corporeal kiikama tricking kavkema into eating ashes to doom them to their acorporeal kin.

===== Howlers =====

Howlers are minor kiikama. They come in the form of intelligent, wolverine-like creatures said to stalk and harass kavkema, emitting high-pitched, incessant sounds to attract the attention of the Nayabaru. They mostly appear in mythology to haunt wounded heroes.

===== Fireflies =====

Fireflies (//sephyraa//) and other bioluminescent insects are considered long-lived sparks of fires. Like the Howlers, their main purpose is to guide the Nayabaru to kavkem locations; a swarm of fireflies might form a delicate chain through the darkness of night to lead the Nayabaru to the hiding spots of kavkema.

Fireflies are fortunately usually lazy and won't bother to track kavkema. Should the kavkema disturb the Nayabaru to truly significant degree (such as burn down an entire settlement) however, fireflies (most likely numerous because of a literal fire) will however help the remaining Nayabaru hunt the attackers down.

The way to shake them is simply to exhaust the swarm - to walk (or better yet, run) so far that the chain cannot maintain any reasonable spacing between the individual spots of light. Killing them is a waste of time - there is nothing in a typical kavkem arsenal that would be able to kill a whole swarm efficiently and trying to kill them one at a time is both slow and fundamentally tricky, as they're quite nimble flyers.

===== Spiders =====

Any mythology that considers //Terenyira// a metaphysical entity (especially //[[:kavkem:mythology:Leksharia]]//, where she is considered more than even a deity; but also occasionally within //[[:kavkem:mythology:Akynkulla]]//, //[[:kavkem:mythology:Kiivenara]]// or //[[:kavkem:mythology:Asara]]//) traditionally presumed spiders to be her informants or even her eyes. With the appearance of the [[:Nayabaru:technology:spiderling|spiderlings]], however, depictions of spiders as extensions of Terenyira's senses were typically downgraded to the 'informants' narrative.

In any case, the different beliefs agree that one should avoid or destroy spiders when one sees them.

===== Incompletes =====

Incompletes (//va'daanua//) are, as their name suggests, incomplete kiikama or pieces of shattered kiikama. Subsentient and incapable of strategic or tactical thinking, they burrow into various animals and take up residence in their bodies as a metaphysical parasite, forgoing the effort of hunting, scavenging or even of movement for a dull life in their hosts.

If a kavkem eats an animal infected with a //va'daanu//, the kavkem will fall ill. Fortunately, since these demons are subsentient, despite no doubt //in principle// feeling that the kavkem's suffering is paramount, they do a poor job of keeping their host alive, often allowing kavkema to die.

//Va'daanua// exist in all mythologies except //[[:kavkem:mythology:Nitish Ynas]]//, where the Tarnish itself takes on their role.