Kabe Ischloear was a Homomdan. He was a guest on the Culture's Masaq' Orbital in the late 22nd century CE as a journalist and "ambassador".[1]
Biography[]
Moving to Masaq'[]
Ischloear fell in love with a female Homomdan, but was disappointed when this was not reciprocated. This may have influenced his decision to leave home in pursuit of greater understanding of pan-humans, and people in general.[2]
Eventually, Ischloear became a guest resident of Masaq' in the late 22nd century CE. He immediately befriended E.H. Tersono, a Contact drone. During that time he became regarded as an "ambassador"[1]; it would take ten years for him to learn the Culture's definition of the term.[3] He also befriended Mahrai Ziller, a Chelgrian Caste Denier and composer in self-imposed exile.[1] He was the only Homomdan on the Orbital, which was a relief given his personal estrangement.[2]
After a year, Ischloear began conveying his experiences to his original home once every six days through the Homomdan Far-Flung Correspondents News Service. The correspondence took the form of multimedia letters[4], in styles ranging from essays to poetry. He sought to help Homomdans interpret the extensive raw data on the Culture already available to them.[2] His letters developed a small but devoted following.[4]
Ischloear chose a replica of his family nose ring as his communications terminal to avoid devices being implanted in his body. He was formally addressed as Ar or Ambassador Ischloear. He usually attended Tersono's Eighth-Day recitals.[1]
Shortly after arriving on Masaq', he sailed on the articulating barge down the Tulume River, through the Ribbon Lakes, and then the Great River to Aquime City. Along the way he observed wing-fliers from an extreme distance.[4]
Ischloear lived on the top floor of a house in the Tirian Hills; the floor was constructed for him.[5]
Host for a Chelgrian[]
Ten years after arriving, Kabe was present for the Orbital's remembrance of the Battle of the Twin Novae, which took place over 800 years before in the Idiran-Culture War.[1] This coincided with an official visit by a Chelgrian emissary, Tibilo Quilan, ostensibly to convince Ziller to end his exile. Culture-Chelgrian relations were strained due to the Culture's involvement in the Chelgrian Caste War.[6]
Tersono explicitly invited the Homomdan to its Eighth-Day recital featuring Ziller; it was held aboard the ceremonial barge Soliton in Aquime City and marked the beginning of the remembrance. At the following reception, he helped the Orbital's Hub contact Olsule; Olsule had forgotten his terminal. Ischloear met privately with Tersono and Ziller, where the drone informed them of the Chelgrian visit expected in the next 30 or 40 days. As the Culture planners anticipated, Ziller, as a Caste Denier, was extremely reluctant to host or meet the high-caste emissary. As a result, Ischloear agreed to be the host with assistance from the drone and Hub. Tersono and Ischloear agreed to meet the next day to discuss the arrangement in greater detail.[1] The Homomdan put on hold all other projects to study the material on the Chelgrians from the drone.[4]
Psychology[]
Physiology[]
Ischloear had glistening black skin and three metres tall. On Masaq', the smaller human inhabitants could mistake him for a statue when he was still.[1]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Look to Windward, chapter 1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Look to Windward, chapter 7
- ↑ Look to Windward, Epilogue
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Look to Windward, chapter 3
- ↑ Look to Windward, chapter 5
- ↑ Look to Windward, chapter 4