Chull
Chull | |
---|---|
Type | Animal |
World of Origin | Roshar |
Universe | Cosmere |
The chull is a species of crustacean useful for labor intensive jobs. There are differing breeds of chulls and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are found all across Roshar.[1]
Appearance and Anatomy
Chulls are massive crustaceans with thick legs with large claws and a stone-like shell. Their carapaces are typically red.[2] Chulls have whip-like antennae that grow in pace with their shell as they age, so that the chull can sense out spaces to determine if they're large enough to pass through,[3] and beady fist-size black eyes.[4]
Chull shells are a light, porous stone created from minerals the chull consumes in its food and water and then excretes.[5] Since the shell is not alive, chulls are not hurt when their shells are cracked or shaped. In the wild, there are often plants growing in the crevices of a chull's shell.[1] Chulls pull their legs and head into their shell when they sleep, and as a result sleeping chulls look like large boulders or small hills.[6]
The Reshi, and likely others, paint their chulls' shells. One can identify what island a Reshi chull handler is from by the colors and patterns on their chulls' shells.[4]
Behavior
Chulls are generally docile creatures. They have claws that are said to be strong enough to break a man's arm, but it is very unusual for them to behave aggressively.[2] They tend to move with a slow, lumbering gait and are generally slower than humans.
They are capable of making a wide range of noises, including a gravelly bleating, trumpeting, and snorting.[7][8][9]
Chulls are omnivorous creatures. They eat everything from rockbuds to slugs to smaller crustaceans.[2] Domestic chulls are often fed grain.[10]
Chulls are considered less intelligent that horses[11] and in some cases, stubborn.[12]
Chulls breed by way of laying eggs.[13]
Training
There are several different methods of training chull.
- In the rural areas of Jah Keved, chulls are harnessed and controlled with complex leather bridles.[1]
- In the coastal region around Kharbranth, chull drivers often sit directly on the chull's shell and direct them by tapping on their antennae with long poles.
- Some chulls are trained to respond to different rhythms tapped out on their shells with a guiding reed. These reeds are often as long as a person is tall and allow the driver to drive from the wagon or cart rather than riding on the chull itself.[14]
Use
Chull are highly valued as work animals and are considered to be worth more than the average slave.[15] Some people maintain chull herds and rent their labor out on a contract basis.[16]They are slow but strong and are used to pull everything up to and including the large complex bridges Dalinar uses for chasm crossings.[16] Since their shells can be carved without harming the animal, some people sand flat places on top of a chull to ride and many carts are hooked to fittings drilled directly into their shells. Shelves and racks can also be carved into or attached directly to chull shells.[17]
Since it is lightweight and durable, chull shell is used as a crafting material. Shallan had a havah with chull-shell buttons.[18]
Chull meat is edible. It can be dried and stored as jerky.[19] In some cultures, including Herdazian and Unkalaki, chull head is considered a delicacy.[20]
Dalinar Kholin uses them to pull his bridges, rather than put the lives of bridgemen at risk.[16]
Cultural References
There is a tavern in Dalinar's warcamp called the "Ornery Chull."[21]
Idioms
“You think I'm scared of a lumbering chull like you? ”
“Jasnah is inordinately fond of dust, I believe she thrives on it, feeding off the particles like a chull crunching rockbuds. ”
“An army was like a massive chull at times, lumbering along, slow to react ”
“Everyone has a place. You're out of yours. Like a chull in a dining hall ”
“Storms, he was like a rat gnawing on the toes of a chull ”
Trivia
- Chull whiskers are similar to those of a cat.[3]
Notes
- ↑ a b c chull.jpg
- ↑ a b c The Way of Kings chapter 4#
- ↑ a b General Reddit 2021
— Arcanum - 2021-01-01# - ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 28#
- ↑ Inkthinker's comments on the Chull page from Shallan's Sketchbook
— Deviant Art # - ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 23#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 12#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 21#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 26#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 2#
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 10#
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 18#
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 68#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 17#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 46#
- ↑ a b c The Way of Kings chapter 15#
- ↑ Chull.jpg
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 3#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 70#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 12#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 46#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 33#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 56#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 44#
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 120#