I asked this on the Watch but figured it would be interesting here, as well:
croyel: mysterious creatures which bargain for power.
That's the Glossary's definition of croyel, but is there more to them than just that? I must have an undue fascination with these weird little beasties since, at least to me, two of most intriguing inventions of the Second Chronicles are The Kemper and the arghuleh. They attach themselves as a succumbus to the back of their hosts-forming a smaller "dead" version of the host and magnify the host's powers-at a dire cost.
Quote:"Listen to me!" she flamed as if she knew he could hardly hear her, could not see anything except the blood he he left on the rock. "It's like the Kemper! Like Kasreyn!" Back and forth she heaved at him, trying to wrestle him into focus on her. "Like his son! The arghuleh have something like his son!
At that clarity struck Covenant so hard he nealy fell.
The Kemper's son, Oh my God.
The croyel.
Before the thought was finished, he had broken Linden's grasp and was running toward the Giants.
The croyel!--the succumbus from the dark places of the Earth which Kasreyn had borne on his back, and with which he had bargained for his arts and his preternaturally prolonged life. And out there was an arghule which looked like one ice-beast crouched on another. The creature had contracted with the croyel for power to unite its kind and wage winter wherever it willed.
Just what in hellfire are these things? More banes? And if so were they dug up and then planted by Foul, long ago, to expand his sphere beyond the Land (or to where the Sunbane could not reach) ? The Kemper is supposed to have "come form the west across the sea" did Foul somehow infect a random person of the Land with a croyel? Did an arghule wander too far south at one point? Or are they just random nasties that naturally sprang out of the Earth? If so what caused it?
The Giants and the Waynhim seem to know about croyels but how? Did a dromond pick up Kasreyn at sea and the Giants were overcome by his wiles? Did ur-viles discover them and that's how the Waynhim know? Will they pop up when least expected in the Final Chronicles?
*****
Before, you are wise; after, you are wise. In between you are otherwise.
Fravashi saying (from the formularies of Osho the Fool) <i></i>