Traan'toran
The traan'toran, or the "Face of Tor," is a war mask and helmet head piece worn by the Khaghatan, the supreme leader of the Khaghate people. It is both a practical piece of armor and a symbol of the Khaghatan's power and station, connecting him to all previous Khaghatane. Though the Khaghate claim that the current traan'toran is the same worn by Khaghatan the First during the First Intermediate Period, scholars believe that the mask has been remade no less than three times over its two millennia history.
Mechanics & Inner Workings
While the first traan'toran is said to have been carved from the bones of the legendary behir Xiagru, it appears as though the contemporary war masks of the Khaghatane have been forged from temōrtra. Temōrtra, or "sky iron," is an exceptionally rare material made from ancient meteorites. It is found only in scattered deposits across northern Iroa, such as the Chekeren Crater of the Khaghat Steppe. The Khaghate have a long history of using temōrtra as well as other durable metals in the construction of their signature armor and its increased rarity has caused it to become considered worthy of only the greatest warriors. The particular specifications of the current traan'toran are presently unknown, but it is believed to be further enhanced with runes written in archaic Khaghat'oa and blessed by shamanistic magic.
Significance
The traan'toran is the most significant part of the Imperial Regalia of the Khaghate people. It is traditionally worn only by the sitting Khaghatan, with its presentation an integral part of the enthronement ceremony of a new Khaghatan. The traan'toran is reforged to fit the head of the new Khaghatan and accommodations are made depending on the individual's anatomy, like the tusks of an orc or the horns of a minotaur. Upon donning the traan'toran, the new Khaghatan renounces his birth name and takes the title and pronouns of the Khaghatan as his own. Only upon the the of the Khaghatan is the traan'toran removed, where it is then stored in the deceased Khaghatan's kurgan until a new Khaghatan is selected.
According to "The Legend of Khaghate the First," the original traan'toran was said to have been crafted from the bones of the legendary behir Xiagru by the hero Tor. After crafting the mask, the hero from his exile to rescue his family from a Samarthian centaur tribe. Upon defeating both the centaurs and his treacherous brother, the hero took the title of Khaghatan the First and began the tradition of only revealing his true face to those within his most inner circle. This mythic origin directly connects the present bearer of the title of Khaghatan to the founders of the Khaghate people, and thus creates an unbroken line of leaders all bearing the Face of Tor. By extension, the traan'toran connects the Khaghate people to their patron deity; Oheilion, the Bloodied Lord.
According to Khaghate tradition, the traan'toran has only been lost three times: once briefly to the Samartha, once to the yikaria of Rhalpalkan , and once to the Tao-Tē Dynasty. While the first disappearance was said to be part of its wearer's brilliant plot to annihilate his opponents, the other two disappearances resulting in a permanent loss of that particular object. Khaghate lore claims that the masks suddenly reappeared after a period of absence, often calling to the next Khaghatan from their hiding places. It is more likely that those two masks remained in enemy hands and a new traan'toran was fashioned to anoint the next Khaghatan.
Item type
Clothing / Accessory
Current Location
Current Holder
Related ethnicities
Related Myths
Related Materials
Comments