Aachan

Aachan is one of three fictional planets in Ian Irvines "The Three Worlds Cycle". It is described to be a fragile world of sulphur-coloured snow, oily bogs and black luminous flowers.

Original Inhabitants

The original human species to inhabit Aachan were the Aachim. They were a tall, dark people who loved their world. The Aachim were fond of creating great structures, mainly for beauty. They were great artisans and in their principal city of Tirthrax on Santhenar it is said that every surface is carved into a thing of beauty. On Aachan their cities were shaped into bubble like structures and had an almost organic look to them.

A World Stolen

One day on Aachan, the Charon appeared from the void. They were but 200, but they were not going to allow their small numbers stop them gaining a world. Half of the Charon were destroyed and the other half captured. The remaining Charon were soon sentenced to death. But one among them, the Charon prince Rulke, who had been close to death mere hours before, due to a wound from one among the Aachim, Elienor (the only Aachim to ever wound him), rose up and took hostage the two leaders of the Aachim. He demanded the surrender of the Aachim in exchange for the elders lives. The Aachim surrendered not only their freedom, but also their world.

The Destruction of a World

When the Forbidding was broken, it created an unforeseen catastrophe. It triggered world-wide volcanic activity on Aachan. The remaining 70 Charon returned to the void and the legion of Aachim were left to find their own solution. For 207 of Santhenars years the Aachim studied Rulke's legendary construct and built 10,000 of their own, though none were capable of flight.

The Aachim also selected people among them with promising empathic and sensitive abilities. They were to try and reach out into the void and find someone to help open a gate and ferry the Aachim to safety.

One such person was Minis foster-son of Vithis, Leader of Inthis First Clan. Minis reached out and eventually made contact with a young and promising artisan by the name of Tiaan. Minis soon discovered that Tiaan was from Santhenar and convinced her into journeying to Tirthrax to ask the Aachim there to create a gate to save the Aachim of Aachan.

Tiaan discovered Tirthrax to be deserted and achieved a remarkable feat. She herself created the gate to Aachan, with no experience and was able to rescue 100,000 Aachim. But Vithis's, Clan Inthis, were not among them.

Aachim of Aachan on Santhenar

The Aachim betrayed Tiaan and set out to conqeur Santhenar. When Tiaan discovered Malien to be alive and well in Tirthrax they together discovered the secret of flight and Tiaan set off to gain retrabution.

The Aachim and Tiaan had many a contest of wills. The Aachim even captured Tiaan for sometime but was able to escape back to the care of Malien. Malien chose to help Tiaan rather than her people, who had always ostracised her.

Malien and Tiaan discovered what was once Inthis First Clan's remains in the Dry Sea. After they decided to inform Vithis, they journeyed back to the Dry Sea with Vithis and the other Clan Leaders. Vithis summoned the Master Well of Echoes (a power only he possessed, as it was a spell of birthright not of power or knowledge) and gave his people a fitting end. Vithis tried to end Malien, but she fought back at the last minute and used her greater strength to save Tiaan and Nish. With the extra time gained by Malien, Tiaan was able to make Vithis see sense and uncovered that it was Tirior of Clan Nataz that had betrayed Inthis. After sending Tirior to the Well, Vithis too decided to take that way out. But not before sending it to a dangerous purpose. To destroy Santhenar.