Chellarcha

The **chellarcha** are a race of goblins or spirits from Josolchir folklore.

## Characteristics

*Chellarcha* are usually magical humanoids with peach or tan skin and blond hair, well-known for their bean-like grins. They tend to be very mischievous and childish, playing pranks and whispering messages about "respecting women and children" and "embracing change/your own desires".

They especially love being near women and children (unless if a woman or child is evil, in which they lose the *chellarcha'*s protection), to the extent of fiercely protecting them from harm. Because of this, some *chellarcha* are revered as wights with little shrines of their own. Many of them emerge with other ghosts of the land on June and July, the months surrounding Red Ardesch's national day, so many precautions and rituals were used to stop or weaken them.

*Chellarcha* are believed to be created from the souls of people from the Eastern Enclaves: more specifically, the ghosts of children, kind people, and happy people who were killed by invading armies and purges, from the Utopianists to the Grey Kings, and lastly the First Vozonid Empire and the Terrans. Even though they were cursed for their rejection of Gauvajut laws and their loss of divine protection, their transformation into more-benign spirits was said to be interference from a god who pitied them (possibly Zomjonor?).

For this reason, most people avoid *chellarcha*, and also because they might attract their more-destructive brethren, the *julluroi* and the *tellartoi* ghosts (who were the souls of angered or distressed Enclavers, or "deviants" and heretics who seek revenge against the living for persecuting them); and they are likewise attracted to colourful flags or clothing and rainbows. Chellarcha were also spirits of innocent and good Terrans, who had not defiled their own souls with their people's evil acts or stopped and opposed said crimes, but were denied entry from Paradise or Heaven. In Gauvajut and Vozonid legends, these tormented spirits were adopted by the wights, transformed into beautiful fairies.

Parents warned their children that smiling in a mischievous manner would cause the smile to become bean-shaped, and that they might be turned into *chellarcha*.

Some people also believed that duos who wander into empty places for too long, or who show anything resembling any sign of affection to each other, might also get tricked by the *chellarcha* into falling in love. It was also because the *chellarcha* were also ghosts of people who spent much of their free time imagining romantic relationships between their favourite fictional characters, carrying their obsessions into their afterlife.

Some *chellarcha* were also people who wanted to see more of themselves in other people, so that they will feel less lonely: these *chellarcha* were appeased by giving or burning offerings of paper portraits with bean-smiles or couples to them. The givers do not look at the pictures, out of fear that doing so would attract the *chellarcha* and their mischief.

## Chellarcha outside eastern Palkyras

The Heronoi are often compared to *chellarcha* because they are entirely blonde and very emotional. Because of this, chellarcha became popular among Heronoi, seen as very relatable and cute like themselves.

The chellarcha were a remnant of a widespread folk myth during Denlotian times, where similar ghosts with bean-shaped smiles were associated with ancient Terran cartoons. Although they were considered as Terran, Denlotians liked the cartoonish style because cute-looking ghosts were considered more entertaining.

This led to a superstition in some parts of Jerde where people are urged not to draw a character's mouth in a bean shape, to avoid summoning those mischievous ghosts.

### The Itigoren fairies of Bujan

They are a popular theme in Bujanski and Wonao mythology because they are pitied and adored for being too adorable. In their myths, they are Terran souls who are not evil or who have not committed any evil. In Bujan, they are called "itigoren", also meaning "bean mouths".

When Bujan was founded by King Koschei, the Slavs were sometimes compared to itigoren for their light-coloured skin and hair, often in a mocking way. The Bujanski Slavs, in turn, believed that the itigoren fairies were adopted by the domovoi, rusalki, leshi, and other spirits in nature as precious children.

## Notable *chellarcha*

* Kilcharnoz
	+ His character is sometimes used in birthday parties to invoke the *chellarcha*'s powers to bless the young guest with activeness and wealth. He was the ghost of a painter.
	+ A popular love story involves Kilcharnoz and Miasmari (Beanmouth) as lovers who died together as their city was firebombed.
* Princess Beanmouth
	+ Although she would frighten anyone who approaches her, it is believed that her presence attracts insects and bats that pollinate crops. She was the ghost of a dance coach.
	+ Her other names include "Tuhkanzai Meimueza", or simply "Meimeza". It was close to her living name, "Miasmari".
* Fawehino, Fawemino
	+ In Heronoi folklore, this was the ghost of a Terran child who protected a young Heronoi boy. He fled from an abusive household, and watched as a rain of "shooting stars" burned his country. Eventually, when the boy grew to a handsome adult, he helped him and his girlfriend build their own fortunes and find a new home.
	+ In the end, Fawehino was the mysterious page boy at the Heronoi man's wedding. After the wedding is done, the man wanted to meet the page boy, having seen his weeping face being familiar. The ghost explained that his time as a ghost has ended, but he will still be there to follow him. In fact, he wanted to thank the man for preparing him to live "the life he never had". As he tearfully hugged his friend, the ghost vanished into the moonlight.
	+ Nine months later, the man's wife gave birth to a son. To his delight, he looked almost like Fawehino at the day of his birth, and he hugged his son. Fawehino was able to live again, this time as his son, to be raised by loving parents.

## Gallery

### Non-canon

Gworofando as a **chellarcho**, a trickster ghostGworofando as a happy chellarcho.Wiresa as a chellarcha.Farondo as a chellarchoKomata as a chellarchaTeraxari as a chellarcha, waiting to see her boyfriend. >:)

## Trivia

* The *chellarcha* were inspired by the *zashiki-warashi* ghosts of northern Japan, and the *thin-line style* used in 2010's American cartoons (also known as the "CalArts style", where the ghosts' name was derived). More specifically, they might be based on Camp Camp, Steven Universe, Star Butterfly, and several Tumblr and Twitter fandoms of shows like The Owl House and Amphibia.
	+ Their tendency to protect women and children is based on the CalArts style cartoons' alleged feminist messages. Their habit of turning duos into romantic couples was influenced by shipping and its background.
	+ Likewise, the *chellarcha's* bean-shaped mouths were based on the "milky style" of art from Red Ardesch's propaganda.
* The Eosome name for a local equivalent of the *chellarcha*, the *itigoren*, literally means "bean mouth", mocking the shape of the ghosts. "Bean mouth" is also a slang word for the art style due to the characters' most notable trait, especially when they grin.
* The Ruotanese solar god Lashvansh commands an army of *chellarcha* armed with weapons built from scraps and infused with magic.
* In a certain RTS videogame set in Vozolaz, one of the playable factions is an army of *chellarcha* who wages war against Gdjestrana and the two Karkilazes for polluting the land. Any of the surrounding Vozonid factions and/or Karkilaz A may decide whether to have these ghostly *chellarcha* knights as allies or not.
* Male *chellarcha* are sometimes referred to as *chellarcho*. For example, Gworofando's classmates referred him as a *chellarcho* for his blond hair, his playfulness, and his affection for his friend Mjariloz: in response, he gladly volunteered to act as a monster in stage plays, and he also pretended to be a celestial sent from Heaven to help them.

## See also

* Jauporozzo, gryphon spirits in Vozonid mythology who protect people
* Glyrindar, a parade held every June by easterners to appease or weaken those spirits
* Kodequara, their possible enchanted construct allies