Chaghan Suren

by distel.vink

**Chaghan Suren** is the Seer of the Cike and Altan Trengsin's lieutenant.

## Biography

### Early Life

Chaghan hails from the Hinterlands and is a part of the Naimad clan. Chaghan, along with his twin sister Qara, were sent down to the south by the Ketreyids at the age of 11 to spy on the Cike. The Cike was an experiment conducted by Chaghan's mother, Kalagan, as she thought it would be unjust to deny the Nikara access to the Gods. The Ketreyids blame Kalagan for training the Trifecta, who had betrayed the Ketreyids; the twins are viewed negatively by the Ketreyids because of this. Chaghan is also the lost son of the last true khan of the Hinterlands, but it's not known whether the other characters are aware of this fact.

### A Member of Cike

Chaghan assumes the role of Seer within the Cike, and the team relies on his prophecies and hexagram to make important decisions on numerous occasions.

Chaghan was slated to be the Commander after Tyr, however Tyr had reservations about Chaghan's suitability as Commander due to his ruthlessness and his Hinterland heritage. When Altan Trengsin was assigned to Cike after he graduated from Sinegard Academy, he quickly replaced Chaghan as the primary contender for role of Commander. Chaghan fought this decision as first and challenged Altan on numerous occasions, until Altan took him to the valleys for three days. When they returned, Altan had Chaghan's absolute obedience. Chaghan served as Altan's lieutenant when the latter became Commander upon Tyr's death.

### During war with The Federation

While the rest of the Cike were in Khurdalain during the siege, Altan sent Chaghan to scout out the path to Chuluu Korikh, though no one else knows this. He returns a few months into the siege and is nearly killed in the process. After an initial confrontation with Rin, he helps her confront the woman who prevents her from calling the Phoenix and takes her to the Talwu to do a reading. This reading convinces Chaghan that they need to leave Khurdalain for Golyn Niis immediately. After the events of Golyn Niis, Altan sends Chaghan and his sister Qara north for their role in the events of the end of the book.

## Personality

Chagan is aloof at first glance, but can be fiercely intimidating if angered. Rin mentions that while Altan has the Cike's loyalty, Chaghan has their fear. He is driven largely by his own loyalty to Altan, and is lost and unmoored after his death. He eventually united the hundred clans, indicating some leadership ability, but will not be able to rule for long since he will die soon after.

## Physical Description

Chaghan is taller than his twin, Qara, but 'possesse[s] the same slight, birdlike frame'. He has white hair, pale skin, high and hollow cheekbones, and deep set eyes. His eyes are completely white with 'no pupils, no irises, no spot of color.' He has numerous long, jagged scars running down the sides of his neck.

## Relationships

### Qara Suren

Qara is Chaghan’s twin sister. Little is known of their childhood except that she is the daughter of the last true Khan of the Hinterlands. The pair of them are anchor siblings. Qara's presence on Earth allows Chaghan to fully visit the spirit realm without leaving any part of himself behind. If one of them dies though, the other does too. When Chaghan arrives at Khurdalain, the Cike discover his presence because Qara is suddenly in pain without injury.

### Altan Trengsin

Altan Trengsin and Chaghan started out with a rocky relationship. Altan replaced Chaghan as Tyr's top choice for commander of the Cike, which bred resentment in Chaghan until he challenged Altan to a duel. Three days later they both came back and Chaghan has been loyal to Altan ever since. He is described as a whipped dog due to his intense obedience towards Altan. They have a fallout during their time in Golyn Niis as Chaghan did not agree with Altan's plan of freeing the immured shamans to defeat the Federation. Chaghan is given an ultimatum of going to the North to break the dams (very likely to cause loss of civilian life) or to leave the Cike. Altan tells Chaghan it's not his place to disobey. Chaghan chooses to break the dam, and expresses pride after Altan's death in following his orders.

### Fang Runin

Chaghan meets Rin in Khurdalain and initially they have an argument after Rin insults Altan. Later however, Chaghan helps Rin confront the woman who stops her from calling the Phoenix, and guides Rin to the Talwu to do a hexagram. The hexagram convinces Chaghan that they have to leave Khurdalain, and interrogating their prisoner confirms the real goal was Golyn Niis. After the events of the end of the book Chaghan agrees to follow Rin and the rest of the Cike.

Chaghan later saves Rin after Su Daji attempts to kill her. Rin's powers get sealed and Chaghan offers to get rid of the Seal. It turns out, however, that he is using the false guise of helping Rin as a way to 'catch' Altan through her mind. When Rin finds out about Chaghan's feelings for Altan and realises his true intent, they have a fight and become distant for a long while.

## Powers and Abilities

Chaghan is one half of a pair of anchor twins, along with his sister Qara. As a result he is able to fully enter the spirit realm without leaving his body behind and still come back, this allows him to walk that realm like no one else. One of his main abilities is to contact the Talwu, the goddess in charge of hexagrams, a form of fortune telling. He has cast fortunes for multiple commanders of the Cike as well as himself and RIn. The Talwu only allows him to cast a hexagram once per month, although he can guide another person to her and they can cast one for themselves.

## Quotes

* *“I traverse the world of spirit. I speak to the gods. I don’t summon deities, but I know my way around the Pantheon better than anyone else.”*
* *“Chaghan would have commanded like a demon. He would have achieved utter obedience from his underlings, but only because he would have taken away their free will. Chaghan would have shattered minds.”*
* *“It’s very lonely to be a shaman in this Empire, especially when you don’t know when you’re going to lose your mind”*

## Trivia

* Chaghan declared himself the most powerful shaman when he was visiting the spiritual world with Rin.
* He is unnamed in his first appearance and is simply referred to as the Seer. This is when he informs Altan of Tyr's passing.
* Towards the end of The Poppy War it is revealed that Chaghan would have had very little chance of becoming the Cike commander due to him being a foreigner which suggests that the outcome of his duel with Altan would not have made much difference.