Abada

"I tried to prepare myself by listing my weaknesses, that I might appear humble before the judgment of Abada the Rhinoceros; that Abada might fend off the predators, and especially the hyenas; and that his old friend the Great Elephant might re-member me and nudge my bones from the dirt, back to life, before the time that ends all."

— Chakas

Abada, or the Rhinoceros, was a figure in the religious traditions of the prehistoric human civilization on Earth in the years before the Great Purification.

Overview

Abada was believed to be a judge that souls must be humble before in order to be granted his favor upon their death. Those who were successful in doing so would have their bones watched over by Abada so that no predators would disturb them before the time that the Great Elephant would nudge them from the dirt and restore the person to life. Following this, the individual would be allowed to pass onto the Far Shore before the end of time. It was thought that fear in the face of death or a failure of the still-living to conduct the proper rites may dissuade Abada from watching over one's bones, and that this would therefore doom one to a miserable afterlife, wherein they would be forced to walk forever aimlessly and be assaulted by wild animals, such as hyenas and buzzards. The funeral rites involved the recitation of prayers to Abada and the Great Elephant. The "sacred caves" outside Marontik were decorated with artistic depictions of Abada.

List of appearances

• Halo: Primordium (First mentioned)
• Halo: Renegades (Mentioned only)