Inhumi eyes and names

Lee Berman · 28 Sep 2012, 17:07 · from 2012-September.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2012 13:07:39 -0400
Subject: (urth) Inhumi eyes and names
Message-ID: <SNT123-W5D9FF07D37F91E30F3BBBCF820 at phx.gbl>

I just read a passage where Krait is discussing his vision and the vision of all
inhumi. He says he can see clearly in fog and that the sky always looks black to
him and the stars are always there.

The fog and black sky elements seem to suggest infrared vision to me. Makes sense 
for a predator of warm blooded creatures. But could infrared be so sensitive as to
detect heat differences between empty sky and stars? Or does he just mean he
can detect infrared radiation from stars in the daylight without it being 
masked by the sun's output?

Anyone remember anything else in Short Sun addressing this issue?

Also, from the recent discussion of Quetzal's name I got curious about the other inhumu
names we are given.  I knew a krait was a cobra relative. I just learned that juganu is
Hindi for firefly or glow worm. The Hindi connection to krait is interesting. Fava is of 
course a plant/bean name. Used in India but not particularly associated with it or Hindi.

Then there is Jahlee. I can't find a plant named this or any variation of the spelling as
I expected. I can't find an animal either.

I am more than convinced the name Jahlee was meant to invoke Jahi, the vampiric demoness 
from Dr. Talos' play. This is a character played by Jolenta, who, like Jahlee, is a red-
haired, busty sex goddess. The connections match up nicely.

But I still wonder why Jahlee's name seems to defy the Vironese naming convention, unlike
all the other inhumu. Are there any other named inhumu which could help shed light on this
mystery?

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