The Comyn are the surviving laran-gifted families of Darkover who are ruling at the time of recontact with the Terran Empire. It is suggested in "Darkover Landfall" that they are the descendants of human-chieri pairings, who have learned to use native matrix stones to focus their laran powers. The Comyn, however, have their own mythology, recited in the "Ballad of Hastur and Cassilda": they are the descendants of Hastur, son of Aldones, Lord of Light, who fell to earth, fell in love with Cassilda, and (perhaps) became mortal. Cassilda bore Hastur seven sons who founded the seven Domains.