GLOSSARY

Aeyan’arric (EYE-ann-AR-ik)—a dragon associated with ice, cold, and storms. Daughter of S’arric and C’indrol.

Afterlife, the—a dark mirror of the Living World, souls go to the Afterlife after death, hopefully to move on to the Land of Peace, where the Font of Souls is located.

agolé (a-GOAL-lay)—a piece of cloth worn draped around the shoulders and hips by both men and women in western Quur.

Alavel (a-la-VEL)—home city of the wizard’s school known as the Academy.

Arasgon (AIR-as-gon)—a fireblood, Talaras’s brother.

Arena, the—a park in the center of the Capital City that serves as battleground for the choosing of the emperor.

Argas (AR-gas)—one of the Eight Immortals. Considered the god of invention and innovation.

Atrine (at-rin-EE)—capital of the dominion of Jorat, originally built by Emperor Atrin Kandor.

Baelosh (BAY-losh)—a dragon, best known for the size of his hoard of treasure.

barrier roses—a magical ward preventing teleportation or gate-creation magics anywhere inside the Manol. Ten individuals are known to be able to ignore the barrier roses: the Immortals, Relos Var, and Grizzst, who created them.

Bertok (BER-tok)—god-king of war.

Blood of Joras (JOR-as)—a Joratese term for any wizard not of Joratese, Marakori, or Yoran extraction.

Caless (kal-LESS)—goddess of physical love and lust. Popular among velvet girls and boys of the Capital. See: D’Talus, Lessoral.

Chainbreaker—a Cornerstone, associated with the Manol vané. Has powers dealing with illusions.

Cherthog (cher-THOG)—a god of winter and ice, primarily worshipped in Yor.

Cimillion (seh-MIL-e-on)—Emperor Sandus’s son, believed killed as an infant by Gadrith the Twisted, but in fact renamed as Thurvishar D’Lorus.

City, the—a.k.a. the Capital City. Just called “the City.” Originally a city-state under the control of the god-king Qhuaras, its original name (Quur) now applies to the whole empire.

cloudcurl hair—originally a vané trait, now common in areas like Kirpis and Khorvesh, of hair so curly that it is cloudlike. While both vané groups can have cloudcurl hair, the Kirpis vané were especially famous for it. It’s not an uncommon feature in people from Kirpis or Kazivar, suggesting that significant interbreeding has occurred—even after the vané were supposedly pushed out of the Kirpis forest.

Cornerstones, the—eight magical artifacts: Chainbreaker, Grimward, the Name of All Things, Skyfire, the Stone of Shackles, Warmonger, Wildheart, and Worldhearth.

Court of Gems, the—slang for the royal families of the Upper Circle represented by twelve different kinds of gemstones.

Crown and the Scepter, the—famous artifacts that may only be wielded by the Emperor of Quur. Created by Grizzst.

Culling Fields, the—a tavern and inn situated just outside the imperial Arena. Previously owned by Doc and now run by his adopted daughter, Taunna.

Daakis (DAY-kis)—god of sports, swordplay, and games.

Dana (dan-AY)—god-queen of Eamithon, still worshipped as the goddess of wisdom and virtue.

D’Aramarin (day-ar-a-MAR-in)—the first ranked Royal House. House D’Aramarin controlled the Gatekeepers, the guild of wizards primarily responsible for running and maintaining the gate system. They were thus responsible for and control almost all interdominion trade. Their leader, Havar, had attempted to form his own nation by splitting off Marakor.

Havar (hav-AR)—High Lord of House D’Aramarin. Secretly a god-king. See: Murad, Nemesan.

Daughter of Laaka (LAKE-ay)—a.k.a. kraken, an enormous immortal sea creature.

Delon (DEL-on)—first mate aboard the slave ship the Misery. He was killed by slaves in the galley as the ship was attempting to navigate the Maw.

Demon Falls—the artificial dam constructed by Atrin Kandor to form Lake Jorat, called such because the spillways are shaped like demon mouths.

demons—an alien race from another dimension that can, through effort, gain access to the material world. Famous for their cruelty and power. See: Hellmarch.

D’Erinwa (day-er-in-WAY)—a Royal House, primarily associated with slavery.

Phaellan (FAY-lan)—a nobleman of House D’Erinwa, murdered by Gadrith D’Lorus. His ghost possessed Raverí D’Lorus (see: Tyentso) and was responsible for much of her early education.

Devoran Prophecies, the—a many-book series of prophecies that are believed to foretell the end of the world. Less well known is that they have nothing to do with actual prognostication and are instead a method used by the demon Xaltorath to remind themselves of important events in previous timelines.

Devors (de-VORS)—island chain south of the Capital City, most famous as the home of the Devoran priests and their prophecies.

dhole (dol)—a form of wild dog, domesticated in Jorat and also found throughout Marakor.

D’Kard (day-KARD)—a Royal House, primarily associated with crafting.

D’Lorus (du-LOR-us)—a Royal House, primarily associated with paper, books, schools, and education.

Cedric (KED-rik)—High Lord of House D’Lorus. Father of Gadrith. Executed for treason by his granddaughter, Empress Tyentso.

Gadrith (GAD-rith)—Lord Heir of House D’Lorus, an infamous necromancer and wizard, widely believed to be dead; also known as Gadrith the Twisted.

Raverí (rav-ear-EE)—wife of Gadrith D’Lorus. Officially listed as mother of Thurvishar D’Lorus, executed after his birth for the charges of witchcraft and treason. In truth, she was Gadrith’s Ogenra daughter, who entered into a platonic marriage with her own father in order to put herself in a position to enact her vengeance against the man. Later revealed to still be alive and using the name Tyentso, she has since become the Empress of Quur.

Thurvishar (thur-vish-AR)—legally the son of Gadrith and Raverí D’Lorus, but in fact the son of Emperor Sandus and Dyana. Technically now High Lord of House D’Lorus, depending on whether or not House D’Lorus still exists.

D’Mon (day-MON)—a Royal House, primarily associated with the healing arts.

Alshena (al-shen-AY)—wife of Darzin D’Mon and daughter of Havar D’Aramarin, murdered by being sacrificed to the demon Xaltorath a number of years ago. Mother of three children: Galen, Saerá, and Tishenya (note: this is not the same as Therin’s daughter Tishenya, although they share the same name).

Darzin (DAR-zin)—former Lord Heir of House D’Mon, slain by his “son” Kihrin.

Galen (GAL-len)—Lord Heir Darzin D’Mon’s only son, now theoretically High Lord of House D’Mon (depending on whether or not House D’Mon still exists).

Gerisea (ger-IS-see-ah)—youngest daughter of Therin D’Mon, married to the Duke of Khorvesh’s second-oldest son. Killed during the Glittering Feast.

Kihrin (KEAR-rin)—youngest child of High Lord Therin D’Mon and only child of Queen Khaeriel of the vané. Also, the reincarnation of S’arric, one of the Eight Immortals.

Saerá (SAY-ra)—eldest daughter of Darzin D’Mon.

Therin (THER-rin)—former High Lord of House D’Mon, now living in the Manol.

Tishenya (tish-EN-ya)—oldest child of Therin D’Mon, murdered by her sister, Gerisea.

Doc—see: Terindel.

Doltar (dol-TAR)—a distant country whose people have pale skin and light-colored hair and eyes.

Dorna (DOR-na)—an elderly Joratese woman who served as Janel Theranon’s nanny in childhood. An angel of Tya, Dorna now works with Duke Ninavis.

Dragonspires, the—a mountain range running north-south through Quur, dividing the dominions of Kirpis, Kazivar, Eamithon, and Khorvesh from Raenena, Jorat, Marakor, and Yor.

Drehemia (DRAY-hem-EE-ah)—a dragon, particularly associated with darkness and secrets.

dreth (dreth)—see: vordreth.

drussian (drus-E-an)—a rare metal, superior to iron, which can only be created through superhot magical fires.

Dry Mothers, the—the elders of the morgage, who rule the various tribal groups.

D’Talus (day-TAL-us)—the Royal House in charge of the smelter and smith’s guild, known as the Red Men.

Lessoral (les-SOR-al)—High Lady of House D’Talus. Secretly, also the god-queen Caless, Goddess of Love (or Lust) who has been worshipped in the Capital City since its founding.

Varik (VAHR-ik)—High Lord of House D’Talus. Secretly, also the god-king Bezar, God of Forges and Smiths.

Dyana (DEE-an-ah)—a vordreth woman, married to Emperor Sandus, murdered by Gadrith the Twisted. Thurvishar D’Lorus’s biological mother.

Eamithon (AY-mith-ON)—a dominion just north of the Capital City, the oldest of the Quuros dominions and considered the most tranquil.

Eight Immortals, the—eight beings of godlike power created by a ritual performed by Relos Var.

Empire of Quur (koor)—see: Quur.

Eshimavari (esh-EE-mah-VAR-ee)—the real name of the Goddess of Luck. See: Taja.

Festival of the Turning Leaves—a yearly celebration to the goddess Galava. Here petitioners may, after one year of service to the goddess, petition the goddess to change their biological sex.

firebloods—a race originally related to horses but modified by the god-king Khorsal to possess extraordinary size, power, resilience, loyalty, and intelligence. Firebloods are omnivorous, and although they don’t possess fingers, some are capable of manipulating tenyé. They have an average life expectancy of eighty years or more.

Founders—in vané society, Founders are members of the race who founded the vané nation, meaning any Founder is at least fourteen thousand years old. Founders have specific legislative powers. Outside of vané society, it has also become slang for the original settlers who came to this world from another dimension and whose souls can be used to create a star tear tsali.

Four Races, the—the entirely mistaken belief that four immortal races once existed. In fact, there were only three: the voras, voramer, and vordreth. The vané were in fact an offshoot race whose immortality was not inherent, but the result of their retention of magical skill.

gaesh (gaysh), pl. gaeshe (gaysh-ay)—an enchantment that forces the victim to follow all commands given by the person who physically possesses their totem focus, up to and including commands of suicide. Being unable or unwilling to perform a command results in death.

Galava (gal-a-VAY)—one of the Eight Immortals. Goddess of life and nature.

Galla Sea (GAL-la)—sea between the Devors island cluster and the Desolation.

gate—a.k.a. portal, the magical connection of two different geographic locations, allowing for quick travel across great distances. Only powerful wizards can typically create Gatestone-independent portals.

Gatekeepers—the guild who controls and maintains gate travel. Ruled by House D’Aramarin.

Gatestone—a specially inscribed section of stone that somehow makes gate travel much less magically onerous. Exactly how this is accomplished is a proprietary, heavily protected House D’Aramarin secret.

gelding—a Joratese term for any person, male or female, who does not fall into stallion or mare stereotypes. Note that this does not indicate the person is sexually neuter, nor is it indicative of sexual preferences. See: gender, Joratese.

Gendal (GEN-dal)—former Emperor of Quur, murdered by Gadrith D’Lorus.

gender, Joratese—Joratese customs define gender separately from sex or sexual orientation, falling into three categories: stallion, mare, and gelding. Stallions can roughly be considered “men” and mares “women.” Geldings are those who refuse to define themselves within this otherwise binary system (which has all the flaws one might expect of a polarized gender system). Thus, it is possible to have a “mare” who is biologically male or a “stallion” who is biologically female, and “gelding” has nothing to do with whether or not one is capable of sexual reproduction. See: sexuality, Joratese.

Godslayer—see: Urthaenriel.

god-touched—a gift or curse (depending on whom one asks) handed down by the Eight Immortals to the eight Royal Houses of Quur. Besides giving each house a distinctive eye color, the Royal Houses are forbidden from making laws.

Gorokai (GORE-o-kai)—a dragon with the ability to change his shape, both to animal forms as well as mimicking other dragons. Responsible for the destruction of the Temple of Light in Eamithon.

Grimward—one of the Cornerstones, with the ability to bring the dead back to a semblance of life. Has been used to do so on Gadrith the Twisted, Xivan Kaen, and the Lash.

Grizzst (grizt)—falsely attributed to being one of the Eight Immortals; famous wizard, sometimes considered a god of magic, particularly demonology. Believed to be responsible for binding demons as well as making the Crown and Scepter of Quur.

Gryphon Men, the—a secret organization ultimately working for the emperors of Quur, since both Sandus and his predecessor Gendal seem to have had connections to this group. Their goals are unclear, but they seem to be working toward fulfilling the Devoran Prophecies, although that seems counterproductive considering how many of those prophecies predict the destruction of Quur.

Guarem (GOW-rem)—the primary language of Quur.

Hamarratus (ham-ar-RA-tus)—a fireblood, previously a slave owned by Darzin D’Mon, also called Scandal.

Hell—distinct from the Land of Peace; it’s an actual location—namely, the area surrounding the Nythrawl Wound, so named because it’s on the continent of Nythrawl.

Hellmarch—the result of a powerful demon gaining access to the physical world, freely summoning demons and possessing corpses. This usually results in a runaway path of death and devastation. The ultimate cause of a Hellmarch used to be a demon escaping a summoner’s control. Before the breaking of the Stone of Shackles, demons could only be summoned to the Living World by corporeal entities (such as humans or vané). But demons quickly discovered they could exploit a loophole by possessing a living body and forcing that body to summon more of their kind. Demons can also possess corpses in the Joratese/Marakori area but cannot summon more demons in this manner. Famous Hellmarches include the Lonezh Hellmarch and the Capital City Hellmarch.

Hellwarrior—a prophesied villain who will rise up to destroy the Empire of Quur and possibly the world. Also a prophesied hero who will rise up to save the world. Also a group of heroes who will do either of the previous two.

idorrá (id-DOR-ray)—a Joratese concept of authority, dominance, and control. Roughly analogous to responsibility, duty, and authority, idorrá can be lost if the holder fails to protect or defend it.

Ir’amar (IR-ah-mar)—formal contracted name of Irisia’amar. See: Tya.

Ivory District, the—the temple district of the Upper Circle, in the Capital.

Jazars (JAZ-arz)—god of parties, food, and drink.

Jhelora, Fayrin (zah-LOR-ah, FAY-rin)—imperial liaison of the High Council and Ogenra of House D’Jorax. Notoriously corrupt libertine.

Jorat (jor-AT)—a dominion in the middle of Quur of varying climates and wide reaches of grassy plains; known for its horses.

Kaen (kane)—the Yoran ducal line.

Azhen (AHJ-en)—Duke, or Hon, of Yor, grandson of the Joratese Quuros general who conquered the region and slew the god-king rulers of the region, Cherthog and Suless. Eventually slain by Suless, who had not in fact been killed but enslaved and forced to serve the Kaen family.

Exidhar (EX-eh-DAR)—Azhen and Xivan Kaen’s only son. Killed by Suless.

Veixizhau (vex-e-SHAU)—Exidhar Kaen’s wife, formally Azhen’s wife, but was divorced from her original husband after it was discovered she’d been having an affair with, and was pregnant by, Exidhar.

Xivan (JI-van)—Azhen Kaen’s first wife; her Khorveshan ancestry made her unpopular with the Yoran people, and she was eventually killed in an assassination attempt meant for her husband. She was brought back by Relos Var as an undead being at the cost of Azhen Kaen’s service. Briefly a wielder of Urthaenriel and more recently the new Goddess of Death.

Kandor (KAN-dor)

Atrin (AT-rin)—an Emperor of Quur who significantly expanded the borders of the empire; most famous for deciding to invade the Manol, which resulted in the destruction of virtually the entire Quuros army and the loss of Urthaenriel. This left Quur defenseless against the subsequent morgage invasion. Reincarnated as Teraeth.

Elana (e-LAN-ay)—a musician from Khorvesh who married Atrin Kandor. After his death, she returned to using her maiden name and journeyed into the Korthaen Blight to negotiate a peace settlement with the invading morgage people; responsible for freeing S’arric. Reincarnated as Janel Theranon.

Karolaen (KAR-o-lane)—former name of Kharas Gulgoth.

Kazivar (KAZ-eh-var)—one of the dominions of Quur, north of Eamithon.

kef (kef)—a style of trouser common in western Quur.

Kelanis (KEL-a-nis)—son of Khaevatz and Kelindel, younger brother of Khaeriel; former king of the vané, slain by Suless.

Kelindel (KEL-in-del)—the Kirpis vané king who married the Manol vané queen Khaevatz and united the vané people.

Key—a specialist burglar working for the Shadowdancers trained at unlocking magical wards and enchantments. Technically a witch. See: witch.

Khaemezra (kay-MEZ-rah)—a.k.a. Mother, the High Priestess of Thaena, and leader of the Black Brotherhood; Teraeth’s mother; the true name of the first Thaena. See: Thaena.

Khaeriel (kay-RE-el)—queen of the vané, assassinated by her brother, Kelanis. Because Khaeriel was wearing the Stone of Shackles, she ended up in the body of her assassin and was later gaeshed and sold into slavery to Therin D’Mon by her grandmother Khaemezra. After her gaesh was broken, she slew most of the D’Mon family and kidnapped her former owner, Therin. Kihrin D’Mon’s mother.

Khaevatz (KAY-vatz)—deceased Manol vané queen, famous for resisting Atrin Kandor’s invasion. She later married Kirpis vané king Kelindel. Khaemezra’s daughter and Teraeth’s half sister, she and her husband both died fighting a god-king in the Doltari Free States.

Kharas Gulgoth (KAR-as GUL-goth)—a ruin in the middle of the Korthaen Blight; believed sacred (and cursed) by the morgage; prison of the corrupted god Vol Karoth.

Khored (KOR-ed)—one of the Eight Immortals, God of Destruction. See: Mithros.

Khorsal (KOR-sal)—god-king who ruled Jorat. He was particularly obsessed with horses and modified a great many of the people and animals under his power. Responsible for the creation of the fireblood horse lines and centaurs.

Khorvesh (kor-VESH)—a dominion to the south of the Capital City, just north of the Manol Jungle.

Kirpis, the (KIR-pis)—a dominion to the north of Kazivar, primarily forest. Most famous for being the original home of one of the vané races, as well as the Academy. Also, home to a number of famous vineyards. Despite the fact that the vané are supposed to be extinct in the Kirpis, vané traits like unusually colored cloudcurl hair continue to show up in natives of the region.

knight, Joratese, unlike knights elsewhere, Joratese knights are more akin to sports athletes, who fight as proxies to establish idorrá/thudajé relationships. This affects every aspect of Joratese life, from business deals to trials.

Korthaen Blight, the (kor-THANE)—also called the Wastelands, a cursed and unlivable land that is (somehow) home to the morgage.

Kulma Swamp (KUL-mah)—a lowland swamp area in southern Marakor.

laevos (LAY-vos)—a Joratese hairstyle consisting of a strip of hair down the center of the head and shaved sides, echoing a horse’s mane. Some Joratese grow their hair this way by default; it’s considered a sign of nobility.

Lake Jorat—a large lake formed by the Demon Falls dam.

Land of Peace, the—Heaven, the place of reward souls go to after they die and are judged worthy by Thaena.

Lower Circle, the—area of the Capital City that exists outside of the safety of the tabletop mesa of the Upper Circle, thus making it vulnerable to flooding.

Lyrilyn (LIR-il-in)—a slave girl owned by Pedron D’Mon, later transformed by the Stone of Shackles into the mimic Talon. She was Khaeriel’s handmaiden and tasked with smuggling Khaeriel’s newborn son Kihrin back to the Manol, a task she failed to carry out.

Maevanos (MAY-van-os)—1. an erotic dance; 2. a holy rite of the Black Gate, the church of Thaena.

Malkoessian, Palomarn (mal-KOZ-ee-an, PAL-o-marn)—Aroth Malkoessian’s firstborn son, now using the name Star.

Manol, the (MAN-ol)—an area of dense jungle in the equatorial region of the known world; home to the Manol vané.

Marakor (MARE-a-kor)—the Quuros dominion to the southeast of the empire. Politically important because Marakor is the only (relatively) easy entry point to the Manol Jungle. Consolidating the various rival city-state clans, which originally made up the region, has proved difficult.

mare—a Joratese person who identifies as a woman (note: different from being sexually female; see: gender, Joratese) and who expresses interest in mare attributes such as housekeeping, child-rearing, farming, crafting, art, cooking—and embraces teamwork, family, and subordinate values.

Maw, the—an area of ocean maelstrom to the south of the Desolation, near Zherias.

Milligreest (mill-eh-GREEST)

Jarith (JAR-ith)—only son of Qoran; like most Milligreests, served in the military; killed by Xaltorath during the Capital Hellmarch.

Kalindra (KAL-ind-rah)—the widowed wife of Jarith Milligreest, who died during the Capital Hellmarch. Secretly, a member of the Black Brotherhood, of Khorveshan and Zheriasian descent.

Nikali (ni-KAL-i)—cousin of Qoran Milligreest, famous for his skill with a sword. See: Terindel.

Qoran (KOR-an)—high general of the Quuran army, considered one of the most powerful people in the empire.

mimics—although commonly believed to be an entire race, mimics are actually a small number (either twelve or sixteen) survivors of a vané experiment in spell imprinting, which gave them all the ability for extremely fast shape-changing, telepathy, and memory absorption (through consumption of brain matter). They all promptly went insane. It’s unknown how many of them now work as assassins or spies. See: Talon.

Mir, Hanik (MEER, HAN-ik)—see: Ompher.

Misery, the—a slave ship.

misha (MEESH-ah)—a long-sleeved shirt worn by men in Quur.

Mithrail (MEETH-rail)—Khored’s son and Sovereign Kaevatz’s consort, Mithrail was killed while attacking King Terindel (who was wearing the Stone of Shackles), who afterward found himself in Mithrail’s body.

Mithros (MEETH-ros)—leader of the Red Spears, a mercenary company selling their services to the highest bidder for tournaments in Jorat; a Manol vané. The real name of Khored, God of Destruction.

Miya (MY-ah)—see: Miyathreall.

Miyane (MY-an-ee)—queen of the vané, wife of King Kelanis and previously wife of Queen Khaeriel. Note that Miyane is Miyathreall’s biological sister.

Miyathreall (MY-ah-threel)—a.k.a. Miya; a handmaiden to Queen Khaeriel, secretly a member of the Black Brotherhood. Miya was slain while assassinating Queen Khaeriel (who wore the Stone of Shackles) and Khaeriel, trapped in Miya’s body, was gaeshed and sold to Therin D’Mon.

Morea (MOR-e-ah)—Talea’s twin sister, who was murdered by Talon.

morgage (mor-gah-GEE)—a wild and savage race that lives in the Korthaen Blight and makes constant war on its neighbors. These are mainly Quuros living in the dominion of Khorvesh, but they hold a special hatred for the vané.

Morios (MORE-ee-os)—a dragon, also Mithros’s brother.

Name of All Things, the—a Cornerstone that will truthfully answer any question the owner asks while holding it. It cannot predict the future, answer questions earlier than its own creation, or interpret opinions. The Name of All Things was lost when it was used to cure the insanity of its paired dragon, Drehemia.

Nameless Lord, the—the Joratese name of the eighth of the Eight Immortals. See: S’arric.

Nathera, Ola (na-THER-ah, O-la)—a.k.a. Raven. A former slave and owner of the Shattered Veil Club in Velvet Town, Ola was killed accidentally by Thurvishar D’Lorus during Kihrin’s attempt to run away. She was later consumed and impersonated by Talon.

Nemesan (NEM-es-an)—a deceased god-king famous for his tactical ability, intellect, and evil nature.

Nerikan (NAIR-eh-kahn)—a Quuros emperor.

Octagon, the—the main slave auction house of the Capital City.

Ogenra (O-jon-RAY)—an unrecognized bastard of one of the Royal Houses. Far from being unwanted, Ogenra are considered an important part of the political process because of their ability to circumvent the god-touched curse.

Old Man, the—see: Sharanakal.

Ompher (OM-fur)—one of the Eight Immortals, god of the world.

Qhuaras (kwar-AHS)—a deceased god-king.

Qown (kown)—a former priest of the Vishai Mysteries who briefly worked for Relos Var and has since become a companion of Galen and Sheloran D’Mon.

Quarry, the—a prison used by the vané.

Quur, the Great and Holy Empire of (koor)—a large empire originally expanded from a single city-state (also named Quur) that now serves as the empire’s capital.

Quuros High Council—the ultimate ruling body of Quur, composed of representatives nominated from the Royal Houses. Theoretically, the emperor has authority over them, but no emperor has attempted to enforce that authority since Emperor Kandor. It’s widely believed that emperors are gaeshed when receiving the Crown and Scepter, hamstringing their powers.

Raenena (RAY-nen-ah)—a dominion of Quur, nestled in the Dragonspire Mountains to the north.

Rainbow Lake—a small lake in Eamithon famous for being the home of Grizzst’s Tower, which is widely considered to be mythological.

raisigi (RAY-sig-eye)—a tight-fitting bodice worn by women.

Rava (ra-VAY)—Raverí’s mother. Executed for witchcraft.

Raven—see: Nathera, Ola.

razarras (RAY-zar-as)—a highly poisonous ore.

Red Spears—a mercenary company of Jorat, commanded by Mithros.

Return—to be resurrected from the Afterlife, always with the permission of the Goddess of Death, Thaena.

Rev’arric (rev-AR-ik)—see: Var, Relos.

Ritual of Night, the—a voras ritual designed to drain the immortality from an immortal race and use that power to recharge the eighth warding crystal keeping Vol Karoth imprisoned. The ritual kills its participants.

Rol’amar (ROL-a-mar)—a dragon.

Rook—see: D’Mon, Kihrin.

S’arric (sar-RIC)—one of the Eight Immortals, mostly unknown (and deceased); god of sun, stars, and sky; murdered by his older brother, Rev’arric. Past life of Kihrin D’Mon.

sallí (sal-LEE)—a hooded, cloak-like garment designed to protect the wearer from the intense heat of the Capital City.

Sandus (SAND-us)—a farmer from Marakor, later Emperor of Quur.

Selanol (SELL-an-al)—the solar deity worshipped as part of the Vishai Mysteries.

Senera (SEN-er-AY)—a former slave of House D’Jorax who was freed, recruited, and trained by Relos Var. Being of Doltari descent, Senera is pale-skinned with pale hair, a rarity in the empire.

sexuality, Joratese—Joratese society defines sexual identity around partner preference. So, for example, anyone who prefers biologically female sexual partners “runs with mares” regardless of their own biological sex. People who “run with stallions” prefer male sexual partners, and people who “run with the herd” would be considered bisexual. Asexuals simply “don’t run.” All of these options are accepted without discrimination in Joratese society.

shanathá (shan-NA-tha)—a light, hard metal used to make some kinds of armor and weapons.

Sharanakal (SHA-ran-a-KAL)—a.k.a. “The Old Man.” A dragon tied to volcanoes, capable of breathing out a pyroclastic flow and making volcanoes erupt.

Simillion (SIM-i-le-on)—first Emperor of Quur.

Soaring Halls, the—the imperial palace in the Capital City of Quur. Emperors have rarely used the palace as actual living space, although it has happened.

Spurned, the—an all-female warrior company under the command of Xivan Kaen.

stallion—a Joratese person who identifies as a man (note: different from being sexually male; see: gender, Joratese) and expresses stallion attributes such as leadership, assertiveness, guardianship, entertaining, contests, and combativeness.

Star—a Joratese horse trainer enslaved for stealing horses. See: Malkoessian, Palomarn.

star tears—a kind of rare blue diamond; also, the tsali of any soul not originally from this universe.

Stone of Shackles, the—one of the eight Cornerstones, ancient artifacts of unknown origin. The Stone of Shackles has power over souls, including the ability to exchange its wearer’s soul with that of their murderer. The Stone of Shackles was destroyed, at least temporarily, by Kihrin D’Mon using Urthaenriel, which freed all gaeshe made using it (namely, almost all of them).

Suless (SEW-less)—god-queen of Yor, associated with witchcraft, deception, treachery, and betrayal; also associated with hyenas. Suless was the very first god-king, who was gaeshed by and forced to marry Cherthog. She was freed from her gaesh when the Stone of Shackles was destroyed.

Surdyeh (SUR-de-yeh)—a wizard and minstrel secretly working for the Gryphon Men who raised Kihrin D’Mon. Surdyeh was murdered and consumed by Talon.

Taja (TAJ-ah)—one of the Eight Immortals. Goddess of Luck.

Talea (tal-E-ah)—Morea’s sister. A slave girl formerly owned by Baron Mataris, who became second-in-command of the Spurned. Now the new Goddess of Luck.

talisman—an otherwise normal object whose tenyé has been modified to vibrate in sympathy with the owner, thus reinforcing the owner’s tenyé against enemies who might use magic to change it into a different form. This also means it’s extremely dangerous to allow one’s talismans to fall into enemy hands. Since talismans interfere with magical power, every talisman worn weakens the effectiveness of the wearer’s spellcasting.

Talon—a mimic assassin who was “taken over” by Lyrilyn because of the Stone of Shackles. She promptly went insane (as is tradition) but has since continued pursuing a garbled set of sometimes contradictory goals as her multiple personalities clash with each other. See: Lyrilyn.

tamarane (tam-a-RAN-ee)—a system of Joratese cooking with eight specific styles of heating.

tenyé (ten-AY)—the true essence of an object, vital to all magic.

Teraeth (ter-RATHE)—hunter of Thaena; a Manol vané assassin and member of the Black Brotherhood; son of Khaemezra.

Terindel (TER-in-del)—an infamous Kirpis vané who tried to assassinate Queen Khaevatz and usurp his brother’s throne.

Thaena (thane-AY)—one of the Eight Immortals. Goddess of Death.

Theranon (ther-a-NON)—a noble family from Jorat.

Janel (jan-EL)—a demon-tainted warrior who goes to the Afterlife when she sleeps.

Ninavis (NIN-a-vis)—an outlaw who gathered together a group of like-minded bandits and now exists on the outskirts of Barsine Banner, mostly sticking to the forest. Adopted by Janel Theranon; became Count of Tolamer after Janel’s abdication and has since become the Duke of Jorat.

thorra (THOR-ah)—Joratese term for a person who abuses idorrá privileges; bully or tyrant, lit. “a stallion who is not safe to leave with other horses.”

Three Sisters, the—either Taja, Tya, and Thaena, or Galava, Tya, and Thaena; also, the three moons in the night sky.

thudajé (thu-DAJ-ay)—Joratese term of respect, humility, and submission; thudajé is considered an essential and positive Joratese trait. No matter how high in idorrá someone is, the Joratese believe there will always be someone to whom they owe thudajé.

Tillinghast, Professor (TIL-in-gast)—a professor who teaches at the Academy in Kirpis. Infamous for giving very boring lectures.

tsali stone (zal-e)—a crystal created from the condescended soul of a person.

Twin Worlds, the—name for the combination of the Living World and Afterlife, when referring to both realms as part of a larger whole.

Tya (TIE-ah)—a.k.a. Irisia (IR-is-EE-ah). One of the Eight Immortals. Goddess of Magic.

Tya’s Veil—an aurora borealis effect visible in the night sky.

Tyentso (tie-EN-so)—formerly Raverí D’Lorus, now the Emperor of Quur; the first woman to ever be emperor.

uisigi (YOU-sig-eye)—undergarments, specifically underpants or loincloths.

Upper Circle—the mesa plateau in the center of the Capital City that is home to the Royal Houses, temples, government, and the Arena.

Urthaenriel (UR-thane-re-EL)—a.k.a. Godslayer, the Ruin of Kings, the Emperor’s Sword. A powerful artifact that is believed to make its wielder completely immune to magic and thus is capable of killing gods.

Valathea (val-a-THEE-a)—a harp passed through the Milligreest family. Also, a deceased queen of the Kirpis vané, Terindel’s wife, who was sentenced to the Traitor’s Walk after her husband’s death.

Valrashar (val-ra-SHAR)—vané princess, daughter of Kirpis vané king Terindel and Queen Valathea.

vané (van-EH)—a.k.a. vorfelané. An immortal, magically gifted race known for their exceptional beauty. Vané appearance is mutable and can be changed as the vané desires (although not quickly). Vané tend to keep the skin colors they were born with unless they are making a big statement (as happened when the Manol vané split from the Kirpis and the entire population of the new nation deliberately darkened their skin).

vané, Kirpis—a fair-skinned, immortal race who once lived in the Kirpis forest. They were driven south to eventually relocate in the Manol Jungle.

vané, Manol—the vané who settled in the Manol Jungle, in part as protest against Kirpis vané isolationism and unwillingness to pay attention to both the Blight and the threat of humanity.

Var, Relos (var, REL-os)—a powerful wizard, believed responsible for the ritual that created the Eight Immortals, and also the ritual that created both the dragons and Vol Karoth.

Veil, the—1. the aurora borealis effect sometimes seen in the nighttime sky; 2. the state of perception separating seeing the “normal” world from seeing the true essence or tenyé of the world, necessary for magic.

Velvet Town—the red-light district of the Lower Circle. Those who engage in the sex trade are commonly described as velvet (i.e., velvet boys or velvet girls).

Vishai Mysteries, the (vish-AY)—a religion popular in parts of Eamithon, Jorat, and Marakor; little is known about their inner workings, but their religion seems to principally center around a solar deity named Selanol; usually pacifistic; members of the faith will often obtain licenses from House D’Mon to legally practice healing.

Vol Karoth (vol ka-ROTH)—a.k.a. War Child or Warchild. A demon offspring crafted by demons to counter the Eight Immortals; alternately a corrupted remnant of the sacrificed god of the sun, S’arric.

voramer (vor-a-MEER)—a.k.a. vormer. An extinct water-dwelling race believed to be the progenitors of the morgage and the ithlané; of the two, only the ithlané still live in water. Many Zheriasians have ithlané ancestors, which is part of the reason they have a reputation for being “undrownable.”

voras (vor-AS)—a.k.a. vorarras. Extinct race believed to have been the progenitors of humanity, who lost their immortality when Karolaen was destroyed.

vordreth (vor-DRETH)—a.k.a. vordredd, dreth, dredd, dwarves. An underground-dwelling race known for their strength and intelligence. Despite their nickname, not short. Believed to have been wiped out when Atrin Kandor conquered Raenena, but in fact, the largest dreth population lives under the Doltar region, which has more than its share of dreth-blooded inhabitants.

Warmonger—a Cornerstone whose power seems to involve manipulating loyalty and anger over large populations.

Well of Spirals, the—a location sacred to vané, where they imprint their children and perform a number of miraculous biological magics. The mimics were created there.

Wildheart—a Cornerstone that allows its owner to control plant and animal life, as well as manipulate earth and rocks.

witch—anyone using magic who hasn’t received formal, official training and licensing; although technically gender-neutral, usually only applied to women; in Jorat, anyone using magic who isn’t Blood of Joras is considered a witch.

Worldhearth—a Cornerstone with the power to allow its user clairvoyance through heat sources.

Xaloma (ZAL-o-may)—a dragon, associated with souls.

Xaltorath (zal-tor-OTH)—a demon prince who can only be summoned through the sacrifice of a family member. Self-associated with lust and war. Gender-neutral but identifies as female when dealing with her adopted daughter, Janel.

Ynis (YIN-is)—a god-king who once ruled the area now known as Khorvesh. Associated with death and snakes.

Ynisthana (yin-IS-than-AY)—an island in the Desolation chain, used as a training grounds by the Black Brotherhood. Destroyed by a volcanic eruption caused by Sharanakal.

Yor (yor)—one of Quur’s dominions, the most recently added and the least acclimated to imperial rule.

Zaibur (ZAI-bur)—1. the major river running from Demon Falls and Lake Jorat all the way to the ocean, dividing Jorat from Marakor; 2. a strategy game.

Zajhera, Father (zah-JER-ah)—leader of the Vishai Faith / Vishai Mysteries. Personally exorcised the demon Xaltorath, who possessed Janel Theranon when she was a child. An alias used by Relos Var.

Zherias (ZER-e-as)—a large island to the southwest of Quur. Independent from Quur and anxious to stay that way. Famous for their skill at piracy and trade. Contains a high proportion of voramer ancestry, so that it’s not uncommon for Zheriasians to go to sea when they’re older.