All Pathfinder Tales novels are set in the rich and vibrant world of the Pathfinder campaign setting. Below are explanations of several key terms used in this book. For more information on the world of Golarion and the strange monsters, people, and deities that make it their home, see The Inner Sea World Guide, or dive into the game and begin playing your own adventures with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook or the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Beginner Box, all available at paizo.com. Those interested in learning more about Rodrick and Hrym should check out their earlier adventures in the Pathfinder Tales novel Liar’s Blade.
Absalom: Largest city in the Inner Sea region, located on an island in the middle of said sea.
Abyss: Plane of evil and chaos ruled by demons, where many evil souls go after they die.
Almas: Capital city of Andoran.
Andoran: Democratic and freedom-loving nation north of the Inner Sea.
Andoren: Of or pertaining to Andoran; someone from Andoran.
Arclords: A powerful faction within Nex, which led the country for a time before being ousted from power.
Avistan: The continent north of the Inner Sea.
Bloodline: The unusual ancestry from which a sorcerer draws his or her magical power.
Brevoy: A frigid northern nation famous for its swordlords.
Bugbear: Large, humanoid monster related to the goblin. Extremely violent and ill tempered.
Chelaxian: Someone from Cheliax, or of its predominant ethnicity
Cheliax: A powerful devil-allied nation north of the Inner Sea.
Chelish: Of or relating to the nation of Cheliax.
Coins: Mercantile district in Absalom.
Demon Lord: A particularly powerful demon capable of granting magical powers to its followers. One of the rulers of the Abyss.
Demon: Evil denizen of the plane of the afterlife called the Abyss, who seeks only to maim, ruin, and feed on mortal souls.
Devilfish: A semi-intelligent, seven-armed octopuslike creature with hook-lined tentacles.
Devilkin: A mortal with a devil somewhere in his or her ancestry.
Djinn: Race of generally good-natured genies that often appear as large humanoids with lower bodies made of mist and wind.
Druid: Someone who reveres nature and draws magical power from the boundless energy of the natural world (sometimes called the Green Faith, or the Green).
Eagle Knights: Military order in Andoran devoted to spreading the virtues of justice, equality, and freedom.
Efreet: Race of evil genies that often appear as large humanoids with horns and burning skin.
Elemental: A being of pure elemental energy, such as air, earth, fire, or water.
Elves: Long-lived, beautiful humanoids identifiable by their pointed ears, lithe bodies, and eyes without visible whites.
Garuda: Race of birdlike humanoids renowned for their honor and nobility.
Garund: Continent south of the Inner Sea, famous for its deserts and jungles.
Genies: Magical humanoids creatures associated with the elements, and residing on the elemental planes of the multiverse.
Gho Vella: Small island near Jalmeray that acts as a refuge for those cursed and afflicted by magic.
Gillmen: Race of amphibious humanoids descended from humans after their home island of Azlant sank into the sea.
Gnomes: Small humanoids with strange mindsets, big eyes, and often wildly colored hair.
Golems: Magical constructs created for use as servants and guardians.
Gozreh: God of nature, the sea, and weather. Depicted as a dual deity, with both male and female aspects.
Grand Sarret: Small island controlled by Jalmeray and famous for its school training courtesans and diplomats.
Gray Corsairs: Naval division of the Steel Falcons, the Eagle Knight branch focused on abolitionist military activities. Often focused on raiding slave ships.
Half-Elves: The children of unions between elves and humans. Taller, longer-lived, and generally more graceful and attractive than the average human.
Homunculi: Small, devil-like constructs often used as familiars and servants by spellcasters.
Houses of Perfection: Prestigious monasteries in Jalmeray legen-dary for training fighting monks.
Impossible Kingdoms: Vudra.
Inner Sea: The vast inland sea whose northern continent, Avistan, and southern continent, Garund, as well as the seas and nearby lands, are the primary focus of the Pathfinder campaign setting.
Irori: God of history, knowledge, self-perfection, and enlightenment.
Jalmeray: Island nation in the Obari Ocean, heavily influenced by the customs and cultures of distant Vudra.
Kaina Katakka: Smaller island near Jalmeray, said to be haunted.
Katapesh: Mighty trade nation south of the Inner Sea. Also the name of its capital city.
Kellids: Human ethnicity from the northern reaches of the Inner Sea region, often regarded by southerners as violent and uncivilized.
Khiben-Sald: The legendary maharajah who first established Jalmeray as the westernmost of Vudra’s Impossible Kingdoms.
Mammoth Lord: The ruler of a following of Kellid tribes in the Realm of the Mammoth Lords.
Marids: Race of genies that usually appear as blue-skinned giants.
Maurya-Rahm: The system of powerful advisors which rules Jalmeray in the thakur’s name.
Mwangi Expanse: A jungle region south of the Inner Sea.
Nex: Nation in Garund formerly ruled by an immensely powerful wizard of the same name.
Niswan: Jalmeray’s capital city.
Obari Ocean: Ocean east of Garund.
Ogres: Hulking, brutal, and half-witted humanoid monsters with violent tendencies, repulsive lusts, and enormous capacities for cruelty.
Osirian: Of or relating to the region of Osirion, or a resident of Osirion.
Osirion: Ancient nation south of the Inner Sea renowned for its deserts, pharaohs, and pyramids.
Paladin: A holy warrior in the service of a good and lawful god. Ruled by a strict code of conduct and granted special magical powers by his or her deity.
Pharasma: The goddess of birth, death, and prophecy, who judges mortal souls after their deaths and sends them on to the appropriate afterlife; also known as the Lady of Graves.
Quantium: Nex’s capital city.
Rakshasa: Evil spirits capable of disguising themselves as humanoids in order to sow chaos and destruction. In their natural forms, they appear as animal-headed humanoids with backward-facing hands.
Segang Jungle: Large jungle in southern Jalmeray.
Shaitans: Race of genies associated with the element of earth. Often appear as giant humanoids with stone skin.
She Who Guides the Wind and the Waves: A Vudrani name for Gozreh, particularly her female aspect.
Shory: Ancient empire, now long since fallen to obscurity, most famed for its flying cities.
Sorcerer: Someone who casts spells through natural ability rather than faith or study.
Sothis: Capital city of the desert nation of Osirion, on the northeastern shore of Garund.
Steaming Sea: Sea north and west of the Inner Sea, east of the continent of Avistan.
Stonespine Island: Island in the Obari Ocean owned by Katapesh, and famous for the slaver port of Okeno.
Taldan: Of or pertaining to Taldor; a citizen of Taldor.
Taldane: The common trade language of the Inner Sea region.
Taldor: A formerly glorious nation that lost many of its holdings due to neglect and decadence.
Thakur: The ruling monarch of Jalmeray.
Tian Xia: Continent on the opposite side of the world from the Inner Sea region.
Veedesha: Small island off the coast of Jalmeray that was once a prominent port, but has since been abandoned.
Vudra: Continent far to the east of the Inner Sea.
Vudrani: Someone or something from the continent of Vudra.
Wizard: Someone who casts spells through careful study and rigorous scientific methods rather than faith or innate talent, recording the necessary incantations in a spellbook.
Worldwound: Constantly expanding region overrun by demons a century ago. Held at bay by the efforts of crusaders.