Son of a Liche

by J. Zachary Pike

  Dewen: The Gnomish goddess of fidelity, patient love, and commitment. Many weddings mention her, but some do not, because her husband joined with Mannon in the War of Betrayal, making Dewen the Betrayed Goddess. She is often associated with melancholy or nostalgia, and is frequently invoked by widows and widowers. Dewen is the Patroness of Clan Dewbell.

  Domovoy: See Wood Gnome.

  Doppelganger: A widely distrusted race of shapeshifters, commonly believed to have been created as infiltrators for Mannon’s armies in the War of Betrayal. Doppelgangers would make ideal diplomats were they not such ideal spies, double agents, and assassins as well.

  Dragon: Great reptiles that command the elements, most famously fire. It’s well-known that dragons slumber deep beneath the earth atop great mounds of treasure, and universally agreed that it’s always best to let sleeping dragons lie.

  Drakes: Dragon-kin that are much like full dragons, except smaller, weaker, and nowhere near as smart. Drakes still pose a significant threat, however, especially when encountered in their native element.

  Dwarf: Dwarves are shorter than Elves and Humans, but as Dwarves stand almost twice as wide at the shoulder and are famous for violent grudges, it’s generally best not to mention that. Rigid, industrious, and usually stoic, Dwarves live in massive clanhomes dug under the mountains. To the puzzlement of many of the other races, there are no Dwarven women.

  Dwerrow: The Gnomes of Clan Erdin, or Hill Gnomes, are often mistaken for Dwarves. They’re just a head shorter than Dwarves, but otherwise have similar stocky builds, long beards, and muscular frames. Other key differences from Dwarves include narrower shoulders, rounder features, and (perhaps most significantly), the presence of female Dwerrow. They are also usually heavily tattooed with spiral patterns used to indicate heritage, standing, and fealty.

  Elf: The most enigmatic of the Children of Light have sharp, angular features, but flowing, graceful movements. They live in tree huts, and most have accumulated untold wealth. They are immortal and yet innocent, playful yet powerful, whimsical yet wise. Above all, they are infuriating to almost everyone who is not an Elf. Elves all belong to houses, each of which swears fealty to a Great House. Of course, Elven fealty shifts frequently, and so the Elven houses are forever in flux, playing games of intrigue and power.

  Elixir: A miraculous healing potion brewed by magical means, elixir or salve can close wounds, restore organs, and even regrow lost limbs if consumed soon enough after an injury. It’s nearly as effective as it is addictive.

  Father Tinderhope: See Fulgen.

  Fengelde: Fengelde is the smallest Gnomish goddess, known as a protector of small creatures and a preserver of the natural cycles. She has no temple, though she was worshipped by the druids before their numbers dwindled and faded. She is patroness of Clan Fengeld, the Wood Gnomes.

  Fennekin: Fox-like Demi-gnolls with large ears and larger appetites for mischief.

  F.O.E.: Short for Force Of Evil, the official Heroes’ Guild designation for an enemy of the people and a legal target for heroic slaying.

  The Freedlands: The most powerful nation on Arth, the Freedlands is a federation of semi-autonomous city-states. The Freedlands has a small centralized government, ruled by a king set in Andarun, that regulates the powerful guilds, associations, and corporations that do business in the Freedlands and beyond.

  Fulgen: Fulgen, also called the Silent Underglow or Father Tinderhope, is the Dwarven god of light. He rules over candles in the darkness, purity among corruption, and truth amid lies. Among the Dwarves, he is a favorite of miners and heroes.

  Gazer: A horrible creature out of legend said to have been a floating bulb with one cyclopean eye at its center and many tentacles, each ending with a leering eyeball. If they ever existed, they’re now long gone from Arth, yet they remain popular in ballads and other artwork to this day. According to folklore, Gazers were said to have been cunning in combat, capable of weaving magic, and adept at avoiding copyright infringement.

  Giltin: The currency of the Freedlands, long considered the standard for all of Arth. The common symbol for giltin is G, as in 5G. One giltin is ten silver shillings. One shilling is ten copper cents.

  Glowmoth: A lovely, if unimaginatively named, variety of bioluminescent moth that inhabits subterranean Arth. Glowmoths are important in Dwarven and Gremlin culture, and all the more so as they’re the holy symbol of Fulgen.

  Gnoll: A race of Shadowkin with canine traits, once known as Clan Galden, or the Golden Gnomes. Gnolls were bred for a variety of purposes in the War of Betrayal, and many of these breeds (technically known as Demi-gnolls) are still around today.

  Gnome: Gnomes take as many shapes and sizes as the clouds in the sky. While their legends hold that all Gnomes once shared a common ancestor, the great Gnomish clans have all become their own sub-races. Be that as it may, it’s proper to refer to any of them as a Gnome, be they a Halfing, Tinderkin, or Deep Gnome. Said sub-races are often used interchangeably with clan names. All Gnomes stand shorter than most Humans, and most are shorter than Dwarves.

  Goblin: A race of Shadowkin that descended from the lost clans of the Dwarves. Goblins are short, scrawny, potbellied creatures. Their skin is green, their limbs are spindly. Stereotypes say that Goblins excel at little except breeding, at which they are amazing. It’s true that a handful of Goblins can become a tribe in just a few years.

  Golem: Enchanted automatons originally created by the Scribkin, golems have been refined and adapted to serve many useful purposes across Arth.

  Gremlins: A race of Shadowkin with both feline and lizard-like qualities, once known as Clan Remlon, or Moon Gnomes. Gremlins are known for their inquisitive nature, their mastery of bio-engineering, and their tenuous grasp of ethics.

  Griffon: It is said that a griffon is a lion with the head, talons, and wings of an eagle, but the Zoological Society of Monchester has determined that a griffon is, in actuality, a giant eagle with a lion’s butt.

  Halfling: Halflings are Gnomes of Clan Haughlin. They have round features, pot bellies, and curly brown hair (even on the tops of their feet.) While generally good-natured, Halflings are averse to manual labor, or indeed anything that isn’t comfortable. Unfortunately, they’re often very comfortable with petty theft.

  Hardvaark: A ground-dwelling monster with a long, pig-like snout and a thick, metallic carapace. Its tenacious nature made it the namesake of one of the Freedlands’ most prestigious universities.

  Heroes’ Guild: An international organization of professional adventurers who specialize in monster slaying, treasure acquisition, hostage retrieval, and more. The Heroes’ Guild is among the largest and most powerful organizations on Arth. Its wealth rivals that of the city-states of the Freedlands, and even some small countries.

  High Magic: The elemental energy woven through the universe, high magic is called the great weave. High magic is divided into two sides—solamancy and noctomancy.

  Human: Y’know. Humans. Originally mixed-race men, the first Humans were children of Gnomes and Elves and Sten. In time, they became so common that they married amongst themselves and spread throughout Arth. Now they are the most populous race of man, outnumbering all of the old races combined.

  Issan: A legendary Elven champion of Tandos in the War of Betrayal, notable for slaying the Dark Prince’s first incarnation.

  Khazen: The Dwarven god of war, Khazen is a master of defense and the defender of the home. He is a favored god of guards, watchmen, and militias.

  Kobold: Kobolds are a diminutive breed of Demi-gnoll, standing just below a man’s knee in height. They have big eyes, a short muzzle, thin limbs, and a severe case of small dog syndrome.

  Lamia: The largest and most powerful sept of the Naga, easily distinguished by their flame-colored scale patterns. Two of their matriarchs founded Lamia Sisters, one of the Freedlands’ most prominent investment banks.

  Leurieth: The Rain Dancer, Leurieth, is the goddess of rain and snow, water from the sky. She's a fa
vorite among Elves and is strongly associated with seasons and the passage of time. She’s also associated with the north wind.

  Leviathan: A legendary sea monster said to be born of the ultimate evil.

  Liche: A mage that rose from the grave through necromancy and extensive planning. Liches are the most powerful form of undead.

  Low Magic: The oldest laws of the universe, the rules of life and death, love and hatred, blood and bone.

  Mankind, Man, Races of Man: Legends say the Creator made the four races of Man—the Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, and Sten—to make Arth more interesting, and has regretted it ever since.

  Mannon: Malice incarnate, the ancient foe of the Creator deceived mankind, created the Shadowkin, and even corrupted some of the gods in ages past. Depending on the temple one visits, it is said that Mannon is either dead, in hiding, or a little bit of him lives in all of our hearts.

  Manticore: Large, horned cats with drake wings, manticores are monsters from the War of Betrayal. They’re close relatives of chimeras, though not so close as to attend each other’s parties.

  Mage: A person able to see and weave high magic, usually through years of dedicated study and social isolation.

  Magic: The essential forces of the universe as understood by those who fiddle with them. Magic is divided into high and low magic.

  Meltwater: The farmers’ name for Fulgen’s month. It’s the first month of spring and thus the year.

  Mercenary: A killer for hire. Specifically, mercenaries are the killers for hire that are not professional heroes. Assassins, soldiers, thugs, goons: they all fall under the general headline of “mercenary.” While more common than professional heroes, mercenaries are less regulated. With some assassins and thugs aside, they’re generally thought to be weaker as well.

  Monstrous Races: Humanoids bred for various combat roles by Mannon and Noros to fight in the War of Betrayal, the monstrous races are distinguished from Shadowkin in that they didn’t descend from the races of Man. Examples include Ogres, Doppelgangers, and Lizardmen.

  Musana: Musana is the Elven goddess of light and life. She encourages purity and grace, and honors simple living. Musana's high ideals make her popular, especially among the Order of the Sun, but many followers often misunderstand her teaching: Musana's most famous stories depict her humbling those followers who think themselves more pious than others. She is twin sister to Alluna, the Elven goddess of the moon.

  Naga: A race of Shadowkin with serpentine traits, Naga were once Clan Nagata, the Iron Gnomes. They resemble scaled men and women from the waist up, but their lower halves are those of serpents.

  Necromancer: While all noctomancers can touch the shadowy side of high magic that binds the dead, the word necromancer is reserved for those who have created undead for nefarious purposes.

  Noctomancer: A member of the second great order of mages, the Order of the Moon. Noctomancers are Humans and Gnomes that can weave the elements of air, earth, and shadow.

  Noros: Once the Gnomish god of dreams, Noros became Mannon’s greatest lieutenant.

  NPC: A Noncombatant Paper Carrier is a Shadowkin or monster who has secured Noncombatant Papers, removing his, her, or its status as a F.O.E. and thereby preventing professional heroes from killing them (legally).

  Omnimancer: A mage who wields both solamancy and noctomancy. Omnimancers once comprised the third great order of mages, the Order of Twilight, but they have fallen from grace. Now, omnimancers are the spell casting equivalent of lepers, living on the margins of society.

  Orc: A race of Shadowkin, Orcs were once Elves that sided with Mannon. Hulking, bucket-jawed, green-skinned barbarians, Orcs have a war-torn history and a legacy of brutality.

  Order of the Moon: See Noctomancer.

  Order of the Sun: See Solamancer.

  Order of Twilight: See Omnimancer.

  Owlverine: All the deadly ferocity of an owlbear, packed into a beast no bigger than an owlhound.

  Ogre: One of the monstrous races, Ogres are like clubs: big, simple, and made for violence.

  Poor Man’s Quiver: An enchanted quiver that always contains exactly one enchanted arrow, no matter how many are pulled from it. After purchasing one, any man would be poor.

  Rank (Heroes’ Guild): There’s no way to measure the value of a life, except the life of a professional hero, in which case their rank is an effective metric. As a hero attains ranks in different classes by killing things, it’s essentially a measure of how deadly, and therefore how valuable, a hero is.

  Scarg: A vaguely humanoid bat-like creature, the origins of scargs are unknown. Some say they’re naturally-occurring monsters, while others say scargs are a monstrous race or a Gremlin experiment gone wrong. They come in many varieties and breeds, most of which are more annoying than threatening to a professional hero.

  Scribkin: The Gnomes of Clan Tinkrin, or Scribkin, stand half as tall as most Humans, with stocky builds, bulbous noses, and thick, bushy hair. Industrious and curious, Scribkin are Arth’s most innovative inventors, enchanters, and engineers.

  Shadowkin: Legends hold that by the Third Age, many of Arth’s people followed Mannon or the gods loyal to him. Before launching the War of Betrayal, Mannon and Noros corrupted these lost people into more aggressive, poetically ironic shadows of their former selves.

  Slaugh: Picture a Gnome-sized frog walking on its haunches. Now imagine it has a foul temperament and a fouler odor. Now you know why almost everybody hates Slaugh. Technically, they’re Shadowkin descended from the Gnomes of Clan Slaughin, but other Shadowkin are loathe to admit as much.

  Solamancer: A member of the first great order of mages, the Order of the Sun. Solamancers are Humans and Elves that can weave the elements of fire, water, and light.

  Sten: The great traitors. Legends say that members of the fourth race of Man were long considered aloof and enigmatic before they followed the traitor god Al’Thadan and colluded with Mannon. Gray skinned and as tall as Elves and as broad as Dwarves, Sten were masters of low magic. The Agekeepers confirm that they were wiped out in the War of Betrayal.

  Sunheight: Baedrun’s month is the fifth month of the year, in the middle of Arth’s summer.

  Tandos: The Elven god of war and glory, Tandos is the greatest son of Al’Thadan and Al’Matra. It was he who finally struck down his traitorous father, and it was Tandos’ servants who defeated the Sten. Today, he rules over the pantheon as the Divine Regent in the place of his mother, who is unfit for rule.

  Tinderkin: The Gnomes of Clan Kaedrin, Tinderkin are taller than any other Gnomes, standing a little taller than even a Dwarf. They are lithe, graceful figures with sharp, slender features. Tinderkin are nomadic, traveling in small, familial bands. They take their name from the fires they build for nightly gatherings, which are often elaborate visual spectacles.

  Troll: Trolls are massive, ape-like creatures, the corrupted remnants of the now-extinct Sten. A troll is a gray-skinned Shadowkin with a flat, broad-nostrilled face and a shaggy coat of thick fur. They have peerless regenerative abilities and can shrug off mortal blows or regrow limbs within minutes. Originally bred for war and killing, they are regarded as good for little else.

  Undead: The bodies and / or spirits of fallen mortals, animated by foul magic to haunt and / or hunt the living. They take many forms, including ghosts, ghouls, liches, skeletons, vampires, wraiths, and zombies.

  Undine: Undines are one of the four elemental peoples, most commonly associated with water. Like all elemental peoples, they are uniformly of one gender. All Undines are female, and they interbreed with Sylphs, the people of air. Human legends portray Undines as beautiful and seductive. Undine legends portray Humans as lecherous and creepy. You be the judge.

  Ward: A magical barrier, shield, or other protective spell woven by mages.

  Wizard: A title given to male mages. Its counterpart, witch, fell into disuse during the Age of Darkness.

  Wood Gnome: The most diminutive of Gnomes, members of Clan Fengeld stand jus
t over most men’s ankles. They grow long beards, but all of their hair tends to get lost in the tangle of pelts and scraps they wear. They’re fiercely territorial and will often refuse to surrender land even after another race has built a city atop it. Their squatting habits have led many modern citizens to regard them as a particularly obnoxious form of vermin, and one that is remarkably difficult to get rid of.

  Wust: The Cloudking, Wust is the god of wind. He is legendarily curious; it's said that Wust makes the wind whisper Arth’s secrets to him. His drive for knowledge and ingenuity make him a fitting patron for Clan Tinkrin, the Scribkin. He rules all winds, but is most strongly associated with the west wind.

  Wynspar: The mighty mountain that Andarun is set into is riddled with caves, tunnels, dungeons, and various other dark places for monstrous horrors to lurk.

  Wyvern: A variety of drake with leathery wings instead of forelegs, much akin to a bat, and a barbed, venomous tail, much akin to a scorpion. It’s every bit as unpleasant as it sounds

  Dedication and Thanks

  Dedication

  To my parents. Writing about horrible parents has made me appreciate good ones, and mine have always been amazing. Thank you.

  Acknowledgements

  Writing a garbled first draft is a one-man task, but transforming it into a book I can be proud of takes the time and effort of many people. I’m grateful to every one of them.

  Courtney Rae Andersson is a fantastic editor, with a deft touch and a deep knowledge of my particular niche genre (and financial fantasy humor is about as niche as niche gets).

  Brittany Yost is a great sensitivity reader. Her perspectives on race and gender dynamics were both invaluable and gently delivered, and they made this a better book.

  My beta readers offer edits, perspective, and encouragement in equal measure. Thank you to Cory Anderson, Nate Bates, Kristin Boucher, Josh Cole, Gary and Hilary Poisson, Erin Wallace, and Kayla Zagieboylok. Thank you also to Ariele Seiling for proofing this work, and to Chris Douglass and David Lurie, whose feedback made this a better book. And a special thank you to Mike Tibbals, who remains my most thorough fan. Over the course of his review of Son of a Liche, he remade a complete wiki on Arth, attempted a more thorough translation of Shadowtongue, and challenged my calendar based on lunar cycles. Mike is truly a red shirt in the fantasy MMORPG sense of the word (and not the space diplomacy sense of it).