by Keith Ahrens
We all watch Thirax through the slowly shrinking portal, stabbing with his keen sword and slashing with his wicked claws. He stands tall, larger than life in the bottleneck of the hallway, killing or maiming any who try to get past him. He takes many more terrible wounds from cutting blades and bashing clubs.
He slips to one knee but continues to fight, howling his challenge to all. The portal has nearly sunk into the silver pool, forcing me to lie on my belly to watch the final few seconds of my friend's last stand.
With a roar, Thirax regains his feet and guts an overreaching ogre with his wicked claws. Then the light of the portal flickers and dies, leaving us in pitch blackness.
I pull my helmet off and tear the arrow out of my scalp. I'm grateful that the blood and darkness will hide the tears in my eyes.
I just want to lie here in the cool blackness for an interminable time and not move.
Powerful light suddenly floods the area, blinding the three of us.
“Caleb, Olivia! It’s them! Stand down; they're here,” a familiar voice echoes somewhere away from us. Then, “It’s okay, guys, you're safe now!” Haynes angles the flashlight so we can see the wide grin on his dark face. “Who's your friend?” He raises his light, and I see it’s attached to the short barrel of a tactical shotgun.
“At ease, Sergeant. He's with us,” Olivia says with an exhausted smile.
“Okay then. Let’s get you guys out of here. Welcome home.”
The story of Caleb and company continues… look for Book 2 of The Chronicles of Underhill, out soon!
Glossary of Terms, Phrases, and Miscellaneous Datum
(Warning, may contain spoilers) Note: Most Tabletop RPG gamers may find some of this very basic.
1dX +Y: The dreaded math nobody ever thought they would use after high school… algebra (sort of). ‘1dX’ indicates one die of a specific type is used. Can also be seen as 2dX, indicating 2 dice of the X-type are to be used and so on. 1d6 would be a six-sided die (the one most people are familiar with). 1d4 would by a four-sided die, a 1d8 would be an eight-sided die, etc. (if you don’t get this yet, more examples probably won't help you.) +Y added to a specified dice roll is the modifier, usually a bonus added to the dice roll. An example of this expression is a mace’s damage roll. It indicates the relative potential a mace can do in regard to Hit Points. 1d6 worth of damage. Then add Y which can be a strength bonus or the weapons magical value. 1d6+3. Simple, right?
5th Special Forces Group: a.k.a. The Green Berets, a unit of the US Army, special forces with advanced training in small arms, tactics, unarmed combat, infiltration, and a bunch of other crazy, dangerous stuff. Utilized extensively in Viet Nam where Haynes had served two tours with them. Total badasses.
Above the Hill: The way the Fey refer to our world. They are too pompous to simply say “Earth,” I guess.
Aether Crystal: Large crystal made from pure magic and used as a storage device. Each Fiefdom has its own. Powered by the deaths of Fey and humans alike, it doesn’t discriminate like that.
Armor Class (A/C): Game Term. A number that represents how good all your armor combined is. The higher the number, the better protected you are.
BDU: Battle Dress Uniform. Refers to the common uniform used by armed forces. Use of the pants has become common among all types of first responders for their durability and paramilitary look. Plus, they have lots of pockets.
Charisma (Cha): Game Stat. A way to quantify a person’s likeability or force of personality. How well other people respond to them and their leadership qualities. The indefinable quality that makes people like you or hate you.
Changeling: A baby who is stolen from human parents and raised as Fey. The term has evolved to also mean a possible spy among the humans living in the Fey Realm. I’ve never heard of one being verified, so this might just be myth.
Character Sheet: Game Term. The list of statistics and numbers meant to sum up a person’s worth and abilities in an easy to read format. Basic RPG format. It’s activated by pressing a person’s Red Tattoo. Because nothing tells a person’s life story like 3 pages of neatly typed script… Most folks keep this information hidden from everyone except close friends and trusted allies.
Constitution (Con): Game Stat. Measures how healthy and tough a person is. High scores add to Hit Point Totals. Bruce Willis in Unbreakable had a high constitution, Mr. Glass had a really low one.
Critical Hit: Game Term/ Game Effect. When an attack is performed so well that there is no defense for it and it causes severe injuries. In Game Terms, Damage is doubled or tripled depending on the weapon. The kind of hit where you need to use a cool one-liner as you do it.
Daoine Maithe: Old Gaelic term for the Fey. It means ‘The Good Folk.” Is that irony or sarcasm?
Damage: Game Stat. A number used to represent how much injury has been dealt to an opponent. A way of removing Hit Points from an opponent. An opponent can also be dealt non-lethal damage also known as ‘subdual’ damage.
Damage, Subdual: A way of inflicting damage to an opponent with the intent to incapacitate them without killing them. The kinder, gentler way to beat someone.
Dexterity (Dex): Game Stat. A way of measuring the all-around agility of a person. Can refer to balance, hand movements, or anything involving precision. Spiderman has a really high Dex; Juggernaut has a really low one.
Doctrina De Primigenes: General term used for the collection of Fey lore and history as left behind when the Fey fled our world. Each Fiefdom allegedly left their own version behind.
Doctrina De Terram Caeruleum: Lore and history left behind by the Fey of Terram Caeruleum when they fled our world.
Elf: Humanoid Fey. They look like humans but with pointed ears. They tend to be more graceful, thinner, and much more arrogant than an average human. With extremely long lives, their societies are set up in a feudal system with a strict caste system. I never got a chance to learn much more than that. Thorn is a societal outcast, so the subject is touchy with her.
EMS: Emergency Medical Services usually comprised of EMTs and Paramedics. Generally, the most underpaid and overworked of all First Responders. And no, we don’t use the sirens just to get through traffic unless we are on a call.
ESU: Emergency Services Unit. (Not to be confused with EMS.) NYC’s Police Department’s version of a SWAT team. Why a different name? Because it's New York, and we have to do things just a little bit different.
Fiefdom: An area controlled by a feudal ruler within the confines of a larger kingdom.
Fey: General term for a creature or being made of, or in part by magic, sentient, or otherwise. This includes elves, gnolls, pixies, ogres, etc. Basically, anything not human that I’ve met so far.
Globus Ignus: A fancy term for a fireball spell. A real classic with a devastating area effect of fire and explosions. Extremely hot. Don’t point at your own face.
Gnoll: Humanoid Fey. Half-man, Half-dog, all awesome. Savage in battle, extremely loyal as friends, very intelligent murder machines. Excellent craftsman.
Goblin: Filthy little rat-lizard jerks. About 3-4 feet tall with long ears and noses. Sadistic little jerks. Usually like to attack from far away, by surprise, or at a helpless target, preferably all three. Cowards at heart, they revel in other creatures’ suffering. Not a fan.
Gob: Short for goblin. Used in a derogatory way, of course.
Grá: Beloved. A pet name Thorn uses for Haynes.
Healing Stone: Green/white stones imbued with healing energy for fast healing. Exhausting to use, but more valuable than anything else around here that is available to us.
Hit Points (H.P.): Game Term/Game Stat. A measure of a person’s ability to take damage before falling unconscious or dying. Represented as a variable number or by rough estimate on the red tattooed pie chart. As the tattoo turns black (or grey), it corresponds to the loss of Hit Points. In battle, the objective is to reduce an opponent to 0 H.P.
Imbued Object: Any object that has been given magical properties in a p
ermanent way, such as a magic sword, magic hat, or a healing stone. Most will work all the time (like the sword’s magic will always make it lighter and sharper), or may be triggered by a word or phrase. A magic hat, for example, that has a spell imbued in it may need an activation word to make the person look like someone else. These items do not require additional energy from its users. Will still pull energy from the user.
Intelligence (Int): Game Stat. A number representing how smart, clever, and/or intuitive a person is. Conversely, it can also measure a person’s general stupidity in the form of a low score.
Iron, Cold Iron: Base metal that is poisonous to most Fey. The simple touch of it is enough to burn the bare skin of some Fey. Favored metal used by humans; the Fey usually use brass as a substitute. Before someone asks, steel is basically iron with other metals and carbon added to it. Works just as well against the Fey. Old myths talk about Fey being hurt by ‘cold iron,’ which is just iron that has not been heated over a forge before being shaped. I haven’t had the opportunity to see if there is any difference.
Magic User: aka Mages, warlocks, witches, hags, etc. General term for any being, Fey, or human that can harness the primal forces or raw magic and shape it through the concepts of the Six Elements (See Def.). Mages tend to specialize in whatever they have a strong affinity for.
Maidin Dealg: Thorn’s full name in Elvish. Roughly translated it means ‘Morning Thorn,’ hence her nickname.
Mortis Causa Ludicio Exercitus: Loosely translated, it means “Judgement by the Death of an Army.” Fancy way of saying whoever loses their army first, loses the battle. I mean, it seems pretty obvious, right?
Múc: Means ‘pig’ in a derogatory way. An insult generally reserved for ogres who may or may not understand they are being insulted, but typically respond to anyone speaking to them with anger and violence anyway.
Natural 1: Game Term. When rolling a twenty-sided dice, the worst thing that can happen is rolling a 1. It fails every time, no exceptions, and the worst possible outcome that could happen, happens. Usually it ends in embarrassment or catastrophic failure involving the person injuring themselves. Cursing is usually involved.
Natural 20: Game Term. The best possible roll of a twenty-sided dice. It always succeeds, no exceptions. It usually results in a grand or epic event. May cause double, or even triple, damage when applied to a damage roll. May also require a cool one-liner when it occurs.
Nomex: Fire-resistant material. Used by firefighters, well-dressed arsonists, or anyone who doesn’t want to burn to death.
Ogre: Pig faced, foul-tempered Fey Humanoid. Generally taller and larger than a human. Savage bastards who enjoy tormenting their opponents before brutally clubbing them to death. About as smart as a public toilet and just about as clean.
Pixie: Tiny, semi-sentient Fey that live on ambient magic instead of food or water. Often used as a light source by encasing them in crystal by more thoughtless or cruel other races. They come in various colors.
Race: Human, Elf, Gnoll, etc. This one should be obvious.
Redcaps: Grey-skinned Fey humanoids known for their enthusiasm toward murder. Strong, evil, and reckless warriors that are organized in Clans or Troupes. Usually commanded by a Chieftain who controls them all with a literal iron fist. Iron is just as dangerous to them, but that doesn’t stop them from wearing it over a thick layer of leather or using it for their weapons. They get their name from the fun and cute way they dip their hats in the pools of blood that leak from the things they kill. The darker the cap, the more murders they have committed. It helps them climb the ranks of their own troops and is seen as a badge of honor. Haven’t met one long enough to have a conversation, but I’m told they are smart. They also have an ability to merge into and travel along thick root systems extremely quickly.
Riker’s Island: Notorious jail located in NYC known for its violence and poor conditions. Of course, everyone there is innocent… it gets terrible ‘Yelp” reviews.
Rowan wood: Also known as Witch-tree, Portal Tree, or Wayfarer’s Tree among others. A reddish-brown, dense hardwood used for making tool handles, charms against sorcery, and staves. Has large orange berries. Provides protection from black magic and fairies. Can be used to suppress magical ability. Poisonous to most Fey. Just ask Morus.
Saving Throw: Game Stat. Used to illustrate how well a person can react to something (Reflex), how much a person can take at any one moment (Fortitude), or how easily manipulated they are (Willpower). They can be applied to physical or magical attacks or circumstances.
Semi-Imbued Object: Magically enhanced item with one spell embedded in it. Reusable, and needs to be activated. Warning: these require energy from the user to make the spell work. Healing stones are a common example. Always try to keep a few of these on hand; this is a violent place.
Sidhe: The proper old-fashioned term for Elf. I usually pronounce it as ‘jerk.’
Silver: Also known as Moon-Metal for its color and luster. Considered one of the first pure metals with inherent magical properties. Used extensively in magical devices, spells, and rituals.
Simuli Uti: One-time-use magical items. Usually cheaply made and disposable. Often given to front line troops prior to a battle. Always used up or destroyed after a single-use.
Six Elements of Magic: Fire, water, earth, air, life, and death. Each one has an opposite that cancels out the other. That should be pretty obvious, unless your Int is less than a 6. All magic is a primal force that is shaped by these or some combination of them. This is all according to Thorn.
Spork: Also known as ‘sfork.’ A useless hybrid of a fork and a spoon. Most often, the fork tines are too long to let the spoon part work, yet somehow not long enough to let you spear food. Used a lot by the military, prisons, and elementary schools.
Sprite: Small woodland Fey about the size of a human toddler. Wicked sense of humor, easily annoyed, and tough to placate. Fond of pranks, sometimes malicious, mostly annoying.
Tattoo, Blue: located on the inside of a person’s right wrist, it is used to identify a magic user. When activated, it projects a sheet denoting a being's magical strength and spell abilities. Also will list any spells that being knows. I only know the one, but I’ve seen some pretty cool and terrifying stuff since I’ve been here. The tattoo itself will fade to grey as a being's personal magic energy depletes.
Tattoo, Red: Located on the left wrist and activated when pressed, a character sheet is projected in the air. It also gives a rough idea of how hurt something is by the amount of black that replaces the red. It flashes whenever a being gets stronger, or ‘Levels Up,’ to let them know. Most people guard this information as very personal and not something your enemy should ever see. Elves reportedly can read them without activating them.
Terrestris Caeruleum: ‘Land of Blue Skies’ in our language. Dullahan rules this one. This is where we spent the majority of our time in captivity and training. One star for crap food, filthy accommodations, and terrible customer service.
Terrestris Laminis: Roughly translated, The Bladed Trees. The Fiefdom that usually wars with Terrestris Caeruleum for control of the magic. If he hates Dullahan that much, I think we could be friends…
Troll: Humanoid Fey, roughly the size of an average human man. Faces are scaled; bodies are furred. Fangs, claws, and a tail round out their physique. Very intelligent, strong magic users, and are able to regenerate from any injury, given enough time. I’ve heard rumors of Feral Trolls, but I don’t know much about them.
Underhill: The human term for the Fey Realm. A shortened version of the Fey’s “Under the Hill.” I’m told it annoys them when we say it like that, so it stays.
Veil: An elf’s innate power to turn invisible. Lasts only a short time and the effect is easily broken. This power can be replicated as a spell.
Notes
Chapter 2
1 Battle Dress Uniform—Camo pants with a lot of pockets. For years, a favorite standard issue for most military and first responders.
Chapter 5
1 Shorthand for ‘Armor Class’
Chapter 8
1 Pig—harsh and derogatory term
2 Gaelic “The good folk,” general term for fairies and Fey
Chapter 11
1 New York City’s version of “SWAT.” It stands for ‘Emergency Services Unit’ instead of ‘Special Weapons and Tactics.’
Chapter 12
1 Fire-proof material, usually used by firefighters, race car drivers and their pit crews.
2 Beloved
3 Semi-universal radio code for signal strength and clarity, scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the best. 5x5: Message received, loud and clear.
ALSO IN SERIES
STOLEN LIVES
DRAWING THE LINE
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