North Dales, the earldom immediately to the north of South Dalemark. Though it was cut off from the South by a range of high mountains, the people there were used to dealing with the South (often as smugglers) and were in some ways more akin to the South than to the North.
Northern Cross, the most noticeable constellation in the night sky at all seasons, invaluable to sailors because it revolved round the true north. Other well-known constellations are Enblith’s Hair, the Flatiron, the Big Cat, the Kitten, Hern’s Crown and the River. Astronomy was not much studied in Dalemark until the reign of Amil the Great, so that although it was known that the world was round and circled the sun, little account was taken of the planets. Sailors called them the Unreliable Stars, for always moving about, or the Unchancy Ones.
Old Flate, the flatlands towards Waywold in South Dalemark, part of the earldom of Holand which had once been drained and farmed but allowed to return to marsh in the course of the two centuries before the Great Uprising because of the ruinous taxes imposed by the earls of Holand. The Old Flate became the haunt of snakes, criminals and disease.
Old Man, the highest mountain in Hannart, at the south end of the dale, thought to be named for the One.
Old Man of the Sea, a seeming priest who appeared to certain people in the Holy Islands, an aspect of the One.
Old Mill, across the River from Shelling in prehistoric Dalemark, where the first spellcoat was completed and the second begun. It had become a forbidden place for the villagers after the marriage of Closti and Anoreth. Some said it was haunted by the ghost of a woman, others that it was the abode of bad spirits, and still others that the River had cursed the place. As the King’s men found mussels being cultivated on a system of ropes in the millpond, it appears that not everyone in Shelling believed these tales.
Old Smiler, Mage Mallard’s derisive name for the King of the Riverlands.
Old Writing, a system of syllabic signs in use before letters were developed, which came to be thought of as magical. It was often used in spells or for inscriptions intended to be potent.
Olob, the shortened name of Barangarolob, Clennen the Singer’s horse, which Clennen often said he would not part with for an earldom.
Ommern, one of the Holy Islands, the greenest.
Ommersay, one of the larger of the Holy Islands.
One, the greatest of all the Undying, whose face could not be looked upon and whose names could not be spoken. The One was said to have fathered the human race by his union with the witch-queen Cenblith, at which time he made the great River of prehistory and was for centuries bound by magic at its source. He was at length unbound by the Weaver and shook the country into its present mountainous state when he defeated the mage Kankredin.
The One was worshipped as a god by the invaders from Haligland and for a long time remained a god in the North of Dalemark, where many beliefs and customs about him still remain, but he was almost unknown in the South. Nowadays he is regarded simply as an old superstition.
Or, er, ro, a particle inserted into a name to give the meaning “younger” or most often “youngest”. Compare Barangalob and Barangarolob, Tanamil and Tanamoril, Osfamon and Osfameron, et cetera.
Oreth, one of the secret names of the One, the least known, meaning “he who is bound”.
Orethan the Unbound, the name by which the One was known after the Weaver released him from the spells of Cenblith and Kankredin. This name is almost never spoken.
Oril, one of several names taken by Mage Mallard to disguise the fact that he was of the Undying.
Orilsway, a town which grew up at the junction of the green roads in the far north of Dalemark, possibly taking its name from Mage Mallard in his guise as the Wanderer. When the green roads were abandoned as highways, Orilsway fell into ruin and was only rebuilt and resettled after the coming of the railways.
Osfameron, one of the two names taken by Mage Mallard in his guise as a minstrel and meaning “Osfamon the younger”. It is not known who Osfamon was. Under this name Mallard became the friend of the Adon, whom he raised from the dead, and also created the cwidder with which he is said to have made mountains walk, later bequeathed to Moril Clennensson.
Palace of Earl Hadd in Holand in South Dalemark. Most earls, even in the South, lived in much humbler mansions, but Earl Hadd, perhaps because he insisted on his entire family’s living with him, enlarged and renamed his dwelling. The palace was largely destroyed in the Great Uprising.
Pali, a prison guard in Neathdale in South Dalemark who was a secret freedom fighter.
Panhorn, an intricately curled horn with four mouthpieces and eight valves, very difficult to play.
Paths of the Undying, a name for the green roads of North Dalemark used by those who believed that the Undying created and maintained them.
Peace-piping, a very difficult form of musical magecraft in which the mage must first use his pipes to echo the anger of combatants and then reduce their feelings to calm and shame. Moril Clennensson unwittingly used a form of peace-piping on Tholian, Earl of the South Dales.
Peelers, Lawschool slang for willow wands with the bark peeled off.
Penner, Ganner Sagersson.
Pennet, a village between Waywold and Holand in South Dalemark.
Piper, the name most often used, from the time of the Adon onwards, for Tanamil of the Undying, onetime lord of the Red River. It was said that being released from bondage at the same time as the One, Tanamil went to the Holy Islands, where his piping may still sometimes be heard on calm evenings.
Point of Hark, the high rocky peninsula that divides North from South Dalemark waters.
Poor Old Ammet, the full name of the image made of plaited wheat decorated with fruit and flowers and ribbons which was thrown into the harbour in Holand in South Dalemark each year at the Sea Festival. Opinions vary as to whether this ritual echoes some personal sacrifice by one of the Undying or is simply a charm for improving the harvest, but what is certain is that any boat which picks up Poor Old Ammet beyond the harbour has good luck ever after. This is rare; the tides and currents have to be exactly right. Usually the image sinks in the harbour.
Portable organ. See Hand organ.
Porter, the main spy for North Dalemark, operating under the noses of all the earls of the South, and the most wanted man in the South. He reported to Hannart almost everything the Southern earls wished to keep secret, organised freedom fighters, and ran a rescue service for wanted men and women. The Porter was operating for most of the eleven years prior to the Great Uprising.
Prest, one of the Holy Islands, large, with high crags.
Prestsay, a small rocky island in the Holy Islands.
Proud Ammet, a big merchant ship based in Holand in South Dalemark, where Earl Hadd’s assassin seems to have been when he fired. Like all the big merchant ships, this one was named from the Sea Festival.
Ratchet, a cat found by the children of Closti the Clam on their journey up the great River, named from the sound of her purring.
Rath Clan, sometimes called the Sons of Rath, the royal clan of primitive Haligland into which Kars Adon and Ked were born. The clan colours, which appeared on banners and in clothing, were red and blue.
Rattles, rotating wooden rattles, where the noise is produced by a wooden flange meeting a ratchet, which are traditional at the drowning of Old Ammet in the Holand Sea Festival. The rattle users are always small boys dressed half in red and half in yellow.
A Reader for the Poor, a book designed to teach working people to read. It was written by a clerk in Carrowmark who had little imagination. A typical page begins, “Ham beats the cask. He knocks in five nails. Will that make it hold water?”
Red One, one of the names for Tanamil the Piper.
Riss, a seaman aboard the flagship Wheatsheaf in the Holy Islands.
Rith, a boy’s name, fairly common in North Dalemark.
River, the mighty prehistoric watercourse which flowed north through Dalemark from a source somewhere near H
annart. It was said that the One made the River, and that the River was both the One and the soul of the land, and that it was the path of souls on their way to the sea. The River was destroyed by the One when he shook the land to rid it of the evil mage Kankredin. It only remains nowadays as two small rivers, the Ath and the Aden, and in the belief that the souls of the dead travel down the constellation of the River to oblivion in the sea of the universe.
Riverbed, the spirit land behind the great River, otherwise called the River of Souls.
Riverlands, the correct name for the prehistoric kingdom of Dalemark.
Rivermouth, the place where the great prehistoric River of Dalemark ran out into the sea in the north, through a delta of marsh, quicksand, and changing tides and currents. Its remains can be seen today in the bay between Aberath and Adenmouth, where there are still treacherous currents and constantly changing shoals.
Robin, the eldest child of Closti the Clam and Anoreth of the Undying, whose birthright was knowledge. Unlike her brothers and sisters, Robin passes clean out of all history and legend after the narrative of the spellcoats. It is possible that stories about her have been lost or attributed to her more spirited sister, Tanaqui.
Royal road, the green roads of North Dalemark between Adenmouth and Kernsburgh. Tradition said that each new monarch should make this journey on the old roads before claiming crown and kingstone at Kernsburgh.
Rugcoats, the poncho-like garments of woven wool worn by men and women over their other clothing in prehistoric Dalemark.
Rugcoats for weddings were presented by a girl’s family in prehistoric Dalemark to a husband-to-be as a sign that the two were officially betrothed; the groom then wore the rugcoat at the wedding. These rugcoats were always of specially fine weaving, usually with words all over. It was believed that the coat brought luck to the wedding, and possibly children too. If the bridegroom did not wear the coat at the wedding, it was a sign that the bride would soon be either deceived or a widow. If the groom gave the coat back before the wedding, the betrothal was broken off.
Rushing people, the souls of the dead that hurry along the Riverbed towards the sea.
Rush mat, woven by Mage Mallard to deceive the King of the Riverlands. Weaving in any form is a potent spell.
Rusty, a ginger tomcat found by the children of Closti the Clam on the journey up the great River.
Sailing in grybo, Lawschool slang for being in the clear, without black marks.
Sard, a trusted soldier of the King of the Riverlands – trusted because he enjoyed killing.
Scap, Lawschool slang for the spring solstice.
Scarnel, a pipe made of pea or bean stalks, hollowed and varnished, traditionally played at the Sea Festival in Holand in South Dalemark by any number of amateur players. The sound is indescribably horrible.
Sea Festival, celebrated in autumn and called the Autumn Festival or Harvest elsewhere in Dalemark and peculiar to Holand in the South. Two images, one of straw and one of fruit, are carried down to the harbour in a procession of men clothed in red and yellow, draped with garlands and wearing traditional hats, accompanied by music from traditional instruments and by other lesser images; at the harbour with solemn words the two greater images are thrown into the sea. This is followed by feasting.
The Second March, one of seven tunes used by soldiers to march to all over Dalemark. The Second March has a jaunty tune and is generally more in favour in the North.
Sein right, Lawschool slang for the right to start grittling. The team with sein right could choose weapons and set up the first move.
Sending Day, at the Lawschool, the day on which pupils returned home for the summer. Pupils’ families were asked to attend the closing ceremony before they removed the pupils.
Sessioning, the Lawschool word for school term.
Sevenfold, a merchant ship based in Holand in South Dalemark which had the good luck to pull Poor Old Ammet out of the sea. Every man aboard was said to have made his fortune subsequently. Sevenfold herself was sold when she became old to a merchant in Waywold who renamed her Fair Enblith and was not particularly lucky with her.
Sevenfold II, a merchant ship sailing out of Holand in South Dalemark, so called when the first ship of that name was sold. Her cockboat was found by the yacht Wind’s Road. Like most Holand shipping, both Sevenfolds were named from the Sea Festival.
The Seven Marches, the set of lively tunes to which soldiers marched in both North and South Dalemark. Each march had well-known words.
Shelling, a village much like other villages on the west bank of the great River of prehistoric Dalemark, the birthplace of Closti the Clam and his children.
Shelling River Procession, held once a year at Midsummer to honour the River as a god. This was one of four yearly ceremonies in which flags were carried, and probably gave rise to the custom of flying flags over the stalls at Midsummer Fairs all over historic Dalemark.
She Who Raised the Islands, the most common term for the lady of the Undying who, as wife of the Earth Shaker, has power nearly equal to his but is, on the whole, more benign. As Libby Beer she provides fruit and nourishment, but in her stronger aspects she is the earth itself and the only one of the Undying able to control the Earth Shaker. She is adored particularly in the Holy Islands, where she takes the shape of a beautiful red-haired woman dressed in green.
Shield of Oreth, a mountain plateau in the southwest of North Dalemark that faces the milder weather of the sea. The name is from the least known of the secret names of the One, and it should perhaps be noted that at least three of the Undying and the Adon’s sword were to be found there. In early historic times the Shield was well farmed and populous, but it fell into wasteland during the Adon’s wars. Navis Haddsson was given ducal lands here and was fond of saying that of all his achievements, the one which gave him most pleasure was the restoration of the Shield to farmland and prosperity.
Singers, a race of men and women, most of whom claimed descent from Tanamoril or Osfameron, who travelled the country of Dalemark singing, playing music and telling stories. Because singers were among the few people able to move freely between North and South, they also carried news, letters and often fugitives. Some even acted as spies, but this was rare: singers had their own rigid customs and standards, chief among which was always to tell the truth and never to perform a vile or a violent act. They also passed down by word of mouth innumerable old customs, sayings, beliefs and incantations, many of which were lost when Moril Clennensson disbanded the Singers in the reign of Amil the Great.
Siriol, the owner of the Flower of Holand, a fisherman and a prominent member of the Free Holanders, the society of secret freedom fighters to which Mitt also belonged. Mitt was apprenticed to Siriol for a while until his indentures were bought out by Hobin the gunsmith. Siriol greatly distinguished himself during the Great Uprising and afterwards became first a councillor and then semipermanent Mayor of Holand.
Six steps up to a front door were standard in Holand in South Dalemark, where the land is only inches above sea level and there is constant danger of flooding, particularly during the autumn storms.
Skreths, Lawschool slang word for the cloister to the east of the school.
Small Western clan, any of several minor clans that sailed from Haligland to prehistoric Dalemark during the years before the main invasion.
Soulboat, a small skiff specially enchanted to hold the souls of the dead once they had been retrieved from Kankredin’s net.
Soulnet. See Nets.
Souls of mortals were believed until quite recently to be the prey of witches and sorcerers, whether joined to a body or not. The mages of primitive Haligland claimed to be able to steal a man’s soul while he slept, and Kankredin is said to have been able to take someone’s soul at any time he wished. Souls of the Undying and those descended from them were a different matter because they were believed to be combined not only with a body but with the entire country too.
South, the eight earldoms of Derm
ath, Holand, Waywold, Canderack, Andmark, Carrowmark, Fenmark and the South Dales. This part of Dalemark has a warm climate, a rich soil and few high mountains. In early historic times it was very wealthy, but it became steadily poorer under the oppressive rule of the Southern earls, until, shortly before the reign of Amil the Great, the South was actually often poorer than the North and only ruled by fear. The North regarded this regime with disgust; the South was deeply suspicious of the North; and each considered itself superior to the other. The South, in fact, was noted for a number of virtues not seen in the North: efficiency, cool-headedness, perseverance and clear-sightedness, combined with a strong sense of humour.
South Dales, the earldom closest to North Dalemark and in many ways not unlike the North in climate and geography. But being this close to the freethinking North had a bad effect on the earls of the South Dales: They were the most tyrannical, warlike and unjust of all the Southern earls.
Spannet, a stablehand in Adenmouth in North Dalemark.
Specials, guns made secretly by Hobin of Holand in South Dalemark which he sold only to a chosen few. Each gun had some unusual feature, and all were better than any of the weapons he sold in public.
Spellcoat, a poncholike garment woven with word pictures that either told a story or stated facts. The garment, in the weaving, became the spell that made the story or fact come true. See also Weaving; Words.
Spirits were thought to be everywhere and to govern everything in prehistoric Dalemark, and it was necessary to please or soothe them every day. Some of the more powerful spirits almost had the status of gods and were confused by many with the Undying. The unusual thing about Closti’s family is that they did not share this belief. Hern, in fact, rejected spirits out of hand as “unreasonable”.
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