TWOLAS - 05 - Grand Conspiracy

by Janny Wurts

PARAVIAN—name for the three old races that inhabited Athera before Men. Including the centaurs, the sunchildren, and the unicorns, these races never die unless mishap befalls them; they are the world's channel, or direct connection, to Ath Creator, pronounced: par-ai-vee-ans. root meaning: para—great; i'on—fate or great mystery

  PARRIEN s'BRYDION—younger brother of Duke Bransian of Alestron, Keldmar, and older brother of Mearn. pronounced: par-ee-en root meaning: para ient—great dart

  QUAIRE—a mountain peak in the Skyshiels, Rathain. pronounced: kwear root meaning: quaire—pyramid

  QUARN—town on the trade road that crosses Caithwood in Taerlin, Tysan. pronounced: kwarn. root meaning: quarin—ravine, canyon

  RADMOORE DOWNS—meadowlands in Midhalla, Melhalla. pronounced: rad-more. root meaning: riad—thread; mour—carpet, rug

  RAIETT RAVEN—brother of the Mayor of Hanshire; uncle of Sulfin Evend. Considered a master statesman and a bringer of wars, pronounced: rayett root meaning: raiett—carrion bird

  RATHAIN—High Kingdom of Athera ruled by descendants of Torbrand s'Ffalenn since Third Age Year One. Sigil: black-and-silver leopard on green field, pronounced: rath-ayn. root meaning: roth—brother; thein—tower, sanctuary REYSALD—a merchant in the city of Daenfal, Rathain. pronounced: ris-sald

  RIATHAN PARAVIANS—unicorns, the purest, most direct connection to Ath Creator; the prime vibration channels directly through the horn. pronounced: ree-ah-than. root meaning: ria—to touch; ath—prime life force; an—one; ri'athon— one who touches divinity

  RIVERTON—trade town at the mouth of the Ilswater river, in Korias, Tysan; site of Lysaer's royal shipyard.

  ROCKFELL PIT—deep shaft cut into Rockfell Peak, used to imprison harmful entities throughout all three Ages. Located in the principality of West Halla, Melhalla; became the warded prison for Desh-thiere. pronounced: rock-fell root meaning not from the Paravian

  ROCKFELL VALE—valley below Rockfell Peak, located in principality of West Halla, Melhalla. pronounced: rockfell vale root meaning not from the Paravian

  s'AHELAS—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Shand. Gifted geas: farsight. pronounced: s'ah-hell-as root meaning: ahelas—mage-gifted

  SANPASHIR—desert waste on the south coast of Shand. pronounced: sahn-pash-eer. root meaning: san—black or dark; pash'era—place of grit or gravel

  SANSHEVAS—city located in Alland, Shand; known for silk, pronounced: san-shee-vahs root meaning: san—black; cievas—worm or grub

  SARDS—pass through the Skyshiels on the trade route connecting Daenfal with Jaelot. pronounced: rhymes with 'shards' root meaning: saardes—whirlwind

  SASHKA—a favored prostitute at the Fat Pigeon Tavern in the city of Southshire. pronounced: sash-kaa

  s'BRYDION—ruling line of the Dukes of Alestron. The only old blood clansmen to maintain rule of their city through the uprising that defeated the rule of the high kings, pronounced: s'bride-ee-on root meaning: baridien—tenacity

  SCIMLADE TIP—peninsula at the southeast corner of Alland, Shand. pronounced: skim-laid. root meaning: scimlait—curved knife or scythe SEANNORY—Centaur guardian who bound the four elemental powers in the fortress at Earle for need of the world's protection, pronounced: see-an-or-ee root meaning: saenniori—enchanter

  SECOND AGE—Marked by the arrival of the Fellowship of Seven at Crater Lake, their called purpose to fight the drake spawn.

  SELIDIE—young woman initiate appointed by Morriel Prime as a candidate in training for succession, pronounced: sell-ih-dee root meaning: selyadi—air sprite

  SELKWOOD—forest located in Alland, Shand. pronounced: selk-wood root meaning: selk—pattern

  SETHVIR—Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven, served as Warden of Althain since the disappearance of the Paravians in the Third Age after the Mistwraith's conquest. pronounced: seth-veer root meaning: seth—fact; vaer—keep

  SEVERNIR—river that once ran across the central part of Daon Ramon Barrens, Rathain. Diverted at the source after the Mistwraith's conquest, to run east into Eltair Bay. pronounced: se-ver-neer root meaning: sevaer—to travel; nir—south

  s'FFALENN—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Rathain. Gifted geas: compassion,'empathy, pronounced: s-fal-en root meaning: ffael—dark, an—one

  s'GANNLEY—family name for the line of Earls of the West, who stood as caithdeinen and stewards for the Kings of Tysan. pronounced: s-gan-lee. root meaning: gaen—to guide; li—exalted, or in harmony SHADDORN—trade city located on the Scimlade peninsula in Alland, Shand. pronounced: shad-dorn root meaning: shaddiern—a sea turtle

  SHAND—High Kingdom on the southeast corner of the Paravian continent, originally ruled by the line of s'Ahelas. Device is falcon on a crescent moon, backed by purple-and-gold chevrons, pronounced: shand, as in 'hand' root meaning: shayn or shiand—two,'pair

  SHANDIAN—refers to nationality, being of the Kingdom of Shand. pronounced: shand-ee-an root meaning: shand—two

  SHANDOR—city located on the coast of West Shand. pronounced: shan-door root meaning: cianor—to shine

  SHIP'S PORT—city located on the coast of Eltair Bay, West Halla, Melhalla.

  SHONIAN—a river in Falwood, West Shand. pronounced: show-nee-an root meaning: shon'ien—a unicorn's dance

  s'ILESSID—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Tysan. Gifted geas: justice, pronounced: s-ill-ess-id root meaning: liessiad—balance

  SITHAER—mythological equivalent of hell, halls of Dharkaron Avenger's judgment; according to Ath's adepts, that state of being where the prime vibration is not recognized, pronounced: sith-air. root meaning: sid—lost; thiere—wraith,'spirit

  SKANNT—headhunter captain, trained under Pesquil, now captains the Northern League, pronounced: scant. root meaning: sciant—a lean, hard run hound of mixed breeding

  SKJEND—a wineseller in the city of Morvain. pronounced: skinned

  SKYRON FOCUS—large aquamarine focus stone, used by the Koriani Senior Circle for their major magic after the loss of the Great Waystone during the rebellion, pronounced: sky-run. root meaning: skyron—colloquialism for shackle; s'kyr'i'on— literally 'sorrowful fate'

  SKYSHIELS—mountain range that runs north and south along the eastern coast of Rathain. pronounced: sky-shee-ells. root meaning: skyshia—to pierce through; iel—ray

  SORCERERS' PRESERVE—warded territory located by Teal's Gap in Tornir Peaks in Tysan where the Khadrim are kept confined by Fellowship magic.

  SOUTH SEA—ocean off Paravia's southern coast.

  SOUTHSHIRE—south coast port town located in Alland, kingdom of Shand; known for its shipbuilding and orange groves.

  STRAKEWOOD—forest in the principality of Deshir, Rathain; site of the battle of Strakewood Forest. pronounced: strayk-wood similar to 'stray wood' root meaning: streik—to quicken, to seed

  SULFIN EVEND—son of the Mayor of Hanshire who is appointed Alliance Lord Commander by Lysaer s'Ilessid. pronounced: sool-finn ev-end. root meaning: suilfinn eiavend—colloquialism, diamond mind— one who is persistent

  SUNCHILDREN—translated term for Athlien Paravians.

  SUNWHEEL—blazon of the Alliance of Light, consisting of a gold geometric on a white field.

  s'VALERIENT—family name for the Earls of the North, regents and caithdein for the High Kings of Rathain. pronounced: val-er-ee-ent. root meaning: ml—straight; erient—spear

  TAERLIN—southwestern principality of Kingdom of Tysan. Also a lake, Taerlin Waters located in the southern spur of Tornir Peaks. Halliron. taught Arithon a ballad of that name, which is of Paravian origin, and which commemorates the First Age slaughter of a unicorn herd by Khadrim. pronounced: tay-er-lin root meaning: taer—calm; lien—to love

  TAL QUORIN—river formed by the confluence of watershed on the southern side of St
rakewood, principality of Deshir, Rathain, where traps were laid for Etarra's army in the battle of Strakewood Forest. pronounced: tal quar-in root meaning: tal—branch; quorin—canyons

  TAL'S CROSSING—town at the branch in the trade road that leads to Etarra and south, and northeastward to North Ward, pronounced: tal to rhyme with 'pal' root meaning: tal—branch

  TALITH—Etarran princess; former wife of Lysaer s'Ilessid. Died of a fall from Avenor's tower of state. pronounced: tal-ith—to rhyme with 'gal with' root meaning: tal—branch; lith—to keep,'nurture

  TALVISH—a clanborn retainer in sworn service to s'Brydion at Alestron. pronounced: tall-vish root meaning: talvesh—reed

  TAWIS—deceased grandfather who smuggled contraband into the city of Jaelot. pronounced: tow-iss

  TEIR—title fixed to a name denoting heirship, pronounced: tayer root meaning: teir's—successor to power

  TEIREN—feminine form of Teir. pronounced: tay-er-en root meaning: teiren's—female successor to power

  TEIS—a poor commoner's child in Avenor. pronounced: tea-iss

  TELMANDIR—ruined city that once was the seat of the High Kings of Havish. Located in the principality of Lithmere, Havish. pronounced: tell-man-deer. root meaning: telman'en—leaning; dir—rock

  TELZEN—city on the coast of Alland, Shand, renowned for its lumber and saw millworks. pronounced: tell-zen root meaning: tielsen—to saw wood

  THALDEINS—mountain range that borders the principality of Camris, Tysan, to the east. Site of the Camris clans' west outpost. Site of the raid at the Pass of Orlan. pronounced: thall-dayn root meaning: thai—head; dein—bird

  THARRICK—former captain of the guard in the city of Alestron assigned charge of the duke's secret armory; now married to Jinesse and working as a gentleman mercenary guard at Innish. pronounced: thar-rick root meaning: thierik—unkind twist of fate

  THIRD AGE—marked by the Fellowship's sealing of the compact with the Paravian races and the arrival of Men to Athera.

  THREADNEEDLE STREET—a street in city of Jaelot.

  TIDEPORT—trade port on the south shore of Korias, kingdom of Tysan.

  TIENELLE—high-altitude herb valued by mages for its mind-expanding properties. Highly toxic. No antidote. The leaves, dried and smoked, are most potent. To weaken its powerful side effects and allow safer access to its vision, Koriani enchantresses boil the flowers, then soak tobacco leaves with the brew, pronounced: tee-an-ell-e ('e' mostly subliminal) root meaning: tien—dream; iel—light,'ray

  TIRIACS—mountain range to the north of Mirthlvain Swamp, principality of Midhalla, Melhalla. pronounced: tie-ree-axe root meaning: tieriach—alloy of metals

  TORBRAND s'FFALENN—founder of the s'Ffalenn line appointed by the Fellowship of Seven to rule the High Kingdom of Rathain in Third Age Year One. pronounced: tor-brand root meaning: for—sharp, keen; brand—temper

  TORNIR PEAKS—mountain range on western border of the principality of Camris, Tysan. Northern half is actively volcanic, and there the last surviving packs of Khadrim are kept under ward. pronounced: tor-neer. root meaning: tor—sharp, keen; nier—tooth

  TORWENT—smuggler's haven and fishing town in Lanshire, Havish. pronounced: tore-went root meaning: tor—sharp; wient—bend

  TRAITHE—Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven. Solely responsible for the closing of South Gate to deny further entry to the Mistwraith. Traithe lost most of his faculties in the process, and was left with a limp. Since it is not known whether he can make the transfer into discorporate existence with his powers impaired, he has retained his physical body, pronounced: tray-the root meaning: traithe—gentleness

  TYSAN—one of the Five High Kingdoms of Athera, as defined by the charters of the Fellowship of Seven. Ruled by the s'Ilessid royal line. Sigil: gold star on blue field, pronounced: tie-san root meaning: tiasen—rich

  URAY—a man-at-arms in the city of Daenfal. pronounced: you-ray

  VALENFORD—city located in Taerlin, Tysan. pronounced: val-en-ford root meaning: valen—braided

  VASTMARK—principality located in southwestern Shand. Highly mountainous and not served by trade roads. Its coasts are renowned for shipwrecks. Inhabited by nomadic shepherds and wyverns, non-fire-breathing, smaller relatives of Khadrim. Site of the grand massacre of Lysaer's war host in Third Age 5647. pronounced: vast-mark root meaning: vhast—bare; mheark—valley

  VERRAIN—master spellbinder, trained by Luhaine; stood as Guardian of Mirthlvain when the Fellowship of Seven was left shorthanded after the conquest of the Mistwraith. pronounced: ver-rain root meaning: ver—keep; ria—touch; an—one; original Paravian: verria'an

  VHALZEIN—city located in West Shand, shore of Rockbay Harbor on the border by Havish. pronounced: val-zeen root meaning: from drakish, vhchalsckeen—white sands

  VHANDON—a renowned clanborn war captain of Duke Bransian s'Brydion of Alestron. pronounced: van-done root meaning: vhandon—steadfast VORRICE—Lord High Examiner of Avenor; charged with trying and executing cases of dark magecraft. pronounced: vor-iss root meaning: vorisse—to lay waste by fire

  WATERCROSS—settlement in Caithwood sited at the intersection of the trade road and the lis water.

  WARD—a guarding spell, pronounced: as in English root meaning: not from the Paravian

  WATERFORK—city located in Lithmere, Havish.

  WARDEN OF ALTHAIN—alternative title for the Fellowship Sorcerer, Sethvir.

  WEST GATE PROPHECY—prophecy made by Dakar the Mad Prophet in Third Age 5061, which forecast the return of royal talent through the West Gate, and the bane of Desh-thiere and a return to untrammeled sunlight.

  WESTWOOD—forest located in Camris, Tysan, north of the Great West Road.

  WHITEHOLD—city located on the shore of Eltair Bay, Kingdom of Melhalla.

  WORLDSEND GATES—set at the four compass poinnts of the continent of Paravia. These were spelled portals constructed by the Fellowship of Seven at the dawn of the Third Age, and were done in connection with the obligations created by then compact with the Paravian races which allowed Men to settle on Athera.

  WULFCARS—accountant at Meliane's brothel in Jaelot. pronounced: wolf-cars