by Janny Wurts
pronounced: ath-air-ah
root meaning: ath - prime force; era - place 'Ath's world'
ATHIR
Second Age ruin of a Paravian stronghold, located in Ithilt, Rathain. Site of a seventh lane power focus; also where Arithon Teir's'Ffalenn swore his blood oath to survive to the Fellowship Sorcerer, Asandir.
pronounced: ath-ear
root meaning: ath - prime; i'er - the line,'edge
ATHLIEN PARAVIANS
sunchildren. Small race of semimortals, pixie-like, but possessed of great wisdom,'keepers of the grand mystery.
pronounced: ath-lee-en
root meaning: ath - prime force; lien - to love 'Ath-beloved'
ATHLIERIA
equivalent of heaven,'actually a dimension removed from physical time,'space, or the exalted that lies past the veil.
pronounced: ath-lee-air^ee-ah
root meaning: ath - prime force; li'eria - exalted place, with suffix for 'beyond the veil.'
AVENOR
Second Age ruin of a Paravian stronghold. Traditional seat of the s'Ilessid High Kings. Restored to habitation in Third Age 5644. Became the ruling seat of the Alliance of Light in Third Age 5648. Located in Korias, Tysan.
pronounced: ah-ven-or
root meaning: avie - stag; norh - grove
BAIYEN GAP
the trail built by the centaur guardians through the pass that crosses the Skyshiel Mountains, connecting the Eltair coast to Daon Ramon Barrens. Twice-the site of a drake battle, once between rivals in the Age of Dragons, and again, in the First Age, against a pack of greater drake spawn. One of the old rights of way, not open to mankind's use.
pronounced: bye-yen
root meaning: bayien - slag
BARACH
second son of Jieret s'Valerient, and older brother of Jeynsa. Successor to the title, Earl of the North.
pronounced: bar-ack
root meaning: baraich - linch-pin
BARISH
town located just north of the border of Tysan, on the coast of Mainmere Bay.
pronounced: bar-ish
root meaning: bar - half; ris - way
BIEDAR
desert tribe living in Sanpashir, Shand. Also known as the Keepers of the Prophecy. Their sacred weaving at the well produced the conception of Dari s'Ahelas, which crossed the old caithdein's lineage of s'Dieneval with the royal line of s'Ahelas, combining the gifts of prophetic clairvoyance with the Fellowship-endowed penchant for far-sight.
pronounced: bee-dar
root meaning: biehdahrr - ancient desert dialect for 'lore keepers'
BITTERN DESERT
waste located in Atainia, Tysan, north of Althain Tower. Site of a First Age battle between the great drakes and the Seardluin, permanently destroyed by dragonfire. pronounced: bittern
root meaning: bityern - to sear or char
BRAGGEN
one of the fourteen Companions, who were the only children to survive the battle fought between Deshir's clansmen and the war host of Etarra beside the River Tal Quorin in Third Age Year 5638.
pronounced: brag-en
root meaning: briocen - surly
BRANSIAN s'BRYDION
Teir's'Brydion, ruling Duke of Alestron.
pronounced: bran-see-an
root meaning: brand - temper; s'i'an - suffix denoting 'of the one','the one with temper'
CAINFORD
town located in Taerlin, Tysan.
pronounced: cane-ford
root meaning: caen - vale
CAITH-AL-CAEN
vale where Riathan Paravians (unicorns) celebrated equinox and solstice to renew the athael, or life-destiny of the world. Also the place where the Ilitharis Paravians first Named the winter stars - or encompassed their vibrational essence into language. Corrupted by the end of the Third Age to Castlecain.
pronounced: cay-ith-al-cay-en, musical lilt, emphasis on second and last syllables; rising note on first two, falling note on last two
root meaning: caith - shadow; al - over; caen - vale 'vale of shadow' caithdein(alternate spelling caith'd'ein, plural form caithdeineri) Paravian name for a high king's first counselor; also, the one who would stand as regent, or steward, in the absence of the crowned ruler. By heritage, the office also carries responsibility for oversight of crown royalty's fitness to rule.
pronounced: kay-ith-day-in
root meaning: caith - shadow; d'ein - behind the chair 'shadow behind the throne'
CAITHWOOD
forest located in Taerlin, south-east principality of Tysan.
pronounced: kay-ith-wood
root meaning: caith - shadow - shadowed wood
CALUM KINCAID
the individual who invented the great weapon that destroyed the worlds of humanity and caused the refugee faction, including the Koriathain, to seek sanctuary on Athera.
pronounced: calum kin-cade
root meaning not from an Atheran language
CAMRIS
north-central principality of Tysan. Original ruling seat was the city of Erdane.
pronounced: cam-ris
root meaning: cairn - cross; ris - way 'crossroad'
CAOLLE
past war captain of the clans of Deshir, Rathain. First raised, and then served under, Lord Steiven, Earl of the North and caithdein of Rathain. Planned the campaign at Vastmark and Dier Kenton Vale for the Master of Shadow. Served Jieret Red-beard, and was feal liegeman of Arithon of Rathain; died of complications from a wound received from his prince while breaking a Koriani attempt to trap his liege in Third Age Year 5653.
pronounced: kay-all-eh, with the 'e' nearly subliminal
root meaning: cattle - stubborn
CAPEWELL
town located on the south shore of Korias, Tysan. Home of a major Koriani sisterhouse.
CARITHWYR
principality in Havish, once a grass-lands breeding-ground for the Riathan Paravians. Now produces grain, cattle, fine hides, and also wine.
pronounced: car-ith-ear
root meaning: ci'arithiren - forgers of the ultimate link with prime power. An old colloquialism for unicorn.
CASCADM ISLANDS
rugged chain of islands off the coast of Vastmark, Shand.
pronounced: cass-canes
root meaning: kesh kain - shark's teeth
CATTRICK
master joiner hired to run the royal shipyard at Riverton; once in Arithon's employ at Merior by the Sea, now shipwright for Duke Bransian s'Brydion at Alestron.
pronounced: rat-rick
root meaning: ciattiaric - a knot tied of withies that has the magical property of confusing enemies
CEREBELD
Avenor's High Priest of the Light, formerly Lord Examiner of Avenor.
pronounced: cara-belld
root meaning: ciarabeld - ashes
CIENN
clan scout and Companion in Earl Jieret s'Valerient's war-band, smith who shod their horses; died in the battle on Daon Ramon, Third Age Year 5670.
pronounced: kee-in
root meaning: dan - spark
CIANOR SUNLORD
born at Caith-al-Caen, First Age Year 615. Crowned High King of Athera in Second Age Year 2545, until his death when a rise of Khadrim called him to war in Second Age 3651. He is the only Paravian in history to have a namesake, more properly termed a tiendar'shayn'd or 'reborn.' Cianor Moonlord was birthed at the darkest hour of the Second Age. He was still at hand in Third Age Year One to assist when the Fellowship Sorcerers wrote the compact that enabled Mankind to receive sanctuary on Athera. It was his hand that bestowed the sword Alithiel upon Kamridian s'Ffalenn.
CILADIS THE LOST
Fellowship Sorcerer who left the continent in Third Age 5462 in search of the Paravian races after their disappearance following the rebellion. pronounced: kill-ah-dis
root meaning: cael - leaf; adeis - whisper, compound; cael'adeis colloquialism for 'gentleness that abides'
CILDEIN OCEAN
body of water lying off Athera's east coast.
pronounced: kill-dine
root meaning: cailde - salty; an - one
CILDORN
city famed for carpets and weaving, located in Deshir, Rathain. Originally a Paravian holdfast, situated on a node of the third lane.
pronounced: kill-dorn
root meaning: deal - thread; dorn - net 'tapestry'
CORITH
island west of Havish in the Westland Sea. Site of an old drake lair, and a ruined First Age foundation. Here the council of Paravians convened during seige, and their appeal brought the Second Dreaming by dragons, which enacted the summoning of the seven who became the Fellowship Sorcerers.
pronounced: core-ith
root meaning: cori - ships, vessels; itha - five
CRUIK
an old form of architecture, wherein living trees are molded to become structural support for a building, which is constructed around them.
DAELION FATEMASTER
'entity' formed by set of mortal beliefs, which determine the fate of the spirit after death. If Ath is the prime vibration, or life-force, Daelion is what governs the manifestation of free will.
pronounced: day-el-ee-on
root meaning: dael - king, or lord; i'on - of fate
DAELION'S WHEEL
cycle of life and the crossing point that is the transition into death.
pronounced: day-el-ee-on
root meaning: dael - king or lord; i'on - of fate
DAENFAL LAKE
located on the northern lake-shore that bounds the southern edge of Daon Ramon Barrens in Rathain.
pronounced: dye-en-fall
root meaning: daen - clay; fal - red
DAKAR THE MAD PROPHET
apprentice to Fellowship Sorcerer, Asandir, during the Third Age following the Conquest of the Mistwraith. Given to spurious prophecies, it was Dakar who forecast the fall of the Kings of Havish in time for the Fellowship to save the heir. He made the Prophecy of West Gate, which forecast the Mistwraith's bane, and also, the Black Rose Prophecy, which called for reunification of the Fellowship. At this time, in the service of Arithon, Prince of Rathain.
pronounced: dah-kar
root meaning: dakiar - clumsy
DANIA
wife of Rathain's former caithdein, Steiven s'Valerient. Died by the hand of Pesquil's head-hunters in the Battle of Strakewood, Third Age 5638; Jieret Red-beard's mother.
pronounced: dan-ee-ah
root meaning: deinia - sparrow
DAON RAMON BARRENS
central principality of Rathain. Site where Riathan Paravians (unicorns) bred and raised their young. Barrens was not appended to the name until the years following the Mistwraith's conquest, when the River Severnir was diverted at the source by a task force under Etarran jurisdiction.
pronounced: day-on-rah-mon
root meaning: daon - gold; ramon - hills,'downs
DARI S'AHELAS
crown heir of Shand who was sent to safety through West Gate to preserve the royal lineage. Born following the death of the last Crown Prince of Shand, subsequently raised and taught by Sethvir to manage the rogue talent of a dual inheritance. Her mother was Meiglin s'Dieneval, last survivor of the old caithdein's lineage of Melhalla, which was widely believed to have perished during the massacre at Tirans. However the pregnant widow of Egan s'Dieneval had escaped the uprising and survived under a false name in a Durn brothel.
pronounced: dar-ee
root meaning: daer - to cut
DARKLING
city located on the western side of the Skyshiel Mountains in the Kingdom of Rathain.
pronounced: dark-ling
root meaning: dierk-linng - drake eyrie
DAVIEN THE BETRAYER
Fellowship Sorcerer responsible for provoking the great uprising in Third Age Year 5018, that resulted in the fall of the high kings after Desh-thiere's conquest. Rendered discorporate by the Fellowship's judgment in Third Age 5129. Exiled since, by personal choice. Davien's works included the Five Centuries Fountain near Mearth on the splinter world of the Red Desert through West Gate; the shaft at Rockfell Peak, used by the Sorcerers to imprison harmful entities; the Stair on Rockfell Peak; and also, Kewar Tunnel in the Mathorn Mountains.
pronounced: dah-vee-en
root meaning: dahvi - fool; an - one 'mistaken one'
DAWR s'BRYDION
grandmother of Duke Bransian of Alestron, and his brothers Keldmar, Parrien, and Mearn.
pronounced: dour
root meaning: dwyiar - vinegar wine
DEITH
clansman of Rathain, and the youngest of Jieret's Companions, who were the fourteen child survivors of the massacre of Tal Quorin in Third Age Year 5638. Currently among the group of scouts guarding the free wilds in Deshir.
pronounced: dee-ith
root meaning: d' - prefix for behind; ieth - to stand, to plant, to fix in place DESH-THIEREMistwraith that invaded Athera from the splinter worlds through South Gate in Third Age 4993. Access cut off by Fellowship Sorcerer, Traithe. Battled and contained in West Shand for twenty-five years, until the rebellion splintered the peace, and the high kings were forced to withdraw from the defense lines to attend their disrupted kingdoms. Confined through the combined powers of Lysaer s'Ilessid's gift of light and Arithon s'Ffalenn's gift of shadow. Currently imprisoned in a warded flask in Rockfell Pit.
pronounced: desh-thee-air-e (last 'e' mostly subliminal)
root meaning: desh - mist; thieve - ghost or wraith
DESHIR
north-western principality of Rathain.
pronounced: desh-eer
root meaning: deshir - misty
DHARKARON AVENGER
called Ath's Avenging Angel in legend. Drives a chariot drawn by five horses to convey the guilty to Sithaer. Dharkaron as defined by the adepts of Ath's Brotherhood is that dark thread mortal men weave with . Ath, the prime vibration, that creates self-punishment, or the root of guilt. •
pronounced dark-air-on
root meaning: dhar - evil; khiaron - one who stands in judgment
DHIRKEN
lady captain of the contraband runner, Black Drake. Reputed to have taken over the brig's command by right of arms following her father's death at sea. Died at the hands of Lysaer's allies on the charge of liaison with Arithon s'Ffalenn, Third Age Year 5647.
pronounced: dur-kin
root meaning: dierk - tough; an - one
DIARIN s'GANNLEY
daughter of the caithdein's lineage of Tysan, handfasted to marry a Wesrwood clan chieftain when she was abducted and forced to marriage by the Mayor of Hanshire.
pronounced: die-are-in
root meaning: diarin - a precious, or coveted object
DIEGAN
once Lord Commander of Etarra's garrison; given over by his mayor to serve as Lysaer s'Ilessid's Lord Commander at Avenor. Titular commander of the war host sent against the Deshans to defeat the Master of Shadow at Tal Quorin; high commander of the war host mustered at Werpoint. Also brother of Lady Talith. Died of a clan arrow in the Battle of Dier Kenton Vale in Vastmark, Third Age 5647.
pronounced: dee-gan
root meaning: diegan - trinket a dandy might wear,'ornament
DIER KENTON VALE
a valley located in the principality of Vastmark, Shand, where Lysaer's war host, thirty-five thousand strong, fought and lost to the Master of Shadow in Third Age 5647, largely decimated in one day by a shale slide. The remainder were harried by a small force of Vastmark shepherds and clan scouts from Shand, under Caolle, who served as Arithon's war captain, until supplies and loss of morale broke the Alliance campaign.
pronounced: deer ken-ton
root meaning: dier'kendion - a jewel with a severe flaw that may result in shearing or cracking
DURN
town located in Orvandir, Shand.
pronounced: dern
root meaning: diem - a flat plain
DYSHENT
town on the west coast of Instrell Bay in Atainia, Tysan.
pronounced: die-shent
root meaning: dyshient - cedar
EAST HALLA
principality in Melhalla.
pronounced: east hall-ah
root meaning: hal'lia - white light
EASTWALL
city located in the Skyshiel Mountains, Rathain.
EDAN
boy recruit for the Light, chosen for talent.
pronounced: eh-dan
root meaning: e'dian - the clay
EFAN IST'THALIENT
a stingingly pointed colloquial insult, and a warning; roughly 'a particularly rock-headed fool bound for disaster'.
pronounced: ee-eh-an eest-thal-ee-ent
root meaning: ei - 'a' in the specific form; an- one; ist'thal- closed, hard or stubborn head, contrary-minded - tent suffix that indicates a state of fullest evolution, or 'the most'.
EILISH
Lord Minister of the Treasury at Avenor.
pronounced: eye-lish
root meaning: eyalish - fussy
ELAIRA
initiate enchantress of the Koriathain. Originally a street child, taken on in Morvain for Koriani rearing. Arithon's beloved.
pronounced: ee-layer-ah
root meaning: e - prefix, diminutive for small; here - grace
ELDIR s'LORNMEIN
King of Havish and last surviving scion of s'Lornmein royal line. Raised as a wool-dyer until the Fellowship Sorcerers crowned him at Ostermere in Third Age 5643 following the defeat of the Mistwraith.
pronounced: el-deer
root meaning: eldir - to ponder, to consider, to weigh
ELKFOREST
free wilds located in Carithwyr, Havish.
ELLAINE
daughter of the Lord Mayor of Erdane, became Princess of Avenor when she married Lysaer s'Ilessid, mother of the heir apparent, Kevor, who is believed to be deceased.
pronounced: el-lane
not from the Paravian
ELSSINE
town on the coast of Alland, Shand.
pronounced: el-seen
root meaning: elssien - small pit
ELTAIR BAY
large bay off Cildein Ocean and east coast of Rathain; where the River Severnir was diverted following the Mistwraith's conquest.
pronounced: el-tay-er
root meaning: al'tieri - of steel,'a shortening of original Paravian name; dascen al'tieri - which meant 'ocean of steel,' which referred to the color of the waves