Gorlas* — (GORE-lass) The crazed king of Kernow, whose fortress is Dintaga. He and Uther were rival suitors for Igerna’s love. In the last third of the book, it can be said that he is a merging of the traditional Gorlas* and the Arthurian character Garwlwyd*.
Gorseth — (GORE-seth) A meeting place of the druidow, typically denoted by a circle of stones. In ancient times it would have been spelled gorsedd, the double-d pronounced like our th sound. In the Merlin Spiral it is spelled, like many other words, phonetically.
Gorseth Cawmen — (GORE-seth CAW-men) The stone circle northeast from the village of Bosventor. Literally means “the meeting place of giant stones.” On modern maps it is shown as the Goodaver Stone Circle*, though the Merlin Spiral describes it as having larger stones.
Gourvlyth* — (goor-VLITH) An ancient word for werewolf.
Grannos* — (GRAN-nos) The Celtic god of water and healing. Represented by Saturn in the night sky. The Latin form of the name is Grannus*.
Gruffen — (GRUFF-en) Goffrew’s male pup
Guotodin* — (goo-OH-toe-din) The northernmost Brythonic kingdom. It was ruled by Atle when Owain, and then Merlin, visited, and it lies between the two walls built by the Romans, just south of the land of the Prithager. Its principal cities are Dineidean (modern-day Edinburgh*), and the fortress of Dinpelder (which was destroyed by Necton and his Picti at the end of Merlin’s Shadow).
Gwalahad — (GWALL-a-had) Pelles’s grandson, he lives at Dinas Camlin. In legend he is known as Galahad* (or Gwalchavad* in Welsh).
Gwenivach — (GWEN-ee-vach) Daughter of Gogirfan, fraternal twin to Gwenivere, and sister to Melwas. She is a Walker, and has reddish-blonde hair. Nowadays, her name is more typically spelled Guinevach*. Since Gwenivach is the younger twin, she has “-vach” on the end of her name, meaning “the lesser.”
Gwenivere — (GWEN-ee-vere) Daughter of Gogirfan, fraternal twin to Gwenivach, and sister to Melwas. She is a Walker, and has blonde hair. Nowadays, her name is more typically spelled Guinevere*. Since Gwenivere is the elder twin, she has “-vere” on the end of her name, meaning “the greater.”
Gwevian — (GWEV-ee-ahn) Merlin’s mother, the daughter of King Atle. She supposedly drowned in Lake Dosmurtanlin when Merlin was young, and her body was never found. Merlin discovered her alive at the end of Merlin’s Blade, changed by the Stone into a water creature to serve it when it was in the lake. She is now the Lady of the Lake*, and a merging of the legends of Vivian* and St. Theneva*.
Gwyneth — (GWIN-eth) A major kingdom in northwest Kembry. It includes the isle of Inis Môn, which is sacred to the druidow. Spelled Gwynedd* in Welsh.
Habrenaven River — (ha-bren-AY-vehn) The modern-day Severn* River. In later Welsh, the word is Hafren*, which comes from the name of a legendary British princess who drowned in the river.
Hand — A measurement for horses approximating four inches.
Harp of Britain — The harp that has been passed down through the ages from one chief bard to the next, now possessed by Merlin as given him by Colvarth before he died. The druidow desire to take it back.
Hen Crogmen — (HENN CROG-men) Modern-day Stonehenge*, which some scholars think was originally a very large roundhouse. Etymological sources say that Stonehenge literally means “stone gallows,” thus Hen Crogmen is a Brythonic way of saying “the Old Stone Gallows.”
Hengist* — (HEN-gist) The co-leader of the Saxenow army along with his brother, Horsa. They have invaded Britain and are slowly taking over the southeast.
Horsa* — (HORSE-ah) The co-leader of the Saxenow army along with his brother, Hengist. They have invaded Britain and are slowly taking over the southeast.
Igerna* — (ee-GERR-nah) The deceased wife of Uther, she is Vortigern’s sister, and therefore descended from Vitalinus Gloui, a former High King of Britain. Her children are Eilyne, Myrgwen, and Arthur. Gorlas vied with Uther for her hand in marriage.
Inis Avallow — (IN-iss AV-all-ow) The largest island in the marsh outside Bosventor. It has an old tower and broken-down fortress surrounded by an ancient apple orchard. Legend says this was built by a pilgrim and tin merchant known only as the Pergiryn. Its name means “Island of Apples,” and is known in legend as Avalon*.
Jesu Christus* — (HEY-soo KRIS-toos) Latin for Jesus Christ.
Kedivor — (keh-DIH-vor) The eldest son of Vortipor.
Keelos — (KEE-los) One of Gorlas’s warriors. Literally, “gray wolf.”
Kembry — (KEM-bree) The land stretching from the Kembry Sea in the south to the isle of Inis Môn in the northwest. It is made up of multiple kingdoms. Modern-day Wales*.
Kernow* — (KER-now) The kingdom that lay on the peninsula of land in southwest Britain, between Lyhonesse and Difnonia. Ruled by Gorlas from his fortress, Dintaga, which is on an island on the northern coast. Kernewek is their local dialect of Brythonic. Modern-day Cornwall*.
Keswick forest — (kess-WICK) The forest just north of the Lake Derwentlin.
Legatus* — (leh-GAH-tus) The leader of a legion*, made up of approximately ten cohorts*, which in turn were made up of approximately six groups of eighty to one hundred men, each named a century*, around five thousand men total. Vortigern’s grandfather, Vitalinus Gloui* was the Legatus stationed in Glevum*.
Loch Obha* — (LOCH OBE-ah) Modern-day Loch Awe in Scotland.
Londinium* — (lun-DIN-ee-um) A city taken by the Romans in AD 43 and named Lundnisow by the Britons. Because of its river and harbor, they made it the capital of their provinces in Britain. Modern-day London*.
Loth — (LOTH) The son of King Atle, brother to Gwevian, and Merlin’s uncle. He was saved from death by Mórgana at the end of Merlin’s Shadow.
Loyt — (LOYT) The abbot of Dinas Crag. He had formerly been a monk in Bosventor while Merlin was growing up.
Luguvalium* — (lug-oo-VALL-ee-um) A hillfort north of Kembry where Urien is king. Modern-day Carlisle*.
Lyhonesse — (ly-OHN-ess) A thin peninsula of land stretching even farther out to sea from the western tip of Kernow. It is sparsely settled by the Eirish. The name literally means “the lesser.” Known as Lyonesse* in legend.
Mabon* — (MAY-bonn) A guard who serves Vortigern at Glevum, and formerly served High King Uther. His name can be found in the poem Pa Gur Yv Y Porthaur*.
Magister* — (ma-JEE-stare) Literally “master,” which is the title Tregeagle has adopted as the appointed official over the tin mining region around Bosventor. A holdover from the Roman empire.
Mancunium — (man-koo-KNEE-um) Modern-day Manchester*.
Marrok* — (MARR-ock) One of Gorlas’s warriors.
Mawken — (MAW-ken) Gorlas’s captain. Literally, “prince of wolves.”
Melwas* — (MELL-was) Gwenivere and Gwenivach’s brother, and the son of Gogirfan.
Meneth Gellik Mountain — (MEN-eth GELL-ick) The mountain upon whose southern side the village of Bosventor is built. Halfway up on a plateau sits a fortress and beacon, which is familiarly known to the villagers as the “Tor.” The mountain is over 1,100 feet above sea level, its tallest point is 100 feet above the marsh, and it is the third-highest in Kernow. Today it is known as Brown Gelly*. Literally, “The Brown Mountain.” Lake Dosmurtanlin is situated just to the north.
Merlin* — (MER-lin) The son of a village blacksmith / swordsmith. His face was badly scratched by wolves at the age of nine when he tried to protect his younger sister, Gana. This also scarred his eyes, half-blinding him. His eyesight was healed at the end of Merlin’s Blade, but his scars remain. At the beginning of Merlin’s Nightmare he is thirty-four years old and is living near the fortress of Dinas Crag. The Latin form of his name is Merlinus.
Molendinar* River — (mow-lenn-DIN-are) A river near which Garth started his ministry to the Picti. This ministry grew to become the village of Cathures*, and eventually became the modern city of Glasgow*.
Mórdred — the son of Mórgana and Loth.
Mórgana — (mor-GAH-nuh) Merlin’s half sister, who used to
be named Ganieda. She is the daughter of Mônda and granddaughter to Mórganthu.
Mórganthu — (more-GAN-thoo) The arch druid, and son of Mórfryn. He is grandfather to Ganieda, who now goes by Mórgana. His name is a merging of the name Mórgant with huder, which means “magician.”
Muscarvel — (musk-AR-vel) An old man who lived deep in the marsh to the west of Bosventor. He was last seen at the end of Merlin’s Shadow.
Muscfenna — (musc-FENN-ah) An epithet for “crazy one who lives in the marsh.”
Myrgoskva — (myr-GOSK-vah) A name that means “daughter of shadow,” a daughter who lives under the shadow of the Almighty.
Myrgwen — (MEER-gwen) The younger orphaned daughter of Uther and Igerna, and sister to Eilyne and Arthur. When she was young, she and Eilyne were pursued by Vortigern and fled into the marsh. No one has seen her since. In legend, she is called Morgause*.
Nancedefed — (nance-DEH-fed) The name of the valley which Dinas Crag protects. Today it is called Borrowdale*, and its entrance is so narrow it is called The Jaws of Borrowdale*. Merlin and Natalenya live here. Its name comes from Nans-Deves, which means “Valley of Sheep,” being intentionally deceitful to hide the fact that they are raising war horses in the valley for Rheged’s use. Nancemargh, coming from Nans – Margh “Valley of Horses,” would have been the actual name if they weren’t trying to hide the horses. If you look at photos of Borrowdale, Cumbria online, you will find it is about as close to Hobbiton as you will find in England.
Natalenya — (nah-tah-LEAN-yah) Tregeagle and Trevenna’s daughter; she is wife to Merlin and mother to Taliesin and Tingada, and foster mother to Arthur.
Neb — (NEB) A warrior who swears fealty to Arthur; he carries a bronze pike. He is the son of Kaw.
Necton Morbrec* — (NECK-ton MORE-breck) The cruel High King of the Picti, he was Merlin and company’s slavemaster during Merlin’s Shadow. The son of Erip, he has been given the title morbrec, meaning “great.” He is very tall, with long red hair.
Offyd — (OH-fid) The abbot of Dinas Camlin, formerly of Bosvenna Abbey when Merlin was young.
Ol — (OLE) The son of Olwith, a young man that Arthur saves at Hen Crogmen.
Owain* — (O-wayne) Merlin’s father; he grew up in Rheged, north of Kembry as the son of a chieftain. Owain’s first wife, Gwevian, drowned while they were boating on Lake Dosmurtanlin. His second wife, Mônda, is the mother of Ganieda / Mórgana, Merlin’s half sister. Owain was the smith in the village of Bosventor prior to his death, and so was given the title of An Gof, which means “the smith.”
Pace — The unit of measurement of a grown man’s stride from the time the heel leaves the ground until the same heel touches the ground again. Typically five feet.
Pelles* one-ear — (PEL-less) The elderly chieftain of Dinas Camlin. His grandson is Gwalahad.
Penfro — (PEN-fro) A clan in southern Kembry.
Penmoor — (PEN-moor) Modern-day Penny Moor*.
Percos — (PURR-kos) A warrior who initially opposes Arthur’s kingship. He is from Dinas Camlin and the son of Poch.
Pergiryn’s Tower — (per-GIH-rin) All that is left of the fortress built by the Pergiryn on the island of Inis Avallow. Some say a light can sometimes be seen from its top-most window. The Pergiryn was an unknown tin merchant who, legend says, built the fortress and planted the apple orchard. Pergiryn means “pilgrim.”
Picti* — (PIC-tie) The people who live in the wild lands of the north. They often raid the southern realms now that Hadrian’s Wall has been abandoned by the Romans, and even more so now that the Saxenow are weakening what is left of the British army. They call themselves the Chrithane. Necton is their High King.
Podrith — (POD-rith) The chief druid under the authority of Mórganthu and Mórgana who serves High King Vortigern. He also had a brief appearance in Merlin’s Blade.
Porthloc — (PORTH-lock) The seaside village in Difnonia where Garth grew up and met Dybris. Modern-day Porlock*.
Powys* — (POW-iss) A major kingdom in east-central Kembry (Wales).
Prithager — (prih-THAY-girr) The Brythonic name for the Picti*.
Purple/wearing the purple* — Wearing purple was a sign of being in either the upper class of Roman society, a highly regarded Roman military leader, or a Roman emperor. Vortigern and Vortipor wear purple to show that they consider themselves royalty.
Reinwandt — (RHINE-want) The daughter of Hengist, the name means “Pure Kinswoman” in Germanic. Rhonwen* from legend.
Rewan — (REH-wan) A former battle-chieftain under Vortigern during Merlin’s Blade, he was eventually demoted due to his age, and has held a grudge for it ever since.
Rheged* — (REH-gedd) A Brythonic kingdom in the north, it is situated northeast of Kembry and south of Guotodin. This is the land Owain is from. Urien is their king.
Romans* — The sprawling empire that conquered Britain and ruled it for 360 years. They never conquered the northern area controlled by the Picts, nor Erin, the island of the Eirish. In 407, Constantine III (Arthur’s great-great-grandfather) took the majority of the Roman army that had been stationed in Britain over to Gaul in a failed bid to become the Roman Emperor, and they never returned.
Rondroc — (RON-drock) Natalenya’s older brother.
Safrowana — (saf-ROW-ah-nah) Mother to Imelys and wife of Troslam. They are weavers, and their family took care of Myrgwen, Eilyne, and Ganieda for part of Merlin’s Shadow.
Sangraal* — (SANN-grail) An ancient wooden bowl found by Colvarth after Uther’s kidnapping in Merlin’s Blade. At the Last Supper it held the wine, and the Pergiryn used it to catch Christ’s blood when he hung upon the cross. It is also called the Sancte Gradale, and is more commonly called the Holy Grail*.
Saxenow* — (SACKS-eh-now) An invading people group from what is now known as Germany, they landed on the southeastern shore of Britain and have been slowly taking over. They are led by Hengist and Horsa. Today know as the Saxons*.
Scoti* — (SCOT-eye) A seafaring tribe of the Irish that have settled in what is now western Scotland.
Screpall — (SCREH-pall) A double-sided silver coin worth three Coyntallow.
Sevira* — (seh-VYE-rah) Vortigern wife, and Vortipor’s mother.
Solidus* — (so-LIH-doos) A gold coin of the Romans weighing approximately 4.5 grams.
Stone, The — A strange stone that was found by Mórganthu at the edge of Lake Dosmurtanlin. Everyone who sees it is enchanted by it, and so Merlin drove Uther’s sword into it at the end of Merlin’s Blade in an attempt to destroy it.
Suzerain* — (sues-EH-rain) This is an ancient term for the king of a foreign country to whom you owe fealty.
Taliesin* — (tal-ee-ESS-in) Merlin and Natalenya’s twelve-year-old son, who is being trained to be a bard.
Tán Menéth Marrow — (TAN MEN-eth MARE-row) Grannos wants to send Merlin on a quest to this place. Literally “The Dead Fire Hills,” it is an imaginary place invented by the author’s daughter, Adele, for an early draft of one of her novels. Used here for fun.
Tas — (TASS) An ancient word for “father.”
Tethion — (teth-EE-on) An archer employed by Vortigern in Merlin’s Shadow.
Teyrnon — (TEAR-non) The younger son of Vortipor. The name means “Divine Prince.”
Tinga/Tingada — (TIN-gah / tin-GAH-dah) Merlin and Natalenya’s seven-year-old daughter.
“Tingada’s Cloak” — (tin-GAH-dah) A song Natalenya composes and sings for her daughter. This is based on Dinogad’s Smock*, an ancient lullaby embedded without explanation in the the ancient battle poem of Y Gododdin. The lullaby mentions the Derwent*, and thus originated from the same valley in which Merlin and Natalenya settled in Merlin’s Nightmare.
Tor, The — The nickname for Dinas Bosventor, the fortress situated partway up the side of the Meneth Gellik mountain. It has a timberbuilt tower with a beacon on top.
Torc* — (TORK) A sign of authority, social status, and nobility in ancient Brythonic society. Made i
n the shape of a ring with an opening, it is worn upon the neck. They are usually twisted from wires of gold, bronze, silver, iron, or other metals, and have finely sculpted ornaments at the ends.
Tregeagle* — (treh-GAY-gull) The Magister of Bosventor and the surrounding tin-mining region when Merlin lived in the village. His wife is Trevenna, and his children are Natalenya, Rondroc, and Dyslan. He was enchanted by the Stone in Merlin’s Blade.
Trendrine — (TREN-drine) Modern-day Thorndon Cross*.
Trevenna — (treh-VENN-nah) Tregeagle’s wife, and mother to Natalenya, Rondroc, and Dyslan.
Troslam — (TROS-lum) The village weaver. Safrowana is his wife, and Imelys is his daughter.
Uther* — (UTH-er) The deceased High King of the Britons, he was descended from a long line of Roman governors and kings. His father was Aurelianus, his wife was Igerna. He had two daughters, Eilyne and Myrgwen, as well as his son, Arthur. His name in Latin is Uthrelius.
Vitalinus* — (vi-TAL-ee-noos) Usurper High King who slew Uther’s grandfather Constans. His grandson is Vortigern, and his granddaughter is Igerna, Uther’s wife. He was slain in battle by Aurelianus. In history he is known as Vitalinus Gloui*.
Voice, The — A shadowy figure that appears to Mórgana and instructs her.
Vortigern* — (vor-TUH-gern) The grandson of the former High King, Vitalinus Gloui, who killed Uther in Merlin’s Blade due to his enchantment by the Stone. In Merlin’s Shadow he also sought to kill Eilyne and Myrgwen.
Vortipor* — (vor-TUH-poor) Vortigern’s son and now the leader in the battles with the Saxenow.
Walkers — A traveling people who were the first to settle the island of Britain long ago. Most of them are tinsmiths by trade, having settled first on the Kernow peninsula. Their language is the Bélre Cèard. Gogirfan and his daughters Gwenivere and Gwenivach are Walkers. In the modern era they would be equivalent to the Highland Scottish Travelers*.
Wealas — (WEH-lass) A Saxenow term of contempt meaning “foreigner” or “slave.”
Wild Huntsman — A mysterious phantasmal being who hunts on horseback through the woods with a pack of hounds.
Merlin's Nightmare (The Merlin Spiral) Page 39