by Jim Grimsley
Unufru: (Ooo-NOO-froo) a root used to cure some fevers, and also used by witches in the healing of charms; used by sorcerers to cure a variety of diseases caused by magic
Urgiloth Yr: (Ur-GIL-oth) The Spur of Urgiloth, the lower of the twin summits of Vath Invath and the foundation for the Tower of Guard
Vaer: (Vair) Lord of Cordyssa, a Nivri Lord
Vaguath: (VAG-wath) Near-Son of Kinth; by virtue of the type of marriage. Half-brother of Jessex.
Vath Invaths: (VATH IN-vaths) The hill in Illaeryn raised up by YY, on which Inniscaudra was constructed
Vella: (VE-la) one of the Diamysaar
Velunen: (Ve-LOO-nen) The Morning Song
Venladrii: (Ven-LA-dree) Literally, inhabitants of Drii.
Veriten: (VER-ih-ten) A region of the Fenax
Vesnomen: (VESS-noh-men) Flowers like poppies, in various colors
Viis: (Vees) A light, fine cloth, virtually indestructible, often used by Jisraegen tentmakers
Vilaren: (Vee-LA-ren) The abutment of wall that provides processional access to the Authra. Literally, "shrine-walk"; at Inniscaudra
Vissyn: (Vi-SEEN) one of the Diamysaar
Vithilonyi: (Vi-thi-LON-yee) The Festival of Lights, celebrated at the change of season from autumn to winter
Vulnur: (VUL-nur) The Killing Rock, the place where Jisraegen criminals were executed in Arth Hill Country
Vulnusmurgul: (Vul-nuss-MUR-gul) The ridge forming the eastern border of Karns above Charnos and the Bay of Anyn, called the Ridge of Souls since the day when the Jisraegen drove the Anynae into the hills and slaughtered many thousands; also called the Hills of Slaughter, Vulnysryyaegul
Vuthloven: (Voo-THLOW-ven) Gray-barked trees with silver leaves, bearing white winter flowers.
Vuu Nira: (Voo) A variety of lamp made of metal strips and glass, fueled by any of a number of oils, known for its warm, rich light. Most often Vuu-lamps are lit in early evening. Light from these lamps give tone and color to the flesh.
Vyddn: (VID-n) The province round Montajhena, once called the Royal Province, when Montajhena was capital of Aeryn.
Wyyvisar: (WIV-I-sar) The Hidden Speech, also, the Words of Power, taught to magicians by the Diamysaar
Ym: (Im) A region of Arthen adjacent to Suvrin Sirhe
Yrin: (EAR-in)Variant of Aeryn, commonly used in the extreme north, Svyssn and among the Tervan
Yron: (Ih-RON)Talon of God, claw of God, spur of God, depending on usage
Yruminast: (Ih-ROO-mi-nast) The High Place over Cunevadrim, an Ildaruen Tower which dates from the days of Falamar
Yruminax: (Ih-ROO-mi-nax) literally, "Other Power"; the name given to the consort of YY
Yrunvurst: (Ih-ROON-vurst) The High Place in Montajhena built by Jurel Durassa, broken when Falamar was taken from the world; after his passing rebuilt again and finally destroyed in the battle between Drudaen and Ashkenta
YY: (Ee) The name of God
Yydren: (EE-dren) Also spelled Idren, and in other ways; the YY Tower in the Winter House
Zaeyn: (ZAY-een) The Country of heroes, heroes home, the land of the dead across the mountains, the golden land; variant of Zan
Zeul: (Zyool) The Royal Palace in Ivyssa, built by the City Lords for the King Kirith I.
2: Jisraegen History
The study of Jisraegen history suffers from its length, the Jisraegen disregard for calendars (including any consistent number system for years), and the wealth of sources available. Jisraegen libraries in Montajhena and Ivyssa alone contain manuscripts in the millions. While there is a remarkable agreement among these sources as to the major events of the history, there is notable divergence as well, as the Jisraegen scholars themselves have noted. Even within the text of Kirith Kirin there are contradictory historical assertions by the leading voices of the narrative, particularly concerning Falamar’s destruction of the Praeven and the years of war between Falamar and Jurel. The author makes no attempt to underline these inconsistencies but neither is there any attempt to conceal them. Hormling scholars have only begun serious work on the Jisraegen texts, which are physical documents and not tractable to our study. No archaeological studies of any kind have been permitted in Aeryn/Irion and it is doubtful that any such will be forthcoming. So we are left at this juncture with history as the Jisraegen assert it. The following is a general outline of the history the Jisraegen have preserved for themselves, with no attempt to address scholarly concerns or to document areas of dispute. The timeline is intended solely as an aid in the reading of the history of the Third War.
I. Creation
The great opposition coalesces and YY and Yruminax are separate
YY creates Wyyvisar and makes the first place, Arthen, and the first world, Aeryn
YY separates into Herself and the Sisters
Yruminax separates into Himself and Cunavastar
II. First Days
The Created Peoples arise in the living mountains
The Tervan build Aerfax at the southern-most tip of the mountains, on the first rock YY raised out of the sea
YY makes Illaeryn
The Sisters join her in the building of Inniscaudra
Cunavastar builds the first of the shrines that will later be known as the Elder Shrines, Hyvurgren
III. The Worlds are Made
YY makes other worlds and joins them to Aeryn
IV. The First Separation
The Sisters refuse to teach Cunavastar any of the Wyyvisar that they know
Cunavastar withdraws from Arthen and builds Cunevadrim with the help of the Other and the Orloc, who are friendly to him for a time
Cunavastar learns Ildaruen from the Other
Cunavastar builds the first stone circle on the foundation rock of what will become Yruminast
Cunavastar woos Commyna in Arthen
V. The First War
The Two Sisters make Sister Mountain
Commyna conceives a child by Cunavastar
The Two Sisters fight Cunavastar and southern Arthen dies
Commyna bears a child, Falamar
Cunavastar tries to steal the child but YY takes Falamar into the Deeps of Inniscaudra
Commyna and the Two Sisters defeat and bind Cunavastar but cannot destroy Cunevadrim
YY banishes the Sisters from Arthen and they cross the mountains to Zaeyn.
VI. The Forty Thousand
YY creates Forty Thousand humans and sets them on the hills around Inniscaudra
The Forty Thousand waken. A language has already been made for them.
They live in Inniscaudra for seven generations
Jisraegen writing is developed, Clans arise, and the Jisraegen meet the Uncreated Peoples
Early Jisraegen begin to move in nomadic groups throughout Aeryn
Of the Forty Thousand who awaken, Twelve do not die
VII. The Clans and the Evaenym
Clans arise as groups of extended family, but all persons have two Clan affiliations of equal importance, the Mother-Line and the Father-Line Clans
The first priests learn the worship of YY from the Sisters, among them Curaeth Curaesyn
Jurel Durassa leads a group of Jisraegen into the eastern mountains at the site of a river gorge
The Twelve Who Did Not Die gradually emerge as leaders among the Jisraegen
Falamar finds his father’s house, Cunevadrim, and lives there with his followers
Falamar learns Ildaruen
The Sisters teach Wyyvisar to Jurel Durassa and Edenna Morthul
VIII. Mountain and Forest
The Jisraegen settle either in the mountains or in Arthen
Jisraegen explorers reach the shore of the Bay of Anyn and explore east as far as Keikilla Bay
Jurel Durassa provides aid to the Orloc who are at war with the Untherverthen and the Orloc build Chalianthrothe
Edenna Morthul settles in Inniscaudra and becomes the first Keeper of the Keys
The Tervan complete work on Halobar, the last of the main halls
to be completed
Falamar and his Clans settle along the banks of the Isar in Arthen
IX. Cities
The Praeven and Falamar organize the Clans in Arthen
Cunuduerum is founded and the Jisraegen in Arthen begin to organize a style of life that floats between the urban center and a nomadic existence in the forest
The Praeven build the first Library in Cunuduerum
Falamar and Itheil Coorbahl go south to live in Cunevadrim, dissatisfied with the Praeven’s control of the city
Jurel Durassa and the Orloc build Montajhena in the mountains, intended only as a ceremonial center, though soon the mountaineers all build homes of stone in the city
X. The People of Drii
The Drii appear and ask Jurel Durassa for shelter in Montajhena
He and the Jisraegen welcome them after the long trek under the mountains
Jurel and Evynar explore Cundruen all the way to the end
Evynar and his people found a city at the end of the passes
Falamar is suspicious of the friendship between the mountain Jisraegen and the Drii and returns with Itheil to Cunuduerum
XI. The Good Age
The cities grow and prosper
The Praeven and Edenna Morthul begin the deriving of the akana alphabet and the Maleikarte
The tradition of the kyyvi begins as a result of this
Jisraegen weaving and glass-working become increasingly advanced
Jisraegen abandon the study of astronomy
Jisraegen literature, theatre, opera and visual arts flourish in Cunuduerum, Montajhena, and Genfynnel
XII. Falamar
Falamar begins to teach Ildaruen to a small set of followers
Cunuduerum is dominated by his faction and, it is thought, by magic
The forest Jisraegen become less nomadic and settle in or near Cunuduerum through much of the year
The forest-folk become estranged from the mountain Jisraegen
Edenna Morthul and the Praeven begin the construction of the first akana chant
The Orloc complete work on Chalianthrothe, finishing the room of three circles
XIII. The War of the Towers
Falamar enlists the Tervan to build Seumren
The Praeven begin the first of the Immorthraeguls of Power
Falamar uses Seumren to destroy the Praeven though Edenna and the last of the Praeven adepts manage to close and seal the Library
Falamar spreads the story that the Praeven were singing the Breaking Song that will end the universe as we know it
Jurel builds Yrunvurst and places the Tervan muuren-stone in the summit
Edenna Morthul retires to Inniscaudra and begins work on the base of Ellebren on Thrath Rock
XIV. The Massacre in the Hills of Slaughter
In Cunevadrim, Falamar broods, hires Tervan builders, begins work on Yruminast, over the foundations of Cunavastar’s ritual circle
Falamar marries and fathers a child, when it was thought that the Evaenym were barren. The child is Drudaen, who learns his father’s arts
The Anyn land on the north shore of the Bay of Anyn at the present-day site of Charnos
Settlers from Montajhena found Ivyssa along the river delta to the south and Cordyssa in the mountains
Itheil Coorbahl is killed in southern Aeryn by an Anyn scout party
Falamar leads an army against the Anynae and several thousand, or more, are massacred in the Hills of Slaughter
Falamar enslaves the Anynae, though some escape to eastern Arthen, where the mountain Jisraegen give them shelter
Jurel and Falamar go to war
Charnos is founded and the Tervan build the Great Wall to protect the Anynae from Falamar
Arroth is founded, and later Teliar and other southern cities
XV. The Hundred Years War
Falamar and the largest army of Jisraegen ever assembled besiege Montajhena
Jurel and his folk continue to be supplied from Drii
Jurel and Falamar are matched powers of the Fourth Level and neither can gain the advantage for nearly a century
Jurel goes to Chalianthrothe, is absent for a long time, and for the first time uses the room of three circles
Jurel builds the room in Yrunvurst that allows him to travel to Seumren instantly
Jurel drives Falamar out of Seumren
Falamar besieges Montajhena, and Jurel defeats his army
Falamar, in fighting Jurel, understands how Jurel is moving third-level power and does so himself
The ensuing force destroys Yrunvurst Tower and kills both Falamar and Jurel
XVI. YY intervenes
A time of chaos ensues
YY intervenes in the affairs of Aeryn for the sake of Arthen
She gives the Law of Change and names Kirith Kirin and Athryn Ardfalla as King and Queen
When Queen Athryn I was old, she summoned Kirith Kirin and he came to Aerfax and took the Crown from her, and he became King, and she rode to Arthen and became young again, and the cycle was established
Some of the Twelve who had been immortal were now taken with YY to Zaeyn and others were named
The lives of the Twelve were merely prolonged and they would no longer be immortal in Aeryn
The Tervan build Senecaur, the Tower of Change, over Aerfax, and place an Eyestone there attuned to the Karnost gems in the possession of Kirith Kirin and Athryn Ardfalla; the rune-work is completed by Edenna Morthul, and later Drudaen is allowed to add Ildaruen lines to the kirilidur as well
XVII. The Rule of Law
Athryn Ardfalla and Kirith Kirin reign in peaceful succession
Kentha Nurysem learns Wyyvisar at Illyn Water, though this knowledge is hidden
Edenna Morthul completes the building of Laeredon and begins a shenesoeniis in Ivyssa, called Karomast
Settlers go to Novris and found a city there, the first jointly made by Anynae and Jisraegen
Edenna Morthul retires to Laeredon when Kentha Nurysem attains the Fourth Circle of magic
Kentha Nurysem takes over building of Karomast and Ellebren
Drudaen builds Thoem and also begins a Tower in Arroth, but there only lays the foundation
Drudaen builds Goerast and Kentha rebuilds Yrunvurst in Montajhena
XVIII. Discontent
Drudaen and Kentha become lovers in secret
They exchange gifts. Drudaen gives Kentha a sapphire he has kissed
They explore the ruins in Montajhena and Kentha shows him the room in Yrunvurst, which Edenna showed her
They go in secret to the Library of the Praeven in Cunuduerum
They part for a while
Kentha is troubled that she has taken Drudaen to the Library and withdraws to Inniscaudra
She works intently on Ellebren Tower and guards that part of Inniscaudra from Drudaen; she refuses to leave Arthen even when Kirith Kirin is King
IXX. Aretaeo
In the thirty-third change, when Kirith Kirin was King, Kentha returned to Inniscaudra and Drudaen and she became lovers again
Near the time of the summons, Drudaen convinced her to return to Cunuduerum, and she did
They remain in Arthen and returned to Cunuduerum many times after the thirty-fourth Change, when Athryn Ardfalla became Queen
In some manner they conceive a child, though the Jhinuuserret were rarely able to engender or bear children
Drudaen attempts to force the secret of the Praeven magic from Kentha and she uses the Gem he has given her to read his thoughts
Drudaen attempts to kill Kentha
They contest one another to no conclusion and Kentha goes to work completing Ellebren Tower
She seals the Praeven Library and locks him out of Yrunvurst, and thus out of Cunuduerum as well
Kentha foresees the Long War
Drudaen attacks her while she is completing Ellebren Tower and Kirith Kirin and Athryn Ardfalla use the Karnost Gems together to force them to make peace