The Ever Fiend (Talon Stormbringer Book 1)
Page 9
Everland: a supernatural land ruled by the Ever Fiend and accessed directly via Ever Gates, or indirectly via Moon Gates. Everland, and everything in it, like the Ever Fiend, is not believed to be real by most people.
Ever Pathways: another name for Everland.
Humans: the eighth species of Llurien, humans were created by all twenty-eight gods and are the most variable species in temperament and disposition. Also called Antarians after the first man and woman, Antar and Taria respectively.
Jhaikan: one of the original seven humanoid species of Llurien. Created by the gods of the blue sphere: wrath, cruelty, cunning, and domination. They stand seven to nine feet tall, have a sinuous tail and reptilian skin that can change colors at will. They are man-eaters and are synonymous with evil.
Jhaikan Staff: a quarterstaff developed and used by kryll against jhaikan, it can be disassembled into three pieces for easier transport. Blades can be made to protrude from either end like a scythe, spear, or both.
Kais: this humanoid species has two races: daekais and morkais. Aside from disposition, they are largely the same, about four feet tall with feathery wings.
Karelia: one of the original seven humanoid species of Llurien. Created by the gods of the green sphere: truth, exuberance, courage, and intuition. They need only four hours of sleep a night and have a well-developed sixth sense that varies from one to another in just what they can sense and do. Appointed by the gods to resolve supernatural disturbances.
Karelian Sword: a double-edged weapon with a sharp tip, two and a half feet long, being a half foot longer than a short sword. The hilt is long enough for the karelia to use this sword as two-handed, but larger species may use only one hand.
Kerr: an ill-manned mountain bovine with two curved horns that are used to ram anyone or anything entering its territory. Prized for milk (used for cheeses), skins, and their wool. Their waste is known to be especially smelly, resulting in the popular expression, “kerr shit.”
Kona Leech: a predatory vined plant in the darkshade family. It slowly feeds on the blood of creatures it captures, which it renders docile with a secretion to calm them. Victims die of starvation or dehydration, as the plant wants them to live as long as possible. The plant is mobile, moving from tree to tree and hanging over trails.
Kryll: one of the original seven humanoid species of Llurien. Created by the gods of the red sphere: curiosity, aspiration, fairness, and peace. They prefer to live in large Evenorr trees and are extremely acrobatic, athletic, and masters of weapons. Every kryll has a subject to which they devote themselves, becoming an expert.
Kryllan Hand: a magical pair of bracers over the forearms. With a word, a metal gauntlet covers the hands, allowing for hand-to-sword combat. Also a fighting style of martial arts.
Kryllan Sword: equivalent to a bastard sword.
Leisiran: the afterlife conceived by the gods of the indigo sphere, reserved for the moderately good, who enjoy a paradise for eternity.
Llorus: a large continent lying mostly on the southern hemisphere of Llurien, south of the continent Antaria.
Llurien: the planet, which has two moons.
Linganore Trees: believed to only grow in Everland in a grove surrounding the Ever Fiend’s Black Tower. Black trunks and blood red leaves. The trees are sentient and can move, barring passage, trapping people, or killing them.
Lochiare: the afterlife conceived by the gods of the blue sphere, for the moderately evil, who suffer eternal torture.
Maeryndor: an afterlife conceived by the gods of the violet sphere, for the least evil, who suffer boredom everlasting.
Magician: anyone with magic talent, whether they’ve become a full-fledged wizard or sorcerer or not. The term can be an insult to anyone of skill and power, since they should be referred to by their proper skillset: wizard or sorcerer.
Moon Gates: powered by the moon, Moon Gates are portals that allow nearly instantaneous travel between two Moon Gates, which are typically controlled by Priests of Scrylyn. The gates actually use the Ever Pathways at high speeds, meaning travelers are going through Everland, but most people don’t realize this.
Morkais: a race of the kais humanoid species, they resulted from the Deal of the Gods and were created by all twelve “good” gods from a male and female daekais. See “kais” entry.
Mynx: a large, maneless, carnivorous cat (some as large as a horse) that can be trained in battle tactics and bonded to its owner. Mynx can wear armor, follow commands, and communicate threats to their owner with different vocalizations.
Orb of Vessyn: a sphere located in the Vanishing Tower of Everland and which causes the tower to randomly change locations.
Poison Pond: located in Everland, the Poison Pond is believed to have killed a group of riven who entered it for unknown reasons. The waters have since turned silver and are known as the silver elixir, a potent supernatural item.
Priest: members of a religious order. Within a priesthood, clerics and healers are more specific roles than the generic term priest, which not only refers to all of them, but to those who conduct ceremonies, listen to people’s problems and console them, and interpret the will of the gods for the common people, though clerics and healers can also do this. Priests are the figureheads of a religion, while clerics administrate the religion and healers heal the wounded.
Querra: one of the original seven humanoid species of Llurien. Created by the gods of the yellow sphere: inspiration, empathy, rejuvenation, and patience. Three to four feet tall, they are playful, wise, and beloved by many.
Riven: one of the original seven humanoid species of Llurien. Created by the gods of the violet sphere: haste, hate, cynicism, and sloth. Three to four feet tall and often carrying diseases.
Silver Elixir: the toxic waters of the Poison Pond in Everland. Highly prized by magicians for its supernatural properties, which augment spells. Can be used to turn ordinary weapons into Chaos Blades.
Sorcerers: the class of magician which is capable of performing magic through force of will, rather than needing a spell.
Sorelia: a corrupted race of the karelian humanoid species, they were created when the goddess of corruption, Ronkainen, read the passage about creating karelia from the Book of Creation. Sorelia look just like karelia but have more variable eye colors. They are considered malevolent.
Species: while this can refer to animals, it usually refers to the humanoid species: karelia, mandeans, querra, kryll, kais, riven, jhaikan, and humans, some of which have multiple races.
Valenders: simple spells that any magician can usually do whether they’ve trained to become a wizard or not (or developed their talent for sorcery).
Valendry: the art of creating magical items.
Valend wizard: magicians who failed the tests to become wizards and are not allowed to perform magic except by creating magic items, known as valendry.
Wizards: the class of magician who needs spells to work magic.
About The Author
Randy Ellefson has written fantasy fiction since his teens and is an avid world builder, having spent three decades creating Llurien, which has its own website. He has a Bachelor’s of Music in classical guitar but has always been more of a rocker, having released several albums and earned endorsements from music companies. He’s a professional software developer and runs a consulting firm in the Washington D.C. suburbs. He loves spending time with his son and daughter when not writing, making music, or playing golf.
Connect with me online
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Other Randy Ellefson Books
TALON STORMBRINGER
Talon is a sword-wielding adventurer who has been a thief, pirate, knight, king, and more in his far-ranging life.
The Ever Fiend
The Screaming Moragul
There will be many more of Talon’s stories, which can be read in any order. To see a suggested reading order, which updates each time new stories are released, please visit www.fiction.randyellefson.com/talonstormbringer
THE ART OF WORLD BUILDING
This is a three volume guide for authors, screenwriters, gamers, and hobbyists to build more immersive, believable worlds fans will love. Publication begins in 2017.
Volume 1: Creating Life
Volume 2: Creating Places
Volume 3: Cultures and Beyond
To learn more, please visit www.artofworldbuilding.com.
Randy Ellefson Music
INSTRUMENTAL GUITAR
Randy has released three albums of hard rock/metal instrumentals, one classical guitar album, and an all-acoustic album. For more information, streaming media, videos, and free mp3s, please visit http://www.music.randyellefson.com
2004: The Firebard
2007: Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid
2010: Serenade of Strings
2010: The Lost Art
2013: Now Weaponized!
2014: The Firebard (re-release)