by Janny Wurts
pronounced: mel-halla
root meaning: maelhallia––grand meadows/plain; also word for an open space of any sort
MELOR RIVER––located in the principality of Korias, Tysan. Its mouth forms the harbor for the port town of West End.
pronounced: mel-or
root meaning: maeliur––fish
MERIOR BY THE SEA––small seaside fishing village on the Scimlade peninsula in Alland, Shand. Once the temporary site of Arithon’s shipyard.
pronounced: mare-ee-or
root meaning: merioren––cottages
METHISLE––small body of land in Methlas Lake, site of Methisle fortress in Orvandir.
pronounced: meth
root meaning: meth––hate
METHLAS LAKE––large body of fresh water located in the principality of Orvandir, Shand.
pronounced: meth-las
root meaning: meth’ilass’an––the drowned, or sunken ones
METHSPAWN––an animal warped by possession by a methuri, an iyat-related parasite that infested live hosts. Extinct by the Third Age, their crossbred, aberrated descendants are called methspawn, found in Mirthlvain Swamp.
pronounced: meth
root meaning: meth––hate
METHURI––an iyat-related parasite that infested live hosts, extinct by the Third Age.
pronounced: meth-you-ree
root meaning: meth’thi––hate-wraith
MINDERL BAY––body of water behind Crescent Isle off the east coast of Rathain. Also reference point of a battle where Arithon tricked Lysaer into burning the trade fleet.
pronounced: mind-earl
root meaning: minderl––anvil
MIRTHLVAIN SWAMP––boglands located in Midhalla, Melhalla; filled with dangerous crossbreeds of drake spawn. Guarded by the Master Spellbinder, Verrain.
pronounced: mirth-el-vain
root meaning: myrthl––noxious; vain––bog, mud
MISTWRAITH––see Desh-thiere.
MORRIEL––Prime Enchantress of the Koriathain since the Third Age 4212. Instigated the plot to upset the Fellowship’s compact, which upset the seven magnetic lanes on the continent. Her death on winter solstice 5670 left an irregular succession.
pronounced: more-real
root meaning: moar––greed; riel––silver
MORVAIN––city located in Araethura, Rathain, on the coast of Instrell Bay. Elaira’s birthplace.
pronounced: more-vain
root meaning: morvain––swindlers’ market
NARMS––city on the coast of Instrell Bay, built as a craft center by Men in the early Third Age. Best known for dyeworks.
pronounced: narms––to rhyme with ‘charms’
root meaning: narms––color
NORTH-WARD––fishing town on the north coast of the principality of Fallowmere, Rathain.
NORTHSTRAIT––narrows between the mainland spur of northern Tysan and the Trow Islands.
ORNISON––master from Rauven Tower who taught Arithon his early lessons in magecraft.
pronounced: or-nee-son
root meaning: ornia’san––a blackbird with a crested head
ORVANDIR––principality located in northeastern Shand.
pronounced: or-van-deer
root meaning: orvein––crumbled; dir––stone
OSTERMERE––harbor and trade city, once smugglers’ haven, located in Carithwyr, Havish. City where High King Eldir received his coronation, before moving his court to Telmandir.
pronounced: os-tur-mere
root meaning: ostier––brick; miere––reflection
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
PENSTAIR––Second Age ruin on the northern shore of Deshir, Rathain.
pronounced: pen-stair
root meaning: pensti’era––watchpoint, place for beacon fires
PESQUIL––Mayor of the Northern League of Headhunters at the time of the battle of Strakewood Forest. His strategies caused the Deshir clans the most punishing losses. Died of a clan vengeance arrow during the crossing of Valleygap in Third Age 5646.
pronounced: pes-quil like ‘pest-quill’
root meaning not from the Paravian
POIREY––Araethurian herder, great-uncle to Fionn Areth.
pronounced: pear-ree
root meaning: paereia––salmon
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. Currently serving as High Chancellor of Etarra, ruling in the absence of the mayor.
pronounced: rayett
root meaning: raiett––carrion bird
RANNE––royal guardsman of Avenor, assigned as honor guard to the heir apparent, Prince Kevor.
pronounced: rahn
root meaning: ruann––a fledgling hawk
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. Arithon Teir’s’Ffalenn is sanctioned crown prince, by the hand of Asandir of the Fellowship, in Third Age Year 5638 at Etarra.
pronounced: rath-ayn
root meaning: roth––brother; thein––tower, sanctuary
RAUVEN TOWER––home of the s’Ahelas mages who brought up Arithon s’Ffalenn and trained him to the ways of power. Located on the splinter world, Dascen Elur, through West Gate.
pronounced: raw-ven
root meaning: rauven––invocation
REIYAJ––title for the seeress who inhabits a tower in southern Shand near the city of Ithish. Her oracular visions are based on meditative communion with the energy gateway marked and measured by Athera’s sun. Although born sighted, practice of her art results in blindness. The origin of her tradition derives from mystical practices still extant in the tribal culture of the Sanpashir Desert.
pronounced: ree-yahj
root meaning: ria’ieajn––to touch the forbidden
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; once the site of Lysaer’s royal shipyard, before the site burned in Third Age Year 5654.
ROCKFELL PIT––deep shaft cut into Rockfell Peak, used to imprison harmful entities throughout all three Ages. Located in 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
SAERIAT––name of the brigantine captained by Avar of Karthan, defeated and burned in engagement against seventeen warships of Amroth on the splinter world of Dascen Elur.
pronounced: say-ree-at
root meaning: saer––water; iyat––to break
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 southcoast of Shand. Home to the desert tribes.
pr
onounced: sahn-pash-eer
root meaning: san––black or dark; pash’era––place of grit or gravel
SAYTRA––Koriani Senior in charge of making talismans and fiend banes at the Highscarp sisterhouse.
pronounced: say-tra
root meaning: saer’tria––one who joins circles
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
s’DARIAN––family name for a line of centaurs who were master armorers in the First and Second Ages. Most renowned was Ffereton, who forged the twelve Blades of Isaer, Alithiel being for his natural son Durmaenir.
pronounced: dar-ee-an
root meaning: daer’an––one that cuts
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. Succeeded to the office of Prime Matriarch after Morriel’s death on winter solstice in Third Age Year 5670.
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
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
SHEHANE ALTHAIN––Ilitharis Paravian who dedicated his spirit as defender and guardian of Althain Tower.
pronounced: shee-hay-na all-thain
root meaning: shiehai’en––to give for the greater good; alt––last; thein––tower, sanctuary
SHIP’S PORT––city located on the Bay of Eltair in the principality of West Halla, Melhalla.
SIDIR––one of the Companions, who were the fourteen boys to survive the Battle of Strakewood. Served Arithon at the battle of Dier Kenton Vale, and the Havens. Second-in-command of Earl Jieret’s war band.
pronounced: see-deer
root meaning: i’sid’i’er––one who has stood at the verge of being lost
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: sill-ess-id
root meaning: liessiad––balance
SILVERMARSH––mire located south of Daenfal Lake, in the principality of West Halla, Melhalla.
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, served under Pesquil.
pronounced: scant
root meaning: sciant––a lean, hard-run hound of mixed breeding
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
SORCHAIN––Etarran trade minister with a long pedigree.
pronounced: sore-shain
root meaning: soershian––a method of tempering steel
STEIVEN––Earl of the North, caithdein and regent to the Kingdom of Rathain at the time of Arithon Teir’s’Ffalenn’s return. Chieftain of the Deshans until his death in the battle of Strakewood Forest in Third Year 5638. Jieret Red-beard’s father.
pronounced: stay-vin
root meaning: steiven––stag
STORLAINS––mountains dividing the Kingdom of Havish.
pronounced: store-lanes
root meaning: storlient––largest summit, highest divide
STORMWELL––Gulf of Stormwell, body of water off the northcoast of Tysan.
STRAKEWOOD––forest in the principality of Deshir, Rathain; site of the battle of Strakewood Forest, where the garrison from Etarra marched against the clans under Steiven s’Valerient and Prince Arithon, in Third Age Year 5638.
pronounced: strayk-wood, similar to ‘stray wood’
root meaning: streik––to quicken, to seed
SULFIN EVEND––son of the Mayor of Hanshire who holds the post of Alliance Lord Commander under Lysaer s’Ilessid.
pronounced: sool-finn ev-end
root meaning: suilfinn eiavend––colloquialism, diamond mind ‘one who is persistent’
s’VALERIENT––family name for the Earls of the North, regents and caithdeinen for the High Kings of Rathain.
pronounced: val-er-ee-ent
root meaning: val––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: tayer-lin
root meaning: taer––calm; lien––to love
TAL QUORIN––river formed by the confluence of watershed on the southern side of Strakewood, principality of Deshir, Rathain, where traps were laid for Etarra’s army in the battle of Strakewood Forest, and where the rape and massacre of Deshir’s clan women and children occurred under Lysaer and headhunter Pesquil’s command in Third Age Year 5638.
pronounced: tal quar-in
root meaning: tal––branch; quorin––canyons
TALERA s’AHELAS––princess wed to the King of Amroth on the splinter world of Dascen Elur. Mother of Lysaer s’Ilessid, by her husband; mother of Arithon, through her adulterous liaison with the Pirate King of Karthan, Avar s’Ffalenn.
pronounced: tal-er-a
root meaning: talera––branch or fork in a path
TALITH––Etarran princess; former wife of Lysaer s’Ilessid. Died of a fall from Avenor’s tower of state.
pronounced: talith––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 who was sworn into the service of Prince Arithon as a point of honor.
pronounced: tall-vish
root meaning: talvesh––reed
TEIR––title fixed to a
name denoting heirship.
pronounced: tayer
root meaning: teir’s––successor to power
TERIK––servant at Rauven Tower on the splinter world of Dascen Elur.
pronounced: tear-ick
root meaning: tiaric––an alloy of steel
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: thal––head; dein––bird
THARIDOR––trade city on the shores of Bay of Eltair in Melhalla. pronounced: thar-i-door
root meaning: tier’i’dur––keep of stone
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
THEIRID––one of the Companions, the fourteen children who survived the Battle of Strakewood Forest. Best known for his stalking and hunting skills.
pronounced: thee-rid
root meaning: thierent––wraithlike
TIENDAR––Paravian word invoking the tie between spirit and flesh.
pronounced: tee-en-dar
root meaning: tiendar––spirit tie
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, 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: tor––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.