S'a / S'e / S'ieas / S'ii : Respectful address designators, analogous to sir and madam; specific to gender, and frequently parts of complex and highly specific expressions of relationship between the speaker and the person being addressed.
S'a (ss-^ah): feminine
S'e (ss-^eh): masculine
S'ieas (ss-^eh-ahs) : a group of mixed gender
S'ii (ss-^ee): neuter; generally used to address a eunuch.
S'a-ke (ss^ah-kay): Familiar mother's-brother. S'ai-keia (ss-^ayy-key-ah): Roughly, sister's-child; used only to address children less than a year old. Used against adults as an insult to suggest the person addressed is behaving like a child.
S'e deaneat (ss^eh dayah-nit): Lit. translation: male of a desert family. Usually inferred as 'son of'. S'e-ketan / S'a-ketan (ss^eh-keh-tan / ss^ah-keh-tan): A complex relationship designation. The rough translation is uncle: father's side/mother's side, but depending on inflection and surrounding modifiers, it can indicate status, legitimacy, and even bloodline. Aunt would be s'e-katan (father's side) or s'a-katan (mother's side). To add a little more confusion, the casual use or slang cuts the last few letters off, resulting in s'a-ke, s'aka, and so on.
S'e-natan-kai (ss^eh-nah-ten-kai): Mother's-side cousin, twice removed. S'e-netan / S'a-netan (ss^ehh-neh-tan, ss^ahh-neh-tan): Another complex relationship designation. The rough translation is grandfather/ grandmother, but depending on inflection and surrounding modifiers, it can indicate status, legitimacy, and even bloodline.
S'iope (s^igh-o-pay): Lit. translation: beloved of the gods; implications of being neuter, all energy devoted to the gods. Term used to refer to the priests of the Northern Church. Disrespectful nickname: soapy.
Sa'adenit (sah^ad-den-nit): Rough translation: blood of the sand. Some sages claim it should read blood on the sand. It comes from a very old song about blood-feud and vengeance.
Saishe-pais (sayshh-paws; alt. sayshe-pays): An expression of heartfelt gratitude, indicating that the one so addressed has shown great honor in his/her actions.
Sessii ta-karne, I shha (sessy tahcarney, ee shhha): Rough translation: You noxious, useless (castrated) little prick!
Se'thiss, t'a-karnain (sehh-^this, tah-^ahkar-nayn): Rough translation: beloved child of the northern relatives.
Shall (shawl): A temporary, portable desert shelter.
Shass-shass (shaass-shaass): Lit. translation: move, move! Used by superiors to inferiors. Sheth-hinn (shethhhnn): Assassin.
Su-s'a (sue-ss^ah): Northern lady.
Ta (tah): Prefix implying masculine aspects; usually involved in insults (see ta'karne).
Ta-karne (tahcarnay): Insult. Rough translation: asshole.
Taishell te s'a-lalien (tie-shell teh ss^ah-lahh-lee-en): Lit. translation: This woman has emptied herself/has no more to give you now.
Taishell te s'a-naila (tie-shell teh ss^ah-nail-ah): Lit. translation: This woman offers her blood to you/opens herself to you now. Tas-shadata (tahzshah-dahta): Rough translation: fool, coward, idiot.
Taska (task-ah; alt. tah-skah): Courier and guide.
Te (teh): Prefix indicating formality and honor; no gender.
Teth hanaa silayha (tehth hahnah silligh-ah): Lit. translation: You (female) grace us (male or mixed company).
Teth-kavit (tehthkah-vitt): Lit. translation: Gods hold you, and blessings to your strength. Teyanin (tayah-nin); plural: teyanain (tay-ahnayn): A very old, small tribe which retreated to the mountains of the Horn after the Split. Originally the judges and law determiners of the desert, they're now considered the guardians of the Horn.
Thass (tass; alt. thass): A person with great status, beyond even noble rank.
Thio (thee-oh): Status.
Toi, te hoethra (toy, teh hoe-thrah): Lit. translation: I swear to you I am speaking truth. Ugren (oo-ghren): a very rare universal bonding mixture; also used in the southlands to imply unbreakable permanence in an arrangement or situation.
* * *
Appendix A :
Desert Families
Aerthraim.............................................................................................366
Darden..................................................................................................368
Eshan ....................................................................................................369
F'Heing .................................................................................................370
Scratha ..................................................................................................371
Sessin ....................................................................................................372
Tereph...................................................................................................374
Tehay ....................................................................................................375
Teyanin.................................................................................................376
Toscin....................................................................................................377
* * *
Aerthraim Family
Desert Family specializing in technology, engineering, and science; they keep themselves isolated from the other Families and do not hold to the Agreement.
Family symbol: Feathers, signifying freedom and the ability to soar above others.
Succession: hereditary, matrilineal
Leadership: The leader of the Aerthraim is given the title of mahadrae; which translates, roughly, as “chosen mother of the free people.”
Political: Alliances with each Family, based mainly on mercantile interests; reluctant to “side with” anyone in a dispute.
Current Family leader: Mahadrae Kallaisin
Aerthraim of note in Secrets of the Sands: Lord Azaniari Aerthraim-Darden (Adzh-ah-knee-airy Ayer- thraym Dar-den; prefers to be called Azni [Adzh-knee]): For her own reasons, she long ago left the southlands in favor of in a modest home some distance north and east of Bright Bay.
Genealogy Notes: Lord Azaniari Aerthraim-Darden is descended in unbroken matrilineal line from the past five generations of Aerthraim mahadrae. When Azaniari disqualified herself from leadership of the Aerthraim by choosing to become a desert lord, the leaderline was forced over to Pauca’s branch and resulted in Kallaisin taking over as mahadrae. There remains to this day a great deal of ill-feeling towards Azaniari over this situation, especially among the Aerthraim loremasters.
* * *
Darden
Located on the western coast, this Family has a reputation for treachery and deception. Their major exports are trained asp-jacaus, excellent (and strong) distilled liquors, drugs, and herbal teas.
Family symbol: snake, signifying wisdom and alchemy
Succession: Hereditary, patrilineal
Leadership: strongly patriarchal; women are seen as weak and unfit to rule.
Political: Ongoing feud with F'Heing, and Darden's trade agreements with Aerthraim Family are on shaky ground due to recent events.
Current Family leader: Lord Emmon Darden
Dardens of note in Secrets of the Sands Lord Irrio Darden: Eldest of three brothers, Lord Irrio is the son of Tecky and Ferra Darden; Tecky is the youngest of Lord Emmon Darden's three sons. Lord Emmon's eldest son, Geff, married into the Aerthraim line and renounced his Family status, while the middle son, Amlin, has not produced any legitimate children as of yet; Amlin still remains Heir Designate, and at this time Lord Irrio is next in line.
Azaniari Aerthraim-Darden: see Aerthraim
* * *
Eshan
A subfamily of F'Heing, known for their colorful and color-fast dyes, excellent fine cloth, and coffee (a slightly lesser grade than the famous F'Heing Ridge, but still excellent).
Family symbol: desert porcupine, signifying strength in submission Succession: Assigned by F'Heing
Leadership: Dec
ided by F'Heing
Political: Allies with and supports F'Heing in all matters.
Current Family leader: Lord Wiltin Eshan
* * *
F'Heing
West coast desert Family which produces drugs and dyes, loves powergrabs, and has a long and bloody history of treachery. Their “enclave” area used to be home to another, smaller desert Family; F'Heing annexed it for the fertile land and even more importantly, the sea access. F'Heing used their new port to send ships north, building the “independent” (read: F'Heing controlled) city of Kismo before the Northern Church had time to explore that far.
Family symbol: mountain lion, signifying decisiveness and dominance
Succession: Hereditary; patrilineal
Leadership: Strongly male-dominated, women are seen as weak and unfit to rule.
Political: Ongoing feud with Darden Family; almost as xenophobic as the teyanain.
Current Family leader: Lord Rimmel F'Heing
* * *
Scratha
This line traditionally served as the premier diplomats of the desert, able to achieve a truce where others failed. But nearly the entire Family was mysteriously wiped out some years ago, leaving only Cafad Scratha to rebuild from the disaster; and Scratha has not inherited his family skill at charming combatants into peaceful negotiations.
Family symbol: Groundhogs, signifying community and shared resources.
Ginger plants, a secondary Family motif, signify matters of the heart and spirit.
Succession: hereditary, matriarchal
Leadership: technically matriarchal, but in practice a team effort between the female Head of Family and a male desert lord bound to the Fortress; they are generally either related or married.
Political: Traditionally neutral; keeps alliances evenly balanced. The slaughter of the residents of Scratha Fortress, and Cafad's own actions, have thrown that entire equation into chaos.
Current Family leader: Lord Cafad Scratha
Scrathas of note in Secrets of the Sands: Lord Cafad Scratha: Last survivor of Scratha Family; a brooding man with a quick temper and the obsession that Sessin Family was involved in the death of his entire Family.
* * *
Sessin
A desert family whose specialty is glasscraft of all sorts. They are the only ones who know the secret of casting clear, unflawed glass in large sheets.
Family symbol: Lizard, signifying sharp perception and a subtle, quick wit.
Succession: Hereditary; usually patrilineal
Leadership: patriarchal but not averse to allowing smart, strong women to take positions of command—just not the very highest spots. Political : Strong ties to the northern kingdom, strong influence in two major east coast port cities; tend to think of themselves as people to ally with, not people who need to seek allies.
Current Family leader: Lord Antouin Sessin
Sessins of note in Secrets of the Sands:
Lord Antouin Sessin: Current leader of Sessin Family; a much more open-minded man than his predecessor, Lord Arit Sessin. Lord Arit Sessin: The leader of Sessin Family during Cafad Scratha's youth; a hard and intolerant man who thought only of advancing his own Family's power.
Lord Eredion Sessin : A desert lord of Sessin Family; Sessin Family's ambassador to the northern kingdom. Great-grandson of Lord Arit Sessin; uncle (see also: s'e-ketan) of Pieas Sessin and Nissa Sessin.
Nissa Sessin : A daughter of Sessin Family, and sister to Pieas Sessin; when King Oruen calls her “Lady” he is making a common northerner's mistake on ranking. Nissa Sessin has no rank title beyond her last name.
Pieas Sessin: A hotheaded, wastrel son of Sessin Family; brother of Nissa Sessin.
Genealogy notes: Pieas and Nissa Sessin are the children of Lord Antouin Sessin by his second wife, Tashaye Sessin. Tashaye Sessin is Lord Eredion Sessin's sister. Lord Antouin's first wife died giving birth to a son, Dorsil Sessin, who is currently Heir to Sessin. Eredion Sessin's father, Chidor Sessin, was the only male offspring of Sashea Sessin, Lord Arit Sessin's daughter. Lord Arit Sessin had three children: Jonnui, the original Heir, Sashea, and Forus. Jonnui died during the Purge, turning Forus's line primary; and Forus fathered Antouin Sessin. Thus, Eredion is Pieas and Nissa's uncle, and at some remove, cousin as well; but he is not in line to lead Sessin unless Antouin’s children fail to produce any legitimate heirs.
* * *
Tereph
A subfamily of Sessin; they do a large amount of the work for Sessin and have almost no real independence; essentially slaves to the larger Family. Succession: Decided by Sessin
Leadership: Largely patriarchal, but wholly dictated by Sessin
Political: Follow Sessin's lead on all matters.
Current Family leader: Lord Hail Tereph
* * *
Tehay
Family no longer exists; the head of Tehay got himself so far into debt with his gambling addictions that he had to give his lands and everything on them to F'Heing Family; residents had the choice of converting to F'Heing Family or going with their lord out into the deep sands to die in shame. The acquisition turned F'Heing into a formidable name and erased Tehay Family from existence, as well as sparking a number of stillunresolved questions on whether F'Heing had 'loaded the dice' to put Tehay in that situation.
* * *
Teyanin
A very old, small tribe which retreated to the mountains of the Horn after the Split. Originally the judges and law determiners of the desert, they're now considered the guardians of the Horn.
Family symbol: Owls, especially the great horned owl, signifying ferocity and adaptability.
Succession: Normally hereditary, but exceptional circumstances and individuals have occurred in the past.
Leadership: teyanain leaders are called “Calcen”, which literally translates to “Master”; they have absolute authority over all teyanain. Political: Keep to themselves and ally with nobody, although some Families are under the mistaken impression that they have formed an alliance of convenience with the teyanain. Extremely xenophobic.
Current Family leader: Lord Evkit
Teyanain of note in Secrets of the Sands: Lord Evkit (leader of the teyanain)
Genealogy Notes: There are no publicly accessible records dealing with the genealogy of the teyanain at this time.
* * *
Toscin
A subfamily of Darden, with the most independence of any subfamily. Given complete latitude in their actions and alliances; generally turn matters around to benefit Darden in the end. Almost completely self-supporting; train “diplomatic and research services” (i.e., spies and secret alliance negotiators).
Succession: By merit Leadership: Semi-hereditary; a wide range of bloodlines are considered valid for leadership, regardless of gender, and the Toscin Council selects a new leader as they see fit. Members of the Toscin Council are selected by a majority vote of the other members of the Toscin Council.
Political: Bias towards keeping Darden happy, but ostensibly neutral.
Current Family leader: Lord Quill Toscin
* * *
Appendix B :
The Bead Language of the Southlands
Bead codes in the south range from incredibly complex to very simple. A few general guidelines apply:
The more rows in the bracelet/beadwork, the more important the wearer. The material, color, shape, size, and surrounding colors, and even the string material for the beadwork, can influence the conveyed message. Therefore, the simpler the arrangement, the simpler the message.
General Meanings of Colors
Aquamarine/blue-green: (lightest shades) Family ties, travel toward the sea, the sea (darkest shades).
Black: Absence and endings. Blue: Depending on hue, this color can indicate: male or night (indigo); foretelling/prescience or eyewitness (medium hues); the direction north, the direction up, or the sky (lighter hues).
Brown: One of the colors of Comos; also signifies winter or an ending. Gol
d (color): Used in decorations to signify endings or money changing hands (not necessarily wealth—could mean the bearer is a merchant or accountant, for example).
Green: Can signify, depending on hue: new beginnings or safety (lighter green); sanctuary or political shift (darker green); wealth or travel out of dry lands to more fertile areas (emerald green); family ties or travel towards an ocean/large body of water (blue-green).
Red: Blood, violence, or death.
White: One of the colors of Comos; can also indicate female, daytime, or 'a day' (as a measure of time).
Yellow: Depending on the hue and placement: death, the sun, extremes, the Sun-Lord, or deceit.
Sample Combinations: Red combined with yellow – violent death or transition
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