When Maran entered the kitchen, Quema stood for her.
“Good afternoon, meister.”
“Good afternoon, Quema. The Kurfurstin has recognized Union rules for the drifters. You know what that means. I want the humans paid and I want the humans to get better sleeping conditions. Justice happens now. No more wage slaves. No more disappearing. No more abuses. No more Reckoning.”
Quema beamed with pride. “Welcome back, Meister Maran. It’s good to have a Loam back in the kitchen.”
“It’s good to be back,” said Maran.
Maran's story continues in Standing Between Earth and Heaven.
If you enjoyed this work, please leave stars or a review.
Glossary
Agslavit – Lowest caste of dwarves in Jura City. “Unwanted” dwarves. Loam, Kalt, and Flintlander belong to the Agslavit caste.
Alliance of the Sun – A group of gods in antiquity who warred against the Oathbreakers. They won, becoming the dominant gods of the land.
Altyn Tag – Human, Astrean. Former intelligence agent of Kurfurst Svero during the Malachite war.
Ancient One – See Mother-of-Storms.
Annalise – Human, Demmarian. Scullery maid and assistant to Maran.
Anobaith – Dragon killed by the Ironmongers in ancient times.
Arany – Dwarf, Kalt. Horsebreaker vodie in the Ironmonger forge. Among other things, she is a surgeon for both dwarves and horses.
Arma – Dwarf, Loam. Meister Cook. Maran’s cousin.
Armselig Vorschlaghammer – Dwarf, Hadean. Widow. Strikke’s mother-in-law.
Astrea – Flying city.
Astrean – Native of Astrea, the flying city. Usually human. Known for their complicated politics.
Basileus – God, Earth Lord. King of the Earth Lords and Lord of Stone.
Beehive – A section of Jura City near the Ironmonger Forges. Humans built a slum on top of the forge’s ash heap. This disreputable section of the city is dominated by Demmarians.
Beitel Vorschlaghammer – Dwarf, Hadean. Ironmonger Steelmaker. Second son of Strikke Vorschlaghammer.
Bertra – Human, Fera Nean. Deceased. Former Cantor of the Court of Justice.
Black Tiger – A Schan military unit specializing in the assassination of high-ranking enemy officers. Worked for the Malachite Empire early in the Malachite War, but eventually turned against their employers.
Bloodletter – A recently formed grouping of gods that require human sacrifice. They actively seek to supplant the Alliance of the Sun.
Bringer of Storms – A title of the Red Lady.
Burggraf – A high level servant that oversees a dwarven guildhall or facility. The position involves keeping books, managing servants and services, and maintaining buildings. The trade is dominated by Farsund.
Canyon Bridge – The bridge that crosses the Eastern Canyon, which is the border between the Malachite Empire and the Great Dwarven Union.
Carmarthen – An ancient country. Often used as shorthand for the Battle of Carmarthen, a significant and bloody battle during the Crusade of Light.
Chairman – Elected leader of the Great Dwarven Union.
Charyastos – Capital of the Dragon Empire.
Clay Town – The Loam section of Jura City, built on top of cliffs.
Cookie – Dwarf, Loam. Deceased. A Loam cook who once worked for the Saargi family. Also, a typical nickname given to any Loam cook.
Crusade of Light – In antiquity, a war between the Alliance of the Sun and the Oathbreakers. The Alliance won.
Delaram Nooshin Margiana – Dwarf, Loam. Childhood friend of Maran and her sister-in-law.
Demmaria – A human country in the old Griffon Empire. Conquered by the Feral Nation.
Demmarian – Human native of Demmaria. Known for their fishing fleets.
Dragon Empire – Human empire. The central partition of Thule’s empire. Usurped by the Malachites.
Dread General – God, Oathbreaker. God of Vermin and Famine.
Earth Lord – Any of the gods of metals or stone. All Earth Lords are cyclopean, having one eye. The Iron Duke is an Earth Lord.
Eighth Rod – A position in the Cult of the Iron Duke. Literally, one who can directly speak with the Iron Duke himself.
Endhaven – The mystical land where all souls go for their final rest. It is an island in a quiet sea with a single volcanic mountain. Inside the volcanic peak is the Lake of Souls. Home of the soul hounds, Eth, and the Mother-of-Storms.
Enigmatic Gods – A scholarly classification of unaligned gods. The gods are termed Enigmatic as scholars know relatively little of these gods, their motives, or their goals. Enigmatic gods usually have something to do with running the spirit world.
Eth – God. The Silent One. Librarian of the Dead. He administers the Lake of Souls in Endhaven.
Farsund – Dwarves of uncertain or heavily mixed heritage.
Fera Nea – Once capital of the defunct Griffon Empire. Now occupied by the Feral Nation.
Feral Nation – A country in the northwest of the old Griffon Empire. They are strange peoples, part human, part animal. The Bloodletter Samael is their god.
Fey – A diverse race of beings covering elves and dryads, among others.
Fire Lord – Any of the gods of fire. Their current ruler is Queen Plasm.
Flint – Dwarf, Hadean. Kommissar. Protector for Jasper Saargi.
Flintlander – Dwarves originating from the Flintlander culture. Also dwarves originating from the Flintlands. Most are hunter/gatherers. Their tribes never recognized the Great Dwarven Union. They trace their origins back to Uma. Flintlanders are of the Agslavit caste.
Flintlands – Territory to the north and east of the Hadean Mountains.
Forge of Ten Iron Rods – The Ironmonger steel mill outside of Jura City.
Forsythe Saargi – Dwarf, Hadean. Widow. Ironmonger Kurfurstin Mother. Vodie of considerable power. Second wife of Verum Saargi. Mother of Jasper, Svero, and Strikke.
Fort Resolute – Human city in the west of the Griffon Empire. Among the oldest known cities.
Freigraf/Freifrau – A managerial office in a guild.
Furst(in) – A dwarven guild’s representative to the Slagsmal. The eight oldest guilds are represented by kurfursts.
Gamstadt – Dwarf, Hadean. Widower. Lord Protector of the Ironmongers. Husband to Cookie, a Loam.
GDU – See Great Dwarven Union.
Getta – Dwarf, Loam. Deceased. Wife of Oro.
Glittering Vale – Home of the Valite elves. Destroyed in a conflict between Nomos and the Lord Magma, King of Fire.
Goteryd Saargi – Dwarf, Randsfjorden. Deceased. First wife of Verum Saargi. Mother of Quema Saargi. Immigrant from Fort Resolute.
Great Dwarven Union – The government which ostensibly rules all dwarves. Its capital is Jura City. Many dwarven groups refused to recognize this rulership imposed upon them or have split from the Union since its founding.
Griffon Empire – Now defunct human empire. The empire was formed from the northwestern partition of Thule’s Empire. The empire tore itself apart in continuous civil wars, and finally collapsed with the capture of Fera Nea by the Feral Nation. Her original capital was Fort Resolute, but was moved to Fera Nea in antiquity.
Hadean – Dwarves of the Hadean mountains. The Hadeans founded Jura City and formed the Great Dwarven Union. They hold every high level position in the Union.
Hag – Female servants of dreadful gods. They bargain with mortals providing either favors or services. They revel in the misery brought to others. Despite their servitude, they provide no loyalty to their masters.
Heurek Safeda – Dwarf, Loam. Maran’s father.
Horsebreaker – The dwarven guild that raises, trains, and breeds horses. The trade is dominated by Kalts. Horsebreakers are closely associated with the Ironmongers, as the Iron Duke is the Lord of Horses.
Imperial God – These are the sponsor gods of the three human empires. Most scholars believe that th
ey are an administrative fiction created by Thule as they do not appear in any histories.
Iron Duke – God, Earth Lord. God of Iron, Iron Smiths, Horses, and Brute Strength.
Ironmonger – The dwarven super-guild that governs ironworkers, steelworkers, armorers, steamfitters, etchers, and machinists. They are the lowest ranking of the original guilds. They are represented in the Slagsmal by Svero Saargi.
Irontown – In Jura City, the mercantile area surrounding the Forge of Ten Iron Rods.
Jasper Saargi – Dwarf, Hadean. Kommissar, Steingraf. Son of Verum and Forsythe Saargi.
Jack – Human? Deceased? Dream dweller. Works for the Iron Duke. Drives a fast car called Matilda. Seems to know how to get everywhere and seems to know many different beings.
Joramy – The prison run by the Kommissars.
Jurander – An inhabitant of Jura City.
Jura City – The dwarven city state whose authority once extended over all dwarves. The city is carved into a mountain in the Hadean Mountains on the eastern end of the old Griffon Empire.
Justice – See Tythia.
Kalt – Dwarves originating from the Kalt Mountains. Many were driven out of their homelands by war and are now refugees in Jura City. They resisted integration into the Union until their homeland collapsed. Most known for their skills in handling, breeding, and modification of animals. Kalts are of the Agslavit caste.
Kepi – A soul hound. A sometimes helping spirit of Maran.
Kirim Margiana – Dwarf, Loam. Deceased. Former husband of Maran.
Kommissar – A quasi-military, quasi-religious organization dedicated to protecting dwarf craftsmen around the world. They have their own army and may independently wage war.
Kurfurst(in) – Eight highest ranking members of the Slagsmal. They represent the original eight guilds of Jura City. They are (in order of rank): Golddiggers, Kommissars, Gemcutters, Silversmiths, Stonebrothers, Malachites (exiled), and Ironmongers.
Lake of Souls – This is a place where all souls eventually go to rest. It sits in a caldera atop a volcanic peak on the island of Endhaven, deep in the dream world.
Langurud – The Loam capital. This is where the elders meet every year.
Loam – Dwarves originating from Uma. Primarily farmers, potters, cooks, and grave diggers. Their primary goddess is the White Lady. Loam are of the Agslavit caste.
Logician – A non-guilded dwarven trade dominated by Farsund. Most guilds hire logicians to handle non-guild functions, such as managing servants, food, and movement of goods.
Lord Cason – Previous King of the Earth Lords and Lord of Stone. He built the walls of Jura City. Superseded by Basileus.
Lord Cason’s Gate – The main gates to Jura City.
Lord Protector – See Protector.
Malachar – God, Earth Lord. God of Copper and patron of the Malachite Empire. Usually represented as a one-eyed, sinuous green serpent.
Malachite – Dwarves from the Malachite Mountains. They claim Malachar, Lord of Copper, as their primary god. They also have a strong tradition of Red Lady worship. They were once the elite guard of the Dragon Emperor. They overthrew the Dragon Empire and now rule it themselves. They trace their origins back to Uma. They are respected for their copper, brass, and bronze work. After their secession from the GDU, they were declared part of the Agslavit caste. Malachites may be killed on sight in Jura City.
Malachite Empire – The Malachite dwarves overthrew the Dragon Empire and renamed it.
Malachite War – The most recent war between Jura City and the Malachite Empire. The war ended in a stalemate.
Magma – God, Fire Lord. Deceased. Preceded Queen Plasm.
Maran Safeda Margiana – Dwarf, Loam. Widow. Meister Cook.
Matilda – Jack’s car.
Mother-of-Storms – God, Enigmatic. Most powerful known being. Many ambitious people bargain with her. The price that you pay is always greater than the benefits that you gain. Those who dare not bargain with her may bargain with her hags.
Mount Erebus – Homeland of the Schan elves and personal domain of Plasm, Queen of Fire.
Nomos – God, Alliance. Deceased. Former elected leader of the Alliance of the Sun. Father of Tythia, patron of Justice.
Oathbreaker – An alliance of gods that dominated the ancient world. Overthrown by the Alliance of the Sun during the Crusade of Light.
Oerek Safeda – Dwarf, Loam. Maran’s grandfather.
Oro – Dwarf, Loam. Meister Farmer. Widower. Maran’s great uncle. Elected King of the Loam, which is a ceremonial position. Deceased wife was Getta.
Osei – Human, Rendlander. Pacifist. A boatman and a retired warrior.
Outer City – The area outside of the walls of Jura City, usually slums.
Phoenix Empire – Human empire. The southern partition of Thule’s Empire.
Plasm – God, Fire Lord. Queen of Fire and Passion. Last surviving god of Glittering Vale.
Prophet of Uma – God, Alliance. Deceased. Organized the Alliance of the Sun and introduced the Strictures.
Protector – In Jura City culture, a bodyguard with the legal right to bear arms (a staff) in weapon restricted areas. A Lord Protector has the legal right to carry a staff in the Slagsmal and act as a bodyguard to a furst or kurfurst.
Quema Saargi – Dwarf, Randsfjorden (mother’s side). Widow. Meister Logistician in charge of Ironmonger kitchens. Daughter of Verum and Goteryd Saargi.
Randsfjorden – The dwarves of Fort Resolute. Mostly known for bookkeeping, logistics, law, and alchemy.
Reckoner – A loosely organized movement inside Jura City dedicated to pushing out all non-dwarves from Jura City territory.
Red Lady – God, Oathbreaker and Bloodletter. Goddess of Secrets Kept, Secrets Revealed, Politics, and Betrayal. One of the Savage Sisters. Her heavenly servants are the Featherheads.
Rendland – Country in the Phoenix Empire.
Rendlander – Humans native to Rendland. A violent people, with deep ties to the Red Lady.
Rem – God, Enigmatic. Goddess of Dreams.
Samael – God, Bloodletter. Formerly an Oathbreaker. God of Fury and Slaughter, Tumult and Panic. Patron of the Feral Nation.
Savage Sisters – A trio of goddesses hailing from Uma. They are the White Lady, the Red Lady, and the Wild Woman.
Schan – Elven people hailing from Mount Erebus in the Phoenix Empire. They are the personal servants of Plasm, Queen of Fire.
Siberhaus – Dwarf, Farsund. Burggraf of the Forge of Ten Iron Rods.
Silent One – See Eth.
Slagsmal – The legislative body of the Great Dwarven Union. Representatives are fursts or kurfursts.
Slaughtertown – The Kalt slaughterhouses upriver from Irontown.
Soul Hound – Literally spirit dogs that come when you are dying, remove your immortal soul, and take it to the afterlife.
Stahlgarten – An alternative name for Maran given to her by Forsythe Saargi during her initiation to the Cult of the Iron Duke.
Stechen Vorschlaghammer – Dwarf, Hadean. Ironmonger Protector. Son of Strikke Vorschlaghammer.
Steel City – The afterworld as it appears to Maran and many dwarves. The steel city is dominated by buildings of iron and glass, marvelous mechanical contrivances, and many deceased beings. The Steel City was reputedly constructed by the Iron Duke.
Steingraf – High level military position in the Kommissars. Approximately equal to a colonel.
Strictures – Religious rules laid down by the Prophet of Uma and adopted by the Alliance of the Sun. Prominent strictures include the prohibition of bloodletting (sacrifice of sentient beings) and oathbreaking (breaking your own obligations while demanding that obligations owed to you be fulfilled).
Strikke (Saargi) Vorschlaghammer – Dwarf, Hadean. Widow. Ironmonger Journeyman Machinist. Meister Seamstress. Daughter of Verum and Forsythe Saargi. Mother of Stechen Vorschlaghammer and Beitel Vorschlaghammer.
Sureh – A Loam town on the Osteras River.
Maran once lived there.
Svero Saargi – Dwarf, Hadean. Ironmonger Meister Machinist. Kurfurst of the Ironmongers and previously Chairman of the Great Dwarven Union. Arguably the best living general in the world. Son of Verum and Forsythe Saargi.
Tantalum – Earth Lord. Minister of Justice known for his resistance to corruption.
The Butcher – See Samael.
Thule – In ancient days, he was the Emperor of the entire world.
Thule’s Empire – The world-spanning empire of antiquity. On the death of Emperor Thule, the empire was partitioned into the Griffon Empire, the Dragon Empire, and the Phoenix Empire.
Trysorydd – God, Imperial. Patron of the Griffon Empire. Usually depicted as a griffon. Possibly fictitious.
Tythia – God, Alliance. Elected leader of the Alliance of the Sun. Goddess of Justice. Daughter of Nomos, previous leader of the Alliance of the Sun.
Uma – Ancient city to the east. Ancestral home of the Loam, Flintlanders, and Malachites.
Verum Saargi – Dwarf, Hadean. Deceased. Husband of Goteryd Saargi and Forsythe Saargi. Father of Svero, Strikke, Jasper, and Quema. Previous Kurfurst of the Ironmongers; succeeded by Svero Saargi.
Verwalker – A servant in a dwarven household who maintains a suite. Takes on both the duties of housekeeper and butler.
Vitrean – Dwarves from the Vitrean Mountains, far to the south in the Phoenix Empire. Vitreans are experts with glass and glassy materials. The Vitreans have seceded from the Great Dwarven Union.
Vodie – A dwarven healer who employs magical techniques. Different dwarven cultures use different techniques.
Wayfarer – In Loam tradition, a widow or widower, without children, who leaves the Loam lands for a year in order to acquire knew knowledge.
Weber – Human, Jura City. Assistant Meister Seamstress under Strikke.
Wild Woman – God, Alliance. Goddess of the Hunt. One of the Savage Sisters. Her heavenly servants are the Hellions.
White Lady – God, Alliance. Goddess of Agriculture and Death. One of the Savage Sisters.
Zarand – A town in (and capital of) the Zarand Agricultural Territory.
Weeds Among Stone (Jura City Book 1) Page 23