Through the Dark Wood

by Geno Allen

  Dorinden Dell: An ancient location in eastern Darlandis situated amidst what later became the Darkling wood, ancient home to master swordsmith Allejair.

  Dragons: Former protectors of mankind who were corrupted by the Seritheen to betray the ancient kings. Their betrayal was the beginning of the dark hold that crept over Darlandis.

  Drandast: One of three remaining Darlandan outposts that once housed a Council of Trees.

  Durra: The standard unit of Cairemian money. The average wage for a freeman is three Durras a day.

  Elyon's Flame: Ancient sword crafted by under-king Kamm for his brother high king Zamora. Stolen from Targanon by Griss Corwise.

  Farrix: Nearly horse-sized wolf-like creatures of silver and black variety whose mouths bear greater similarity to crocodiles than wolves, also known as Ravenous Hunterbeasts. Silver Farrix act as shepherds for the Black Farrix, whose hunger drives their every action if left unguided.

  Fierisen Tree: Darlandan trees with slender gray trunks and orange leaves that seem almost to glow. The presence of Fierisen trees is a sign of a hopeful Darlandan forest.

  Garchamion: Ancient sword crafted by crafted by under-king Kamm to use in defeating the Great Dragon Mim.

  Gershas: Village southeast of Cairemia’s capitol city.

  The Great Bridge: One of the wonders of the ancient world, a marvel built by the kings before the kings of record. It spans the mouth of a chasm through which the Great River Moriella runs. There the Brother Kings defeated the Great Dragon Mim, and Zam first witnessed the war between the Argolen and Seritheen.

  The Great River Moriella: Is the Darlandan name for the large river that runs from three headwaters in the Aeirn Mountains through parts of Darlandis and Cairemia to the Dislen Sea in central Cairemia north of Tarnanis.

  Grimmals: Man-like creatures of immense strength and size who serve themselves first and only. They have been allied with the Dark through many generations as it generally serves their purposes. Both Ithkan and Sinji’ Grimmals inhabit regions of Darlandis and a rare few Ithkan Grimmals reside in Cairemia. It has been said that Ithkan Grimmals have some human in their bloodline making them keener of mind than their kin. There is no seeming correlation between lineage and skin tone for Grimmals. They range from putrid green in color to fiery red to black. The blunted humanish faces and their thick but wiry frames, paint them a terror to most humans.

  The Heights: The town built just below the pass in the northern branch of the Sharizeen Mountains from Knighton to the plains that lead to Valkiliar.

  The Lost Hills: Shifting hills in eastern Darlandis that rose from nothing to thwart Prince Roreshan and his army from crossing into Cairemia. There Zam discovered the Place of Scrolls and the cave of Seven Mirrors.

  Knighton: The second highest ranking territory in the Kingdom of Cairemia (outside of the capitol city) and home to Cirin Lansis. It is stewarded by Lord Anderose Neereth. There are whispers throughout Cairemia of Knighton intending to raise forces to claim the king’s crown.

  Map of Darlandis and Cairemia circ. TNK 934: A map drawn by Zam Windwater in TNK 967 to aid in sharing of his company’s adventures. It recalls the land as he felt it more than how it truly was. It is not recommended for use in traveling. The map penned in TNK 1046 by Arrow Windwater’s compatriot Sepher Tanock remains the most accurate depiction of the lands to date.

  Melethor: One of three remaining Darlandan outposts that once housed a Council of Trees, and the last known habitation of Raurelin Seer.

  The Pass of Ellerion: The narrow passage through the Wall of Ellerion that King Ellerion spent the last ten years of his reign carving out—presumably in a pride-filled madness. The pass ultimately became his undoing.

  The Place of Scrolls: A library of sorts Zam discovered in the Lost Hills that the good-hearted kings frequented in ancient times to receive wisdom not penned by mortal hand.

  The Plains of Vendill: The plains between the Lost Hills and the woods of Vendill.

  The Plains of Yith: The territory between the Darkling Wood and the woods of Vendill.

  Raggeli: Plural of Raggelus, massive, naturally armor plated, four-legged beasts that serve the will of the Seritheen and inhabit the Darkling wood in the area of the eastern road. Raggeli are flattish but stout and their armor plates are mostly hidden by the bristly hair that grows out between them. Their most striking features are the broad flat horns growing from either side of their spade-like heads and the great ball of spikes growing at the end of their strong whip-like tails. The average warrior does not battle a Raggelus and expect to survive. Raggeli are carnivores.

  The Rendift Mountains: A mountainous range in eastern Darlandis that is more like a great ridge running from the ruins of Roshketh in the south to the Hon forest in the north.

  Rindles: Giant birds of prey inhabiting the southern end of eastern Darlandis. In TNK 934, Dooriel Chief of the Rindles swore to protect humans in Darlandis.

  The River Glast: The Cairemian branch of the Great River Moriella which runs through Rivertowne and makes its way to the Dislen Sea in central Cairemia north of Tarnanis.

  The River's Edge: The name of the inn owned by Galwen Dorria in Rivertowne.

  Rivertowne: Home to Galwen Dorria and family, a mid-sized village south of the Sharizeen Mountains resting along the River Glast.

  Ruugaks: Also known as Windsong Giants, Rugaaks are among the most interesting races that inhabit Darlandis. Their skin (if it can be called that) is akin to a flexible form of metal or stone or both combined and is peppered through with grooves and holes that catch the breeze causing a tune to be played. It is unknown how they affect it, but the tune often coincides with their mood or the task at hand. Ruugaks have always followed the light and held out hope that the good kings would return and restore Darlandis. In the dark a Ruugak’s skin is luminescent.

  Sandrey: Mid-sized village on the border of Soritz Forest, and primary stop on the lowlands route from Rivertown to Knighton.

  School of Trees: The former Council of Trees in Vandaris. Noralie and Bondur renamed it the School of Trees when they took up residence in Vandaris and began learning the true events that led to Darlandis’ downfall.

  Seritheen: The term Seritheen is both singular and plural. Seritheen are similar in some ways to Argolen in that they are beings not bound to the physical word in the way humans are. They serve the darkness—and are sworn enemies to Elyon and the Argolen—with the ability to appear as nearly anything they desire. It is the Seritheen who corrupted the Dragons, and the Seritheen who desire to stop Zam’s quest before he can accomplish all he is called to.

  Seven Mirrors: A mysterious cave Zam discovered amidst a snow-covered field in the Lost Hills whose ice mirrors either present reflections of who a person could be or who they most truly are.

  Shadow Vermin: Carnivorous and ravenous creatures dwelling in the Darlandis Wood. Shadow vermin despise light and cling to the shadows. A man lost in the Darlandis Wood without some source of light cannot expect to survive for any length of time at night.

  Sharizeen Mountains: The mountains separating Rivertowne and Knighton. They are named for an ancient Darlandan princess whose return from Coriaer via “the wild lands” of Cairemia staved off civil war. It was she who discovered the lowland pass in the southern branch of the Sharizeen Mountains that (in Zam’s era) set Rivertowne on one of the main marches from Valkiliar to Tarnanis.

  Slavetowne: The slave market south of Valkiliar where Galwen was sold as a child and Raine was also sold. Trade with Coriaer necessitated and facilitated the construction of a bustling town thriving on the slave trade, the market grew in prominence from Galwen's childhood to Raine's.

  Spirius-Taliae: Ancient Darlandan word—both singular and plural—meaning great spider. Spirius-Taliae are extremely long-lived servants of the light who act as protectors of the Schools of Trees in Drandast, Melethor, and Vandaris. Noralie and Bondur are the last of the original Spirius-Taliae and their remaining children are few. The average Sp
irius-Taliae’s body is at minimum the size of a grown man’s hand.

  Tal'kyon: On the day the dragons turned from the light to serve the darkness, the Tal’kyon sprang from the rocks and became the new protectors of men. Their roll was performed more silently than the Dragon’s had been and many of the ancient kings never had dealings with Tal’kyon. Tal’kyon are somewhat dragon-like in appearance, though their neck’s are wider and their faces more blunt. The average Tal’kyon at rest could easily be mistaken for a pile of moss-covered rocks.

  Tangleweave Wood: A region in western Darlandis where the trees grow so thickly and twisted that virtually all light is blocked out and the trees in some areas form nearly maze-like walls.

  Tarnanis: The highest ranking city in Cairemia outside of the capitol city, Artolis. Tarnanis is the King’s southernmost residence used only in times of peace and prosperity. It is stewarded by Lord Alcan Turnfall.

  Tasudar: A wild land north of the Aeirn Mountains and the wastes beyond. It is home to Griss’ people the Tasudari.

  Thurgrim Tree: A gnarled and knobby tree of ancient variety found only in Darlandis—only sparsely in Zam’s era. It’s roots run incredibly deep and its wood is strong like tempered steel. It is desirable for its natural resistance to fire, but the Thurgrim’s greatest value is in its ability to comprehend and communicate over greater distance than any other trees.

  Valkiliar: The furthest northern outpost of the region of Knighton under the stewardship of Chief Guardian Tara Neereth.

  Vandaris: One of three remaining Darlandan outposts that once housed a Council of Trees—now the School of Trees—and home to Noralie and Bondur.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  AUTHOR GENO ALLEN was born in a little rural town in Oregon. There his imagination grew and he learned the art of turning river rocks into mighty canyons and a pile of fallen branches into a dark and tangled wood. Later, (while living in a near-desert suburb of Southern California) his imagination found new worlds hidden among the rock-pocked hills, the lush mountains he’d visit, and even hiding around the corner of a busy street.

  Through it all, Geno’s imagination never stopped inventing worlds and crafting stories. Years later (and back in Oregon—now with his wife and daughter), he is excited to finally share Treasures of Darkness ~ Treasures of Light which has lived in his imagination (in various forms) since he was fourteen.

  Geno has spent more than half his life working with children and young people trying to help them learn their purpose and their worth. It’s his desire this tale will more than entertain. To quote him, “I hope... it inspires.”

  You can learn more about him on his blog: GenoWrites.Blogspot.com

  ILLUSTRATOR ZACHERY KRAFT studied art at the University of Oregon. He lives with his wife Jennifer and his cat Bill Murray in a tree fort on the moon where he paints and draws (as there is not much else to do). One day he would like to domesticate the Grizzly Bear.

  You can learn more about Zachery on his website ZacheryKraft.com