The Valdemar Companion

by John Helfers; Denise Little

  Landric

  A farmer devoted to the WheelBound religion, whose members believe that atonement is necessary to repair evil done in this life or an earlier one. Like all of that sect, Landric wore a five-spoke wheel branded on the back of his left wrist. He offered Tarma and Kethry shelter when they passed by, and it was from him they learned of the monster ravaging the countryside and of the reward offered for its slaying. (Oath)

  Langenfield

  A town on the Heralds’ northern circuit. (Arrows)

  Lanz

  A young (Healer) with Urtho’s forces, he answered to Senior Healer M’Laud, who sent Lanz to Amberdrake to learn about kestra’cherns. (Gryphon)

  Larak

  A young dyheli stag and Jonti’s twin. One of those who volunteered to go with Darian and Wintersky on their forest tracking hunt. (Owl)

  Larap

  He was one of Bazie’s apprentice thieves who took off on his own before Skif’s arrival. (TT)

  Lareen

  The dyheli doe who carried Nyara to Falconsbane’s stronghold. (Winds)

  Larence

  One of Vanyel’s pack of cousins. (LHM)

  Larsh

  One of Tarma’s students. (Oath)

  Laryn

  One of Kethry’s and Jadrek’s twin sons, younger than Jadrie but older than Jadrek Minor. (Oath)

  Lashan

  The human name of the spirit that inhabits Need. Over the millennia she forgot her true name. Need was crafted by the mage-smith Lashan of the Sisterhood of Spell and Sword, who forged twelve every year. These swords would not rust, break, or lose their edge. There were set-spells on them for each season: Spring, calm; Summer, warding; Autumn, healing; Winter, luck. Once every four years she made only eleven swords. The twelfth she forged to include all four spells, and waited for someone in the Sisterhood to prove herself an intelligent and moral fighter. To that woman she would present the sword as a gift. When the Wizard Heshain massacred most of the order, Lashan invoked the gods and magic and sacrificed herself on the special twelfth sword, becoming one with the weapon, which was renamed Need. (Winds)

  Lasha’Kaladra

  This is the Tayledras word for Companion. (LHM)

  Lasleric

  An outlying town in Rethwellan. Tarma, disguised as Arton, split up King Raschar’s forces by ordering some to “Lay a false trail to Lasleric.” (Oath)

  Lastel Longknife

  A bandit who used his Gift of Mind-magic to fool people into thinking he was someone familiar and trustworthy. He was the leader of a gang that raided merchant trains and raped and killed any captured women. Tarma and Kethry were hired to find out who was commiting the crimes and bring them to justice. When they discovered Lastel was responsible, Kethry cast an illusion on him, causing him to look like a woman, signing her work with a justice glyph. They tied him to his horse and sent it of to the bandits’ camp, where they assumed he too would be raped to death. Unfortunately, he escaped and sought revenge by allying with Thalhkarsh, a demon they had defeated earlier. The demon transformed Lastel into a real woman so Need wouldn’t harm him. Lastel’s spirit was swapped into Kethry’s body during a fight, but she regained it when the High Priest of Anathei rescued her. It is unknown what happened to Lastel’s spirit, as the demon occupied Lastel’s female form, but it most likely found the fate it deserved. (Oath)

  Lastern

  The man claiming to be the Son of the Sun, reduced to ashes by Vkandls when Solaris became the true one. (Storm)

  Lavan Chitward, or Lavan Firestarter/Firestorm (Herald)

  Later known as Firestarter and Firestorm, he was the son of a cloth merchant and a fine needleworker, but was not interested in following the family trade. He was sent by his parents to the Merchant School instead. Bullies there made his life miserable. The situation came to a head when, during a beating, Lavan’s Gift manifested, killing the boys who had attacked him. Kalira Chose Lavan at this crucial juncture, and kept his Gift under control. Their bond was unusual— they were lifebonded in addition to the normal companion/Chosen bond.

  When the war with Karse escalated, Lavan went to the front lines and used his Gift in Valdemar’s defense, though he was never comfortable killing—until a Karsite sneak attack blinded his teacher Pol. At the battle of White Foal Pass. Lavan and Kalira held back a large force of Karsites until an assassin killed Kalira. Enraged at the loss of his lifebonded, Lavan sent the entire valley up in flames, killing nearly all of the Karsite forces and himself. (BB)

  Laureate

  The title given to the reigning member of the Bardic Circle. The Laureate wears the coronet during official ceremonies and has the right to attend Council meetings. (Arrows)

  Lauren (Bard)

  A full Master Bard, Lauren played the gittern and was accomplished at Healing-music, using it to try to ease the bone aches of his long-time friend, Kemoc. (Oath)

  Law-Keepers

  The oficial title of the Haighlei mages. (Gryphon)

  Law-Slayers

  A Haighlei slang term for criminals. (Gryphon)

  Laylan (Companion)

  Rubrik’s Companion. (Storm)

  Leaf spear

  The Tayledras elder who united Snowfire and Nightwind in formal partnership. (Owl)

  Leamount (Lord)

  The rough-hewn provincial noble that Queen Sursha selected as General-In-Chief to lead her forces against her usurper brother-in-law Declin. (Oath)

  Leana

  A volatile noblewoman, she was the focus of much concern at court. Leana had a hot temper and her husband of a year was having an affair. It was feared that she might do something reckless, and that sooner or later a violent confrontation was likely to take place. (BB)

  Leander

  The name of one of two morning stars visible from Valdemar, the other is Lythan. (LHM)

  Leander

  The miller and baker of Errold’s Grove. (Owl)

  Leareth

  One of the incarnations of Ma’ar, he took the Tayledras word for “darkness” as his name. Lord Rendan’s gang knew him as Master Dark. Leareth is the Mage in Vanyel’s fever dreams, an evil and too-perfect mirror image of Vanyel himself. In later dreams, after Vanyel has lifebonded to Stefen, Leareth reappears, and though the details of the dream have changed, the menace of the Dark Mage is still as powerful. He is at the core of the prophetic visions which the Tayledras tell Vanyel are possible futures, though not inevitable ones. Leareth had been operating in the northern lands for a very long time, at least before Queen Elspeth was born. Desiring to expand his territory into Valdemar, Leareth attempted to subvert the Heralds, but without any success. He decided to destroy them one at a time, beginning with the Heraid-Mages, who represented the biggest threat to him. He is responsible for the fact that no children with Mage-Gift have been Chosen in Valdemar for some time; Leareth has been killing any children who exhibit such Mage-Gifts while they are too young to be Chosen, disguising the attacks as accidents or illnesses. When Leareth prepared to invade Vaidemar, he gathered his forces of black armored men and strange beasts and marched them down a Mage-made pass through the mountains to Valdemar’s border. To abet his strength, Leareth employed other mages, and he sent these before him to confront Vanyel at Crookback Pass, When the Heraid-Mage had defeated each of the enemy mages, Leareth offered his temptations to Vanyel. When the Herald-Mage refused his offer, he attacked, knowing Vanyel’s strength was partially spent and would no longer be a match for his own. He did not count on Yfandes returning to combine her powers with Vanyel’s in a Final Strike to destroy Leareth and his army, and save Valdemar. (LHM)

  Leech-blade

  An ensorceled weapon designed to steal life gradually if it does not kill outright. A scratch can be fatal, and removing it without using the proper counterspell can be equally deadly. (LHM)

  Leeside Park

  A popular park in Haven known for recreational riding; in winter its central pond is used for skating parties. (BB)

  Leland

>   A young mage who attempted to summon and bind the Imp Talhkarsh from the Abyssal Planes. By mistake he called the powerful and dangerous demon Thalhkarsh, and paid for the error with his life. (Oath)

  Lena

  The niece of the silk merchant Grumlo, his only heir, and the sole survivor of his brother’s plague-ravaged family. She was captured by bandits along with a dozen other maidens while traveling with one of her uncle’s packtrains. He had no hope she was still alive, but hired Tarma and Kethry to take revenge on those who kidnapped Lena and other young women. (Oath)

  Lendori

  A group of people with a dispute which King Randale needed to rule upon at Vanyel’s request. The Lendori were offered a contract to supply the Valdemar Guard with mules if they in turn ceded water rights to Balderston. (LHM)

  Lenne (Master)

  Master of the Tanner’s Guild hall in the supply village outside Hawk’s Nest. Formerly a herder, he had a strong love for the land, and because of that had a great loathing for Master Karden’s noxious neighoring tannery. Lenne was being magically poisoned by Karden, but Kethry discovered the means of the attacks and turned the poison back on the poisoner. (Oath)

  Lenore

  Kerowyn’s mother, who died three years before Lordan’s wedding. The youngest of Kethry’s children, she disliked the Plains and exhibited no mage talent. Fostered with the Lythand family, she was suited for ladyship and nothing else, much to Kethry’s disappointment. At first courted by the repulsive Baron-to-be Reichert, Lenore escaped his clutches when Rathgar showed up at the Keep. She fell madly in love with him, and other than his hostile attitude toward mages, he was perfect for her. (Sword)

  Leodhan (High King)

  The ruler of Predain, he was killed by the fear-spell dyrstaf, clearing the way for Ma’ar to take control of Leodhan’s realm. (Gryphons)

  Lerchbush

  Valued medicinal plants that grow in thickets. Keisha harvested their buds by taking every third one and sealing the knife cut with pitch to heal the plant and encourage its further growth. (Owl)

  Leren Benevy (Father)

  Preist for the Ashkevron estate during Vanyel’s time, he was a cleric of the narrowest religious outlook. Father Leren once attempted to kill Vanyel, but Armsinaster Jervis stopped him, saving Vanyel’s life. Father Leren confessed to working for the Marvelan family but he was also controlled by some other evil power. He was killed while in his cell, his stomach torn out by an unknown assailant, before that power was located. (LHM)

  Lerry

  A young Herald who had been riding circuit in the Fells, he joined Pol’s group for supper at the collegium to trade gossip. (BB)

  Lerryn Twoblades

  A son of Justin Twoblades and the Captain of the Skybolts when Kerowyn joined the mercenary company. He didn’t look like a fighter, but Lerryn was whipcord and steel over bone. His brown eyes missed nothing, and his foppish curls covered a good brain. He could ride any horse in camp, including Kerowyn’s battlesteed, which was a surprise both to the mare and Kerowyn. Lerryn wore a silver pin of two crossed swords bisected by a lightning bolt as his badge of rank. He was killed by the Karsites along with one of the groups of Skybolts that had split up to try and lose their pursuers. (Sword)

  Leshara

  The family involved in a mortal feud with Tylendel Frelennye’s family. The matter had been escalating for some time, with raids and counter-raids and wizards hired to do revenge work. The head of the Leshara family was Wester, whose youngest son was killed during a raid by the Frelennyes. To get back at his enemies, he hired a conjuror to convince Tylendel’s recently widowed mother that the spirit of her husband was trying to contact her. Her desire to reach the other side and join him drove her insane and led to her death. Tylendel’s worst foe at Court was Evan Leshara, who tried to get information from Vanyel he could use against the Frelennyes. When that was unsuccessful, the Lesharas arranged an ambush, killing Tylendel’s twin Staven and precipitating a crisis that led to Tyndale calling up wyrsa into the Leshara stronghold on Sovvan-night. Evan Leshara died in that onslaught, and Tylendel in its aftermath. It took all the skill of Queen’s Own Herald Lancir to settle the feud between the surviving members of the two families and end the senseless vengeance. (LHM)

  Leshia (Queen)

  The daughter of King Tavist, Queen of Valdemar. (LHM)

  Leshya (Companion)

  The true name of the Companion who Chose Tashir Remoerdis, though the young stallion was so traumatized by the events that occurred when he arrived In Highjorune that he couldn’t communicate it. Yfandes and the others referred to the Companion as Ghost until he could compose himself and provide them with his name. (LHM)

  Leshya’e

  The Shin’a’in term for a helpful spirit. Used particularly with the leshya’e Kal’enedral and in reference to avatars of the gods, among them Companions. (Oath)

  Leshya’e horses

  What the Shin’a’in call Companions. (Winds)

  Leshya’e Kal’enedral

  Spirit Swordsworn and Teachers of the living Swordsworn. They are spirits who can be quite solid and real, as their students learn painfully during their lessons in swordplay. Their voices have a hollow quality, they dress in black and are veiled. Tarma was trained nightly by these leshya’e Kal’enedral when she was not indoors. (Storm, Winds)

  Leslac

  The Bard who was the bane of Tarma and Kethery’s lives, though Warrl rather liked him. Leslac wrote a famous song, “Threes,” which described Tarma’s and Kethry’s victory over caravan raiders. The ballad annoyed them with its exaggerations and inaccuracies, and made it difficult for them to get work. He irritated Tarma further by composing “The Swordlady.” intended as a love tribute, it had the opposite effect on her. Tarma generally referred to it as “That Song.” King Stefansen and Herald Roald helped their friends get revenge by maneuvering the troublesome Bard into a “sword-point” marriage in Valdemar. (Oath)

  Lesser Battle Magics

  When opposing armies’ mages have exhausted their Great Battle Magics, they resort to lesser ones. In these, neither can see what the other is doing, and neither can let down their guards and shields long enough to recharge or to try any remaining Greater Spells. (Oath)

  Lethe

  A highly narcotic wine, the downfall of an aged half-blind mage that the ensorceled Lastel Longknife hired to remove the spell placed on him by Kethry as punishment for his crimes. (Oath)

  Lethra

  One of Sewen’s sargeants. (Oath)

  Levand (Page)

  The page boy who brought Dean Elcarth the alarming news that a riot had taken place between the Bardic students and the Unaffiliates over the Lady Fountain prank. (Arrows)

  Leverand

  One of the first kings of Rethwellan (name?) went to this mage school. He bespelled the Royal Archives of the kingdom ensuring that what was written therein could not be altered or removed. (Oath)

  Levinbolt

  A Sorcery-directed attack of pure energy which can be deflected harmlessly by a skilled mage or a well-trained student mage. (LHM, Winds)

  Levris

  An elderly veteran, he was the Quartermaster assigned to the offices of the Guard during Queen Selenay’s reign, in charge of issuing supplies for Herald missions. (Arrows)

  Levy (Master)

  The Master Artificer who worked with Master Tam to study the area around Haven for anomalies. He sent out teams to measure, collect, and collate information, trying to fight the Mage-Storms with science. Levy was a mathematician and he worked out a prediction of the magic Mage-Storms’ time sequence and the places where mage waves would intersect to cause Change-circles. (Owl, Storm)

  Ley-lines

  Invisible streams of magical power, they criss-cross the land and are only visible to those with Mage talent. Ley—lime power is hard lo control be cause the ley-line energy is moving. Masters and Adepts can tap into the ley-lines, and Adepts can change ley-line channels, thus using that power to streng
then nodes and build repositories of arcane energies. The Tayledras Adepts organize ley-Lines to replenish their Vales’ Heartstones. Other mages use ley-une energy to power spells. Energy not used will eventually drain away to the Void. (BV)

  Leyuet

  A Haighlei Truthsayer and King Shalaman’s Chief Priest. Under strong religious auspices, Leyuet could read the soul of someone being questioned. Originally hostile to the strangers from White Gryphon, in time he became one of their allies. (Gryphon)

  Liam (Healer)

  A Healer who was part of the Court in Vanyel’s time. When a messenger brought news of the Karsites new anti-mage campaign, Liam immediately demanded to know which Karsite priesthood was controlling the dangerous crusade. (LHM)

  Liaven Cedrys

  The son of Lady Cedrys of Briary Holding, he was interested only in weaponry and swordplay, but was forced toward a scholarly vocation by his book-loving mother. In the end, he ran away, joined a mercenary company, and was never seen again. (LHM)

  Liers

  A young courtier who waxed eloquent about his brothers bravery in battle, behavior which Vanyel maintained was stupidity, not valor. (LHM)

  Life-debt

  A very serious matter among the Northern tribes, it refers to a debt owed to someone responsible for saving that person’s life. Unless it is repaid, the life-debt will hold back the bearer socially and personally in many ways; he cannot even court or marry until the debt is discharged. Hywel felt he owed a life-debt to Keisha and Darian for saving his brother and insisted that being their guide on the northern expedition was his life-debt duty. (Owl)

  Life-energy lights

  They illuminate the caves of the Hot Springs Clan of kyree. The glow balls are different colors, shining with the last life-energy of the kyree who created them for the benefit of their survivors. Blue lights were Mages, green were Healers, yellow were those who had been god-touched, and red those who primarily possessed Mind-magic. (LHM)

  Lightfoot

  The Sunhawk Jodi’s mount, a cross-bred grey mare, part Shin’a’in, part mountain pony. Quiet as a shadow, she is a near-twin in appearance to Hellsbane. (Oath)