Nightbird
Nightwind’s sister, a Kaled’a’in who teased Darian and her friend Summerdance for “hitting it off so quickly.” (Owl)
Nightfire
A Tayledras formerly named Starfire, one of the mages involved in the Heartstone accident. Afterward, Starfire became Nightflre and obsessed with studying the stone’s remains, spending every waking moment trying to determine what caused the disaster. (Winds)
Nightjewel
A Tayledras mage paired with Iceshadow in the circle that gathered to destroy the rogue Heartstone at k’Sheyna Vale (Winds)
Nightsky
A Tayledras who left the windows of her high-level ekele open on a windy day and came back to find her belongings strewn all about the room. (Winds)
Nightwind
A Kaled’a’in trondi’irn who came with Kelvren to k’Vala Vale and eventually became Snowfire’s lover and pledged mate. She is dark haired, as she had not practiced much magic or lived in a Vale with a Heartstone, thus her hair was not bleached white like most Tayledras. (Owl)
Nine-Days King, The
A theatrical favorite with imperial audiences, the storage depot Tremane raided held scenery, props, and costumes for putting on a production of that play. This equipment became very useful when Tremane was crowned the King of Hardom. (Storm)
Node
A repository of magic power that may be tapped by a mage at a price paid in control and mastery of will and focus. The node concentrates energy flowing to it from hidden ley-lines deep beneath the ground. The advantage for a mage in using a node is that drawing on a node’s accumulated power saves the use of the sorcerer’s personal energy and boosts his ability to wield magic. Where two or more natural lines of magical force meet in a node, the power is so strong that only Adcpts can control the pooled energy. A lesser practitioner of magic attempting to tap into that source would be unable to touch the power at all or would be engulfed and destroyed by it. Heartstones are used by Tayledras, mage created super-nodes where many ley-ilnes collect, and where the energy lines from the surrounding area are relocated to drain off the land’s excess magical energy. The Heartstones store energy for the needs of the Vales, to be drawn off as needed by the Vale’s mages. (LHM, Storm, Winds)
Norten
One of the engineers at Haven, Master Henlin delegated Norten to go with Bret and Levy and take the bad news about the strengthening Mage-Storms to Queen Selenay. (Storm)
North-Province bride
Elspeth felt like one after Quenten exchanged her Valedemaren and Rethwellan coins for jewelry and told her to wear all of it, as North-province brides often carry their entire dowries on their necks. (Winds)
North-needle
The Veigarth term for a compass, which was used by the Silvers when magical direction-finding did not work. (BV)
Nos
A Shin’a’in term meaning “it is.” (Oath)
Noyoki
Also known as the Nameless Brother, the Disgraced One, the One With No Honor. The word noyoki literally means, “no one,” in Haighlei. The last son of King Ibram’s Third Consort, he is King Shalaman’s half-brother. He had mage powers as a child and was sent to priest school to be trained, but he misused his Gifts and was to be rendered magically impotent as punishment. However, the Cataclysm struck down the priest assigned to cleanse the boy, and Noyoki escaped with his mage powers intact. Grown to manhood and consumed with jealousy and resentment, he plotted to overthrow his brother. When he was discovered, his mind was wiped clean but his body left alive and put on display as punishment and warning. (Gryphon)
Nyara
Falconsbane’s Change-child daughter, slave, and pawn. She was experimented upon by Falconsbane while he occupied An’desha’s body. Attractively catlike, she was slim with a triangular face, a small chin, pointed ears with tufted ends, short sable-colored hair, upswept eyebrows, golden-yellow eyes witi slit pupils, low, husky, purring voice, and retractable fingernails. Many of these traits changed and she became more human in time, thanks to the intervention of Need and the avatars of the Star-Eyed Goddess, as Nyara’s reward for helping to defeat her father. Nyara had stolen bits of magic-learning from Mornelithe, and gained a small bit of power. He had let her keep her MageGift so that he could use her as a repository of energy gained from his blood-path sacrifices; she couldn’t use the energy, but he could draw on it by hurting her, making magic without needing to touch any sources on the Tayledras lands which might attract the attention of their mages. Originally believing his manipulative lies, Nyara regarded herself as worthless and evil. Only with the loving care of her mate Skif, her teacher Need, and others could she finally emerge from her monstrous father’s shadow and become her own woman. (Storm, Winds)
Oath of Sword and Hand
A Shin’a’in pledge of mutual friendship and support that is a vow sacred to the Star-Eyed Goddess. Jadrie had sworn this oath to Kira and Menu before their abduction. (Oath)
Oberdorn
The city in Ruvan where Lastel Longknife sought release from the curse Kethry had placed upon him. He hired a drug-addicted mage to petition Thalhkarsh to take the spell that made him appear as a woman off of him. However, the mage was killed and Lastel was made into the demon’s slave. Tarma, Kethry, and the priest Nemor, in Oberdorn later defeated Thalhkarsh. (Oath)
Oden (Duke)
The Collegium Weaponsmaster whom Kayla assigned as Vanyel’s instructor, warning that he would find the Duke no easy teacher. In contrast to Vanyels previous lessons, however, Oden was an artisan with a blade, and he and Vanyel got along very well, and Vanyel eventually became a superb swordsman and very effective with almost any weapon. (LHM)
Odo
Weaponsmaster of the Collegium during King Theran’s reign. He understood the need to be strict and tough in order to save trainees’ lives on their future assignments to dangerous territories. (BB)
Official Chronicles
Kept in the capitol of the Eastern Empire, Tremane’s scholars could find nothing in the official chronicLes of the Empire relating to Mage-Storms in the past. (Storm)
Old Charcoal
This was a nickname the Sixth Wing allegedly gave Aubri in the days of Urtho’s War, as a fighter notorious for drawing firestrikes. (Gryphon)
Old City
The permanent section of Kata’shin’a’in, as opposed to the tent-city. (Winds)
Old Palace
This was once the center of government at Haven. The stone-floored building dated back to the Founding by King Valdemar. The most ancient section was still used for Herald’s quarters until a more recent wing was constructed. (LHM)
Olek Gelcress
Tansy Gelcress’s husband, a neighbor of the Alders’ in Errold’s Grove. (Owl)
One-Eye Tham
A beggar in Oberdorn who told Arch-priest Nemor that the mendicants once used the old Temple of Duross as a meeting hall, but later left it empty because it was too cold and damp in the abandoned structure. (Oath)
Ophela
A Karsite ascetic who was noted as being blind and deaf to anything other than Vkandis and Karse. (Storm)
Order of the Brotherhood of Perpetual Indulgence
A tongue-in-cheek classification applied to hedonists, particularly those fond of sexual dalliances. (LHM)
Order of the White Winds
The school of magic in which Kethry trained. Its disciplines mandate self-knowledge and self-mastery. The heart of its teaching is that no negativeties be permitted to bind the sorcerer in any way, because immoral, negative bonds of fear, hate, or greed will drain a mage of needed energy. (Oath)
Oreden
A hedge-mage with Lord Leamount’s forces who went with the Sunhawks on their end-run around the Jkathan rebels. (Oath)
Orsen Brodey (Lord)
Father-In-law of Kerowyn’s brother Lordan. Orsen’s daughter Dierna was abducted on the eve of her wedding and saved by Kerowyn. The family emblem was the red deer. (Sword)
Orser (
Armsmaster)
Lord Kendrick’s armsmaster, he taught Joserlln Corveau weaponry skills. (LHM)
Orser (Companion)
Herald Liams Companion, he told Yfandes and others about Treven’s and Jisa’s marriage, which was met with general approval among the Companions and the people of Valdemar. (LHM)
Orthallen (Lord)
The Lord of Wyvern’s Reach, most senior Council member and Chief Councilor to the Queen, and to her father before her. His benevolent façade concealed a man determined to acquire power at any cost, including the lives of those closest to him. He was herald Kris’s uncle, and took advantage of that relationship to plant suspicions of Talia in the younger man’s mind, suggesting that Talia was using her Gift of Empathy to manipulate the Queen and Princess Elspeth in matters of state by influencing their feelings. He was the probable sponsor of Hulda, though the records to prove that vanished before anyone could check them. Lord Orthallen was an eager proponent of Elspeth’s betrothal to Prince Aricar of Hardorn. Ancar was secretly working with Orthailen, promising him the throne of Valdemar when Hardorn conquered the country, though he had no intention on delivering on that promise. When Talia discovered this, she trapped Orthallen into revealing his true intentions. Furious, he tried to kill Talia, but was killed by Elspeth instead. There are strong indications that Orthailen was responsible in part for King Sendar’s death, Talamir’s death, an attempted seduction of Elspeth by a young courtier, and several of the illicit industries troubling Valdemar, particularly the slave trade. (Arrows, TT)
Orwind
The translator whose edition of Grindel’s Discourses on Unnatural History was preferred by Jadrek and Herald Roald. (Oath)
Osberg
One of Gregoth’s raiders, he stole the amber necklace Dharin gave Tarma for a betrothal gift after participating in slaughtering the clan. Later, when Kethry and Tarma killed the murdering bandits, Tarma reclaimed her property. (Oath)
Osen (Father)
He was the priest at Forst Reach who died when Vanyel was only four, but the boy remembered him fondly and recalled how willing Father Osen was to answer questions and not be judgmental. (LHM)
Oskar
Host of the Bottomless Barrel, the Oberdorn inn where Tarma and Kethry stayed. (Oath)
Osten Deveral
A tradegulldsman and a secret ally of the Lake Evendim slavers and raiders. (Arrows)
Other-Planar
Dimensions that touch but are not a part of the human world. Sorcerers can summon creatures from there and coerce aid from them, if the sorcerer’s will is strong enough. (Oath)
OtherSenses
An ability to be aware of presence and energy currents beyond chose detectable by normal means. OherSense can be used by a powerful mage despite the attempts of others to shield against it. (LHM)
OtherSight
Mage-Gift which can see potential deep-buried Gifts in seemingly untalented persons and is similar to Mage-sight. (LHM)
OtherWinds
Currents of power in Planes separate from the one inhabited by humans. On the night that the massacre happened at the Highjorune palace, Vanyel and Yfandes felt he stirring of the monsters responsible along the OtherWinds. (LHM)
Ourra
A kyree who didn’t know the sheep he’d been feeding on belonged to anyone. He frightened the neighboring village by prowling it at night, but was merely curious. When the local priestess gave him a tongue-lashing for eating livestock, Ourra was deeply embarrassed. Thus arose the legend of the Demon-WoLf of Hastandell. (Oath)
OutClansmen
A term that the Shin’a’in use to refer to those who are not Shin’a’in. (Oath)
Outcasting
An ancient ritual in the Mercenaries’ Code, it condemns an oathbreaker and is a death-curse. (Oath)
Outer eyes
A Shin’a’in shaman’s Gift similar to Mage-sight, the ability to probe the nature of beings at a distance and discern if they possess Gifts. (Oath)
OutKingdom
A term that Valdemarans use to refer to all other kingdoms. (BV)
OutLands
What the Tayledras and Shin’a’in call the lands other than their own. (BV)
OutLanders
What the Tayledras and Shin’a’in call all people who are from outside their own lands. (BV)
Outpost Five
The remote post in the territory jointly claimed by Haighlei and White Gryphon. It is twice as far from White Gryphon as the other outposts. Patrolling and exploring that area is the responsibility of the Silvers. The region is a rain forest climate, with heavy morning fog and daily thunderstorms. (Gryphon)
OverSight
How a Healer sees the world, alive with a web of light, color, and energy. With this Gift, a Healer is able to tell if plants are thriving, or if people are ill. Once her Gift was opened, Keisha learned there were many kinds of OverSight, and many ways to use this special way of looking at the world. In the texts Gil Jarrad had given her to study, Oversight was referred to as Mage-Sight or Healing-Sight. (Owl)
Owain (Priest)
A middle-aged priest of Astera who performed the marriage ceremony of Valdemar’s Heir Presumptive Treven and Jisa. Owain stated that because the pair were lifebonded, in his judgement it would be a sin and blasphemy not to unite them. (LHM)
Owyn Kittlekine
A leatherworker’s son, he was one of Lavan’s Third Form classmates at the Merchants’ School. (BB)
Page, The
An Inn in Highjorune which caters to shaych customers. Its proprietor had an arrangement with other establishments along the street, such as Bel’s inn of the Green Man; she and the other inns didn’t sell boys and The Page didn’t sell girls. (LHM)
Paintbox-birds
Haighlei avians, the ones that inhabit the capital gardens are tormented by simie. (Gryphon)
Palimpsest
A parchment or other piece of writing material on which the old writing had been rubbed off to make room for new. (LHM)
Palinor (Lord)
The Seneschal and a councilman of Valdemar. Herald Kyril is his assistant. (Arrows, Sword, Winds)
Palisar
The Haighlei Speaker to the Gods, and one of King Shalaman’s advisors. (Gryphon)
Pandemonium, The Great Mage
The stage name and role Firesong adopted when he worked undercover as a carnival performer in Hardorn during the mission to kill Ancar. (Winds)
Panjir
The town where some of Ma’ar’s troops were holding a defensive position. Against all logic, Garber sent an aide to order the gryphons to fly a suicide mission, supporting an attack on Ma’ar’s well-entrenched forces. (Gryphon)
Pass of Stelvi, The
The scene of a great battle in the Mage Wars, and a terrible defeat for Urtho’s forces. A split valley lies beyond the pass and the captured town of Laisfaar, opening the way into the heart of Urtho’s realm. (Gryphon)
Pass-through
An invisible door, a common mage trick. One led into Starwind k’Treva’s Work Room and was guarded by a set-spell which would only admit certain persons, and Kethry used a passthrough to disguise the door between her room and Tarma’s when they were plotting the downfall of Raschar. (LHM, Oath, Winds)
Patris (Healer)
The Mindhealer assigned to the OutLanders’ defenses on the Gyrefalcon’s Marches. (Arrows)
Pawell
A Sunhawk scout killed in a skirmish. Kyra replaced him, and since Pawell had no relatives, or shieldmate to claim them, Tarma gave her his horse, gear, and tentmate. (Oath)
Peace of the Goddess
A Holderkin term for religious vocation; for a female, it meant a lifetime in the Temple Cloisters, covered in clothing from head to toe and forbidden to leave the premises or to speak. (Arrows)
Pedron’s Wolves
A mercenary fighter group attached to Urtho’s forces. (Gryphon)
Pelagir Hills
A range of hills lying west of Valdemar an
d harboring a variety of strange creatures that the magic-using Tayledras Clans worked to render harmless. The region was little understood and very feared. The Pelagirs were a remnant of the world left in magic-riddled ruins after the ancient Mage Wars. From time to time, malevolent and unwelcome things escape from the Hills’ hidden recesses and move into the areas protected by the Tayledras. (BV)
Pelagiris Forest
The massive wilderness at the base of the Pelagir Hills, it was created during the first great Mage-Storms of ancient times. The Tayledras have spent more than a thousand years working to cleanse it. Always dangerous, after the Mage-Storms it became a terrible place indeed, riddled with Change-circles and strange and unnatural beasts roaming the vast woodland. (BV)
Pelagiris Road
Elspeth and Skif rode this route south of Valdemar. It led from the hills, to the High Spur Road, and on into Lythecare. (Winds)
Peleun (Commander)
He once led Emperor Charliss’ Imperial Guards, and was loyal because he was under a geas. (Storm)
Pelsin (Herald)
A Herald who aided the Healers Kerithwyn and Loris during the plague crisis at Waymeet. (Arrows)
Peluverr
The senior gryphon in Kelvren’s Wing. (Owl)
Penchal
An artist in Haven. (TT)
People of the One
They settled around Crescent Lake and are unusual in that they are monotheists in the polytheistic Valdemaran world. Their holy writings are contained in The Book of the One. (LHM, Arrows)
People of the Plains
An OutLander term for the Shin’a’in. (Oath)
Perchi
An insult meaning “common prostitute.” (Gryphon)
Peregrin (Lord)
Herald Kris’s father and one of the Seneschal’s chief assistants. (Arrows)
Peregryn of Adair (Baron)
One of the few members of Hardornan nobility to survive Ancar’s purges. When Peregryn came to Shonar to pledge fealty to King Tremane, the young baron was only fourteen, but already battle-hardened and well bonded to the fighters and people who followed him, and respected by them. He was charismatic, so much so that it was clear that deeds that Bards could sing about had brought him through Ancar’s wars, and many more such deeds lay in his future. His lands of Adair were in the northern part of Hardorn, close to Iftel. (Storm)
The Valdemar Companion Page 38