The Binding Stone: The Dragon Below Book 1

by Don Bassingthwaite

  Etta: A hunter of the Bonetree clan.

  Fat Tusk: A tribe of orcs living in the Shadow Marches.

  Fause: The leader of a Cult of the Dragon Below in Zarash’ak.

  Frostbrand: A Blademarks company of House Deneith, commanded by Robrand d’Deneith, specializing in wilderness and winter operations. It was disbanded after the Massacre at Narath.

  Gatekeepers: A sect of druids, originators of the druidic tradition in the Shadow Marches and the Eldeen Reaches. Originally formed to defend Eberron from invasion by Xoriat during the Daelkyr War, they watch over the seals that bind the daelkyr in Khyber.

  Geth: A shifter veteran of the Last War, he served with the Frostbrand until the Massacre at Narath, then wandered Khorvaire before finding refuge in Bull Hollow. He wields a sword and a great-gauntlet, a magewrought gauntlet that is both shield and weapon.

  Gig: A hunter of the Bonetree clan.

  Hand-wit: A hunter of the Bonetree clan.

  Hruucan: A dolgaunt appointed by Dah’mir to accompany the Bonetree hunters in their pursuit of Dandra.

  illithid: An abomination from Xoriat, the plane of madness. An illithid is roughly the same size and shape as a human but possesses a squidlike head with tentacles arrayed around a fanged maw. Illithids feed on the brains of sentient creatures and possess the ability to paralyze or manipulate the minds of lesser creatures. Illithids are more commonly known as mind flayers.

  il-Yannah: A word from the Quor tongue, translating to “the Great Light.” This mystical force is the focus of the religion of the kalashtar.

  Jhegesh Dol: A stretch of haunted swamp in the Shadow Marches, once the site of a daelkyr stronghold during the Daelkyr War.

  kalashtar: The kalashtar are an offshoot of humanity. Stories say that the kalashtar are humans touched by spirits from another plane of existence and that they possess strange mental powers.

  Karrnath: One of the original Five Nations of Galifar. Karrnath is a cold, grim land whose people are renowned for their martial prowess. The current ruler of Karrnath is King Kaius ir’Wyrnarn III.

  Karth: A sailor on Lightning on Water.

  kesh: a kalashtar term for the telepathic mindlink all kalashtar can create with other beings.

  Khorvaire: One of the continents of Eberron.

  Khyber: 1) The underworld. 2) A mythical dragon, also known as “The Dragon Below.” After killing Siberys, Khyber was imprisoned by Eberron and transformed into the underworld. Khyber is said to have given birth to a host of demons and other unnatural creatures. See Eberron, Siberys.

  Kirla: A stable-owner in Yrlag

  Krepis: An orc of the Fat Tusk tribe and a druid of the Gatekeeper sect. A student of Batul.

  Last War, the: This conflict began in 894 YK with the death of King Jarot ir’Wyrnarn, the last king of Galifar. Following Jarot’s death, three of his five children refused to follow the ancient traditions of succession, and the kingdom split. The war lasted over a hundred years, and it took the utter destruction of Cyre to bring the other nations to the negotiating table. No one has admitted defeat, but no one wants to risk being the next victim of the Mourning. The chronicles are calling the conflict “the Last War,” hoping that the bloodshed might have finally slaked humanity’s thirst for battle. Only time will tell if this hope is in vain.

  Lightning on Water: A House Lyrandar elemental galleon. Instead of sails, an elemental galleon uses a bound air elemental for propulsion.

  long step: A kalashtar term for psionic teleportation.

  Lyrandar, House: A dragonmarked house bearing the Mark of Storm. House Lyrandar has economic control of shipping in Khorvaire.

  Medalashana: A kalashtar, once a companion of Tetkashtai and Virikhad, later renamed Medala by Dah’mir. She specializes in the art of telepathy.

  Metrol: The capital of Cyre. Metrol was destroyed by the Mourning.

  Mukur: A hunter of the Bonetree clan.

  Narath: A river town in northern Karrnath, close to the coast of the Bitter Sea. Destroyed in 989 YK in the infamous Massacre at Narath.

  Natrac: A half-orc of Zarash’ak, he specializes in helping tribespeople of the northern Shadow Marches move south to Zarash’ak in return for a period of hangingured servitude.

  Ner: The huntmaster of the Bonetree clan. The longest-lived huntmaster ever to lead the Bonetree hunters.

  Orshok: A young orc druid of the Fat Tusk tribe and a student of Batul.

  Pado: A hunter of the Bonetree clan.

  Pandon: A merchant of Zarash’ak and a passenger on Lightning on Water.

  psicrystal: A sentient crystal created by psions as a tool and companion. Each psicrystal is a unique reflection of the psion who created it.

  psion: Someone who is skilled in the art of psionics, the power of the mind. Kalashtar are natural psions, able to manifest the telephatic link they call the kesh. Many go on to master greater skills.

  Rat: A cultural hero figure among shifters based on one of the animal forms of their lycanthrope ancestors. Usually referred to as “Grandfather,” he is depicted as a cunning and stealthy trickster. “Grandfather Rat!” is a common expression of frustration.

  Sandar: An innkeeper in Bull Hollow.

  Sarlona: One of the continents of Eberron. Humanity arose in Sarlona, and colonists from Sarlona established human civilization on Khorvaire.

  Sentinel Marshals: The dragonmarked House Deneith is the primary source for mercenary soldiers and bodyguards in Khorvaire. The Sentinel Marshals are a specialized form of mercenary—bounty hunters empowered to enforce the laws of Galifar across Khorvaire. This right was granted by the King of Galifar, but when Galifar collapsed the rulers of the Five Nations agreed to let the Sentinel Marshals pursue their prey across all nations, to maintain a neutral lawkeeping force that would be respected throughout Khorvaire. See House Denieth.

  Shadow Marches: A region of desolate swamps on the southwestern coast of Khorvaire. The Shadow Marches have a strange connection to Xoriat and were at the center of the Daelkyr War many millennia ago.

  Shadowcrags: A rugged mountain chain that forms the western border of the Eldeen Reaches.

  shifter: A humanoid race said to be descended from humans and lycanthropes. Shifters have a feral, bestial appearance and can briefly call on their lycanthropic heritage to draw animalistic characteristics to the fore.

  Siberys: 1) The ring of stones that circle the world; seen as a shining band like clustered stars in the southern sky. 2) A mythical dragon, also called “The Dragon Above.” Siberys is said to have been destroyed by Khyber. Some believe that the Ring of Siberys is the source of all magic.

  Singe: An Aundairian wizard specializing in both fire magic and swordsmanship. A lieutenant in the Blademarks, he served with the Frostbrand company until the Massacre at Narath. His real name is Etan Bayard, but he prefers his nickname.

  Sita: A hunter of the Bonetree clan.

  Sovereign Host, the: a religion found across much of Khorvaire. The Lords of the Host are Arawai (god of agriculture), Aureon (god of law and knowledge), Balinor (god of beasts and the hunt), Boldrei (god of community and hearth), Dol Arrah (god of honor and sacrifice), Dol Dorn (god of strength at arms), Kol Korran (god of trade and wealth), Olladra (god of good fortune), and Onatar (god of artifice and the forge).

  tak: a Reacher expression for “thank you;” “twice tak” is “thank you very much.”

  Temmen: A staff-fighter in Zarash’ak.

  Tetkashtai: The presence that inhabits Dandra’s psicrystal.

  Thul: A stableboy in Bull Hollow.

  Tiger: A cultural hero figure among shifters based on one of the animal forms of their lycanthrope ancestors. Tiger is noble being, a warrior of incomparable grace and speed. Unlike the other shifter culture-heroes, no relation is ever claimed to Tiger. “Tiger’s blood!” is a common oath of anger.

  vayhatana: A kalashtar term for psionic telekinesis. Literally translated, it means “ghost breath.” Veta: A barmaid in Bull Hollow.

&nb
sp; Vvaraak: The black dragon who taught the first Gatekeepers and began the druidic tradition in western Khorvaire many thousands of years ago. She was also known as “the Scaled Apostate.”

  whitefire: A kalashtar term for flame produced with psionics.

  Wolf: A cultural hero figure among shifters based on one of the animal forms of their lycanthrope ancestors. Wolf is wise, honorable, and knowledgeable in the ways of magic. She is often referred to as “Grandmother” and “Grandmother Wolf!” is a common expression of awe.

  Xoriat: One of alternate planes, Xoriat is also known as the Realm of Madness. It is the home of the daelkyr and illithids, but has been held apart from Eberron since the end of the Daelkyr War thanks to the magic of the Gatekeepers.

  Yrlag: A town on the Grithic River, the border between the Shadow Marches and the Eldeen Reaches. The westernmost port on southern Khorvaire, it is a barely civilized place and the trading center for much of this isolated region. Before humans arrived in Khorvaire, it was the westernmost outpost of the Empire of Dhakaan and the Dhakaani influence can still be seen in its oldest structure.

  Zarash’ak: The capital of the Shadow Marches, often called the City of Stilts because of the architecture that raises it above the threat of floods.

  APPENDIX 2

  THE AZHANI LANGUAGE

  AZHANI PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

  Consonants are pronounced as they appear, except:

  g always hard, as in get

  ch always soft, as in church

  zh as the z sound in azure

  bh, vh, dh aspirated sound (a breathy version of the consonant)

  Vowels are pronounced as:

  a cat

  e bet

  i seem

  o so

  u moon

  Vowels in sequence are pronounced individually as above, except:

  ei the long vowel sound found in shade

  eo long a combined with a long o

  Except in conjugation 2 verbs, two identical vowel sounds are broken by a glottal stop: ’ (tt in mitten is a glottal stop).

  AZHANI WORDS

  a: one (number)

  ahine: a scream of fright

  ahris: to obey (takes conjugation 2)

  ahron: a scream of rage

  all: fire

  ama: a woman

  amot: five (number)

  andgri’imo: downstream, literally translated, it means “where the river goes.”

  ano: a man

  ashi: 1) a reed with a starchy pith used to make bread

  2) the bread made from the reed, 3) a deep gold-yellow, the color of both reed and bread. Probably a loanword from Orc.

  aushen: to return to a place (takes conjugation 2)

  az: a clan. As a suffix, it is appended to a name to formally indicate a clan (“Drumas” is the Bonetree, “Drumasaz” is the Bonetree clan)

  azam: 1) a member of a clan, 2) a person. In the plural form, “azams” it means “others.” By extension, the only people are those associated with a clan. All others are “duskav” or strangers.

  bet: night

  betch: darkness

  bibis: a rabbit

  bron: to be (takes conjugation 1). An older, archaic form of “to be.”

  brosh: divine magic, especially healing magic. Brosh is often translated as “body-magic” and is considered a very different thing from kint or “world-magic.”

  broshama/broshano: a skilled healer, often one with special knowledge or limited magical ability. Often woman, hence the common translation of the term as “herbwife.”

  che: the. Plural: ches

  che _ _ _ gri: this. Literally translated, it means “the thing here.”

  cheo: what

  Daraskint: Eberron, the mystical Dragon Between. “Eberron” is also commonly used.

  Darasvern: Siberys, the mystical Dragon Above. “Siberys” is also commonly used.

  Darasvhir: Khyber, the mystical Dragon Below. “Khyber” is also commonly used.

  do: to do (takes conjugation 1).

  doke: will (conjugation 1; future tense is regular and is formed the same as the present tense; past tense “would” never varies and is always “tdoke”).

  dru: bone

  duskav: stranger

  e: and

  each: zhir

  eche: that. Plural: eches

  egri: there

  eva: three (number)

  firgri’i: everywhere

  gentis: depths

  get: deep (adjective)

  gri: here

  gri’i: where

  ha-: a marker of respect. Adding the prefix ha-to something implies respect and sets it above other things of its kinds.

  harano: honor. Literally translated it means “a respected name.”

  hushen: to return from a place (takes conjugation 2)

  itri: must

  kint: arcane magic, but also any magic that is not obivously healing or defensive. Kint is opposed to brosh and is often refered to as “world-magic.”

  kintama/kintano: a wizard or hermit. Kintamas and kintanos are usually considered as dangerous, bad-tempered individuals who live as hermits.

  klavit: to bring back (takes conjugation 1)

  kri: to be (takes conjugation 2; third person singular is irregular—“krii”). A relatively recent term for “to be.”

  kriazam: a changeling. Literally translated, it means “false person.”

  kto: than

  mado: to need (takes conjugation 1)

  make: shall (conjugation 1; future tense is regular and is formed the same as the present tense; past tense “should” never varies and is always “tmake”)

  mas: tree

  mot: four (number) pa-: more or very

  pinde: to know (takes conjugation 2)

  pret: can (conjugation 1; past tense “could” never varies and is always “tpret”)

  rana: a shaman or priest

  rano: a name

  reis: tough. “Reis” is a condition rather than an adjective and a person is said to “have reis” rather than “be reis.”

  rond: fierce. “Rond” is a condition rather than an adjective and a person is said to “have rond” rather than “be rond.”

  shei: to hunt (takes conjugation 1)

  sheid: a hunter

  shial: to pray (takes conjugation 1)

  sikint: a term used among the Bonetree to describe the psionics used by kalashtar. “Sikint” combines the “psi-” prefix with the Azhani word for magic.

  Su: For/In the name of

  sut: to follow or accompany (takes conjugation 1)

  ta: to have (takes conjugation 1)

  teith: blood

  teithkint: a rare form of blood magic practiced among certain clans of the Az.

  theth: 1) silence. 2) silent (adjective).

  va: two (number)

  varda: a fight, specifically a fight between individuals. It’s

  similar to “duel” in meaning but without formality. “Varda” can take place in the middle of mass combat.

  vit: to bring (takes conjugation 1)

  zhan: to speak (takes conjugation 1)

  zhani: language

  AZHANI EXPRESSIONS

  Che Harana: “Revered,” the title given by the Bonetree clan to Dah’mir. Literally translated it means “the honored priest.”

  Drumasaz: The Bonetree clan. Often referred to simply as “Drumas.”

  Khyberit gentis: “Khyber’s depths”—an expression of frustration.

  Kriid patheth. A sheia bibisas.: “Be very quiet. I’m hunting rabbits.”

  Rond betch: “Fierce darkness”—an expression of amazement or anger.

  Rond e reis: A worthy adversary or a strong warrior is said to be characterized by “rond e reis”—they are fierce and tough.

  Su Drumas! Su Darasvhir!: “For the Bonetree! For the Dragon Below!”—the pledge and battle cry of the Bonetree clan.

  Varda su teith e harano: “A fight for blood and honor.”

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nbsp; AZHANI PRONOUNS

  First person (I) a; objective (me)—at. “A” is often dropped in normal use (“A shei” and “Shei” both mean “I hunt.”)

  second person (you) do; objective (you)—dod

  Third person masculine (he) an; objective (him)—ano

  Third person feminine (she) am; objective (her)—ama

  First person plural inclusive (we) has; objective (us)—hast. Azhani distinguishes between the inclusive first person plural (we—all of us) and the exclusive (we—us but not you).

  First person plural exclusive (we) as; objective (us)—ast

  second person plural(you) dos; objective (you)—doz

  Third person plural masculine (they) ans; objective (them)—anas

  Third person plural femine (they) ams; objective (them)—amas

  OTHER PARTS OF SPEECH

  plural -s or-as after s (“sheid”—a hunter, “sheids”—hunters)

  possessive -it (“sheidit”—”hunter’s”); also applied to pronouns (“ait”—mine, “doit”—yours)

  distance e-(“esheid”—a hunter over there)

  negation toch, applied to both nouns and verbs (“toch esheid”—not a hunter, “toch shei”—not hunting)

  appearance kri-(“krishei”—seems to hunt); sometimes applied to nouns to imply a fake, impersonation, or deception (“krisheid”—a false hunter)

  imperatives the subject pronoun is dropped in imperatives

  AZHANI CONJUGATIONS

  Conjugation 1 Conjugation 2

  First person singular -a (“sheia”—I hunt) no change to infinitive (“pinde”—I know)

  Second person singular -i (“shei’i”—you hunt) -t or-d depending on voice quality of preceding phoneme (“pinded”—you know, but “ahrist”—you obey)

  Third person singular masculine (or indeterminant gender) -o (“sheio”—he hunts) -(repetition of last vowel sound)r (“pindeer”—he knows, but “ahrisir”—he obeys

  Third personsingularfeminine -on (“sheion”—she hunts) same as masculine. Conjugation 2 does not contain gender.

  first person plural inclusive -as (“sheias”—we all hunt) -si (“pindesi”—we know)