by Kari Cordis
Czagaroth (tZA-guh-roth); once spelled Tsagaroth, an ancient city of the Tarq in the eastern Sheel
Daphene (dah-FEEN, rhymes with caffeine); fruitful plains in the SE Empire, famous for wine
Daroe (DARE-o, rhymes with pharaoh); large river spanning the width of the southern Empire
Dasht (mostly indistinguishable from ‘dashed’); mood-altering foliage of Cyrrh
Don Eshaid (DUN eh-SHADE); oasis in the western Eshaid between the Daroe and the Ramparts
Dorian (DORE-ee-un); Whiteblade, of the Hand of Mercy, often Dor. Escort for Ari.
Dra (like ‘draw’); reclusive people largely outcast in the Empire. Known for their intimidating work with blades. Plural, Drae, rhymes with ‘day.’
Effenrike (EFF-in-rike); over-hearty Merranic bargeman and friend to Banion
Elger (ELL-jer); outnumbered and surrounded Illian Shepherd in Archemounte
Eneara (eh-NEER-uh); the Lord Regent’s parade gryphon
Ethammer (ET-hammer); plateau taking up entire eastern portion of the continent of the Realms and home to Merrani
Ethlond (ETH-lund); legendary first settlement after the Upheaval
Faracens (FAIR-uh-sens); eastern most Wing of the Rach, the Wing of the Sea
Finnansterne (FIN-un-stern); Merranic Knight, Chevric of the Silver Hills in the Merranic Bitterns
Flyrcanet (FLEER-keh-neh); Chief, Topaz Talon of the Cyrrhidean Skyforces
Gaermon (gayr-MONE, only more guttural); enigmatic Atarq word
Galeb (GAY-leb); a Shepherd of Il living deep in Addah
Ghrak (similar to gagging on oatmeal); derogatory Atarq word for escaped slave
Gkri (indistinguishable from a sharp cough to the non Atarq speaker); means ‘souls’ with an unpleasant connotation
Heisar (rhymes with ‘hi, car’); Merranic Knight of the Bitterns and Jarl of the Stone
Herron (HAIR-un, like the bird); Lord of Harthunters estate, Loren’s father
Il (EEL); God of the Addahites, love, peace, strength, justice, mercy and redemption
Illian (IHL-ee-uhn, rhymes with trillion); a follower of Il, seen as cult members by Realmsmen
Idon (EYE-dun); main southern branch of the Daroe, resurfaces briefly at Don Eshaid
Irise (ih-REESE); Whiteblade, sometimes ’Rise
Jaegor (YAY-gor); Seawolf on the MFS Mermaidon, son of a Merranic Jarl of the Stone
Kaedmar (KADE-mar); Bay of Merrane, named after visually impaired Merranic Lesser Hero
Kai (rhymes with die, no pun intended); very social Dra, scout and security detail for Ari and friends
Kamitan (rhymes with ‘gone eat dawn’); major north-south road through eastern Empire
Kanarron (kuh-NAR-un); Knight of the Stone and nephew to King Kane
Kane (rhymes with reign); King of Merrani and mentor of Queen Sable
Karmine (KAR-min, KAR-mine); last of the Royal Line of the North
Kaskari (kaz-KAR-ee); ancient Rach legendary for being a cripple, an engineering genius, and the first of his people befriended by the Empress
Kenai (like ‘keen eye’); eldest son of Kore, the Hilt Shagreen
Khrieg (KREEG); widowed Skylord of Cyrrh and lugubrious sire to Skyprincess Kindhriada
Khristophe (kris-TOAF); one of the Four Brothers, discovered Cyrrh and became the first Skylord
Kindhriada (kin-dree-AH-duh); the limp Skyprincess of Cyrrh, heiress to the Throne of Trees. Usually Kindri
Kore (like Cory); Shagreen of the Wing of the Hilt, cousin and best friend of Rach Kyr
Kourain (koor-REIN); Sky Captain, head of the Cyrrhidean Talons
Kraemoor (KRAY-more); large and splendid Commodore of the Merranic Fleet
Kyr (KEER, rhymes with ‘deer’); the Rach
Laschald (luh-SHAWLED); god of Cyrrh, art, craftsmanship, nature, and pleasure
Lirralhisa (leer-ah-LEE-suh); Cyrrh’s Capital, the City of the Seven Falls
Magi (MADGE-eye); Merranic scholars and astronomers, often accused of necromancy and fortune-telling. Singular is mage, the head of their order being the First Mage
Marek (MARE-ik); god of the Empire, order, organization, trade and commercial acumen
Melkin (MELK-en); Master of Natural Sciences and ill-tempered leader of the friends of Ari
Mermaidon (MUHR-meh-dawn); flagship of the Merranic Commodore
Merrane (meh-RAIN); capital of Merrani and home to the King’s Fortress of the Sea
Merrani (muh-RAN-ee); eastern Border Realm fronting and controlling the Eastern Sea
Mohrg (sounds like ‘morgue’); dangerous, armored, boar-like creatures that live only in the Hills of the Silver Lions
Montmorency (mawnt-MORE-ehn-see); famous last battle of the Ages of War in which Raemon was imprisoned in the statue of the Empress
Nerissa (neh-RISS-uh); last to join the Whiteblades, sometimes ’Rissa
Noska (NAWS-kuh); scarred and talented Aerach storyteller
Perraneus (peh-RAIN-ee-us); ill-fated First Mage of the Merranic Academy of Magi
Pior (rhymes with ‘see more’); Indigo Taloner and Ari’s cheerful escort, full name Piorenen (pee-or-EN-en)
Qarasca (kuh-RASK-uh); Shagreen of the Sharhi-Tir
Rach (usually indistinguishable from ‘rock’); people and leader of the southern Border Realm
Raemon (RAY-mun, ray-MONE); ambitious, arrogant god of the Tarq, fire, conquest and brutality
Rheine (softer version of ‘rain’); Chieftess of the Whiteblades, not the type to have a cute nickname
Rodge (rhymes with ‘dodge’); irrepressibly sarcastic friend to Loren and Ari
Romontier (roe-MON-tee-air); Chief, Indigo Talon of the Cyrrhidean Taloners, shortened to Rom (rhymes with ‘wrong’)
Rorig (ROAR-ig); Queensknight, the personal bodyguard of the Queen of the North
Roxarta (rocks-AR-tuh); Whiteblade, often Rox
Rhuq (RUKE, rhymes with ‘Luke’); Cyrrhidean stagrider, full name Rhuquisel (RUKE-ih-sell)
Sable (rhymes with ‘table’); Queen of the Empire
Saffir (SAH-feer); bay on the Great Eastern Sea by Alene
Selah (SEE-luh); orphan stowaway that does menial labor for friends of Ari
Sentinalier (sen-ten-AL-yare); commander of all Cyrrhidean ground forces, excepting the Silver Fox
Sharhi-Tir (SHAR-ee TEER); westernmost Wing of the Rach
Sheel (rhymes with ‘steel’); the endless desert to the south of the Ramparts, home of the Enemy
Silmeander (sill-me-AND-er); Chief, Jade Talon of the Cyrrhidean Skyforces
Skoline (sko-LEEN); Swamp Town, the only habitation of the Swamps to the south of Cyrrh, home of several mercenary groups and, in general, not recommended for general sight-seeing
Spere (like ‘spear’); Imperial Point Sergeant, highest ranking non-com of the Corps
Sylvar (‘silver’); Whiteblade
Tamaren (TAM-uh-ren); Whiteblade of the Hand of Mercy, usually shortened to Tam
Tarq (TARK, rhymes with ‘dark’); people of the Sheel, the Enemy, Sheelmen. The feminine form is tarqina, said ‘tark-EE-nuh’
Tekkara (tuh-KAR-uh); Cerise’s high-spirited and cerebrally compromised mare
Toriah (rhymes with ‘sore eye, uh’); Captain in the Ranks of the Ram, comes with Warwolf
Traive (TRAYV); full name Traivallion (tray-VALE-yun), Cyrrhidean military commander
Triele (tri-EEL, rhymes with ‘my heel’); the four great stones of power belonging to the gods; when not capitalized, refers to the many lesser stones given by the gods as gifts to their respective peoples
Vangoth (van-GAWTH); god of Merrani, the sea, war, and steel
Verrena (veh-REN-uh); Whiteblade, respectfully shortened to V’ren
Voral (rhymes with either ‘for Al’ or ‘for all’—as long as you say it with a smile, she doesn’t care); Whiteblade and one of the Merranic Great Heroes
Waylan (WAY-len); cavalry lieutenant of the Imperial Army, military attaché to the Ram
parts
Yvetta (yeeh-VET-uh); Whiteblade, usually called Yve (like Eve with a faint ‘y’ in front)
Zhimesse (rhymes with ‘finesse’ with the zh a soft ‘j’); Pior’s blue gryphon
Zkag (ts-KAG); the Sheelshard, the only known, largely legendary, settlement of the Tarq
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
CHAPTER 39
CHAPTER 40
CHAPTER 41
CHAPTER 42
CHAPTER 43
CHAPTER 44
CHAPTER 45
Pronunciation Guide