The Blinding Knife: Lightbringer: Book 2

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The Blinding Knife: Lightbringer: Book 2 Page 80

by Brent Weeks


  magister: The term for a teacher of drafting and religion at the Chromeria.

  mag torch: Often used by drafters to allow them access to light at night, it burns with a full spectrum of colors. Colored mag torches are also made at great expense, and when made correctly give a drafter her exact spectrum of light, allowing her to eschew spectacles and draft instantly.

  match-holder: The piece on a matchlock musket to which a slow match is affixed.

  matchlock musket: A firearm that works by snapping a lit slow match into the flash pan, which ignites the gunpowder in the breech of the firearm, whose explosion propels a rock or lead ball out of the barrel at high speed. Matchlocks are accurate to fifty or a hundred paces, depending greatly on the smith who made them and the ammunition used.

  matériel: A military term for equipment or supplies.

  merlon: The upraised portion of a parapet or battlement that protects soldiers from fire.

  Midsummer: Another term for Sun Day, the longest day of the year.

  Midsummer’s Dance: A rural version of the Sun Day celebration.

  Mirrormen: Soldiers in King Garadul’s army who wear mirrored armor to protect themselves against luxin. The mirrors cause luxin to disintegrate when it comes in contact with it.

  Molokh: God of greed, associated with orange. See Appendix, “On the Old Gods.”

  monochromes: Drafters who can only draft one color.

  Mot: God of envy, associated with blue. See Appendix, “On the Old Gods.”

  Mother, the: A statue that guards the south gate into Garriston. She is depicted as a teenager, heavily pregnant, with a dagger bared in one hand and a spear in the other.

  mund: A person who cannot draft. Insulting.

  murder hole: A hole in the ceiling of a passageway that allows soldiers to fire, drop, or throw weapons, projectiles, luxin, or fuel. Common in castles and city walls.

  nao: A small vessel with a three-masted rig.

  Narrows, the: A strait of the Cerulean Sea between Abornea and the Ruthgari mainland. Aborneans strangle trade between the Narrows by charging high toll fees to merchants attempting to sail the silk route, or simply between Paria and Ruthgar.

  near-polychrome: One who can draft three colors, but can’t stabilize the third color sufficiently to be a true polychrome.

  non-drafter: One who cannot draft.

  norm: Another term for a non-drafter. Insulting.

  nunk: A half-derogatory term for a Blackguard inductee.

  Odess: A city in Abornea that sits at the head of the Narrows.

  old world: The world before Lucidonius united the Seven Satrapies and abolished worship of the pagan gods.

  oralam: Another term for paryl, meaning hidden light.

  Order of the Broken Eye, the: A reputed guild of assassins. They specialize in killing drafters and have been rooted out and destroyed at least three times. They are thought to have re-formed each time with no connection to the previous incarnation of the Order. Some say paryl drafters worked with the Order hundreds of years earlier. Shimmercloaks were the pride of the Order, always working in pairs.

  Overhill: A neighborhood in Big Jasper.

  Pact, the: Since Lucidonius, the Pact has governed the Seven Satrapies. Its essence is that drafters agree to serve their community and receive all the benefits of status and sometimes wealth in exchange for their service and eventual choice to die just before or after breaking the halo.

  parry-stick: A primarily defensive weapon that blocks bladed attacks. It sometimes includes a punching dagger at the center of the stick to follow up on a deflected blow.

  petasos: A broad-brimmed Ruthgari hat, usually made of straw, meant to keep the sun off the face.

  pilum: A weighted throwing spear whose shank bends after it pierces a shield, preventing the opponent from reusing the weapon against the user and encumbering the shield greatly. They are becoming more rare and ceremonial.

  polychrome: A drafter who can draft more than two colors.

  portmaster: A city official in charge of collecting tariffs and the organized exit and entrance of ships into his harbor.

  Prism: There is only one Prism a generation. She senses the balance of the world’s magic, can balance the magic, and can split light within herself. Her role is largely ceremonial and religious, not political, except for her balancing the world’s magic so that wights and catastrophes don’t result.

  Prism’s Tower, the: The central tower in the Chromeria. It houses the Prism, the White, and superviolets (as they are not numerous enough to require their own tower). The great hall lies below the tower, and the top holds a great crystal for the Prism’s use while he balances the colors of the world. The annual Luxlords’ Ball is held there.

  promachia: The institution of a person named to the office of promachos. It gives great, nearly absolute powers during wartime.

  promachos: A title given the Prism during war. It allows for his absolute rule and can only be instituted by order of the entire Spectrum. Among other powers, the promachos has the right to command armies, seize property, and elevate commoners to the nobility. It is an ancient term meaning He Who Fights Before Us.

  Providence: A belief in the care of Orholam over the Seven Satrapies and its people.

  psantria: A stringed musical instrument.

  pyrejelly: Red luxin that, once set alight, will engulf whatever object it adheres to.

  raka: A heavy insult, with the implication of both moral and intellectual idiocy.

  Raptors of Kazakdoon, the: Flying reptiles from Angari myth.

  Rath: The capital of Ruthgar, set on the confluence of the Great River and its delta into the Cerulean Sea.

  Rathcaeson: A mythical city, on the drawings of which Gavin Guile based his Brightwater Wall design.

  ratweed: A toxic plant whose leaves are often smoked for their strong stimulant properties. Addictive.

  Red Cliff Uprising, the: A rebellion in Atash after the end of the False Prism’s War. Without the support of the royal family (who had been purged), it was short-lived.

  Rekton: A small Tyrean town on the Umber River, near the site of the Battle of Sundered Rock. An important trading post before the False Prism’s War.

  Rozanos Bridge, the: A bridge on the Great River between Ruthgar and the Blood Forest that Blessed Satrap Rados burned.

  Ru: The capital of Atash, once famous for its castle, still famous for its Great Pyramid.

  Ru, Castle of: Once the pride of Ru, it was destroyed by fire during General Gad Delmarta’s purge of the royal family in the Prisms’ War.

  Ruic Head: A peninsula dominated by towering cliffs that overlooks the Atashian city of Ru and its bay. A fort atop the peninsula’s cliffs guards against invading armies.

  runt: An affably derogatory term for a new Blackguard inductee.

  Salve: A common greeting, originally meaning “Be of good health!”

  Sapphire Bay: A bay off Little Jasper.

  satrap/satrapah: The title of a ruler of one of the seven satrapies.

  sev: A unit of measurement for weight, equal to one-seventh of a seven.

  seven: A unit of measurement for weight, equal to a cubit of water’s weight.

  Sharazan Mountains, the: Impassable mountains south of Tyrea.

  shimmercloak: A cloak that makes the wearer mostly invisible, except in sub-red and superviolet.

  Skill, Will, Source, and Still/Movement: The four essential elements for drafting.

  Skill: The most underrated of all the elements of drafting, acquired through practice. Includes knowing the properties and strengths of the luxin being drafted, being able to see and match precise wavelengths, etc.

  Will: By imposing will, a drafter can draft and even cover flawed drafting if her will is powerful enough.

  Source: Depending on what colors a drafter can use, she needs either that color of light or items that reflect that color of light in order to draft. Only a Prism can simply split white light within herself to draft any color.


  Still: An ironic usage. Drafting requires movement, though more skilled drafters can use less.

  slow fuse: A length of cord, often soaked in saltpeter, that can be lit to ignite the gunpowder of a weapon in the firing mechanism.

  slow match: Another term for a slow fuse.

  spectrum: A term for a range of light (for more information on the luxin spectrum, see the Appendix); or (capitalized) the council of the Chromeria that is one branch of the government of the Chromeria (see Colors, the).

  spidersilk: Another term for paryl.

  spyglass: A small telescope using curved, clear lenses to aid in sighting distant objects.

  star-keepers: Also known as tower monkeys, these are petite slaves (usually children) who work the ropes that control the mirrors of Big Jasper to reflect the light throughout the city for drafters’ use. Though well treated for slaves, they spend their days working in two-man teams from dawn till after dusk, frequently without reprieve except for switching with their partner.

  subchromats: Drafters who are color-blind, usually men. A subchromat can function without loss of ability—if his handicap is not in the colors he can draft. A red-green color-blind subchromat could be an excellent blue or yellow drafter. See Appendix.

  Sun Day: A holy day to followers of Orholam and pagans alike, the longest day of the year. For the Seven Satrapies, Sun Day is the day when the Prism Frees those drafters who are about to break the halo. The ceremonies usually take place on the Jaspers, when all of the Thousand Stars are trained onto the Prism, who can absorb and split the light, whereas other men burn or burst from drafting so much power.

  Sun Day’s Eve: An evening of festivities before the longest day of the year and the Freeing the next day.

  Sundered Rock: Twin mountains in Tyrea, opposite each other and so alike that they look as if they were once one huge rock cut down the middle.

  Sundered Rock, Battle of: The final battle between Gavin and Dazen near a small Tyrean town on the Umber River.

  superchromats: Extremely color-sensitive people. Luxin they seal will rarely fail. Far more common among female drafters.

  tainted: One who has broken the halo, also called a wight.

  thobe: An ankle-length garment, usually with long sleeves.

  Thorikos: A town below the Laurion mines on the river to Idoss. Serves as the center for arriving and departing slaves, the bureaucracy necessary for thirty thousand slaves, and the center for the trade goods and supplies necessary, as well as the shipping of the silver ore down the river.

  Thorn Conspiracies, the: A series of intrigues that occurred after the False Prism’s War.

  Thousand Stars, the: The mirrors on Big Jasper Island that enable the light to reach into almost any part of the city for as long as possible during the day.

  Threshing, the: The initiation test for candidates to the Chromeria.

  Threshing Chamber, the: The room where candidates for the Chromeria are summoned to test for their abilities to draft.

  Tiru, the: A Parian tribe.

  Tlaglanu, the: A Parian tribe, hated by other Parians, from whom Hanishu, the dey of Aghbalu, chose his bride, Tazerwalt.

  torch: A red wight.

  translucification, forced: See willjacking.

  Travertine Palace, the: One of the wonders of the old world. Both a palace and a fortress, it is built of carved travertine (a mellow green stone) and white marble. Notable for its bulbous horseshoe arches, geometric wall patterns, Parian runes, and chessboard patterns on the floors. Its walls are incised with a crosshatched pattern to make the stone look woven rather than carved. The palace is a remnant of the days when half of Tyrea was a Parian province.

  Tree People, the: Tribesmen who live (lived?) deep in the forests of the Blood Forest satrapy. They use zoomorphic designs, and can apparently shape living wood. Possibly related to the pygmies.

  Umber River, the: The lifeblood of Tyrea. Its water allows the growth of every kind of plant in the hot climate; its locks fed trade throughout the country before the False Prism’s War. Often besieged by bandits.

  Unchained, the: A term for the followers of the Omnichrome, those drafters who choose to break the Pact and continue living even after breaking the halo.

  Unification, the: A term for Lucidonius’s and Karris Shadowblinder’s establishment of the Seven Satrapies four hundred years prior to Gavin Guile’s rule as Prism.

  Ur, the: A tribe that trapped Lucidonius in Hass Valley. He triumphed against great odds, primarily because of the heroics of El-Anat (who thereby became Forushalzmarish or Shining Spear) and Karris Atiriel.

  urum: A three-tined dining implement.

  vambrace: Plate armor to protect the forearm. Ceremonial versions made of cloth also exist.

  Varig and Green: A bank with a branch on Big Jasper.

  vechevoral: A sickle-shaped sword with a long handle like an ax and a crescent-moon-shaped blade at the end, with the inward bowl-shaped side being the cutting edge.

  Verdant Plains, the: The dominant geographical feature of Ruthgar. The Verdant Plains are favored by green drafters.

  Vician’s Sin: The event that marked the end of the close alliance between Ruthgar and Blood Forest.

  Voril: A small town two days from Ru.

  warrior-drafters: Drafters whose primary work is fighting for various satrapies or the Chromeria.

  water markets: Circular lakes connected to the Umber River at the center of the villages and cities of Tyrea, common throughout Tyrean towns. A water market is dredged routinely to maintain an even depth, allowing ships easy access to the interior of the city with their wares. The largest water market is in Garriston.

  Weasel Rock: A neighborhood in Big Jasper dominated by narrow alleys.

  Weedling: A small coastal village in Ru close to Ruic Head.

  wheellock pistol: A pistol that uses a rotating wheel mechanism to cause the spark that ignites the firearm; the first mechanical attempt to ignite gunpowder. Some few smiths’ versions are more reliable than a flintlock and allow repeated attempts to fire. Most, however, are far less reliable than the already unreliable flintlocks.

  Whiteguard, the: The original term for the Omnichrome’s personal bodyguard.

  widdershins: A direction; counter-sunwise.

  willjacking/will-breaking: Once a drafter has contact with unsealed luxin that she is able to draft, she can use her will to break another drafter’s control over the luxin and take it for herself.

  Wiwurgh: A Parian town that hosts many Blood Forest refugees from the Blood War.

  wob: A term for a Blackguard inductee.

  zigarro: Rolled tobacco, a form useful for smoking. Ratweed is sometimes used as a wrapping to hold the loose tobacco.

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  Contents

  Welcome

  Dedication

  Map

  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 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chap
ter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Chapter 70

  Chapter 71

  Chapter 72

  Chapter 73

  Chapter 74

  Chapter 75

  Chapter 76

  Chapter 77

  Chapter 78

  Chapter 79

  Chapter 80

  Chapter 81

  Chapter 82

  Chapter 83

  Chapter 84

  Chapter 85

  Chapter 86

  Chapter 87

  Chapter 88

  Chapter 89

  Chapter 90

  Chapter 91

  Chapter 92

  Chapter 93

  Chapter 94

  Chapter 95

  Chapter 96

  Chapter 97

  Chapter 98

  Chapter 99

  Chapter 100

  Chapter 101

  Chapter 102

  Chapter 103

  Chapter 104

  Chapter 105

  Chapter 106

  Chapter 107

  Chapter 108

  Chapter 109

  Chapter 110

  Chapter 111

  Chapter 112

  Chapter 113

  Chapter 114

  Chapter 115

  Acknowledgments

  Books by Brent Weeks

  Appendix

  Character List

  Glossary

  Newsletters

  Copyright

  Copyright

  The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

 

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