The Fatal Gate

by Ian Irvine

  Aachan: One of the Three Worlds, the realm of the Aachim and, after its conquest, the Charon.

  Afflatus Effluvium: A forbidden and highly dangerous scent potion that is reputed to give a mancer new insights into the Secret Art.

  Archeus of Eidolon: A deadly necromantic fluid obtained by distilling the spectral blood from a ghost vampire.

  Aachim: The human species native to Aachan, who were conquered by the Charon. The Aachim are a clever people, great artisans and engineers, but melancholy and prone to both hubris and indecision.

  Aftersickness: Illness that people suffer after using the Secret Art or using a native talent or gift. Sensitives like Karan and Sulien are very prone to it.

  Alcifer: The greatest of Rulke’s cities, designed by Pitlis the Aachim.

  Aviel: A crippled girl, fifteen, who was training herself to become a perfumer until it was discovered that she had a gift for making scent potions.

  Bannador: A narrow, poor, hilly land on the western side of Iagador.

  Brimstone, Golden: A rare, perfect crystal of sulphur, only found in Grund.

  Bubble Bark Pine: An exceedingly rare species of pine tree, only found in one remote gorge in Worm Wood.

  Calendar: Santhenar’s year is roughly 395.7 days and contains 12 months, each of 33 days. The months are: spring—Thays, Criffin, Bunce; summer—Bolland, Guffins, Thisto; autumn—Mard, Pulin, Ballin; winter—Sord, Galend, Talmard.

  Carcharon: A tower built on a rugged ridge high above Gothryme Forest by Karan’s mad ancestor Basunez at a node where the Secret Art was especially powerful. The summon stone was drawn to it.

  Chacalot: A large water-dwelling reptile, somewhat resembling a crocodile.

  Chanthed: A town in northern Meldorin, west of the mountains. The College of the Histories is situated there.

  Chard: A kind of tea.

  Charon: They fled out of the void to take Aachan from the Aachim long ago but were sterile there. Ten years ago the last of them went back to the void to die.

  Chronicler: A graduate in the art and science of recording and maintaining the Histories.

  Citadel: A fortified palace in Thurkad.

  Clysm: A series of wars between the Charon and the Aachim between 1500 and 1000 years ago, resulting in the almost total devastation of Santhenar.

  College of the Histories: The oldest of the colleges for the instruction of those who would be chroniclers, tellers and even lowly bards. It was set up at Chanthed soon after the time of the Forbidding.

  Colophony: rosin left behind after distilling off the volatile oils from tree resin.

  Construct: A machine at least partly powered by the Secret Art.

  Council, also Council of Santhenar, Great Council: An alliance of the most powerful mancers for the protection of Santhenar.

  Crandor: A rich tropical land on the north-eastern side of Lauralin. Tallia’s homeland.

  Demondifang: A little uninhabited island at the north-western tip of Meldorin, connected to Mollymoot by a gravel spit.

  Dilly, Aunt: Ifoli’s aunt who lives on Mollymoot.

  Elienor: A great heroine and subsequently a clan leader of the Aachim from the time when the Charon invaded Aachan.

  Empuly: An empathic triplet, sister to Unbuly and Jaguly.

  Esea: A beautiful, clever but troubled reshaper. Twin sister to Hingis.

  Essence of Ague: A scent potion that induces uncontrollable shaking.

  Faelamor: Leader of the Faellem species, who came to Santhenar soon after Rulke to keep watch on the Charon and maintain the balance between the worlds. She led her followers back to Tallallame, and self-immolation, ten years ago.

  Faellem: The human species who originated on the lush world of Tallallame. A small dour people who are forbidden to use machines and particularly magical devices but are masters of disguise and illusion. Some still dwell on Santhenar in Mirrilladell.

  Fiz Gorgo: A fortress city in Orist, flooded in ancient times, now restored; the stronghold of Yggur.

  Flute; also Golden Flute: A device made in Aachan at the behest of Rulke, by the brilliant smith Shuthdar. He subsequently stole it and took it back to Santhenar. When played by one who is sensitive, it could be used to open the Way Between the Worlds. It was destroyed by Shuthdar, and this created the Forbidding.

  Forbidding: See Tale of the Forbidding.

  Galliad: Karan’s father, who was half-Aachim but exiled from them. He was killed at Carcharon when Karan was eight.

  Gate: A structure controlled by the Secret Art which permits people to move instantly from one place to another. Also called a portal.

  Gate, Crimson: One of the Gates of Good and Evil, the evil gate. It had been closed for more than 9000 years, but the Merdrun briefly opened it hoping to invade Santhenar.

  Gate, Azure: One of the Gates of Good and Evil, the good gate.

  Gates of Good and Evil: A pair of gates created by Stermin long ago and enchanted to sort his people into good (Charon) and evil (Merdrun).

  Gellon: A fruit tasting something between a mango and a peach. Shand makes an incomparable gellon liqueur.

  Gergrig: Leader of the Merdrun.

  Ghâshâd: The ancient mortal enemies of the Aachim. They swore allegiance to Rulke after the Zain rebelled 2000 years ago, but when Rulke was imprisoned in the Nightland 1000 years later they forgot their destiny and went back to their old name, Whelm. Since his death they have been a lost people, constantly seeking a great master to serve and obey.

  Ghyll: Joint leader of a band of lyrinx.

  Gift of Rulke; also Curse of Rulke: Knowledge given by Rulke to the Zain, enhancing their resistance to the mind-breaking spells of the Aachim. It left a visible stigmata that identified them as Zain.

  Gothryme: Karan’s impoverished and drought-stricken estate near Tolryme in Bannador.

  Great Library: Founded at Zile by the Zain in the time of the empire of Zur. The library was sacked when the Zain were exiled, but was subsequently re-established. Its current librarian is Nadiril the Sage.

  Great Mountains: The largest and highest belt of mountains on Santhenar, enclosing the south-eastern part of the continent of Lauralin.

  Great Tales: The greatest stories from the Histories of Santhenar, traditionally told at the Festival of Chanthed and on important ceremonial occasions throughout Santhenar. A tale can become a Great Tale only by the unanimous acclamation of the master chroniclers. In 4000 years only 23 Great Tales have ever been created, the most recent being Llian’s Tale of the Mirror.

  Grint: A copper coin of small value.

  Grossular: A high plateau east of the great lake Warde Yallock. The scene of a dreadful betrayal and massacre nearly a hundred years ago, and home to the sickening ruins of Rogues Render.

  Grund: A barren area of western Taltid, greatly scarred from thousands of little pits from mining the bitumen seeps.

  Gwine: A remote tropical island a long way west of Banthey.

  Gyllias: See Shand.

  Hessular: A ruined Whelm city overgrown by forest in the rain-drenched southern land of Salliban.

  Hingis: A clever but physically grotesque illusionist, maimed by a kick from a mule as a boy. Twin of Esea.

  Histories, the: The collection of records which detail more than 4000 years of recorded history on Santhenar. The Histories consist of historical documents written or held by the chroniclers, as well as the tales, songs, legends and lore of the peoples of Santhenar and the invading peoples from the other worlds, told by the tellers. The culture of Santhenar is interwoven with and inseparable from the Histories and all long to be mentioned in them.

  Hrux: A dangerous pain-relieving drug produced by the Whelm. Addictive and can have strange side effects, especially to people with Charon blood.

  Hublees: A fussy little mancer.

  Hudigarde: The leader of a great nation, Grossular, who betrayed his friend Jussell, the leader of Tindule, because Hudigarde coveted Jussell’s wife Tissany. Hudigarde massacred Jussell’s army nea
r Rogue’s Render, had every male of Tindule slain and every female sold into slavery.

  Huling’s Tower: The place where Shuthdar destroyed the Golden Flute and Yalkara subsequently murdered the crippled girl.

  Human species: There are four distinct human species: the Aachim of Aachan, the Faellem of Tallallame, the old humans of Santhenar, and the Charon, who came out of the void. All but the old humans can be very long-lived—Tensor, Rulke, Yalkara and Faelamor, for instance, all lived for thousands of years. The Merdrun and the Charon were once the same people, but the Merdrun are greatly changed due to selection through the Crimson Gate, and because all those who show human feelings have been expunged from their bloodline.

  Hundred, the: The Charon who survived the taking of Aachan. Rulke was the greatest.

  Hythe: Midwinter’s day, the fourth day of Endre, midwinter week. Hythe is a day of particular ill-omen.

  Iagador: The fertile and wealthy land that lies between the eastern mountains of Meldorin and the Sea of Thurkad.

  Idlis: Formerly the least of the Whelm, also a healer and long-time hunter of Karan and the Mirror. Karan spared his life three times, a debt that he repaid by healing her bones after she was gravely injured in Shazmak and once a year bringing her a small supply of the pain-relieving compound hrux.

  Jaguly: a psychopathic triplet, sister to Unbuly and Empuly.

  Janck, Dedulus: Commander of the allied armies.

  Karan: A woman of the house of Fyrn, but with blood of the Aachim from her father, Galliad, and old human and Faellem blood from her mother. This makes her triune. She is also a sensitive. Llian’s partner; mother of Sulien.

  Lauralin: The continent east of the Sea of Thurkad.

  League: About 5000 paces, three miles or five kilometres.

  Librarian, the: Nadiril the Sage.

  Lightglass: A device made of crystal and metal that emits light after being touched.

  Lilis: Once a street urchin in Thurkad, rescued by Tallia at the age of twelve and apprenticed to Nadiril, now his anointed successor as Librarian.

  Link, linking; also talent of linking: A joining of minds by which thoughts and feelings can be shared and support given. Sometimes used for domination.

  Llian: A Zain from Jepperand, partner to Karan and father of Sulien. He is both a master chronicler and a teller, a rare combination. After his Tale of the Mirror was voted a Great Tale he was banned from practising, for meddling in the Histories.

  Lumillal: A very powerful ghost vampire, bound to Rogues Render.

  Magiz, the: The greatest sorcerer among the Merdrun. She (or rarely he) gains power by drinking people’s lives.

  Magister, the: Mendark, a great mancer, chief of the Council of Santhenar, and Magister for 1000 years, he renewed his body an unprecedented thirteen times. He was killed in Shazmak at the end of the Time of the Mirror (see below).

  Maigraith: An obsessive, cold, repressed triune. She is a master of the Secret Art. Mother of non-identical twins Julken and Illiel, nine, fathered by Rulke, though Illiel, who takes after the Faellem, lives far away with them, and Maigraith has nothing to do with him.

  Malien: An Aachim of Clan Elienor, now leader of the Aachim.

  Mancer: A wizard or sorcerer; someone who is a master of the Secret Art.

  Master Chronicler: One who has mastered the study of the Histories and graduated with the highest honours from the College of the Histories.

  Meldorin: The large island that lies to the immediate west of the Sea of Thurkad and the continent of Lauralin.

  Mendark: See Magister.

  Mirror of Aachan: A device made by the Aachim in Aachan for seeing things at a distance. In Santhenar it changed and twisted reality and became corrupt, but stored many secrets. Yalkara took it to the void with her.

  Mollymoot: A little island at the north-western tip of Meldorin, connected to the mainland by a causeway and to its twin island, Demondifang, by a long spit of gravel. Both causeway and spit are often flooded by the very high tides here.

  Moon, the (Santhenar’s moon): The moon revolves around Santhenar about every thirty days. One side (the dark face) is blotched red and black, and because the moon rotates on its axis much more slowly, the dark face is fully turned towards Santh only every couple of months. This rarely coincides with a full moon, but when it does it is a time of ill-omen.

  Murg, Magsie: The evil old owner of a tannery in Casyme.

  Nadiril: The head of the Great Library and the most senior current member of the Great Council.

  Nightland: A place, distant from the world of reality, wherein Rulke was kept prisoner for 1000 years.

  Nimil: A young Aachim man who has a metal slit in his throat. A gifted artisan.

  Nivol: The Universal Dissoluent. An alchemical fluid that can dissolve everything except pure diamond.

  Norp, Basible: A self-effacing master at the College of the Histories.

  Old human: The original human species on Santhenar and by far the most numerous.

  Osseion: A former captain of Mendark’s guard, a huge dark man, now the innkeeper of Ninefingers. Father of one child, a grown-up daughter, Ussarine.

  Portal: See gate.

  Persona: A magical presence in an enchanted device. For instance, the presence in Mendark’s black sword.

  Qwale: Healers’ Isle, north of Meldorin.

  Rachis: Karan’s steward at Gothryme Manor, now an ancient frail man.

  Rasper, Jundelix: A master assassin, slain by Wilm at Carcharon.

  Recorder: The person who set down the account of the four great battles of Faelamor and Yalkara, among many other tales. His name was Gyllias (see Shand).

  Regg: Ifoli’s fifteen-year-old cousin, who lives with Dilly on Mollymoot island.

  Rogues Render: A ruined rendering works in Grossular, where the bodies of dead soldiers were rendered of their fat to make corpse candles.

  Rulke: The greatest of the Charon. He enticed Shuthdar to Aachan to make the Golden Flute. After the Clysm Rulke was imprisoned in the Nightland until a way could be found to banish him back to Aachan. When Tensor opened a gate into the Nightland Rulke escaped, later occupying Shazmak and Carcharon. He died in Shazmak at Tensor’s hand ten years ago.

  Julken: The obnoxious, over-indulged son, aged nine, of Maigraith and Rulke.

  Salliban: A wet, forested southern land, west of Shazabba. The Whelm’s original homeland.

  Santhenar, Santh: The least powerful but most populous of the Three Worlds, home of the old human peoples.

  Secret Art: The use of magical or sorcerous powers (mancing). An art that very few can use and then only after extensive training. Notable mancers have included Mendark, Yggur, Maigraith, Rulke, Yalkara, Tensor and Faelamor, and the Merdrun’s magiz.

  Sending: A message, thoughts or feelings sent from one mind to another.

  Sensitive: Someone whose human senses and feelings are far more acute than normal. Sensitives, for instance Karan, may have seeings of things happening far away. Rarely they can make mind connections such as one-way sendings and two-way links. Sensitives can be unstable because they feel things far more strongly than other people.

  Shand: A friend of Karan’s late father, also known as Gyllias and the Recorder. He had a daughter, Aeolior, with Yalkara. Aeolior, who died young and tragically, also had a daughter, Maigraith.

  Shazmak: A great city of the Aachim in the mountains west of Bannador, now abandoned after being sacked by the Ghâshâd twelve years ago.

  Shuthdar: An old human of Santhenar, the maker of the Golden Flute. After he destroyed the flute and himself, the Forbidding came down, closing the Way Between the Worlds.

  Sith: A free city and trading nation built on an island in the River Garr in southern Iagador. A very law-abiding place.

  Sky ship: A craft invented by the Aachim, held aloft by the highly explosive gas protium, and powered by rotors driven by the Secret Art.

  Snoat, Cumulus: A wealthy narcissistic power-hungry collector.

 
Span: The distance spanned by the stretched arms of a tall man. About six feet, or slightly less than two metres.

  Stermin: A foolish, moralistic but brilliant mancer who, after his people were exiled into the void many thousand of years ago, created the Gates of Good and Evil to sort them into those who were worthy and those who were not, thus creating the Charon and the Merdrun and putting them forever at war.

  Sulien: Karan and Llian’s only child, a girl aged nine. She is a powerful sensitive and has other unknown gifts.

  Tale of the Forbidding: Greatest of the Great Tales, it tells of the final destruction of the flute by Shuthdar more than 3000 years ago, and how this created a Forbidding which sealed Santhenar off from the other two worlds.

  Talent: A native skill or gift, usually honed by extensive training.

  Tallallame: One of the Three Worlds, the home of the Faellem. A beautiful mountainous world covered in forest, recently invaded by savage creatures from the void.

  Tallia bel Soon: Formerly Mendark’s chief lieutenant, and now Magister of the High Council, she is a mancer and a master of combat with and without weapons. Tallia comes from Crandor.

  Tar: A silver coin widely used in Meldorin. Enough to keep a family for several weeks.

  Tell: A gold coin to the value of twenty silver tars. Enough to keep a family for a year.

  Teller: One who has mastered the ritual telling of the tales that form part of the Histories of Santhenar. Great tellers also write their own tales, which must be based on truth; and a rare few of these will become Great Tales.

  Tensor: The former leader of the Aachim. He saw it as his destiny to restore the Aachim to finally take their revenge on Rulke, who betrayed and ruined them. He was proud to the point of folly. He died in Shazmak ten years ago.

  Thandiwe: Llian’s former lover, now a master chronicler desperate to have her own Great Tale.