by Mark Tyson
General Rellagorn- Leader of the army of the North and West.
General Sythril- General of Sythia who fought in the Ishrakian war. He hired seers to curse the leader of Ishrak so he could win. When the seers cursed Ishrak, they warned him not to follow the beaten army, but he didn’t listen. He pursued the opposing army back into Ishrak in order to defeat them unconditionally. Unfortunately, he led his army into a doomed land where he eventually became part of the curse he created.
Gondrial- First apprentice to Ianthill. A longtime friend of Lady Shey.
Hadder- An apothecary in Trigoth who brews potions that affect the mind.
Ianthill (E-un-thill)- Member of the holy trine (first trine) representing elves, Xeian, and Breannan. (Favors ruling with compassion, kindness, and a people’s majority.)
Imprints/Imprinting- The act of putting matching images, etc., magically into skin. Some cultures do this to signify marriage in which the imprints serve where gold or other precious metals made into rings might serve in other cultures.
Ishrak- Northern kingdom bordering Symboria, the Jagged Mountains, and Ardenia. The kingdom was cursed and remains a forbidding, desolate land full of danger. Only small pockets of man, elf, and civilized folk live there.
Jac- Member of the lost army.
Jungle Elves- See Noradil.
Kerad- Powerful cleric of Loracia currently serving in the Vale of Morgoran and therefore serving Morgoran.
Kimala- Mistress of Naneden, rumored spy.
King Amarantus- Lord and ruler of the dragons of Draegodor.
King Occelot- The somewhat sniveling, and sometimes incompetent, ruler of the kingdom of Symboria.
Kragodor- The black city. Nestled in the treacherous Mountains of Madness in Ishrak, Kragodor is home to the exiled dragons who were last known to serve Toborne.
Kyrie- Mysterious, sometimes-companion of Lady Shey. He is a Kylerie elf, which is an elf about half the size of an Arillian Elf. He loves danger and intrigue. His strange habit of showing up when events go wrong drives some people to wonder where his allegiances lie.
Loracia (LORE-race-E-uh)- Goddess of life and mother of the gods.
Lora Daine- (lora dane) (dragon stone) Stone of the dragons and dragon knights used for communication between dragons and their dragon knights over long distances. Depending on the size and magic of the stone, it can send small parties instantly across short distances. It can also sometimes be used to send its user back and forth between stones over greater distances.
Lourn- Innkeeper and owner of the Tiger’s Head Inn in Brookhaven, Symboria. Father of Dorenn Adair.
Lux Amarou- Continent in the northwest formerly inhabited by the Amar, (high men). The oldest cities of man are on Lux Amarou, but they are all in ruins now and inhabited by the ghosts of the dead.
Lux Enor- Capital of the west. Home city-state of the highlord. The highlord rules over all of Trigothia, Symboria, and what’s left of Ishrak.
Melias- Monk of Fawlsbane Vex. Guardian and sworn protector of Dorenn Adair.
Mindwielder/Mindwielding- Sometimes referred to as mentalism, this is what people who can use magic of the mind, with or without drawing essence, are called. One difference between a mindwielder and a wielder is that mindwielders possess the ability to talk to each other mentally (telepathy).
Morgoran- Aka Morgoran Cleareyes. Member of the holy trine (first trine) representing man and Fawlsbane Vex. He is reputed to be the most powerful wielder who has ever lived. (Favors balance in ruling.)
Mount Aroanian- A mountain peak in the Mountains of Madness of Ishrak.
Mount Urieus- A mountain peak in the Jagged Mountains where people are sent to wait for permission from the dragons to enter into Draegodor.
Myradon- The first and most powerful gold dragon created by Fawlsbane Vex. He guards the ethereal gates of Venifyre.
Naneden (Na-NEED-den)- Symbolic leader of Scarovia. He currently occupies the city-state of Lux Enor unopposed.
Nine Cards- A simple card game enjoyed primarily in Symboria as well as parts of the Trigothian kingdoms.
Noanas- Lost race of high dwarf.
Noradil- Elven name for the shadow or jungle elves of Darovan. They migrated along with the Siladil but found the desert too open and sparse. They moved into the dense jungle of Darovan and started harvesting the plant life there to make poisons, medicines, and magical elixirs. Most apothecaries are Noradil.
Oberan (Oh-ber-ann)- First Dragon Knight of King Amarantus.
Rennon- One of Dorenn’s closest friends. Apprentice to Sanmir the Apothecary of Brookhaven, Symboria.
Rodraq (Rod-rack)- Lady Shey’s man-of-arms, killed by Dramyds in Symboria.
Rugania- Island off the coast of Sythia, across the sea from Darovan. Also called the Isle of Doom, this is the place where wielders were once trained by masters in the art of wielding. It is nicknamed the Isle of Doom because anyone trying to sneak on the isle without the wielders’ consent and preparation often died before they crossed the beaches.
Sand Elves- See Siladil.
Scarovia- Kingdom east of the Jagged Mountains, home of the Scarovs or Scarovians as some cultures call them.
Seabrey- Large port city in northern Symboria. Trade city of the north for the kingdoms of Ardenia and Sythia (see Basillain).
Seancey (SHAWN-see)- Ranger of Symboria stationed in the Vale of Morgoran, brother of Lady Shey.
Seandara- Princess of Endil (Foreshome). Has a reoccurring dream of Dorenn.
Shadow Elves-See Noradil.
Shadow Lurker- Pertains to a Drasmyd Duil. A nickname.
Shila- Dwarf who helped Lady Shey after she escaped her kidnappers.
Siladil- Elven name for the sand elves of Darovan. They migrated to Darovan and learned to live in the harsh desert conditions. They are notoriously hard to see while traveling across sand, and they can sink down into it as if they were submerging in water. They are fierce fighters and are almost impossible to defeat in the desert. They have darker, sun-kissed skin and light eyes. They are shorter than the Arillian elves and considered to be more primitive.
Sildariel- Stern matron, queen, and leader of the Sylvan elves of Endil.
Steban- First Dragon Knight of Charna (one of King Amarantus’ sisters).
Sylvalora (SIL-va- lore-a)- The Silver Drake, sometimes traveling companion and mentor to Lady Shey.
Symbor- Capital city of the kingdom of Symboria. This city was once called Paladine and is not to be confused with Old Symbor, which is now a ruin in the Sacred Land. Old Symbor is the original home of Shey and Seancey.
Symboria- Oldest kingdom of men on the continent proper, home to the race of men known as Are’dune, descendants of the Amar.
Tabac- The giant leaf of the tabac plant that is shredded, dried, and cured to fill a pipe.
Tatrice- Kitchen maiden in the Tiger’s Head Inn in Brookhaven, Symboria and first female dragon knight.
Toborne- Member of the holy trine (first trine) representing Ae’digaan and the Scarovs. He tried to steal the Silver Drake and take over the world. (Favors cut-throat politics and ruling by fear.)
Trendan- Half-elven friend of Dorenn from the realm of the woodland elves. He has lived in Brookhaven most of his life.
Theosus Fiderea- A dragon hidden in Trigothia as an apothecary.
The Archers of Endil- Elven archers from the city of Endil (Foreshome) that have built a reputation as the most feared archers ever known. They are of the Eridil (Sylvan Elves) and have never known defeat.
The Defenders- Similar to the Enforcers except that they only patrol the Sacred Land.
The Enforcers- A band of men dedicated to enforcing the law against magic in Symboria and Trigoth the city. The Enforcers are dwindling in numbers and are not actively recruiting.
The Great Sythian Forest- Huge forest stretching the whole length of the coast of Sythia from north to south. It is the home of the Eridil, among other creatures.
The Isle of Doom- See Rugania.
The Lost Army- The army of the North and West, lost in a city called Anisport; a whole continent away from where they should be.
The Mountains of Madness- Mountain range in the northern part of Ishrak. Not only are these mountains infested with orcs and fouls beasts but it is also home to the black city of Kragodor, city of the fallen (evil) dragons.
The Myradon Codex- Tome of Myradon. Lost tome of the dragons.
The Sacred Land- Huge tract of land once belonging to Symboria that hosted the war of the Oracle and was devastated into a wasteland unable to support life or feed essence for wielders. It is guarded as a reminder of what magic can do to the land and is the reason magic use was outlawed in the southern kingdoms.
The Sea Goddess- A wooden clipper ship captained by Felladane.
The Silver Drake- A statuette made of pure silver inset with ruby eyes made by the first holy trine to select the one man worthy of leading the kingdoms of the West as overlord or highlord. The gods themselves took up the Silver Drake and each bestowed into it their own gift. It is unknown what many of the gods’ gifts were, but the goddess of life, Loracia, gave the Silver Drake the gift of life. Fawlsbane Vex gave it a will and mind of its own.
Tome of Enlightenment- Tome given to man by the god, Fawlsbane Vex, laying down the guidelines and ability for man to do magic.
Trigoth- Once the capital city of Trigothia, it was split into three sectors each belonging to the three Trigothian kingdoms of Adracoria, Ardenia, and Sythia.
Trigothia- Ancient kingdom of the three major houses of Are’dune men. In the civil wars, the three families separated the kingdom into the three kingdoms of Ardenia (Arden family), Sythia (Arasyth family), and Adracoria (Adrac family).
Tyre- City near Seabrey, Symboria. Last city before advancing to Mount Urieus.
Vale of Morgoran- Vale with the Tower of Morgoran at its center. Once the tower stood there alone, but after Morgoran was cursed to see only the future, a small village cropped up at the tower’s base and expanded. People hoped that Morgoran could cure their loved ones or predict their future. Even though Morgoran is no longer cursed, the village still functions and remains.
Venifyre (Ven-nee-fear)- Realm and home of the gods. In ancient dragon tongue first created by the gods, y is represented as an ea sound, so Venifyre is not pronounced Ven-nee-fire but Ven-nee-fear. So Genidyre would be pronounced Jin-nee-dear, not Jin-nee-dire.
Vesperin- Orphaned Cleric of Loracia from Brookhaven, Symboria, and close friend of Dorenn.
Vetell Fex- Monastery located in Symboria, named after the brother of the god Vex. Vetell Fex simply means Fex’s home.
Winterhaven- A festive winter holiday in the Trigothian Kingdoms, Symboria, Ishrak, Darovan, and Arillia. It is a popular date to get married in the Trigothian kingdoms.
Wielding- The ability to magically draw essence from everything around that contains essence and wield it to accomplish higher functioning magical feats. Drawing too much essence from one area may devoid that area of its ability to replenish essence for a longer period of time. Unless one is a mindwielder, areas devoid of essence are therefore devoid of magic. Areas of devastation come back with greater amounts of essence.
Appendix
Dragon Knight
An Original Short Story by Mark Tyson
Vandrick awoke and tried to move, but searing pain from his aching side reminded him he lost the battle against the marauders.
He squinted at the winter sky; the storm had subsided, although thick grey clouds still hung heavy. Snow-covered remnants of the supply wagons and frozen bodies lay strewn about around him. His first order of business was survival. He removed his armor where his wounds were most urgent and took out his herb kit. He sewed up his cuts and stopping the bleeding as best he could. The bandits had taken everything they could carry, but Vandrick estimated that only a third of the supplies were gone. He pushed himself to his feet. Intense pain shot up his left side, causing him to wince, but he forced himself upright anyway. Anticipating the bandits’ return, he resolved to use what daylight he had left to find a place to hide as much of the supplies as he could. To the east of him, on a rock face, he thought he saw the mouth of a cave. He made his way to the opening and discovered that it was a cave big enough to use for his purpose. Vandrick fought fatigue, cold, and pain to move as much of the supplies as he could. He purposefully left some of the less important provisions behind with the hope that the bandits would make the mistake of believing they had looted more than they had.
Another winter storm was blowing in as he cleared his tracks from the snow so the new snow would cover them in. Once back inside the cave, Vandrick brandished his sword and tapped the rock at the entrance to loosen a pile of overhanging snow and ice. He stepped back as the snow fell over the cave entrance to conceal it from view.
Satisfied that he was safe for the moment, he removed his remaining armor and tended to his injuries more carefully. He knew he had gotten lucky for the bandits to leave him for dead.
After a light meal of cheese and bread, he wrapped himself tightly in quilted blankets and fell asleep, not daring to light a fire for warmth.
Vandrick was not sure how long he had slept, but he felt better when he awoke. He peered out of the hole he had cut into the snow-covered entrance and saw heavy clouds still hung in the sky and a steady snow was still falling. He turned back into the cave and ate more cheese and bread for what he thought must be breakfast time. The cave was dark, dank, and smelled of stagnant water, but he did not let the smell dissuade him from his light meal. While he ate, he noticed a faint light shimmering in the back of the cave. Now curious, he decided to investigate. With sword in hand, he made his way in the dark toward the source of the light. He carefully negotiated the uneven cave floor in the dark, putting one foot in front of the other, testing his footing as he plodded along. The light grew in depth and brightness as he neared its source at the rear of the cave; he found that the cave curved left and the source of the light came from an immense cavern at the curve’s end. As he traversed nearer, he realized the light was from a fire. His fingers gripped tight around his sword hilt, and he positioned himself to use it. He peered into the chamber. His heart sank at the thought of bringing all of the supplies into a cave filled with the bandits he was trying to hide them from.
He rounded the cave wall into the cavern and looked directly at the fire burning at its center. At the far side of the cavern, illuminated in the glowing firelight, he saw the figure of a great red dragon sleeping quietly. He stumbled backward in shock; he had never seen an actual dragon before. Unsure of how to proceed, Vandrick at last decided he must slay the dragon to protect himself and the precious provisions. He knew the dragon was vulnerable in the cave, and he had the advantage. Silently he crept up to the dragon’s head and positioned his sword above its eye socket. A quick thrust into its eye should suffice. In a moment of hesitation, he marveled at the creature. Its scales glistened in the firelight, and the color dazzled his senses. He raised his sword higher and readied himself for the thrust.
“Do you plan to kill me while I sleep, little one?” The dragon’s voice boomed in the voluminous cavern. Vandrick fell backward onto the cavern floor as the dragon raised her horned head. “Speak, little one. Do you intend to slay me?”
“I—” Vandrick stammered. “Aye, I do,” he said, getting to his feet again. Knowing he had already lost the element of surprise, he swung his sword wildly at the dragon’s head. The dragon moved with surprising agility to avoid his blow and deftly pinned Vandrick to the cavern floor under her massive front claw.
“I am afraid you will not kill me this day, little one; however, I shall crush you for your efforts.”
Vandrick managed to squirm enough to free his sword and trust it in between the dragon’s scales and into its claw. The drago
n roared in pain and lifted her claw off him. Vandrick rolled over onto his feet and thrust his sword again, but the dragon’s scales deflected it. She reared up onto her feet and swung her tail, knocking Vandrick off his feet. His sword sang as it sailed through the air. He came to rest with a thud against jagged rock. He yelped in pain both from his old wounds and his new ones. Unable to move, he prepared to meet his demise.
The dragon rounded herself and lay back by the fire. “There was a time, long ago, when dragons protected men,” the dragon began. “Now you fear us.”
Vandrick was puzzled. Why had the dragon not finished him?
“There is nothing to fear, little one. I do not intend to devour or kill you just yet.”
Vandrick slid down off the jagged rock, tearing the back of his tunic, but he still could not move. His breathing was forced and his pain unbearable. Blood trickled from his mouth. “Why?” he asked, spitting out the excess blood.