by Janny Wurts
DHIRKEN—lady captain of the contraband runner, Black Drake. Reputed to have taken over the brig’s command by right of arms following her father’s death at sea. Died at the hands of Lysaer’s allies on the charge of liaison with Arithon s’Ffalenn, Third Age Year 5647.
pronounced: dur-kin
root meaning: dierk – tough; an – one
DIER KENTON VALE—a valley located in the principality of Vastmark, Shand, where Lysaer’s war host, thirty-five thousand strong, fought and lost to the Master of Shadow in Third Age 5647, largely decimated in one day by a shale slide. The remainder were harried by a small force of Vastmark shepherds and clan scouts from Shand, under Caolle, who served as Arithon’s war-captain, until supplies and loss of morale broke the Alliance campaign.
pronounced: deer ken-ton
root meaning: dier’kendion – a jewel with a severe flaw that may result in shearing or cracking
DURN—town located in Orvandir, Shand. Birthplace of Meiglin s’Dieneval.
pronounced: dern
root meaning: diern – a flat plain
EAST HALLA—principality in Melhalla.
pronounced: east hall-ah
root meaning: hal’lia – white light
EASTWALL—city located in the Skyshiel Mountains, Rathain.
EAST WARD—fishing and trade town located on the eastern coast of Fallowmere, in Rathain.
EASTTAIR—fortified town located on the East Halla peninsula, in Melhalla.
pronounced: ee-ass-tayer
root meaning: e’ast – small cove; taer – calm
EBRAR—an elite captain, dedicate to the Light, serving under Sulfin Evend.
pronounced: ee-brar
root meaning: ebair – reliant, steady; i’er – the line
ELAIRA—initiate enchantress of the Koriathain, currently serving the order as a wandering independent. Originally a street child, taken on in Morvain for Koriani rearing. Arithon’s beloved.
pronounced: ee-layer-ah
root meaning: e – prefix, diminutive for small; laere – grace
ELDIR s’LORNMEIN—King of Havish and once the last surviving scion of s’Lornmein royal line. Raised as a wool-dyer until the Fellowship Sorcerers crowned him at Ostermere in Third Age 5643 following the defeat of the Mistwraith. Now father of four children.
pronounced: el-deer
root meaning: elder – to ponder, to consider, to weigh
ELLAINE—daughter of the Lord Mayor of Erdane, once Princess of Avenor by marriage to Lysaer s’Ilessid, and mother of Kevor s’Ilessid, who became an adept of Ath’s Brotherhood.
pronounced: el-lane
not from the Paravian
ELSSINE—town on the coast of Alland, Shand. Best known for its granite quarries and tempered steel.
pronounced: el-seen
root meaning: elssien – small pit
ELTAIR BAY—large bay off Cildein Ocean and east coast of Rathain; where the River Severnir was diverted following the Mistwraith’s conquest.
pronounced: el-tay-er
root meaning: al’tieri – of steel/a shortening of original Paravian name; dascen al’tieri – which meant ‘ocean of steel,’ which referred to the colour of the waves
ENITHEN TUER—seeress living in the town of Erdane. Originally a Koriani sister who encountered the Biedar tribes in Sanpashir, and on the basis of their influence, was freed from her initiate’s vow of service by Fellowship Sorcerer Asandir’s intervention.
pronounced: en-ith-en too-er
root meaning: en’wethen – far-sighted; tuer – crone
ERIEGAL—second youngest of the fourteen child survivors of the Tal Quorin massacre known as Jieret’s Companions. Renowned as a shrewd tactician, he was ordered to serve Jieret’s son Barach as war-captain in the Halwythwood camp rather than fight Lysaer’s war host in Daon Ramon Barrens in Third Age Year 5670.
pronounced: air-ee-gall
root meaning: eriegal – snake
ERLIEN s’TALEYN—High Earl of Alland; caithdein of Shand, chieftain of the forest clansmen of Selkwood. Once fought Arithon s’Ffalenn at sword-point over an issue of law bound over by Melhalla’s caithdein and also as a trial of a sanctioned crown prince’s honest character. Father of Kyrialt s’Taleyn.
pronounced: er-lee-an
root meaning: aierlyan – bear; tal – branch; an – one/first ‘of first branch’
ETARRA—trade city built across the Mathorn Pass by townsfolk after the revolt that cast down Ithamon and the High Kings of Rathain. Nest of corruption and intrigue, and policy-maker for the North. Lysaer s’Ilessid was ratified as mayor upon Morfett’s death in Third Age Year 5667. Site where Arithon defeated the Kralovir necromancers in Third Age Year 5671. Also the seat of the Alliance armed forces.
pronounced: ee-tar-ah
root meaning: e – prefix for small; taria – knots
EVENSTAR—first brig stolen from Riverton’s royal shipyard by Cattrick’s conspiracy with Prince Arithon. Currently of Innish registry, running merchant cargoes under joint ownership of Fiark and his sister Feylind, who is master.
FALLOWMERE—north-eastern principality of Rathain.
pronounced: fal-oh-meer
root meaning: fal’ei’miere – literally, tree self-reflection, colloquialism for ‘place of perfect trees’
FARSEE—coastal harbour on the Bay of Eltair, located in East Halla, Melhalla.
pronounced: far-see
root meaning: faersi – sheltered/muffled
FATE’S WHEEL—see Daelion’s Wheel.
FELLOWSHIP OF SEVEN—sorcerers bound to Athera by the summoning dream of the dragons and charged to secure the mysteries that enable Paravian survival. Achieved their redemption from Cianor Sunlord, under the Law of the Major Balance in Second Age Year One. Originators and keepers of the covenant of the compact, made with the Paravian races, to allow Mankind’s settlement on Athera in Third Age Year One. Their authority backs charter law, upheld by crown justice and clan oversight of the free wilds.
FEITHAN—widow of Jieret s’Valerient, Earl of the North, and caithdein of Rathain, handfast to the Companion, Sidir.
pronounced: faith-an
root meaning: feiathen – ivy
FEIYD ETH SA—Biedar dialect, from Sanpashir, meaning ‘look at this!’
pronounced: fay-eed-eth-saa
root meaning: feiyd – look; eth – at; sa – this
FENNICK—man-at-arms from the royal guard at Avenor, once honour guard to Prince Kevor, now reprieved and reassigned as one of Lysaer s’Ilessid’s personal guard by Sulfin Evend.
pronounced: fen-nick
not from Paravian
FEYLIND—daughter of a Scimlade fisherman and Jinesse, twin sister of Fiark, currently master of Evenstar, a merchant brig of Innish registry.
pronounced: fay-lind
root meaning: faelind’an – outspoken or noisy one
FFEREDON-LI—ancient Paravian word for a healer, literally translated ‘bringer of grace’ and the name given to Elaira by an Araethurian seeress on the hour of Fionn Areth’s birth.
pronounced: fair-eh-dun-lee
root meaning: ffaraton – maker; li – exalted grace
FIANZIA—(ANZIA, diminutive form) wife of Mearn s’Brydion.
pronounced: fie-an-zee-ah
root meaning: ffianzia – jade
FIARK—son of a Scimlade fisherman and Jinesse, twin brother of Feylind, currently a merchant factor at Innish, also handles all of Arithon’s covert shoreside affairs. Husband of Corra.
pronounced: fee-ark
root meaning: fyerk – to throw or toss
FIONN ARETH CAID’AN—goatherd’s child born in Third Age 5647; fated by prophecy to leave home and play a role in the Wars of Light and Shadow. Laid under Koriani spellcraft to mature as Arithon’s double, then used as the bait in the order’s conspiracy to trap the s’Ffalenn prince. Rescued from execution in Jaelot in 5669-70. Currently in the protective custody of the Prince of Rathain, i
n company with Vhandon and Talvish at Alestron.
pronounced: fee-on-are-eth cayed-ahn
root meaning: fionne arith caid an – one who brings choice
FIRSTMARK—port town located on the shore of Rockbay Harbor, in Radmoore, Melhalla. Known for its wine and hides.
FORTHMARK—city in Vastmark, Shand. Once the site of a hostel of Ath’s Brotherhood. By Third Age 5320, the site was abandoned and taken over by the Koriani Order as a healer’s hospice.
not from the Paravian
GANISH—trade city located south of Methlas Lake in Orvandir, Shand.
pronounced: gan-eesh
root meaning: gianish – a halfway point, a stopping place
GEVARD—officer from the Telzen garrison, allied with the Blessed Prince.
pronounced: gev-ard
not from the Paravian
GLENDIEN—a Shandian clanswoman, wife to Kyrialt s’Taleyn, formerly the heir designate of the High Earl of Alland.
pronounced: glen-dee-en
root meaning: glyen – sultry; dien – object of beauty
GREAT WAYSTONE—see entry for Waystone.
GRIMWARD—a circle of spells of Paravian making that seal and isolate the dire dreams of dragon haunts, a force with the potential for mass destruction. With the disappearance of the old races, the defences are maintained by embodied Sorcerers of the Fellowship of Seven. There are seventeen separate sites listed at Althain Tower.
HALLIRON SEN ALDUIN—native of Innish who became Masterbard of Athera in Third Age year 5597, after Murchiel. Son of Al’duin, husband of Deartha, and teacher of Arithon s’Ffalenn. Died of an injury dealt by the Mayor of Jaelot in year 5644.
pronounced: hal-eer-on sen al-doo-win
root meaning: hal – white; lyron – singer; sen – denotes paternal descent; alduin – scribe
HALWYTHWOOD—forest located in Araethura, Rathain. Current main campsite of High Earl Barach’s band, predominantly survivors of the Battle of Strakewood and Daon Ramon’s late war.
pronounced: hall-with-wood
root meaning: hal – white; wythe – vista
HANHAFFIN—river running through Selkwood in Alland and emptying into the Cildein Ocean.
pronounced: han-haf-fin
root meaning: hanha – evergreen; affein – a dance step
HANSHIRE—port city on the Westland Sea, coast of Korias, Tysan; reigning official Lord Mayor Garde, father of Sulfin Evend; opposed to royal rule at the time of Avenor’s restoration. Haven for Koriathain at the time of the uprising, with strong ties to the Senior Circle.
pronounced: han-sheer
root meaning: hansh – sand; era – place
HASPASTION—ghost of the dragon contained in the grimward located in Radmoore.
pronounced: has-past-ee-on
root meaning: hashpashdion – Drakish for black thunder
HAVENS—an inlet on the north-eastern shore of Vastmark, Shand, now known as the site of the massacre enacted by the Spinner of Darkness, preceding the Battle of Dier Kenton Vale, Third Age Year 5647.
HAVISH—one of the Five High Kingdoms of Athera as defined by the charters of the Fellowship of Seven. Ruled by Eldir s’Lornmein. Crown heritage: temperance. Device: gold hawk on red field.
pronounced: hav-ish
root meaning: havieshe – hawk
HIGHSCARP—city sited near the stone quarries on the coast of the Bay of Eltair, located in Daon Ramon, Rathain. Also contains a sisterhouse of the Koriani Order.
HILGRETH—war-captain in Selkwood, under Lord Erlien, High Earl of Alland.
pronounced: hill-greth
root meaning: huell – one who protects; gireth – gauntlet, war glove
I’CUELAN AM-JIASK EDAEL I’ITIER—your feal prince attends you.
pronounced: ee-kway-lan am-jee-ask ee-dah-el it-ee-er
root meaning: i’cuelan – your, with prefix for ‘light’ or focused intent; am-jiask – state of being bound by faith/feal; edael – prince; i’itier – one who holds with light/attends
I’ENT CUELAN AM-JIASK EDAEL AMEINNT-HUELL I’TIERI— your feal prince attends, with protective intent—raised to the emphatic state, of personally claiming fullest responsibility, as the oath-bound prince who protects.
pronounced: ee-ent kway-lan am-jee-ask ee-dah-el am-ee-int hoo-well ee-tee-er-ee
root meaning: i’ient – to hold by light, promise by willing intent; cuelan – your; am-jiask edael – feal prince; am – state of being; iennt – by light intent, extreme emphatic form; huell – one who protects; i’tieri – one who attends
ILITHARIS PARAVIANS—centaurs, one of three semimortal old races; disappeared after the Mistwraith’s conquest, the last guardian’s departure by Third Age Year 5100. They were the conservators of the earth’s mysteries.
pronounced: i-li-thar-is
root meaning: i’lith’earis – the keeper/preserver of mystery
INNISH—city located on the southcoast of Shand at the delta of the River Ippash. Birthplace of Halliron Masterbard. Formerly known as ‘the Jewel of Shand,’ this was the site of the high king’s winter court, prior to the time of the uprising. Home port of Evenstar, and Fiark’s business as trade factor.
pronounced: in-ish
root meaning: inniesh – a jewel with a pastel tint
ISAER—power focus, built in the First Age in Atainia, Tysan, by the Ilitharis Paravians, to source the defence works of the Paravian keep of the same name.
pronounced: i-say-er
root meaning: i’saer – the circle
ISFARENN—etheric Name for the black stallion ridden by Asandir.
pronounced: ees-far-en
root meaning: is’feron – speed maker
ISHLIR—town on the eastshore of Orvandir, Shand.
pronounced: ish-leer
root meaning: ieshlier – sheltered place
ITHAMON—Historically significant in the First Age, site of a Paravian focus, a Second Age Paravian stronghold, and a Third Age ruin; built on a fifth lane power-node in Daon Ramon Barrens, Rathain, and inhabited until the year of the uprising. Site of the Compass Point Towers, or Sun Towers. Became the seat of the High Kings of Rathain during the Third Age and in Third Age Year 5638 was the site where Princes Lysaer s’Ilessid and Arithon s’Ffalenn battled the Mistwraith to confinement.
pronounced: itha-mon
root meaning: itha – five; mon – needle, spire
ITHILT—peninsula bordering Minderl Bay, in eastern Rathain.
pronounced: ith-ilt
root meaning: ith – five; ealt – a narrows
ITHISH—city located at the edge of the principality of Vastmark, on the southcoast of Shand. Where the Vastmark wool factors once shipped fleeces.
pronounced: ith-ish
root meaning: ithish – fleece or fluffy
I’TISHEALDIANT—to wish, or to bring lightness to a disrupted state/a splash, or shattering ripple raised to the emphatic – idiomatic for the energetic impact of a disruptive event.
pronounced: ih-tee-shee-al-dee-ahnt
root meaning: i – prefix to specify by light; tishealdeant – splash, emphatic form
IVEL—blind splicer from southcoastal Shand, once hired by Arithon at Merior.
pronounced: ee-vel
root meaning: iavel – scathing
IYAT—energy sprite, and minor drake spawn inhabiting Athera, not visible to the eye, manifests in a poltergeist fashion by taking temporary possession of objects. Feeds upon natural energy sources: fire, breaking waves, lightning, and excess emotion where humans gather.
pronounced: ee-at
root meaning: iyat – to break
JAELOT—city located on the coast of Eltair Bay at the southern border of the Kingdom of Rathain. Once a Second Age power site, with a focus circle. Now a merchant city with a reputation for extreme snobbery and bad taste. Also the site where Arithon s’Ffalenn played his eulogy for Halliron Masterbard, which raised the powers of the Paravian focus circle beneath th
e mayor’s palace. The forces of the mysteries and resonant harmonics caused damage to city buildings, watch keeps, and walls, which has since been repaired. Site where Fionn Areth was arraigned for execution, as bait in a Koriani conspiracy that failed to trap Arithon s’Ffalenn.
pronounced: jay-lot
root meaning: jielot – affectation
JERVALD—watch captain of the lower wall garrison at Alestron, under Mearn’s command.
pronounced: jeer-vald
root meaning: jier – pointed; vald – wit
JEYNSA—daughter of Jieret s’Valerient and Feithan, born Third Age 5653; appointed successor for her father’s title, caithdein of Rathain.
pronounced: jay-in-sa
root meaning: jieyensa – garnet
JIERET s’VALERIENT—former Earl of the North, clan chief of Deshir; caithdein of Rathain, sworn liegeman of Prince Arithon s’Ffalenn. Also son and heir of Lord Steiven. Blood pacted to Arithon by sorcerer’s oath prior to the battle of Strakewood Forest. Came to be known by head-hunters as Jieret Red-beard. Father of Jeynsa and Barach. Husband to Feithan. Died by Lysaer s’Ilessid’s hand in Daon Ramon Barrens, Third Age Year 5670.
pronounced: jeer-et
root meaning: jieret – thorn
JINESSE—mother of Fiark and Feylind, wife of Tharrick, resident of Innish.
pronounced: jin-ess-e
root meaning: jienesse – to be washed or pale; a wisp
KALESH—town at the mouth of the harbour inlet from the Cildein Ocean, enemy of Alestron.
pronounced: cal-esh
root meaning: caille’iesh – stubborn hold
KEIR’VE ARISH—an insulting embarrassment, idiom for a fool in Biedar tribal dialect.
pronounced: kee-aar vay aah-ree-ch
root meaning: keir’ve arish – translated as ‘one caught with wet feet’
KELDMAR s’BRYDION—younger brother of Duke Bransian of Alestron, older brother of Parrien and Mearn.
pronounced: keld-mar
root meaning: kiel’d’maeran – one without pity
KEVOR—son and heir of Lysaer s’Ilessid and Princess Ellaine; born at Avenor in Third Age 5655. At age fourteen, in his father’s absence, he exercised royal authority and averted a riot by the panicked citizenry of Avenor. Thought dead by Khadrim fire in Westwood, but survived via an interaction with Ath’s Brotherhood. Became an adept in Third Year 5670, at the hostel in Northerly, Tysan.