Stormed Fortress

by Janny Wurts

  pronounced: see-thur

  root meaning: seithur – one whose choice affects all generations to come

  SELIDIE—young woman initiate appointed by Morriel Prime as a candidate in training for succession. Assumed the office of Prime Matriarch after Morriel’s death on winter solstice in Third Age Year 5670, at which time an unprincipled act of possession by Morriel usurped the young woman’s body.

  pronounced: sell-ih-dee

  root meaning: selyadi – air sprite

  SELKWOOD—forest located in Alland, Shand.

  pronounced: selk-wood

  root meaning: selk – pattern

  SESHKROZCHIEL—name for the female dragon who was mated to Haspastion.

  pronounced: sesh-crows-chee-ell

  root meaning: seshkrozchiel – Drakish for blue lightning

  SETHVIR—Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven, also trained to serve as Warden of Althain since Third Age 5100, when the last centaur guardian departed after the Mistwraith’s conquest.

  pronounced: seth-veer

  root meaning: seth – fact; vaer – keep

  SEVRAND s’BRYDION—heir designate of Duke Bransian of Alestron.

  pronounced: sev-rand

  root meaning: sevaer’an’d – one who travels behind, a follower

  s’FFALENN—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Rathain. Gifted geas: compassion/empathy.

  pronounced: s-fal-en

  root meaning: ffael – dark, an – one

  s’GANNLEY—lineage of the Earls of the West, once the Camris princes, now bearing the heritage of Caithdein of Tysan. Iamine s’Gannley was the woman founder.

  pronounced: sgan-lee

  root meaning: gaen – guide; li – exalted or in harmony

  SHADDORN—town located on the Scimlade Tip in Alland, Shand.

  pronounced: shad-dorn

  root meaning: shaddiern – sea turtle

  SHAND—High Kingdom on the south-east corner of the Paravian continent, originally ruled by the line of s’Ahelas. Current device, purple-and-gold chevrons, since the adjunct kingdom of West Shand came under high crown rule. The old device was a falcon on a crescent moon, sometimes still showed, backed by the more recent purple-and-gold chevrons.

  pronounced: shand – as in ‘hand’

  root meaning: shayn or shiand – two/pair

  SHANDOR—trade port located on the westshore of Rockbay Harbor, in West Shand.

  pronounced: shan-door

  root meaning: cianor – to shine

  SHEHANE ALTHAIN—Ilitharis Paravian who dedicated his spirit as defender and guardian of Althain Tower.

  pronounced: shee-hay-na all-thayn

  root meaning: shiehai’en –to give for the greater good; alt – last; thain – tower

  SHIPSPORT—city located on the Bay of Eltair in the principality of West Halla, Melhalla.

  SIDIR—one of the Companions, who were the fourteen boys to survive the Battle of Strakewood. Served Arithon at the Battle of Dier Kenton Vale, and the Havens. Second-in-command of Earl Jieret’s war band. Handfast to Feithan, widow of the former Earl of the North.

  pronounced: see-deer

  root meaning: i’sid’i’er – one who has stood at the verge of being lost

  s’ILESSID—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Tysan. Gifted geas: justice.

  pronounced: s-ill-ess-id

  root meaning: liessiad – balance

  SILVERMARSH—large bog located south of Daenfal Lake, in West Halla, Melhalla.

  SINDELLE—wife of Keldmar s’Brydion of Alestron.

  pronounced: sin-dell-e

  root meaning: san – black, dark; ael – destiny;’e – suffix for future in potentia

  SITHAER—mythological equivalent of hell, halls of Dharkaron Avenger’s judgement; according to Ath’s adepts, that state of being where the prime vibration is not recognized.

  pronounced: sith-air

  root meaning: sid – lost; thiere – wraith/spirit

  SIX TOWERS—trade town located in Orvandir, Shand.

  SKYRON FOCUS—large aquamarine focus stone, used by the Koriani Senior Circle for their major magic after the loss of the Great Waystone during the rebellion.

  pronounced: sky-run

  root meaning: skyron – colloquialism for shackle; s’kyr’i’on – literally ‘sorrowful fate’

  SKYSHIELS—mountain range that runs north and south along the eastern coast of Rathain.

  pronounced: sky-shee-ells

  root meaning: skyshia – to pierce through; iel – ray

  SLIESHENG DHAVI! AYKRAUK I’IEN KIEL’D’MAER TIEND! – Slinking fool! Scorch your pitiless spirit!

  pronounced: slee-shing dah-vee! aye-croak eh-een kee-eld-mayer tee-end

  root meaning: sliesheng – slinking; dhavi – fool; aykrauk – to scorch; i’ien – an ill wish sent upon you, by intent; kiel’d’maer – pitiless; tiend – spirit

  SOUTHSHIRE—town on the southcoast of Alland, Shand, known for shipbuilding.

  pronounced: south-shire

  not from the Paravian

  s’TALEYN—lineage of the Caithdeinen of Shand.

  pronounced: stall-ay-en

  root meaning: tal – branch; an – one/first ‘of the first branch’

  STARBORN—name for the Fellowship Sorcerers used by the Biedar tribe of Sanpashir.

  STORLAINS—mountains dividing the Kingdom of Havish.

  pronounced: store-lanes

  root meaning: storlient – largest summit, highest divide

  STRAKEWOOD—forest in the principality of Deshir, Rathain; site of the battle of Strakewood Forest, where the garrison from Etarra marched against the clans under Steiven s’Valerient and Prince Arithon, in Third Age Year 5638.

  pronounced: strayk-wood similar to ‘stray wood’

  root meaning: streik – to quicken, to seed

  SULFIN EVEND—son of the Mayor of Hanshire who holds the post of Alliance Lord Commander under Lysaer s’Ilessid. Spared Lysaer from his dark binding to the Kralovir Necromancers, and in the course of that awakened the talent of his outbred clan lineage: of s’Gannley descent, through Diarin s’Gannley, who was abducted and forced to marry his great grandsire. Bound to the land in Third Age 5670 when he swore a caithdein’s oath at Althain Tower as part of his bargain with Enithen Tuer, who in turn imparted the ceremonial knowledge and the Biedar knife used to sever the etheric cords the cult used to enslave victims.

  pronounced: sool-finn ev-end

  root meaning: suilfinn eiavend – colloquialism, diamond mind ‘one who is persistent’

  SUNCHILDREN—common name for Athlien Paravians, see entry.

  SUNLOOP—a device for augury, wrought by the Fellowship Sorcerer Ciladis, and completed in Third Age 5129, which was designed to reflect the first return of sunlight to Paravia, following the Mistwraith’s invasion.

  s’VALERIENT—family name for the Earls of the North, regents and caithdein for the High Kings of Rathain.

  pronounced: val-er-ee-ent

  root meaning: val – straight; erient – spear

  TAL QUORIN—river formed by the confluence of watershed on the southern side of Strakewood, principality of Deshir, Rathain, where traps were laid for Etarra’s army in the battle of Strakewood Forest, and where the rape and massacre of Deshir’s clan women and children occurred under Lysaer and head-hunters under Pesquil’s command in Third Age Year 5638.

  pronounced: tal quar-in

  root meaning: tal – branch; quorin – canyons

  TALITH—Etarran princess; former wife of Lysaer s’Ilessid, estranged from him and incarcerated on charges of consorting with the Master of Shadow. Eventually murdered by a conspiracy of Avenor’s crown council, when an arranged accident caused her fall from Avenor’s tower of state in Third Age 5653.

  pronounced: tal-ith – to rhyme with ‘gal wi
th’

  root meaning: tal – branch; lith – to keep/nurture

  TALVISH—a clanborn retainer in armed service to s’Brydion at Alestron who was sworn as liegeman to the Prince Arithon as a point of honour.

  pronounced: tall-vish

  root meaning: talvesh – reed

  TEIDWAR—Biedar dialect for outland strange person who fares through another’s place, kinless.

  pronounced: tide-war

  root meaning: tiedwar – a traveller who does not belong to the tribe

  TEIR—masculine form of a title fixed to a name denoting heirship.

  pronounced: tayer

  root meaning: teir’s – successor to power

  TEIREN—feminine form of Teir.

  TEIVE—first mate of the merchant brig Evenstar and father of Feylind’s two children.

  pronounced: tee-ev

  root meaning: tierve – reliable

  TELMANDIR—seat of the High Kings of Havish in Lithmere, Havish. Ruined during the uprising in Third Age Year 5018, rebuilt by High King Eldir s’Lornmein after his coronation in Third Age Year 5643.

  pronounced: tel-man-deer

  root meaning: telman’en – leaning; dir – rock

  TELZEN—town on the eastshore of Alland, Shand.

  pronounced: tell-zen

  root meaning: tielsen – to saw wood

  THARIDOR—trade city on the shores of the Bay of Eltair in Melhalla.

  pronounced: thar-i-door

  root meaning: tier’i’dur – keep of stone

  THARRICK—former captain of the guard in the city of Alestron assigned charge of the duke’s secret armoury; now married to Jinesse and working as a gentleman mercenary guard at Innish.

  pronounced: thar-rick

  root meaning: thierik – unkind twist of fate

  THIRDMARK—port town located on the eastshore of Rockbay Harbor, Shand.

  TIASSA—wife of Parrien s’Brydion of Alestron.

  pronounced: tee-ass-ah

  root meaning: tias’s’a – a woman of wealth or means

  TIENELLE—high-altitude herb valued by mages for its mind-expanding properties. Highly toxic. No antidote. The leaves, dried and smoked, are most potent. To weaken its powerful side effects and allow safer access to its vision, Koriani enchantresses boil the flowers, then soak tobacco leaves with the brew.

  pronounced: tee-an-ell-e (‘e’ mostly subliminal)

  root meaning: tien – dream; iel – light/ray

  TIRANS—trade town located on the East Halla peninsula in Melhalla, also a Second Age ruin, seat of the High Kings of Melhalla, sacked during the uprising in Third Age Year 5018. Site of a Paravian focus circle.

  pronounced: tee-rans

  root meaning: tier – to hold fast, to keep, or to covet

  TIRIACS—mountain range to the north of Mirthlvain Swamp, in Midhalla, Melhalla.

  pronounced: tie-ree-axe

  root meaning: tieriach – alloy of metals

  TORBRAND s’FFALENN—founder of the s’Ffalenn line appointed by the Fellowship of Seven to rule the High Kingdom of Rathain in Third Age Year One.

  pronounced: tor-brand

  root meaning: tor – sharp, keen; brand – temper

  TORNIR PEAKS—mountain range on western border in Camris, Tysan. Northern half is actively volcanic, and there the last surviving packs of Khadrim are kept under ward.

  pronounced: tor-neer

  root meaning: tor – sharp, keen; nier – tooth

  TRAITHE—Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven. Solely responsible for the closing of South Gate to deny further entry to the Mistwraith. Traithe lost most of his faculties in the process and was left with a limp. Since it is not known whether he can make the transfer into discorporate existence with his powers impaired, he has retained his physical body.

  pronounced: tray-the

  root meaning: traithe – gentleness

  TYSAN—one of the Five High Kingdoms of Athera as defined by the charters of the Fellowship of Seven. Ruled by the s’Ilessid royal line. Device: gold star on blue field.

  pronounced: tie-san

  root meaning: tiasen – rich

  VALDIE—widow of a Hanshire lancer who was lost in the Korias grimward in Third Age 5653.

  pronounced: val-dee

  root meaning: val – straight; die – pretty object – colloquial for faithfully fair

  VARENS—trade town on the shore of Eltair Bay in East Halla, Melhalla.

  pronounced: var-ens

  root meaning: var’uens – keep safe, or lock

  VASTMARK—principality located in south-western Shand. Highly mountainous and not served by trade-roads. Its coasts are renowned for shipwrecks. Inhabited by nomadic shepherds and wyverns, non-fire-breathing, smaller relatives of Khadrim. Site of the grand massacre of Lysaer’s war host in Third Age 5647.

  pronounced: vast-mark

  root meaning: vhast – bare; mheark – valley

  VASTSTRAIT—narrows linking the Cildein Ocean with the Bay of Eltair on the eastshore-line.

  pronounced: vast-straight

  root meaning: vhast – bare

  VERRAIN—master spellbinder, trained by Luhaine; stood as Guardian of Mirthlvain when the Fellowship of Seven was left short-handed after the conquest of the Mistwraith.

  pronounced: ver-rain

  root meaning: ver – keep; ria – touch; an – one original Paravian: verria’an

  VHALZEIN—city located in West Shand, shore of Rockbay Harbor on the border by Havish. Famed for shell-inlaid lacquer furnishings.

  pronounced: val-zeen

  root meaning: from Drakish, vhchalsckeen – white sands

  VHANDON—a renowned clanborn war-captain of Duke Bransian s’Brydion of Alestron, assigned to Prince Arithon’s service as a point of honour in Third Age Year 5654.

  pronounced: van-done

  root meaning: vhandon – steadfast

  WARDEN OF ALTHAIN—alternative title for the Fellowship Sorcerer, Sethvir, who received custody of Althain Tower and the powers of the earth link from the last centaur guardian to leave the continent of Paravia in Third Age Year 5100.

  WAYSTONE—spherical-cut amethyst used by the Koriathain to channel the full power of all enchantresses in their order, lost during the great rebellion that threw down the rule of the high kings, and recovered from Fellowship custody by Lirenda in Third Age Year 5647. Currently useless to the order, due to Arithon’s arranged sabotage, which has infiltrated a stray iyat into the stone’s matrix.

  WESTWOOD—forest located north of the Great West Road in Camris, Tysan.

  WERPOINT—fishing town and outpost on the north-east coast of Fallowmere, Rathain.

  pronounced: were-point

  root meaning: wyr – all, sum as in numerical total

  WEST HALLA—principality located in Kingdom of Melhalla.

  pronounced: west hall-ah

  root meaning: hal’lia – white light

  WHITEHOLD—city located on the shore of Eltair Bay, Kingdom of Melhalla.

  WILLOWBROOK—stream feeding into the River Lienriel in Selkwood, located in Alland in Shand.

  WYNTOK GATE—upper gate in the citadel of Alestron, opening onto the suspended wooden bridge that crosses the tidal moat to the Mathiell Gate.

  pronounced: win-tock

  root meaning: wuinn – vulture; tiok – roos

  Appendix

  Blood Heritage of the Royal Families

  The five royal lines of Athera were originally selected by the Paravians, with each of the original founders chosen for a dom i nant gift of character.

  Torbrand s’Ffalenn, High King of Rathain –

  Compassion

  Halduin s’Ilessid, High King of Tysan – Justice

  Cindra s’Ahelas, High Queen of Shand – Farsight

  Bwin Evoc s’Lornmein, High King of Havish –

  Temperance

  Rondeil s’Ellestrion, High King of Melhalla –

  Wisdom

  Each of th
ese individuals gave their willing consent to accept the directive to rule, both for themselves, and for all of their future offspring, for as long as their lineage should survive in participation with Athera’s destiny. No distinction was made between matrilineal or patrilineal lines of descent; both were equally favoured. The Fellowship Sorcerers used the initiate magic acquired from the dragons to fix these traits of character as an imperative geas, transferable through all subsequent issue. The prominence of this endowment was not passed on in a linear fashion. The gifts manifest in a ‘spread’ that seeks outlet through all available blood descendents of the original forebear. Heritability does not pass in equal measure, but flows forward like water, seeking the easiest channel for expression. Descendents who display a natural leaning in character will ‘inherit’ – or more correctly enact – the gift more intensely than others whose personalities bend in opposing directions. The wider the pool of descendents, the more ‘choice’ of channel the royal gift will have to seek outlet. For this reason, direct blood descent is never the determinant factor, but rather, which descendant portrays the most emphatic stamp of the progenitor’s qualities.

  The more descendents there are, the less predetermined the course of the inheritance. Some individuals may show predominance. Others might show little trace, or even none, although all living offspring within the lineage will carry the latent range of the geas’ fullest potential.

  Where a lineage is sparse, or only one descendent remains, the full force of the royal gift will flow through that individual, and be expressed with indelible emphasis.

  This is why the line of descent varies, and may move freely between cousins, or skip generations, and why, without exception, the Fellowship Sorcerers are charged to Name and sanction each crown successor.

  To conclude, the degree to which a royal gift expresses is twofold: inherited potency (how many descendents are living to ‘carry’ the trait) combined with the factor of personal choice that arises as personal character: how each individual is inclined toward their particular forebear’s gift in the first place.

  In the case of a lone descendent born with a personality not favourably inclined, the gift must still express. That individual would struggle, at odds with the inborn drive, and threshed by internal conflict. For this reason, many offspring and a wide extended family became an imperative preference for royal lines.