by Mike Shel
Hall of Glories – A place at the Citadel in Boudun where treasures liberated by agents of the Syraeic League are displayed.
Hammer of Warwede – A warship in Her Majesty’s Royal Navy, sunk in a storm while ferrying members of the royal family on a state visit to the Duchy of Kelse.
Hanifax – An archipelago that separates the Cradle Sea from the Southern Ocean. Also the name of the primary island of that chain.
Hanifaxan – A citizen of or pertaining to the entire Empire of Hanifax, including its assorted islands and dependent duchies and earldoms surrounding the Cradle Sea.
Hanifaxer – A native of or pertaining to the primary island of the chain of the Isles of Hanifax. Slang: ‘Faxer.
Harkeny, Duchy of – Northernmost duchy in the eastern half of the empire, ruled by Duke Orin from the ducal seat of Caird; charged with keeping the Korsa tribes to the north at bay.
Harkeny Inlet – A waterway of the Cradle Sea shared by the Duchies of Harkeny and Marburand.
Hermit, The – Derogatory nickname for the current Duke of Kelse—a reference to his refusal to leave the ducal palace.
Highway Wardens – Employees of the state tasked with the upkeep of the roads that crisscross the Isles of Hanifax. They are also responsible for clearing out bandits and those otherwise abusing public lands.
Hollow Man – A type of corporeal undead creature found in Djao ruins in the Barrowlands.
Hulwick – City in the Duchy of Bannerbraeke, under the jurisdiction of the Benhowe clan.
Imperatrix Hanifaxa – Official title of the queen (Imperator, in the case of a king), referencing her rule over both the Isles of Hanifax and its dependent duchies and earldoms.
Indefatigable – A warship in Her Majesty’s Royal Navy.
Ja’hao’rae – A type of semi-corporeal undead creature found in Djao ruins in the Barrowlands.
Kalimander – Major port city, ducal seat of the Duchy of Kelse.
Karnes, Duchy of the – Duchy in the eastern half of the empire ruled by its duke from the ducal seat of Ralsea. Unlike the other duchies, many of its towns and cities are more-or-less independent, self-governing republics, provided they pay taxes and levies to the duke.
Katuryn – Intercessory saint of the Hanifaxan religion.
Kelby – An isle of the main Hanifax chain, as well as the seat of the Earldom of Kelby, under the jurisdiction of an aristocratic family.
Kellem of the Golden Tongue – Busker King whose tomb—located in the present-day Duchy of the Karnes—was explored by Auric Manteo prior to his being granted a knighthood by the queen.
Kelse, Duchy of – Lone surviving duchy in the western empire, ruled by Duke Emberto II from the ducal seat of Kalimander.
Kelsea River – Broad-mouthed river that serves as the northeastern border of the Duchy of Kelse. It also demarks the westernmost extreme of the Barrowlands, and its source lies far north, deep into the Wysking Mountains.
Kenes, Isle of – A remote island in the Cradle Sea, home of the Monastery of St. Qoterine and renowned for its vineyards.
Kenther – Intercessory saint of the Hanifaxan religion. Invoked to guard one’s sanity and in the service of the mad or incurably ill.
Kilkirk – Major port city on the main island of Hanifax, under the jurisdiction of an aristocratic family.
Korsa – Warlike barbarians who plague the plains and forests north of the Duchy of Harkeny.
Lady Syraea – One of three carracks outfitted by Lord Syraea for his Northward Expedition. Coryth Angana sailed on Lady.
Lakebader – One of two City-State jurisdictions in the Hanifaxan Empire, ruled by an earl who has sworn fealty to the monarch.
Lalu – Deity of Hanifax Pantheon; goddess of beauty and love.
Lantern of the West – A warship in Her Majesty’s Royal Fleet.
Leatham – Major port city of the isle of Leath; immediately southeast of the main isle of Hanifax, it has a reputation for seediness.
Leatham Lass – A warship in Her Majesty’s Royal Fleet.
Letter of Imprimatur – An elaborate, formal document granting a group of Syraeic League agents access to the Barrowlands and allowing a set number of mercenary hires.
Leviathan – Mythological beast of enormous size. Often spoken of as a metaphor for some overwhelming force or difficulty.
Liturgies of Peace and Health – A collection of holy books drafted over the centuries by the priests of the goddess Belu, focusing on rituals for healing and the resolution of animus.
Lursq’ai – A large complex of Djao ruins in the Barrowlands.
Maardesh’il’al Under-the-Mountain – Large complex of Djao ruins in the Barrowlands, carved out of the foothills of the Wyskings.
Mache – Major port city in the Duchy of Warwede.
Magna Revelantis – Alchemical formula employed to produce a powder for revealing traps, snares, and hidden seams.
Manticore – An intelligent, predatory beast with the body of a lion, a vaguely human head, and bat-like wings. Its tail ends in a cluster of ivory spines which it can launch at prey. These spines are used by the Royal Navy to make whips of the same name used for the purpose of corporal punishment.
Marcator – Major deity of Hanifax Pantheon; king of the Gods, god of justice and storms.
Marcator’s Fist/Thunder – Mild exclamation of displeasure or rebuke.
Marcator’s Oath – A vow that something someone says is true, or a mild exclamation of surprise.
Marburand, Duchy of – Duchy in the eastern half of the empire ruled by Duke Willem from the ducal seat of Bennybrooke.
Marlu – Intercessory saint of the Hanifaxan religion. Invoked to counter headaches and other such afflictions.
Master of Sorcerers – Syraeic League officer charged with managing members of the League adept in the use of sorcery.
Medicus – Person trained in tending the sick and wounded. While this can refer to a priest of Belu, it most often refers to a non-cleric employing means of healing that are natural rather than divine.
Meditations on a Robin’s Eggshell – A slim ecclesiastical book written by Quintus Valec as a guide for priests of Belu and how they should lead their flocks.
Menkirk – Town between the capital of Boudun and the port city of Falmuthe, on the main island of Hanifax.
Mictilin – A deity of the Hanifaxan Pantheon. God of death.
Mourcort – Port city of the Duchy of Kelse.
Mouth of Boudun – Trio of gates into the city of Boudun. The severed heads of traitors are displayed above them to serve as a warning.
Necromancy – Form of magic which taps into dark forces that can prove dangerous and have unforeseen costs. Believed to have a corrupting influence on those who practice it.
Netherplanes – Poorly understood planes of existence from which sorcerers summon various creatures and beings; the Yellow Hells are an example of Netherplanes. AKA “Netherworlds.”
Night Battle of Blue Straits – A sea battle fought in the waters between the main isle of Hanifax and Leath. This marks the final conflict in the relatively brief insurrection known as the Sea Revolt.
Northward Gate – The guarded gateway in Serekirk leading into the wilderness of the Barrowlands.
Northward Expedition – Expedition of three ships outfitted by Lord Syraea to explore the uncharted northern reaches of the Cradle Sea.
Novitiate – Early apprenticeship in the Syraeic League, into which young applicants are admitted. Novices within the League are grouped into separate Novitiates and undergo training together in this group before moving on to more specialized training for their selected fields of focus.
Oracle – A warship (caravel) in Her Majesty’s Royal Fleet.
Order of the Inverse Circle – Highest honor bestowed on a graduate of the Royal College of Sorcerers.
Oul’gat’ai’ah – Minor complex of Djao ruins in the Barrowlands.
Pearly Regiment – Legion of Hanifaxan soldiers under command of the Count of Aulkirk.
Pember – A deity of the Hanifaxan Pantheon. God of the Arts: music, theater, prose, poetry, the visual arts.
Penny – Name for the copper coin minted by the Royal Treasury.
Pennyman’s Respite – Rough and simple inn located in the city of Serekirk.
Perfumery, The – Brothel in the city of Tessy.
Plumstone Rebellion – The last large-scale attempt at rebellion against the rule of Geneviva I.
Purraa – Beastly sea god of the Hanifaxan pantheon, often depicted with tentacles in place of a mouth.
Pyromancer – An elementalist sorcerer specializing in conjuring and controlling fire.
Qoterine – Intercessory saint of the Hanifaxan religion, a devotee of the goddess Chaeres.
Question, The – see Ritual of the Question.
Ralsea – A major port city, ducal seat of the Duchy of the Karnes.
Revival – A holiday festival celebrating Geneviva I’s recovery from the Gray Plague.
Ritual of the Question – A grueling collection of rituals conducted by priests of Tolwe to ascertain truth. To the uninitiated, the acts appear to be little more than torture.
Roga – A tribe of the Korsa nomads.
Royal Binding – A process by which sorcerers trained at the Royal College are restricted so that their magic cannot be willingly turned against the empire or its rulers. A faceted jewel (known as a binding jewel) set in the sorcerer’s forehead identifies this binding as well as the caster’s specialization, if any. Royal Binding can be broken, though it is a dangerous and difficult endeavor, potentially fatal for the sorcerer.
Royal College of Sorcerers – An exclusive and officially sanctioned school of sorcerers headquartered in Boudun. AKA “the RC.” There are other branches of the RC in Aelbrinth (known as The Spire) and elsewhere across the empire, but none is as large or prestigious as the one in Boudun.
Saint Kenther – Monastery/sanitarium located on an isle of the same name south of Falmuthe. The Syraeic League uses its services for agents who are deemed incurably insane.
Saint Qoterine of the Vine – Monastery located on the remote Isle of Kenes. Peopled mostly by monks devoted to the goddess Chaeres and known for its vineyards and the wine they produce.
Sallymont – A port city in the Duchy of Harkeny, ruled by a family of the same name. Traditionally the Count of Sallymont is chiefly responsible for supplying the duchy’s horses for its cavalry, needed to fight the Korsa barbarians.
Sea Revolt, The – A minor rebellion against Queen Geneviva, 20 years ago, led by a group of Royal Navy captains. It was finally suppressed at the Night Battle of Blue Straits.
Sea Witch – A pirate ship plaguing the western Cradle Sea.
Seathrift – A large port town of the Duchy of Bannerbraeke, in open rebellion against its rulers, the aristocratic Torvale family.
Selvey River – Waterway forming the northern border of the Duchy of Harkeny. A natural bulwark against the Korsa tribes.
Serekirk – A restricted city controlling access to the Barrowlands, situated at the end of Barrow Sound.
Serene Banner of Azkaya – The large white flag of silk carried at the fore by all martial forces of the Azkayans headed into battle. Popular legend has it that an Azkayan general may not return from the field to his liege lord until the banner is stained completely red with the enemy’s blood.
Sethwick – A port town in the east of the Isles of Hanifax. Birthplace of Coryth Angana.
Shim’a’taal – A collection of Djao cenotaphs in the Barrowlands. The name translates literally as “Pass Us By.”
Sin-Eater – A priest of the god Ussi, whose primary purpose is hearing confessions. This cleric must follow a strict set of strange restrictions against bathing or exposure to sunlight.
Six Floating Virgins, The – Sextet of intercessory saints of the Hanifaxan religion. Guardians of purity and innocence.
Sons and Daughters of Hell, The – A seditious, underground organization responsible for what came to be known as The Plumstone Rebellion.
Sorcerers Council – Committee of sorcerers overseen by the Grand Chamberlain to consult on all matter of magic for the King’s/Queen’s Court. While all members of the Council are graduates of the Royal College, it is a separate entity.
Sovereign – Name for the gold coin minted by the Royal Treasury.
Spider, The – A metal cage that encompasses the head and prevents self-injury. Employed at asylums for the insane.
Spire, The – Branch of the Royal College of Sorcerers located in Aelbrinth, Duchy of Marburand.
Spirits of the Lash – Netherworld creatures summoned by necromancy to goad greater labor from elementals.
Stale Crust, The – An inn located in the city of Serekirk.
Sunless Vespers – Religious services in contemplative houses that serve to close out the day. While the ritual details differ from one order or cult to another, they always take place after the sun has set.
Sure Wind – One of three carracks outfitted by Lord Syraea for his Northward Expedition.
Surly Wench – A pirate ship plaguing the western Cradle Sea.
Syraeic League – An organization of archeologists, scholars, and adventurers tasked with exploring ruins about the Empire of Hanifax. It is independent from, but ultimately responsible to the monarch.
Szaa’da’shaela – Ancient Djao longsword recovered from the Barrowlands in 224 by Ulberta Montcalme. The name means “Bane God’s Whim” in the Djao tongue, though the accuracy of the translation is contested.
Szendesh’ah – A large complex of Djao ruins in the Barrowlands.
Szuur’ah’caat – A complex of Djao ruins in the Barrowlands, once infested with undead.
Tale of Doctor Frexes, The – Popular stage play featuring a mad alchemist who wreaks havoc in the Duchy of Marburand.
Tears of Belu – An exclamation of dismay or concern.
Teeth of the Djao – A section of the Barrowlands coast known for its dangerous shoals and inhospitable waters.
Tessy – An isle of the main Hanifax chain, as well as the seat of the Earldom of Tessy, under the jurisdiction of the Thennis family.
Third Tower of the Unveiled Eye – A level of skill attained by diviners trained at the Royal College of Sorcerers.
Timilis – A major deity of the Hanifaxan Pantheon. Ostensibly a god of the desperate, a trickster god of “thieves and low sorcerers.”
Tolwe – A deity of the Hanifaxan Pantheon. God of truth and inquiry.
Tona Hills – Hilly region on the main island of Hanifax south of Boudun, where much of the stone used in the construction of the city’s walls and many of its grand structures was quarried. The quarries have all played out and are long abandoned.
Trials of Aelon – A warship (caravel) in Her Majesty’s Royal Navy.
Truth-Speaker – A devotee of the god Tolwe who has been trained in detecting falsehood. All priests of Tolwe are truth-speakers, but not all truth-speakers are priests of Tolwe.
Tumultu – Product of a diviner ritual in which the sorcerer is possessed by an alien spirit. This spirit’s revelations are usually very difficult to decipher. It is an extremely rare occurrence.
Ulseamuthe – An island earldom at the mouth of the Bay of Ulsea, as well as its capital city. Under the jurisdiction of an aristocratic family.
Ulstermythe – Large port city in the Duchy of Marburand.
Una – An island earldom of the
main Hanifaxan chain, under the jurisdiction of an aristocratic family ruling from Unkirk.
Unkirk – A major port city, seat of the Earldom of Una.
Ursena, Duchy of – Once one of two duchies in the northeastern quadrant of the empire (Harkeny being the other). The principality collapsed when invaded by Korsa barbarians following the withdrawal of the frontier army at Queen Geneviva’s order to counter an imagined invasion by the Azkayans.
Urwyd Swamp – Large swathe of marshlands that dominate the Duchy of Warwede west of Mache.
Ushunor – A sea god of the Hanifaxan pantheon.
Ussi – A deity of Hanifax Pantheon. God of atonement. Her priests are referred to colloquially as sin eaters.
Valya, Duchy of – Defunct western duchy that collapsed when Geneviva I had its ruler, Duke Logan, executed for treason. Its settlements and citizens are now at the mercy of the corsairs who plague the western waters of the Cradle Sea.
Vanic – A major deity of the Hanifaxan Pantheon. God of war and valor.
Vanic’s Balls – Mild profanity. Variation: Balls of the war god!
Vah’da’ghena – A complex of Djao ruins in the Barrowlands, now forbidden. The literal translation of the name is “God Hope Lost.”
Varcort – A port city of the Duchy of Kelse, thought to be flirting with secession from the Duchy of Kelse and Empire of Hanifax.
Velcan – A deity of Hanifax Pantheon. God of the forge and artisans.
Vessen – A free city, more-or-less in league with the western corsairs. At one time the ducal seat of the Duchy of Valya.
Vorsey Gardens – Lavish public gardens in the capital of Boudun.
Warwede, Duchy of – The easternmost duchy of the empire, ruled by its duke from the ducal seat of Wesse.
Wesse – A major port city, ducal seat of the Duchy of Warwede.
White Priory of St. Besh – An ecumenical religious house deep in the Barrowlands, founded by a companion of King Coryth the Revelator.
Wind Demon – A particularly wild form of air elemental, difficult to control and potentially quite dangerous.
Woolly Coast – Western region of the main island of Hanifax, known for its sheep and the wool they produce.