Destiny’s Conflict: Book Two of Sword of the Canon

by Janny Wurts

  PARAVIAN—name for the three old races that inhabited Athera before Mankind. Including the centaurs, the sunchildren, and the unicorns, these races never die unless mishap befalls them; they are the world’s channel, or direct connection, to Ath Creator.

  pronounced: par-ai-vee-ans

  root meaning: para – great; i’on – fate or great mystery

  PELLAIN—trade town between East and West Halla, Melhalla.

  pronounced: pell-ayn

  root meaning: peil – odd; ai’an – hidden one

  PRIME MATRIARCH—ruler of the Order of the Koriathain, acceded through a ninth-rank initiation.

  QUINCE—serving boy in a gentleman’s house in East Bransing.

  pronounced: quinse

  RADMOORE DOWNS—meadowland located in Midhalla, Melhalla.

  pronounced: rad-more

  root meaning: riad – thread; mour – carpet, rug

  RATHAIN—one of the five High Kingdoms of Athera ruled by descendants of Torbrand s’Ffalenn since Third Age Year One. Device: black-and-silver leopard on green field. Arithon Teir’s’Ffalenn is sanctioned crown prince, by the hand of Asandir of the Fellowship, in Third Age 5638 at Etarra.

  pronounced: rath-ayn

  root meaning: roth – brother; thein – tower, sanctuary

  RAUVEN TOWER—residence of the s’Ahelas mages, on the ocean world of Dascen Elur, through Westgate. Where Arithon was trained to initiate mastery.

  pronounced: raw-ven

  root meaning: rauven – invocation

  RAYAR s’DIENEVAL—founder of the s’Dieneval lineage of seers, and caithdein’s lineage of Melhalla, when the old line failed in the High King’s service; forebear of Meiglin s’Dieneval, mother of Princess Dari s’Ahelas.

  pronounced: ray-ar s’dee-in-e-val

  root meaning: ria’ar – touch-cord, or link; dien – large; eval – endowment, gifted talent

  REI-YAJ SEERESS—title for the Seeress sequestered in a tower in Shand, near Ithish. Her oracular visions stem from meditative communion with the energy gateway marked and measured by Athera’s sun. Born sighted, but practice of her art brings blindness. The origin of her tradition derives from the mystical practices of the Biedar tribe in the Sanpashir desert.

  pronounced: ree-yahj

  root meaning: ria’ieajn – to touch the forbidden

  REQUIAR—Biedar tribesman of Lassiver’s heritage, who swore surety for Jessian Oathkeeper’s integrity.

  pronounced: reck-wee-ar

  root meaning: requiar – a binding commitment, Biedar dialect

  RIATHAN PARAVIANS—unicorns, the purest, most direct connection to Ath Creator; the prime vibration channels directly through the horn.

  pronounced: ree-ah-than

  root meaning: ria – to touch; ath – prime life-force; an – one; ri’athon – one who touches divinity

  ROACO—head shaman at Ettinmere Settlement.

  pronounced: row-ah-co

  ROCKBAY HARBOUR—body of water located on the southcoast, between Shand and West Shand.

  ROCKFELL PEAK—mountain containing Rockfell Pit, used to imprison harmful entities throughout all three Ages. Located in West Halla, Melhalla; became the warded prison for Desh-thiere.

  pronounced: rock-fell

  ROCKFELL PIT—shaft built by the Sorcerer Davien in Rockfell Peak to contain harmful entities; currently sequesters the Mistwraith, Desh-thiere.

  RONDEIL S’ELESTRION—founder of the s’Elestrion royal lineage, until the last scion of the blood died in the course of the uprising in Third Age 5018; gifted with wisdom.

  pronounced: ron-day-ee-el

  root meaning: roind – cycle, season; iel – light; eliestrion – inspiration

  S’AHELAS—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Shand. Gifted geas: far-sight. Also the lineage that carries the latent potential for the rogue talent for far-sight and prophecy, introduced when the caithdein’s heritage of s’Dieneval became crossed with the royal descent in Third Age 5036, resulting in Dari’s birth in winter, 5037.

  pronounced: s’ah-hell-as

  root meaning: ahelas – mage-gifted

  SAIEDA—young female cousin to Sarioic s’Gannley.

  pronounced: say-ee-dah

  root meaning: saieda – winter

  SANPASHIR—desert waste on the southcoast of Shand. Home to the desert tribes called Biedar.

  pronounced: sahn-pash-eer

  root meaning: san – black or dark; pash’era – place of grit or gravel

  SAROIC s’GANNLEY—made heir designate of the Caithdein of Tysan by Asandir in Third Age 5922.

  pronounced: sa-row-ic

  root meaning: sae – circle; roic – to finish, or complete; gaen – guide; li – exalted, in harmony

  SCARPDALE—waste in Lanshire, Havish, created by a First Age war with Seardluin. Once the site of the Scarpdale grimward, banished by Seshkrozchiel in Third Age 5671.

  pronounced: scarp-dale

  SCIMLADE TIP—peninsula in Alland, Shand.

  pronounced: skim-laid

  root meaning: scimlait – scythe

  s’DIENEVAL—lost lineage of the caithdeinen of Melhalla, the last to carry the title being Egan, who died at the side of his High King in the battle to subdue the Mistwraith. The blood-line carried strong talent for prophecy and was decimated during the sack of Tirans in the uprising in Third Age 5018, with Egan’s pregnant wife the sole survivor. Her daughter, Meiglin, was mother of Dari s’Ahelas, crown heir of Shand.

  pronounced: s-dee-in-ee-vahl

  root meaning: dien – large; eval – endowment, gifted talent

  SECOND AGE—Marked by the arrival of the Fellowship of Seven at Crater Lake, their called purpose to fight the drake spawn.

  SELIDIE—young woman initiate appointed by Morriel Prime as a candidate in training for succession. Succeeded to the office of Prime Matriarch after Morriel’s death on winter solstice in Third Age 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 mated to Haspastion. Forged a bargain with Davien, who borrowed on her powers while she was in hibernation in exchange for his term of service, for however long she required it. Her wakening in Third Age 5671 incurred the debt, still on-going, assumed by Luhaine when she went into hibernation in 5923.

  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

  SEVERNIR RIVER—dry river-bed located in Daon Ramon, Rathain, dammed and diverted at the source after the Mistwraith’s conquest to empty into the Bay of Eltair.

  pronounced: sev-er-neer

  root meaning: sevaer – to travel; nir – south

  SEVRAND s’BRYDION—son of Duke Bransian s’Brydion, heir designate until Alestron was entailed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age 5671; married Jeynsa s’Valerient.

  pronounced: sev-rand sbry-dee-on

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

  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

  SHADOWS OF MEARTH—elemental working of Davien’s, see Five Centuries Fountain.

  SHAND—one of the Five High Kingdoms of Athera, located 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 displayed, depicted against the more recent purple-and-gold chevrons.

  pronounced: shand—as in “hand”

  root meaning: shayne or shiand – two/pair

  SHANDOR—port trade town on the west shore of South Strait/Rockbay Harbour, 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. The power that rendered Davien discorporate in Third Age 5129.

  pronounced: shee-hayne all-thayn

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

  SHIPSPORT—port trade town located on the shore of Eltair Bay in West Halla, Melhalla.

  SIANTRA s’IDIR—clanborn daughter of Laithen s’Idir, of Sidir’s lineage. A talent seer whose gift was enhanced by an encounter with the forces of Athili in Third 5923.

  pronounced: see-an-tra see-deer

  root meaning: sian – spark; tier – to hold fast; a – feminine diminutive; i’sid’i’er – one who has stood at the verge of being lost

  SIDIR—one of the Companions, who were the fourteen boys to survive the massacre at Tal Quorin in Third Age 5638. Served Arithon at the Battle of Dier Kenton Vale the Havens in 5647, and at the siege of Alestron in 5671. Second in command of Earl Jieret’s war band. Married Jieret’s widow, Feithan in 5672. Founder of the lineage of s’Idir, descendants derived from a youthful liaison with a clanswoman from Fallowmere.

  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.

  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

  SKELSENG’S GATE—a chain of caverns in the Skyshiel Mountains, Daon Ramon, Rathain.

  pronounced: skell-sing

  root meaning: skel – many; seng – cave

  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”

  SKYSHIEL MOUNTAINS—range running north and south along the eastern coast of Rathain.

  pronounced: sky-shee-ell

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

  s’LORNMEIN—royal lineage of Havish, founded by Bwin Evoc s’Lornmein in Third Age Year One. Gifted geas: temperance

  pronounced: slorn-main

  root meaning: liernmein – to centre, restrain, bring into balance

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

  pronounced: south-shire

  SOUTH STRAIT—body of water and passage from Rockbay Harbour into South Sea.

  STORLAIN MOUNTAINS—range running north and south, dividing the Kingdom of Havish.

  pronounced: store-lane

  root meaning: storlient – largest summit, highest divide

  STRAKEWOOD—forest located in Deshir, Rathain, and free-wilds seat of the caithdein.

  pronounced: strayk-wood

  root meaning: streik – to quicken, to seed

  SULFIN EVEND—son of the Mayor of Hanshire who held 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. Named the Heretic Betrayer by the True Sect in the belief he corrupted the avatar, Lysaer. Ancestor of Daliana sen Evend.

  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—magical device created by Fellowship Sorcerer, Ciladis, to reveal the return of the sun.

  SUNWHEEL—heraldic symbol adopted by the religion of Light, and the device of the True Sect.

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

  pronounced: val-er-ee-ent

  root meaning: val – straight; erient – spear

  TAERLIN WATERS—a lake in the southern spur of Tornir Peaks, and a ballad recounting the First Age slaughter of unicorn herd by Khadrim.

  pronounced: tay-er-lin

  root meaning: taer – calm; lien – to love

  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 clanswomen and children occurred under Lysaer and head-hunters under Pesquil’s command in Third Age 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 with”

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

  TALLIARTHE—pleasure sloop, built by Arithon s’Ffalenn in Third Age 5644. Named for the mythic Paravian sea sprite who spirits away maidens who stray too near the tide-mark at twilight.

  Pronounced: tal-ee-arth-e

  Root meaning: tal branch; li – exalted; araithe – to disperse or to send

  TANUAY DALDARI—brother of Vivet Daldari, from Ettinmere Settlement.

  pronounced: tan-oo-way

  root meaning: tanuin – swift or swallow; ay – past; dal – fair; diere – life

  TARENS—town-born crofter from Kelsing, brother of Efflin and Kerelie. Liegeman to Prince Arithon when he inherited Caithdein, High Earl Jieret’s memories in Third Age 5923, also named Iyat-thos Tarens by the clans.

  pronounced: tar-ens

  root meaning: tirans – tier’ain – protect

  TEEAH—goddess revered by residents of Ettinmere Settlement.

  pronounced: tee-ah

  root meaning: Ettin dialect corruption of old Paravian tien – spirit; ai’an – hidden one

  TEHAVAL WARDEN—last centaur guardian to leave the continent when the Paravians withdrew, Keeper of the Records and Warden of Althain Tower, transferred his post and bestowed the gift of earth-link upon Sethvir in Third Age 5100.

  pronounced: tay-
have-all

  root meaning: tehav – tell, speak; val – straight

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

  pronounced: tayer

  root meaning: teir’s – successor to power

  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 5643.

  pronounced: tel-man-deer

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

  TETHOS—alias given to Iyat-thos Tarens while he impersonated a recruit in The Hatchet’s war host.

  pronounced: teth-oss

  root meaning: tet-thios – a fresh recruit

  TEYLIA—a tiendar’shayn’d, ancestral soul of Biedar tribal origin, reincarnated as the bastard daughter of Arithon Teir’s’Ffalenn and Glendien, widow of Kyrialt, born in Third Age 5672, sworn into the Order of the Koriathain by her own will at three years of age. Remained with the sisterhood to guard the course of Arithon’s incarceration, until the last free wraith from Marak was released. Died foiling the death spell wrought by the Koriani Prime Matriarch to destroy Arithon, just after she assisted, then secured his escape from Koriani captivity in 5922.

  pronounced: tay-lee-ah

  root meaning: tien – dream; lie – note struck in harmony; a – female diminutive

  THALDEIN MOUNTAINS—range bordering Camris in Tysan, site of the Camris clans’ main outpost.

  pronounced: thall-dayn

  root meaning: thal – head; dein – bird

  THE HATCHET—commander of the True Sect war host, defeated by High King Gestry in the Battle of Lithmarin in Third Age 5923.

  THUNDER RIDGE—see Tiendarion.

  TIENDARION—Paravian name for Thunder Ridge, a subduction ridge that forms the backbone of the Storlain Mountains in Gent, Havish.

  pronounced: tee-end-are-ee-on

  root meaning: etheric connection between sky and earth: tiend – spirit; darion – tie, with suffix for the emphatic

  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.