Dragondoom: A Novel of Mithgar
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Skaldfjordstad (Fjordsman: Bardsfjord town): a village at the root of Skaldfjord.
(the) Skög: a great shaggy forest on the eastern edge of Aralan.
(the) Sky Mountains: a generally east-west range of mountains forming the border between Gothon and Basq. The range arcs north of and then into the western end of the Grimwall Mountain range.
Skyloft: a Dwarvenholt in the Sky Mountains, facing into Gothon.
(the) Skymere: a clear lake on the highfjelt in Jord. Here Elgo captured Flame.
Sleeth’s Slayer. See Elgo.
Sleeth the Orm: one of the Dragons named in The Commentaries . The Cold-drake that captured Blackstone, the Dwarvenholt in the Rigga Mountains, and took the Dwarven treasure as his hoard. Slain centuries later by Elgo’s Warband executing Elgo’s cunning plan.
Slûk: the Tongue of the Foul Folk.
smt: a sooty ash or dark coating.
snap-rings: climbers’ aids.
Snorri, Borri’s son: a legendary hero who was said to have satisfied the lust of the Mystical Maid of the Maelstrom, thereby escaping the clutch of the great whirlpool. Also known as Snorri Long Haft.
Snorri Long Haft. See Snorri, Borri’s son.
Spawn: the general name given the Foul Folk.
Springday: the first day of spring.
Squam (Châkur: Underworld foul ones): Dwarven name for the Foul Folk.
stad (Fjordsman: stead, village, town): a steading.
stadfolk (Fjordsman: townsfolk): villagers.
stadholl (Fjordsman: town hall): a town hall.
(the) Starlight Invocation: a Dwarven ceremony to Elwydd held at mid of night on Year’s Long Night under open skies. Also known as the great litany.
starsilver. See silveron.
(the) starsilver nugget. See (the) silveron nugget.
steerboard: a tiller located on the right rear side of a Dragonboat. The term starboard comes from steerboard.
steersman: one who handles the tiller.
(the) Steppes of Jord. See Jord.
Stone Giant. See Utruni.
stone or fire: the way of Dwarven funerals. The Dwarves believe that pure stone or fire releases the spirits to be reborn more quickly than if buried in soil, where they believe that sod and roots trap the spirits for an extra age.
strakes: overlapping planks.
Strong Harl: a great leader of the Jordians in ancient times. The Harlingar (q.v.) take their name from him. Also known as Harl.
succubi: female demons that prey upon sleeping Men, slaking sexual lusts.
Summer Queen: the legendary ruler of summer, who escaped the clutches of the Winter King through the combined efforts of great hairy elephants (mammoths) and of the rulers of Spring and Fall; a tale told by Dwarves.
Surfbison: one of the four Dragonships that bore Elgo and his Warband to the shores of Rian. Surfbison burned and sank during the Fjordsmen’s raid into Jute.
surrogate: one who acts for another. In the time of this tale, some surrogates were mindless persons possessed by the consciousness of Modru, to give orders to far-off lackeys and to observe events at a distance.
T
Tai: a Man of Xian. Former trader. Translator between Thork and Heido. Also known as Old Tai.
Tamar: a Man of Kath. Warchief whose band in 3E1598 attacked the Jordian border garrison commanded by Brude.
Tarken: a Dwarven trader. Brought the news of Sleeth’s death to Brak in Kachar.
Tarly Olarsson: a Fjordsman. Slew Atli by axe during the raid on Jute. Tarly was slain during that same raid.
Thorgald of Old: a Man of Jord. Wore an eye patch.
Thork: a Dwarf of Kachar. DelfLord after the Quest of Black Mountain. Son of Brak and Sien. Brother of Baran. Elyn’s companion on the Quest of Black Mountain. Slew Black Kalgalath with the Rage Hammer. Also known as “the one to guide.”
thorp: a village or hamlet.
thralls: serfs.
three-legged dog: the legendary companion of Snorri, Borri’s son.
timbrel: a small hand drum or tambourine.
token of power: an artifact that has a generally significant or cataclysmic destiny to fulfill. A token of power used for evil purposes is called a feartoken.
tradeway: a roadway used for trade.
Trent: a Man. A bard.
troglodyte: a cave dweller, usually primitive or misshapen.
Trolls. See Ogrus.
trothmate (Châkur: true-pledged mate): a Dwarven term meaning husband or wife.
Trygga: a Fjordsman. Captain of the Wavestrider. Pulled under the waves by a Kraken in the Great Maelstrom during a hurricane.
tulwar: a curved Rutchen sword (saber).
turves: squares of sod cut from turf.
U
Ůkhs (singular: Ůkh) (Châkur: stench-ones). See Rutcha.
(the) Underworld. See Hèl.
Unicorn: one of the legendary eld beasts.
(the) Unseen Weaver: Fate.
(the) Untargarda: all of the worlds upon the Lower Plane.
(the) Usurper: one who sought to replace the rightful High King, precipitating the War of the Usurper, ending the Third Era. Also known as the Pretender.
Utruni (singular: Utrun): one of the Folk of Mithgar. Some claim that there are three strains of Utruni, though the names of these strains are unknown at this time; the strains are: those generally greyish, white to black; those generally brownish, tan to dark brown; those generally reddish, pink to dark red. The adults range from twelve to seventeen feet tall. Gentle. Shy. Dwellers within the stone of Mithgar (the continental bedrock itself). Able to move through solid stone, splitting it to the fore, sealing it to the rear, leaving it unblemished. Jewel-like eyes, said to be gems. See by a different “light” (possibly neutrino-like wavicles) than that seen by other Folk.
V
Vaeran: a Man of Jord. Reachmarshal of the North Reach. Survived the War of Kachar, though badly wounded in the final battle.
Valon: a Land of Mithgar, roughly circular, with vast grassy plains. Bounded on the north-to-east-to-south margin by the River Argon, beyond which lie Riamon and Pellar, respectively; and on the south-to-west margin by the Red Hills, beyond which lies Jugo; and on the west-to-north margin by the Gûnarring and by the Great Escarpment, beyond which lie, respectively, Gûnar and Darda Galion. Valon was awarded to the Jordians for their service to the rightful High King in the War of the Usurper. Until occupied by the Vanadurin, the Land was known as Ellor.
Valur (Valur: our tongue): the ancient War-tongue of the Harlingar. Also known as the Vanadurin War-tongue.
Vanadurin (Valur: bond-lasting = our lasting bond): Battle word of the Harlingar meaning Warriors of the Pledge.
Vanadurin long-ride: a method of varying the gait of a horse such that a pace of forty or even fifty miles per day can be sustained over a considerable number of days. Also known as a Jordreich long-ride.
(the) Vanadurin War-tongue: See Valur.
Vulgs (singular: Vulg): large, black, Wolf-like creatures. Virulent bite. Suffer the Ban. Vulgs act as scouts and trackers for the Foul Folk, in addition to being savage ravers.
W
Waerans (singular: Waeran) (Châkur: wary ones): Dwarven name for the Wee Folk.
Waldana (singular: Waldan) (Valur: wood-ones): Harlingar name for the Wee Folk. wales: horizontal ribs and rails of ships.
Wanderjahren: wandering days, wandering years. The time when many folk drifted across the face of Mithgar searching for suitable Lands in which to settle.
(the) War of Kraggen-cor: a War between Dwarves and the Foul Folk for the Realm of Kraggen-cor.
War-tongue: a special battle-tongue, the details generally kept secret from Folk of other Nations.
Warband: an armed force.
Warcairns: signal cairns atop which balefires are lit to alert the countryside that War is upon the Land.
Warrior Maidens: Jordian Women of past times who generally acted as messengers and scouts in the Jordian army, though at times th
ey also engaged in combat.
water serpents. See Sea-drakes.
Wavestrider: one of the Dragonships that bore Elgo’s Warband to the shores of Rian where dwelled Sleeth the Orm. Crushed by a Kraken in the Great Maelstrom during a hurricane, carrying all hands to death, sinking part of Sleeth’s hoard into the vast whirlpool.
Wee Folk: one of the Folk of Mithgar. Adults generally range from three to four feet in height. Also known as Waerans (Châkur: wary ones) and as Waldana (Valur: wood-ones).
weregield (Fjordsman; Valur: strange gold; doomed gold): a name given to legendary or cursed treasure.
werelight: a strange or spectral light.
(the) West Hall: the chamber behind the gate in Blackstone.
(the) Weston Ocean: a great sea to the west, beyond which new lands are said to lie.
Weyth: a Man of Jord. Captain of the Keepwatch in Jordkeep. Fought in the Battle of Arnsburg.
whisker pole. See beitass.
(the) whispering one. See Modru.
White Harts: legendary beasts of eld.
will-o’-the-wisps: ghostly lights in a swamp at night. Probably marsh gas, though many who have encountered them swear that they are spirits of the dead. Also known as ghost-candles.
Wind: Elyn’s mare. Slain by Modru’s blizzard.
windowshafts: stone shafts through rock to let daylight into a Dwarvenholt.
Wing: Reynor’s horse. Slain in the War of Kachar.
(the) wings of Night: a Vanadurin phrase signifying that Death comes upon the wings of Night.
Winterfest: a midwinter festival or celebration at the time of Cheol (q.v.).
(the) Withering Death: the Ban (q.v.). So called because Folk who suffer the Ban wither to ashes in the sunlight.
Wizard: one of the Folk of Adonar. Neither Elf nor Man, but perhaps a combination of the two. Wizards are said to stand somewhere near six feet tall. They have slightly pointed ears and slightly tilted eyes. They are known to have skin that ranges from dusky to white, though it is said that there are yellow, brown, and red Wizards as well. They are persons of arcane lore and power. Most upon Mithgar are said to dwell in or near Black Mountain in Xian. Also known as Mage (q.v., Magi).
Wizardholt: a Wizard’s dwelling.
(the) Wizard’s Map: a great globe of Mithgar in Black Mountain.
(the) Wolfmage: the Wizard Dalavar. Dwells in Wolfwood with the Draega.
(the) Wolfwood: a great shaggy forest in lands east of Aralan. Here it is said that eld beasts yet live.
Wrg (Valur: foul-worms): the Vanadurin name for the Foul Folk.
Wyrms: another name for Dragons (q.v.), meaning worm. See Dragons.
X
Xian: a Land far to the east in Mithgar where Wizards are said to dwell.
Y
Year’s End: the last day of a year (December 31).
Year’s Long Day: the longest day of the year (June 21). Also known as Mid-Year’s Day.
Year’s Long Night: the longest night of the year (December 21).
Young Kemp: a Man of Jord. Son of Kemp. Fought in the Battle of Arnsburg. One of Elgo’s Warband that destroyed Sleeth in Blackstone. Slain before the gates of Kachar during the War of Kachar.
Z
zhar (Châkur: demonfire liquid): a clear incendiary liquid, possibly naphtha.
AFTERWORD
And so, now you’ve read the tale and perhaps are trying to categorize it. Let me give you my interpretation: it is an adventure story; it is a War story; it is a story of cultures clashing; it is a story about magic, and about mystical and mythical creatures; it is the story of a high quest; it is a story about people rising to meet the challenge in times of great distress, regardless of the odds.
But most of all, it is a love story.
If it has a messsage, it is this: unlike the swallows and the swifts, among people, shackles from the past cannot fetter true love, for surely the bindings will shatter before this greatest enchantment of all.
DENNIS L. MCKIERNAN
September 1988
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born April 4, 1932, I have spent a great deal of my life looking through twilights and dawns seeking—what? ah yes, I remember—seeking signs of wonder, searching for pixies and fairies and other such, looking in tree hollows and under snow-laden bushes and behind waterfalls and across wooded, moonlit dells. I did not outgrow that curiosity, that search for the edge of Faery, when I outgrew childhood—not when I was in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, nor in college, nor in graduate school, nor in the thirty-one years I spent in Research and Development at Bell Telephone Laboratories as an engineer and manager on ballistic missile defense systems and then telephone systems and in think-tank activities. In fact I am still at it, still searching for glimmers and glimpses of wonder in the twilights and the dawns. I am abetted in this curious behavior by Martha Lee, my helpmate, lover, and, as of this writing (2001), my wife of forty-four years.
1 Another Year of the Dragon