The Road to Hell (Hell's Gate Book 3)

by David Weber

  Tosaria—an ancient Ransaran kingdom on Arcana. Its capital was located in the same approximate geographical spot as Shanghai. Tosaria had attained a high and sophisticated level of civilization while most of the rest of present day Ransara was still in a state of primitivism.

  Tracer—a Sharonian with the Tracer Talent. One who is sensitive to the current location, or at least direction to, another individual or object. They are also called “Sniffers.”

  Trans-temporal Express—a privately-held corporation responsible for building and maintaining the primary rail and shipping connections linking the Sharonian home universe to the expanding frontier. Although it is the single largest, wealthiest privately-held corporation in Sharonian history, the TTE is subject to close regulation and oversight by the Portal Authority, which has granted—and retains the legal right to revoke—the TTE’s multi-universal right-of-way.

  Trembo Fire Heel—messenger of the gods and patron of geographers in the Andaran pantheon.

  Treybus Ocean—Arcanan analog to the Atlantic Ocean.

  Triad—common colloquial reference to the six deities formally known as the Elder Triad and Veiled Triad. Elder Triad—the most ancient members of the Ternathian Double Triads, consisting of the original Ternathian ruling gods: Vothan, Shalana, and Marnilay. Veiled Triad—the “junior” of the Ternathian Double Triads, consisting of deities which entered Ternathian cosmology as Ternathian culture and the Ternathian Empire spread across the ancient world. They are mother Marthea, Sekharan, and Tryganath.

  Trombo Mountains—the Sharonian analog of the Monte Christo Mountains, Nevada.

  Tsykantha Island—Sharonian analog of Borneo Island.

  Tukoria—the largest and most powerful of the Hilmaran kingdoms, consisting of the equivalent of most of Argentina and Chile. Tukoria was the only Hilmaran state which maintained its independence against Andaran conquest and colonization.

  Tumble Rock River—the Sharonian analog of the Virgin River in southwestern Utah and stream southeastern Nevada.

  Tyrahl River—the Sharonian analog of the Missouri River.

  Ulthamyr—a small bison-ranching town in the Republic of Roantha in New Ternath, located on the Tyrahl River (Missouri River) a few miles from Pierre, South Dakota.

  Union Arbitration Commission (UAC)—a quasi-diplomatic commission which answers to the Union Senate’s committee on inter-universal disputes.

  Union City—a city at the entry portal into New Sharona, located about fifty miles east of Bloemfontein, South Africa.

  Union Mark (abbreviated UM)—Arcanan unit of currency issued by the Union of Arcana. It is subdivided into half-marks, quarter-marks, tenth-marks, and hundredth-marks, usually referred to as halves, quarters, silvers, and coppers.

  Union of Arcana—the world government of the home universe of Arcana.

  Union Trans-temporal Transit Authority—the agency of the Union of Arcana’s government charged with overseeing trans-temporal travel and commerce, including regulation of sliderails and maritime transport infrastructure.

  Urdanha Mountains—Arcanan analog of the Zagros Mountains.

  Uromathia—a general term applied to the Sharonian equivalent of Asia south of Mongolia and west of India. This area is divided into many smaller kingdoms and two empires, all of which share many common cultural traits.

  Uromathian Empire—the larger of the two empires found in Uromathia. It occupies the Sharonian equivalent of China and includes the equivalent of Vietnam and Cambodia.

  Usarlah—a Sharonian city located in the Delkrath Mountains (just north of Madrid) in the Ternathian province of Delkrathia.

  UTTTA—see Union Trans-temporal Transit Authority, above.

  Vahlstahg Mountains—the Sharonian analog of the Tonquin Mountains, Nevada.

  Vandor Ocean—the Sharonian analog of the Atlantic Ocean.

  Vandor River—the Sharonian analog of the Mississippi River.

  Vankaiyar—a city in Ricathia located approximately on the site of Mogadishu. Location of the portal between Traisum and Salym.

  Vaylar—Arpathian demon twin of Sankhar, patron of pestilence. See also Sankhar. In many ways, Vaylar and Sankhar are the Arpathian equivalents of Scylla and Charybdis.

  Vaylar and Sankhar—Arpathian twin demons, patrons respectively of pestilence and war. In many ways, they are the Arpathian analogs of Scylla and Charybdis. (See also Sankhar.)

  Veiled Triad—the “junior” of the Ternathian Double Triads, consisting of deities which entered Ternathian cosmology as Ternathian culture and the Ternathian Empire spread across the ancient world. They are Mother Marthea, Sekharan, and Tryganath.

  Verdynal Valley—the Sharonian analog of Ione Valley, Nevada.

  Volmyria—an Arcanan empire roughly equivalent to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Although it is considered a Ransaran state and is predominantly Ransaran racially, it possesses a military tradition almost as powerful as Andara’s and is centered around a very powerful (and well organized) imperial bureaucracy. Although it is in many ways an uncomfortable fit with the predominant Ransaran fetish for individual rights and elective government, it has stood as a bulwark against Mythalan expansion for centuries.

  vos—“of the line of” in ancient Mythalan. The use in a Mythalan’s name indicates that the individual is of high shakira caste. (See also “mul,” above.)

  Vothan—the Ternathian deity called “Father Vothan,” who serves as Ternathia’s war god, is one of the Ternathian Double Triads. “Father Vothan” protects the Empire in military combat and is therefore also called Protector Vothan or “The Protector” by the people of Ternathia and those regions colonized by Ternathia.

  Vothan’s Canyon—the Sharonian analog of the Grand Canyon.

  Vothan’s chariot—the armored chariot of the Ternathian Double Triad deity who serves as Ternathia’s Protector, or god of war.

  Voyager-class transport—the Voyager is a modular design steamship developed by TTE engineers to be shipped through portals aboard enormous railcars and assembled in universes where ships are needed to cross the water gaps. Similar in concept and design to the Liberty and Victory ships of World War II.

  Vyrlair—an Arpathian region of Sharona roughly equivalent to our own Turkmenistan.

  Western Ocean—the Sharonian name for the Pacific Ocean.

  Western Plains—the Arcanan name for the Great Plains of North America, lying along the boundary of Elath and Yanko.

  Whiffer—a Sharonian with the Whiffer Talent. One who is sensitive to residual psychic impressions.

  White Mist Lake—the Arcanan analog of Lake Erie.

  White Rush River—the Sharonian analog of the Columbia River.

  White Snake River—the Sharonian analog for Carson River, Nevada.

  White Snake Valley—the Sharonian analog for Carson Valley, Nevada.

  Willow Creek—the Sharonian analog of Willow Creek, Nevada.

  Wind Peak Mountains—the Sharonian analog of the Wasatch Mountains.

  Windhold—the feudal territory held by a Uromathian “windlord” (see below); roughly equivalent to an earldom.

  Windlord—a Uromathian aristocratic title, roughly equivalent to that of earl.

  Windscrub Valley—the Sharonian analog of Sand Spring Valley, Nevada.

  Windstorm Lake—Sharonian analog of Lake Washoe, Nevada. Noted for its often extremely violent winds.

  Winged Crown—the imperial crown of Ternathia. This ancient crown (still used in coronations) was made by Farnalian goldsmiths almost 5,000 years ago as a surety for the treaty negotiated between the Kingdom of Ternathia and Farnalia by Celaryon II of Ternathia (see above).

  Wolves of Ternathia—nickname of the Imperial Ternathian Army, taken in large part from the ancient Ternathian “wolf’s howl” warcry.

  Wyrmach—a small city/large town in the southwestern corner of the republic of Thanos in New Ternath, not far from the location of Lincoln, Nebraska.

  Yahnoha Bay—the Sharonian analog of Gallway Bay in western T
ernathia.

  Yamali Mountains—the Sharonian analog of the Himalaya Mountains, they lie north of Harkala, stretching from Isseth in the west into the Uromathian Empire in the east.

  Yanakhyan Islands—Sharonian analog of the Hawaiian Islands, consisting of Terahka (Hawaii), Nehran (Maui), Malakoha (Oahu), Hynosha (Kauai), Serythaho (Molokai), Kanashura (Lanai), Moyhar (Niihau), and Dahnakho (Kahoolawe).

  Yanko—the third major Andaran kingdom, which includes the equivalent of most of central North America, from the Canadian border south, and virtually all of Mexico.

  Yar Khom—the Arcanan analog of Florida.

  Yarahk—an Arcanan city located at the equivalent of Aswan, Egypt.

  Yirshan River—the Sharonian analog of the Columbia River.

  Ylani Sea—the Sharonian analog of the Black Sea.

  Ylani Strait—the Sharonian analog of the Bosporus.

  Ynthar—a Ransaran republic roughly equivalent to Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

  Yurha—the soul as conceptualized by Mythalan religion. The yurha is the basis of Mythalan reincarnation beliefs, which enshrine the concept of “spiritual evolution” to a higher state of being.

  Zaithag—an Arpathian city in Vyrlair, located at approximately the same spot as Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

  Zakar Federation—a loosely organized federation of feudal states in New Farnalia consisting of central Brazil between the Xingu River and the San Francisco River, extending southwest almost to the Paraguayan border.

  Zyntahra—a Ransaran kingdom analog to the Chinese provinces of Jilin and Heilongjiang, the Korean peninsula, and the northern tip of Neimongol Province. Zyntahra has the strongest maritime and naval tradition of any Ransaran state.

  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  [HG] = appears in Hell’s Gate

  [HHNF] = appears in Hell Hath No Fury

  [TRTH] = appears in The Road To Hell

  Banchu, Olvyr—[HG, HHNF, TRTH] the Trans-temporal Express’s chief construction engineer.

  Bersil, Commander of Twenty-Five Helok, Union of Arcana Air Force—[TRTH] 5001st Strike, First Provisional Talon. Pilot of red dragon Glory Wing. One of the escort pilots for Commander of Fifty Yoril Jerstan’s dragon train.

  Blackfang Heartripper—[TRTH] a Sidus VI line seadrake.

  Busar, Emperor Chava IX—[HG, HHNF, TRTH] Emperor of Uromathia.

  Calirath, Her Imperial Grand Highness Anbessa—[HG, HHNF, TRTH] the youngest of Zindel chan Calirath’s daughters.

  Calirath, Her Imperial Grand Highness Andrin—[HG, HHNF, TRTH] the eldest of Zindel chan Calirath’s three daughters, heir to the throne of Ternathia.

  Calirath, Her Imperial Grand Highness Razial—[HG, HHNF, TRTH] the second eldest of Zindel chan Calirath’s daughters.

  Calirath, Her Imperial Majesty Varena—[HG, HHNF, TRTH] Empress Consort of Ternathia; Zindel chan Calirath’s wife.

  Carthos, Commander of One Thousand Tayrgal, Union of Arcana Army—[HHNF, TRTH] Two Thousand Harshu’s senior ground commander.

  Chan Bartys, Master Armsman Jesthair—[TRTH] Razial Calirath’s personal guardsman.

  Chan Brano, Platoon-Captain Fosal, Portal Authority Armed Forces—[TRTH] CO, 2nd Platoon, Gold Company, 2nd Battalion, 127th Regiment; one of Namir Velvelig’s junior officers.

  Chan Byrnal, Under-Armsman Hanyl, Portal Authority Armed Forces—[TRTH] HQ Section, 127th Regiment, PAAF. Regiment-Captain Velvelig’s most junior “clerk” and a Talented Distance Viewer.

  Chan Calirath, His Imperial Majesty Zindel—[HG, HHNF, TRTH] Zindel XXIV, Duke of Ternathia, Grand Duke of Farnalia, Warlord of the West, Protector of the Peace, Wing-Crowned, and, by the gods’ grace, Emperor of Ternathia.

  Chan Calirath, Platoon-Captain Crown Prince Janaki, Imperial Ternathian Marines—[HG, HHNF] the eldest child and heir of Emperor Zindel chan Calirath of Ternathia. CO, Third Platoon, Copper Company, Second Battalion, 117th Imperial Ternathian Marines, assigned to duty with the PAAF.

  Chan Carthad, Junior-Armsman Padrair, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] 1st Recon Section, 3rd Dragoon Division, ITA, a Talented Distance Viewer attached to Gold Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Dragoon Regiment.

  Chan Cyrmyn, Platoon-Captain Symahrn, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] 2nd Battalion, 12th Dragoon Regiment, 3rd Dragoon Division; Hymair chan Yahndar’s staff Voice.

  Chan Dasam, Company-Captain Lerkhali, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] CO, Bronze Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Dragoon Regiment, 3rd Dragoon Division, ITA.

  Chan Derkail, Company-Captain Hyrus, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] CO, Silver Company, 1407th Mounted Combat Engineer Battalion, ITA.

  Chan Dernal, Junior-Armsman Jakys, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] 2nd Battalion, 12th Dragoon Regiment, 3rd Dragoon Division, ITA; a strongly talented Distance Viewer assigned to 2nd Battalion for its advance down the Kelsayr.

  Chan Dersain, Armsman Thakoh, Portal Authority Armed Forces—[TRTH] HQ Section, 127th Regiment, PAAF; Regiment-Captain Velvelig’s clerks at Fort Ghartoun.

  Chan Dorth, Under-Armsman Lerthan, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] Silver Company, 1407th Mounted Combat Engineer Battalion, ITA; Company-Captain Hyrus chan Derkail’s company Flicker.

  Chan Ersam, Battalion-Captain Rechair, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] Quartermaster, 3rd Brigade, 21st Infantry Division, 5th Corps, ITA.

  Chan Esmahr, Company-Captain Temyk, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] CO, 103rd Battery, Imperial Ternathian Horse Artillery.

  Chan Evard, Under-Armsman Rodahr, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] bugler, 1st Platoon, Gold Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Dragoon Regiment, 3rd Dragoon Division, ITA.

  Chan Fairstal, Company-Captain Gerkar, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] CO, Bronze Company, 1407th Mounted Combat Engineer Battalion, ITA.

  Chan Farcos, Junior Armsman Urmahl, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] senior NCO, 3rd Squad, 2nd Platoon, 1407th Mounted Combat Engineer Battalion, ITA.

  Chan Ferdain, Regiment-Captain Hahlstyr, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] CO, 312th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 21st Infantry Division, 5th Corps, ITA.

  Chan Fyrkam, Company-Captain Traivyr, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] XO, 2nd Battalion, 12th Dragoon Regiment, 3rd Dragoon Division, ITA.

  Chan Gairwyn, Platoon-Captain Ersayl, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] CO, 2nd Platoon, Silver Company, 1407th Mounted Combat Engineer Battalion, ITA.

  Chan Garatz, Telfor—[TRTH] the Chief of Imperial Security.

  Chan Gayrahn, Battalion-Captain Chimo, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] 3rd Dragoon Division, Imperial Ternathian Army; Division-Captain chan Geraith’s staff planning and operations officer.

  Chan Gelsayr, Senior-Chief-Armsman Hahkir, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] battalion chief-armsman, 2nd Battalion, 12th Dragoon Regiment, 3rd Dragoon Division, ITA.

  Chan Geraith, Division-Captain Arlos, Imperial Ternathian Army—[HG, HHNF, TRTH] CO, Third Dragoon Division, Fifth Corps.

  Chan Golar, Senior-Armsman Tersak, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] company senior-armsman, Gold Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Dragoon Regiment, 3rd Dragoon Division, ITA.

  Chan Gorsad, Brigade-Captain Resardan, Imperial Ternathian Army—[TRTH] CO, 2nd Brigade, 21st Infantry Division, 5th Corps, ITA; one of Division-Captain chan Jassian’s brigade commanders.