Dramatis Personae
Where characters are fictional, their names are in Roman lower case; where historical, in Roman capitals; where of doubtful or debatable historicity, in italics. When a full name has not appeared in the text, it is generally not here either, for it was of no great importance even to the bearer.
Adminius: A legionary from Londinium.
Adruval Tyri: Sea Lord of Ys, head of the navy and marines.
Allil: A half-brother of Niall.
Antonia: A sister of Gratillonius.
ARCADIUS, FLAVIUS: Eldest son of Theodosius, his eventual successor as Emperor in the East.
Artorius: The former steward of the Gratillonius estate.
Audris: Daughter of Innilis by Hoel.
AUSONIUS, DECIMUS MAGNUS: Gallo-Roman poet, scholar, teacher, and sometime Imperial officer.
Betha: Wife of Maeloch.
Blodvin: Osismiic maidservant of Fennalis.
Bodilis: A Queen of Ys, daughter of Tambilis by Wulfgar.
Bomatin Kusuri: A Suffete of Ys, a sea captain and Mariner delegate to the Council.
Borsus: An Ysan.
Breccan: Eldest son of Niall.
Brennilis: Leader of the Gallicenae in the time of Julius and Augustus Caesar.
Briga: Osismiic maidservant of Forsquilis.
Bridn: A half-brother of Niall.
Budic: A Coritanic legionary.
Carenn: Mother of Niall.
Calloch; A Gaul, former King of Ys, father of Fennalis and Morvanalis.
Camilla: A sister of Gratillonius.
Catellan: An Ysan.
Cathual: Charioteer to Niall.
Claudia: A woman mentioned by Eucherius.
Colconor: A Gaul, King of Ys at the time of Gratillonius’s arrival.
Commius: A Romano-Britannic senator.
Cothortin Rosmertai: Lord of Works in Ys, head of the civil service.
Craumthan maqq Fidaci: Brother of Mongfind, successor to King Eochaid maqq Muredach.
CUNEDAG: A prince of the Votadini.
Cynan: A Demetaic legionary.
Dahilis: A Queen of Ys, daughter of Tambilis by Hoel.
Dahut: Daughter of Dahilis and Gratillonius.
Dauvinach: An Ysan.
Docca: A Dumnonic woman, once nurse to Gratillonius.
Donalis: A former Queen of Ys, mother of Quistilis by Wulfgar.
Ethniu: A former concubine of Niall, mother of Breccan.
Elissa: (1) Birthname of Lanarvilis. (2) Daughter of Lanarvilis by Lugaid.
Eochaid maqq Muredach: A former King at Temir, father of Niall.
Eppillus, Quintus Junius: A Dobunnic legionary, Gratillonius’s deputy.
Esmunin Sironai: Chief astrologer in Ys.
Estar: Birthname of Dahilis.
Eucherius: Christian minister (chorepiscopus) in Ys at the time of Gratillonius’s arrival.
Evar: A maidservant of Innilis.
Ewein: A neighbour of the Gratillonii in Britannia.
Faustina: A sister of Gratillonius.
Féchra: A half-brother of Niall.
Fennalis: A Queen of Ys, daughter of Ochtalis by Calloch.
Fergus: A half-brother of Niall.
Forsquilis: A Queen of Ys, daughter of Karilis by Lugaid.
Gaetulius: A Mauretanian, former King of Ys, father of Maldunilis, Vindilis, and Innilis.
Gladwy: Birthname of Quinipilis.
GRATIANUS, FLAVIUS: Co-Emperor of the West with Valentinianus.
Gratillonius, Gaius Valerius: A Romano-Briton of the Belgic tribe, centurion in the seventh cohort of the Second Legion Augusta, later King of Ys.
Gratillonius, Lucius Valerius: Older brother of the above.
Gratillonius, Marcus Valerius: Father of the two above.
Guennellius: A Britannic curial.
Guentius: A Britannic legionary.
Guilvilis: Name taken by Sasai when she became a Queen of Ys.
Gwynmael: Gamekeeper, later groom on the Gratillonius estate.
Hannon Baltisi: Lir Captain in Ys.
Herun: A seaman in the Ysan navy.
Hoel: A Gaul, former King of Ys, father of Dahilis.
Innilis: A Queen of Ys, daughter of Donalis by Gaetulius.
Iram Eliuni: Lord of Gold in Ys, head of the treasury.
Janatha: An Ysan.
Julia: Mother of Gratillonius.
Karilis: A former Queen of Ys, mother of Forsquilis by Lugaid.
Keban: A prostitute in Ys.
Kerna: Second daughter of Bodilis by Hoel.
Laidchenn maqq Barchedo: An ollam poet who joined the court of Niall.
Lanarvilis: A Queen of Ys, daughter of Fennalis by Wulfgar.
Laurentinus: A Britannic curial.
Lugaid: A Scotian, former King of Ys, father of Forsquilis.
Lugotorix, Sextus Titius: A Gallo-Roman publican.
Lyria: Birthname of Karilis.
Maclavius: A Britannic legionary and Mithraist.
Maeloch: An Ysan fisher captain and Ferrier of the Dead.
Maldunilis: A Queen of Ys, daughter of Quistilis by Gaetulius.
MAXIMUS, MAGNUS CLEMENS: Commander of Roman forces in Britannia, later co-Emperor.
Mongfind: Stepmother of Niall, said to have been a witch.
Morvanalis: A former Queen of Ys, mother of Guilvilis by Hoel.
Nemain maqq Aedo: Chief druid to Niall.
NIALL MAQQ ECHACH: King of Temir, overlord of Mide in Eriu.
Ochtalis: A former Queen of Ys, mother of Morvanalis and Fennalis by Calloch.
Parnesius: A Romano-Britannic centurion, friend of Gratillonius.
Pertinax: A Romano-Britannic centurion, friend of Parnesius.
Prudentius: A Redonian, deacon to Eucherius.
Quinipilis: A Queen of Ys, daughter of Redorix, mother unspecified.
Quistilis: A former Queen of Ys, mother of Maldunilis by Wulfgar.
Rael: A prostitute in Ys.
Redorix: A Gaul, former King of Ys, father of Quinipilis.
Runa: (1) Birthname of Vindilis. (2) Daughter of Vindilis by Hoel.
Sasai: Daughter of Morvanalis by Calloch; later Guilvilis.
Semuramat: Third daughter of Bodilis by Hoel.
Silis: A prostitute in Ys.
Soren Cartagi: Speaker for Taranis in Ys, Timbermen delegate to the Council.
Taenus Himilco: An Ysan landholder.
Talavair: (1) Birthname of Bodilis. (2) First daughter of Bodilis by Hoel.
Tambilis: A former Queen of Ys, mother of Bodilis by Wulfgar and Dahilis by Hoel.
Tasciovanus: A Britannic curial.
Temesa: Maidservant of Quinipilis.
THEODOSIUS, FLAVIUS (known to history as the Great): Emperor in the East; eventually, briefly, sole Roman Emperor.
Uail maqq Carbri: A henchman of Niall.
Una: Daughter of Ewein and first love of Gratillonius.
Usun: An Ysan fisherman, Maeloch’s mate on Osprey.
VALENTINIANUS, FLAVIUS: Half-brother of Gratianus and co-Emperor of the West with him.
Vallilis: A former Queen of Ys, mother of Tambilis by Wulfgar.
Verica: A Britannic legionary and Mithraist.
Vindilis: A Queen of Ys, daughter of Quinipilis by Gaetulius.
Wulfgar: A Saxon, former King of Ys, father of Tambilis, Quistilis, Karilis, Lanarvilis, and Bodilis.
Zeugit: An Ysan, landlord of the Green Whale.
About the Authors
Poul Anderson (1926–2001) grew up bilingual in a Danish American family. After discovering science fiction fandom and earning a physics degree at the University of Minnesota, he found writing science fiction more satisfactory. Admired for his “hard” science fiction, mysteries, historical novels, and “fantasy with rivets,” he also excelled in humor. He was the guest of honor at the 1959 World Science Fiction Convention and at many similar events, including the 1998 Contact Japan 3 and the 1999 Strannik Conference in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Besides winning the Hugo and Nebula Awards, he h
as received the Gandalf, Seiun, and Strannik, or “Wanderer,” Awards. A founder of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, he became a Grand Master, and was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
In 1952 he met Karen Kruse; they married in Berkeley, California, where their daughter, Astrid, was born, and they later lived in Orinda, California. Astrid and her husband, science fiction author Greg Bear, now live with their family outside Seattle.
Karen Anderson (b. 1932) is both a science fiction fan and a founder of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America. She graduated from high school in Maryland and worked as a military cartographer to pay for both her attendance at the 1952 World Science Fiction Convention and the academic year 1952–53, which she spent as a drama major. Correspondence with Poul Anderson convinced her that the life she wanted was in science fiction, not on the stage, and she and Anderson later married.
Karen Anderson’s solo work comprises verse and short fiction. She brought many skills to assist Poul Anderson in writing his novels: proofreading, research, languages, mapping, story planning, and collecting material for future works. Discussions led to early shared bylines; after visiting Hadrian’s Wall, Karen Anderson put a year’s research and plotting—plus verses of her own—into his hands for The King of Ys.
Karen Anderson now lives half an hour’s drive from the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society’s clubhouse.
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 1986 by Trigonier Trust
Cover design by Jason Gabbert
978-1-4976-9433-0
This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
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THE KING OF YS
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