Claiming the sword, he let out a shout of triumph, “I, Ahiram, heir to El-Windiir, will be victorious before the King tonight. I will descend on the Royal Hall from the skies and show everyone the power of El-Windiir. Let the bell ring anew; let the flag of Tanniin be raised on high.”
Overwhelmed, Ahiram genuflected.
“Tonight, I regain my freedom, and tomorrow I will leave for Baher-Ghafé, and return to my family. I will stand before my father and tell him I have kept his name: I have honored him. Then, I will come back to Tanniin, and woe to those who stand against me: they shall taste the fury of El-Windiir.”
His voice echoed in the great hall. He knew with an absolute certainty that a new day had dawned; a great power had been awakened.
Ahiram stood up.
Had Kalibaal seen the fierce storm brewing in the young man’s eyes, he would have recoiled in fear.
The Age of the Seer had begun.
GLOSSARY
Dates in the manuscript follow the American convention of month, day, year. For instance, Tébêt 7, 1197. The majority of the kingdoms used the Babylonian Calendar instituted by the Temple of Baal. A year was three hundred and sixty days in length, subdivided into twelve lunar months of thirty days each. A month had four weeks of seven days named after the seven abodes of the gods the Babylonian magi had seen. The first day of the week was Sin. Tébêt was the tenth month of the year. When adjusted to our solar calendar, Tébêt 7, 1197 fell on Sunday, August 10, 1181, of the Age of the Temple.
Most names have been transliterated from the Common Tongue of the Age of the Temple into English. There are marked differences in pronunciations, indicated below. Two of these bear further explanations. As a rule, the Common Tongue places the emphasis on the last syllable. For instance, an English reader will stress the first ‘A’ in the name A-hi-ram, but in the Common Tongue, the stress is on the last syllable, “am,” a-hee-RAM.
Nouns in the Common Tongue are gendered. A month is masculine, a mountain is feminine, the moon is feminine, and the sun is masculine, etc. I have occulted these gender differences in the English to avoid unnecessary distractions except in dwarfish speech and in proper names.
The gender of a name in the Common Tongue is embedded in the last syllable and I have striven to preserve this in English, particularly with names whose last syllable contains “ii,” “ee,” “uu” and “oo.” A double “e” and a double “i” are both pronounced like the double ee in words such as sheet or meet. The double “e” is used in feminine names as in Noraldeen and Layaleen, whereas the “ii” is used in masculine names as in “Tanniin” and “Jamiir.”
Both “uu” and “oo” should be pronounced as in moon, the former in masculine names, such as Urkuun and Aramuun, and the latter in feminine names, such as Foosh and meyroon.
The double “aa” is an exception. The Common Tongue uses it to represent both feminine and masculine names. I have chosen, somewhat arbitrarily, to reserve the “aa” for masculine names, such as Arfaad, and used the accented “â,” for feminine names such as Silbarâd. There is no difference in pronunciation between the double “a” and the accented “a.”
In certain names of Empyrean, Togofalkian, or Zemorian origins, the “i,” “o,” or “y” modify the pronunciation of a preceding vowel. In those cases, I have represented these letters with an umlaut because the phonetic transliteration is too unwieldy. For instance, the name of the Empyrean Empress Gaëla Meïr Pen would have been approximately written as “Gahyela Mehyeer Pen.”
* * *
a
In the table of pronunciation and the glossary, whenever an “a” is pronounced “ah” as in “apple,” it will be spelled ă. When it is pronounced as “James” or “May,” it will be written ā. For instance, the name Arfaad will be phonetically notated as Ărfăăd.
* * *
aa, â
Pronounced as a stressed “aah.”
* * *
ai
Pronounced as in “bray” or “fray.”
* * *
an
Unless otherwise indicated, “an” in the middle of a proper name is pronounced as in “ant,” or the French word “enfant,” and not as in “Anna” or “Anne”.
* * *
e
In almost all cases, it is pronounced as in the French article “le” or as the “u” in “burger”.
* * *
ë
Appears after a vowel only. Pronounced “yeh” as in “yellow” where the “y” is stressed.
* * *
ei
Pronounced as in “vein” or “main.”
* * *
g
Pronounced in all cases as in “group.”
* * *
gh
No English equivalent. The best we can do is to pronounce it as in the word “ghoul.”
* * *
h
The “h” is always soft as in “hello.”
* * *
i
Pronounced as in “he” or “she” and not as in the personal pronoun “I.”
* * *
ï
Appears after a vowel only. Pronounced as “yee” where the y is stressed.
* * *
ii
Stressed “ee” sound.
* * *
j
Pronounced as the “s” in “treasure” and not as in “just.” In what follows, we use “ĵ” to remind the reader of this alternate pronunciation.
* * *
kh
No equivalent in English. It is a harder version of the “gh” in “ghoul.”
* * *
ö
Appears after a vowel only. Pronounced as “yoh” where the y is stressed.
* * *
on
Pronounced as in “monsoon” or “monsieur.”
* * *
oo
Pronounced as in “cool” or “pool.” (Appears in feminine names.)
* * *
u
Pronounced as in “pure.”
* * *
uu
Pronounced as the “oo” in “moon” or “soon.” (Appears in masculine names.)
Abaliim
Ah-bah-leem
Meyroon Abaliim On-Nayiir; the flying miners of meyroon. Dwarfs who mined the meyroon down shafts were so deep that they were never seen again.
Abiil
Ah-b-eel
A servant of the Castle of Taniir-The-Strong.
Adorant
Ah-do-rant
A special order of priestesses of the Temple of Baal, whose voices can drive man to madness, despair, or slavery, becoming puppets in the hands of the priestesses.
Adulaan
Ah-du-laan
A river that runs outside the walls of Taniir-The-Strong.
Aharof
Ah-ha-roff
Means “letters.”
Ahiram
Ah-hee-raam
Son of Jabbar and
Hayat from the town of Baher-Ghafé. A member of the Silent.
Alissaar
Ah-lee-saar
Alissaar Ben Nadam is an alias for Sureï. See Sureï.
Alkiniöm
Ah-l-kee-nee-yom
A famed minstrel who lived toward the end of the Troubled Peace, some fifteen hundred years before the birth of Ahiram.
Alviad
Ah-l-vee-yad
A Silent.
Amalein
Ah-mah-lein
Lantern of Hope; the name of a star.
Amalseer
Ah-mal-seer
Undying Hope; the name of a star.
Amsheet
Ah-m-sheet
The city fortress of Tanniin guarding the northeastern boundary.
Andaluzian
An-dah-lu-zian
A title given to women of exceptional beauty.
Andaxil
An-dah-xeel
The legendary cave of the Southern Dwarfish Real
m, where the greatest treasures of the seven tribes are buried. Lost during a major war. Cursed by Sureï.
Aramuun
Ah-rah-moon
One of the highest peaks of the eastern Tangorian range in Tanniin. The Aramuun soars, above nineteen thousand feet. Although ‘mountain’ is feminine in the Common Tongue, a ‘peak’ is actually masculine.
Arfaad
Ar-faad
Captain of the High Riders in the Temple of Baalbek.
Assin
Ah-seen
This Togofalkian idiom means ‘bitter health’. Togofalkians tend to avoid hard sounds and will typically replace the ‘s’ with a ‘z’.
Atlant
Ah-t-lant
The city of legends famed for its treasures and great knowledge.
Aylul
Eye-lool
The first name of the Empyrean Empress, Aylul Meïr Pen. The last syllable is always stressed and never shortened. Aylul can be translated as youthful fall, indicating someone who is young yet wise.
Baal Adiir
Baal Ah-deer
Highlights the power and omnipotence of Baal.
Baal Adonaï
Baal Ah-do-ny
Baal, my Lord.
Baal Essaru
Baal Eh-ss-ah-ru
Baal, lord of the dead.
Baal Majaar
Baal Mah- ĵ -aar
Baal, lord of the plenty.
Baal Shamaïm
Baal sh-ah-may-ee-m
Baal, lord of the seas.
Baalat Jubeil
Baal-ah-t ĵ-u-b-eil
Lady of Byblos. A deity worshiped in Fineekia.
Baher-Ghafé
Bah-hair Gh-ah-ff-eh
Coastal village of Fineekia. Ahiram’s birthplace.
Bahiya
Bah-hee-y-ah
High Priestess of the Temple of Baalbek. The name means ‘comely’ and ‘beautiful’.
Balid
Bah-leed
Carpet merchant. Husband of Foosh, friend of Kwadil. His name means ‘slow moving’.
Banimelek
Bah-nee-meh-leck
Silent. Friend of Ahiram. His name means ‘son of king’.
Bayrul
Bai-rule
Great judge of the Games of the Mines who established the modern rules regulating the Games when Ahiram participated.
Beit-Windiir
Bey-t when-deer
‘The House of Windiir’. Southern coastal city of Tanniin.
Bragafâr
Brah-gah-faar
Coastal city along the northwestern tip of the southern kingdom of Indolan. Famous for its strange frozen whale.
Chesbân
Ch-eh-s-ban
Second month of the year. Corresponds roughly to the month of May.
Corialynn
Cor-yah-leen
A Silent.
Corintus
Co-rin-tus
A Silent of incredible talent that disappeared mysteriously.
Fineekia
Fee-nee-k-yah
Land of Fineekia, from where Ahiram hails.
Foosh
F-oo-sh
Wife of Balid. Her name means ‘to overflow’.
Frajil
Frah- ĵ-ee-l
A giant of a man. Warrior. Soloron’s brother.
Gaëla Meïr Pen
Gah-yell-ah Mey-yeer Pen
Daughter of the Empyrean Empress. Heir to the throne.
Galliöm
Gah-lee-yom
Head of the Tajéruun.
Garu
Gah-roo
Principal judge of the Games.
Gholem
Gh-oh-lem
Creature of the spell world.
Habael
Hah-bah-yell
Gardner at Taniir-The-Strong.
Haialeen
Hah-yah-leen
Primordial pool of life filled with Water of Blessing.
Hawâl
Hah-waal
The heart of the Pit where the Lords of the Deep are locked.
Hayat
Hah-yah-tt
Ahiram’s mother. Her name means ‘life’.
Hiyam
Hee-yam
Daughter of Bahiya, leader of the team of Baal during the Games of the Mines. Her name means “lost in love.”
Hoda
Ho-dah
Ahiram’s sister. Her name means ‘she who shows the way’.
Hylâz
Hee-laa-z
Judge of the Games of the Mines. His name means ‘Pensive’.
Ibromaliöm
Ee-bro-mah-lium
Judge of the Games of the Mines. Former Tajèr. His name means ‘The one who buries poverty’.
Ithyl Shimea
Ee-thee-l She-meh-yah
A libre – book – of dark power the Temple of Baal cannot control.
Jabbar
ĵ -ah-bb-aar
Ahiram’s father. His name means ‘mighty’.
Jamiir
ĵ-ah-meer
King of Tanniin. His name means ‘burning coal’.
Jedarc
Ĵ-eh-dark
A silent and a friend of Ahiram.
Kalibaal
Kah-lee-baal
Priest of Baal. Member of the Inner Circle in Babylon. Sharr’s right hand man.
Kanmar
Cahn-maar
The Lord of the Deep in Indolan. He is Yem, the god of the sea according to the Temple of Baal.
Kwadil
Kwah-deel
Dwarf. Wealthy merchant. Friend of Balid.
Layaléa
Lah-yah-leh-yah
Corintus’ wife. Her name means ‘lovely night’.
Layaleen
Lah-yah-leen
The wife of the legendary El-Windiir. Her name means ‘starry night’.
Malikuun
Mah-lee-kuun
Plural of Malku. The Lords of Light.
Meyroon
Mey-roon
Meyroon is lighter than a feather, harder than the hardest steel, and cannot be cursed, nor melted by fire or shattered by the coldest ice.
Noraldeen
No-rah-l-deen
Silent. Friend of Ahiram. Her name means ‘shining light’.
Raayiil
Raa-yeel
A creature of the spell world. It appears as a composite of a dream, a vision and a prophecy, and takes complete control of the human mind.
Ramany
Rah-mah-nee
A judge of the Games of the Mines.
Ramel
Rah-mel
Queen of Tanniin. Sharr’s niece.
Sharr
Sh-ah-rr
High Priest of the Temple of Babylon and the ultimate authority of the entire Temple order of Baal. His name means ‘fire’.
Sureï
Su-ray
The greatest sorcerer the Temple of Baal has ever known.
Tajèr
Tah-jeh-r
The name of the first Zakir, who thought to profit from the accumulated knowledge. His name came to mean ‘merchant’.
Tajéruun
Tah-jeh-ruun
Plural of Tajèr.
Taniir
Tah-neer
The name of the legendary castle in Tanniin built by El-Windiir (Taniir-On-High) and the name of the city where, currently, King Jamiir reigns. The name means ‘To light’.
Tanios
Tah-nios
Commander of the Silent
Tanniin Ashod
Tah-neen Ah-shod
The greatest of all dragons, known as Daron Ashod amongst the dwarfs and as Black Dragon by the Empyreans.
Tébêt
Teh-bet
Lunar month corresponding roughly to the month of January.
Urkuun
Ur-kuun
Creature of the spell world of incredible power. Cannot be defeated by natural means.
Uziguzi Aor Jar
Uz-ee-gu-zee
A-wor ĵ -ar
Councilor to the Empyrean Empress Aylul Meïr Pen.
Zakiir
Zah-keer
A man whose sole purpose in life is to consign to memory the secrets of others.
Zakiruun
Zah-kee-ruun
Plural of Zakir.
Zaril Andali
Zah-reel An-dah-lee
A mythical bird in Tanniin whose blue wings were the source of every blue sky. Its feast is celebrated at the winter equinox to ward off the bad spirits of the night.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Joseph Murano is the author’s pen name. Michael began writing at the age of sixteen and never stopped since. The curious fact that he delayed the publication of his first novel until now is a story too long to tell. Suffice it to say that Michael has written the ten books of the Epic of Ahiram over a period of fourteen years, with the initial intention to enchant his seven children by reading to them evening after evening.
Michael has written, in French and English, numerous plays, children’s books, a collection of poems for his wife, and a series of audio stories he continues to record for his two youngest daughters.
Michael’s blog, www.epicofahiram.com is a portal unto the rich world of Ahiram. He invites you to join him there and discover the epic of the slave, born to be a hero.
Epic Of Ahiram (Book 1) Page 45