by Alison Baird
PRONUNCIATION OF ELENSI WORDS
Elensi words are pronounced as follows:
Vowels
A—always has the short sound, as in flat
AA—has a long, drawn-out “ah” sound; before R, pronounced as in car (In some instances I have rendered it as A for easier reading, as in Aana—Ana, Loänaan—Loänan)
AI—as in rain
AU—another “ah” sound; before R, pronounced as in oar
E—always has the short sound, as in bed
EI—like the German ei, an “eye” sound
I—like the French I, an “ee” sound
O—always the long sound, as on bow, except when it is the penultimate letter in a word (e.g., Damion, Halmirion), in which case it has the short sound as in iron, lion
OA—not a diphthong as in road but two distinct sounds, as in coagulate.
U—always the long sound, as in tune
Y—always a vowel, never a consonant: has the short I sound as in win, except before E, when it takes the long sound, as in wine
Consonants
G—always pronounced like the G in goose, never as in gin
S—pronounced as in so, not the Z sound in phase
TH—always pronounced as in thin, never as in then
Note: these rules do not necessarily apply to words in languages other than Elensi, i.e., Zimbouran, in which the letter Y is a consonant.
GLOSSARY OF EXTRATERRESTRIAL WORDS
Ailia: (AY-lee-a) Elensi ai + lia, “lode star.” Island girl who joined the quest in Mera to find the Star Stone; later revealed to be the Tryna Lia.
Akkar: (AH-kar) Moharan. God of the earth, consort of Nayah the sky-goddess.
Ana (AH-na) Elensi. Wise woman and guide to the Tryna Lia. See Eliana.
Andarion: (an-DAR-ee-on) Elensi aan + darion, “Lord Knight.” Title given to King Brannar of Maurainia in the Golden Age.
Arainia: (a-RAY-nee-a) Elensi ar + ain-ia, “bright homeland/sphere.” Second planet in the Auria system.
Ardana: (ar-DAN-a) Elensi ard + aana, “the Lady-wood.” Forest in southern Eldimia, held by the Elei to be sacred to the goddess Elarainia.
Arkurion: (ar-KYOOR-ee-on) Elensi ar-kuri + on, “bright torch bearer.” First planet in the Auria system.
Auria: (OR-ee-a) Elensi aur + ia, “place/sphere (of) life.” Elei name for the sun.
Auron: (OR-on) Elensi aur + on, “vessel of life.” An Imperial Loänan, friend and protector of the Tryna Lia.
Azar: (AZ-ar) Elensi azar, “calamity.” Name for the planet of the dwarf star Azarah. See Azarah.
Azarah: (AZ-a-ra) Elensi Azar’ah, from azar + rah, “bringer of calamity.” Name of a small dim star that became trapped in the Auria system’s gravitational field. See Terrestrial Terms: Disaster, the.
Damion: (DAY-mee-on) Elensi dai + mion, “welcome messenger.” (I have simplified the spelling of this name from the phonetic Daimion, as there is an English name, Damien, pronounced similarly.) Priest of the Faith and companion of the Tryna Lia.
Elaia: (el-LAY-a) Elensi El’aia, from el + laia, “lower gods.”
Elarainia: (el-a-RAY-nee-a) Elensi el + Arainia. Name of the goddess of the planet Arainia; also, the mother of the Tryna Lia.
Eldimia: (el-DEEM-ee-a) Elensi Eldim’ia, from el + dimi + ia, “(the) gods’ beauteous country.” Land in the world of Arainia to which the Elei fled after the Great Disaster.
Elei: (EL-eye) Elensi el + ei, “children of the gods.” Ancient race now vanished from Mera. They had special powers of the mind, believed by them to be the result of a divine ancestry.
Elendor: (el-EN-dor) Elensi el + endor, “holy mountain.” Sacred mountain in Trynisia, on whose summit the holy city of Liamar was built.
Elensi: (el-EN-see) The language of the Elei. From Elensi el + ensi, “holy tongue” or “gods’ tongue.”
Eliana: (el-ee-AH-na) Elensi el-i + aana, “lady (of the) spirit host,” or “queen of the faeries.” Former queen of Trynisia; see Ana.
Elmir: (EL-meer) Elensi el + mir, “spirit power.” The concept of Spirit, represented in Elei art as a bird.
Elmiria: (el-MEER-ee-a) Elensi el + Miria. Birth name of the Tryna Lia.
Elyra: (el-LIE-ra) Elensi El’yra, from el + lyra, “higher gods.”
Entar: (EN-tar) Elensi en + tar, “great worm.” The old stellar empire of Modrian-Valdur, known to humankind as the Constellation of the Worm, represented in astronomical illustrations as a dragon devouring its own tail. The red star Utara corresponds with the dragon’s eye, the blue star Lotara is its tail, and Vartara, the black hole that is Lotara’s binary companion, is identified with its mouth. See Lotara, Utara, Vartara.
Falaar: (fuh-LAR) A cherub guardian of the Tryna Lia. This is an approximate phonetic rendition of his name, which means “Sun-hunter.”
Halmirion: (hal-MEER-ee-on) Elensi Halmiri’on, from hal + Miria + on, “Castle Moonbearer.” The palace of the Tryna Lia in Eldimia.
Hyelanthia: (hye-el-AN-thee-a) Elensi Hyelanth’ia, from hy-el + antha + ia, “cloud-country belonging to the gods.” Land in Arainia where the Elaia were said to have dwelt.
Ingard: (EENG-gard) Elensi. Famed knight and friend of King Andarion.
Jomar: (JOE-mar) Moharan. One of the Tryna Lia’s companions, a warrior of mixed Moharan and Zimbouran heritage.
Kaans: (KAHNS) Kaanish. The inhabitants of the Archipelagoes of Kaan in Mera.
Khalazar: (KHAL-a-zar) Zimbouran khal + Elensi Azar, “born under Azar.” Name of the king of Zimboura in Ailia’s day. The “kh” sound is pronounced like the “ch” in the Scottish loch. (The western peoples, who had no such sound in their language, pronounced the name “Kalazar.”)
Kiran Jariss: (KEER-an JAH-riss) Zimbouran. A Zimbouran ally of the Zayim.
Liamar: (LEE-a-mar) Elensi lia + mar, “star city.” Holy city atop Mount Elendor in Trynisia.
Loänan: (LOW-a-nahn) Elensi Loänaan, from lo + an + aan, “lord (of) wind (and) water.” See Terrestrial terms: Dragon.
Loänanmar: (low-a-NAHN-mar) Elensi loanan + mar, “city of dragons.” Largest city in the world of Nemorah.
Loänei: (LOW-un-eye) Elensi lo + an + ei, “children of wind and water.” Race of beings descended from unions between humans and Loänan transformed into human shape.
Lorelyn: (LORE-el-in) Elensi Lor’el’yn, from lora + el-lyn, “daughter of sacred sky (heaven).” A gifted Nemerei and friend of the Tryna Lia.
Lotara: (low-TAR-a) Elensi Lot’ara, from lot + tar-a, “tail of the worm.” A star in Entar, the constellation of Modrian-Valdur. It is companion star to Vartara, the black star. See Entar.
Marakor: (MA-ra-kor) Marakite. Country to the south of Maurainia in Mera.
Maurainia: (mor-AIN-ee-a) Elensi Maur + ain + ia, “homeland (of the) Maur (tribe).” Principal kingdom of Mera’s Western Continent.
Meldramiria: (mel-druh-MEER-ee-a) Elensi meldra + Miria, “throne (of the) moon.” The Tryna Lia’s throne in Eldimia.
Meldrian: (MEL-dree-un) Elensi meldri + aan, “lord of thrones.” An ancient world, the capital of the Celestial Empire from the days of the Archons.
Melnemeron: (mel-NEM-er-on) Elensi Melnemer’on, from mel + ne-Mera + on, “repository of the lore of the Not-world (Ether).” Place in Arainia where the Nemerei gather to learn and share their knowledge.
Mera: (MARE-a) Elensi word for “earth” or “soil,” also used by the inhabitants of the third planet of the Auria system as the name for their world.
Meraalia: (mare-AWL-ee-a) Elensi Meraal’ia, from mera-al + lia, “star stone.”
Miria: (MEER-ee-a) Elensi miri + a, literally “of radiance.” Elei name for Arainia’s moon.
Mirimar: (MEER-eem-ar) Elensi miri + mar, “radiant city.” Capital city of Eldimia.
Modrian: (MO-dree-un) Elensi name for a deity, chief of the sky-gods (but subordinate to the supreme deity of High Heaven). Said to have rebelled and been defeated by the other gods of earth and sky, who confined him in the
Pit of Perdition. See Valdur.
Modriani: (mo-dree-AN-ee) Elensi. Term for a small sect of Maurainians who worshipped Modrian-Valdur and looked for his return. The members of the Modrianist cult believed that the world was an evil illusion cast by the other gods, and that Valdur must destroy it in order to set humanity free.
Mohar: Moharan. Country south of Zimboura, now an occupied territory.
Mohara: Moharan. A people of the southern Antipodes.
Moriana: Elensi mori + aana, “lady/mistress of the nights.” A title given to Mera’s moon deity; also the name of Brannar Andarion’s queen.
Morlyn: (MORE-lin) Elensi mor + lyn, “night sky.” Son of King Brannar Andarion and Queen Moriana.
Morugei: (MOR-oo-guy) Elensi Morug’ei, from moruga + ei, “children (of) the night-haunts.” Also Demonspawn. The mutant humanoid races that worship Valdur. These creatures are reputed to be the misshapen offspring of true humans and evil incubi. They include numerous races, whom I call here Anthropophagi, trolls, ogres, and goblins. The first three subspecies breed “true,” passing on their characteristics to subsequent generations, but among goblins no two individuals are alike, and even their offspring do not resemble their parents. However, the goblins have a higher intelligence than the other races, and are more skilled in the arts of sorcery.
Nayah: (NYE-uh) Moharan. Goddess of the sky in Moharan myth.
Nemerei: (NEM-er-eye) Elensi ne-Mera + ei, “child/children (of the) not-world.” (“Ne-Mera,” “Not-world,” is a literal translation of the immaterial dimension here called the Ether.) Beings able to communicate with their minds alone, in addition to other psychic powers.
Nemorah: (nuh-MOR-uh) Loänei-Elensi. A world once inhabited by the Loänei, now home to human beings.
Numia: (NYOO-mee-a) Elensi. Elei name for Mera’s moon.
Ombar: (OM-bar) Elensi. Principal world of the star-state known as the Constellation of the Worm (Entar) ruled in ancient times by the Archon Modrian-Valdur. Ombar orbits so close to its sun, Utara, that it suffers from “tidal lock”: one side of the planet is always turned toward the sun and the other turned away. As a result there are two realms in Ombar: the eternally hot and barren Daylands, and the Nightlands of perpetual cold and darkness. A thin strip of twilight lies between the two realms, and here most of the planet’s creatures live.
Orbion: (OR-bee-on) Elensi. Name of the Celestial Emperor.
Rialain: (REE-a-lain) Elensi Riala + ain, “home (of the) Riala (tribe).” Country north of Maurainia in Mera.
Syndra: (SIN-druh) Elensi. A Nemerei woman of mixed Elei and Merei parentage who betrayed the Tryna Lia.
Taleera: (t’yuh-LEER-a) T’kiri. A friend and guardian of the Tryna Lia. (The name is pronounced with a little roll to the R that makes it sound almost like an L.)
Talmirennia: (tal-meer-EN-ee-a) Elensi tal + mir + en + ia, literally “all-power-great-place.” Elensi name for the Celestial Empire.
Tanathon: (TAN-uh-thon) Elensi tana + thon, “tree eater.” Species of large saurians inhabiting the world of Nemorah. There is reason to believe these giant reptiles are not indigenous to that planet, but are descended from sauropods of our own Jurassic period, brought to Nemorah from our world by the Archons.
Tarnawyn: (TAR-nuh-win) Elensi tar-na + wyn, “white serpent-foe.” Unicorn.
Temendri Alfaran: (tem-END-ree AL-fa-ran) A world colonized by the Loänan, where many races dwell and meet.
Tiron: (TEER-on) Elensi tir + on, “blessing-bearer” or “blessed one.” Name of the father of the Tryna Lia.
T’kiri: (t’-KEER-ee) T’kiri. An avian race, called “firebirds” by humans because of their brightly colored, bioluminescent plumage.
Tryna Lia: (TRY-na LEE-a) Elensi Tryna Li’a, from tryna + lia-a, “Princess of the Stars.” Prophesied ruler awaited by the Elei, said to be the daughter of the planetary deity Elarainia.
Trynel: (TRY-nel) Elensi tryne + el, “royal and divine.” A title of the Tryna Lia.
Trynisia: (try-NEE-see-a; try-NEEZH-ee-a) Elensi Tryn’isia, from tryne + is + ia, “royal beloved country.” Land of the Elei in Mera, abandoned after the Great Disaster.
Trynoloänan: (try-no-LOW-a-nahn) Elensi tryno + loanaan, “dragon prince/ruler.” A male leader of the Loänan.
Twidjik: an amphisbaena of Nemorah.
Utara: (yoo-TAR-a) Elensi Ut’ara, from ut + tar-a, “eye of the worm.” Red star in Entar, the constellation of Modrian-Valdur. See Entar.
Valdur: (VAL-dur) Elensi val + dur, “dark one.” Name given to the god Modrian after his fall from grace. Later appropriated by Zimbouran clergy as the name for their chief deity.
Valdys: (VAL-diss) Elensi val + dys, “dark dwelling.” The fifth planet of Auria’s system.
Valei: (VAL-eye) Elensi val + ei, “children (of the) dark.” The followers of Modrian-Valdur.
Vartara: (var-TAR-a) Elensi var + tar-a, “mouth of the worm.” Black star in Entar, the constellation of Modrian-Valdur. Also called the Mouth of Hell. See Entar.
Wakunga: (wuh-KUNG-guh) Moharan. Shaman of the last free tribe of Moharas.
Yehosi: (yuh-HO-see) Zimbouran. Chief eunuch in Khalazar’s palace.
Zayim: (z’eye-EEM) Moharan. According to Mohara legend, a divinely appointed savior who would one day free them from enslavement.
Zimboura: (zim-BOOR-a) Zimbouran. A country in Mera’s Antipodes.
GLOSSARY OF TERRESTRIAL TERMS
The words below are taken from our own terrestrial myths, languages, and cultures. I have utilized them for parallel concepts found in the worlds and cultures described in this book.
alerion: a feathered flying creature of Temendri Alfaran, similar to an eagle but without legs, and with a wide gaping mouth in place of a beak.
alicorn: the horn of a unicorn. It was said to have a precious gem at its base, and to possess miraculous curative powers.
ambrosia: the Elmerei possessed an elixir, given them by the gods according to tradition, which was taken from a fruit called the “food-of-the-gods.” It was said to augment the latent powers of Nemerei.
amphisbaena: name of a two-headed snake in medieval myth, here used for a creature of Nemorah.
Anthropophagi: deformed humans, one of the races of the Morugei. This name (meaning literally “eaters of men”) belonged to a similar race featured in medieval European mythology.
Archons: a term used for an ancient race of beings that once dominated the galaxy and were worshipped as gods. Believed by some to be the origin of the Elaia, “lower gods,” in Elei mythology.
aspidochelone: a whalelike creature from our own mythology, that was sometimes mistaken for an island by sailors. If they lit a campfire on its back, the creature would submerge and drown them. It would seem that the inspiration for this myth is an actual beast in the world of Nemorah, though how our own storytellers learned of it remains a mystery.
Avatar: a term taken from Hindu tradition, here meaning either the physical manifestation of a god or else its representation by a mortal being in such a way that the divine being can be said to be literally present.
basilisk: a small, multilegged, reptilian creature of Nemorah with poisonous breath. Sometimes confused with a small flying creature of the same world, known as a cockatrice, because both have beak-shaped jaws and jagged crests resembling a cock’s comb.
Celestial Empire: the realm of the Archons. The constellations in Mera’s night sky were seen as hegemonies of these divine beings, the star-states in which they dwelt. Later mythologies during the Dark Age came to describe this stellar empire as a mystical country in the sky.
cherubim: gryphons; winged creatures who serve the heavenly powers as steeds and guardians. The word cherub comes from ancient Hebrew mythology, and was used for a divine gryphonlike creature (not to be confused with the Renaissance version, a cupidlike winged figure).
demon: an Elaia: spirit closely linked to the plane of matter. The word is here used at times in its classical sense, the “daimon” of Gr
eek myth being a supernatural, but not necessarily malevolent, being; very different from our modern understanding of demons.
Disaster, the: I have translated the great cataclysm of 2497 N.E. as the “Disaster,” since it literally involved an “evil star.” Approximately ten millennia ago, a small “rogue star,” probably a brown dwarf, entered Mera’s solar system and became caught in the sun’s gravitational field. In passing through the cometary cloud, it sent dozens of comets plunging toward the inner planets. This bombardment continued sporadically over thousands of years. From descriptions of the Disaster in Mera—“stars falling from the sky,” earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, dust-clouds obscuring the sun (hence the appellation “Dark Age”), it would appear that one or more fragmented cometary nuclei impacted with the planet. The damage to the moon and other planets is also consistent with a cometary bombardment.
This accords well with the mythical account, in which the god Modrian-Valdur sent his lieutenant Azarah to destroy the world, all such higher spirits being associated with stars. Azarah also brought with it a single planet, the ill-omened Azar of Elei lore.
dracontias: according to folklore, a “magic stone” or jewel that lies inside the head of a dragon. There is in fact a crystalline substance located in, and extruding from, the Loänan braincase, which is said to amplify the creature’s extrasensory powers.