Artesans of Albia

by Cas Peace

Corbyn, Lord. One of Lord Tikhal’s northern nobles.

  Deshan. The Hierarch’s Master Healer, also a Master Artesan.

  Ephan. A General in the Hierarch’s forces, overall commander of the Velletian Guard.

  Falina, Lady. The wife of General Kryp.

  Gaslek. An Andaryan Baron, secretary to the Hierarch.

  Galet. Successor to Perik as lead huntsman.

  Harva. Marik’s elderly former nursemaid.

  Heron. Sonten’s Artesan Commander.

  Hierarch (the). Andaryon’s ultimate ruler.

  Hollet, Lady. The wife of General Ephan.

  Idriana. The Hierarch’s wife, now deceased.

  Idrimar Pharikian. The Hierarch’s daughter.

  Imris. Lord Sonten’s young Artesan messenger.

  Is-kel. A member of Ky-shan’s pirate band.

  Jaskin. Sonten’s nephew, killed by Taran.

  Jay’el. Son of pirate leader Ky-shan.

  Kester. One of a pair of giant twins, members of Ky-shan’s pirate band.

  Kethro. Artesan son of a northern noble.

  Ki-en. Younger member of Ky-shan’s pirate band.

  Kryp. A General in the Hierarch’s forces.

  Ky-shan. The leader of a band of pirates from Andaryon’s eastern seaboard.

  Marik. Count of Cardon province under Rykan.

  Nazir. One of Marik’s minor nobles.

  Norkis. Senior page to the Hierarch of Andaryon.

  Perik. Lead huntsman prior to Galet’s appointment.

  Rand. Artesan son of Lord Tikhal.

  Reece. One of Duke Rykan’s commanders.

  Rykan. Duke, Lord of Kymer province, and aspirant to the Andaryan throne.

  Selmar Pharikian. Timar Pharikian’s older brother, Heir to the Andaryan throne before his death.

  Sh’iye. A member of Ky-shan’s pirate band.

  Sonten. Duke Rykan’s ambitious general. Lord of Durkos province.

  Tikhal. An Andaryan Lord, also known as the Lord of the North. Pharikian’s premier noble.

  Timar Pharikian. The Hierarch, Supreme Ruler of Andaryon.

  Torien, Lady. The wife of Lord General Anjer.

  Torman Vanyr. Commander of the Velletian Guard, the Hierarch’s personal Guard.

  Ty Marik. Count of Cardon province under Rykan.

  Vanyr. Commander of the Velletian Guard, the Hierarch’s personal Guard.

  Verris. Rykan’s greedy Artesan commander.

  Xeer. A member of Ky-shan’s pirate band.

  Zolt. A member of Ky-shan’s pirate band.

  Realms of the World

  First Realm—Endormir

  Endormirians are sometimes known as ‘Roamerlings’ because of their itinerant habits. They are small and slim, dark skinned, with brown or black eyes showing hardly any whites. The Artesan gift runs only through the males, and gifted males always become clan-leaders. As Endomir suffers from severe winter conditions, its people cross the Veils into the other realms for the winter months, where they are well known as traders.

  Second Realm—Sinnia

  Sinnians are tall and milk-haired, with pale skin. They live in clans and were once nomadic but now live in settlements. All are born able to control their metaforce up to the rank of Adept and are thus considered ‘sports’. Their race often produces highly gifted musicians and storytellers.

  Third Realm—Relkor

  Relkorians are small, fierce and stocky, notorious for raiding the other realms for slaves to work their mines and quarries. Their Artesans, both male and female, invariably become slave-lords.

  Fourth Realm—Albia

  Albia is the human realm. The Artesan gift runs through both male and female lines, each gender being equal in potential. The craft is currently out of favour due to raiding by both Relkorian and Andaryan Artesans. Albians widely believe that all Artesans use their powers only for gain and control.

  Fifth Realm—Andaryon

  A warlike race characterised by eyes with slit pupils. They fight constantly amongst themselves, vying for position within the Hierocracy. The Artesan gift passes only through the male line and females play a minor and downtrodden role. Only the most powerful Artesan can become and hold the rank of Hierarch. Their battles for supremacy are governed by strict, ritualistic laws.

  Terms

  Artesan. A person born with the ability to control metaforce and Master the four primal elements.

  Brine rum. Strong liquor, drunk by pirates on Andaryon’s eastern seaboard.

  Codes of Combat. Strict laws governing any conflict between Andaryan nobles.

  Demons. Derogatory term used in Albia to describe those of the Andaryan race.

  Earth ball. An explosive sphere of Earth element formed by an Artesan for use as a weapon.

  Fellan. A dark, aromatic and bitter beverage brewed from the seeds of the fellan-plant.

  Firefield. A barrier formed from the primal element of Fire, through which only Artesans can pass. Fire fields formed by those of inferior Artesan rank can easily be destroyed by those of a higher rank.

  Firewater. Incredibly strong liquor.

  Free traders. Another term for pirate.

  Kingsman. Term used to describe members of the High King’s fighting forces.

  Matria Church. The Minster in Port Loxton, seat of Albia’s primary faith, the Faith of the Wheel.

  Metaforce (sometimes also called life force). The force of existence pertaining to all things, both animate and inanimate.

  Perdition. A state of non-being for the soul–a place where souls with no ultimate destination reside.

  Primal elements. Earth, Water, Fire and Air. There is a fifth element, Spirit, although many believe this to be a myth.

  Primal Sacrament. Andaryan name for the Pact, an agreement brokered between Andaryan nobles. Used to settle wars ending in stalemate, it involves the willing suicide of a powerful Artesan.

  Portway. Structure formed by an Artesan from a primal element–usually Earth or Water–which gives its creator access through the Veils.

  Psyche. An Artesan’s unique and personal pattern through which they can manipulate metaforce and channel the primal elements.

  Roamerling. Derogatory term for the nomads of Endormir.

  Sally port. A small door within a larger fortified barrier, allowing only one person to pass through at a time.

  Substrate. The medium in which the primal elements reside, and in which the world and all things have their being.

  Tangwyr. Monstrous Andaryan raptor trained to hunt men.

  The Pact. Widely believed to have been brokered in Andaryon by an Albian Master-elite, in order to reduce Andaryan raids on Albia. Apparently supported by the current Hierarch.

  The Staff. Mysterious and terrible weapon capable of stealing and storing metaforce. Can only be used by Artesans.

  The Veils. Misty barriers separating the five Realms of the World. Only Artesans have the power to move through the Veils.

  The Void. Dark abyss at the end of life into which all souls pass before reaching their final destination.

  The Wheel. Central principle of the primary Albian faith.

  Witch. Derogatory term for an Artesan.

  Artesan ranks and their attributes

  Level one: Apprentice. Person born with the Artesan gift and the ability to influence the first primal element of Earth. Able to hear other Artesans speaking telepathically but unable to initiate such speech.

  Level two: Apprentice-elite. Has some skill in influencing their own metaforce. Has attained mastery over the element of Earth. Able to initiate telepathic speech but only with Artesans already known to them. Able to build substrate structures, identify a person by the pattern of their psyche, and counter metaphysical attack to some degree.

  Level three: Journeyman. Has mastery over Earth and is able to influence Water. Able to build portways and travel through the Veils. Has some skill in using metaforce for offense. Also able to initiate psyche-overlay and converse telepathically with an
y other Artesan. Possesses some self-healing potential.

  Level four: Adept. Has mastery over both Earth and Water. Able to build more complex substrate structures such as corridors. Able to influence where such structures emerge. Possesses stronger offensive and defensive capabilities. Able to merge psyche fully with other Artesans. Increased healing abilities.

  Level five: Adept-elite. Has mastery over Earth and Water and is able to influence Fire. Possesses great healing powers which can even aid the ungifted (with their permission). Able to initiate powersinks and merges of psyche. Able to construct such structures as Firefields.

  Level six: Master. Has mastery over Earth, Water and Fire. Able to control the power of an inferior Artesan against their will. Control over personal metaforce now almost total. Possesses incredible healing powers.

  Level seven: Master-elite. Has mastery over Earth, Water and Fire and is able to influence Air, the most capricious primal element. Able to absorb a lesser or even equal-ranked Artesan’s power and metaforce provided some link or permission (however tenuous) can be found.

  Level eight: Senior Master. Has complete mastery over all four primal elements. Is able to absorb another Artesan’s power by force, even sometimes without a link. Possesses a high degree of metaphysical (and usually spiritual) strength.

  Level nine: Supreme Master. It has never been fully established whether this rank actually exists. Supreme Masters are supposedly able to influence Spirit - largely regarded as the mythical ‘fifth element.’ Ancient texts refer only to the possibility; no mention has ever been found of a being attaining Supreme Masterhood.

  Sport or lay-Artesan. Freaks of nature, sports are thought to be able to control their own metaforce from birth, to whatever level of strength they inherently possess. As they receive no training their working is often undetectable. They are also believed to be able to ‘hear’ the thoughts of those around them; gifted or ungifted, and directly, not through the substrate.

  Cas Peace

  Cas Peace was born and brought up in the lovely county of Hampshire, in the UK, where she still lives. On leaving school, she trained for two years before qualifying as a teacher of equitation. During this time she also learned to carriage-drive. She spent thirteen years in the British Civil Service before moving to Rome, where she and her husband, Dave, lived for three years. They return whenever they can.

  As well as her love of horses, Cas is mad about dogs, especially Lurchers. She enjoys dog agility training and currently owns two rescue Lurchers, Milly and Milo. Cas loves country walks, working in stained glass, and folk singing. She is currently working on writing and recording songs for each of her fantasy books. For King’s Envoy there is “The Wheel Will Turn”, which features in Chapter 14. For King’s Champion there is “The Ballad of Tallimore,” which is mentioned in Chapter 19, and appears as a paraphrased verse in Chapter 23. And for King’s Artesan there is “Morgan’s Song (All That We Are), a song that is featured in the book and also appears numerous times throughout the entire triple-trilogy series. All Cas’s book songs can be found at and downloaded from her website, see below. She has also written a nonfiction book, For the Love of Daisy, which tells the life story of her beautiful Dalmatian. Details and other information can be found on her website, www.caspeace.com