Iishin (eee-eee-shinn): Master acrobat; prominently used as a frontman in southern parades and processionals.
Ish (isshh): Prefix indicating feminine/female aspects.
Ishrai (Ish-wry): One of the three gods honored in the southlands; represents the positive/feminine/birth energies. She is also connected to the season of spring, the color green, and the emotion of love.
Ishraidain (ishh-wry-dane): Women serving penance for various crimes, under the protection of Ishrai.
Ishrait (ishh-rate): High priestess of Ishrai.
Itibi (ih-tih-bee): A small, high-pitched drum; generally held in one hand and struck with a light striker.
Itna tarnen, itnas talien, itnabe shalla (it-nah tahr-nehn, it-nahs tah-lee-en, it-nah-bay shah-lah): Rough translation: We empty ourselves into the gods, the gods pour themselves into us, glory be to the gods. Implications of partnership, gods and man giving to one another in service of building a better world.
Jacau-drum (jack-how drum): A large drum, generally stationary, with a wide head; produces a deep, booming tone. Originally covered with the skin of unusually large asp-jacaus, thus the name. Today these drums are usually made with cow, deer, horse, or goat skins, depending on how rich the owner is. Also called a shaska drum; only experts make a distinction between the two styles.
Jii (geee): Gifters; part of southern processionals and parades, jii toss candies and small coins to the watching crowds. Catching a jii-flung gift is considered a sign of good luck for the rest of the day.
Jungles: Also called Forbidden Jungles. An area of tropical rainforest far to the south where the majority of the surviving ha’reye and their human deevotees live; outsiders are not permitted to enter.
Justice-right: The right of a desert lord to intervene in a situation and see it resolved according to his own opinion of justice.
Ka (kah): Honored (generic term).
Ka-s’a (kah-ss-^ah): Honored lady (generic term).
Ka-s’e (kah-ss^eh): Honored gentleman (generic term).
Ka (kah): Honored (generic term).
Ka-s’a (kah-ss-^ah): Honored lady (generic term).
Kain (cain): Rough translation: servant’s child; honorable connotation, able to formally claim the relevant bloodline, and even inherit if more direct heirs are no longer eligible/available. The similarity between this and kaen makes the pronunciation, in this instance, very important; and yet, because kaens were seen as servants of their people, there is a certain blurring here as well. While it is not exactly polite to pronounce kaen as kain, only a person looking for an insult will take exception to the mispronunciation if it is an honest dialectic error rather than a deliberate attempt at offense.
Kath (kath): Rough translation: servant. Used with a variety of modifiers to indicate occupation and status; s’a-dinne kath indicates a kitchen or dining hall servant; s’a kathalle indicates a cleaning servant. When used in conjunction with kath, the female gender indicator (s’a) does not imply a female servant, but rather the concept of serving. The term katha village, while in common usage, is grammatically incorrect: it should properly be va-kathe, “village of intimate services”.
Kathain (kath-ayn): Personal servants to a desert lord; generally offered to visiting desert lords as a courtesy, and considered an essential part of a new desert lord’s staff for at least the first two years. Duties range from amusing their lord with playful games to more intimate services. This peculiar word is the same in both singular and plural forms, (i.e.: Tanavin was a kathain; The four kathain left the room; The kathain’s room was small.)
Katheele (kath-eel): Rough translation: spy through seduction. An honorable profession, in the southlands; katheele are generally trained as spies and assassins as well as two or three minor specialties such as herbalist or etiquette master. They must maintain a keen understanding of current politics. They never act alone, but serve a specific Family or individual. Toscin Family trains the bulk of katheele, but at some point in their training, katheele decide whom they wish to serve; for their chosen master to refuse their service is nearly unheard of and incredibly rude.
Katihe (kat-tea): Rough translation: honorable intimacy; obscure term rarely used in modern times.
Ke (keh): Prefix or suffix indicating masculine/male aspects.
Ketarch (kee-tarsch): Organized groups of healers in the south who focus on preserving old healing lore and researching new ways of healing.
L’chin (lee-^kin): A teyanain-peculiar word (and generally only pronouncable by a teyanain, as well) of obscure derivation and meaning, even to loremasters. Ties into an old story about an opely welcomed guest who turned out to be less than honorable, was not what he professed to be, caused a major disaster, and yet redeemed himself by saving the day in the end.
Loremaster: Combination historian, genealogist, and researcher; as a group, one of the major political forces behind the scenes in the southlands. Every Family has (or is supposed to have) a group of loremasters resident.
Louin (loo-een): Lit. translation: honored representative. Largely used during transitional periods, when a newcomer has not yet taken his new station but must be granted some formal title for the sake of status.
Loremaster: Combination historian, genealogist, and researcher; as a group, one of the major political forces behind the scenes in the southlands. Every Family has (or is supposed to have) a group of loremasters resident.
Mahadrae (mah-hahd-ray): Rough translation: chosen mother of the free people. Proper title for the female Head of Aerthraim Family. A male leader would be mahadran; but that version has not been used for quite some time.
Mocker: The lead figure in a southern drum line; usually female. She finds anything and everything to make fun of during a procession, then creates songs (called mokoi) afterward and spreads them far and wide.
N’sion (nn-sigh-on): The supreme leader of the Northern Church; previously referred to the head of the Bright Bay branch of the church. Since the banishment of all Northern Church priests from Bright Bay, a new n’sion has yet to be selected.
Nu-s’e (noo-ss-^eh): Honored man of the south (female is nu-s’a); generic honorific in the absence of specific indicators.
Numaina (noo-main-ah); plural numainiae (noo-main-ay): Proper title for a Scratha Family ruler.
Oamver (ohm-vehr): Rough translation: negotiation table. Ceremonial item of furniture, brought to all southland meetings; what is on the table at the beginning of the meeting has tremendous symbolic value. (During Scratha Conclave, the central table served as the oamver, and the fact that it was empty reflected a state of temporary truce among those normally at odds).
Oiu (ooh-ee-ooh): 1. The number four (southern). 2. A complex, and usually rather large, four-pipe instrument common to the southlands. Like alli and bene, it is normally made of wood.
Pahenna (pah-hen-nah): Rough translation: Stay out of my business, I know what I’m doing.
Payti (pay-tee): One of the Four Gods of the Northern Church pantheon; represents Fire. Payti’s “kind” incarnation is usually pictured as a short, plump man, with ruddy cheeks and a contagious cheeriness. In Payti’s “dark” incarnation, the form is that of a tall, beautiful woman with a seductive gaze that bewitches all men who gaze upon her to their destruction. Payti’s strength is that of the sun and the flame.
Peh-tenez (pay-tehn-ehz): A negotiation ceremony held over tea in which only truth may be spoken and the conversation may not be disclosed to those not a part of it. Largely a teyanain protocol, but some other Families use it when they wish to seem very serious about a political arrangement. Only the teyanain, ironically, can be fully trusted to hold to the original, sacred nature of the ceremony; to outsiders, it’s largely a show, but teyanain will be absolutely honest during a true peh-tenez, and consider any deceit or breach of protocol a killing offense.
Protector: Not all fortresses are protected by full ha’reye any longer; some are occupied by first or second generation ha’ra’hain. Those aware of the distincti
on tend to use the term ‘protector’ to refer to those lesser ha’ra’hain bound to serve a particular Fortress.
Qisani (key-sahn-nee): A rocky cavern complex in the southern desert, which was given, under a Conclave decision, to the Callen of Ishrai many years ago as a haven of their own. All the desert Families contribute to supporting the Qisani. The followers of Datda and Comos also have central havens, but they are more secretive about the locations. Blood trials conducted at any of the havens are considered the hardest of all possible.
Ravann (rah-van; alt., rah-vahn): Similar to lavender in appearance and scent, but tends towards a darker leaf color, white flowers, and a slightly more acrid odor; only found south of Water’s End, largely around the Aerthraim Fortress lands. Adapted for desert living, very hardy, but does not transplant well.
Reeven (ree-vehn): A ghost that seeks to possess living humans whenever possible; most dangerous during the dark of the moon, and generally driven away by (regional variances in the tale) the scent of lavender, rosemary, or pine. Usually strong-willed people, especially women, are seen as potential reeven after their death; the theory being that such people are be more likely to fight off the final journey into the afterlife, so as not to lose their earthly power.
S’a / S’e / S’ieas / S’ii: Respectful address designators, analogous to sir and madam; specific to gender, and frequently parts of complex and highly specific expressions of relationship between the speaker and the person being addressed.
S’a (ss-^ah): feminine
S’e (ss-^eh): masculine
S’ieas (ss-^eh-ahs): a group of mixed gender
S’ii (ss-^ee): neuter; generally used to address a eunuch.
Sa’ad hii (sah^had hee): Rough translation: blood hunt. Indicates that the one hunting will not be turned aside except by his or her own death, and that the prey will likely not survive being found.
S’e-kath (ss^eh kahth): Personal servant to the lord of a fortress; the best are highly trained in scholarship, politics, and combat. Extremely well respected and dangerous.
S’iope (s-^igh-o-pay): Lit. translation: beloved of the gods; implications of being neuter, all energy devoted to the gods. Term used to refer to the priests of the Northern Church. Disrespectful nickname: soapy.
Saishe-pais (say-shh-paws; alt. say-she-pays): An expression of heartfelt gratitude, indicating that the one so addressed has shown great honor in his/her actions.
Sanahair (sahn-ah-hair): Lit. translation: shit boy. The word ties into an obscure southern joke about kicking the person ranked just below you until there’s only the chamberpot contents left to kick.
Sannio (san-nee-yo): A novice of the Northern Church.
Sayek-teth (say-hek-tehth): Rough translation: Blood oath. A term unique to the teyanain. Means an agreement which, once sworn, gives an outsider limited claim to be treated as a teyanain himself, including gaining the absolute protection of the teyanain—for as long as he continues to protect/serve the terms of the agreement.
Sessii ta-karne, I shha (Sessy tah-carney, ee shh-ha): rough translation: You noxious, useless (castrated) little prick!
Setaka, senaca (seht-tah-kah, sehn-nah-khah): Lit. translation: Like father, like son.
Shabaca (shah-bah-kah): A large dried gourd or cactus filled with pebbles or dried beans to make a rattle; common musical instrument in the southlands.
Shall (shawl): A temporary, portable desert shelter.
Shaska (shass-kahh): A large kettledrum, occasionally used in processionals, but mostly placed on tripod stands for in-place use. Also called a jacau-drum; only experts make a distinction between the two styles.
Shassen (shass-sen): Chabi game piece representing goods. Cubic in shape, the shassen moves one to three spaces in a straight line; it may never move diagonally or jump another piece, with the singular exception of unlocking the furun.
Shay-nin (shay-neen): Rough translation: honored master spy. Used to indicate a person who has achieved remarkable skill in the various arts of subterfuge, assassination, and intelligence-gathering, and who may be trusted to act with the highest personal and professional honor at all times.
Shennth: Rough translation: domain. Used to indicate the sphere of influence/power of a specific individual.
Sheth-hinn (shethh-hnn): Assassin.
Shivii (shee-vee): Formal wear for many southern men; resembles an ankle-length skirt, usually silk, slit on each side up to just above the knee.
Sio (see-oh): The familiar address for a full priest of the Northern Church. Outsiders (non-priests) should use s’iope.
Siolle (sigh-oh-lay): The familiar address for a junior priest of the Northern Church. Outsiders (non-priests) should use s’iope.
Sionno (see-oh-noh): Respectful term for a priest of the Northern Church, generally used by fellow priests or devotees, rather than the s’iope that “outsiders” use.
Split, The: A time of great chaos and dissension, during which humanity and the ha’reye renegotiated the Agreement and much knowledge was lost.
Stibik (stih-bic): A substance developed by the ketarches that temporarily weakens ha’ra’hain and ha’reye. Usually found in the form of a white powder, but sometimes as a concentrated, corrosive oil. It is illegal to bring stibik onto the land of an active ha’rethe; an even greater offense to use against a ha’ra’ha. Stibik was banned and ordered completely destroyed years ago; the ketarches, ever independent-minded, disobeyed the order.
Su-s’a (sue-ss-^ah): Northern lady.
Syrta (seer-tah): One of the Four Gods of the Northern Church pantheon; represents Earth. In his “good” incarnation, he is described as a leafy tree in spring or summer; when provoked to evil, he takes the form of a twisted, winter-stripped tree. He is credited with creating mankind and placing them in dominion over all beasts and growing things.
Ta (tah): Prefix implying masculine aspects; usually involved in insults (see ta’karne).
Ta feth kii (tah fethh key): Rough translation: stop shitting around; cut the crap. Reference to bodily functions is a particularly effective insult against the teyanain, who consider something like this a far worse insult than being called, for instance, bastards. (Especially since most of them know their lineage six generations back on both sides.)
Ta-karne (tah-carn-ay): Insult. Rough translation: asshole.
Talloi (tah-loy): Flamboyant southern dance in which the dancer’s shoes contain a small “clacker”, making for a noisy and attention-getting performance.
Ta-neka (tah-neek-ah): Insult; female version of ta-karne.
Tas-shadata (tahz-shah-dah-ta): Rough translation: fool, coward, idiot.
Taska (task-ah; alt. tah-skah): Courier and guide.
Tath-shinn: Rough translation: ghost of a female madwoman/assassin/murderer; implies that a woman who would kill is insane, overly male, and impossible to handle even after death. Probably originated in the lower southwestern coastline region, among the Shakain. In the upper northlands, a similar creature is called a shia-banse: the ghost of a woman who died while under the influence of evil.
Te (teh): Prefix indicating formality and honor; no gender.
Telabat-nia-tabalet (tehl-lah-baht nee-yah tahb-ah-leht): Rough translation: Play the game that is on the table. Like many southern sayings, it involves a play on words; in this case, telabat, the game one is playing at the moment, and tabalet, the table one at which is currently sitting. Nia is a linking verb that has no real definition in and of itself; it simply puts the words to either side of it into harness, as it were.
Telle (tel-lay): teyanain word for “holy” or “sacred”.
Teth-kavit (tehth-kah-vitt): Lit. translation: Gods hold you, and blessings to your strength.
Teuthin (too-thin): Rough translation: meeting place. Any agreed-upon neutral ground where all are seen as equal and violence is forbidden. Generally implies the presence of nobles of some rank.
Tewi va neesa (tuey vah knee-sah): Teyanin saying; loose translation: you spit into the wind/you att
empt something pointless.
Teyanin (tay-ah-nin); plural: teyanain (tay-ah-nayn): A very old, small tribe which retreated to the mountains of the Horn after the Split. Originally the judges and law determiners of the desert, they’re now considered the guardians of the Horn.
Tey-b’tibik (tey-bah-^ktih-bick): Rough translation: binding powder. A long-banned formula for a substance that significantly weakens ha’ra’hain and seriously injures ha’reye.
Teyhataerth (tey-hat-aerth): Literal translation: Child of Earth and Air: The mad ha’ra’ha controlled by Rosin Weatherweaver who resided under Bright Bay during the Purge.
Teyn-shatha hadinn (teyn-shah-thah hah-dinn): Lit. translation: justice’s cold bite. Specifically refers to the teyanain preference for serving up revenge long after the offending party has forgotten the insult.
Tharr (thahrr): Rough translation: the invisible ones. A derogatory term used by the ha’reye and ha’ra’hain to indicate those humans who do not directly “serve” them (in essence, everyone but desert lords).
Thass (tass; alt. thass): A person with great status, beyond even noble rank.
That in it: Street-slang for involved; politically, not personally.
Thio (thee-oh): Status.
Thopuh (thoh-poo): Lit. translation: blood of victory. Also the name of a style of tea production currently monopolized by F’Heing. Thopuh tea grows stronger, more complexly flavored, and more valuable with proper aging.
Tibi (tee-bee): a shallow oval bowl usually carried by travelers in the south; food is scooped from a communal bowl into one’s own tibi.
Tine (tyne): Rough translation: whore’s child; implication of dishonor.
Toi, te hoethra (toy, teh hoe-thrah): Lit. translation: I swear to you I am speaking truth.
Tvit (tvhit): Typical Stone Islands parting; derived from teth-kavit.
Tvith (tvitth): Rough translation: circumcised; often used, in some of the rougher areas of the southlands, as an insult to a man’s masculinity.
Fires of the Desert (Children of the Desert Book 4) Page 56