Thargon—Older brother of Miceral. When Miceral was ten, Thargon killed their sister and mother after a dark wizard broke his mind. Horgon killed him when he tried to kill Miceral.
Traymad—Earlier leader of the Muchari who died at Trellham during the first war between the gods.
PEREGRINES:
Dfelli—Scout who accompanied Peter and Marisa’s army. First to identify Garreth has a dragon with his army.
Grohl—Son of Rothdin, brother of Takala, adoptive brother to Farrell.
Hesnera—Life partner to Rothdin and mother of Grohl and Takala. Away for over a hundred years on a mission for the Six.
Rothdin—King of the peregrines. Father of Grohl and Takala. Adopted father of Farrell. One of the oldest beings on Nendor.
Takala—Son of Rothdin, brother of Grohl, adoptive brother to Farrell.
Vathvin—Younger brother of Rothdin. Died in the first war between the gods. Now a ghost guarding the ancient forest.
UNICORNS:
Flemin—Son of Klissmor and Nerti. Kel’s companion for fifteen centuries.
Grenda—Sister of Klissmor.
Klissmor—Mate to Queen Nerti. Allows Miceral to ride him.
Natice—Daughter of Nerti and Klissmor. Twin of Nordric.
Nerti—Queen of the Unicorns. One of the oldest beings on Nendor. Mate to Klissmor. She allows Farrell to ride her to aid in the fight against Neldin.
Nordric—Son of Nerti and Klissmor. Twin of Natice.
Xertan—Eldest son of Klissmor and Nerti. Died at Trellham during the first war between the gods. Now a host guarding the ancient forest.
OTHERS:
Hro—Imaginary being the Shaman and She Who Guides used to test Farrell.
Kuso—Imaginary being the Shaman and She Who Guides used to test Farrell.
Pojas—Female snow panther. Daughter of She Who Guides. Will succeed her mother one day.
Qurol—Ancient dragon who killed Rothdin’s brother Vathvin during the first war between the gods.
Rojas—Male snow panther. Son of She Who Guides and has the same abilities as his mother and sister.
Toha—Imaginary being the Shaman and She Who Guides used to test Farrell.
Tojas—Snow Panther. Current She Who Guides.
Zubr—Imaginary being the Shaman and She Who Guides used to test Farrell.
PLACES
Agloth—Temple City of Seritia. Located in the middle of Lourdria and surrounded by desert.
Ardus—Smallest of the three main continents of Nendor. Home of the Seven Kingdoms as well as Haven. Last of the three major land masses to be settled and developed.
Arvendia—One of the Seven Kingdoms. Third kingdom to be conquered by Meglar.
Belsport—A Free City of the West. Wealthiest and most northern of the Free Cities.
Bendar—Name the people who live in the snow-covered area of Southern Ardus gave to their land.
Berstig—Capital City of Tilerstig.
Blue Marlin—Upscale inn where Farrell and Miceral spent their postunion trip.
Bowient—City that is home to Falcron’s Primary Temple.
Celtan—A Free City of the West.
Colograd—One of the three dwarf kingdoms. Located in Lourdria.
Dagur—A Free City of the West.
Dragash—Kingdom ruled by the dark wizard Krendrew
Dreth—Capital city of Dumbarten.
Dumbarten—Large island off the western coast of Lourdria. Birthplace of Kel.
Eight Gates of Neblor—Mythical gates that bar the dark creatures of the underworld from invading the world. Often used as a curse or to express surprise.
Endless Snows—Term the Bendari use to describe their lands.
Endor—One of the Seven Kingdoms. Ally of Yar-del. Second of the Seven Kingdoms to be conquered by Meglar.
Erd—Northern continent. Home to the dwarf kingdom of Fracturn and Falcron’s city of Bowient.
Free Cities of the West—A collection of city-states on the Delmun Sea on the west coast of Ardus. No formal association among the cities.
Fracturn—One of the three dwarf kingdoms. Located in Erd.
Glaston—A Northern Free City.
Hamble—A Free City of the West.
Hargresh—A Merchant Union City on the east coast of Ardus that Meglar captured early in the war.
Haven—Hidden sanctuary originally founded as a school for wizards. Built inside the Trellham Mountains. Expanded by Heminaltose as a place of refuge in anticipation of Meglar’s goal of conquering the Seven Kingdoms.
Honal—Southwesternmost of the Seven Kingdoms.
Jerdam—Country on the West Coast of Lourdria. Ally of Dumbarten.
Jerdas—Capital city of Jerdam.
Kelse—A Northern Free City.
Kentar—One of the three original kingdoms of Dumbarten. Home of Kel and his brother Hevnor, who became King of Dumbarten. Under Hevnor and his descendants, Kentar conquered the Nasland and Oglithan, the other two kingdoms on the island and formed the current united kingdom of Dumbarten.
Lourdria—Largest of the three main continents. Home of Seritia’s city of Agloth and dwarf kingdom of Colograd.
Merchant Union City-States—A collection of small city-states on the Kessan Ocean on the east coast of Ardus.
Nagden—A Free City of the West.
Najan—Large country on the west coast of Lourdria. Ancient enemy of Utremth.
Nasland—One of the original three kingdoms of Dumbarten.
Neblor—Underworld. Home of Neldin and his dark legions.
Nendor—Name given to the world by the gods.
Northern Free Cities—Collection of city-states on the north coast of Ardus.
Oglithan—One of the original three kingdoms of Dumbarten.
Othasus—Large powerful kingdom on the East Coast of Lourdria. Ally of Dumbarten. Velchuck’s birthplace.
Pefland—Kingdom in western Lourdria.
Pelipan—Northwesternmost of the Seven Kingdoms.
Pelth—A Free City of the West.
Plains of Gharaha—Grasslands that abut the Trellham Mountains in the valley where Haven is located.
Rastoria—Kingdom of the Arlefors. At the bottom of the Kessan Ocean.
Realth—A Northern Free City.
Respital—One of the Seven Kingdoms. Fourth kingdom to be conquered by Meglar.
Spagrom—One of the Northern Free Cities.
Spine of Khron—Large mountain range that forms the northern boundary of the Seven Kingdoms and separates them from the Tehbra Desert and the Northern Free Cities. Home to Northhelm.
Southern Wastes—Frozen area on the southern tip of Ardus.
Tabrum—A Northern Free City.
Teclelion—High Priest of Honorus for Haven.
Tehbra Desert—Large desert that covers the northern part of Ardus. Home to the Northern Free Cities.
Telth—Barony in eastern Jerdam.
Therssen—A Free City of the West.
Thyian—Capital of Othasus.
Tilerstig—Hidden Kingdom on the East Coast of Erd that Kel and Beatrice concealed from the world and hid some of Kel’s descendant’s from Vedri’s attempt to wipe out the house of Kel.
Trag—Island near Dumbarten where the Royal Yar-del Navy took refuge when Meglar conquered Yar-del.
Trellham—Oldest of the three dwarf kingdoms. Site of the first great war between the gods.
Trellham Mountains—Mountain range running north-south on the western side of Ardus. Home to Haven and the dwarf city of Trellham.
Utremth—Large country on the west coast of Lourdria. Ancient enemy of Najan.
Valencia—A Free City of the West.
Verona—High Priestess of Lenore for Haven.
Weklia—Kingdom in western Lourdria.
Yar-del—One of the Seven Kingdoms. Founded by Kel at the behest of Honorus. First of the Seven Kingdoms to be conquered by Meglar.
Yar-del City—Capital of Yar-del.
Zargon—On
e of the Seven Kingdoms. Ruled by Meglar after he killed his father. Traditional enemy of Yar-del.
Ze’arder—Last surviving of the four kingdoms of Zeron. Centuries before the fall of Trellham, the entire kingdom moved to Agloth to defend the city in exchange for protection.
Zeron—Collective name given to the four kingdoms on the northern coast of Lourdria.
CREATURES AND THINGS OF NENDOR
Amelt—Title for the ruler of Ze’arder. Equivalent to a king.
Arlefors—Beings that live at the floor of the ocean. They are servants of Arritisa, Goddess of the Sea. Until Farrell is taken to meet them, their presence is unknown to the rest of Nendor.
Arm of Khron—One of the seven Gifts of the Gods. A three foot long silver staff, topped with a round crystal that grants the bearer increased strength and speed.
Belcin—Title for the secular ruler of Bowient.
Brakken—Dark spark of life from Neblor that Neldin gave to His priestesses during the first war between the gods.
Chamdon—Humans warped by dark magic into mindless creatures with enhanced strength and stamina. Meglar created them by accelerating the aging process in the subjects. Chamdon have short life spans, as they burn out their life force within a few days. Because of their limited mental capacity, they are easily directed by handlers who implant a command that the creature carries out until redirected again or until death.
Cytus Wood—Tree native to Nendor. Its dense white wood is favored by wizards for its ability to store and channel large amounts of magical energy.
Dauntless—Yar-del warship captained by Admiral Cameron that took Kel and Farrell to Rastoria
Doors—A means of instantaneous travel between two distant places. Only certain wizards can create a Door, and the wizard must have a firm image of the destination in order to create a terminus to the portal.
Eye of Honorus—One of the seven Gifts of the Gods. A large blue gem that allows the bearer to see anything they want.
Funja—Mindless creatures who tried to overrun the Bendari and attacked Farrell when he tried to close their Door to Nendor.
Gifts of the Gods—The Eye of Honorus, the Ear of Lenore, the Hand of Neldin, the Blood of Arritisa, the Arm of Khron, the Heart of Seritia, and the Mind of Falcron. Divine objects the seven Gods of Nendor gave to the world.
Hand of Neldin—One of the seven Gifts of the Gods. A large alabaster hand clenched in a fist. Allows the bearer to gather magical energy quickly.
Harpies—Half-human, half-demon creatures created by Neldin. Most were killed during the first war between the gods.
Heart of Seritia—One of the seven Gifts of the Gods. A white rose. Said to help people find true love. Used by Seritia to hide the Hand of Neldin from his followers.
High Kings of the Dwarves—Title given to Trellham’s king. More a first among equals. Assumes command of all dwarf armies during a war. Farrell and Miceral were appointed kings of Trellham and high kings of the dwarves by Khron.
Horned Bull—Large horned animals used by the Tilerstig army as cavalry mounts. Much bigger than horses.
Intrepid—Flagship of the Spagrom Naval. Captured by Farrell to free Hendris. Used to transport Meglar’s gold to use against Dumbarten.
Kar—Title given to the chief of a Bendari clan.
Mind of Falcron—One of the seven Gifts of the Gods. A small leather-bound book with blank pages. Said to bestow wisdom on the bearer.
Muchari—Human-looking race of beings who have enhanced strength, speed, stamina, and senses. They are protectors of the unicorns and peregrine and are devoted to Lenore.
Peregrines—Large raptors who are highly intelligent. When standing upright they are about eight feet tall. Peregrines can communicate mind-to-mind and have no defined lifespan. Rothdin, the peregrine king, is over seven thousand years old. Peregrines act as guardians of the skies for their lord and master, Honorus.
Seafoam Rose—Merchant ship Farrell and Miceral took passage on to get to Dumbarten.
Shaman—Bendari wizard.
Shaman, The—Name given to the first shaman of all the clans of the Bendari. To avoid confusion with other shaman, is often referred to as the Holy One among the Bendari.
She Who Guides—Name given to the spiritual leader of the Bendari. Is always a female snow panther
Snow Panther—Large felines who reside with the Bendari in the southern snow-covered land of Ardus. More sentient than most animals, but not as advanced as Peregrines or Unicorns.
Source—A near limitless vessel for storing magical energy. Created by Kel, the spell used to make a Source was a closely guarded family secret among Kel and his heirs. The Source at Yar-del was the only one until Meglar stole the spell and created his own Source. The remains of the Yar-del Source was transferred to Haven when Yar-del City fell to Meglar. Farrell created a second Source outside Haven to store energy to use in his battle with Meglar.
Summer Festival—One of two major celebrations on Nendor. A traditional time for couples to hold their union ceremonies.
Unicorns—Beloved of Lenore. They are the guardians of the earth and, like peregrines, communicate mind-to-mind. Queen Nerti is their ruler. She and her mate, Klissmor, are over seven thousand years old.
Wave Rider—Dumbarten warship sent to help Farrell free Hendris and capture the Intrepid.
Winter Festival—One of two major celebrations on Nendor. A traditional time for couples to hold their union ceremonies.
More from Andrew Q. Gordon
Prequel to The Last Grand Master
A Champion of the Gods Story
On a visit to Yar-del with Grand Master Heminaltose to celebrate his age of majority birthday, Farrell catches the eye of Lieutenant Cameron, a handsome young officer in the Queen’s Guard. But having spent most of his life cooped up at Heminaltose’s school for wizards, Farrell is clueless as to palace intrigue. He is unaware that his access to the queen is something others would greatly prize. When the queen points out that his suitor is the son of a social-climbing minor noble, Farrell must decide whether to heed the warning or meet with Cameron anyway.
Champion of the Gods: Book One
In a war that shook the earth, the six gods of Nendor defeated their brother Neldin, God of Evil. For three thousand years, Nendor and the Seven Kingdoms have known peace and prosperity and Neldin’s evil was nearly forgotten.
But then Meglar, wizard-king of Zargon, unleashes the dark magic of the underworld and creates an army of creatures to carry out his master’s will. One by one, the sovereign realms fall as a new war between the gods threatens to engulf Nendor.
Leading the opposition to Meglar is Grand Master Farrell. Young and untried, Farrell carries a secret that could hold the key to defeating Meglar—or it could destroy the world.
Farrell is joined by Nerti, queen of the unicorns, and Miceral, an immortal muchari warrior the Six have chosen as Farrell’s mate. As Farrell and his new allies make plans to counter Neldin’s evil, Meglar forces their hand when he invades a neighboring kingdom. Rushing to help their ally, Farrell and Miceral find themselves in the middle of the battle. Cut off from help, Farrell attempts an untried spell that will either turn the tide or cost him and Miceral their lives.
Champion of the Gods: Book Two
After defeating Meglar at Belsport, Farrell returns to Haven to recover from his injuries, but Khron, the God of War, has other ideas. He gives Farrell a new mission: free the survivors of the ancient dwarf realm of Trellham from their three-thousand-year banishment. To fulfill Khron’s near impossible task, Farrell will need the help of his distance ancestor, the legendary wizard Kel. But Kel has been dead for a thousand years.
Farrell finds information hinting that Kel is alive, so he moves his search to Dumbarten, Kel’s birthplace. To reach Dumbarten unannounced, Farrell and Miceral disguise themselves as mercenaries on board a merchant vessel. Their journey is disrupted when pirates attack their ship. While attempting to subdue the attack, Farrell is struck down
by one of Meglar’s minions.
Unconscious and trapped in his own mind, Farrell’s only chance for survival rests with Miceral and the peregrine king Rothdin entering his thoughts and helping him sort fact from illusion. To reach Farrell, they will need to rely on an untested spell from one of Kel’s spellbooks. If they succeed, Miceral can guide Farrell home safely. If not, Farrell will destroy not only himself, but Miceral, Rothdin, and everyone around him.
Champion of the Gods: Book Three
Dumbarten should have been the end of Farrell’s efforts to find his distant ancestor Kel, but the Six have other plans. Farrell is told to continue his search for answers in Agloth, the temple city to Seritia. Forced by the Goddess to ride across the vast continent of Lourdria, Farrell and his companions learn that Meglar’s reach extends well beyond the borders of Ardus. And Agloth, despite being dedicated to the Goddess of Love, is also home to a millennia-old curse that Farrell must end if he wants to complete his task.
Answers don’t come easily, and Farrell determines he must travel to the Dwarf Kingdom of Colograd to continue his quest. When an ally of Meglar’s threatens Agloth, Farrell cuts short his time in Colograd and rushes back to defend Seritia’s home. The attack seems doomed to fail, but the death of one of his companions distracts Farrell at a critical moment. Battling against his crushing grief, Farrell struggles to save Agloth, his friends, and himself. And even if he survives, he still hasn’t found Kel or his answers.
Champion of the Gods: Book Four
Farrell’s excitement at finding his legendary ancestor Kel is tempered by the knowledge it signals the beginning of the end of the war. As he and Kel race to recover the last two Gifts of the Gods, Meglar is not quiet. Fighting erupts around the world, and new allies reveal their hand. To complicate matters, Arritisa has refused Farrell’s request for Her Gift.
Searching for answers, Farrell travels to Bowient, home to Falcron’s main temple. While there, Farrell uncovers a plot to destroy the temple and the city. The attack fails, but Farrell kills Neldin’s priestess in the fight. The death of His priestess prompts Neldin to visit Farrell. Despite Farrell’s rejection, Neldin shows Farrell that he is more like his father than he’d like to admit.
When Heroes Fall Page 62