Necromancers. Advocates of black magic who, according to a legend, are capable of communicating with the deceased either by summoning their spirit as an apparition or raising their bodies.
New World. A rebellion-prone part of Vilnius, teeming with refugees from other countries, new arrivals, anarchists and revolutionaries. It is distinguished by a confusing maze of little streets and common-use houses, with flats, rooms or just a bed available for rent.
Mirth City. Adjacent to the Vilnele River quarter of Vilnius, notorious for its inns, beer houses, pool rooms and joy houses, all open 24 hours a day. This area is a favourite of University students and other youths.
Opium mirrors. Communication machines, created by Constantinople’s Mystics and Hypnomantics. Smoking special alchemic opium makes people go into a deep trance in which they can communicate with each other with the help of special mirrors, regardless of the distance separating them. They became popular in the areas of European cities with the largest populations of arrivals from faraway countries.
Pohulianka. A quarter of Vilnius known for its restaurants, inns, café-chantants and theatres.
Promethelium. A gas lighter than hydrogen and helium, created by the Alchemists of the Alliance, mostly used in airships. Promethelium is practically impossible to set alight and can be combined with hot air or hot steam as well as different alchemical extracts. Due to the versatility of its potential applications it is sometimes called ‘the magic gas’; the Alchemists guard its formula jealously and produce it solely in the cities of the Alliance. The Rothschilds control the quantities and the price of promethelium to be sold to other countries.
Rothschilds, The. Founders of one of the most influential financial organisations in Europe, the family is thought to be the richest family in the world. Its diverse business interests range from mining to wine making. Prompted by their concern about the increased influence of European countries on their businesses and the threat of wars, in 1870 the Rothschilds’ founded the Alliance of free cities, having bought a number of cities from certain European countries.
Rouble. Currency used in the free cities of the Alliance - Kraków, Reval and Vilnius. With the view of encouraging trade and in order to avoid unnecessary expense, the leaders of the Alliance allowed the cities to retain their old currencies – roubles (in Vilnius), korunas (in Prague) and lira (Constantinople).
Salamander’s tongues. A source of light invented by the Alchemists, used in dirigibles, mines and everywhere else where direct flame is prohibited.
Scolopamine. A chemical compound, found in such plants as henbane and datura, which has sedative properties and is used in midwifery as a painkiller drug. In the middle of 19th century an American obstetrician Robert House thought that Scolopamine could be used as a truth serum.
Snipiskes. An area of Vilnius featuring a cluster of small shops and common-use houses for Steam City workers.
Steam City. An industrial area of Vilnius, housing all the main factories and manufacturers. A single-track railway suspended in the air connects Steam city to Viscigavas airship port. The famous buildings: The Guild of Mechanics, The Steam City Baths, Puskoriai Armoury.
Summit, The. An annual meeting of European convoys, foreign ministers and businessmen, taking place in an Alliance city. A city festival and exhibition of latest inventions also take place during the Summit. The Summit of 1905 was held in Vilnius.
Troubles, The. A Vilnius area stretching behind the White Pillars of Pohulianka. Although enjoying a bad reputation and being particularly unsafe, it attracts Vilnius residents like a magnet because it is home to various legal and illegal venues of entertainment.
University Dominium. An area around Vilnius University, encompassing the Town Hall with its Square. The heart of political intrigue and Alchemy in the city.
Utopia. A major anarchist organisation, acting in the territory of Tsarist Russia. It stands out among other Moscow and St Petersburg anarchists as it has branches and carries out activities in smaller provincial towns of the Empire, Kaunas being one of them.
Vitamancers. A powerful organisation, enjoying the support of the Alliance, whose aim is the artificial creation of thinking creatures to be used in industry, surveillance and war. Their most outstanding achievement so far is the golems – rivals to automatons, born at the hands of the Mechanics. Vitamancer Lodges exist in all of the Alliance cities, as well as in the main cities of Europe, but their true cradle is Prague, where they are considered to be de facto rulers.
Viscigavas. Formerly a hippodrome, now the main airship port of Vilnius.
Volta, Alessandro. An Italian physicist known for the invention of the battery. The mechanics of the Alliance created a portable lantern, running on small but long-lasting batteries, and called it Volta’s lantern.
Wireless machine. An apparatus enabling transfer of information between two points over both short and long distances. It is widely used in the Alliance, mostly by Legionnaires who need to get the latest information about all the developments in the city.
Zverynas. An area which has retained the charm of the old peaceful Vilnius, well suited for those wishing to escape the city’s bustle.
About the author
I was born and still live in the ancient city of Vilnius though I no longer walk in the abandoned cemeteries after dark. I am happily married for 12 years with two kids and it easy to see where my inspiration comes when you translate names of my wife and kids from Lithuanian – Morning Dew, Summer and Westerly Wind. We also own the dog named Eagle who leads his life in belief that one day he will be able to soar and reach those pesky squirrels in the trees.
Having my own TV show on national television for more than ten years I suppose made me a minor celebrity locally which actually means that I get disapproving glances whenever I buy beer at a supermarket. No swooning ladies under the feet, unfortunately. I love travelling, playing online poker and sports (have completely lost my head about both kinds of football – American and European), yet books have been and still are my biggest passion.
I have translated The Lord of the Rings into Lithuanian as well several books by Terry Prachett (boy, that was THE hardest work I have ever done) and this year debuted as an author with my very own Hour of the Wolf.
I do talk about all these things on my blog. You are welcome to drop by and say hi. Alternatively, you can follow me on Twitter, or just send an email: [email protected]
The Howler: The Game of Touch and Scream
You have read about it and now you have a chance to play in the Free City of Vilnius
Check The Howler: The Game of Touch and Scream – groundbreaking game which will make you literally scream at your screen.
Vilnius, 1905. Free city, roamed by dirigibles, air balloons and steam carriages. Alchemists and mechanics build and operate incredible machines and automatons.
The game can be played in a traditional “touch” way or you can do everything by voice – noise will make the balloon to go up, silence will let it down. You can even drop parcels or bombs by making short loud noise or by shaking the device.
Click here to visit The Howler page on the Amazon - http://amzn.to/16WLgH6
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[1] Town in southern Russia, known for its agricultural production.
[2] Reval is an old name for the present capital of Estonia, Tallinn.
[3] Latin: Money has no smell.
[4] The Glossary is at the end of the book.
[5] The early bird gets the worm (Latin).
[6] A Russian steam bath.
[7] Steam bath attendant.
[8] Hooray.
[9] Old Russian 10-rouble notes.
[10] Fermented bread drink
[11] Big measures of vodka or other spirits for an instant strong effect.
[12] A grivna is 100 copecks.
[13] Fermented milk drink.
[14] A Russian measure of length, about 0.66 mile (1.1 km).
[15] A 10-rouble note in the Russian Empir
e.
[16] A traditional sweet alcoholic drink similar to a liqueur, based on grainspirit
[17] A term used for a coin valued at 1/100 of a koruna (crown).
[18] In Irish folklore – supernatural double or apparition of a living person. His sighting after sunset is a portent of looming death; before sunset, an omen of something unpleasant.
[19] A monetary unit of Russia and Belarus worth one hundredth of a rouble
[20] A unit of mass equal to approximately 16.38 kg. It was used in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
[21] The system of labour camps in Imperial Russia.
[22] Russian hors d‘oeuvres or appetizers, often set out to eat with vodka.
[23] Thinly sliced pork fat, traditionally eaten to follow a shot of vodka.
[24] Kairys – lefty in Lithuanian.
[25] Manufacturer of ready-to-wear clothing
[26] The person who is widely credited with coining the saying in its current form is XIX century Irish writer Margaret Wolfe Hungerford (née Hamilton), who wrote many books, often under the pseudonym of 'The Duchess'.
[27] Thank you very much (Japanese).
[28] Fellowship (Hebrew). A small group of like-minded Jews who assemble for the purposes of facilitating Shabbat and holiday prayer services, sharing communal experiences such as lifecycle events, or Jewish learning.
[29] A teacher in cheder – a Jewish religious primary school.
[30] If I were Rothschild by Sholom Aleichem, translated by Prattie Place
[31] A Slavic title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a royal nobility rank. It is usually translated into English either as Prince or less commonly as Duke.
[32] Chief pagan priest in Lithuania.
[33] Martynas Mažvydas – the author of The Catechism, the first printed book in the Lithuanian language. The above quote is the first authentic verse in Lithuanian and appears in the preface, called The Appeal of The Small Book Itself Unto Lithuanians and Samogitians.
[34] Ladies and gentlemen (Polish).
[35] Jogaila – Grand Duke of Lithuania (1377–1434)
[36] A non alcoholic beverage made by the natural fermentation of wheat, rye, or barley bread, sometimes flavoured with fruit, berries, raisins or birch sap, similar to Russian or Ukrainian kvass.
[37] Hello (Latin)
[38] “Lithuanian slut“ (Polish).
[39] Ladies and gentlemen (Polish).
[40] Both words mean buffalo - Bawoł (Polish) and Tauras (Lithuanian).
[41] Damn (German).
[42] Thank you blessed Virgin Mary (Polish).
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