The Orphans of New Lur

by Blake Vanier

  Accelerator

  Erohsian technology that drastically increases the healing rate.

  Adter Tursent

  Artifact designed to absorb a specific type of Aether and emit light. They are commonly used to determine the specific cast of Aether in question.

  Aether

  A complex form of energy that exists in the higher dimensions, which overlap the four everyday dimensions in normal experience. Through essence, Aether can be brought into the normal dimensions and converted into useable energy.

  Aetheratin

  A measure of how much Aether someone or something is capable of storing.

  Aethersotto

  The measure of how quickly something can use Aether (power output).

  Aether Branch

  Refers to the subset of skills of a particular Aether cast. It is common to have a certain cast of Aether, but not be able to perform all the skills associated with that Aether. The person would then only be able to use some of the branches of that Aether cast.

  Aether Cast

  Type of Aether. Casts correspond to the six higher dimensions. When pulled into the normal dimensions, different casts of Aether create unique effects on the world.

  Aether Shift

  A condition in which normal dimensions begin to merge with higher dimensions due to a very high local density of Aether. Various side effects can occur depending on the cast of Aether causing the shift.

  Amulet

  A specific type of Artifact designed to protect the user from incoming attacks. An Amulet draws Aether from its own Aether reserve and operates independently of the wearer.

  Ancient Technology

  Any technology that may have been derived from the Creators. Most of this technology was lost during the War of Salvation.

  Anterra

  The Name of the planet.

  Anterraktor

  A creature that is said to be the guardian of the planet. They employ the use of cressen to do their bidding, but are formidable in combat and Aether themselves.

  Anterren

  The currency of Anterra.

  Artifacts

  Objects infused with at least a part of an essence. The essence is ‘programmed’ in a sense to manipulate Aether in a desired manner.

  Bellicove Island

  An island that has been forsaken long ago. There are ruins that date back to the Creators, but no record exists to explain their purpose.

  Biat

  A cast of Aether that allows for the manipulation of essence. Manipulations include the abilities to absorb essence, destroy essence, and create essence.

  Blue Horin

  A city on the Blue Horin Bay. It is a thriving seaport where many races come to trade.

  Boltz Scale

  A system of measurement used to quantify essence strength. It factors in both Aetheratin and Aethersotto into a single number for comparison with other essences.

  Borukin

  A dark skinned, large race with arguably the highest Aethersotto on the planet. They are skilled artisans and combat experts.

  Capsent

  A basic Artifact used to store Aether for use.

  Carerasent

  An Artifact that has bound part of an essence, imprisoning it. An individual can use a mental link to release the essence, which allows the essence to manifest a physical form. The individual’s control over the summoned essence will vary greatly.

  Catalyst

  A Human organization rebelling against the Erohsians in a bid for equality.

  Continuous Lepisent

  A type of lepisent which creates a continuous stream of Aether from the user’s input.

  Corusnigma

  A geographical area of incredibly high Aether concentration. Six such locations exist throughout Anterra, each with a specific Aether cast. At the center of each is a monolith of unknown purpose.

  Coteress

  A temporary bonding of two or more essences. The bond results in Aether abilities that are the addition of the individuals with a fractional loss.

  The Creators

  A race worshiped by the Erohsians and believed to have lived on Anterra millennia ago. The Erohsians believe the Creators created all the races that exist on present day Anterra.

  Cressen

  Aether creatures that are guided by an Anterraktor. Cressen are created from the babies of normal animals in Aether-saturated areas. The Anterraktor chooses an animal before it is born. Once picked, the animal will develop similar attributes as their mother but will be significantly augmented in all respects.

  Daynin

  A group of Humans who would force their children to bond with an essence at a young age. This bond would allow the child to grow up and develop with their Aether abilities, arguably making them more proficient when they are grown.

  Drake

  An ancient race of reptilian shifters. They retreated to their own island after a conflict with the Borukins. They are recorded throughout history, especially during times of conflict.

  Drebin

  The people who believe a Savior is the protector of all the races and will eventually deliver Anterra from suffering. They are one of the few examples where races of every kind have united for a common cause.

  Entity

  A very basic essence that exists in the world. They have basic instincts, similar to that of a jelly fish.

  Essence

  A connection from the normal dimensions to the higher dimensions. During use, the connections may grow and develop complex formations. These formed connections to the higher dimensions will create something analogous to a neuro-network, allowing the essence to process thoughts and memories.

  Erohsian

  A small Humanoid race with high intelligence. They have very basic Moltrik Aether capabilities.

  Fundamental Aether

  A set of Aether skills that focus around one’s essence. These Aether skills allow for the transfer of forces from one’s body to the rest of the world. A side effect of Fundamental Aether is an increase in stamina and strength.

  The War of Salvation

  An event that was responsible for the removal of the Lost Race from Anterra and the creation of the Drebin. It culminated in a world war against the Drebin.

  Human

  A race of people who are born without a substantial Aether ability. The only natural Aether ability they have is to absorb essence. The first essence they absorb determines their Riner Ratio and their Aether skill sets. Subsequent absorbed essences will increase the individual’s Boltz value.

  Icor Aether

  A cast of Aether that manipulates the body. The manipulations include reading and manipulating minds, drastic increase of strength and speed, healing, and increased physical resistance.

  Invisibility Talisman

  A type of Artifact which draws Aether from the user and converts it into mental Icor Aether, then uses the Icor Aether to influence organic minds such that the user appears invisible.

  Jasmeer

  A small Borukin town in the Siroté mountains.

  Jazebel Marks

  The leader of the Humans during the War of Salvation.

  Katashne’n Tree

  A tree that is highly dependent on Aether, thus is only found in Aether-saturated areas. For whatever reason, a Katashne’n tree is very difficult to find, even after it has been found once. The wood has incredible Aether properties, one of which is its affinity to all casts of Aether. Katashne’n fruit is also a prized commodity for its high levels of Aether and its stimulant-like characteristics.

  Kiats

  The Borukin capital.

  Kimkari

  A Borukin combat art that focuses on handling attacks from multiple sources.

  Layton Stone

  The leader of the Borukins during the War of Salvation.

  Lepisent

  An offensive Artifact that takes in Aether of any kind and outputs a specific cast of Aether that the user may not have. Even if the user h
as the specific Aether cast, a lepisent eliminates the need for the user to develop the challenging skills to use Aether in such a way. The user can then focus time learning to use lepisents in general and expand their versatility.

  Levitraft

  A vehicle that utilizes a Yerantol cage for the sake of transportation.

  The Lost Race

  A race of beings that were removed from Anterra at the end of the War of Salvation. It is believed that they worked hand in hand with the Humans and Borukins to stop the Drebin from taking full control. Exactly how they disappeared from the planet is unknown.

  Majirin

  The largest continent of Anterra. Majirin is the homeland for Erohsia and Boruk.

  Moltrik Aether

  The cast of Aether associated with electricity and magnetism. This Aether can manipulate electric fields, magnetic fields, molecular bonds, and light.

  Nesiv Aether

  The cast of Aether associated with the manipulation of spacetime. Most commonly, Nesiv Aether is used to create gravitational sinks, or to shield mass from an external gravitational field.

  New Lur

  One hundred years earlier, the Erohsians assaulted the Human capital city, Bahsil. Nearby, the Humans destroyed all the weaponry and equipment in the city of Lur before fleeing. In more recent years, the Erohsians attempt to revive the once heavily industrialized city, calling it New Lur. New Lur is the Erohsians’ attempt to give pride back to the Humans to encourage them to work.

  Nimus Extractorians

  People who extract memories from essences. Typically, this is for historical reasons. They are also called Essence Historians.

  Normal Dimensions

  These correspond to the everyday four dimensions in which the world is often perceived: one temporal and three spatial.

  Obsentsa

  The Borukin art of making Artifacts.

  Obsentsan

  A Borukin term for an Artifact maker.

  Odo

  A Borukin skill in which the subject uses a styk to manipulate Aether from an external source.

  Pahzan Aether

  The cast of Aether associated with energy transfer. These transfers of energy include adding energy, extracting energy, and using Pahzan Aether as a shield which absorbs other forms of Aether.

  Porlimin Weapons

  Aether-based weapons of exceptional make. They are designed to accept different Artifact spheres which can augment the type of Aether the blade cuts with. Often one weapon will have multiple slots. This allows the user to change the Aether the blade is using instantly.

  Pulse Lepisent

  A type of lepisent which creates a short burst, or multiple short bursts, of Aether from the user’s input.

  RIGID

  A top-secret agency of the Erohsians that deals with national security and advanced weaponry.

  Riner Ratio

  The ratio of an essence’s Aetheratin to Aethersotto. It is used to judge how someone uses and interacts with Aether.

  Roroon

  The Borukin art of hand to hand combat. The typical training includes callisthenic movements that Borukins use for exercise and meditation.

  RPPD

  Rocket Propelled Pinpoint Detonator. The pinpoint detonator has a guidance system that is capable of hitting stationary geo-referenced targets with high precision. The rocket will propel the explosives to high speeds allowing for quick delivery, especially when used in tandem with a Vulture.

  Ru Aether

  The cast of Aether associated with nuclear forces. It is the most feared Aether cast due to its potential for destruction and misuse.

  Seteress

  The act of severing one’s own essence from one’s physical being. This allows the person to circumvent the physical restrictions of the body when using massive amounts of Aether. The result, however, is unstable and death of the individual is inevitable.

  Spatsentzin

  A region where a large number of essences have bonded to the surroundings. This elevated occurrence of bonding drastically increases the Aether concentration in the area and often leads to a substantial Aether shift. The bound essences may still have connections to their once living selves and may interact with the world in a positive or negative manner.

  Spirit Hunters

  People who hunt for strong essences in the hopes of selling them to Essence Historians. They typically hunt essences around Corusnigmas.

  Sorbsent

  A specific Artifact that draws Aether from a user. A Sorbsent is typically integral in the design of talismans.

  Styk

  A Borukin tool that allows the user to interact with and store Aether. Many Borukin art forms have developed around this tool. Typically, Styks are made of materials that have a high Aetheratin, such as wood and other organic materials.

  Sunta

  The capital of Erohsia.

  Talisman

  An Artifact that draws Aether from a user and uses it to augment a specific set of their attributes, such as speed and strength.

  The Tenebrous Miasma

  Is a large region in the ocean of notorious hostility toward adventurers. Erohsian satellite imagery and flybys have revealed a series of large islands. Any effort to get close to these islands has resulted in disaster.

  Trial of Kimsa

  One of Stone’s Trials that takes place during the end of the Borukin games. The trial of Kimsa is a test of a Borukin’s effectiveness in combat.

  Trial of Odosa

  One of Stone’s Trials that takes place during the end of the Borukin games. The trial of Odosa tests a Borukin’s ability to defend against large Aether attacks.

  Trial of Orinda

  One of Stone’s Trials that takes place during the end of the Borukin games. The trial of Orinda is a test of a Borukin’s ability to continue in the face of monumental odds. This trial is the culmination of the games and of all Borukin skills.

  Tursent

  A type of Artifact that converts Aether from one source into a specific type for a specific function. These are the base for lepisents.

  Virker

  Believed to be creations of the Creators that no longer exist. A large part of a virker is said to reside in the higher dimensions.

  Vitaya

  An essence that is part of a living organism. A Vitaya is exposed to the world when the organism dies.

  Vultures

  Erohsian high flying unpiloted aircraft. They are capable of sustaining flight almost indefinitely. Some are used to hold a variety of deployable weaponry, and some are used for surveillance.

  World Essence

  The name for Anterra’s essence. It is believed that a life of an essence begins and ends with the World Essence. There has been no direct, scientific proof for its existence, however, several experiments are currently in development.

  Yerantol Cage

  Is an invention that minimizes the effect of gravity on the mass inside the cage. The cage is essentially a potential energy buffer, which allows mass to be moved to different potential energies with near perfect energy recovery. Most importantly, the constant acceleration needed to maintain position in a gravitational field is greatly reduced. To start, the Yerantol cage is energized to the potential energy of the equivalent maximum elevation. As the cage rises, energy is drawn from the cage to account for the increased potential energy of the cage’s contents. When the cage descends, the potential energy of the contents refills the cage.

  Zarta

  An Aether creature of high intelligence. The similarities between Zartas and insects have left most evolutionists dumbfounded. The similarities constitute one of the strongest arguments that the Creators were actually responsible for the different races of Anterra. When the Zarta grows, it uses its strong Aether ability to project limbs, causing its natural limbs to atrophy and fall off. Zartas have hard exoskeletons under a soft hair, very effective eyes, and a bird-like beak.

  About the Author

  In high school I got
the bug to create a story from a friend named Frankie. In 2008, taking the train home from an internship at Lockheed-Martin, I got the idea that was the seed for my Anterra series. I finished school with the series outlined and the first few chapters complete. When I finally thought it was done, I reworked a lot of it. Then, with some constructive criticism, I rewrote almost the entire thing… then I did that at least one or two more times… It was painful. Thankfully, we are finally there and I can begin to share this story with you all.

  When I’m not working on the story, I’m either working on software that processes satellite data for solar and atmospheric science on satellites, working in the shop making things with a cnc milling center, or practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.