HYPERBUS—hoverbus that goes faster than a normal bus, with an average speed of 90 to 100 miles per hour. It is also more suitable for rugged terrain than a traditional wheeled bus.
INCUBUS/SUCCUBUS—provocative nightmare demonic immortals, with a male called an incubus and a female called a succubus.
ITAYAKKAL—a heartstone made of pink tourmaline that is enchanted so it enables the receiver of the stone to feel the love and warmth of the giver. The name comes from Tamil (an ancient language still used in Sri Lanka, where the gemstone is naturally found), literally translating to “heart stone.” In Hindu, the gem is known for its properties of “love.”
JACKFRUIT SEEDS—large nutlike seeds from the jackfruit. Flavor is milky and sweet, similar to Brazil nuts or chestnuts.
JENGLOT—a small doll-like immortal that likes to cause mischief, not unlike a gremlin. They are typically found in Indonesia.
JINN—wish-granting humanoid immortals. They are generally smaller in stature than the average human, but otherwise they are physically indistinguishable. While they can occasionally fall into a trickster role, they are generally well-intentioned and kind. Their vast power to grant wishes is not available at all times to all beings, and in fact, most jinn require that certain ceremonies and rituals be performed before one can access their power.
JOROGUMO—shapeshifting immortals that change from beautiful women to horrific giant spiders. They feast on the lust—and occasionally the literal beating hearts—of men, thus earning them a name that translates to “prostitute spider” in Japanese. In the United States, the Every Feeling Act allows them to feed only on the lust of consenting adults.
KAHVALTI—a Turkish coffee house/breakfast diner.
KALANORO—small, primate immortals with hooked claws, a piranha-esque appetite, and a penchant for hoarding “treasures.” They are native to Madagascar, but a substantial population also exists in Panama.
KALFU’S DAGGER—a dagger that belonged to the Haitian creator Petra Loa which has the power to kill other Petra Loas. It has a jagged blade of black tourmaline. The hilt is a deep red with a Vévé symbol carved into it, right in the center of the quillons. It is twelve inches in length.
KATMER—a Turkish flaky golden flatbread.
KIBBEH—a deep-fried croquette stuffed with mushrooms, onions, and pine nuts.
KIRIN—extinct divine immortal creatures, similar to unicorns. They possess two antlers and a horn, and have a pastel mane and prehensile tail. Iridescent scales are scattered along their body. Their extinction was actually the inciting act that caused Odin to create the Valkyries to help purge the powerful immortals before they destroyed the earth.
KTING VOAR—a massive immortal bovine, similar to the gaur bison or the short-haired yak. Their dark fur is speckled with white. They generally stand over eight feet tall at the shoulder and can weigh more than 3,500 lbs. They have two-foot-long horns that curve and twist like snakes. They are reputed to eat snakes, and have a mouthful of sharp teeth, including two saber-tooth incisors. Despite their immortality, the Kting Voars have been hunted nearly to extinction, and they are a protected species in their native countries of Vietnam and Cambodia.
KURNUGIA—the official name of the underworld, so named by the ancient Sumerians who first recorded its existence. It is a physical plane, separated from earth by the powerful magic of the Vanir gods, and it has a nearly unbreakable seal that keeps the immortals trapped in Kurnugia once they are returned by the Valkyries. The literal translation for Kurnugia is “Earth of No Return.”
KURTARI INCANTATION—the incantation that must be said in order to leave Kurnugia. The phrase is “atebamap adilz a odo,” which is the backwards version of the Enochian phrase “odo a zlida pamebeta,” which means “open the water unto me.” While the chant is being said, the practitioner must spin counterclockwise, and they must be marked by the blood of an Eralim. The name comes from the Sumerian language, kurtari loosely translating to “land of return.” The incantation only works if the practitioner is mortal.
KUSANAGI-NO-TSURUGI—a powerful sword that controls the wind. It was created in the first century in Japan. Midsized sword with a beveled blade, and both the blade and the hilt are made of a singular piece of a black obsidian-like material. Roughly twenty-three inches in length. It is not a katana.
LEMPO—a capricious and sometimes evil god/goddess of love. Long wavy red hair, androgynous features, antlers, and a hannunvaakuna tattoo on their face. Originally ruled in Finland before being returned to Kurnugia.
LENTILS UNLIMITED—a company that sells lentils to stock up for doomsday preparedness.
LILIPLUM—chemical derived from the Lilium plumeria flower. It is a syrupy liquid that, when inhaled through a vaporizer or hookah, creates an opiate-like euphoria and occasional hallucinations. The smoke it produces is a dark violet, and it smells sweet, like the lily flower it comes from.
LOBISHOMEN—werewolf-like immortal with huge fangs.
LUFT—short for luftfahrrad.
LUFTFAHRRAD—a German-engineered type of hoverbike.
MAHAMBA—large reptilian immortal carnivores from the Congo.
MANANANGGAL—Filipino vampiric demonic immortals.
MANETO CANAL—the road/canal that Malin lives on, from the Native word for river serpent.
MAUSOLEUM AV VETERANER FRÅN KRIGET MOT ODÖDLIGHET—a mausoleum where deceased Valkyries are interred at the Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago. The name translates to “Mausoleum of the Veterans of the War on Immortality” in Swedish. It has a minimalist design in white marble, giving it a very cubic appearance. The coat of arms is carved into the marble above: a shield emblazoned with the three horns of Odin and nine swords fanned out behind it.
MERCHANTS OF DEATH—a market in the Gates of Kurnugia where immortal creatures sell taboo and often illegal items to various tourists—both immortals (who need permission and a shielding potion from the Evig Riksdag for a limited pass that allows them to exit and enter the Gates) and mortals (who can pass freely without permission from the Evig Riksdag). Because the Gates of Kurnugia is its own sovereign entity, it is an almost entirely lawless society, with the only law being enforced by Seraphim-controlled protection spells that don’t allow the killing of visiting mortals or immortals. Many of the merchants get around that by paying smugglers to kill outside the walls of the city and then bring the valuable parts inside for the merchants to sell.
MIST—one of the original nine Valkyries created by Odin; also the name of her teal sword. Name means “mist” or “cloud” in old Norse.
MNGWA—immortal felines with brindle coats. They are among the largest of the big cats, at roughly the size of an average donkey. They have elongated fangs, razor-sharp claws, and a spiky mane of fur that extends down the backs like a mohawk. Typically from Tanzania.
MORTAL EQUATION—a complex system handed down by Vanir gods to the Seraphim to calculate when immortals should be returned to Kurnugia. It is impossible for anyone outside of a Vanir god or a Seraph to understand, with infinite symbols, constantly shifting variables, and an occasionally untranslatable dimensional language.
NAWAR—an ancient city, now more often known as Tell Brak. It was the site of early human civilization in Mesopotamia.
NEW EDGEWATER—a district in Chicago, built out over Lake Michigan in an attempt to handle the population explosion. When founded a hundred years ago, it was designed as a luxury addition with canals for roads. However, due to pollution and the constant moisture, the neighborhood has sunk into poverty and dilapidation.
NORAM OVERLAND EXPRESS—a mode of transportation that runs from Canada down to Honduras. The Overland is neither a train nor a bus but rather an odd hybrid that makes travel much faster and easier. The double-decker carriage straddles several lanes of the highway with a three-meter gap beneath large enough to accommodate the average hovercraft. It runs on rails located on either side of the highway, with a fixed route similar to a train, and it can reach speeds as high as 125 mil
es per hour.
NORNEWSNOW—a twenty-four-hour news network, with the main station based in Chicago. Ellery Park is one of their lead reporters.
OKROSHKA—a Russian soup that’s essentially a salad of diced boiled eggs, horseradish, scallions, and potatoes covered in a broth made of kvas (a fermented cola-like beverage without carbonation) and served with a dollop of sour cream on top.
OLITAU—large demonic immortal bats, with a twelve-foot wingspan, black fur, and red wings. Though they are originally from Cameroon, the Gates of Kurnugia has a very large population, with many immortals breeding and raising them. The olitau have excretions that can be turned into expensive black-market wares.
ÖLRÚN—one of the original nine Valkyries created by Odin; also the name of her emerald sword. Name roughly translates to “secret” or “rune.”
ORESA OZIEN INCANTATION—the name itself means “owned by darkness” in Enochian, and it is used in cases of possession. It only works when spoken by an Eralim or Seraph. It is important to physically touch the suspected possessed person while saying, “Bolape voresa, oresa noco! Elasa biab ge de oi goaanu!” Which means “Get out, dark servant! You are not of this creation!” in Enochian.
ORICHALCUM—a metallic substance found only in the Lost City of Atlantis. It is considered to be unbreakable. It is brassy with a red hue.
ORISHA—helpful immortal spirits that guide lost souls around Zianna.
PALMITO FRESCO ASSADO—fresh-baked palm heart. It has a mild flavor with a nutty, creamy center.
PERENELLE’S CHILDREN—a street gang named after Perenelle and Nicolas Flamel, famous alchemists from the 1300s. The gang is known for their neon colors and cyberpunk style, and their emblem is the Flamel symbol. They are all Cambions or lower-level demons, and generally pretend to be interested in alchemy but usually just cause minor trouble. The gang is from New Edgewater.
PETRO LOA—an immortal being that exists in an ageless human form. Loas are considered benign spirits, while Petro indicates a type of loa renowned for being fiery, passionate, and strong-willed.
PINK TOURMALINE—a crystal that is used to connect others with love.
PISHACHA—flesh-eating demonic immortals with a mostly humanoid form, but they also have bulging red eyes and rows of pointed teeth. They struggle to survive in the United States, which bans the consumption of sentient flesh under the Every Feeling Act, and they often rely on black markets and “vegetarian” substitutions.
A PLACE FOR DREAMING—a mossy overgrown gazebo on an outcropping of large rocks in the center of Skarpåker Park in Chicago.
PONTIANAK—female vampiric immortal ghouls that usually take a beautiful human female form. They are tormented and carnivorous, and they lure their victims by imitating the sound of an infant crying. There is a large population of Indonesian emigrated Pontianaks in the New Edgewater district of Chicago, and despite the fact that they do not kill or hunt because of the Every Feeling Act, they still often call and cry out in the night.
PUDLA—an Indian crepe/pancake-like food made with chickpeas. It can be sweet or savory, and it is often served with chutney.
RA—an immortal god with a human body and a falcon head worshipped in Egypt.
RAMEN—Japanese deep-fried noodles that are inexpensive and easy to make.
RASSOLNIK—a Russian hot soup in a salty-sour cucumber base. Typical rassolnik is made with kidneys, brine, root vegetables, and barley.
RAVENSWOOD ACADEMY—a well-respected post-secondary educational institution. It is operated in conjunction with the Evig Riksdag, and it specializes in training for supernatural and supernatural-adjacent careers for those who lack any abilities themselves, particularly humans and the mortal offspring from mixed parentage.
THE RED RAVEN—a vibrant nightclub where demons hang out located in the Aizsaule District and owned by the demon Velnias.
RHUBARB CHUTNEY—a spicy condiment made of rhubarb with vinegar, spices, and sugar.
RÓTA—one of the original nine Valkyries created by Odin; also the name of her dark indigo sword. Name roughly translates to “sleet and storm.”
SACRORUM WING—a wing in Ravenswood Academy filled with important and sacred books. Its creation and maintenance is a joint effort on the part of the elite board of education and the Evig Riksdag, who both believe that some texts contain information too valuable and dangerous to be distributed en masse, and they fear that digital media is vulnerable to piracy. Many historical texts have been transferred onto digital formats, but the Sacrorum is dedicated to preserving and sharing texts that aren’t permitted to ever be digitized. As an added level of security, the ever watchful Sinaa protect the knowledge and contents of the wing fiercely.
SALVARI BALM—an antibiotic and antidemonic supernaturally infused bacitracin. It is bubbly and blue in appearance. The name comes from the Old French word salvari, which means to “save” or “defend.”
SAMBUSA—a popular Somalian baked dish, it is a fried triangular pastry filled with seasoned lentils and potatoes.
SERAPHIM—the divine immortal beings that work in the highest levels of the Evig Riksdag. While they have a humanoid form, they are difficult for mortals and most immortals to look at. They are described as possessing an ethereal beauty and glowing brightly. Singular is “seraph.”
SHARUR—an ancient flail mace, created thousands of years ago in Sumeria. It has a long bronze staff with a gruesome spiked head made of iron attached to it by a chain. Most notably, it has the power to fly to its owner when called.
SHE’OL—a city in Kurnugia controlled by the god of destruction, Abaddon. The nearest city to Zianna, and also one of the largest in Kurnugia. It is surrounded by jagged rocks and a magma moat. It’s a very dark city, but large, with lots of noise and red light.
SHUNKA WARAKIN—large hyena–dire wolf carnivorous immortals. They have mottled orange and black fur, sloping backs, stubby tails, and short hind legs, giving them a hunchbacked appearance. Their heads are similar to that of wolves, though much larger and broader.
SIBUDU KEY—an ancient crescent-shaped stone made of sandstone and quartz that allows entrance into Kurnugia. It was discovered with other ancient artifacts in the Sibudu Cave of South Africa. The key was created 60,000 to 65,000 years ago, but the creator is unknown.
SIGRÚN—one of Odin’s original nine Valkyries; also the name of her purple sword. Name roughly translates to “victory rune” in old Norse.
SIMURGH—a massive feathered immortal beast with the body of a white lion, the crimson head of dog, two gigantic brightly colored wings of emerald and violet, and a tail made of long, vibrant peacock-esque plumages. Most commonly found in Persia.
SINAA—knowledge-obsessed immortals. They have the appearance of jaguars, with many eyes hidden in their spots. They are most known for guarding the Sacrorum Wing in Ravenswood Academy, although they are originally from Brazil.
SIRRUSH—a scaly immortal dragon with hind legs resembling the talons of an eagle, feline forelegs, a long neck and tail, a horned head, a snake-like tongue, and a crest.
SKARPÅKER PARK—a twenty-five-acre park in Chicago on the edge of the LaBagh Woods. In the very center of the park is its namesake—a large stone inscribed with an eschatological verse in the old language of the gods. It was unearthed in a freak earthquake centuries ago, with jagged edges poking out from the middle of the empty field, which was how it had earned its name—Skarpåker means “sharp field.” Also in the park: A Place for Dreaming gazebo, Dene rock outcropping, Window to Forever art installation, Portello Pavilion over the Great Lawn, Emmanuel Wooded Garden, Fountain of Fates, and a playground.
SKÖGUL—one of the original nine Valkyries created by Odin; also the name of her honey-colored sword. Name roughly translates to “high-towering.”
SOLAMENTUM—ochre-colored crystals made with ginger, angelic toadstool, and codeine to help with pain and inflammation.
SÓLARSTEINN—a sun stone used like a compass. Whoever is holding must focus on wha
t they want most, and the stone uses light to guide them to it. Created by Vikings in the early 1000s BCE.
SORCELLERIE GRIMOIRE—a book of magic and history that has been in the Warren family for generations. Sorcellerie roughly translates to “sorcery or witchcraft” in French, and grimoire means “spell book or magic text book” from French derivation, so it roughly means “sorcery spell book.” It is a thick, heavy book that smells of dust and sage. The cover is leathery black with a lustrous sheen, and an iridescent bornite (Peacock Ore) crystal is inlaid in its cover. It is approximately 9.5 inches wide, 12 inches long, and 2 inches thick.
SOURSOP WINE—white wine made from the soursop plant in Belize. Tart but sweet.
SUGARLAND—a midsized city in Texas, it’s the halfway point between Chicago and the Gates of Kurnugia. It’s also the final NorAm Overland Express stop in the United States before Mexico.
SUP D’YAVOLA—a Russian restaurant in the Aizsaule District that only serves soup and alcohol. The name literally translates to “The Devil’s Soup.”
TARTARUS—a city in Kurnugia controlled by Perses. A cliff-face town, across from the Acheron Gorge.
TELL BRAK—a site in Syria where mass graves dating from 3800 to 3600 BCE have been unearthed, suggesting advanced warfare around this period.
THAUMATURGY—the study of magic, and one of the more popular majors at Ravenswood Academy. Twentieth-century Druid Isaac Bonewits defined it as “the art and science of ‘wonder working,’ using magic to actually change things in the physical world.”
THRÚD—one of the original nine Valkyries created by Odin; also the name of her pink sword. Name roughly translates to “strength.”
TRASGU—impish humanoid immortals with horns and a tail. They often walk bowlegged with a limp.
TYRFING—a magical Norse sword that never misses a strike. It’s a two-handed long sword, approximately forty-three inches in length, and it has a golden hilt.
UNSEEN ENCHANTMENT—a spell of concealment. “Omnium visibilium et invisibilium omnium manemus” means “all things visible and invisible, to all we remain unseen” in Latin. Used in conjunction with the smoke from a Valerian root candle.
From the Earth to the Shadows Page 37