Defiant Swords (Durlindrath #2) (17 page)
Read Defiant Swords (Durlindrath #2) Online
Authors: Robert Ryan
Forgotten Queen (the):
An epithet for Queen Carnhaina.
Free
Cities
:
A group of
cooperative city states that pool military resources to defend themselves
against attack. Founded prior to Cardoroth. Initially ruled by kings and
queens, now by a senate.
Galenthern
:
Hal.
“Green flat.” Southern
plains bounded by the Careth Nien and the Graèglin Dennath mountain range.
Gavnor:
A lòhren of Queen Carnhaina’s ancient court. Driven
by desperate need he attempted to Spirit Walk, though he did not have
sufficient skill. He saw deeply into what was, and what yet may be. But he was
assailed. He had neither the skill to attempt to defend himself, nor to return
to his body. He was lost in the void, from whence none had ever returned. Yet
Carnhaina recalled him, revealing herself as a great power, greater than most
lòhrens or elùgroths. But Gavnor was changed by the experience. He withdrew
from the court, renounced his stature among the lòhren order, and wandered the
land as a lover of nature. It is said that his power was increased, and he may
well yet still live. But none have seen him for long centuries.
Gernlik
:
Cam
. A Durlin.
Gilhain
:
Comb. Cam & Hal.
First element unknown, second “hero.” King of
Cardoroth. Husband to Aurellin.
Graèglin
Dennath
:
Hal.
Prn.
Greg-lin dennath. “Mountains of ash.” Chain of mountains in southern
Alithoras. The landscape is one of jagged stone and boulder, relieved only by
gaping fissures from which plumes of ashen smoke ascend, thus leading to its
name. Believed to be impassable because of the danger of poisonous air flowing
from cracks, and the ground unexpectedly giving way, swallowing any who dare to
tread its forbidden paths. In other places swathes of molten stone run in
rivers down its slopes.
Great
North
Road
:
An ancient construction
of the Halathrin. Built at a time when they had settlements in the northern
reaches of Alithoras. Warriors traveled swiftly from north to south in order to
aid the main population who dwelt in Halathar when they faced attack from the
south.
Grothanon
:
Hal
.
“Horror desert.” The flat salt plains south of the Graèglin Dennath.
Halathar
:
Hal.
“Dwelling place of the people of Halath.” The forest realm of the Halathrin.
Halathgar
:
Hal.
“Bright star.” Actually a constellation. Also known as the Lost Huntress.
Halathrin
:
Hal
.
“People of
Halath.” A race named after a mighty lord who led an exodus of his people to
the continent of Alithoras in pursuit of justice, having sworn to redress a
great evil. They are human, though of fairer form, greater skill and higher
culture. They possess an inherent unity of body, mind and spirit enabling
insight and endurance beyond other races of Alithoras. Reported to be immortal,
but killed in great numbers during their conflicts with the evil they seek to
destroy. Those conflicts are collectively known as the
elù
-
haraken: the
Shadowed Wars.
Harakgar
:
Leth
. The three sisters. Creatures of magic brought into
being by the lore of the Letharn. Their purpose is to protect the tombs of
their creators from robbery.
Harlak
:
Leth.
An ancient name of Aranloth.
Harath Neben:
Hal
.
“North gate.” This gate bears a token of two massive emeralds that represent
the constellation of Halathgar. The gate is also known as “Hunter’s Gate,” for
the north road out of the city leads to wild lands full of game.
Hvargil:
Prince of
Cardoroth. Younger son of Carangil, king of Cardoroth. Exiled by Carangil for
treason after it was discovered he plotted with elùgroths to assassinate his older
half-brother, Gilhain, and prevent him from one day ascending to the throne. He
gathered a band about him in exile of outlaws and discontents. Most came from Cardoroth
but others were drawn from Camarelon.
Immortals
:
See Halathrin.
Karappe:
A great healer
of antiquity. Responsible for many of the medical treatises still used today
among the Camar peoples. He lived to 109 years of age, and remained sprightly
well past his hundredth birthday. Famous for recommending two mugs of beer, or
one glass of wine, a day as good for health.
Kareste
:
A mysterious girl who helps Brand. She possess potent magic.
Kardoch:
A hero of
ancient lethrin society. Revered by them, and at times worshipped by them. It
is believed that the elùgroths stamp out the latter practice. They have no room
in their rule for reverence of anything save their own power, and the power
that they ultimately serve themselves.
Khamdar
:
An elùgroth. Leader of the host the besieges Cardoroth.
Kirsch:
A race of men
who established a mighty empire across Alithoras. Yet they predated even the
Letharn and nearly all knowledge of them is lost forever.
Lake
Alithorin
:
Hal.
“Silver lake.” A lake of northern Alithoras.
Letharn
:
Hal.
“Stone raisers. Builders.” A race of people that in antiquity ruled
much of Alithoras. Only traces of their civilization remain.
Lethrin
:
Hal.
“Stone people.”
Creatures of the Graèglin Dennath.
Renowned for their size and strength. Tunnelers and miners.
Lòhren
:
Hal. Prn.
Ler-ren.
“Knowledge giver – a counsellor.” Other terms
used by various nations include wizard, druid and sage.
Lòhren-fire:
A defensive manifestation of lòhrengai.
The
color of the flame varies according to the skill and temperament of the lòhren.
Lòhrengai
:
Hal. Prn.
Ler-ren-guy. “Lòhren force.” Enchantment, spell or use of arcane
power. A manipulation and transformation of the natural energy inherent in all
things. Each use takes something from the user. Likewise, some part of the
transformed energy infuses them. Lòhrens use it sparingly, elùgroths
indiscriminately.
Lòhrenin
:
Hal. Prn.
Ler-ren-in. “Council of lòhrens.”
Lòrenta
:
Hal. Prn.
Ler-rent-a. “Hills of knowledge.” Uplands in northern Alithoras
in which the stronghold of the lòhrens is established.
Lornach
: A Durlin.
Friend to Brand and often called by his nickname of “Shorty.”
Lost
Huntress
: See Halathgar.
Magic
:
Supernatural power. See lòhrengai and elùgai.
Menetuin
:
A city on the east coast of Alithoras. Founded by the Camar.
Merlon:
The vertical stonework on a battlement between
crenels. The merlon offers protection, the crenel a gap through which missiles
are fired.
Netherwall:
One of the ancient names of the witch better
known in present times as Durletha.
Nudaluk:
Cam.
A bird of the woodpecker family.
Otherworld:
Camar term for a mingling of half-remembered history,
myth and the spirit world.
Red-fletched arrows
: Cardoroth is famed for having great archers, and the
greatest of them always use the red feathers of the Cara-hak turkey for their
fletching. The bird is revered by them as a creature of luck, and it is
considered ill fortune to shoot one. But many a farmer or hungry hunter does
so, and the feathers are never wasted. But a wide variety of feathers are used
from different bird species for arrow making, though all are dyed red before
use.
Sellic Neben:
Hal
.
“East gate.” This gate bears a representation, crafted of silver and pearl, of
the moon rising over the sea.
Sending
:
See Drùghoth.
Shadowed Lord
: See
Elùdrath.
Shazrahad
:
The
Azan who commands an elug army, or serves as a lieutenant of an elùgroth.
Shorty:
See Lornach.
Shuffa
:
A
type of boat. Small, fast and ideal for travel by river. Favored by the
villagers who dwell along the Careth Nien, and based on a design originating
from ancient times when the Letharn fished the two rivers of the Angle. The
same name is used in Cardoroth for a different kind of boat, slower and of a
different shape. It’s unclear which version is closer to the original design.
Shurilgar:
Hal.
“Midnight star.” An elùgroth. Also called the
betrayer of nations.
Sight:
The ability to discern the intentions and even
thoughts of another person. Not reliable, and yet effective at times.
Slithrest:
One of the ancient names of the witch better
known in present times as Durletha.
Spirit walk:
Similar in process to foresight. It is deliberately
sought by entering
the
realm between life and death where the
spirit is released from the body to travel through space. To achieve this, the
body must be brought to the very threshold of death. This is exceedingly
dangerous and only attempted by those of paramount skill.
Sorcerer
:
See Elùgroth.
Sorcery
:
See elùgai.
Surcoat
:
An outer garment. Often worn over chain mail. The Durlin surcoat is unadorned
white.
Taingern
:
Cam
. A Durlin. Friend to Brand.
Tombs
of
the
Letharn
:
The ancient burial place of the Letharn people. All members of the population,
throughout the course of their long civilization, were laid to rest here. It
was believed that to be interred elsewhere was to condemn the spirit to a true
death, rather than an afterlife. The dead were preserved, and returned even
from the far reaches of the empire. This was withheld from perpetrators of
treason and heinous crimes. These were buried in special cemeteries near the
river. Petty criminals were afforded an opportunity to redeem their place in
the tombs on payment of a fine determined by the head-priest.
Tower of Halathgar:
In
life, the place of study of Queen Carnhaina. In death, her resting place. Somewhat
unusually, her sarcophagus rests on the tower’s parapet beneath the stars.
Unlach Neben:
Hal
.
“South gate.” This gate bears a representation of the sun, crafted of gold,
beating down upon a desert land. Said by some to signify the homeland of the
elugs, whence the gold of the sun was obtained by an adventurer of old.
War drums:
Drums of the elug tribes. Used especially in times of
war or ceremony. Rumored to carry hidden messages in their beat and also to
invoke sorcery.
Wizard
:
See lòhren.
Wych-wood
:
A general description for a range of supple and springy timbers. Some hardy
varieties are prevalent on the poisonous slopes of the Graèglin Dennath
mountain range and are favored by elùgroths as instruments of sorcery.
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