The Killing Moon (Dreamblood) (51 page)

Dreamseed:
One of the four dream-humors that form the basis of Gujaareen magic. Culled from erotic dreams, it is useful for stimulating growth that ordinarily occurs only in the womb (e.g., new limbs).

Easternese:
Collective term for people from lands far to the east of the Sea of Glory.

Ehiru:
A Gatherer of Hananja; the black oasis rose. Once a son of the Sunset Lineage.

Empty Thousand:
The desert that stretches from the southernmost edge of the Gujaareen Territories to the northernmost reaches of the Kisuati Protectorate.

Endless, The:
The great ocean to the west of the Sea of Glory.

False-seeing:
A dream that appears to be a vision of the future or past, but is too distorted for interpretation or is simply inaccurate.

Final Tithe:
A Servant of Hananja’s offering of all his remaining dreamblood to the Goddess, at the end of his service.

Flood:
An annual event in which the Goddess’s Blood river overflows its banks and fills the Blood river valley, renewing the fertility of the soil. Also: the marker by which valley-dwellers count perennial changes, such as age.

Founding Sages:
The founders of Gujaareh, including Inunru.

Four:
The number of bands on the face of Dreaming Moon. A holy number, as are its multiples.

Four-of-four:
Four by four by four by four, or two hundred and fifty-six. A holy number.

Gatherers:
Those in one of the four paths to the Service of Hananja, responsible for enforcing Hananja’s Law.

Goddess, The:
In Gujaareh, an alternative term for Hananja. In Kisua, may refer to any female deity.

Goddess’s Blood:
A river whose source is in the mountains of Kisua. Its mouth is along the Sea of Glory in northern Gujaareh.

Gualoh:
Bromarte word for a demon.

Gujaareh:
A city-state whose capital (also called Gujaareh, or the City of Dreams, or Hananja’s City) lies at the mouth of the Goddess’s Blood along the Sea of Glory.

Hamyan Night:
The shortest night of the year, when dreams become so sparse that the Goddess Hananja starves. Treated as a celebration of the summer solstice in Gujaareh.

Hananja:
One of the divine children of Dreaming Moon and Sun. The goddess of dreams, also associated with death and the afterlife.

Hananja’s City:
Alternate name for Gujaareh’s capital.

Hananja’s Law:
The body of law that governs Gujaareh. Its principal tenet is peace.

Hananja’s Wisdom:
A collection of proverbs, prophecies, and other lore that faithful Hananjans must learn.

Healing:
Any non-magical healing art, including herbalism and surgery.

Hekeh:
A fibrous plant native to the Blood river valley, cultivated in Gujaareh and other river nations. Useful in making cloth, rope, and many other products.

Hetawa:
The central temple of the Hananjan faith, and physical center of spiritual life in Gujaareh. The Hetawa oversees education, law, and public health.

Hieratics:
A shorthand or “cursive” form of the Gujaareen written language.

Highcaste:
The Gujaareen royal family, shunha, and zhinha; in Kisua, highcastes include the sonha and hunters.

Hipstraps:
Straps used to hold loindrapes in place. Often decorated with clasps and used to carry wallets or tools.

Hona-Karekh:
The realm of wakefulness.

Ina-Karekh:
The land of dreams. The living may visit this land for short periods during sleep. The dead dwell here in perpetuity.

Indethe:
Sua word for attention/honor/love.

Inim-teh:
A plant grown in the Blood river valley. The seeds are harvested and ground to make a pungent spice useful in pickling and flavoring.

Inunru:
A great and honored figure in the history of the Hananjan faith.

Jellevy:
A small island nation in the Eastern Ocean near Kisua.

Jungissa:
A rare stone that resonates in response to stimuli. Skilled narcomancers use it to induce and control sleep. All jungissa are fragments of the Sun’s seed, fallen to earth from the stars.

Ketuyae:
A small village in the southern Gujaareen Territories.

King:
In Gujaareh, the most recently deceased Prince (may he dwell in Her peace forever).

Kisua:
A city-state in the mideastern region of the continent, motherland of Gujaareh.

Kite-iyan:
The Prince’s alternate palace, home of his wives and children.

Loindrapes:
A garment worn primarily by men in Gujaareh, consisting of two long panels of cloth (knee-length or ankle-length) linked about the hips by straps of leather or metal chain.

Loinskirt:
A garment worn primarily by men in Gujaareh, consisting of a knee-length wrap of hekeh or a pleated drape of linen.

Lowcaste:
A member of any of the castes at the bottom of the Gujaareen social hierarchy. Includes farmers and servants.

Magic:
The power of healing and dreams.

Manuflection:
A gesture of respect offered only to those who bear the gods’ favor. The supplicant drops to one knee, crossing forearms (palms outward) before the face. A lesser version of this (arms held parallel before the chest, palms down, with an included bow depending on the depth of respect shown) is offered as a routine greeting or gesture of apology in Gujaareh.

Merik:
One of the divine children of Dreaming Moon and Sun. Grinds down mountains and fills valleys.

Midcaste:
A member of any of the castes in the middle of the Gujaareen social hierarchy. Includes merchants and artisans.

Military:
Like the Servants of Hananja, a branch of public service in Gujaareh, and a caste into which one may be born or inducted.

Mnedza:
One of the divine children of Dreaming Moon and Sun. Brings pleasure to women.

Moontear:
A flower found along the Goddess’s Blood that blooms only by the light of the Dreaming Moon. Sacred to the Hananjan faith.

Narcomancy:
The Gujaareen skills of sleepcasting, dream control, and the use of dream-humors. Colloquially called
dream magic
.

Nhefti:
A hardy, thick-trunked tree that grows near the mountains of the Blood river valley. Its wood is amber-white and has a naturally pearlescent patina when polished. Used only for holy objects.

Nijiri:
An apprentice of the Gatherer path; the blue lotus. His mentor is Ehiru.

Northerners:
Collective term for members of the various tribes north of the Sea of Glory. Polite term for barbarians.

Numeratics:
Graphical/symbolic depictions used in mathematics, said to have their own magic.

Physical humors:
Blood, bile, ichor (plasma), and seed.

Pictorals:
The glyphic/symbolic written form of the Gujaareen language, based on written Sua. Used for formal requests, poetry, historical annotations, and religious writings.

Pranje:
Ritual undertaken by narcomancers in order to test their self-control.

Prince/Lord of the Sunset/Avatar of Hananja:
The ruler of Gujaareh in the waking realm. Upon death he is elevated to the throne of Ina-Karekh, where he rules at Hananja’s side until a new King comes (may he dwell in Her peace forever).

Protectors:
The council of elders that rules Kisua.

Rabbaneh:
A Gatherer of Hananja; the red poppy.

Reaper:
A myth. Abomination.

Rogue:
A Gatherer or Sharer who has failed the pranje and refused the Final Tithe. Corruption.

Sentinels:
Those in one of the four paths to the Service of Hananja. They guard the Hetawa and all works of the Goddess.

Servant:
In Gujaareh, a member of the lowest caste. Servants are not permitted to accumulate wealth and may select their own masters.

Servants of Hananja:
Priests sworn to the service of the Goddess.

Shadoun:
A desert tribe, once enemies of Gujaareh, now tributaries. Allied to the Kisuati.

Shadowlands:
The place in Ina-Karekh that is created by the nightmares of all dreamers. Those who die in distress are drawn here to dwell for eternity.

Sharers:
Those in one of the four paths to the Service of Hananja, responsible for the health of the city. They use narcomancy and occasionally surgery and herbalism.

Shunha:
One of the two branches of Gujaareen nobility, whose members claim to be descended from liaisons between mortals and Dreaming Moon’s children. Shunha maintain the customs and traditions of the motherland (Kisua).

Sisters of Hananja:
An order (independent of the Hetawa) consisting predominantly of women, who serve Hananja by collecting dreamseed in the city.

Skyrer:
Nocturnal birds of prey who hunt the Empty Thousand. It is an ill omen to see skyrers by day, or away from the desert outside of the rainy season.

Slave:
In Kisua, captive enemies, debtors, the indigent, undesirable foreigners, and criminals sentenced to involuntary servitude for a period of years. Slavery is illegal in Gujaareh.

Sonha:
Kisuati nobility, who claim to be descended from liaisons between mortals and Dreaming Moon’s children.

Sonta-i:
A Gatherer of Hananja; the indigo nightshade.

Soulname:
Names given to Gujaareen children for protection in Ina-Karekh.

Southlands:
Collective name for the various tribes beyond the source of the Goddess’ Blood river, many of which are vassal-states of Kisua.

Stone Garden:
A meditation-space in the inner Hetawa.

Sunandi Jeh Kalawe:
A maiden of the Kisuati sonha, assigned to Gujaareh as Voice of the Protectorate.

Sunset Lineage:
The royal family of Gujaareh, said to be descendants of the Sun.

Superior:
The administrative head of the Hetawa, whose decisions are made in conjunction with the Council of Paths and the Gatherers.

Taffur:
A small canid found in the Blood valley and Empty Thousand, sometimes kept as a pet in Gujaareh and Kisua.

Teachers:
Those in one of the four paths to the Service of Hananja, responsible for education and the pursuit of knowledge.