Life is a river,
Earth, a conduit
sluicing its flotsam
of mayflies fallen,
never taken wing;
tumbling toward
oblivion's sea.
- From the works of Gennadi Kovalev
(Translated from the original Russian)
Glossary
Alar
Governor of Venep’o occupied lands.
Articles of Protocol
The democratic constitution of Sesei.
Bolovo
An herbal drug used in Sesei to inspire visions, induce sleep and calm the heart.
Cadre
The elite leadership force of the Sesep’o military, with dominion over provincial militias.
Convergence
A periodic astronomical event that opens temporary portals between xenoliths in each world.
Cra
One of the three brother gods. Lord of Death, Disease and Pestilence.
Cra Supremacist
Sinkor follower of a monotheistic sect that elevates the importance of Cra above the other gods.
Crasac
A Venep’o infantryman, proficient with crossbow and short sword.
Croega
Provincial capital of Suul.
Cuasar
A Venep’o cavalryman, proficient with crossbow and saber.
Cuerti
The elite heavy cavalry and honor guard of the Sinkor clergy.
Diomet
One of the fallen provinces of Sesei and the first to be invaded. Notorious for its abundance of Sinkor followers and Venep’o sympathizers.
Fanhalahun
One of the three brother gods. Lord of Wealth and Plenty.
Gi
An occupied wilderness nation beyond the frontiers of Venen, inhabited by clannish subsistence farmers and herdsmen.
Giep’o
The people and language of Gi.
Hiloru
A warrior priest of the Sinkor faith.
Ijinji
A multi-island nation noted for its traders and warrior pirates.
Inner Quorum
The ruling executive council of Sesei.
Likica
Mercomar
A mirror-based heliograph station used by the Venep’o to flash and relay messages over long distances.
Nalki
A Giep’o rebel.
Ortezei
A fallen province of Sesei, inland from Diomet and neighbor to Suul.
Pasemani
One of the three brother gods. Lord of Health and Mercy.
Peregrin
A foreign exile from Ur.
Philosopher
A member of the Academy, with dominion over xenoliths and the Travelers who tend them.
Piliar
A stoutly defended island province of Sesei, home to the Academy.
Polu
A Sinkor convert in Venep’o occupied lands, staple of militias and constabularies.
Raacevo
A trading center in Gi at the head of Siklaa Gorge, the gateway to Venen.
Sesei
A secular and democratic nation under siege by Venen.
Sesep’o
The people and language of Sesei.
Sinkor Natadi
The Venep’o faith of the three brother deities: Cra, Pasemani and Fanhalahun.
Suul
A Venep’o-conquered province bordering Ubabaor.
Tabulator
A device specific to each xenolith used to calculate the timing, strength and duration of convergences.
Traveler
One of the agents who tend the network of xenoliths across worlds.
Ubabaor
The capital of Sesei and the only province besides Piliar still free of Venep’o rule.
Ur
The Sesep’o word for our Earth.
Urep’o
The people and languages of Earth.
Venen
A nation of religious extremists with a rigid caste system, dependent on conquest and slave labor for sustenance. Across the ocean from Sesei, separated from Gi by mountains.
Venep’o
The people and language of Venen.
Venenendera
The supreme ruler of Venen and its conquered lands.
Xenolith
Stones foreign to each parallel world they reside in, sensitive to astronomical convergences, and capable of opening short-lived windows between worlds.