Gamen – hundred soldiers plus one officer
Garstigg – large rodent-like creatures with long hairy snouts and vicious claws on the end of fore-feet; found burrowing in the schwarm tunnels, scavenging for insects and rats. Very small red eyes. They prey on schwarm, so the Ratava hunt them to protect their ‘flock’.
Gods – see glossary V
Gor-manov prison outbreak – Gor-manov was a serial killer of renown; he escaped prison before he could be sentenced, and took with him fifty inmates who spread far and wide throughout Floreskand.
Grass-weed – used to smoke, a sweet delicate blend of plains-grass that smoked delightfully
Gild – Guild. The vast majority of common people belong to some kind of gild, be it religious, merchant, or craft. Most infamous illegal gild is the assassins’ gild. Merchant Gilds regulate trade monopoly. Gildsmen form the greater part of the militia. Gildsmen also take up vendettas on behalf of members’ families.
Hartwood – hardwood, but not as strong as ironwood, but cheaper…
Hidges – midges that transmit hrzia (qv)
Hrzia – a nasty parasite; eggs laid by hidges. A worm of the marshes, a parasite that ravages the pelvic region of human hosts.
Innman – Landlord or innkeeper; always the owner of the inn, not his staff or managers
Inner-godder – slang for follower of the Inner God (qv Glossary E)
Kellan-Mesqa – see Devastators
Launmark – measurement – equivalent to .8 mile (1.3km)
Lhoretsorel – Famed sorcerer, reputed author of the Book of Concealed Mystery
Lornwater - Also called the Three Cities, comprising The Old City, the Second City, and the New City. Founded in 959AC
Lugarzos – natural predators of schwarms, reptilian bipedal, ‘missing link’? The large tail indicates that they were once surface dwellers; it was used as a weapon and also for counter-balance, and for turning rapidly. When they moved underground the tail was less useful in narrow passages so they developed hands and the ability to make rudimentary tools.
Madurava – compass; Floreskandian compasses are enormous. There are no portable ones. They are kept in Madurava Houses, usually one per city, administers by Sisters. (See Glossary C)
Manderranmeron Fault – Geological fault running the length of Floreskand and containing the four fault volcanoes: Danumne, Astle, Altohey and Olarian
Mark – measurement – equivalent to 50 inches (127cm); see launmark
Melog – a blasphemous creature, magically created from inanimate matter.
Meshanel – Jahdemor’s prophet (786-900AC).
Mindsaur – Leaves, shoots or resin of the saur plant, smoked as an intoxicant
Mind-reach – telepathy; usually by an adept Sardan
Mind-snatch – hypnotise; usually by an adept Sardan
Moonseed – similar to curare
Mudstahls – reed houses; Kellan-Mesqa derivation: mudst – reeds and qahl – house
Myndrachon – group of Ratava, followers of Arqitor, found under the mountains and land
Nhyrachon – group of Ratava, followers of Nikkonslor, found under the cities; narrow slits for eyes, large noses, protruding ears, and pronounced brows overshadow eyes.
Nightcrawlers – huge noisy toads
Orm – measurement of time: there are 20 orms per cycle, ten in the day, ten in the night; 1 orm is the equivalent of 1 hour 12 minutes.
Palace Guard – all ranks in the Palace Guard are honorary. Each member of the Guard holds an Officer rank in the regular army (for example, Crossis is a General and Aco is a Commander).
Paper – see reedpaper
Parchment – common alternative to reedpaper
Pledger – food taster
Quotamantir - The great sorcerer from Kclenand. (Born ? – Died ?) Prominent 542-556AC
Ranmeron Empire – Situated at the edge of the Mists; culturally different to the cities of Floreskand. Tarakanda
Ratava – the Underpeople
Red Tellar Inn – straddles sectors 26 and 21 in the New City, centre of Marron Square. It was built before walls were constructed around the New City were completed (1502), when the area was known as Miners’ Town.
Reedpaper – expensive paper, used exclusively by the affluent.
Roumer – messengers
Saelac – poison, obtained from the saelworm, undetectable by taste, slow-acting
Saptor – female messenger bird; bred in pairs, male protects the female
Saptorman – birdman in charge of messenger birds
Sardan – secret sect
Schwarms – tunnelling worms
Scragrak – underground creature hunted to extinction by the many Ratava tribes; they use the horn to summon the other tribes to their aid.
Scribe – fane clerk. Any recorder of archives
Sekor – Type of flower, with octagonal petals; regarded with religious significance, each god being given a different coloured sekor as an emblem.
Shadowmen – skilled in the art of concealment; mercenaries.
Shagunblend – Combustible tar-like substance, a method of illumination
Shomshur spider – originally from Shomshurakand; its sac contains a potent poison that can paralyse a human
Sianlar – City founded in 1160. The fane of the Overlord was built here in 1241; situated on the Varteron Edge and has become a place of pilgrimage; it is said the dead reside here, too
Smalt – Glass derived from the treatment of cobalt ore
Snatchbird – scavenger birds, usually white
Spyglass – a primitive version of the farscope; not capable of viewing over great distance
Squares – a boardgame, played usually with wooden pieces on a checkered board
Stionery – Weather prediction. Derived from a small chamelion called a stion, which changes colour with atmospheric pressure changes
Surtian lizard – reptile that is always white, even when cooked; makes croaking alarm sound
Sward-snake – a delicacy found in the grasslands; best seered over a camp-fire
Taal – lake
Taalland – Country of lakes and marshes; some contain warm water and an abundance of fish; homeland of the Tramaloma Devastators (qv)
Taalcerr – water snake, poisonous, its back marked by bright red zig-zags on its green scales; Kellan-Mesqa derivation: taal – lake and cerros – snakes – commonly known as zigzag.
Taalmuk – special mud used to ward off the attentions of hidges and other insects.
Taalruff – water buffalo animal, domesticated; Kellan-Mesqa derivation: taal - lake and ruffos – cattle
Tangakol – Devastator shaman
Tanlin, the – The Holy Book: The Book of the Living
Tarakanda – the Ranmeron Empire
Tatrivan – sedan chair
Teen – river
Toran – ancestral home; often a castle or fortress
Toumen – in military terms, 10,000 men
Tripdoor – a mangate or wicket gate, often a small door found within a larger door; or a separate small door.
Troop – usually refers to 50 soldiers or horsemen; a half-gamen (qv)
Underpeople – people who are never seen or heard; feared, perhaps mythical, inhabitants of the waterlogged disused mines of Lornwater; they call themselves the Ratava and comprise two groups – Myndrachons and Nhyrachons (qv)
Usufruct – right of one individual to use and enjoy the property of another; particularly applied to agnates and progeny
Watchman – lawman, under the orders of the Doomsman.
Xadra – Grimoire; a manual of black magic
Zigzag – poisonous water snake (q.v. taalcerr)
Glossary B - Characters
Traditionally the surname comes first, followed by the given name.
Aeleg, Ulran’s aide in the Red Tellar Inn
Ago-med Nerf, young saddle-maker gildsman
Aniri – see Yordine Aniri
Ari, one of tw
o concubines of Baron Laan
Aruna, Aniri’s handmaiden
Asselan Alyne Dahl, Prince Royal of Endawn
Asselan Dahl Treyan IV, King of Endawn
Aurelan Crossis, (aka Lin-kan Feider), Captain of Palace Guard
Badol Melomar, head and innman of the powerful Open House Combine
Ban-so, a Lornwater noble, a rich slaver
Baron, Baroness – see Laan
Bayuan Aco, Sergeant of the Palace Guard
Bilorn – see Yordine Bilorn
Bor-il Cashlas, young gildsman
Borsalac, Courdour Alomar’s horse
Che-man Car, Master Torturer in the royal palace, Lornwater
Choe Kalan, a hermaphrodite, and an Earth Almaturge
Cla-Damen Estan, swordmaster to King Saurosen
Cla-tan Bestere, a lieutenent
Cobrora Clen, brother to Cobrora Fhord and a Sardan
Courdour Alomar, immortal warrior, friend of Ulran
Daen Haltese, the Prince Royal, son of Saurosen
Damureling, Healer and Mystic in Hansear house
Danscar, lieutenant of Aurelan Crossis
Dar-redil, a doomsman; Watchman Zen-il reports to this judge
Dasse Clan, watchman and brother of miner Dasse Wenn
Dasse Wenn, Oxor miner, brother of Dasse Clan
Dramomna, Dear Daughter, head of Madurava House, Lornwater
Epal Danorr, Hansear Lorar’s future agnate
Fanur, a man-at-arms for Baron Laan man
Fascar Dak, Gildmaster
Fayua Vilare, Endawn concubine obtained by Aniri for Launette
Fel-adnat Pin, royal treasurer of Lornwater
Fio, lady-in-waiting to queen Jikkos
Gami, daughter of U-Gath
Halas Chevelf, strongman in Aurelan Crossis’ army
Haltese – see Daen Haltese
Hansear Lorar, Ranell’s girlfriend, daughter of a Master Goldsmith
Hansear Mowensar, Lorar’s father; Master Goldsmith
Het-ab Lath, gildsman, one of Olelsang’s followers
High Priest Senstar of Jahdemor
Hig Ren-Kan, second son of Sig Ren-Kan
Hin-era, a criminal family; Baf is the patriarch
Houran Accantey, General of first toumen; Thand allegiance
Jaora – see Laan , Jaora
Jan-re Osa, slave freed by Ulran, gave birth to Uka, a daughter.
Jaray Ulan Sihn, General tenth toumen; Haltese allegiance
Jhuren – see Laan, Jhuren
Jikkos, Queen
Jumo Bem, a soldier in Crossis’ army, friend of Murar Hun
K-Kwan, female Ratava
Kran, son of K-Kwan
Laan Jhuren, Baron, tutor to Prince Daen
Laan Jaora, Baroness, wife of the baron
Lander, a man-at-arms for Baron Laan
Launette – see Yordine Launette
Lin-kan Sno, Aurelan’s sister
Lorar – see Hansear Lorar
Luascar Quelin, General eleventh toumen; Haltese allegiance
Lue-ka Golavil, a trusted captain of the sixth toumen
Masteef, pledger for Daen Haltese
Matred Boudela, lieutenant of Omagma
Misk, one of two concubines of Baron Laan
Murar Hun, a soldier in Crossis’ army; friend of Jumo Bem
Nemond Adama, Thand’s mother
Nemond Dori, Thand’s grandmother
Nemond Tantian, Thand’s wife
Nemond Thand, first cousin to the king
Nemond Xara, King Saurosen IV’s mother
Charja Nev, a Daughter of Arqitor
Nostor Vata, Saurosen’s female Sardan, friend of Nemond Xara
Olelsang, Master of the Gild of Saddlemakers
Omagma Qomn, mistress of Senstar toran
Omagma, Captain, second-in-command to Lord-General Launette
Pelnoo, a Lornwater noble, a financier
Pinur Nhev, General of fourth toumen, the garrottemen; Black Sword allegiance
Qued, a Lornwater noble
Rujon Sos, Oxor miner
Rujon Telicia, wife of Sos
Saurosen IV, King
Senstar Curama, a proposed match for Lahaltz
Senstar Fara, daughter of Oquar
Senstar Jegen, son of Oquar
Senstar Loring, son of Oquar and Qomn
Senstar Oquar, strong supporter of the Lord-General, master of Senstar toran
Sig Ren-Kan, family head of Manderranmeron Fault crossing
Sister Hara, a Sardan and concubine to Lord-General Launette
Sister Illasa, a nun/Sardan allied to the Nemond family
Snaglip, watchman
Tanellor, Lord Tanellor Rath, Duke of Oxor
Tantian – see Nemond Tantian
Thand – see Nemond Thand
Tig Ren-Kan, first son of Sig Ren-Kan
U-Gath, leader of the Myndrachon Underpeople (qv Ratava)
Ukasur – see Yordine Ukasur
Uldern Rubon, General Luascar Quelin’s commander
Ulran, innman of the Red Tellar Inn
Ulran Ranell, son of Ulran, guardian of the Red Tellar Inn in his father’s absence.
Umen Datrek, Ambassador for Tarakanda
Umerma, Sister, Head of Arqitor fane; Dramomna’s twin
Vamir Wei, water gildsman
Versayr, Ulran’s horse
Vort Hoy, treasurer of Lord-General Launette
Welde Dep, special investigations watchman of Lornwater
Xara – see Nemond Xara
Xarop, one of the oldest nobles in the city
Xiat, watchman
Yordine Aniri, wife of the Lord-General Yordine Launette
Yordine Bilorn, male cousin of Lord-General Launette
Yordine Edural, General sixth toumen; Black Sword allegiance; brother of Bilorn
Yordine Launette, Lord-General, second cousin to the king
Yordine Lahaltz, son of Lord-General Launette
Yordine Lahra, grand-daughter of Yordine Tallast; a maiden
Yordine Tallast, Master of Taalland Yordine toran Hewqoma
Yordine Ukasur, princess and sister of Lord-General Launette
Zen-il, Prime Watchman, Lornwater
Glossary C – Madurava
There are eight points on the Floreskandian Compass (madurava) which are read in a clockwise direction:
Manderon – north
Dunsaron – east
Ranmeron – south
Varteron – west
Dunranron – south-east
Ranvarron – south-west
Varmanron – north-west
Glossary D – The Arisan Calendar
There are 13 moons of 28-day periods in a year. Each moon is named after a constellation:
Sekous
Viratous
Dandulous
Ramous
Centirous
Juvous
Fornious
Darous
Lamous
Sortulous
Anticous
Petulous
Airmous
Each moon is divided into Quarters.
There are 7 days and 7 nights in each Quarter.
Days: Nights:
Sabin Sabinma
DekinDekinma
SidinSidinma
DloinDloinma
SufinSufinma
DurinDurinma
SapinSapinma
These days are numbered One to Four, depending on which Quarter they are in; thus the 16th day of the 4th month in 1470 would be written as follows:
Third Dekin of Ramous, 1470AC.
Glossary E – Lords and Gods - religious structure
There are three major religions in Floreskand:
1) The Overlord (orthodox)
2) The Hidden God; worshipped in Tarakanda.
3) The Inner God; followed by those who don’t believe in outside influences.
In th
e orthodox religion of Floreskand, there are 3 tiers of gods:
1) The Overlord is the Highest God
2) The Great Lords and Lady; siblings; gods of the second rank
3) The High Lords are gods of the third rank
Overlord
-
Daqsekor
Great lord of Day
-
Jahdemor
Great lord of Night
-
Nikkonslor
Great lady of Land
-
Arqitor
High lord of Light
-
Brilansor
High lord of Dark
-
Bridansor
The Less Lords (more commonly lesslords) are spirit messengers/workers of the gods and demi-gods. Arqitor is the most powerful after the Overlord, being the balance between her brothers Jahdemor and Nikkonslor. She also has her own spirits in the Madurava. Jahdemor and Arqitor have their white lesslords. Nikkonslor and Arqitor have their black lesslords.
Lesslords of
White
Black
winds
Sansor
Lamsor