GUNDEALGA FORD: a wide, shallow ford on the Nordra, just south of the Urqhart Hills.
HAGEN: Plough-Keeper of Smyrton.
HANDSPAN: see “Distances”.
HANORI: a Ravensbund elder.
HELM: a young Avar male.
HESKETH: the captain of the palace guard in Carlon. Lover to Yr.
HO’DEMI: the Chief of the Ravensbund people.
HOGNI: a young Avar female.
HORDLEY, GOODMAN: Goodman of Smyrton.
HORNED ONES: the almost divine and most sacred members of the Avar race. They live in the Sacred Grove.
HOVEREYE BLACKWING: an Icarii Crest-Leader.
HSINGARD: the large town situated in central Ichtar, seat of the Dukes of Ichtar.
ICARII, The: one of the ancient races of Tencendor. They are sometimes referred to as the People of the Wing.
ICESCARP ALPS, The: the great mountain range that stretches across most of northern Achar.
ICESCARP BARREN: a desolate tract of land situated in northern Ichtar between the Icescarp Alps and the Urqhart Hills.
ICEWORMS: potent creations of Gorgrael, instrumental in the downfall of Gorkentown. Fashioned from ice and snow and shaped like worms, from whence they got their names, these massive creatures carry Skraelings in their bellies. Rising twenty or thirty paces above men or walls, they can then vomit their cargo behind both lines and walls.
ICHTAR, DUKE of: the lord of Ichtar, currently Borneheld.
ICHTAR, The Province of: the largest and richest of the provinces of Achar. Ichtar derives its wealth from its extensive grazing herds and from its mineral and precious gem mines.
ICHTAR, River: minor river flowing through Ichtar into the River Azle.
IGREN FENWICKE: wife to the mayor of Arcen, Culpepper Fenwicke.
ILFRACOMBE: the manor house of the Earl of Skarabost, the home where Faraday grew up.
IMIBE: a Ravensbund woman, nurse to Caelum.
INARI: a Ravensbund warrior.
ISEND, EARL: lord of Skarabost, a darkly handsome but somewhat dandified lord. Father to Faraday.
ISLAND OF MIST AND MEMORY: one of the sacred sites of the Icarii people, long lost to them after the Wars of the Axe. See also “Temple of the Stars” and “Temple Mount”.
IZANAGI: a Ravensbund warrior.
JACK: senior among the Sentinels.
JAYME: Brother-Leader of the Seneschal.
JERVOIS LANDING: the small town on Tailem Bend of the River Nordra. The gateway into Ichtar.
JORGE, EARL: Earl of Avonsdale, and one of the most experienced military campaigners in Achar.
JUDITH: Queen of Achar, wife to Priam.
KAREL: previous King of Achar, father to Priam and Rivkah. Now dead.
KASTALEON: one of the great Keeps of Achar, situated on the River Nordra in central Achar. It is of relatively recent construction.
KEEPS, The: the three surviving great magical Keeps of Achar, all built by the Icarii thousands of years ago. See separate entries under “Spiredore”, “Sigholt”, and “Silent Woman Keep”.
KENRICKE: the commander of the surviving cohort of Axe-Wielders, left by Axis to guard the Tower of the Seneschal.
LEAGUE: see “Distances”. MAGARIZ, LORD: once commander of Gorkenfort, now one of Axis’ senior commanders. He comes of a noble and ancient Acharite family.
MAGIC: the Seneschal teaches that all magic, enchantments or sorcery are evil and the province only of the Forbidden races who will use magic to enslave the Acharites if they can. Consequently all Artor-fearing Acharites fear and hate the use of magic.
MALFARI: the tuber the Avar depend on to produce their bread.
MASCEN, BARON: Lord of Rhaetia.
MERLION, LADY: wife to Earl Isend of Skarabost and mother to Faraday. Now dead.
MILITARY TERMS—Acharite (for regular army and Axe-Wielders):
Squad: a group of thirty-six men, generally archers.
Unit: a group of one hundred men, infantry, archers, pikemen or cavalry.
Cohort: five units, so five hundred men.
MIRBOLT: a Bane of the Avar people.
MONTHS: (northern hemisphere seasons apply)
Wolf-month: January
Raven-month: February
Hungry-month: March
Thaw-month: April
Flower-month: May
Rose-month: June
Harvest-month: July
Weed-month: August
DeadLeaf-month: September
Bone-month: October
Frost-month: November
Snow-month: December
MOONWALKER: the name Rivkah adopted when she joined the Icarii. She abandoned the adopted name of MoonWalker and resumed her birth-name at the request of a Charonite Ferryman.
MORNINGSTAR SUNSOAR: StarDrifter’s mother and a powerful Enchanter in her own right. MorningStar is the widow of RushCloud, the previous SunSoar Talon.
MORYSON: Brother of the Seneschal and friend and chief assistant and adviser to the Brother-Leader.
MOTHER: either the Avar name for Fernbrake Lake, or an all-embracing term for nature which is sometimes personified as an immortal woman.
NARCIS: one of the nine Icarii Star Gods, Narcis is God of the Sun.
NEVELON: lieutenant to Duke Roland of Aldeni.
NIAH: a Nors woman.
NOR: the southernmost of the provinces of Achar. The Nors people are far darker and more exotic than the rest of the Acharites. Nor is controlled by Baron Ysgryff.
NORDMUTH: the port at the mouth of the River Nordra.
NORDRA, River: the great river that is the main lifeline of Achar. Rising in the Icescarp Alps, the River Nordra flows through the Avarinheim before flowing through northern and central Achar. It is used for irrigation, transport and fishing.
OGDEN: one of the Sentinels. Brother to Veremund.
ORDER OF THE STARS: order of priestesses who keep watch in the Temple of the Stars. Each gives up her own name on taking orders.
ORR: The Charonite Ferryman.
OSMARY, LORD: husband to Annwin, Faraday’s elder sister.
PACE: see “Distances”.
PEASE: an Avar woman killed in the Yuletide attack on the Earth Tree Grove.
PIRATES’ NEST: a large island off the coast of Nor and close to Ysbadd and the haunt of pirates. Some say the pirates are protected by Baron Ysgryff himself.
PLOUGH, The: each Acharite village has a Plough, which not only serves to plough the fields, but is also the centre of their worship of the Way of the Plough. The Plough was the implement given by Artor the Ploughman to enable mankind to civilise themselves. Use of the Plough distinguishes the Acharites from the Forbidden; neither the Icarii nor the Avar practise cultivation.
PLOUGH-KEEPERS: the Seneschal assigns a brother to each village in Achar, and these men are often known as Plough-Keepers. They are literally guardians of the Plough in each village, but they are also directors of the Way of the Plough and guardians of the villagers’ souls.
PORS: one of the nine Icarii Star Gods, Pors is God of Air.
PRIAM: King of Achar and uncle to Borneheld, brother to Rivkah. PRIVY CHAMBER: the large chamber in the royal palace in Carlon where the King’s Privy Council meet.
PRIVY COUNCIL: the council of advisers to the King of Achar, normally the lords of the major provinces of Achar.
PROPHECY OF THE DESTROYER: an ancient Prophecy that tells of the rise of Gorgrael in the north and the StarMan who can stop him. No-one knows who wrote it.
RAINBOW SCEPTRE: a weapon mentioned in the Prophecy of the Destroyer.
RAUM: a Bane of the Avar people.
RAVENCREST SUNSOAR: current Talon of the Icarii people.
RAVENSBUND: the extreme northern province of Achar, although it is not administered by the Acharite monarchy.
RAVENSBUNDMEN: the inhabitants of Ravensbund, generally loathed by the Acharites as barbarous and cruel.
REINALD: retired chief cook of Sigholt, undercook when Rivkah live
d there.
RENKIN, GOODPEOPLE: farming couple of northern Arcness.
RETREATS: many Brothers of the Seneschal prefer the contemplative life to the active life, and the Seneschal has various Retreats about Achar where these Brothers live in peace in order to contemplate the mysteries of Artor the Ploughman.
RHAETIA: small area of Achar situated in the western Bracken Ranges. It is controlled by Baron Mascen.
RIVKAH: Princess of Achar, sister to King Priam and mother to Borneheld, Axis, and EvenSong.
ROLAND, DUKE: also known as “The Walker” because he is too fat to ride. Duke of Aldeni and one of the major military commanders of Achar.
ROMSDALE: a province to the south-west of Carlon that mainly produces wine. It is administered by Baron Fulke.
RUSHCLOUD SUNSOAR: father to RavenCrest and StarDrifter. The previous Talon of the Icarii.
SACRED GROVE, The: the most sacred spot of the Avar people, the Sacred Grove is rarely visited by ordinary mortals. Normally the Banes are the only members of the Avar race who know the paths in order to find the Grove.
SACRED LAKES, The: the ancient land of Tencendor had a number of magical lakes whose powers are now forgotten. Sometimes known as the Magic Lakes. See “Fire-Night” for the legend of their formation.
SA’KUYA: a Ravensbund woman, wife to the Chief, Ho’Demi.
SEAGRASS PLAINS: the vast grain plains that form most of Skarabost.
SEARLAS: previous Duke of Ichtar and father of Borneheld. Once married to the Princess Rivkah. Now dead.
SENESCHAL, The: the religious organisation of Achar. The Religious Brotherhood of the Seneschal, known individually as Brothers, directs the religious lives of all the Acharites. The Seneschal is extremely powerful and plays a major role, not only in everyday life, but also in the political life of the nation. It teaches obedience to the one god, Artor the Ploughman, and the Way of the Plough.
SENESCHAL, TOWER of the: headquarters of the Brotherhood of the Seneschal. The Tower of the Seneschal is a massive pure white seven-sided tower that sits on the opposite side of the Grail Lake to Carlon.
SENTINELS: magical creatures of the Prophecy of the Destroyer.
SHADOWSWARD, The: an Acharite name for the Avarinheim.
SHARPEYE BLUEFEATHER: Crest-Leader in the Icarii Strike Force.
SHRA: a young Avar child. Daughter of Pease and Grindle.
SICARIUS: leader of the pack of Alaunt hounds. The name means “assassin”.
SIGHOLT: one of the great Keeps of Achar, situated in HoldHard Pass in the Urqhart Hills in Ichtar. One of the main residences of the Dukes of Ichtar.
SILENT WOMAN KEEP: The Silent Woman Keep lies in the centre of the Silent Woman Woods. It is one of the magical Keeps of Tencendor.
SILENT WOMAN WOODS: the dark and impenetrable woods in southern Arcness that house the Silent Woman Keep.
SILTON: one of the nine Icarii Star Gods, Silton is God of Fire.
SONG OF CREATION: a Song which can, according to Icarii and Avar legend, actually create life itself. In his address to the Icarii Assembly asking for their help to rescue Axis from Gorkenfort, StarDrifter claimed that Axis sang this to himself in the womb.
SONG OF RECREATION: one of the most powerful Icarii spells which can recreate life in the dying. It cannot, however, make the dead rise again. Only the most powerful Enchanters can sing this Song.
SKALI: a young Avar female, daughter of Fleat and Grindle. She died during the Skraeling attack on the Sacred Earth Tree Grove at Yuletide.
SKARABOST: large eastern province of Achar which grows much of the realm’s grain supplies. It is administered by Earl Isend.
SKRAEBOLDS: leaders of the Skraelings.
SKRAEFEAR: senior of the SkraeBolds.
SKRAELINGS: (also called wraiths or Ghostmen) insubstantial creatures of the frozen northern wastes who feed off fear and blood.
SMYRTON: a large village in northern Skarabost, virtually at the entrance to the Forbidden Valley.
SORCERY: see “Magic”.
SPIKEFEATHER TRUESONG: an Icarii Wing-Leader.
SPIREDORE: one of the magical Keeps of Tencendor.
SPREADWING RAVENCRY: Crest-Leader in the Icarii Strike Force.
STAR DANCE, The: the source from which the Icarii Enchanters derive their power.
STARDRIFTER SUNSOAR: an Icarii Enchanter, father to Gorgrael, Axis and EvenSong.
STAR GATE: one of the sacred sites of the Icarii people. STAR GODS, The: the nine gods of the Icarii, but only seven of their names have been revealed to the Icarii. See separate entries under “Adamon” “Xanon” “Narcis” “Flulia” “Pors” “Zest” and “Silton”.
STARMAN, The: the man who, according to the Prophecy of the Destroyer, is the only one who can defeat Gorgrael—Axis SunSoar.
STRAUM ISLAND: large island off the Ichtar coast inhabited by sealers.
STRIKE FORCE: the military wing of the Icarii.
SUNDOWN CROOKCLAW: one of the Icarii Strike Force killed in the Skraeling attack on the Sacred Earth Tree Grove at Yuletide past. EvenSong SunSoar filled his place in SpikeFeather TrueSong’s Wing.
SUNSOAR, HOUSE of: the ruling House of the Icarii for many thousands of years.
TAILEM BEND: great bend in the River Nordra where it turns from its westerly direction and flows south to Nordmuth and the Sea of Tyrre.
TALON, The: the hereditary ruler of the Icarii people (and ‘once’ over all of the peoples of Tencendor). For the past six thousand years a member of the House of SunSoar has filled the office of Talon.
TALON SPIKE: the highest mountain in the Icescarp Alps, the home of the Icarii people.
TANABATA: a Ravensbund elder.
TARANTAISE: a rather poor southern province of Achar. Relies on trade for its income. It is administered by Baron Greville.
TARE: small trading town in northern Tarantaise. Home to Embeth, Lady of Tare.
TARE, PLAINS of the plains that lie between Tare and Grail Lake.
TEKAWAI: the preferred tea of the Ravensbund people. It is always brewed and served with great ceremony and is drunk from small porcelain cups bearing the emblem of the blood-red blazing sun.
TEMPLE MOUNT: plateau that once housed the Temple complex on the great mountain which dominated the Island of Mist and Memory.
TEMPLE OF THE STARS: one of the lost Icarii sacred sites. It was located on Temple Mount on the Island of Mist and Memory.
TENCENDOR: the ancient name for the continent of Achar before the Wars of the Axe.
THREE BROTHERS LAKES: three minor lakes in south Aldeni.
TIME OF THE PROPHECY OF THE DESTROYER, The: the time that begins with the birth of the Destroyer and the StarMan and that will end when one destroys the other.
TIMOZEL: son of Embeth and Ganelon of Tare, and a member of the Axe-Wielders. Champion to Faraday.
TREE FRIEND: in Avar legend Tree Friend is the person to lead the Avar back to their traditional homes south of the Fortress Ranges. Tree Friend is also the one who will bring the Avarinheim behind StarMan.
TREE SONG: whatever Song the trees choose to sing you. Many times they will sing the future, other times they will sing love and protection. The trees can also sing death.
TYRRE, SEA of: the ocean off the south-west coast of Achar.
UNIT: see “Military Terms”.
UR: an old woman who lives in the Enchanted Wood.
URQHART HILLS: a minor crescent-shaped range of mountains in central Ichtar.
VENATOR: a war horse. The name means “hunter”.
VEREMUND: one of the Sentinels, brother to Ogden.
WARLORD: title given to Borneheld, Duke of Ichtar, by King Priam to acknowledge Borneheld’s de facto command of the armies of Achar.
WARS OF THE AXE, The: the wars during which the Acharites, under the direction of the Seneschal and the Axe-Wielders, drove the Icarii and the Avar from the land of Tencendor and penned them behind the Fortress Ranges. Lasting several decades, the wars were extraordinarily
violent and bloody. They took place some thousand years before the time of the Prophecy of the Destroyer.
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