Sigoso III: King of Yscalin and current head of the House of Vetalda, presently styling himself Flesh King. Once loyal to Virtudom, he has renounced the Virtues of Knighthood and now pledges his allegiance to the Nameless One. Father of Marosa Vetalda, his daughter with Sahar Taumargam.
Tallys: A scullion in the Lower Household of Sabran IX of Inys.
Tharian Lintley: Captain of the Knights of the Body, the personal guard of Sabran IX of Inys. A commoner by blood, he became a member of the Virtues Council when he was knighted.
Thim: A deserter from the Black Dove, now a gunner on the Rose Eternal.
Triam Sulyard: A former page in the Lower Household of Sabran IX of Inys, then squire to Sir Marke Birchen. He is secretly wed to Lady Truyde utt Zeedeur.
Truyde utt Zeedeur: Heir apparent to the Duchy of Zeedeur. Daughter of Oscarde utt Zeedeur and his late companion. She is serving as a maid of honor in the Upper Household of Sabran IX of Inys.
Wilstan Fynch: Duke of Temperance, Lord Admiral of Inys, and prince consort to the late Rosarian IV of Inys. He became the Inysh ambassador-in-residence to the Kingdom of Yscalin after her death. His nephew, Lord Lemand Fynch, holds his position on the Virtues Council in his absence.
DECEASED AND HISTORICAL PERSONS OF VIRTUDOM
Antor Dale: A knight who wed Rosarian I of Inys after he played a public game of love with her. Her father, Isalarico IV of Yscalin, gave special permission for the marriage to proceed, since it was popular with the people. Sir Antor embodies the ideals of chivalry.
Brilda Glade: Chief Gentlewoman of the Bedchamber to Sabran VII of Inys, who eventually became her companion.
Carnelian I (the Flower of Ascalon): Fourth queen of the House of Berethnet.
Carnelian III: Twenty-fifth queen of the House of Berethnet. She caused a stir when she refused to hire a milk nurse for her daughter, Princess Marian. She fell in love with Lord Rothurt Beck, but was unable to marry him.
Carnelian V (the Mourning Dove): Thirty-third queen of the House of Berethnet, famed for her beautiful voice and periods of sadness. Great-grandmother of Sabran IX of Inys.
Edrig of Arondine: Trusted friend of Sir Galian Berethnet, who served as his knight. When Galian was crowned King of Inys, Edrig was named Keeper of the Leas and given the family name Beck.
Edvart II: High Prince of the Free State of Mentendon. Edvart and his infant daughter died not long after Jannart utt Zeedeur during the Brygstad Terror, when half the Mentish court died of the sweating sickness. He was succeeded by his uncle, Leovart.
Galian Berethnet (the Saint or Galian the Deceiver): The first King of Inys. Galian was born in the Inyscan village of Goldenbirch, but rose to squire for Edrig of Arondine. The religion of the Virtues of Knighthood, which Galian based on the knightly code, professes that he vanquished the Nameless One in Lasia, married Princess Cleolind of the House of Onjonyu, and with her founded the House of Berethnet. Worshipped in Virtudom, but reviled in many parts of the South, Galian is thought by his followers to rule in Halgalant, the heavenly court, where he awaits the righteous at the Great Table.
Glorian II (Glorian Hartbane): Tenth queen of the House of Berethnet. A gifted hunter. Her marriage to Isalarico IV of Yscalin brought his country into Virtudom.
Glorian III (Glorian Shieldheart): Twentieth queen of the House of Berethnet, arguably its best-known and most beloved monarch. She led Inys during the Grief of Ages and famously took her newborn daughter, Sabran VII, on to the battlefield. This action inspired her soldiers to fight to the end.
Haynrick Vatten: Steward-in-Waiting to Mentendon during the Grief of Ages. He was betrothed to the future Sabran VII of Inys when he was four years old. The Vatten, who ruled Mentendon for centuries on behalf of the House of Hraustr, were eventually overthrown and exiled back to Hróth, but their descendants still wielded power in Mentendon.
Isalarico IV (the Benevolent): King of Yscalin and prince consort of Inys. He pledged his country to Virtudom upon his marriage to Glorian II of Inys.
Jannart utt Zeedeur: The late Duke of Zeedeur, previously Marquess of Zeedeur. He was a close friend to Edvart II of Mentendon, the secret lover of Niclays Roos, and companion to Lady Aleidine Teldan utt Kantmarkt. Jannart was a passionate historian.
Jillian VI: Thirty-fourth queen of the House of Berethnet. Maternal grandmother to Sabran IX of Inys. Jillian was musically gifted, religiously tolerant, and argued for closer ties between Virtudom and the rest of the world.
Leovart I: High Prince of the Free State of Mentendon. He was not supposed to sit on the throne, but persuaded the Privy Council to let him hold it for his grand-nephew, Aubrecht, who Leovart declared was too gentle and inexperienced to rule. He was notorious for proposing to countless noble and royal women.
Lorain Crest: One of the six members of the Holy Retinue, friend to Sir Galian Berethnet. Dame Lorain is remembered in Inys as the Knight of Justice.
Never Queen: The sobriquet of Princess Sabran of Inys, daughter of Marian IV. She was the twenty-fourth royal woman of the House of Berethnet, but died giving birth to the future Rosarian II before she could be crowned.
Rosarian I (the Apple of All Eyes): Eleventh queen of the House of Berethnet. Her popular reign integrated traditions from Yscalin—the kingdom of her father, Isalarico IV.
Rosarian II (the Architect of Inys): Twenty-fourth queen of the House of Berethnet. She was a gifted architect who traveled extensively in her youth, while she was still a princess. Rosarian personally designed many buildings in Inys, including the marble-faced clock tower of Ascalon Palace.
Rosarian IV (the Merrow Queen): Thirty-fifth queen of the House of Berethnet, mother to Sabran IX of Inys. She was assassinated by means of a poisoned gown.
Rothurt Beck: An earl of Goldenbirch. Carnelian III of Inys fell in love with him, but he was already wed.
Sabran V: Sixteenth queen of the House of Berethnet. Her reign marked the beginning of the Century of Discontent, which saw three unpopular queens in a row. She was notorious for her cruelty and extravagant lifestyle.
Sabran VI (the Ambitious): Nineteenth queen of the House of Berethnet. Most famous for bringing Hróth into Virtudom through her love marriage to Bardholt Hraustr. Her coronation ended the Century of Discontent. Sabran and Bardholt were slain by Fýredel, leaving their daughter, Glorian III, to weather the Grief of Ages.
Sabran VII: Twenty-first queen of the House of Berethnet. Daughter of Glorian III of Inys. She was betrothed to Haynrick Vatten, Steward-in-Waiting to Mentendon, on the day she was born. After his death, and her own abdication, Sabran wed her principal Lady of the Bedchamber, Lady Brilda Glade.
Sahar Taumargam: A princess of the Ersyr who became queen consort of Yscalin upon her marriage to Sigoso III. Sister of Jantar I of the Ersyr. She died under suspicious circumstances.
Wulf Glenn: Friend and bodyguard of Glorian III of Inys. One of the most famous knights in Inysh history, an ideal of courage and gallantry. He is an ancestor of Lady Arbella Glenn.
NONHUMAN CHARACTERS
Aralaq: An ichneumon, raised in the Priory of the Orange Tree by Eadaz and Jondu uq-Nāra.
Orsul: One of the five High Westerns that led the Draconic Army during the Grief of Ages.
Fýredel: Leader of the Draconic Army, loyal to the Nameless One and known as his right wing. He led a ruthless campaign against humankind in 511 CE. Some say he emerged from the Dreadmount at the same time as the Nameless One, while others believe he emerged at the same time as his siblings, during the Second Great Eruption.
Valeysa: One of the five High Westerns that led the Draconic Army during the Grief of Ages.
Imperial Dragon: Leader of all Lacustrine dragons, elected by arcane means. The current Imperial Dragon is a female who was hatched in the Lake of Golden Leaves in CE 209. The Imperial Dragon traditionally councils the human royal family of the Empire of the Twelve Lakes and chooses which of its heirs will inherit the throne.
Kwiriki: Believed by the Seiikinese to have been the f
irst dragon to take a human rider, worshipped as a deity. He carved the Rainbow Throne—now destroyed—out of his horn. The Seiikinese believe Kwiriki left for the celestial plane, and that he sent the comet that ended the Great Sorrow. Butterflies are his messengers.
The Nameless One: An enormous red wyrm, created from a proliferation of siden in the core of the world. He is thought to have been the first creature to emerge from the Dreadmount and is the overlord of the Draconic Army, which was created for him by Fýredel. Little is known about the Nameless One, but it is assumed that his ultimate goal was to sow chaos and conquer humankind. His confrontation with Cleolind Onjenyu and Galian Berethnet in Lasia in BCE 2 became a fundament of religion and legend the world over.
Nayimathun of the Deep Snows: A Lacustrine dragon who fought in the Great Sorrow. A wanderer by nature, she is now a member of the High Sea Guard of Seiiki.
Norumo: A Seiikinese dragon and a member of the High Sea Guard of Seiiki.
Parspa: The last known hawiz—a species of giant, plant-eating bird, native to the South. She answers only to Chassar uq-Ispad, who tamed her.
Sarsun: A sand eagle. Friend of Chassar uq-Ispad and messenger to the Priory of the Orange Tree.
Tukupa (the Silver): A Seiikinese elder dragon descended from Kwiriki. Traditionally, the Sea General of Seiiki is her rider, but she may also carry the Warlord of Seiiki and members of his family.
Glossary
Attifet: A headdress worn by women in the northern provinces of Inys. It dips in the middle, lending it a heartlike shape.
Baldachin: An ornate canopy that stands over the boss of a sanctuary.
Barding: Horse armor.
Bodmin: A wildcat, known to roam the moors of Inys. Its fur is warm and, due to its rarity, expensive.
Boss: The raised center of a shield. In Inys, this name is given to the platform at the heart of a sanctuary, where the sanctarian preaches and ceremonies take place.
Buckler: A small shield.
Carcanet: A jeweled chain or necklace.
Charnel garden: A place where bones are buried, usually attached to a sanctuary.
Comfit: Fennel seeds coated in sugar.
Coney: A wild rabbit.
Creamgrail: An Inysh flower. The sap it produces is a valuable commodity—when combined with water, it forms a thick cream that cleans and scents the hair. When prepared correctly, its root induces sleep.
Cupshotten: Drunk.
Damsam: A mild Inysh oath. Contraction of “Damsel’s name.”
Dipsas: Venom from a tiny snake native to the Ersyr.
Doublet: A close-fitting jacket with long sleeves and a high collar.
Dowry: A transfer of money upon marriage.
Eachy: A sea cow.
Emmet: An ant.
Eria: A colossal salt desert beyond the Gate of Ungulus. No one living has ever been known to cross it.
Farthingale: A hoop skirt stiffened with whalebone, worn beneath Inysh and Yscali gowns to give them a distinctive bell-like shape.
Fesswise: Horizontally, in the manner of a heraldic fess.
Foxfire: Bioluminescence, caused by rotting fungi.
Fustian: A heavy cover for a bed, made of twilled cloth.
Garth: A small courtyard.
Girdle: A jeweled chain, worn around the hips as a belt.
Grievoushead: An Inysh term for depression or dejection of the spirits. It runs in the House of Berethnet.
Gurnet: A bottom-feeding sea fish. The word is used in Inys as an all-purpose insult.
Haithwood: A primeval forest in the north of Inys, which divides the provinces of the Leas and the Lakes. It is associated with the legend of the Lady of the Woods.
Halberd: A two-handed Seiikinese weapon with a broad, curved blade at one end.
Halgalant: The afterlife of the religion of the Virtues of Knighthood, said to have been built in the heavens by Sir Galian Berethnet after his demise. A beautiful castle in a bountiful land where King Galian holds court at the Great Table with the righteous.
Hellburner: A type of Mentish fireship that uses a clockwork mechanism to ignite a fuse, causing a massive explosion.
Herigaut: A garment worn by sanctarians in Inys, usually made of green and white cloth. Some believe the colors represent the leaves and blossoms of the hawthorn.
Intelligencer: A spy.
Jerkin: A sleeveless jacket.
Kirtle: A one-piece sleeveless gown. May be worn on its own or as an extra layer beneath a more formal garment.
Mangonel: A catapult-like device. Once used as a siege engine, it was repurposed for use against the Draconic Army in the Grief of Ages.
Marchpane: Marzipan.
Mereswine: A dolphin or porpoise.
Merrow: A gender-neutral Old Morgish term for one of the legendary merfolk.
Midnight sun: In the school of alchemy taught to Niclays Roos, the midnight sun (also known as the red sun or Rosarian’s Sun) represents the final stage of the Great Work. The white sun, which precedes the red, is a symbol of purification after the first stage, the putrefaction.
Monbone: Ichneumon bone. It is used by the Priory of the Orange Tree to make bows.
Morgish: A language originating from the Inysh isle of Morga.
Munguna: The presumed heir to the Priory of the Orange Tree.
Oakmouse: A squirrel.
Orchard of Divinities: The afterlife in the dominant polytheistic religion of Lasia.
Orisons: Prayers.
Orris: Iris.
Page: An attendant in an Inysh royal palace, usually aged between six and twelve. They pass messages and carry out assignments for persons of noble birth.
Palanquin: An enclosed litter.
Pargh: A cloth wrapped around the face and head to keep sand away from the eyes, most often used in the Ersyr.
Partizan: A spear-like Inysh weapon.
Perry: A sweet pear cider. The city of Córvugar in Yscalin produced a famous red perry, which inspired the Inysh drink.
Pestilence: Bubonic plague. Once a serious threat, it has all but died out.
Poppet: A doll.
Priory: A building where knights of the Isles of Inysca would gather in ancient times. They were succeeded by the sanctuary.
Quarl: A jellyfish.
Rail: A floor-length garment worn over a nightgown for additional warmth, usually sleeveless and tied with a sash.
Rock dove: A homing pigeon, used for carrying letters.
Rose cold: Hay fever.
Samite: An expensive and heavy material, used in garments and drapery.
Sanctuary: A religious building in Inys, where those who believe in the Six Virtues of Knighthood can pray and hear teachings. Sanctuaries developed from earlier priories, where knights would seek comfort and guidance. The main chamber of a sanctuary is round, like a shield, and the center is known as the boss. A charnel garden is usually nearby.
Selinyi: An ancient language of the South, thought to originate from beyond the Eria. It was eventually incorporated into the various dialects of Lasian, but is still spoken in its original form by the House of Onjenyu and by the handmaids of the Priory of the Orange Tree.
Settle: An upholstered wooden seat, not unlike a sofa. May not be upholstered in poorer households.
Setwall: Valerian.
Shawm: A woodwind instrument.
Shellblood: A bluish dye, extracted from sea snails in the Sundance Sea. Used in Seiikinese paint and cosmetics.
Siden: Another name for terrene magic. It comes from the Womb of Fire and is channeled through the siden trees. Siden is kept in check by sterren.
Skep: Beehive.
Smalt: Cobalt glass. A rich dark blue in color.
Sodden-witted: Drunk.
Sorrower: A black Seiikinese bird with a call like a grizzling infant. Legend has it that an empress of Seiiki was driven insane by its cry. Some say sorrowers are possessed by the spirits of stillborn children, while others believe their song can bring on a miscarriage. This has
resulted in them being sporadically hunted throughout Seiikinese history.
Squire: An attendant in the service of a knight or knight-errant, usually aged between fourteen and twenty.
Sterren: Another name for sidereal magic. It comes from the Long-Haired Star in the form of a substance called “star rot.”
Suns: The main currency of the Ersyr.
Sunstone: A colorless crystal mined in Hróth, used by seafarers of the ancient world to locate the sun on an overcast day. Sunstone is traditionally cut into the shape of an orange blossom and mounted on the rings given to Red Damsels of the Priory of the Orange Tree. It symbolizes the draw between a Red Damsel and the light of the tree, and her ability always to find it.
Vestures: Ceremonial garments.
Visard: A silk-lined velvet mask. The wearer must bite on a bead to hold it in place, preventing speech.
Warding: A protective magic that requires siden to create. Wardings take two forms: earth-wardings and wind-wardings. An earth-warding can be drawn on earth, wood, or stone and alerts a mage when anyone approaches. A wind-warding, which uses more siden, is a barrier against Draconic fire.
Womb of Fire: The core of the world. It is the wellspring of siden and the birthplace of the Nameless One and his followers, the High Westerns. Siden is drawn up naturally from the Womb of Fire through the siden trees as part of the universal balance, but its Draconic miscreations—a result of imbalance—come up through the Dreadmount.
Woodvine: Wisteria. It flowers thickly in the summer.
Wyverling: A young or small wyvern.
Wyvern: A two-legged, winged Draconic creature. Like the High Westerns, the wyverns came from the Dreadmount. Fýredel bred them with a number of animals to create the foot-soldiers of his Draconic Army, such as the cockatrice. Each wyvern is bound to one High Western. Should the High Western die, the flame in its wyverns will go out, as will the flame in every creature descended from those wyverns.
Timeline
BEFORE THE COMMON ERA (BCE)
BCE 2: The First Great Eruption of the Dreadmount. The Nameless One emerges from the Womb of Fire and settles in the Lasian city of Yikala, bringing with him the Draconic plague
The Priory of the Orange Tree Page 82
