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Kirith Kirin (The City Behind the Stars)

Page 65

by Jim Grimsley


  Unufru: (Ooo-NOO-froo) a root used to cure some fevers, and also used by witches in the healing of charms; used by sorcerers to cure a variety of diseases caused by magic

  Urgiloth Yr: (Ur-GIL-oth) The Spur of Urgiloth, the lower of the twin summits of Vath Invath and the foundation for the Tower of Guard

  Vaer: (Vair) Lord of Cordyssa, a Nivri Lord

  Vaguath: (VAG-wath) Near-Son of Kinth; by virtue of the type of marriage. Half-brother of Jessex.

  Vath Invaths: (VATH IN-vaths) The hill in Illaeryn raised up by YY, on which Inniscaudra was constructed

  Vella: (VE-la) one of the Diamysaar

  Velunen: (Ve-LOO-nen) The Morning Song

  Venladrii: (Ven-LA-dree) Literally, inhabitants of Drii.

  Veriten: (VER-ih-ten) A region of the Fenax

  Vesnomen: (VESS-noh-men) Flowers like poppies, in various colors

  Viis: (Vees) A light, fine cloth, virtually indestructible, often used by Jisraegen tentmakers

  Vilaren: (Vee-LA-ren) The abutment of wall that provides processional access to the Authra. Literally, "shrine-walk"; at Inniscaudra

  Vissyn: (Vi-SEEN) one of the Diamysaar

  Vithilonyi: (Vi-thi-LON-yee) The Festival of Lights, celebrated at the change of season from autumn to winter

  Vulnur: (VUL-nur) The Killing Rock, the place where Jisraegen criminals were executed in Arth Hill Country

  Vulnusmurgul: (Vul-nuss-MUR-gul) The ridge forming the eastern border of Karns above Charnos and the Bay of Anyn, called the Ridge of Souls since the day when the Jisraegen drove the Anynae into the hills and slaughtered many thousands; also called the Hills of Slaughter, Vulnysryyaegul

  Vuthloven: (Voo-THLOW-ven) Gray-barked trees with silver leaves, bearing white winter flowers.

  Vuu Nira: (Voo) A variety of lamp made of metal strips and glass, fueled by any of a number of oils, known for its warm, rich light. Most often Vuu-lamps are lit in early evening. Light from these lamps give tone and color to the flesh.

  Vyddn: (VID-n) The province round Montajhena, once called the Royal Province, when Montajhena was capital of Aeryn.

  Wyyvisar: (WIV-I-sar) The Hidden Speech, also, the Words of Power, taught to magicians by the Diamysaar

  Ym: (Im) A region of Arthen adjacent to Suvrin Sirhe

  Yrin: (EAR-in)Variant of Aeryn, commonly used in the extreme north, Svyssn and among the Tervan

  Yron: (Ih-RON)Talon of God, claw of God, spur of God, depending on usage

  Yruminast: (Ih-ROO-mi-nast) The High Place over Cunevadrim, an Ildaruen Tower which dates from the days of Falamar

  Yruminax: (Ih-ROO-mi-nax) literally, "Other Power"; the name given to the consort of YY

  Yrunvurst: (Ih-ROON-vurst) The High Place in Montajhena built by Jurel Durassa, broken when Falamar was taken from the world; after his passing rebuilt again and finally destroyed in the battle between Drudaen and Ashkenta

  YY: (Ee) The name of God

  Yydren: (EE-dren) Also spelled Idren, and in other ways; the YY Tower in the Winter House

  Zaeyn: (ZAY-een) The Country of heroes, heroes home, the land of the dead across the mountains, the golden land; variant of Zan

  Zeul: (Zyool) The Royal Palace in Ivyssa, built by the City Lords for the King Kirith I.

  2: Jisraegen History

  The study of Jisraegen history suffers from its length, the Jisraegen disregard for calendars (including any consistent number system for years), and the wealth of sources available. Jisraegen libraries in Montajhena and Ivyssa alone contain manuscripts in the millions. While there is a remarkable agreement among these sources as to the major events of the history, there is notable divergence as well, as the Jisraegen scholars themselves have noted. Even within the text of Kirith Kirin there are contradictory historical assertions by the leading voices of the narrative, particularly concerning Falamar’s destruction of the Praeven and the years of war between Falamar and Jurel. The author makes no attempt to underline these inconsistencies but neither is there any attempt to conceal them. Hormling scholars have only begun serious work on the Jisraegen texts, which are physical documents and not tractable to our study. No archaeological studies of any kind have been permitted in Aeryn/Irion and it is doubtful that any such will be forthcoming. So we are left at this juncture with history as the Jisraegen assert it. The following is a general outline of the history the Jisraegen have preserved for themselves, with no attempt to address scholarly concerns or to document areas of dispute. The timeline is intended solely as an aid in the reading of the history of the Third War.

  I. Creation

  The great opposition coalesces and YY and Yruminax are separate

  YY creates Wyyvisar and makes the first place, Arthen, and the first world, Aeryn

  YY separates into Herself and the Sisters

  Yruminax separates into Himself and Cunavastar

  II. First Days

  The Created Peoples arise in the living mountains

  The Tervan build Aerfax at the southern-most tip of the mountains, on the first rock YY raised out of the sea

  YY makes Illaeryn

  The Sisters join her in the building of Inniscaudra

  Cunavastar builds the first of the shrines that will later be known as the Elder Shrines, Hyvurgren

  III. The Worlds are Made

  YY makes other worlds and joins them to Aeryn

  IV. The First Separation

  The Sisters refuse to teach Cunavastar any of the Wyyvisar that they know

  Cunavastar withdraws from Arthen and builds Cunevadrim with the help of the Other and the Orloc, who are friendly to him for a time

  Cunavastar learns Ildaruen from the Other

  Cunavastar builds the first stone circle on the foundation rock of what will become Yruminast

  Cunavastar woos Commyna in Arthen

  V. The First War

  The Two Sisters make Sister Mountain

  Commyna conceives a child by Cunavastar

  The Two Sisters fight Cunavastar and southern Arthen dies

  Commyna bears a child, Falamar

  Cunavastar tries to steal the child but YY takes Falamar into the Deeps of Inniscaudra

  Commyna and the Two Sisters defeat and bind Cunavastar but cannot destroy Cunevadrim

  YY banishes the Sisters from Arthen and they cross the mountains to Zaeyn.

  VI. The Forty Thousand

  YY creates Forty Thousand humans and sets them on the hills around Inniscaudra

  The Forty Thousand waken. A language has already been made for them.

  They live in Inniscaudra for seven generations

  Jisraegen writing is developed, Clans arise, and the Jisraegen meet the Uncreated Peoples

  Early Jisraegen begin to move in nomadic groups throughout Aeryn

  Of the Forty Thousand who awaken, Twelve do not die

  VII. The Clans and the Evaenym

  Clans arise as groups of extended family, but all persons have two Clan affiliations of equal importance, the Mother-Line and the Father-Line Clans

  The first priests learn the worship of YY from the Sisters, among them Curaeth Curaesyn

  Jurel Durassa leads a group of Jisraegen into the eastern mountains at the site of a river gorge

  The Twelve Who Did Not Die gradually emerge as leaders among the Jisraegen

  Falamar finds his father’s house, Cunevadrim, and lives there with his followers

  Falamar learns Ildaruen

  The Sisters teach Wyyvisar to Jurel Durassa and Edenna Morthul

  VIII. Mountain and Forest

  The Jisraegen settle either in the mountains or in Arthen

  Jisraegen explorers reach the shore of the Bay of Anyn and explore east as far as Keikilla Bay

  Jurel Durassa provides aid to the Orloc who are at war with the Untherverthen and the Orloc build Chalianthrothe

  Edenna Morthul settles in Inniscaudra and becomes the first Keeper of the Keys

  The Tervan complete work on Halobar, the last of the main halls
to be completed

  Falamar and his Clans settle along the banks of the Isar in Arthen

  IX. Cities

  The Praeven and Falamar organize the Clans in Arthen

  Cunuduerum is founded and the Jisraegen in Arthen begin to organize a style of life that floats between the urban center and a nomadic existence in the forest

  The Praeven build the first Library in Cunuduerum

  Falamar and Itheil Coorbahl go south to live in Cunevadrim, dissatisfied with the Praeven’s control of the city

  Jurel Durassa and the Orloc build Montajhena in the mountains, intended only as a ceremonial center, though soon the mountaineers all build homes of stone in the city

  X. The People of Drii

  The Drii appear and ask Jurel Durassa for shelter in Montajhena

  He and the Jisraegen welcome them after the long trek under the mountains

  Jurel and Evynar explore Cundruen all the way to the end

  Evynar and his people found a city at the end of the passes

  Falamar is suspicious of the friendship between the mountain Jisraegen and the Drii and returns with Itheil to Cunuduerum

  XI. The Good Age

  The cities grow and prosper

  The Praeven and Edenna Morthul begin the deriving of the akana alphabet and the Maleikarte

  The tradition of the kyyvi begins as a result of this

  Jisraegen weaving and glass-working become increasingly advanced

  Jisraegen abandon the study of astronomy

  Jisraegen literature, theatre, opera and visual arts flourish in Cunuduerum, Montajhena, and Genfynnel

  XII. Falamar

  Falamar begins to teach Ildaruen to a small set of followers

  Cunuduerum is dominated by his faction and, it is thought, by magic

  The forest Jisraegen become less nomadic and settle in or near Cunuduerum through much of the year

  The forest-folk become estranged from the mountain Jisraegen

  Edenna Morthul and the Praeven begin the construction of the first akana chant

  The Orloc complete work on Chalianthrothe, finishing the room of three circles

  XIII. The War of the Towers

  Falamar enlists the Tervan to build Seumren

  The Praeven begin the first of the Immorthraeguls of Power

  Falamar uses Seumren to destroy the Praeven though Edenna and the last of the Praeven adepts manage to close and seal the Library

  Falamar spreads the story that the Praeven were singing the Breaking Song that will end the universe as we know it

  Jurel builds Yrunvurst and places the Tervan muuren-stone in the summit

  Edenna Morthul retires to Inniscaudra and begins work on the base of Ellebren on Thrath Rock

  XIV. The Massacre in the Hills of Slaughter

  In Cunevadrim, Falamar broods, hires Tervan builders, begins work on Yruminast, over the foundations of Cunavastar’s ritual circle

  Falamar marries and fathers a child, when it was thought that the Evaenym were barren. The child is Drudaen, who learns his father’s arts

  The Anyn land on the north shore of the Bay of Anyn at the present-day site of Charnos

  Settlers from Montajhena found Ivyssa along the river delta to the south and Cordyssa in the mountains

  Itheil Coorbahl is killed in southern Aeryn by an Anyn scout party

  Falamar leads an army against the Anynae and several thousand, or more, are massacred in the Hills of Slaughter

  Falamar enslaves the Anynae, though some escape to eastern Arthen, where the mountain Jisraegen give them shelter

  Jurel and Falamar go to war

  Charnos is founded and the Tervan build the Great Wall to protect the Anynae from Falamar

  Arroth is founded, and later Teliar and other southern cities

  XV. The Hundred Years War

  Falamar and the largest army of Jisraegen ever assembled besiege Montajhena

  Jurel and his folk continue to be supplied from Drii

  Jurel and Falamar are matched powers of the Fourth Level and neither can gain the advantage for nearly a century

  Jurel goes to Chalianthrothe, is absent for a long time, and for the first time uses the room of three circles

  Jurel builds the room in Yrunvurst that allows him to travel to Seumren instantly

  Jurel drives Falamar out of Seumren

  Falamar besieges Montajhena, and Jurel defeats his army

  Falamar, in fighting Jurel, understands how Jurel is moving third-level power and does so himself

  The ensuing force destroys Yrunvurst Tower and kills both Falamar and Jurel

  XVI. YY intervenes

  A time of chaos ensues

  YY intervenes in the affairs of Aeryn for the sake of Arthen

  She gives the Law of Change and names Kirith Kirin and Athryn Ardfalla as King and Queen

  When Queen Athryn I was old, she summoned Kirith Kirin and he came to Aerfax and took the Crown from her, and he became King, and she rode to Arthen and became young again, and the cycle was established

  Some of the Twelve who had been immortal were now taken with YY to Zaeyn and others were named

  The lives of the Twelve were merely prolonged and they would no longer be immortal in Aeryn

  The Tervan build Senecaur, the Tower of Change, over Aerfax, and place an Eyestone there attuned to the Karnost gems in the possession of Kirith Kirin and Athryn Ardfalla; the rune-work is completed by Edenna Morthul, and later Drudaen is allowed to add Ildaruen lines to the kirilidur as well

  XVII. The Rule of Law

  Athryn Ardfalla and Kirith Kirin reign in peaceful succession

  Kentha Nurysem learns Wyyvisar at Illyn Water, though this knowledge is hidden

  Edenna Morthul completes the building of Laeredon and begins a shenesoeniis in Ivyssa, called Karomast

  Settlers go to Novris and found a city there, the first jointly made by Anynae and Jisraegen

  Edenna Morthul retires to Laeredon when Kentha Nurysem attains the Fourth Circle of magic

  Kentha Nurysem takes over building of Karomast and Ellebren

  Drudaen builds Thoem and also begins a Tower in Arroth, but there only lays the foundation

  Drudaen builds Goerast and Kentha rebuilds Yrunvurst in Montajhena

  XVIII. Discontent

  Drudaen and Kentha become lovers in secret

  They exchange gifts. Drudaen gives Kentha a sapphire he has kissed

  They explore the ruins in Montajhena and Kentha shows him the room in Yrunvurst, which Edenna showed her

  They go in secret to the Library of the Praeven in Cunuduerum

  They part for a while

  Kentha is troubled that she has taken Drudaen to the Library and withdraws to Inniscaudra

  She works intently on Ellebren Tower and guards that part of Inniscaudra from Drudaen; she refuses to leave Arthen even when Kirith Kirin is King

  IXX. Aretaeo

  In the thirty-third change, when Kirith Kirin was King, Kentha returned to Inniscaudra and Drudaen and she became lovers again

  Near the time of the summons, Drudaen convinced her to return to Cunuduerum, and she did

  They remain in Arthen and returned to Cunuduerum many times after the thirty-fourth Change, when Athryn Ardfalla became Queen

  In some manner they conceive a child, though the Jhinuuserret were rarely able to engender or bear children

  Drudaen attempts to force the secret of the Praeven magic from Kentha and she uses the Gem he has given her to read his thoughts

  Drudaen attempts to kill Kentha

  They contest one another to no conclusion and Kentha goes to work completing Ellebren Tower

  She seals the Praeven Library and locks him out of Yrunvurst, and thus out of Cunuduerum as well

  Kentha foresees the Long War

  Drudaen attacks her while she is completing Ellebren Tower and Kirith Kirin and Athryn Ardfalla use the Karnost Gems together to force them to make peace

 

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