by TJ Muir
“So any of Chayan’s sacred shrines would be okay?” Jedda asked, worried now. He preferred it a moment ago, when his instructions had been clear.
Manu nodded. “Trust Chayan,” he said.
Jedda nodded back, unsure. How was he supposed to trust a god that he barely knew? He didn’t have time to ponder his question though, as they came around the corner where Aldo was leading Ashai towards them, and stopped under a massive tree.
Jedda checked the girth, tightening it up a notch. Ashai grunted, unaccustomed to the Chanem style of saddle that pinched his ribs. He hoisted his pack up, fastening it behind the saddle, bundled up tightly with Kirrin’s. Jedda patted the horse’s, neck then turned back to the two priests. “Thank you for everything” It seemed inadequate, but he didn’t know how else to thank them.
Manu stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Jedda in a warm hug that caught him off guard. Jedda stiffly jerked his arms up, clasping the older man as if he was a painted eggshell, returning the hug. Manu patted him on the back several times and then released him with a final squeeze. Jedda smiled shyly, recovering his composure as emotion welled up inside. Aldo moved forward, rescuing him with a second parting hug. Aldo’s hug was brisk and energetic and he clapped Jedda on the back in a brotherly manner, reminding him again of Kirrin. Ashai saved him the second time, headbutting him with a friendly reminder to get moving.
He held his pendant close for a moment, before tucking it safe inside his shirt. A light breeze blew, and Jedda brushed the unbraided hair from his face. It had gotten long, but he couldn’t bring himself to put it in a Faenyr braid.
“Go now,” Manu said. “The caravan will be waiting at the p’hatra just up the road. Anishe is the matriarch and will look after you-- a most excellent cook, too. You will be surrounded by young people and laughing and dancing. That will do you more good than any care these hands could give you, now. Find the lightness in your heart.” With that, Manu hugged him again, a quick brisk hug and turned Jedda toward Ashai while Aldo moved to the other side and held Jedda’s stirrup while he mounted up.
Jedda looked around the temple grounds, and then looked out over Treyu- a place he had thought to call home only a few weeks before. He took a deep breath, and turned Ashai toward the north road, straightening his shoulders for the next stage of his journey. Somewhere ahead, he thought he heard an owl, calling him forward.
As Jedda was turning Ashai up the road, far to the north in Jynwyn, the elders sat in their small meeting room. Nispin entered last, looking grim and exhausted.
He took a sip of wine, laced with honey and herbs.
“Have the effects of the H’katta worn off yet?”
“Mostly,” he said, wiping his hand across his forehead.
“Did the visions bring clarity?”
Nispin nodded. “The death was the mentor. At the hand of the acha. The unexpected path.”
The others looked at each other in subdued horror.
Ynith put her cup down. “Does the vision show him returning?”
“Not in the immediacy, there is shadow there- maybe guilt or danger. Something prohibits.”
“And the others?”
“They are returning to us. They may bring answers the vision lacked.”
“And how does this fit into the earlier visions?”
“The path now leads away. There are several figures along the path that might alter his course. It is unclear how they will affect the flow of the cosmic events.”
Ynith closed her eyes. “And his magic?”
“Still grows wild. The lack of control is what led to the death of the mentor.”
The elders exchanged tense looks. Ynith shook her head. “We have failed in our responsibility to the chenwa . Our future is at risk, as are the Chan-mroa. The landscape is changing. Yttuva was seen within the irhhn. The old gods are stirring. It remains to be seen if they waken.”
Glossary
Ama, Ama't- Faenyr term for Mother, and great-mother. All older women within a lineage are Ama to a child, although he or she is more likely to refer to their birth mother by the term.
Ada, Ada't Faenyr term for Father, and great-father. All older men within a lineage (on the mother's side) are Ada to a child.
Acha- child, or children, sometimes used to refer to mortal people, being the acha or the gods, or the world.
Aya Reyata- Faenyr death services- the Faenyr have always maintained the tradition and belief that they are beings of pure light and energy. When a person dies, there is a sacred ceremony that converts the body back into the pure form of light. Then that energy from the body, may go on to become other things, while the spirit travels into the higher realms.
Aya- kin, connected
B'ashan, B'asha- A B'ashan is a communal gathering place in Faenyr communities. It serves many purposes. The term comes from the root word B'asha, to bring or draw together, which is a concept used in faenyr magic.
Beddo- the Beddo are a bit of a mystery to the Chanmyr. They prefer to travel, rather than settle down and build. There are Barge-based clans and wagon-based clans. Families tend to travel together, and also have regular travel routes. They are skilled craftsmen and engineers, welcomed for their ability to repair things, but they are also distrusted and often blamed for any mishaps that take place. They usually camp outside of larger settlements in p'hatras, which are designated tribal lands. These places also serve as a place for Beddo to cross paths with other clans and connect with each other.
Faenyr Magic: onkwai, naysim, yincha
Chanmyr Magic
Beddo p'hatra – land dedicated to the Beddo as permanent sites for camping. They often serve as gathering points for different tribes traveling in different directions.
Breshan- One of the twin moons. Breshan is a soft silvery blue. Among the Faenyr she is referred to as Ama't, great-mother, or lady.
Chanmyr, Chanem -Chanmyr refers to the entire lank, or the “known world.” it also refers to the human people who inhabit it. Chanem is the term used by the Faenyr when speaking about the Chanmyr. The Chanmyr originally came to the land from elsewhere, thousands of years ago. Historical accounts are a bit garbled as to events, but it is generally believed that the first Chanmyrans left, or were forced to leave, and their descendants returned thousands of years later. These are the descendants of the current Chanmyrans.
Chan'mroa- Faenyr term for most Chanem The rough translation means outsider.
Chayan- Is one of the most ancient Chanmyran gods. The beddo worship chayan as the god. Or the highest most imporant god. If they do woship other gods, they are considered subservient to Chayan
Chenwa-Faenyr concept of life force, which exists in all things. The Faenyr believe that there are subtleties within the chenwa, in that the life-force of a stone may be different than that of a hawk. Some stones may possess more chenwa than a hawk- so chenwa is not determined by heirarchy in the food chain or human perception that some things have more value, or power, than others.
Choofa, hatan peppers- a style of cooking from the southern regions that combines spicy with a tangy zing, occasionally an added hot pepper is added, as well- considered 'authentic' choofa.
Daya-acha- a drink made from fermented tree sap, that is a bit like maple syrup. The direct translation is tree blood, or offspring (blood/child/acha).
Doucha-a beddo term, offensive, a rude form of idiot, or low-life, depending on the context.
Faenyr- The Faenyr are the original inhabitants of the land. Or rather, the original mortal inhabitants. They are long lived and connected to the land through their beliefs and through magic. Faenyr possess magic inherently.
Giffryn- giffryn is a Faenyr term. It usually applies to a family lineage, but can also apply to a more subtle concept of cosmic lineage, place in the universe. The Faenyr do not see these two things as separate from each other. By having a place within the physical giffryn, it grounds the individual and allows them to have or find their place within the larger life-lineage.
/>
Icha and ocha- literally east and west. The Faenyr do not refer to left and right. Directions are always given in relation to geographic directions. They would tell you to look or go icha/ocha, rather than turning/looking left or right. The same holds true with north and south although these directions are used a little less frequently.
Irrhn- This is a Faenyr word that refers to ancient sacred sites. The word translates roughly as “The well or place of forgetting.” It is a place the Faenyr would leave things behind that cause them sorrow, grief, or anger. These are sacred shrine sites. There are still many throughout Chanmyr, but often their true purpose has been lost or has been incorporated into Chanmyr sites. Many of these sites are considered haunted or cursed. Many of these sites have lain dormant for hundreds of years as the Faenyr travel outside of their own lands less than they did years ago. Accidentally disturbing these dormant magical sites can change the course of actions in people’s lives as magic is stirred up and they may get caught up the cosmic flow. This may force a person to confront and release whatever it was they have been carrying through events they experience after leaving. In other words, old wounds and issues may come to the surface in their life. In other instances, life paths may be altered. These are some of the reasons the Chanmyr distrust Faenyr magic-- it's elusive and slippery nature.
Jynwyn- a small Faenyr city, where Jedda spends most of his Faenyr time.
lya chiqui- the cosmic flow of life that guides the Faenyr. They often refer to this invisible river. It is rumoured that under the right conditions, such as ceremonial events where mind-expanding drugs are used, that this river can be seen and interacted with, altered. This is highly discouraged and not widely shared information because of the possible dangers it presents.
Nibbin- The Nibbin is the third moon. This moon is small and silvery-white. It is remarkable for its fast and backwards path in the sky. The Nibbin makes four full passes every day. In Tatak Rhe, it incidentally coincides with early morning, mid-day, evening and midnight. That is why it is often used as a time reference. The first Nibbin, second Nibbin, or Nibbin's second pass. Additionally, a Nibbin is often a reference of an amount of time. A half Nibbin and a Nibbin, and occasionally a quarter-Nibbin are used to indicate how much time has passed.
P'hatra- permanent designated camps for the Beddo, often at the junctions between land-caravans and barge-routes. Some maintain ongoing occupation even though the specific people camping there changes as caravans continue their routes. Other sites may remain empty for long periods of time, utilised by individual caravans. Non-beddo do not utilize the camp areas, as they prefer not to interact with the beddo socially and consider them inferior and tainted.
Sanshay-wronka- a beddo expression, most closely translated as rattling the bushes- it generally means a romantic of sexual tryst.
Shendahal- the forest -mountain cousins of the Tajynal. Where the Tajynal are herders, the Shendahal are hunters. They have a strong affinity for trees, often building in them, earning them the Chanmyr insult of 'tree rat.'
Sonko-forum, council-meeting- The Faenyr maintain a tradition of decision-making that assures all voices and counter arguments are considered-- even the voices of the children. They do this because they believe that children are more affected by decisions in the long term. Each objection or counter argument is written on a stone, and placed into a pile. Each issue is resolved through discussion. As an issue is resolved, the stone is moved into a different pile. A sonko is only called when there are complex decisions to be made, sometimes within the individual family-clans, and other times within the larger community. On rare occasion, a Sonko will be called that includes voices from all the Faenyr.
Tajynal- These are one of the two sub-races of Faenyr. They are noted for their soft tawny colored skin and golden-fair hues. Their hair can be anything from the fairest white to silvery-blond to light golden blond- with highlights and tinting of reds, golds, coppers, and occasionally lavender. They live in and around the plains, in small villages and cities. They are a horse-riding culture.
Tarish/Tarishve- No one is entirely sure exactly what the Tarish are. They are a higher level being, with powers to transform themselves and their environment. While they are almost deities by nature, they are also grounded and connected to the land. They serve the land itself, as well as maintaining the inhabitants. Often they perceive their need to oversee inhabitants as a way of maintaining the land, especially the magical forces. When a Tarish becomes too depleted, they will go dormant, or 'sleep,' by merging with the land. Sometimes they become a tree, or a rock, or some other natural feature. They are generally considered to be immortal but there are some that have vanished from the world.
Tatak Rhe- Tatak Rhe is one of the major cities in Chanmyr. It is often too full of its own sense of importance, which isn't always shared by the rest of the world. Magic tends to be weaker there. It is debated if magic is weaker there because of the imbalance humans create with their environment, or if the lack of magic causes the imbalance.
The Red God- The Red God is a dark and mysterious holdover from older times and beliefs among the Chanmyr. He is perceived as a dangerous god- someone you don't want to upset. Most people do not believe he is real, or if they do, that he has any power left.
Tikka – A village in the Faenyr lands. This is the place where Cham's father's family is from. It is north-east of Oldfall, and not too far from the Faenyr border.
Tiqua -the tiqua as the pendants that were gifted to the Beddo by their gods. They promised to remain faithful and maintain the covenant, in return they were promised the ability to return to the land of the gods. This may or may not be an actual place
Triappa- Triappa is one of the twin moons. This moon is a soft honey or amber colored moon. Among the Faenyr it is known as Ada't, the father over all, or great-father, lord.
Treyene- was once a sort of sister-city to Treyu, the first village over the border, and closest to Treyu.
Treyu- A small city in the central region of Chanmyr. It is most noted for being a hybrid city of Faenyr-Chanmyr population, and a crossroads for travel between the western regions and Tatak Rhe. It is small, innovative and maintains strong connection with the Faenyr.
Faenyr Polarity- This is a game played by most Faenyr children, as well as adults. It builds mental discipline for using magic. A three dimensional playing field is created, using physical poles and hoops. A magical ball is created by either of the players, or sometimes by a third party who acts as a coach. The players use mental skills and magic to move the ball around, trying to “score.” Like the chanem game, the ball must be docked against the players pole, in order to change its polarity, or the ball cannot enter the player’s scoring field. More advanced fields can be created, with random or moving thick patches or secret portals.
Fliers- One of the newest developments in Chanmyr culture. Large silk or canvas cloth is stretched over a metal frame. A flier straps into a harness, and launches the flier into the sky from a ramp. There are some places where the wind conditions are optimal for launching and flying. Treyu has a reputation for being an excellent site, as well as being centrally located within the country. Many of the Ruling Houses in Tatak Rhe look upon these new inventions with suspicion. Many people fly as a hobby, but there is also a Flier’s Guild. Members of the guild are often hired out for private contract service for delivering messages or packages. The assurance is absolute discretion and privacy. Fliers will occasionally take service with a So’har or Da’har ruling House, with the loyalty and discretion being unquestionable when they make an agreement.
So'har- the lesser ruling houses of Chanmyr.
Da'har -the greater-houses of Chanmyr.
W'asha, W'ashan-- the opposite of B'asha. W'asha means to draw or hold apart. This is not perceived as a negative thing, but rather a counter-force to B'asha.
The W'ashan is the magical field that maintains the separation between Faenyr and Chanmyr lands. Chanmyr cannot cross these boundaries without
help. The land itself is sentient, or tuned to protect the Faenyr. Chanmyrans get turned around, spun around, and sent back onto Chanmyran land. Often the Faenyr can have a difficult time trying to bring Chanmyrans across the boundary, as it interferes with their natural sense of direction, causing a kind of vertigo and physical distress.
Yffa chirrik – the ancient magic shells that regulate and balance water throughout Chanmyr. The legend is that they belonged to the gods, or were gifts from the gods. When the Chanmyr were forced to leave that land, they took (or stole?), the yffa chirrik and yfa chirra. But the Chanmyr never had a full comprehension of how they work, so therefore they do not function as efficiently as they were designed. Legends also whisper that these magical structures also served to maintain and sustain the magic flows of energy throughout the land, and that there displacement is what causes the disruptions.
Yrrchak- A faenyr term, precise translation vague, but it may mean crazy or chaotic.
zrenyalit- faenyr martial art, often practiced with two sticks that are between around 18 inches in length. This was an art of fighting that was developed thousands of years ago, during the first Chanem settlement when there was war with the chanem. It incorporates reading colors and the flow of energy and redirecting or blocking it in an opponent. Many of the poses and moves are built upon natural concepts, like the rising or setting of the sun to indicate an arcing blow or block. It is practiced ceremonially as a mental activity rather than as any intention to employ it in combat. A move will occasionally be used for expedience, such as breaking up a fight, particularly outside of the Faenyr lands.
Qwatcha - Qwatcha is a Faenyr term that loosely translates as "rounding things up," or "collecting things." It is also what they call one of their favorite mounted games. It is a bit of a relay race, combined with capture the flag. It is played by most Tajynal children, as well as adults. It is how they truly master their horsemanship as well as cooperative skills.. and sometimes sneaking in a bit of magic- even though its generally against the rules.