Traitor's Knot (Light & Shadow 07)

by Janny Wurts

  Broke Arithon's leg in Third Age Year 5654, and in restitution awarded Rathain's prince the

  service of two s'Brydion retainers, Talvish and Vhandon.

  pronounced: par-ee-on

  root meaning: para ient - great dart

  PRANDEY

  term for gelded pleasure boy. pronounced: pran-dee not from the Paravian

  QUAID trade town in Carithwyr, Havish, lying inland along the trade-road from Los Mar to Redburn. Famous for fired clay and brick. pronounced: qu-wade

  root meaning: cruaid - a clay used for brickmaking

  QUARN

  town on the trade-road that crosses Caithwood in Taerlin, Tysan.

  pronounced: kwarn

  root meaning: quarin - ravine, canyon

  QUINOLD

  Lord Chancellor of Avenor and a member of Lysaer's regent's council. pronounced: kwin-old

  root meaning: quen - one who is narrow-minded

  RADMOORE DOWNS

  meadow lands in Midhalla, Melhalla. pronounced: rad-more

  root meaning: riad - thread; mour - carpet, rug

  RAIETT RAVEN

  brother of the Mayor of Hanshire; uncle of Sulfin Evend. Considered a master statesman and a

  bringer of wars. Currently serving as High Chancellor of Etarra, ruling in the absence of the

  ratified mayor.

  pronounced: rayett

  root meaning: raiett - carrion-bird

  RATHAIN

  High Kingdom of Athera ruled by descendants of Torbrand s'Ffalenn since Third Age Year One. Device: black-and-silver leopard on green field. Arithon Teir's'Ffalenn is sanctioned crown prince, by the hand of Asandir of the Fellowship, in Third Age Year 5638 at Etarra. pronounced: rath-ayn

  root meaning: roth - brother; thein - tower, sanctuary

  RAUVEN TOWER

  home of the s'Ahelas mages who brought up Arithon s'Ffalenn and trained him to the ways of

  power. Located on the splinter world, Dascen Elur, through West Gate.

  pronounced: raw-ven

  root meaning: rauven - invocation

  REDBURN

  town located in a deep inlet in the northern shore of Rockbay Harbor in Havistock, Havish. pronounced: red-burn root meaning not from the Paravian

  RIATHAN PARAVIANS

  unicorns, the purest, most direct connection to Ath Creator; the prime vibration channels directly through the horn. pronounced: ree-ah-than

  root meaning: ria - to touch; ath - prime life-force; an - one; ri'athon - one who touches divinity

  RTVERTON

  trade town at the mouth of the Ilswater River, in Korias, Tysan; once the site of Lysaer's royal shipyard, before the site burned in Third Age Year 5654.

  ROCKBAY HARBOR

  body of water located on the southcoast, between Shand and West Shand.

  ROCKFELL PEAK

  mountain containing Rockfell Pit, used to imprison harmful entities throughout all three Ages. Located in West Halla, Melhalla; became the warded prison for Desh-thiere.

  pronounced: rock-fell

  root meaning not from the Paravian

  s'AHELAS

  family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to

  rule the High Kingdom of Shand. Gifted geas: far-sight.

  pronounced: s'ah-hell-as

  root meaning: ahelas - mage-gifted

  s'BRYDION

  ruling line of the Dukes of Alestron. The only old blood clansmen to maintain rule of a fortified city through the uprising that defeated the rule of the high kings. pronounced: s'bride-ee-on root meaning: baridien - tenacity

  s'CALLIENT

  lineage of the caithdeinen of Melhalla, Fellowship chosen to succeed s'Dieneval after the fall of Tirans.

  pronounced: scal-lee-ent

  root meaning: caillient - most extreme form of fixed or stubborn - immovable

  SANPASHIR

  desert waste on the southcoast of Shand. Home to the desert tribes. pronounced: sahn-pash-eer

  root meaning: san - black or dark; fash'era - place of grit or gravel

  SANSHEVAS

  town on the south shore in Alland, Shand, known for citrus, sugar, and rum.

  pronounced: san-shee-vas

  root meaning: san - black; shievas - flint

  SCARPDALE

  waste in Lanshire, Havish, created by a First Age war with Seardluin. Site of the Scarpdale grimward.

  pronounced: scarp-dale not from the Paravian

  SCIMLADE TIP

  peninsula at the south-east corner of Alland, Shand. pronounced: skim-laid

  root meaning: scimlait - curved knife or scythe

  SECOND AGE

  Marked by the arrival of the Fellowship of Seven at Crater Lake, their called purpose to fight the drake spawn.

  s'DIENEVAL

  lost lineage of the caithdeinen of Melhalla, the last to carry the title being Egart, who died at the side of his high king in the battle to subdue the Mistwraith. The blood line carried strong talent for prophecy, and was decimated during the sack of Tirans in the uprising in Third Age Year 5018, with Egan's pregnant wife the sole survivor. Her daughter, Meiglin was mother of Dari s'Ahelas, crown heir of Shand. pronounced: s-dee-in-ee-vahl

  root meaning: dien - large; eval - endowment, gifted talent

  SELIDIE

  young woman initiate appointed by Morriel Prime as a candidate in training for succession. Succeeded to the office of Prime Matriarch after Morriel's death on winter solstice in Third Age Year 5670, at which time an unprincipled act of possession usurped the young woman's body. pronounced: sell-ih-dee root meaning: selyadi - air sprite

  SELKWOOD

  forest located in Alland, Shand. pronounced: selk-wood root meaning: selk - pattern

  s'ELLESTRION

  lineage of the High Kings of Melhalla, died out in the course of the uprising in Third Age Year 5018. Gifted geas: wisdom. pronounced: sell-ess-tree-on

  root meaning: eliestrion - inspiration, from the word elya - air

  SETHVIR

  Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven, also trained to serve as Warden of Althain since Third Age 5100, when the last centaur guardian departed after the Mistwraith's conquest. pronounced: seth-veer root meaning: seth - fact; vaer - keep

  SEVRAND s'BRYDION

  heir-designate of Duke Bransian of Alestron. pronounced: sev-rand

  root meaning: sevaer'an'd - one who travels behind, a follower

  s'FFALENN

  family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to

  rule the High Kingdom of Rathain. Gifted geas: compassion,'empathy.

  pronounced: s-fal-en

  root meaning: ffael - dark; an - one

  s'GANNLEY

  lineage of the Earls of the West, once the Camris princes, now bearing the heritage of caithdein of Tysan. Iamine s'Gannley was the woman founder. pronounced: sgan-lee

  root meaning: gaen - guide; li - exalted or in harmony

  SHADDORN

  town located on the Scimlade Tip in Alland, Shand.

  pronounced: shad-dorn

  root meaning: shaddiern - sea-turtle

  SHAND

  High Kingdom on the south-east corner of the Paravian continent, originally ruled by the line of

  s'Ahelas. Current device, purple-and-gold chevrons, since the adjunct kingdom of West Shand

  came under high crown rule. The old device was a falcon on a crescent moon, sometimes still

  showed, backed by the more recent purple-and-gold chevrons.

  pronounced: shand - as in 'hand'

  root meaning: shayn or shiand - two,'pair

  SHIPSPORT

  city located on the Bay of Eltair in the principality of West Halla, Melhalla.

  SIDIR

  one of the Companions, "who were the fourteen boys to survive the Battle of Strakewood. Served Arithon at the Battle of Dier Kenton Vale, and the Havens. Second-in-command of Earl Jieret's war-band.
pronounced: see-deer

  root meaning: i'sid'i'er - one who has stood at the verge of being lost.

  s'ILESSID

  family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Tysan. Gifted geas: justice. pronounced: s-ill-ess-id

  root meaning: liessiad - balance

  SIMSHANE'S HOUSE OF EXOTIC DELIGHTS

  disreputable brothel located in Etarra, renowned for vice and peddling prandeys. pronounced: sim-shane not from the Paravian

  SITHAER

  mythological equivalent of hell, halls of Dharkaron Avenger's judgment; according to Ath's adepts, that state of being where the prime vibration is not recognized. pronounced: sith-air

  root meaning: sid - lost; thiere - wraith/spirit

  SKYRON FOCUS

  large aquamarine focus stone, used by the Koriani Senior Circle for their major magic after the

  loss of the Great Waystone during the rebellion. pronounced: sky-run

  root meaning: skyron - colloquialism for shackle; s'kyr'i'on - literally 'sorrowful fate'

  SKYSHIELS

  mountain range that runs north and south along the eastern coast of Rathain.

  pronounced: sky-shee-ells

  root meaning: skyshia - to pierce through; iel - ray

  SOUTHSHIRE

  town on the southcoast of Alland, Shand, known for shipbuilding. pronounced: south-shire not from the Paravian

  SPIRE

  town with a hostel of Ath's Brotherhood, located on the southcoast in Havistock, Havish.

  s'TALEYN

  lineage of the caithdeinen of Shand. pronounced: stall-ay-en

  root meaning: tal - branch; an - one,'first 'of the first branch'

  STEIVEN

  Earl of the North, caithdein and regent to the Kingdom of Rathain at the time of Arithon Teir's'Ffalenn's return. Chieftain of the Deshans until his death in the battle of Strakewood Forest in Third Year 5638. Jieret Red-beard's father. Barach and Jeynsa's grandfather. pronounced: stay-vin root meaning: steiven - stag

  STORLAINS

  mountains dividing the Kingdom of Havish. pronounced: store-lanes

  root meaning: storlient - largest summit, highest divide

  STORMWELL

  Gulf of Stormwell, body of water off the northcoast of Tysan.

  STRAKEWOOD

  forest in the principality of Deshir, Rathain; site of the battle of Strakewood Forest, where the garrison from Etarra marched against the clans under Steiven s'Valerient and Prince Arithon, in

  Third Age Year 5638.

  pronounced: strayk-wood similar to 'stray wood' root meaning: streik - to quicken, to seed

  SULFIN EVEND

  son of the Mayor of Hanshire who holds the post of Alliance Lord Commander under Lysaer s'Ilessid.

  pronounced: sool-finn ev-end

  root meaning: suilfinn eiavend - colloquialism, diamond mind, 'one who is persistent'

  s'VALERIENT

  family name for the Earls of the North, regents and caithdein for the High Kings of Rathain.

  pronounced: val-er-ee-ent

  root meaning: val - straight; erient - spear

  TAERLIN

  south-western principality of Kingdom of Tysan. Also a lake, Taerlin Waters located in the southern spur of Tprnir Peaks. Halliron taught Arithon a ballad of that name, which is of Paravian origin and commemorates the First Age slaughter of a unicorn herd by Khadrim. pronounced: tay-er-lin root meaning: taer - calm; lien - to love

  TAL QUORIN

  river formed by the confluence of watershed on the southern side of Strakewood, principality of

  Deshir, Rathain, where traps were laid for Etarra's army in the battle of Strakewood Forest, and

  where the rape and massacre of Deshir's clan women and children occurred under Lysaer and

  head-hunters under Pesquil's command in Third Age Year 5638.

  pronounced: tal quar-in

  root meaning: tal - branch; quorin - canyons

  TALITH

  Etarran princess; former wife of Lysaer s'Ilessid. Died of a fall from Avenor's tower of state. pronounced: tal-ith - to rhyme with 'gal with' root meaning: tal - branch; lith - to keep,'nurture

  TALVISH

  a clanborn retainer in sworn service to s'Brydion at Alestron who was sworn into the service of

  Prince Arithon as a point of honour.

  pronounced: tall-vish

  root meaning: talvesh - reed

  TANUIN

  a clansman of Shand who died in defense of non-combatant families during the campaign at

  Vastmark in Third Age Year 5647, father of Glendien.

  pronounced: tan-oo-win

  root meaning: tanuin - swift, or swallow

  TEIR

  masculine form of a title fixed to a name denoting heirship. pronounced: tayer

  root meaning: teir's - successor to power

  TEIREN

  feminine form of Teir.

  TEIVE

  first mate of the merchant brig Evenstar and father of Feylind's two children.

  pronounced: tee-ev

  root meaning: tierve - reliable

  TELLESEC

  guild minister in Avenor, and one of the regent's council of Tysan.

  pronounced: tell-i-sec

  root meaning: tellisec - a small spider

  TELMANDIR

  seat of the High Kings of Havish in Lithmere, Havish. Ruined during the uprising in Third Age Year 5018, rebuilt by High King Eldir s'Lornmein after his coronation in Third Age Year 5643. pronounced: tell-man-deer root meaning: telman'en - leaning; dir - rock

  TELZEN

  town on the eastshore of Alland, Shand.

  pronounced: tell-zen

  root meaning: tielsen - to saw wood

  THALDEINS

  mountain range that borders the principality of Camris, Tysan, to the east. Site of the Camris

  clans' west outpost. Site of the raid at the Pass of Orlan.

  pronounced: thall-dayn

  root meaning: thal - head; dein - bird

  THARIDOR

  trade city on the shores of the Bay of Eltair in Melhalla.

  pronounced: thar-i-door

  root meaning: tier'i'dur - keep of stone

  THARRICK

  former captain of the guard in the city of Alestron assigned charge of the duke's secret armoury; now married to Jinesse and working as a gentleman mercenary guard at Innish. pronounced: thar-rick root meaning: thierik - unkind twist of fate

  THEMBREL'S OAK

  tree by the sacred spring in the heart of Halwythwood, Rathain, where the Athlien dancers once enacted the rites of renewal. Site of the grand mysteries, off-limits to humankind. pronounced: them-brel root meaning: thembrel - acorn

  TIDEPORT

  a coastal town in Korias, Tysan. not from the Paravian

  TIENELLE

  high-altitude herb valued by mages for its mind-expanding properties. Highly toxic. No antidote. The leaves, dried and smoked, are most potent. To weaken its powerful side-effects and allow safer access to its vision, Koriani enchantresses boil the flowers, then soak tobacco leaves with the brew.

  pronounced: tee-an-ell-e (last 'e' mostly subliminal) root meaning: tien - dream; iel - light,'ray

  TIRANS

  trade town located on the East Halla peninsula in Melhalla, also a Second Age ruin, seat of the High Kings of Melhalla, sacked during the uprising in Third Age Year 5018. Site of a Paravian focus circle. pronounced: tee-rans

  root meaning: tier - to hold fast, to keep, or to covet

  TIRIACS

  mountain range to the north of Mirthlvain Swamp, in Midhalla, Melhalla.

  pronounced: tie-ree-axe

  root meaning: tieriach - alloy of metals

  TORBRAND s'FFALENN

  founder of the s'Ffalenn line appointed by the Fellowship of Seven to rule the High Kingdom of Rathain in Third Age Year One. pronounced: tor-brand

  root meaning: tor - sharp, keen
; brand - temper

  TORNIR PEAKS

  mountain range on western border in Camris, Tysan. Northern half is actively volcanic, and there the last surviving packs of Khadrim are kept under ward. pronounced: tor-neer

  root meaning: tor - sharp, keen; nier - tooth

  TRAITHE

  Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven. Solely responsible for the closing of South Gate to deny

  further entry to the Mistwraith. Traithe lost most of his faculties in the process and was left with a

  limp. Since it is not known whether he can make the transfer into discorporate existence with his

  powers impaired, he has retained his physical body.

  pronounced: tray-the

  root meaning: traithe - gentleness

  TYSAN

  one of the Five High Kingdoms of Athera as defined by the charters of the Fellowship of Seven.

  Ruled by the s'Ilessid royal line. Device: gold star on blue field.

  pronounced: tie-san

  root meaning: tiasen - rich

  VAE

  mother of a young boy, recruited by Lysaer s'Ilessid. root meaning not from the Paravian.

  VARENS

  trade town on the shore of Eltair Bay in East Halla, Melhalla. pronounced: var-ens

  root meaning: var'uens - keep safe, or lock

  VARRUN

  Lord High Justiciar of Avenor, one of Lysaer's regent's council of Tysan.

  pronounced: var-run

  root meaning: vaer'ruann - eyrie

  VASTMARK

  principality located in south-western Shand. Highly mountainous and not served by trade-roads. Its coasts are renowned for shipwrecks. Inhabited by nomadic shepherds and wyverns, non-fire-breathing, smaller relatives of Khadrim. Site of the grand massacre of Lysaer's war host

  in Third Age 5647.

  pronounced: vast-mark

  root meaning: vhast - bare; mheark - valley

  VERRAIN

  master spellbinder, trained by Luhaine; stood as Guardian of Mirthlvain when the Fellowship of Seven was left short-handed after the conquest of the Mistwraith. pronounced: ver-rain

  root meaning: ver - keep; ria - touch; an - one; original Paravian: verria'an

  VHALZEIN

  city located in West Shand, shore of Rockbay Harbor on the border by Havish. Famed for shell-inlaid lacquer furnishings. pronounced: val-zeen

  root meaning: from Drakish, vhchalsckeen - white sands

  VHANDON

  a renowned clanborn war captain of Duke Bransian s'Brydion of Alestron, assigned to Prince Arithon's service as a point of honour in Third Age Year 5654. pronounced: van-done root meaning: vhandon - steadfast

  WARDEN OF ALTHAIN