The Shattered City

by Tansy Rayner Roberts

  Ciocolate — a very expensive delicacy brought over from Nova Stella. Served as a fondant or as a hot, spicy drink called ciocolata.

  City Fathers — the members of the City Council, who meet in the Curia: this group is made up of the Duc’s Ministers, a Proctor for each of the city districts, and the three senior priests who between them form the ruling body of the city, under the hand of the Duc or Duchessa. The three senior priests are the Matrona Irea of the Irean Priestesses (the only woman allowed to be a city father), Brother Typhisus of the Silver Brethren, and the Master of Saints.

  Clara — member of the Creature Court; rank: courtesa to Warlord; creature: greymoon cat.

  Coinage — the coins of Aufleur are divided into gold ducs, silver ducs, copper shilleins and copper centi.

  Courtesi (courteso: male; courtesa: female) — the lowest rank of the Creature Court; must ally themselves with a particular Lord for protection. Too vulnerable to exist alone.

  Crane — youngest of the surviving sentinels. Weapons: blue-hilted daggers and swords.

  Creature Court — the courtesi, Lords and Kings who hold animor within their bodies, belong to the nox and have the ability to fight the sky. Ruled by the Power and Majesty, the highest ranked of their Kings. Peripheral members of the Court include the sentinels and the seer, but they often consider themselves separate from the Court.

  Crossroads — any part of the city where two streets meet is considered sacred to the protective spirits or household gods of Aufleur. Casual sacrifices (for example chickens or honey cakes) are often made here for greater effect.

  Curia — slope-roofed building in the Forum that houses meetings of the City Council.

  Cyniver — brother of Rhian and lover of Velody; lost when Tierce was swallowed by the sky.

  Damascine Virgins — an order of priestesses in service to Damascus the war-angel. They sacrifice to him on the eleventh day of Martial.

  Dame — appropriate form of address for a respectable matron, diminutive of ‘madame’.

  Damson — member of the Creature Court; rank: courtesa to Priest; creature: gull.

  Delphine — friend to Velody and Rhian; ribboner and garland-maker.

  Demoiselle — unmarried girl; ‘demme’ for short.

  Duc/Duchessa d’Aufleur — ruler of the city of Aufleur.

  Dhynar — member of the Creature Court; rank: Lord; creature: ferax.

  Diamagne — farming and wine region south of Aufleur; part of Lattorio. Also the name of the Baronne di Diamagne (now deceased), who married Ducomtessa Augusta Xandelian (Ashiol’s mother) a year after the death of her first husband, Bruges.

  Donagan — reputed to be the finest tailor in Aufleur, a master craftsman.

  Dottores — medical practitioners, mostly male. The only women allowed to practise in Aufleur as dottores are those registered as midwives, although many of them dispense other forms of medical advice on the side.

  Edore — region to the north of Ammoria and Atulia.

  Farrier — member of the Creature Court; rank: courteso to Dhynar; creature: slashcat.

  Floralia — six-day festival commemorating the glory of spring and the fertility of the coming summer. It begins in Aphrodal and ends in Floralis. Honours maidens, sweethearts, brides, household gods, passion and abundance, each on a different day. The first day (maidens) is celebrated with a public parade by the Spring Queen (the highest-ranking female in the city) and her Spring Consort, both dressed in pink and white.

  Flame-and-gin — common bar drink.

  Florister — artisan who works with plants and flowers; often works in conjunction with a ribboner or garland-maker to make festival garlands.

  Fornacalia — festival from the sixth to the seventeenth of Lupercal in honour of the harvest saints, so that the baking of the corn is successful. Citizens wear ceremonial baking aprons for the rituals. Overlaps with the Parentalia, Quirinalia and Lupercalia.

  Forum — the public centre of Aufleur, a large area lined with temples and public buildings such as the Alexandrine Basilica and the Curia. The city market is held here every nine days, events such as the apprentice fairs are held here, and this is the traditional climax of most public parades and pageants. The Duchessa’s Avenue connects the Forum to the Lake of Follies. Other cities, such as Tierce, also have a Forum, though the Forum of Aufleur is unusually large.

  Gardens of Trajus Alysaundre — large gardens covering one side of the Lucretine hill in the centre of Aufleur; built over the top of the decadent public baths established in honour of the third Duc d’Aufleur, Trajus Alysaundre. The gardens face on to the Lake of Follies and the Forum.

  Garnet — member of the Creature Court; rank: Power and Majesty; creature: gattopardo (mountain cat). He is the son of the cook and the groundskeeper on the Diamagne estate, and was Ashiol’s boyhood friend.

  Giacosa — bustling merchant district at the southern end of Aufleur.

  Giulio Gauget — fifth Duc d’Aufleur. Known for excessive modesty and piety in contrast to his predecessor, mad old Ilexandros Alysaundre.

  Givette Camellie — the Old Duchessa, wife of Duc Ynescho, mother of Artorio and Augusta, grandmother of Isangell, Ashiol, Bryn, Keil, Jemmen, Zade and Phage. Became Regenta when her late husband was mentally incapacitated; pre-deceased him after a long illness.

  Gleamspray — a rare and lethal element of the skybattles which is known for killing daylight folk; victims appear to succumb to the ‘Silent Sleep’.

  Grago — member of the Creature Court; rank: courteso to Dhynar; creature: stripecat.

  Great Families — the twelve Great Families of Aufleur: Xandelian (ducal), Leorgette, Lanouvre, Gauget, Paucini, Aufrey, Alysaundre, Vittorio, Giuliano, Camellie, Delgardie, Octaviano.

  Halberk — member of the Creature Court; courteso to Poet; creature: bear.

  Haymarket — located in the Arches. Formerly a packing and storage facility; now a large space where the Power and Majesty resides. A canal runs water from the River Verticordia right through the Haymarket and down through the Arches, emerging at the Lock in the side of the Lucretine hill, which is the main entrance to the Arches.

  Heliora — member of the Creature Court; rank: Seer. Joined Court as a sentinel; became Seer during Ortheus’s reign as Power and Majesty.

  Ilexandros Alysaundre — fourth Duc d’Aufleur; also known as ‘mad old Ilexandros’. Built the Alexandrine Basilica, largest church in the known world, in the Forum of Aufleur.

  Irean Priestesses — powerful priestesses who venerate Ires the Crone, otherwise known as Saint Grandmere. The priestesses wear white and are said to have communion with the dead. Wills are lodged with them for safekeeping. Their chief priestess is the Matrona Irea, one of the three priests included in the City Fathers.

  Ires — the Crone, or Saint Grandmere, worshipped in the Cathedral of Ires and venerated by the Irean Priestesses.

  Isangell — Duchessa d’Aufleur (full name/title: Duchessa Isangell Xandelian d’Aufleur, First Lady of the Silver Seal); daughter of Artorio Xandelian and Eglantine; granddaughter of previous Duc d’Aufleur, Ynescho Xandelian, and his Regenta, the Duchessa Givette.

  Isharo — an island country to the Far East, a trading partner with Aufleur, particularly for flowers and fabrics.

  Janvier — member of the Creature Court; courteso to Livilla; creature: raven.

  Kelpie — sentinel. Refers to her swords as her ‘Sisters’ and her daggers as her ‘Nieces’: hilts are wrapped in dark leather.

  Lanouvre — one of the twelve Great Families of Aufleur.

  Lemuria — festival during Floralis to placate the shades of dead ancestors and lost loves.

  Lennoc — member of the Creature Court; courteso to Dhynar (formerly courteso to Lief); creature: brighthound.

  Leorgette — one of the twelve Great Families of Aufleur.

  Librarion — Aufleur’s city library.

  Lictors — honour guard that protects ranks of Duc, Duchessa, Ducomte or Ducomtessa, as wel
l as select City Fathers, priests of high status and the Chief Minister. Lictors travel in multiples of three, carry ceremonial rods of state, are armed with axes and wear black and scarlet.

  Lief — deceased member of the Creature Court; rank: Lord; creature: greathound.

  Livilla — member of the Creature Court; rank: Lord; creature: wolf.

  Lucian — one of the districts of Aufleur, known as the theatre district.

  Ludi — as well as being the name of the first autumn month, this word means ‘games’.

  Ludi Aufleuris — fifteen-day series of games held during the first month of autumn, Ludi. Women traditionally wear scarlet shawls when attending these games and wave the corners of the shawls to favoured gladiators and performers.

  Ludi Megalensia — Games of the Great Mother, held in the month of Aphrodal. Unlike other Ludi, there are no fights, animals or mock battles; instead, the games feature theatrical performances.

  Ludi Sacris — Sacred Games, held in the month of Felicitas. On the chief day of sacrifice (day four), everyone in the city makes a sacrifice to their chosen saints or gods.

  Ludi Victoriae — Victory Games, held in the month of Cerialis, in which favourite historical battles are re-enacted in the Circus Verdigris by gladiators and actors.

  Lupercalia — one-day festival in Lupercal during which men carouse in the streets wearing goatskins, goat masks and fake phalluses. Not unheard of for their real phalluses to hang out, in the name of veracity.

  Lysandor — member of the Creature Court; rank: King. Fled with Celeste during Garnet’s tyrannical reign as Power and Majesty.

  Macready — sentinel. Weapons: Alicity (steel sword), Tarea (skysilver sword), Phoebe (steel dagger), Jeunille (skysilver dagger); hilts wrapped in green leather.

  Margarethe — one of the lower districts of Aufleur, rundown and poor.

  Market-nines — every ninth day (nundinae) is a public market day, regardless of other festival constraints. The phrase ‘market-nine’ refers to these nine-day groupings. Market-nines fall on different days each year.

  Mars/Warlord — member of the Creature Court; rank: Lord; creature: panther (Khatri zaba in Zafiran). Born Maziz dal Sara, he was the son of the Zafiran ambassador.

  Matralia — festival during month of Lucina, when mothers and maternal relatives everywhere are crowned with silverbreath and ivy.

  Mercatus — grand city-wide market festivals held in Cerialis and Ludi, the two months with the most sacred games.

  Musette — a theatrical establishment or performance, usually in the style of a music hall, variety show or pantomime.

  Nefas — means ‘unlucky’, particularly in relation to a day; for example the day immediately after the Kalends, Nones or Ides of each month is nefas, and business transactions are rarely performed on these days.

  Nova Stella — a land far to the West of Ammoria, discovered and colonised two hundred years previously by explorers from Stelleza. Source for ciocolate and tobacco.

  Nox — night, but also ‘the world of the night’, which belongs to the Creature Court and is visible only to them.

  Orcadia — north-western region, known for its gentle climate and bubbled wine.

  Orphan Princel — Poet’s theatrical alter ego and star of the Mermaid Revue.

  Ortheus — former member of the Creature Court; rank: King; Power and Majesty (before Garnet).

  Palazzo — home of the ruling ducal family, located on the Balisquine hill and surrounded by other opulent residences. A former palazzo, now abandoned, is located on the Avleurine Hill.

  Parentalia — nine-day festival from the thirteenth to the twenty-first of Lupercal, during which all citizens of Aufleur travel to place flowers and sweetmeats on their family tombs and grave markers. White silk garlands are traditionally worn.

  Paucini — one of the twelve Great Families of Aufleur.

  Piazza Nautilia — public square at the conjunction of three major streets in Aufleur: Via Delgardie, Via Leondrine and Via Camellie; location of Triton’s Church and the best public baths in Aufleur.

  Poet — member of the Creature Court; rank: Lord; creature: white rats. Moonlights as the Orphan Princel, a famous musette performer.

  Power and Majesty — leader of the Creature Court; must hold the rank of King.

  Priest — member of the Creature Court; rank: Lord; creature: pigeon.

  Proctors — public officials elected each year; one for each district in Aufleur. Included among the City Fathers.

  Quirinalia — One-day festival on the seventeenth of Lupercal, overlapping with the Fornacalia and Parentalia. Bunches of myrtle are exchanged and worn at the belt to ward off ill-luck for soldiers. Vigiles and lictors are allowed this day off public duties for religious observance.

  Reyenna — formerly one of the three duchies of Ammoria. After the disappearance of its capital city, Tierce, Reyenna became one of the baronies of Lattorio.

  Rhian — friend to Velody and Delphine; florister.

  Sage — Velody’s brother, who was lost along with the rest of her family when Tierce was swallowed by the sky. Originally a dock worker, he was injured in an accident and ended up taking recreational potions for many years before cleaning up his act and getting factory work.

  Saints — worshipped by the daylight folk through rituals and festivals. ‘Saints and angels’ and ‘saints and devils’ are two common swearing phrases heard throughout the city.

  Samara — legendary former member of the Creature Court; female Lord who took in too much animor and blew apart. Cited as evidence that women cannot be Kings.

  Saturnalia — an eight-day festival, held from the seventeenth to the twenty-fourth of Saturnalis, in which masters and servants traditionally swap roles, men and women wear each other’s clothing, etc. Also sometimes known as the Feast of Fools, it celebrates all things topsy-turvy. Traditional refreshments include hot cider, bean syrup and roasted chestnuts. Also an important theatre season.

  Scratchlight — weapon used by the sky in battle; kills one in fifty mortals it hits — not as effective as the rarer shadowstreak or gleamspray.

  Seer — member of the Creature Court but without animor. The seer has the ability to look into the future and pull out visions of what is to come.

  Sentinels — the loyal armed servants of the Kings of the Creature Court. Each bears blades of steel and skysilver to represent the thin line they tread between belonging to the nox and the daylight. They are ready to give up their blood to their masters at a moment’s notice.

  Seonard — member of the Creature Court; rank: courteso to Livilla; creature: wolf.

  Serenai — patron saint of gamblers and good fortune. Friendly bets often include promises for the loser to sacrifice to Serenai or other saints and angels on the winner’s behalf.

  Shade — member of the Creature Court; rank: courteso to Dhynar (formerly courteso to Lief); creature: darkhound.

  Silent Sleep — a fatal illness that tends to affect the very young and the elderly. A side-effect of skybattle, but to daylight folk a mystery illness that attacks without warning and leaves no contamination trail.

  Silver Brethren — a chaste order of male priests, who wear silver chains and shave their heads. They never speak once they have taken orders, only sing and chant during their street processions.

  Silver Captain — Nathanial, former leader of the sentinels. Died on th eve of Vestalia, three years before the return of Ashiol.

  Silverstorm — shards of skysilver generated by the sky during battle.

  Skybattle — when the sky opens and attacks the city, using all manner of deadly weapons. Only happens at nox, and only the Creature Court and their allies, such as the seer and sentinels, are aware of it. The Creature Court exists to battle the sky and protect the city. Any damage to buildings or other parts of the city is repaired at dawn, and any daylight folk affected by the sky’s weapons recover and return to normal. Occasionally there are fatalities if a person has suffered a direct hit, pa
rticularly if they are very young or elderly. Such fatalities are referred to by the daylight folk as the Silent Sleep.

  Skyburn — the effect of some sky weapons on the sentinels. In its lightest form it is similar to sunburn; more serious symptoms include deeply reddened or bruised skin, fever and weakness.

  Skyfall — to be swallowed by the sky. Death by skyfall means a Court member’s animor goes with them into the sky and is lost forever, instead of being shared among the survivors of the Creature Court. ‘The sky is falling’ is an expression often used to indicate that a skybattle is beginning.

  Skyseed — a red cloud that is the seed of a deathstorm. Deathstorms bring flaming hail, ‘devils’ (violent animated dust clouds) and ‘angels’ (poisonous bursts of steam)’. A skyseed can be destroyed by lancing — similar to lancing a boil, only a million times more disgusting.

  Skysilver — a metallic substance that falls from the sky. The Creature Court believes it comes from the stars. All skysilver is the property of Kings and given to the Smith, who forges it into weapons for the sentinels.

  Slow rain — a force of destruction from the sky, liquid that can burn a hole right through a member of the Court and give a sentinel skyburn. Usually occurs a couple of times a month, often heralding worse to come.

  Smith, the — a figure who is both part of and apart from the Creature Court, only accessible for an hour at noon each day. The Smith crafts the skysilver into weapons for the sentinels, and has been around since before Aufleur was built.

  Star tar — hideous black muck that oozes through the cracks in the sky during the worst skybattles.

  Stelleza — an affluent country to the west of Ammoria, known for its adventurers and explorers. Strong trading partner with Aufleur.

  Surrender — a party potion that makes the user high and giddy.

  Sweetheart Saints — patron saints of romance and sweethearts.

  Tasha — former member of the Creature Court; rank: Lord; creature: lion. Recruited Ashiol, Garnet, Lysander, Poet and Livilla as her courtesi. Died forsworn, and returned as a shade who dragged corruption and disease through the city before she was stopped.