Chimera The Complete Duet

by Joseph Robert Lewis

  Cremation – Fiction: In India it is common to cremate the bodies of the dead instead of burying them. Fact: Most Indian religions require cremation, and it is common to spread the ashes in rivers, such as the Ganges.

  Damascena – Fiction: The name of a mysterious warrior woman who protects the city of Damascus. The word itself means woman of Damascus. Fact: None.

  Damascus – Fiction: The ancient capital city of Syria, a province of the Empire of Eran on the eastern edge of the Middle Sea. Fact: The capital of modern Syria, Damascus is over three thousand years old, and the area has been inhabited for thousands of years more.

  Dharma – Fiction: The teachings of Buddha. Fact: Same.

  Dhole – Fiction: A wild dog common in India, resembling a small red wolf. Fact: Same.

  Dragon – Fiction: An extremely rare and dangerous animal, this reptile can grow to enormous size. When young, it has the unique ability to inject its prey with venom as well as a drop of its own soul, which allows the dragon to easily track an animal if it escapes and dies of the venom elsewhere. Adult dragons resemble gigantic snakes, but do have four small legs. Their heads are similar to those of horses, possess whiskers or beards around the mouth, and have slender antlers above the ears. Fact: This description most closely resembles the dragons of Chinese and Japanese myth.

  Eran – Fiction: An empire that encompasses areas of North Ifrica, Arabia, and other eastern provinces. Previously known as the Persian Empire. Fact: The Persian Empire spanned many centuries under various names and rulers, centered around the modern nation of Iran. “Eran” is one of the early versions of the name Iran.

  Europa – Fiction: A continent to the west of Asia, currently experiencing an Ice Age. Fact: While Europe emerged from the Ice Age long ago, it still has many glaciers in the Alps.

  Ganesh – Fiction: An Indian (Hindu) god of art, science, wisdom, intelligence, and removing obstacles. Fact: Same.

  Ghost – Fiction: When a person dies, their soul lives on outside the body as a ghost, which can only be seen by living people when there is enough aether mist in the area. Because aether can only be seen under cold conditions, ghosts are rarely seen in warm climates. Only a small fraction of souls choose to walk the earth as ghosts. Fact: None.

  Gideon – Fiction: A soldier from Damascus who was made immortal by Bashir two thousand years ago. He was taught the science of sun-steel and now he wanders the earth, destroying sun-steel weapons to free enslaved souls. Fact: In the Bible, Gideon defeated the Midianites to free the Israelites.

  Ginger – Fiction: The preferred snack of a certain herbalist to promote general health, lower anxiety, and cure headaches. Fact: Ginger has several confirmed and many unconfirmed health benefits.

  Gurbir – Fiction: A small fruit with a bitter taste that desiccates the human body but keeps the eater alive indefinitely in a mostly delusional state. Fact: Gurbirs resemble strawberries (slightly) and are edible.

  Gurjars – Fiction: An ethnic group in northwestern India and Rajasthan. Fact: Same.

  Gurjaratra – Fiction: A region of northwestern India, home to the Gurjars. Fact: Same.

  Halcyon III – Fiction: A Mazigh aeroplane able to transform into a locomotive using the first petrol-powered engine in the world. Designed and built by Taziri Ohana. Fact: Flying locomotives are rarely seen in reality.

  Hasika – Fiction: A woman living in eastern Rajasthan with her family, surviving on gurbirs. Fact: The Sanskrit name Hasika means laughing.

  Hatun-anka – Fiction: A nine-foot tall “terror bird” used by the Incas as mounts and weapons in war. Resembles a feathered velociraptor. Fact: Terror birds such as Titanis roamed South America until becoming extinct about two million years ago. The Quechua (Incan) words hatun anka mean great eagle.

  Herat – Fiction: A city in western Afghanistan. Fact: Same.

  Herbalist – Fiction: A practitioner of traditional medicine, relying on the use of plants and animals to create effective treatments and not using invasive techniques such as surgery. Fact: Same.

  Hindi – Fiction: The common and official language of India. Fact: Same.

  Horus – Fiction: A young man gifted with a sun-steel soul-locket, granting him eternal life and youth, as well as other abilities. A member of a large family of similarly immortal men and women, he lives a generally secluded life in the undercity of Alexandria. Four thousand years ago, he and his family posed as high priests and living gods of the Aegyptian people, presiding over state and religious functions, such as funerals. Fact: The Egyptian god Horus was associated with the sky and war. He was depicted as having a falcon’s head.

  Ifrica – Fiction: A continent to the south of the Middle Sea. Currently the most temperate and fertile region in the civilized world. Fact: The name “Africa” evolved from multiple sources, and the northern coast of Africa was called “Ifriqya” from the seventh to the sixteenth century. Thousands of years ago, the region we now call the Sahara Desert was in fact green and fertile and contained a massive inland sea.

  India – Fiction: A large nation on the southern edge of central Asia. Fact: Same.

  Iron – Fiction: A common metal with several uncommon properties and uses, including shielding a living person from ghosts. Fact: In European folklore, faeries and similar creatures fear and avoid iron objects and weapons.

  Isis – Fiction: A woman gifted with a sun-steel soul-locket, granting her eternal life and youth, as well as other abilities. A member of a large family of similarly immortal men and women, she lives a generally secluded life in the undercity of Alexandria. Four thousand years ago, she and her family posed as high priests and living gods of the Aegyptian people, presiding over state and religious functions, such as funerals. Fact: The Egyptian goddess Isis was associated with motherhood, nature, and magic. She was sometimes depicted as having the horns of a cow.

  Isle of Lanka – Fiction: A large island off the southeast coast of India. Fact: Same. The Sanskrit name Sri Lanka means venerable island.

  Jagdish – Fiction: A mongoose that Asha found and that accompanies Priya. Fact: The Sanskrit name Jagdish means king of the world.

  Jaipur – Fiction: The capital city of Rajasthan. Fact: Same.

  Jal Mahal – Fiction: The “Water Palace” of Jaipur. Fact: Same.

  Kahina – Fiction: A Mazigh airship pilot employed by a wealthy gentleman in Damascus. Fact: The Arabic name Kahina means female seer.

  Kathmandu – Fiction: A large city on the northern border of India near Ming, high in the mountains. Fact: The capital of Nepal, located between India and China in the Himalayan Mountains.

  Kavi – Fiction: A boy who lived near the village of Kasar in Rajasthan before dying of tetanus. Fact: The Sanskrit name Kavi means sage or seer.

  Kasar – Fiction: A village in Rajasthan. Fact: Same.

  Kishan – Fiction: A boy living in eastern India with his mother in a village beside a mountain stream. Fact: This Sanskrit name means black and is a variant of Krishna.

  Kolkata – Fiction: A city in eastern India. Fact: Same (also spelled Calcutta).

  Lakshmi – Fiction: An Indian (Hindu) goddess of prosperity, courage, and beauty. Fact: Same.

  Langur – Fiction: A monkey with white-gray fur and a black face. Fact: Same.

  Lilith – Fiction: A royal courtesan from Damascus who was made immortal by Bashir two thousand years ago. She was taught the science of soul-breaking and has since disappeared, though some suspect she is conducting cruel experiments in Aegyptus. Fact: In Jewish mythology, Lilith was the first woman, but she rejected Adam in favor of an angel, and is sometimes depicted as a demon.

  Lotus – Fiction: A water flower used by an angry ghost as a weapon. Fact: In India, the lotus is a symbol of purity and beauty.

  Maharana – Fiction: An Indian title meaning king. Fact: Same.

  Maharashtra – Fiction: A province of India to the south of Rajasthan. Fact: Same.

  Mahua – Fiction: A tree that produces flowers, which when eaten have a po
werful intoxicating effect. Fact: The mahua tree is used to produce alcoholic drinks, soap, butter, oil, fertilizer, and medicinal products.

  Mandana – Fiction: A village in Rajasthan. Fact: Same.

  Mandrake – Fiction: A small tree that can absorb a variety of materials from the environment, such as oil, milk, or blood, to make different helpful or harmful products. Fact: The mandrake root is poisonous and associated with several European and Middle Eastern myths, including the story that when the mandrake is pulled from the earth it will scream and thus kill the person pulling it.

  Marrakesh – Fiction: A country on the western coast of North Ifrica and the most technologically advanced nation in the world. Originally a matriarchal society descended from the Kel Tamasheq, Marrakesh has been invaded and settled countless times by peoples from all over the Middle Sea region and is now home to many ethnic groups, languages, and sub-cultures. Fact: This location corresponds with the modern nation of Morocco, which is called “Marrakesh” in Persian and Urdu.

  Mazdan Temple – Fiction: The state religion of the Empire of Eran and many other nations. A monotheistic religion derived from numerous ancient texts and prophets, and strongly emphasizing the concept of Good (the creator God) versus Evil (the devil or destroyer God). Fact: The state religion of ancient Persia was Zoroastrianism, a monotheistic religion founded by the prophet Zoroaster about three thousand years ago. This religion recognized a supremely good creator God called Ahura Mazda and an evil force called Angra Mainyu. There are about two hundred thousand members of this religion today.

  Mazigh – Fiction: A person from or the language of Marrakesh. Fact: The Amazigh people live in numerous North African countries today. They are also known as Berbers.

  Mewar – Fiction: A southern region of Rajasthan. Fact: Same.

  Middle Sea – Fiction: A large body of water bordered by Europa to the north, Ifrica to the south, and Asia to the east. Fact: A real location, the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean means middle of the earth.

  Ming Empire – Fiction: A vast empire at the eastern edge of the Asian continent. Fact: Corresponds to modern China. During the Ming dynasty, China was called the Empire of the Great Ming.

  Mongoose – Fiction: A small and agile mammal similar to a weasel with a strong natural resistance to most forms of venom. Fact: Same. Recent studies have found that the mongoose lacks the common mammal chemical receptor that is vulnerable to most venom. Thus, the mongoose is in fact naturally resistant to most venom.

  Nadira – Fiction: A Mazdan nun from Damascus who was made immortal by Bashir two thousand years ago. She was taught the science of aether, but renounced her studies after five hundred years to become a warrior and protector of Damascus. Fact: The Persian name Nadira means rare.

  Naveen – Fiction: A boy living in eastern India with his father. Fact: The Sanskrit name Naveen means new.

  Nethys – Fiction: A woman gifted with a sun-steel soul-locket, granting her eternal life and youth, as well as other abilities. A member of a large family of similarly immortal men and women, she lives a generally secluded life in the undercity of Alexandria. Four thousand years ago, she and her family posed as high priests and living gods of the Aegyptian people, presiding over state and religious functions, such as funerals. Fact: The Egyptian goddess Nephthys was associated with protection and the role of priestess. She was depicted as having a kite’s wings.

  Nippon – Fiction: An island nation to the east of Ming (China). Fact: Same. Nippon is the formal Japanese name for Japan.

  Niraj – Fiction: A young trapper in Rajasthan who lived with his wife’s family in the mountains. Fact: The Sanskrit name Niraj means illuminate.

  Nirvana – Fiction: An Indian/Buddhist concept. The state of being free from suffering. Fact: Same.

  Nisha – Fiction: A woman living by a lake in eastern India. Fact: The Sanskrit name Nisha means night.

  Omar – Fiction: A senior leader of the Sons of Osiris from Aegyptus, in charge of local affairs within the city of Alexandria. A trainer of assassins and operatives. A scholar searching for sun-steel, and for information about it. He disappeared several years ago while searching for new sources of sun-steel. Fact: The Arabic name Omar means long-lived. See Thoth.

  Osiris – Fiction: A man gifted with a sun-steel soul-locket, granting him eternal life and youth, as well as other abilities. A member of a large family of similarly immortal men and women, he lives a generally secluded life in the undercity of Alexandria. Four thousand years ago, he and his family posed as high priests and living gods of the Aegyptian people, presiding over state and religious functions, such as funerals. His appearance is unique within his family, notably his green skin. Fact: The Egyptian god Osiris was the Lord of the Dead. He was depicted as a green-skinned pharaoh.

  Palash – Fiction: A type of tree with orange flowers. Also called the flame of the forest. Fact: Same.

  Persia – See Eran.

  Pratap Singh – Fiction: A Rajput warrior prince, and the current king (maharana) of Rajasthan. Fact: Maharana Pratap ruled over Mewar (located in modern Rajasthan) during the sixteenth century. He was the only Rajput lord to defy the Mughal invaders led by Akbar. After thirty years of guerilla warfare, he succeeded in freeing most of Mewar.

  Priya – Fiction: A Buddhist nun from Kolkata who was forced to flee for her life when the monks drove out the nuns. Fact: The Sanskrit name Priya means beloved. Buddhist nuns adopt the same appearance (robes and shaved heads) as monks, and have similar rights and privileges. However, nuns were/are often discriminated against by non-Buddhists as well as Buddhists in various ways, ranging from systemic disrespect to physical violence.

  Qilin – Fiction: A small species of dragon native to Ming. Adults grow to be the size of tigers and have horse-like hooves, scaled bodies, and a single horn on their heads. This horn has curative properties. The tears of the qilin contain a slow-acting and painful poison. Fact: The qilin is a mythical creature in China, Japan, and other Asian cultures. It is described as a dragon with the features of tigers, fish, deer, and other animals. Sometimes called the Chinese unicorn.

  Rajasthan – Fiction: A nation on the far western border of the Empire of Eran, near India. Fact: Rajasthan is the largest state in the Republic of India.

  Rajput – Fiction: A dominant military clan in northwestern India and Rajasthan. Fact: Same.

  Rama – Fiction: A man living by a lake in eastern India. Fact: The Sanskrit name Rama means pleasing.

  Rinegold – See sun-steel.

  Rus – Fiction: A large, sparsely populated country to the northeast of Europa. Fact: There was a group of Swedish Viking explorers called the Rus people who settled Eastern Europe. Their culture may or may not have influenced the Russian nation, but the name did stick. Rus is pronounced roose, like moose.

  Sangha – Fiction: The community of ordained Buddhist monks and nuns. Fact: Same.

  Sangram Singh – Fiction: A Mewar prince and grandfather of Pratap Singh. Fact: Also known as Rana Sanga, he united the Rajput peoples and repelled many foreign invaders in the early sixteenth century, suffering countless injuries but always treating his defeated foes with honor and generosity. He was ultimately defeated by the Mughal ruler Babur, who used artillery.

  Sari – Fiction: A common and popular garment for women in India, consisting of a single piece of fabric wrapped and draped around the body in various styles, colors, and accessories, and sometimes worn with other clothing such as blouses. Fact: Same.

  Sati – Fiction: A widow living outside the village of Kasar in Rajasthan. Fact: The Sanskrit name Sati means faithful or true.

  Sebek – Fiction: A senior member of the Sons of Osiris currently overseeing the construction of the eastern portion of the Trans-Eranian Railway. Fact: Also called Sobek, he was the ancient Egyptian god of crocodiles and the military, and was depicted as a man with a crocodile head.

  Seireiken – Fiction: A sword made of sun-steel and designed by Nipponese sword smiths. It is a short sword wi
th a straight blade and a single edge, modeled on the katana. As the blade is used to kill, the sun-steel absorbs the souls of the slain, which makes the sword hotter and stronger. It also allows the wielder to communicate with the souls of the slain, to acquire their knowledge and skills. Because of the high heat of the blade, it requires a special ceramic scabbard and handle. Fact: The Japanese word seirei means spirit and the word ken means sword.

  Set – Fiction: A man gifted with a sun-steel soul-locket, granting him eternal life and youth, as well as other abilities. A member of a large family of similarly immortal men and women, he lives a generally secluded life in the undercity of Alexandria. Four thousand years ago, he and his family posed as high priests and living gods of the Aegyptian people, presiding over state and religious functions, such as funerals. Fact: The Egyptian god Set was associated with deserts, storms, and chaos. He was depicted as having a strange animal head resembling an aardvark or jackal.

  Sherwani – Fiction: A popular garment among noblemen in India, this long jacket is often worn on formal occasions. Unlike western jackets, it has no lapels and the collar does not fold down. Fact: Same.

  Shiva – Fiction: The Indian (Hindu) god of destruction. One of the three principal deities of India, alongside Brahma and Vishnu. Fact: Same.

  Sivathera – Fiction: A large animal related to the giraffe, with a shorter neck, more powerful legs, and large heavy antlers. Sivatheras are used by the elite of Marrakesh to pull their carriages as a display of wealth. Fact: The Sivatherium was an ancient relative to the modern giraffe and lived in Africa until it became extinct about 8,000 years ago.

  Sloth bear – Fiction: A species of Indian bear with a lean body, shaggy black fur, and a white chevron across its chest. Its diet normally consists of insects and fruits. Fact: Same.