Peril's Gate

by Janny Wurts

  root meaning: ath––prime force; li’era––exalted place, or land in harmony; li––exalted in harmony AVAR s’FFALENN––Pirate King of Karthan, isle on splinter world Dascen Elur, through West Gate. Father of Arithon; also Teir’s’Ffalenn 1,503rd in descent from Torbrand, who founded the s’Ffalenn royal line in Third Age Year One. Died of an arrow in the feud with Amroth.

  pronounced: ah-var––to rhyme with ‘far’

  root meaning: avar––past thought/memory

  AVENOR––Second Age ruin of a Paravian stronghold. Traditional seat of the s’Ilessid High Kings. Restored to habitation in Third Age 5644. Became the ruling seat of the Alliance of Light in Third Age 5648. Located in Korias, Tysan.

  pronounced: ah-ven-or

  root meaning: avie––stag; norh––grove

  BAIYEN GAP––the trail built by the centaur guardians through the pass that crosses the Skyshiel Mountains, connecting the Eltair coast to Daon Ramon Barrens. Twice the site of a drake battle, once between rivals in the Age of Dragons, and again, in the First Age, against a pack of greater drake spawn. One of the old rights of way, not open to mankind’s use.

  pronounced: bye-yen

  root meaning: bayien––slag

  BARACH––oldest son of Jieret s’Valerient, and older brother of Jeynsa. Successor to the title, Earl of the North.

  pronounced: bar-ack

  root meaning: baraich––lynchpin

  BITTERN DESERT––waste located in Atainia, Tysan, north of Althain Tower. Site of a First Age battle between the great drakes and the Seardluin, permanently destroyed by dragonfire.

  pronounced: like bitter

  root meaning: to sear or char

  BRAGGEN––one of the fourteen Companions, who were the only children to survive the battle fought between Deshir’s clansmen and the war host of Etarra beside the River Tal Quorin in Third Age Year 5638.

  BRANSIAN s’BRYDION––Teir’s’Brydion, ruling Duke of Alestron.

  pronounced: bran-see-an root meaning: brand––temper; s’i’an––suffix denoting ‘of the one’ ‘the one with temper’

  CADGIA––Koriani seeress of senior rank who was temporarily assigned to Lirenda’s service.

  pronounced: cad-jee-ah

  CAITH-AL-CAEN––vale where Riathan Paravians (unicorns) celebrated equinox and solstice to renew the athael, or life-destiny of the world. Also the place where the Ilitharis Paravians first Named the winter stars––or encompassed their vibrational essence into language. Corrupted by the end of the Third Age to Castlecain.

  pronounced: cay-ith-al-cay-en, musical lilt, emphasis on second and last syllables; rising note on first two, falling note on last two

  root meaning: caith––shadow; al––over; caen––vale ‘vale of shadow’, link with prime power.

  CAITHDEIN––Paravian name for a high king’s first counselor; also, the one who would stand as regent, or steward, in the absence of the crowned ruler.

  pronounced: kay-ith-day-in

  root meaning: caith––shadow; d’ein––behind the chair ‘shadow behind the throne’

  CAITHWOOD––forest located in Taerlin, southeast principality of Tysan.

  pronounced: kay-ith-wood

  root meaning: caith––shadow ‘shadowed wood’

  CALUM QUAIDE KINCAID––the individual who invented the great weapon which destroyed the worlds of humanity, and caused the refugee faction, including the Koriathain, to seek sanctuary on Athera.

  pronounced: calum kwade kin-cade

  root meaning is not from an Atheran language

  CAMRIS––north-central principality of Tysan. Original ruling seat was the city of Erdane.

  pronounced: Kam-ris, the i as in ‘chris’

  root meaning: caim––cross; ris––way ‘crossroad’

  CAOLLE––past war captain of the clans of Deshir, Rathain. First raised, and then served under, Lord Steiven, Earl of the North and caithdein of Rathain. Planned the campaign at Vastmark and Dier Kenton Vale for the Master of Shadow. Served Jieret Red-beard, and was feal liegeman of Arithon of Rathain; died of complications from a wound received from his prince while breaking a Koriani attempt to trap his liege.

  pronounced: kay-all-eh, with the ‘e’ nearly subliminal

  root meaning: caille––stubborn

  CARLINE––Kharadmon’s beloved, before the dream of the dragons drew the seven men who became the Fellowship Sorcerers to the world of Athera.

  CARLIS––man-at-arms from Jaelot.

  pronounced: car-liss

  CATTRICK––master joiner hired to run the royal shipyard at Riverton; once in Arithon’s employ at Merior by the Sea, now shipwright for Duke Bransian s’Brydion at Alestron.

  pronounced: cat-rick

  root meaning: ciattiaric––a knot tied of withies that has the magical property of confusing enemies

  CEREBELD––Avenor’s High Priest of the Light, formerly Lord Examiner of Avenor.

  pronounced: cara-belld

  root meaning: ciarabeld––ashes

  CIENN––clan scout and Companion in Earl Jieret s’Valerient’s war band, smith who shod their horses.

  pronounced: kee-in

  root meaning: cian––spark

  CILADIS THE LOST––Fellowship Sorcerer who left the continent in Third Age 5462 in search of the Paravian races after their disappearance following the rebellion.

  pronounced: kill-ah-dis

  root meaning: cael––leaf; adeis––whisper, compound; cael’adeis ––colloquialism for ‘gentleness that abides’

  CILDEIN OCEAN––body of water lying off Athera’s east coast.

  pronounced: kill-dine

  root meaning: cailde––salty; an––one

  CILDORN––city famed for carpets and weaving, located in Deshir, Rathain. Originally a Paravian holdfast, situated on a node of the third lane.

  pronounced: kill-dorn

  root meaning: cieal––thread; dorn––net ‘tapestry’

  CLAITHEN––an adept of Ath’s Brotherhood in the hostel south of Merior.

  pronounced: clay-then

  root meaning: claithen––garden, earth/soil

  DAELION FATEMASTER–– ‘entity’ formed by set of mortal beliefs, which determine the fate of the spirit after death. If Ath is the prime vibration, or life force, Daelion is what governs the manifestation of free will.

  pronounced: day-el-ee-on

  root meaning: dael––king, or lord; i’on––of fate

  DAELION’S WHEEL––cycle of life and the crossing point which is the transition into death.

  pronounced: day-el-ee-on

  root meaning: dael––king or lord; i’on––of fate

  DAENFAL––city located on the northern lakeshore that bounds the southern edge of Daon Ramon Barrens in Rathain.

  pronounced: dye-en-fall

  root meaning: daen––clay; fal––red

  DAKAR THE MAD PROPHET––apprentice to Fellowship Sorcerer, Asandir, during the Third Age following the Conquest of the Mistwraith. Given to spurious prophecies, it was Dakar who forecast the fall of the Kings of Havish in time for the Fellowship to save the heir. He made the Prophecy of West Gate, which forecast the Mistwraith’s bane, and also, the Black Rose Prophecy, which called for reunification of the Fellowship. At this time, assigned to defense of Arithon, Prince of Rathain.

  pronounced: dah-kar

  root meaning: dakiar––clumsy

  DALWYN––a clanswoman of Vastmark; aunt to Jilieth and Ghedair; friend of Arithon’s.

  pronounced: doll-win

  root meaning: dirlnwyn––a specific aspect of misfortune; to be childless

  DANIA––wife of Rathain’s former regent, Steiven s’Valerient. Died by the hand of Pesquil’s headhunters in the Battle of Strakewood, Third Age 5638; Jieret Red-beard’s mother.

  pronounced: dan-ee-ah

  root meaning: deinia––sparrow

  DAON RAMON BARRENS––central pri
ncipality of Rathain. Site where Riathan Paravians (unicorns) bred and raised their young. Barrens was not appended to the name until the years following the Mistwraith’s conquest, when the River Severnir was diverted at the source by a task force under Etarran jurisdiction.

  pronounced: day-on-rah-mon

  root meaning: daon––gold; ramon––hills/downs

  DARKLING––city located on the western side of the Skyshiel Mountains in the Kingdom of Rathain.

  pronounced: dark-ling

  root meaning: dierk-linng––drake aerie

  DASCEN ELUR––splinter world off West Gate; primarily ocean with isolated archipelagoes. Includes kingdoms of Rauven, Amroth, and Karthan. Where three exiled high kings’ heirs took refuge in the years following the great uprising. Birthplace of Lysaer and Arithon.

  pronounced: das-en el-ur

  root meaning: dascen––ocean; e’lier––small land

  DAVIEN THE BETRAYER––Fellowship Sorcerer responsible for provoking the great uprising in Third Age Year 5018, which resulted in the fall of the high kings after Desh-thiere’s conquest. Rendered discorporate by the Fellowship’s judgment in Third Age 5129. Exiled since, by personal choice. Davien’s works included the Five Centuries Fountain near Mearth on the splinter world of the Red Desert through West Gate; the shaft at Rockfell Pit, used by the Sorcerers to imprison harmful entities; the Stair on Rockfell Peak; and also, Kewar Tunnel in the Mathorn Mountains.

  pronounced: dah-vee-en

  root meaning: dahvi––fool, mistake; an––one ‘mistaken one’

  DESHANS––barbarian clans who inhabit Strakewood Forest; principality of Deshir, Rathain.

  pronounced: desh-ans

  root meaning: deshir––misty

  DESH-THIERE––Mistwraith that invaded Athera from the splinter worlds through South Gate in Third Age 4993. Access cut off by Fellowship Sorcerer, Traithe. Battled and contained in West Shand for twenty-five years, until the rebellion splintered the peace, and the high kings were forced to withdraw from the defense lines to attend their disrupted kingdoms. Confined through the combined powers of Lysaer s’Ilessid’s gift of light, and Arithon s’Ffalenn’s gift of shadow. Currently imprisoned in a warded flask in Rockfell Pit.

  pronounced: desh-thee-air-e (last ‘e’ mostly subliminal)

  root meaning: desh––mist; thiere––ghost or wraith

  DESHIR––northwestern principality of Rathain.

  pronounced: desh-eer

  root meaning: deshir––misty

  DHARKARON AVENGER––called Ath’s Avenging Angel in legend. Drives a chariot drawn by five horses to convey the guilty to Sithaer. Dharkaron as defined by the adepts of Ath’s Brotherhood is that dark thread mortal men weave with Ath, the prime vibration, that creates self-punishment, or the root of guilt.

  pronounced: dark-air-on

  root meaning: dhar––evil; khiaron––one who stands in judgment

  DHIRKEN––lady captain of the contraband runner, Black Drake. Reputed to have taken over the brig’s command by right of arms following her father’s death at sea. Died at the hands of Lysaer’s allies on the charge of liaison with Arithon s’Ffalenn, Third Age Year 5647.

  pronounced: dur-kin

  root meaning: dierk––tough; an––one

  DIEGAN––once Lord Commander of Etarra’s garrison; given over by his mayor to serve as Lysaer s’Ilessid’s Lord Commander at Avenor. Titular commander of the war host sent against the Deshans to defeat the Master of Shadow at Tal Quorin; high commander of the war host mustered at Werpoint. Also brother of Lady Talith. Died of a clan arrow in the Battle of Dier Kenton Vale in Vastmark, Third Age 5647.

  pronounced: dee-gan

  root meaning: diegan––trinket a dandy might wear/ornament DIER KENTON VALE––a valley located in the principality of Vastmark, Shand, where the war host thirty-five thousand strong, under command of Lysaer s’Ilessid, fought and lost to the Master of Shadow in Third Age 5647. The main body of the forces of light were decimated in one day by a shale slide. The remainder were harried by a small force of Vastmark shepherds under Caolle, who served as Arithon’s war captain, until supplies and morale became impossible to maintain.

  pronounced: deer ken-ton

  root meaning: dien’kendion––a jewel with a severe flaw that may result in shearing or cracking

  DORIK––officer of the Alliance, sunwheel division from Etarra.

  pronounced: door-ick

  DRIMWOOD––forest located in the principality of Fallowmere, Rathain.

  pronounced: drim-wood

  root meaning: driem––fir tree

  DURMAENIR––centaur, son of the armorer who forged the twelve Blades of Isaer. Sword Alithiel was fashioned for Durmaenir, who died in battle against Khadrim in the First Age.

  pronounced: dur-may-e-neer

  root meaning: dir––stone; maenien––fallen

  EAFINN––one of the fourteen Companions, the only children of the clans of Deshir to survive the Battle of Strakewood. Served Prince Arithon at the Battle of Dier Kenton Vale in Vastmark. Died at the hands of headhunters in Third Age Year 5669. Survived by a son.

  pronounced: ee-yah-finn

  root meaning: liaffen––pale yellow hair EARLE––Second Age ruin located in West Shand, south of the Salt Fens. Fortress where the Mistwraith’s first incursion was fought, until Davien the Betrayer caused the uprising; also, where Seannory bound the four elements to conscious presence, in event Athera had need.

  pronounced: earl

  root meaning: erli––long light

  EASTWALL––city located in the Skyshiel Mountains, Rathain.

  ECKRACKEN––king drake who died by the Salt Fens in West Shand; his bones are guarded by a grimward located on the peninsula in West Shand near the ruins of Earle, and his mate’s remains rest on the waste continent Kathtairr.

  pronounced: ack-rack-in

  root meaning: aykrauken––scorcher EDAL––next to youngest daughter of Steiven and Dania s’Valerient.

  pronounced: ee-doll

  root meaning: e––prefix, diminutive for small; dal––fair

  ELAIRA––initiate enchantress of the Koriathain. Originally a street child, taken on in Morvain for Koriani rearing.

  pronounced: ee-layer-ah

  root meaning: e––prefix, diminutive for small; laere––grace

  ELDIR s’LORNMEIN––King of Havish and last surviving scion of s’Lornmein royal line. Raised as a wool-dyer until the Fellowship Sorcerers crowned him at Ostermere in Third Age 5643 following the defeat of the Mistwraith.

  pronounced: el-deer

  root meaning: eldir––to ponder, to consider, to weigh

  ELLAINE––Erdani woman, became Princess of Tysan when she married Lysaer s’Ilessid, mother of the heir apparent, Kevor.

  pronounced: el-lane

  ELTAIR BAY––large bay off Cildein Ocean and east coast of Rathain; where River Severnir was diverted following the Mistwraith’s conquest.

  pronounced: el-tayer

  root meaning: al’tieri––of steel/a shortening of original Paravian name; dascen al’tieri––which meant ‘ocean of steel’, which referred to the color of the waves

  ERDANE––old Paravian city, later taken over by Men. Seat of old princes of Camris until Desh-thiere’s conquest and rebellion.

  pronounced: er-day-na with the last syllable almost subliminal

  root meaning: er’deinia––long walls

  ERLIEN s’TALEYN––High Earl of Alland; caithdein of Shand, chieftain of the forest clansmen of Selkwood.

  pronounced: er-lee-an stall-ay-en

  root meaning: aierlyan––bear; tal––branch; an––one/first ‘of first one branch’

  ETARRA––trade city built across the Mathorn Pass by townsfolk after the revolt that cast down Ithamon and the High Kings of Rathain. Nest of corruption and intrigue, and policy maker for the North.

  pronounced: ee-tar-ah

  root mea
ning: e––prefix for small; taria––knots

  EVENSTAR––first brig stolen from Riverton’s royal shipyard by Cattrick’s conspiracy with Prince Arithon. Currently of Innish regristry, running merchant cargoes under joint ownership of Fiark and his sister Feylind, who is acting captain.

  FALGAIRE––coastal city on Instrell Bay, located in Araethura, Rathain, famed for its glassworks.

  pronounced: fall-gair––to rhyme with ‘air’

  root meaning: fal’mier––to sparkle or glitter

  FALLOWMERE––northeastern principality of Rathain.

  pronounced: fal-oh-meer

  root meaning: fal’ei’miere––literally, tree self-reflection, colloquialism for ‘place of perfect trees’

  FATE’s WHEEL––see Daelion’s Wheel.

  FELLOWSHIP OF SEVEN––Sorcerers drawn to Athera in the Second Age by the dreams of the dragons, and bound to the charge of upholding Paravian survival. Keepers of the compact, they stand surety for the points of concordance made with the Paravians which permitted human refugees to settle on the continent of Paravia. Authors of charter law, which governed the balance of natural law, and the justice of the high kings. Since the departure of the Paravians, the Sorcerers also shoulder the charge of minding the weal of the land. They act in accord with the Law of the Major Balance, which honors the law of free will, and which demands that no consciousness should be imposed upon without permission.

  FEITHAN––wife of Jieret s’Valerient, Earl of the North, and caithdein of Rathain.

  pronounced: faith-an

  root meaning: feiathen––ivy

  FENNICK––man-at-arms from the royal guard of Avenor, assigned as bodyguard to the heir apparent, Prince Kevor.

  pronounced: fen-nick

  FIONN ARETH CAID’AN––shepherd child born in Third Age 5647; fated by prophecy to leave home and play a role in the Wars of Light and Shadow. Laid under Koriani spellcraft to mature as Arithon’s double, then used as the bait in the order’s conspiracy to trap the s’Ffalenn prince. Rescued from execution in Jaelot in 5669.

  pronounced: fee-on-are-eth cayed-ahn

  root meaning: fionne arith caid an––one who brings choice