The Warrior

by Joseph Delaney

  Bets offered to Arena 13 gallery spectators are often very complex. Many aficionados attempt to predict the actual time of a victory and use accumulators, where winnings are placed upon the outcome of succeeding contests. Red tickets are sold, and these bets are made on the likelihood of a contestant suffering injury or death.

  GHETTA

  This is a love token traditionally offered to a woman by a Genthai warrior when he asks her to be his wife. If the woman accepts, she shows it to her family. Her father then keeps it as evidence of the man’s commitment.

  GINDEEN

  This is the only city of Midgard, although there are some small towns and hamlets. Gindeen consists largely of wooden buildings, with roads that are just mud tracks. Its main landmarks are the Wheel, the large cube-shaped slaughterhouse, and the citadel of Hob, which casts its shadow over the city.

  GORESTAD

  Gorestad is the ‘high mind’ usually operative in all high djinn with more than one self. But despite this group consciousness, which makes a djinni with many selves just one entity, there is always some individual awareness particular to each self. Both asscka and shalatan can control the awareness of their selves, even denying particular selves access to gorestad.

  GRAMAGANDAR

  An ancient weapon, also known as the Breath of the Wolf, the fire of which is capable of dissolving all false flesh. This weapon is anathema to all djinn and its use is forbidden. It was created and deployed by the last ur-humans, and for this crime they were destroyed, their fallen and debased descendants, the barbarian humans, banished for all time to Midgard, the place within the Barrier.

  GUNGARA

  Gungara form the third component of all high djinn. These gungara are winged and are used to devour and absorb the mind and tissue of enemies or other creatures in need of study and/or reanimation by means of the wurde and the shatek. Gungara were not created by ur-humans and are a prime example of djinn self-directed evolution.

  HANDSHAKE

  When djinn confront each other, a handshake is the name for the preliminary routine exchange of information between them to establish identities and purpose. It is the first stage in protocol to determine either coexistence or conflict. Without a handshake full lethal force is immediately applied.

  HANSHA

  This means the ‘strangers’ house’. It is a dwelling built to accommodate visiting representatives of other djinn.

  HOB

  It is believed that Hob is a rogue djinni who remained within the Barrier when barbarian humans were sealed within it. He preys upon humans, taking their blood and sometimes their minds. He occasionally fights within Arena 13 from the mag position.

  HUMANS

  Humans are the ur-race of creatures that created the language called Nym, thus constructing the first djinn and preparing the way for those which would supersede them. Outside the wurde, they are termed ur-humans, whereas their fallen and debased descendants are called barbarian humans. These latter are closest in form to the type of singletons known as lacs, though without their strength, speed and coordination. Their strength comes from their ability to cooperate and combine forces for a common purpose. It may also spring from the fear of death, having only one self which can easily be snuffed out in battle.

  INDEX

  The catalogue of lacs, souls bound within false flesh, and wurdes offered by the Trader on his twice-yearly visits to Midgard. The Index exists only within the mind of the Trader and there is no written record of its contents.

  KRANSIN

  This is a substance used to coat the blades of lacs for contests in Arena 13. It is a combined coagulant and an intensifier of pain. Thus the ritual cut suffered by the loser is agonizing. That pain must be faced with courage, as the spectators watching from the gallery judge how the losing combatant conducts himself.

  KRIE-KORE

  This is a way station or fortress used by warrior djinn when beyond the walls of their cities. Most of it is underground.

  LAC

  This is an abbreviated form of simulacrum. Lacs are born of a shatek for the purposes of arena combat of various types. Although shaped to resemble barbarian humans, they have a throat-slit which, once penetrated by a blade, brings instant unconsciousness, the state called by the wurde endoff. They also have long arms to aid fighting in Arena 13.

  LUDUSA

  A type of binary djinn who share a gorestad equally. Sometimes having no apparent connection in either appearance or role, they were created by ur-humans for the purpose of espionage.

  LUPINA

  A category of djinn which take on a variety of wolf shapes. Werewights are a debased and fallen form of this djinn category; they are instinctual rather than rational. However, true lupina are the most intelligent of all djinn.

  MANUAL OF NYM, THE

  A detailed guide to the patterning language known as Nym and of the wurdes contained in its two dictionaries (known as Fat Nym and Slim Nym). The latter is a basic reduced version of the former, which is continually extending.

  MAORI

  These are the ancestor gods of the Genthai, who are believed to live in the sky on a long white cloud.

  MEDES

  Genthai mystics, known as Medes, frequent the vicinity of the Barrier and are sensitive to its fluctuations. They take their name from the River Medie; its banks are the easiest point of entry and exit. Medes have the ability to pass through the barrier unharmed and guide others. The journey is dangerous and not all those escorted survive.

  MEDIE

  The Medie is a small river that flows out of the Genthai lands and meets the sea not far north of the Sea Gate.

  MIDGARD

  From Norse mythology, it means the Place Where Men Dwell or the Battlefield of Men. It is the zone allocated to the barbarian humans, the survivors of the fallen empire.

  MIHALICK MANOEUVRE

  This is commonly known as the Death Gambit and consists of a forward roll through the line of opposing lacs (or lac) to cut one’s opponent and claim victory. Only Mihalick has successfully completed this risky manoeuvre. Subsequent attempts have resulted in death or maiming.

  MUSEUM OF LIGHTS

  This museum is reputed to hold a record of images and items from the human civilization that preceded the Fall. Its location is unknown but some believe it is to be found within the Protector’s palace.

  NEWT

  An analytical wurde-tool used by an artificer to explore a wurde-matrix and, if necessary, penetrate defences set up by the original creator of that system. It is far more sophisticated than either poke or peek.

  NYM

  Nym evolved from a primitive patterning language called FORTH. It is the language that enabled the creation of the first djinn. All djinn are the wurde made flesh.

  OBUTAYER

  The Obutayer is the matriarch who rules the Genthai in times of peace. When the tribe are on a war-footing their leader is a male warrior.

  OMPHALOS

  This is the centre post of the Wheel. Cut from a tree of great height and girth, it is considered by some to be the very centre of Midgard and the hub of the Wolf Wheel.

  OTHER

  The ‘Other’ is the term used by a djinni for those not numbered amongst its own selves. Only by protocol can djinn achieve cooperation. Only by combat can they know their position.

  PEEK

  A basic Nym wurde-tool which is used to read elements of patterns and how they are linked.

  POKE

  A basic Nym wurde-tool which is used to insert other wurdes or primitives into a pattern.

  PRIMITIVES

  Primitives are the building blocks from which a wurde is constructed.

  PROTECTOR, THE

  The ruler of Midgard. He was placed there by the djinn from beyond the Barrier and is answerable to them. His role is to keep order, and for this he has an armed guard of several thousand men who mainly confine themselves to the city of Gindeen and the surrounding area.

  Some believe that the Prot
ector is the same one who was appointed when the Human Empire fell and the remnants were placed within the Barrier. Others believe that he is a djinni.

  PROTOCOL

  Protocol is the name for the communication rituals, both physical and of the wurde, by means of which djinn coexist without constant bloodletting. Protocol, once completed successfully, is known as a handshake.

  QUEUE

  This is a long sequence of wurdes held within the mind of a lac. Called by a single wurde, this can result in highly complex behaviour which has been determined in advance by the patterner.

  RASIRE

  A type of low-level singleton, approximately human in shape, used by other djinn as beasts of burden. Having offensive capabilities, they are also used in battle, but mostly held in reserve. They are difficult to control and are inclined to rebel against authority.

  RECARDA

  Recarda are warrior djinn developed by ur-humans for combat in cold climes. They have six legs and can run on ice or snow at great speed. Their triple-hinged jaws are capable of extreme leverage so that no armour is proof against them.

  RESPITE HOUSE

  A refuge for widows who have lost their husbands in Arena 13, it is a charitable organization mostly funded by the wealthier artificers. Not usually a permanent residence, it does provide overnight accommodation where women can offer emotional comfort to each other and ease the pain of bereavement.

  ROMANA

  This is the name given to the Second Epoch of the Human Empire. Gladiatorial combat between djinn became the chief form of mass entertainment, and it became fashionable to associate it with the forms, names and behaviour of an ancient primitive human nation called Rome which spoke a language known as Latin. Thus many high-born families adopted Roman names. The terms Trigladius and Gladius are typical Latinate constructs.

  SECOND INSURRECTION

  The Second Insurrection was a coordinated surprise attack upon humans by all djinn. Human civilization fell, but a few thousand survivors were allowed to live and breed within a specially designated area surrounded by a Barrier. This reserve was designated Midgard.

  SELF

  A sentient component of a djinni; it is a host of false flesh born of a shatek.

  SHALATAN

  A second-rank djinni just below an asscka. The number of a shalatan is 713 and it has only one large shatek. Consequently, it takes time to regenerate selves slain in battle. This military djinni, created to wage war, is always ruled by a self which takes the human female form. If favoured, such a ruler becomes the concubine of an asscka. A shalatan has great skill in generating selves to perform particular tasks. One such self is known as a peri, which functions as ambassador to other djinn. A peri is skilled in understanding the ‘Other’ and is proficient in languages.

  SHAPE-SHIFTERS

  This is a category to which all high djinn belong. To change the form of a self takes time, ranging from hours to weeks depending upon the degree of change required. Preceding this process, high intakes of food are necessary, the most useful being blood taken directly from living creatures. The more usual method of shape-shifting is through use of the wurde and the shatek to generate selves for particular tasks.

  SHATEK

  A shatek is the mother of a djinni. The midwife is a Nym artificer who shapes the offspring using wurdes of Nym.

  SINGLETON

  A singleton is a djinni with only one self. This is the lowest form, a being superior to the barbarian human only in speed, strength and reflexes. Yet some singletons have great intellectual capacity and can, by disciplined study of the wurde, elevate themselves to higher forms. A sub-form of singleton is known as a lac.

  STACK

  The stack is a defensive tri-glad tactic in which the human combatant is sandwiched between two defending lacs which rotate like a wheel according to the dictates of combat.

  The stack is also the term for a sequence of Nym code to which a patterner might add or subtract. New code is always placed at the summit of a stack.

  SYCODA

  These are djinn with multiple selves but a limited capacity to generate more. They are shape-shifters and have skills which make them good interrogators. Spying and torture are their main functions. Hob belongs to this category but has cast off many of the constraints that once limited his development.

  TASSELS

  This is the name given to those who dwell on the fringes of Hob’s citadel and sometimes within it, serving his needs. Some are related to Hob’s victims and serve him hoping for news of their loved ones; some belong to a cult which worships Hob, hoping that one day he will return their wives, daughters or sons to them in perfect new bodies. Others are spies who scratch out a living by supplying Hob with information or acting as go-betweens in contacts with certain citizens of Gindeen.

  It is the behaviour of this last group which resulted in the name tassels, which are fringed knots on the hem of Hob’s cloak. The name was given in mockery because they are a fallen and degraded group, but the idea of knots is appropriate because they are also part of the tangle of conspiracy and counter-conspiracy as the various groups within Midgard struggle to achieve their goals.

  TESTIMONY OF MATH, THE

  A book written by Math, the hero of Arena 13. It documents his early training and deals at length with each of his contests against the djinni Hob.

  TRADER

  The Trader is Midgard’s only source of lacs and new wurdes of Nym to enhance the patterning of lacs. He usually visits the Sea Gate twice a year: before the season begins and then halfway through it.

  TRIGLADIUS

  This is fought within Arena 13, the highest level of combat within the Wheel. Three lacs face a lone lac in a contest where victory results from the spilling of human blood. A human combatant stands behind the three in what is known as the ‘mag’ position; his opponent stands behind the lone lac in the ‘min’ position. They present themselves as targets for their opponent’s lacs. Victory is marked by a ritual cut to the arm of the defeated combatant. Although the intention is not to kill, accidents do happen. In addition, grudge matches are fought which end in the decapitation of the loser.

  ULUM

  This is a sound-code used within the Trigladius Arena to communicate with and direct a lac, delivered by taps of the combatant’s boots on the arena floor. Each combatant develops his own version of Ulum and keeps it a secret.

  WEREWIGHT

  This is a creature with four selves but a high mind. Three take the form of wolves, but the fourth stands upright and is a mixture of human and wolf. The Genthai fight this creature in ritual combat every thirteen years. Some believe it to be a type of fallen, degraded djinni. Others think this might well have been the origin of Trigladius combat in Arena 13.

  WHEEL

  The Wheel is situated in the barbarian human city of Gindeen, within the Barrier. It is a building where gladiatorial contests take place between lacs. It has thirteen combat zones, and the highest and most skilful of these is the Trigladius, which is also known as Arena 13.

  WHEEL DIRECTORATE

  The Wheel Directorate had a membership of five, composed of representatives of the gambling houses and headed by Pyncheon, the Chief Marshal. Its primary jurisdiction was over the Wheel, but it had wider legal powers. In the city of Gindeen it was second only to the Protector, but concentrated mostly on the business of the Wheel. For example, a killing in the streets in which a combatant or ex-combatant was involved would fall under its remit.

  After the fall of the Protector, the Wheel Directorate was renamed the City Directorate. Then, following an alliance with the Genthai, it became the Ruling Council, which governed the whole of Midgard.

  WURDE

  The wurde is the basic unit within the ancient patterning language called Nym. Wurdes contain other wurdes, and to call one wurde is to call all that are embedded.

  About the Author

  Joseph Delaney used to be an English teacher, before becoming the best-selling author
of the Spook’s series, which has been published in 24 countries and has sold over a million copies. The first book, The Spook’s Apprentice, is now a major motion picture starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore.