Historical Note: Although many of the following explanations are based on history and legend, they are given to aid your understanding of Merlin’s Shadow, and thus are fictional. You are encouraged to research the Roman, Celtic, and Arthurian literature for a deeper appreciation of how they’ve been uniquely woven into the entire Merlin Spiral series. An asterisk has been placed next to words that will yield a wealth of information.
Ailill Molt* — (EYE-leel MOLT) The Christian king of Erin whom Mórganthu hates.
Allun — (AL-lun) The miller of the village of Bosventor.
Anviv — (ON-veev) The son of Mórganthu, Mônda’s brother; he was killed by Uther in book 1.
Ard-Dre — (ARD-dray) A title some call Mórganthu, meaning “arch druid.”
Arthur* — (AR-thur) The orphaned son of Igerna and Uther, and heir to the High Kingship. His sisters are Eilyne and Myrgwen. He is one and one-half years old.
Atle / Atleuthun — (AT-lee / at-lee-OOH-thun) The king of Guotodin in the far north; when Owain visited there, his fortress was at Dinpelder. He is Gwevian’s father and Merlin’s grandfather. In legend he is known as King Lleuddun*.
Aulaf — (OW-loff) A fisherman who lives near Dinpelder.
Aurelianus* — (ow-rell-ee-AH-noos) the former High King, Uther’s father, and Arthur’s grandfather. He slew Vitalinus Gloui to revenge his father’s murder.
Baegower — (bay-GOW-er) A village perched upon a cliff on the southern coast of Kembry. This is placed on the modern-day Gower* peninsula.
Bedwir* — (BED-weer) A chieftain under Vortigern.
Belornos — (bel-OAR-noss) An ancient god of the Celts, personal god of Mórganthu, and god of the underworld. In Merlin’s Blade, he is represented by the moon in the night sky. Normally spelled Belenos*, here his name is embedded with lor, which means “moon,” and nos, which means “night.”
Beltayne* — The druid rite performed near the beginning of May each year. Also known as Bel’s High Day of Fire, it is dedicated to Belornos.
Benignus — (ben-IG-noos) The leader of the Irish church after Pádraig died. He is more fully known as Benignus of Armagh*.
Berghild — (BERG-hild) A farmer’s wife who lives in Kjaringoy, Lochlan. Married to Sveinrod.
Bosvenna Abbey — (bos-VENN-ah) An abbey of the Celtic church, which was created by the missionary efforts of early Christians in Britain, Ireland, and Scotland — Pádraig (St. Patrick) being one of the first. Bosvenna* (or Bos-menegh) means “the abiding place of monks.” There is another, older abbey to the west established by Guron. Bosvenna Abbey was destroyed by fire in book 1.
Bosvenna Moor — (bos-VENN-ah) The highland area in central Kernow, covered with forests and marshes. Before the monks came, it was known as Tir Gwygoen, “land of the woodland moor”. Today it is called Bodmin Moor* and is cleared for grazing.
Bosventor — (bos-VEN-tore) The village and fortress built upon the slopes of the Meneth Gellik mountain, it was established six years after the abbey. South of modern-day Bolventor*, Cornwall, an actual iron-age village and fortress existed at this exact location.
Brihem — (BRIH-hem) The order of judges within the wider order of the druidow. There are five regular Brihemow, and one arch brihem, making a total of six who vote. The arch druid and arch fili also vote. In olden times, the chief bard and high king were included in the vote, if present, but these offices have been abandoned by the druidow due to them falling into the hands of the Christians. Normally spelled brithem* or brehon*.
Brinnoc — (BRINN-ock) Trevenna’s uncle, who lives in Oswistor.
Britain — (BRIH-ten) The land occupied by the people who speak various forms of the ancient Brythonic* language south of the River Forth*.
Brithanvy — (brith-AHN-vee) Modern-day Brittany*, France.
Bysall — (BY-sall) A small coin, usually a ring of brass or iron. Bysallow is the plural.
Caygek — (KAY-gek) A fili who opposed Mórganthu in book 1. He is named Cai* in the Arthurian legends.
Colvarth — (COAL-varth) This is the name taken by the chief bard of Britain, who served High King Uther and now seeks to protect Arthur. Colvarth, which means “criminal bard,” was originally meant as an epithet against him by the druidow after he converted to Christianity. He took the name as his own, however, to remind himself of his culpability before God. His given name is Bledri mab Cadfan, and he is known as Bleheris* in Arthurian literature.
Connek — (CON-neck) A young thief from book 1 who tried to kill Merlin.
Coynall — (COIN-all) A single-sided coin made of silver. It is worth eight bysallow, and it takes three coyntallow to make one screpall.
Crennig — (CREN-nigg) A fifth-century roundhouse. They are normally made of wooden timbers staked into the ground to form a circle, but sometimes they are made of stone if it is readily available. The roof is conical and typically woven from thatch. On occasion they are built out in a lake for easier defense. Cren means “circlular,” or “round”. Spelled Crannog* outside of the Merlin Spiral.
Crothak — (CRO-thak) A sea fisherman between Kembry and Kernow. A friend of Inktor and Henktor.
Demetae* — (de-MEH-tay) A kingdom in the southwest corner of Kembry, along the coast.
Digon — (DIG-uhn) One of Atle’s guards at Dinpelder.
Dinpelder — (din-PELL-dehr) The abode ruled by King Atle when Owain visited there. This is east of Dineidean (Edinburgh*) in modern-day Scotland, and is known today as Traprain Law*. Dinpelder means “fortress on a steep hill.”
Dintaga — (din-TA-guh) The fortress of Gorlas, King of Kernow. Dintaga means “the strangled fortress,” and is modern-day Tintagel*. It is on an island separated from the land by a narrow, or “strangled” causeway that is inundated with water when the tide comes in.
Dosmurtanlin Lake — (doss-mur-TAN-lin) A lake north of Bosventor, on the other side of the Meneth Gellik mountain. Legend says that when a portion of the Dragon Star fell, it gouged out the earth, and the water filled it in, forming the lake. Dosmurtanlin means “the lake where a great fire came.” It is the same as modern-day Dozmary Pool*. Merlin’s mother, who was changed by the Stone into a water creature, is confined to this lake.
Dragon Star — The comet that Muscarvel saw in the night sky seventy years before the beginning of book 1.
Druid* — (DREW-id) The order of priests within the wider order of the druidow. They also carry out the laws as set forth by the Brihem judges.
Druidow — (DREW-i-dow) The plural form of druid, this term can sometimes refer to the wider order of all the druidow, filidow, and Brihemow combined.
Dybris / Dybricius* — (DIE-bris / die-BRIK-ee-oos) A monk who recently joined Bosvenna Abbey. He brought Garth, the orphan, with him from Porthloc, a small village on the northern coast of Difnonia. He is known in modern-times as St. Dubricius*.
Dyslan — (DIE-slan) Natalenya’s younger brother.
Ealtain — (EEL-tain) A chieftain of the Picts who invades Kembry.
Eilyne — (EYE-line-uh) The oldest, orphaned daughter of Uther and Igerna, and sister to Myrgwen and Arthur. She is thirteen. In the legends, she is Elaine of Garlot*.
Enison — (en-IH-son) One of Vortigern’s selected warriors. Brother to Fest.
Erbin — (ERR-bin) Tregeagle’s lictor and servant, he protects the Magister as well as executes his judgments.
Erin — (ERR-in) The island of Ireland west of Britain.
Ewenna — (ee-WHEN-ah) Gorlas’s consort at Dintaga.
Fest — (FEST) One of Vortigern’s selected warriors. Brother to Enison.
Fili* — (FILL-ee) The order of sages and poets within the wider order of the druidow. Filidow is the plural, and they are led by the arch fili.
Gana / Ganieda* — (GAH-nuh / gah-NYE-dah) Merlin’s half-sister, who is nine years old. She is the daughter of Mônda and granddaughter to Mórganthu.
Garth / Garthwys* — (GARTH / GARTH-wiss) An orphan who used to live at the abbey with Dybris. His father, Gorgyr, was a fis
herman at Porthloc in Difnonia, and so Garth was raised on the sea. Red-haired and slightly chubby, he is always hungry.
Gaul* — (GALL) Modern-day France, which was ruled by Rome for six hundred years.
Gentian* — (JENT-shin) A bitter-tasting plant that produces blue flowers in spring. It has been used medicinally to treat stomach ailments since ancient times.
Gladius* — (GLA-dee-oos) A stout Roman-style sword, generally of medium length.
Glevum* — (GLEH-vuhm) The Roman fortress of Glevum, and the seat of Vitalinus’s kingdom. This is where Vortigern and Igerna grew up. Modern-day Gloucester*.
Gorlas* — (GORE-lass) King of Kernow, whose fortress is Dintaga. He and Uther were rival suitors for Igerna’s love, and this rivalry colors their relationship to this day.
Gorse* — (GORSE) A thorny evergreen shrub that is highly flammable.
Gorseth Cawmen — (GORE-seth CAW-men) The stone circle northeast from the village of Bosventor. Literally means “The meeting place of giant stones.” On modern maps it is shown as the Goodaver Stone Circle*, though Merlin’s Blade describes it as having larger stones.
Guotodin* — (goo-OH-toe-din) The most-northern Brythonic kingdom. It was ruled by Atle when Owain visited, and it lies between the two walls built by the Romans, just south of the land of the Prithager. Its principal cities are Dineidean (modern-day Edinburgh*), and the fortress of Dinpelder.
Guronstow — (goo-RUHN-stow) The village on the moor where the abbey established by St. Guron* is located. Now known as the city of Bodmin*.
Gwevian — (GWEV-ee-ahn) Merlin’s mother, the daughter of King Atle. She supposedly drowned in Lake Dosmurtanlin when Merlin was young, and her body was never found. Merlin discovered her alive at the end of book 1, changed by the Stone into a water creature to serve it when the Stone was in the lake. She is now the Lady of the Lake*, and a merging of the legends of Vivian* and St. Theneva*.
Hanternos — (han-TEHR-nos) The Brythonic word for Midnight.
Harp of Britain — The harp that has been passed down through the ages from one chief bard to the next, now possessed by Colvarth. The druidow desire to take it back, but must wait for Colvarth’s natural death, according to their laws, and hope that he doesn’t pass it on to someone else.
Hengist* — (HEN-gist) The leader of the Saxenow army that has invaded Britain.
Henktor — (HENK-tore) A sea fisherman between Kembry and Kernow. The son of Ynktor, and a friend of Crothak.
Igerna* — (ee-GERR-nah) The deceased wife of Uther, she is Vortigern’s sister, and therefore descended from Vitalinus Gloui, a former High King of Britain. Her children are Eilyne, Myrgwen, and Arthur. Gorlas vied with Uther for her hand in marriage.
Imelys — (ee-MEL-iss) Troslam and Safrowana’s daughter.
Inis Avallow — (IN-iss AV-all-ow) The largest island in the marsh. It has an old tower and broken-down fortress surrounded by an ancient apple orchard. Legend says this was built by a pilgrim and tin merchant known only as the Pergiryn. Its name means “Island of Apples,” and is known in legend as Avalon*.
Inis Môn* — (IN-iss MOAN) The sacred island of the druidow. Gaius Suetonius Paulinus broke the power of the druidow and destroyed the shrines and sacred groves on the isle of Inis Môn in 61 A.D.
Inktor — (INK-tore) A sea fisherman between Kembry and Kernow. The father of Henktor, and a friend of Crothak.
Ivor — (EYE-vor) A false name that Vortigern uses for himself.
Jarl Lhudvig — (YARL LUD-vig) A chieftain of a region in northern Lochlan. He owns Ulfsvag farm.
Jesu Christus* — (HEY-soo KRIS-toos) Latin for Jesus Christ.
Kallicia* — (kal-ih-SEE-ah) Literally, “the forest people,” from what is now known as Galicia* in northwest Spain. Many scholars think they are of Celtic origin. You can still hear bagpipes played there today.
Kembry — (KEM-bree) The land stretching from the Kembry Sea in the south to the isle of Inis Môn in the northwest. It is made up of multiple kingdoms. Modern-day Wales*.
Kensa — (KEN-sah) An old, hunched-over woman who wears a funny purple hat and serves King Atle*.
Kernow* — (KER-now) The kingdom that lay on the peninsula of land in southwest Britain, between Lyhonesse and Difnonia. Ruled by Gorlas from his fortress, Dintaga, which is on an island on the northern coast. Kernewek is their local dialect of Brythonic. Modern-day Cornwall*.
Keskinpry Marsh — (kes-KIN-pry) A marsh south of Bosventor.
Kjaringoy — (kjar-ING-oy) A farm in northwest Lochlan.
Kyallna — (kee-ALL-nah) An elderly widow who lives near Safrowana and Troslam. She always liked Garth and would pinch his cheek.
Lictor* — (LIK-tor) A Roman guardian of a magistrate, and one who executes his judgments. Thus, Erbin is Tregeagle’s lictor and servant.
Lochlan* — (LOCK-lan) A people group inhabiting Britain who came from what is now known as Norway.
Londinium* — (LUN-din-ee-um) A city taken by the Romans in 43 A.D. and named Lundnisow by the Britons. Because of its river and harbor, they made it the capital of their provinces in Britain. Modern-day London*.
Loth — (LOTH) The son of King Atle, and Merlin’s uncle.
Magister* — (ma-JEE-stare) Literally “master,” which is the title Tregeagle has as the appointed official over the tin mining region around Bosventor. A holdover from the Roman empire.
Marachlans — (marr-OCK-lanns) The Lochlan epithet given to Atle, his people, and his people that remained behind after he moved to Britain. In Merlin’s Shadow, this epithet is meant to mean the “nightmare people.”
Mara-Hoven — (MAR-ah HO-ven) A mountain with a temple on an island just beyond the arctic circle in northwestern Norway, which is known as the land of the Lochlans. Mara-Hoven means “nightmare temple.”
McEwan — (mik-YOU-ahn) A huge eirish warrior who served Mórganthu in book 1.
Meneth Gellik Mountain — (MEN-eth GELL-ick) The mountain upon whose southern side the village of Bosventor is built. Halfway up on a plateau sits a fortress and beacon, which is familiarly known to the villagers as the “Tor.” The mountain is over 1100 feet above sea level, its tallest point is 100 feet above the marsh, and it is the third highest in Kernow. Today it is known as Brown Gelly*. Literally, “The Brown Mountain.” Lake Dosmurtanlin is situated just to the north.
Merlin* — (MER-lin) The son of the village blacksmith/swordsmith. His face was badly scratched by wolves at the age of eleven when he tried to protect his younger sister, Gana. This also scarred his eyes, half blinding him. His eyesight was healed at the end of book 1, but his scars remain. The Latin form of his name is Merlinus.
Mônda / Môndargana — (MOAN-dah / moan-DAR-gone-ah) Owain’s wife, she is the daughter of Mórganthu, the arch druid and mother to Gana. She is Merlin’s stepmother, but she despises his Christianity. Her full name of Môndargana means “Prophetess of Inis Môn.”
Mórganthu — (more-GAN-thoo) The arch druid, and son of Mórfryn. He is father to Môndargana and Anviv, and grandfather to Ganieda. His name is a merging of the name Mórgant with huder, which means “magician.”
Mulsum* — (MUL-sum) A rich cinnamon, thyme, and peppery wine imported into Britain, and a favorite of Tregeagle.
Muscarvel — (musk-AR-vel) A seventy-year-old man who lived deep in the marsh to the west of Bosventor. He has not been seen since he tried to free Uther from his Eirish captors.
Myrgwen — (MEER-gwen) The orphaned, youngest daughter of Uther and Igerna, and sister to Eilyne and Arthur. She is nine years old. In legend, she is called Morgause*.
Natalenya — (nah-tah-LEAN-yah) Tregeagle and Trevenna’s daughter who plays the harp and sings. She has agreed to marry Merlin and goes with him to save Arthur.
Necton mac Erip* — (NECK-ton MACK ERR-ip) A cruel pict who raids Kembry with Ealtain. He is the son of Erip, whom Ealtain slew many years ago.
Ogmios* — (og-ME-os) The Celtic god of wind and eloquence, he is represented by Mercury in the night sky.
Oswistor — (os-WEE-store) A strong hillfort in Pengwern*, Kembry, a minor kingdom of the greater kingdom of Powys. Natalenya’s mother, Trevenna, has relatives here. Modern-day Oswestry*.
Owain* — (O-wayne) Merlin’s father, he grew up in Rheged, north of Kembry, as the son of a chieftain. Owain’s first wife, Gwevian, drowned while they were boating on Lake Dosmurtanlin. His second wife, Mônda, is the mother of Gana, Merlin’s half sister. Owain was the smith in the village of Bosventor prior to his death, and so was given the title of An Gof, which means “the smith.”
Pace — The unit of measurement of a grown man’s stride from the time the heel leaves the ground until the same heel touches the ground again. Typically five feet.
Pádraig* — (PAH-dreeg) St. Patrick, a Briton who first brought Christianity to the Eirish, and then sent missionaries back to Briton.
Penkoref — (pen-CORE-eff) One of Vortigern’s warriors, who doesn’t like sailing.
Pergiryn’s Tower — (per-GIH-rin) All that is left of the fortress built by the Pergiryn on the island of Inis Avallow. Some say a light can sometimes be seen from its top-most window. The Pergiryn was an unknown tin merchant who, legend says, built the fortress and planted the apple orchard. Pergiryn means “pilgrim.”
Porthloc — (PORTH-lock) The seaside village in Difnonia where Garth grew up and met Dybris. Modern-day Porlock*.
Prithager / Picti* — (prih-THAY-girr / PIC-tie) The people who live in the wild lands of the north. They often raid the southern realms now that Hadrian’s Wall has been abandoned by the Romans, and even more so now that the Saxenow are weakening what is left of the British army. They call themselves the Chrithane.
Prontwon — (PRON-twon) The deceased abbot of Bosvenna Abbey, who taught Merlin.
Rewan — (REH-wan) A chieftain under Vortigern.
Rheged* — (HREE-ged) A Brythonic kingdom in the north, it is situated northeast of Kembry and south of Guotodin. This is the land Owain is from.
Rhitherch — (RITH-erk) The king in Rheged when Colvarth was younger. More commonly spelled as Rhydderch*.
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