by Janny Wurts
pronounced: math-orn
root meaning: mathien – massive
MEIGLIN s’DIENEVAL—the legitimate daughter born to the widow of Egan s’Dieneval in Third Age 5019, just after his death in the slaughter of the
rebellion. Heart’s love of the last High King of Shand for one night, just prior to his death while fighting the Mistwraith. A weaving by the Biedar of Sanpashir, done at the behest of the last centaur guardian, ensured the union would bring conception, and the birth of Dari’s’Ahelas. Also named Anshlien’ya in desert dialect, as the dawn of hope.
pronounced: mee-glin s-dee-in-ee-vahl
root meaning: meiglin – passion; dien – large; eval – endowment, gifted talent
MINDERL BAY—body of water inside of Crescent Isle, off the eastshore of Rathain.
pronounced: mind-earl
root meaning: minderl – anvil
MIRALT HEAD—point of land on the north coast of Camris, Tysan, with a port town by the same name.
pronounced: meer-alt
root meaning: m’ier – shore; alt – last
MISTWRAITH—see Desh-thiere.
MORVAIN—city located in the principality of Araethura, Rathain, on the west coast of Instrell Bay. Elaira’s birthplace.
pronounced: mor-vain
root meaning: morvain – swindler’s market
NARMS—city on the coast of Instrell Bay, built as a craft centre by Men in the early Third Age. Best known for dye works.
pronounced: narms
root meaning: narms – colour
NORTHSTRAIT—narrow passage from the Westland Sea into the Gulf of Stormwell, located in the northwest corner of Tysan.
ONYA—a townswoman of Kelsing.
pronounced: on-ya
not from the Paravian
ORLAN—pass in the Thaldein Mountains in Tysan where the clan seat has a hidden outpost.
pronounced: or-lan
root meaning: irlan – ledge
OSTERMERE—coastal town in Carithwyr, Havish, once a smuggler’s haven.
pronounced: os-tur-meer
root meaning: ostier – crumbled; dir – stone
PAOLIN—crofter’s child who died of summer fever, son of Saffie, brother of Chan (also deceased), and nephew of Tarens and Kerelie.
pronounced: pay-oh-lin
not from the Paravian
PARAVIA—name for the continent inhabited by the Paravians, and locale of the Five Kingdoms.
pronounced: par-ay-vee-ah
root meaning: para – great; i’a – suffix denoting entityship, and raised to the feminine aspect, which translates as ‘place inclusive of, or holding the aspect for greatness’
PARAVIAN—name for the three old races that inhabited Athera before Mankind. Including the centaurs, the sunchildren, and the unicorns, these races never die unless mishap befalls them; they are the world’s channel, or direct connection, to Ath Creator.
pronounced: par-ai-vee-ans
root meaning: para – great; i’on – fate or great mystery
PENSTAIR—Second Age ruin on the north shore of Deshir, Rathain.
pronounced: pen-stair
root meaning: pensti’era – watch point, place for beacon fires
PRANDEY—Shandian term for gelded pleasure boy.
pronounced: prandee
not from the Paravian
RATHAIN—one of the Five High Kingdoms of Athera, ruled by descendants of Torbrand s’Ffalenn since Third Age Year One. Device: black-and-silver leopard on green field. Arithon Teir’s’Ffalenn is sanctioned crown prince, by the hand of Asandir of the Fellowship, in Third Age Year 5638 at Etarra.
pronounced: rath-ayn
root meaning: roth – brother; thein – tower, sanctuary
REDBURN—town located in a deep inlet in the northern shore of Rockbay Harbour in Havistock, Havish.
pronounced: red-burn
root meaning not from the Paravian
REIYAJ SEERESS—title for the Seeress sequestered in a tower in Shand, near Ithish. Her oracular visions derive from meditative communion with the energy gateway marked and measured by Athera’s sun. Born sighted, but practice of her art brings blindness. The origin of her tradition derives from the mystical practices of the Biedar tribe in the Sanpashir desert.
pronounced: ree-yahj
root meaning: ria’ieajn – to touch the forbidden
RIATHAN PARAVIANS—unicorns, the purest, most direct connection to Ath Creator; the prime vibration channels directly through the horn.
pronounced: ree-ah-than
root meaning: ria – to touch; ath – prime life-force; an – one; ri’athon – one who touches divinity
ROCKBAY HARBOUR—body of water located on the southcoast, between Shand and West Shand.
ROCKFELL PEAK—mountain containing Rockfell Pit, used to imprison harmful entities throughout all three Ages. Located in West Halla, Melhalla; became the warded prison for Desh-thiere.
pronounced: rock-fell
root meaning not from the Paravian
ROCKFELL PIT—shaft built by the Sorcerer Davien in Rockfell Peak to contain harmful entities; currently sequesters the Mistwraith, Desh-thiere.
SAFFIE—deceased croft mistress from Kelsing, wife of Fiath, aunt of Efflin, Tarens, and Kerelie, mother of Paolin and Chan.
pronounced: saf-ee
not from the Paravian
s’AHELAS—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Shand. Gifted geas: far-sight. Also the lineage that carries the latent potential for the rogue talent for far-sight and prophecy, introduced when the caithdein’s lineage of s’Dieneval became crossed with the royal line in Third Age 5036, resulting in Dari’s birth in winter, 5037.
pronounced: s’ah-hell-as
root meaning: ahelas – mage-gifted
SANPASHIR—desert waste on the southcoast of Shand. Home to the desert tribes called Biedar.
pronounced: sahn-pash-eer
root meaning: san – black or dark; pash’era – place of grit or gravel
SANSHEVAS—town on the south shore in Alland, Shand, known for citrus, sugar, and rum.
pronounced: san-shee-vas
root meaning: san – black; shievas – flint
s’CRIADIEN—an older, outbred clan lineage arisen from past liaison between Torwent fishermen and Caithwood’s clan blood-lines.
pronounced: cree-ah-dee-en
root meaning: cor’ia’dreien – a shipmate or shipping partner
SCARPDALE—waste in Lanshire, Havish, created by a First Age war with Seardluin. Once the site of the Scarpdale grimward, banished by Seshkrozchiel in Third Age Year 5671.
pronounced: scarp-dale
not from the Paravian
s’DIENEVAL—lost lineage of the caithdeinen of Melhalla, the last to carry the title being Egan, who died at the side of his High King in the battle to subdue the Mistwraith. The blood-line carried strong talent for prophecy, and was slaughtered during the sack of Tirans in the uprising in Third Age Year 5018, with Egan’s pregnant wife the sole survivor. Her daughter, Meiglin, was mother of Dari s’Ahelas, crown heir of Shand.
pronounced: s-dee-in-ee-vahl
root meaning: dien – large; eval – endowment, gifted talent
SECOND AGE—Marked by the arrival of the Fellowship of Seven at Crater Lake, their called purpose to fight the drake spawn.
SELIDIE—young woman initiate appointed by Morriel Prime as a candidate in training for succession. Succeeded to the office of Prime Matriarch after Morriel’s death on winter solstice in Third Age Year 5670, at which time an unprincipled act of possession by Morriel usurped the young woman’s body.
pronounced: sell-ih-dee
root meaning: selyadi – air sprite
SELKWOOD—forest located in Alland, Shand.
pronounced: selk-wood
root meaning: selk – pattern
SESHKROZCHIEL—name for the female dragon who was
mated to Haspastion. Forged a bargain with Davien, who borrowed on her powers while she was in hibernation in exchange for his term of service, for however long she required it. Her wakening in Third Age Year 5671 incurred the debt, still on-going.
pronounced: sesh-crows-chee-ell
root meaning: seshkrozchiel – Drakish for blue lightning
SETHVIR—Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven, also trained to serve as Warden of Althain since Third Age 5100, when the last centaur guardian departed after the Mistwraith’s conquest.
pronounced: seth-veer
root meaning: seth – fact; vaer – keep
s’FFALENN—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Rathain. Gifted geas: compassion/empathy.
pronounced: s-fal-en
root meaning: ffael – dark; an – one
s’GANNLEY—lineage of the Earls of the West, once the Camris princes, now bearing the heritage of Caithdein of Tysan. Iamine s’Gannley was the woman founder.
pronounced: sgan-lee
root meaning: gaen – guide; li – exalted or in harmony
SHAMSIN—a dedicate lancer in the True Sect Guard stationed at Kelsing.
pronounced: sham-sin
not from the Paravian
SHAND—one of the Five High Kingdoms of Athera, located on the south-east corner of the Paravian continent, originally ruled by the line of s’Ahelas. Current device: purple-and-gold chevrons, since the adjunct kingdom of West Shand came under high crown rule. The old device was a falcon on a crescent moon, sometimes still displayed, depicted against the more recent purple-and-gold chevrons.
pronounced: shand – as in ‘hand’
root meaning: shayn or shiand – two/pair
SIANTRA s’IDIR—clanborn daughter of Laithen s’Idir, of Sidir’s lineage.
pronounced: see-an-tra see-deer
root meaning: sian – spark; tier – to hold fast; a – feminine diminutive
SIDIR—one of the Companions, who were the fourteen boys to survive the massacre at Tal Quorin in 5638. Served Arithon at the Battle of Dier Kenton Vale the Havens in 5647, and at the siege of Alestron in 5671. Second in command of Earl Jieret’s war band. Married Jieret’s widow, Feithan, in 5672.
pronounced: see-deer
root meaning: i’sid’i’er – one who has stood at the verge of being lost.
s’IDIR—lineage of Sidir. His descendants derive from a youthful liaison with a clanswoman in Fallowmere.
pronounced: see-deer
root meaning: i’sid’i’er – one who has stood at the verge of being lost.
SILBERNE—river that runs southward from Tornir Peaks and empties into Mainmere Bay, Tysan.
pronounced: syl-burn
root meaning: shiel – tears; biern – memorial
s’ILESSID—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Tysan. Gifted geas: justice.
pronounced: s-ill-ess-id
root meaning: liessiad – balance
SITHAER—mythological equivalent of hell, halls of Dharkaron Avenger’s judgement; according to Ath’s adepts, that state of being where the prime vibration is not recognized.
pronounced: sith-air
root meaning: sid – lost; thiere – wraith/spirit
SKYRON FOCUS—large aquamarine focus stone, used by the Koriani Senior Circle for their major magic after the loss of the Great Waystone during the rebellion.
pronounced: sky-run
root meaning: skyron – colloquialism for shackle; s’kyr’i’on – literally ‘sorrowful fate’
SKYSHIELS—mountain range that runs north and south along the eastern coast of Rathain.
pronounced: sky-shee-ells
root meaning: skyshia – to pierce through; iel – ray
s’LORNMEIN—royal lineage of Havish, founded by Bwin Evoc in First Age Year One. Gifted geas: temperance.
pronounced: slorn-main
root meaning: liernmein – to centre, restrain, bring into balance.
SOUTHSHIRE—town on the southcoast of Alland, Shand, known for shipbuilding.
pronounced: south-shire
not from the Paravian
SOUTH STRAIT—body of water and passage from Rockbay Harbour into South Sea.
STORLAINS—mountains dividing the Kingdom of Havish.
pronounced: store-lanes
root meaning: storlient – largest summit, highest divide
SULFIN EVEND—son of the Mayor of Hanshire who held the post of Alliance Lord Commander under Lysaer s’Ilessid. Spared Lysaer from his dark binding to the Kralovir necromancers, and in the course of that awakened the talent of his outbred clan lineage: of s’Gannley descent, through Diarin s’Gannley, who was abducted and forced to marry his great grandsire. Bound to the land in Third Age 5670 when he swore a caithdein’s oath at Althain Tower as part of his bargain with Enithen Tuer, who in turn imparted the ceremonial knowledge and the Biedar knife used to sever the etheric cords the cult used to enslave victims. Named the Heretic Betrayer by the True Sect in the belief he corrupted the avatar, Lysaer. Ancestor of Daliana sen Evend.
pronounced: sool-finn ev-end
root meaning: suilfinn eiavend – colloquialism, diamond mind ‘one who is persistent’
SUNCHILDREN—common name for Athlien Paravians, see entry.
SUNWHEEL—heraldic symbol adopted by the religion of Light, and the device of the True Sect.
s’VALERIENT—family name for the Earls of the North, regents and caithdeinen for the High Kings of Rathain.
pronounced: val-er-ee-ent
root meaning: val – straight; erient – spear
TAERLIN—southeastern principality of Tysan, also a lake in the southern spur of Tornir Peaks.
pronounced: tay-er-lin
root meaning: taer – calm; lien – to love
TAFE ALEMAN—innkeeper in Kelsing, Tysan known to give work to destitutes.
pronounced: tayf
not from the Paravian
TAL QUORIN—river formed by the confluence of watershed on the southern side of Strakewood, principality of Deshir, Rathain, where traps were laid for Etarra’s army in the battle of Strakewood Forest, and where the rape and massacre of Deshir’s clanwomen and children occurred under Lysaer and head-hunters under Pesquil’s command in Third Age Year 5638.
pronounced: tal quar-in
root meaning: tal – branch; quorin – canyons
TALITH—Etarran princess; former wife of Lysaer s’Ilessid, estranged from him and incarcerated on charges of consorting with the Master of Shadow. Eventually murdered by a conspiracy of Avenor’s crown council, when an arranged accident caused her fall from Avenor’s tower of state in Third Age 5653.
pronounced: tal-ith – to rhyme with ‘gal with’
root meaning: tal – branch; lith – to keep/nurture
TALLA s’CRIADIEN—a countrywoman healed by Asandir.
pronounced: ta-la
root meaning: tal – branch; a – feminine diminutive; cor’ia’dreien – a shipmate or shipping partner
TARENS—town-born crofter from Kelsing, brother of Efflin and Kerelie, nephew of Saffie and Fiath, uncle to Paolin and Chan.
pronounced: tar-ens
root meaning: tirans – tier’ain - protect
TEIR—masculine form of a title fixed to a name denoting heirship.
pronounced: tayer
root meaning: teir’s – successor to power
TEIREN—feminine form of Teir.
pronounced: tear
root meaning: teiren – female successor to power
TEIRIENT—queen.
pronounced: tear-ee-ent
root meaning: tierient – female successor to power in the emphatic form
TEIR’II’DAEL—Paravian title given to a Fellowship-sanctioned crown prince.
pronounced: tay-er ee’eh die-el
root meaning: teir�
�ii’dael – the emphatic form of colloquial ‘successor to power’
TELIR—a rare fruit once cultivated by Paravians that made fine brandy.
pronounced: tell-leer
root meaning: telir – sweet
TELMANDIR—seat of the High Kings of Havish in Lithmere, Havish. Ruined during the uprising in Third Age Year 5018, rebuilt by High King Eldir s’Lornmein after his coronation in Third Age Year 5643.
pronounced: tel-man-deer
root meaning: telman’en – leaning; dir – rock
TEYLIA—bastard daughter of Arithon Teir’s’Ffalenn and Glendien, widow of Kyrialt, born in Third Age Year 5672, sworn into the Order of the Koriathain by her own will at three years of age.
pronounced: tay-lee-ah
root meaning: tien – dream; lie – note struck in harmony; a – female diminutive
THALDEIN—mountain range that borders Camris in Tysan, site of the Camris clans west outpost.
pronounced: thall-dayn
root meaning: thal – head; dein – bird
TIENELLE—high-altitude herb valued by mages for its mind-expanding properties. Highly toxic. No antidote. The leaves, dried and smoked, are most potent. To weaken its powerful side effects and allow safer access to its vision, Koriani enchantresses boil the flowers, then soak tobacco leaves with the brew.
pronounced: tee-an-ell-e (last ‘e’ mostly subliminal)
root meaning: tien – dream; iel – light/ray
TORBRAND s’FFALENN—founder of the s’Ffalenn line appointed by the Fellowship of Seven to rule the High Kingdom of Rathain in Third Age Year One.
pronounced: tor-brand
root meaning: tor – sharp, keen; brand – temper
TORNIR PEAKS—mountain range on western border in Camris, Tysan. Northern half is actively volcanic, and there the last surviving packs of Khadrim are kept under ward.
pronounced: tor-neer
root meaning: tor – sharp, keen; nier – tooth
TORWENT—fishing town and smuggler’s haven located on the coast of Lanshire, Havish, just south of the border. Descendants of many outbred clan lineages live there since the exodus to escape persecution under Lysaer s’Ilessid the pretender in Third Age Year 5653.
pronounced: tore-went
root meaning: tor – sharp; wient – bend
TRAITHE—Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven. Solely responsible for the closing of South Gate to deny further entry to the Mistwraith. Traithe lost most of his faculties in the process and was left with a limp. Since it is not known whether he can make the transfer into discorporate existence with his powers impaired, he has retained his physical body.
