Starman

by Sara Douglass

  JUDITH: once Queen of Achar, widow of Priam. Now living in reclusion in Tare.

  KAREL: dead king of Achar, father to Priam and Rivkah.

  KASTALEON: one of the great Keeps of Achar, situated on the River Nordra in central Achar.

  KEEPS, The: the three great magical Keeps of Achar. See separate entries under Spiredore, Sigholt, and Silent Woman Keep.

  KENRICKE: the commander of the last surviving cohort of Axe-Wielders, left by Axis to guard the Tower of the Seneschal. Now fighting in Axis’ combined command.

  LAKE OF LIFE, The: one of the sacred and magical lakes of Tencendor. It sits at the western end of the HoldHard Pass in the Urqhart Hills and cradles Sigholt.

  LEAGUE: see ‘Distances’.

  LESSER, The: a term given to creatures of such magic they approach god-like status.

  LOMAN: an Avar man of the BareHollow Clan.

  MAGARIZ, Prince: once commander of Gorkenfort, now one of Axis’ senior commanders and lord of the northern territories of Tencendor. Husband to Rivkah, Axis’ mother.

  MAGIC: the Seneschal taught that all magic, enchantments or sorcery are evil and the province only of the Forbidden races who would use magic to enslave the Acharites if they could. Under the influence of the Seneschal all Artor-fearing Acharites feared and hated the use of magic, although their fear now dies.

  MAGIC LAKES: the ancient land of Tencendor had a number of magical lakes whose powers are now mostly forgotten. Also known as the Sacred Lakes.

  MALFARI: the tuber that the Avar depend on to produce their bread.

  MASCEN, BARON: Lord of Rhaetia.

  MERLION, LADY: wife to Earl Isend of Skarabost and mother to Faraday. Merlion died in Gorgrael’s storm at the Ancient Barrows.

  MILITARY TERMS (for regular ground forces):

  Squad: a small group of fighters, normally under forty and usually archers.

  Unit: a group of one hundred men, either infantry, archers, pikemen, or cavalry.

  Cohort: five units, so five hundred men.

  See also ‘Wing’ and ‘Crest’ for the Icarii Strike Force.

  MERSE: a bane of the Avar people.

  MINARET PEAKS: the ancient name for the Bracken Ranges, named for the minarets of the ancient Icarii cities spread the length of the mountain range.

  MINSTRELSEA: the name Faraday gives to the new forest she has begun planting out below the Avarinheim.

  MIRBOLT: a Bane of the Avar people. Now dead.

  MONTHS: (northern hemisphere seasons apply)

  Wolf-month: January

  Raven-month: February

  Hungry-month: March

  Thaw-month: April

  Flower-month: May

  Rose-month: June

  Harvest-month: July

  Weed-month: August

  DeadLeaf-month: September

  Bone-month: October

  Frost-month: November

  Snow-month: December

  MOONWILDFLOWERS: extremely rare, delicate violet flowers that bloom only under the full moon. Niah once took young Azhure hunting for them under the full moon.

  MORNINGSTAR SUNSOAR: StarDrifter’s mother and a powerful Enchanter in her own right. MorningStar was the widow of RushCloud, the previous SunSoar Talon. She was murdered by WolfStar SunSoar.

  MORYSON: Brother of the Seneschal and friend, chief assistant and adviser to the Brother-Leader.

  MOTHER: either the Avar name for Fernbrake Lake, or an all-embracing term for nature which is sometimes personified as an immortal woman.

  MURKLE BAY: a huge bay off the western coast of Tencendor, its waters are filthy, polluted by the tanneries along the Azle River.

  MURKLE MOUNTAINS: A range of desolate mountains that run along the length of Murkle Bay. Once extensively mined for opals, they are now abandoned.

  NARCIS: one of the nine Icarii Star Gods, Narcis is the God of the Sun.

  NECKLET, The: a curious geological feature of Ravensbund.

  NEVELON: lieutenant to Duke Roland of Aldeni, Nevelon died at Jervois Landing.

  NIAH: of the once baronial family of Nor, elder sister to Prince Ysgryff. Mother to Azhure, Niah was seduced by WolfStar SunSoar and murdered by Brother Hagen. Niah was the First Priestess of the Order of the Stars.

  NINE, The: see the ‘Star Gods’. (‘The Nine’ can also occasionally refer to the nine Priestesses of the Order of the Stars.)

  NOR: the southernmost of the provinces of Achar. The Nors people are far darker and more exotic than the rest of the Acharites. Nor is controlled by Prince Ysgryff.

  NORDMUTH: the port at the mouth of the River Nordra.

  NORDRA, River: the great river that is the main lifeline of Achar. Rising in the Icescarp Alps, the River Nordra flows through the Avarinheim before flowing through northern and central Achar. It is used for irrigation, transport and fishing.

  OGDEN: one of the Sentinels, brother to Veremund.

  ORDER OF THE STARS: the order of nine priestesses who keep watch in the Temple of the Stars. Every priestess gives up her own name upon taking orders.

  ORR: the Charonite Ferryman.

  OSMARY, LORD: husband to Annwin, Faraday’s elder sister.

  PACE: see ‘Distances’.

  PALESTAR SNAPWING: an Icarii Enchanter.

  PEASE: an Avar woman killed in the Yuletide attack on the Earth Tree Grove. Mother of Shra.

  PIRATES’ NEST: for many centuries the common name of the Island of Mist and Memory and still the haunt of pirates.

  PIRATES’ TOWN: the town in the northern harbour of Pirates’ Nest—or the Island of Mist and Memory.

  PLOUGH, The: under the rule of the Seneschal each Acharite village had a Plough, which not only served to plough the fields, but was also the centre of their worship of the Way of the Plough. The Plough was the implement given by Artor the Ploughman to enable mankind to civilise themselves. The Seneschal taught that use of the Plough distinguished the Acharites from the Forbidden; neither the Icarii nor the Avar practise cultivation.

  PLOUGH-KEEPERS: the Seneschal assigned a Brother to each village in Achar, and these men were often known as Plough-Keepers. They were literally the guardians of the Plough in each village, but they were also the directors of the Way of the Plough and guardians of the villagers’ souls. Many Plough-Keepers still remain in Tencendor and many still adhere to the Way of the Plough.

  PORS: one of the nine Icarii Star Gods, Pors is the God of Air.

  POWLE, WAINWALD: a young man, son of Miller Powle, of Smyrton.

  PRIAM: once King of Achar and uncle to Borneheld, brother to Rivkah. Murdered by the consortium of Borneheld, Jayme, Moryson and Gilbert.

  PRIVY CHAMBER: the large chamber in the royal palace in Carlon where Achar’s Privy Council once met. Now used for a similar purpose by Axis.

  PRIVY COUNCIL: the council of advisers to the King of Achar, normally the lords of the major provinces of Achar. This council has been replaced in Tencendor by the Five, the leaders of the First Five Families.

  PROPHECY OF THE DESTROYER: an ancient Prophecy that tells of the rise of Gorgrael in the north and the StarMan who can stop him.

  RAINBOW SCEPTRE: a weapon mentioned in the Prophecy.

  RAUM: once a Bane of the Avar people, now the sacred White Stag.

  RAVENCREST SUNSOAR: the current Talon of the Icarii people.

  RAVENSBUND: the extreme northern province of Tencendor.

  RAVENSBUNDMEN: the inhabitants of Ravensbund, once loathed by the Acharites as barbarous and cruel, but now widely respected for their fighting abilities and their loyalty to Axis.

  REINALD: retired chief cook of Sigholt, undercook when Rivkah lived there.

  RELM: an Avar woman from the PineWalk Clan.

  RENKIN, GOODWIFE: a peasant woman of northern Arcness.

  RETREATS: many Brothers of the Seneschal preferred the contemplative life to the active life, and the Seneschal had various Retreats about Achar where these Brothers lived in peace in order to contemplate the mysteries of A
rtor the Ploughman. Many still remain.

  RHAETIA: small area of Achar situated in the western Bracken Ranges. It is controlled by Baron Mascen.

  RIVERSTAR SUNSOAR: third child of Axis and Azhure. Twin sister to DragonStar.

  RIVKAH: Princess of Achar, sister to King Priam and mother to Borneheld, Duke of Ichtar, and Axis. Now married to Prince Magariz.

  ROLAND, DUKE: Duke of Aldeni and now in residence in Sigholt.

  ROMANA: daughter to Duke Roland of Aldeni.

  ROMSDALE: a province to the south-west of Carlon that mainly produces wine. It is administered by Baron Fulke.

  RUSHCLOUD SUNSOAR: father to RavenCrest and StarDrifter. Once Talon of the Icarii.

  SACRED GROVE, The: the most sacred spot of the Avar people, the Sacred Grove is rarely visited by ordinary mortals. Normally the Banes are the only members of the Avar race who know the paths in order to find the Grove.

  SACRED LAKES, The: the four magical lakes of Tencendor: Grail Lake, Cauldron Lake, Fernbrake Lake (or the Mother) and the Lake of Life. According to legend, the lakes were formed during Fire-Night when ancient gods fell through the skies and crashed to Tencendor.

  SA’KUYA: a Ravensbundwoman, wife to the Ravensbund Chief, Ho’Demi.

  SEAGRASS PLAINS: the vast grain plains that form most of Skarabost.

  SEAL HOPE, The: a ship belonging to Prince Ysgryff of Nor.

  SEARLAS: previous Duke of Ichtar and father of Borneheld. Once married to the Princess Rivkah. Now dead.

  SENESCHAL, The: once the all-powerful religious organisation of Achar. The Religious Brotherhood of the Seneschal, known individually as Brothers, directed the religious lives of all the Acharites. The Seneschal was extremely powerful and played a major role, not only in everyday life, but also in the political life of the nation. It taught obedience to the one god, Artor the Ploughman, and the Way of the Plough.

  SENESCHAL, TOWER of the: once the headquarters of the Brotherhood of the Seneschal, it has now been revealed as one of the ancient Keeps of Tencendor, Spiredore.

  SENTINELS: magical creatures of the Prophecy of the Destroyer.

  SEPULCHRE OF THE MOON: rumoured to be on Temple Mount, the Sepulchre was used so rarely, even when the Icarii still flew the southern skies, that most Enchanters believe it has fallen into total disuse.

  SEVERIN: the new town that Magariz builds as the replacement capital of Ichtar.

  SHADOWSWARD, The: the Acharite name for the Avarinheim.

  SHARPEYE BLUEFEATHER: A Crest Leader in the Icarii Strike Force.

  SHRA: a young Avar child. Daughter of Pease and Grindle. She was bonded to the Mother with Faraday, and shows promise of becoming a great Bane. When captured and beaten close to death by the folk of Smyrton, it was Axis, then still BattleAxe, who saved her life by singing the Song of Recreation over her still form, and Azhure who ensured her escape from her prison with Raum.

  SICARIUS: leader of the pack of Alaunt hounds. One of the Lesser.

  SIGHOLT: one of the great magical Keeps of Tencendor, situated on the shores of the Lake of Life in the Urqhart Hills in Ichtar. Axis’ home.

  SILENT WOMAN KEEP: one of the magical Keeps of Tencendor, lies in the centre of the Silent Woman Woods.

  SILENT WOMAN WOODS: the dark and impenetrable woods in southern Arcness that house the Silent Woman Keep.

  SILTON: one of the nine Icarii Star Gods, Silton is the God of Fire.

  SKALI: a young Avar female, daughter of Fleat and Grindle. She died during the Skraeling attack on the sacred Earth Tree Grove at Yuletide.

  SKARABOST: large eastern province of Achar which grows much of the kingdom’s grain supplies. Currently administered by the Governor of the East, Azhure.

  SKRAEBOLDS: leaders of the Skraelings.

  SKRAEFEAR: senior of the remaining SkraeBolds.

  SKRAELINGS: (also called wraiths) creatures of the frozen northern wastes who feed off fear and blood. Once insubstantial wraiths, they are assuming far more solid forms as Gorgrael’s magic grows.

  SMYRTON: a large village in northern Skarabost, virtually at the entrance to the Forbidden Valley.

  SONG OF CREATION: a Song which can, according to Icarii and Avar legend, actually create life itself. StarDrifter claimed that Axis sang it to himself while still in Rivkah’s womb.

  SONG OF RECREATION: one of the most powerful Icarii spells which can literally recreate life in the dying. It cannot, however, make the dead rise again. Only the most powerful Enchanters can sing this Song.

  SORCERY: see ‘Magic’.

  SPIKEFEATHER TRUESONG: an Icarii Wing- and Crest-Leader.

  SPIREDORE: one of the magical Keeps of Tencendor. Now owned by Azhure.

  SPREADWING RAVENCRY: a Crest-Leader in the Icarii Strike Force.

  STAR DANCE, The: the source from which the Icarii Enchanters derive their power. It is the music made by the stars in their eternal dance through the heavens.

  STARDRIFTER: an Icarii Enchanter, father to Gorgrael, Axis and EvenSong.

  STAR GATE: one of the sacred sites of the Icarii people, situated underneath the Ancient Barrows and very hard to access.

  STAR GODS, The: the nine gods of the Icarii, although only seven of their names have been revealed to the Icarii. See separate entries under Adamon, Xanon, Narcis, Flulia, Pors, Zest and Silton.

  STARMAN, The: the man who, according to the Prophecy of the Destroyer, is the only one who can defeat Gorgrael—Axis SunSoar.

  STARREST SOARDEEP: an Icarii Enchanter, one of those who helps to recover the site of the Star Gate.

  STARS, HOUSE of the: Axis’ personal House.

  STARSHINE EVENHEART: an Icarii Enchanter.

  STRAUM ISLAND: a large island off the coast of Ichtar and inhabited by sealers.

  STRIKE FORCE: the military force of the Icarii.

  SUNDOWN CROOKCLAW: one of the Icarii Strike Force killed in the Skraeling attack on the sacred Earth Tree Grove at Yuletide past. EvenSong SunSoar filled his place in SpikeFeather TrueSong’s Wing.

  SUNSOAR, HOUSE of: the ruling House of the Icarii for many thousands of years.

  TAILEM BEND: the great bend in the River Nordra where it turns from its westerly direction and flows south towards Nordmuth and the Sea of Tyrre.

  TALON, The: the hereditary ruler of the Icarii people (and ‘once’ over all of the peoples of Tencendor). Generally of the House of SunSoar.

  TALON SPIKE: the highest mountain in the Icescarp Alps, the home of the Icarii people.

  TANABATA: a Ravensbund elder.

  TARANTAISE: a rather poor southern province of Achar. Relies on trade for its income. It is administered by Baron Greville.

  TARE: small trading town in northern Tarantaise. Home to Embeth, Lady of Tare.

  TARE, PLAINS of: the plains that lie between Tare and Grail Lake.

  TEKAWAI: the preferred tea of the Ravensbund people, made from the dried seaweed of the Icebear Coast. It is always brewed and served ceremonially and is drunk from small porcelain cups bearing the emblem of the blood-red blazing sun.

  TEMPLE MOUNT: the plateau on the top of the massive mountain in the south-east corner of the Island of Mist and Memory. It houses the Temple Complex.

  TEMPLE OF THE STARS: one of the Icarii sacred sites, located on the Island of Mist and Memory.

  TENCENDOR: once the ancient name for the continent of Achar before the Wars of the Axe, and, under Axis’ leadership, the reforged nation of the Acharites, Avar and Icarii.

  THREE BROTHERS LAKES: three minor lakes in southern Aldeni.

  TIME OF THE PROPHECY OF THE DESTROYER, The: the time that begins with the birth of the Destroyer and the StarMan and that will end when one destroys the other.

  TIMOZEL: son of Embeth and Ganelon of Tare, and a member of the Axe-Wielders. Once Champion to Faraday, Timozel’s soul has been seized by Gorgrael.

  TREE FRIEND: in Avar legend Tree Friend will be the person who will lead the Avar back to their traditional homes south of the Fortress Ranges. Tree Friend is a
lso the person who will bring the Avarinheim behind the StarMan. The unfolding of the Prophecy of the Destroyer has revealed Tree Friend to be Faraday.

  TREE SONG: whatever Song the trees choose to sing you. Many times they will sing the future, other times they will sing love and protection. The trees can also sing death.

  TYRRE, SEA of: the ocean off the south-west coast of Achar.

  UNIT: see ‘Military Terms’.