The Valdemar Companion

by John Helfers; Denise Little

  Brownie

  A gentle milch cow at the Chesters’ farm where Pa Chester taught Lavan how to milk. (BB)

  Bryerly (Countess)

  Distantly related to the Lady Treesa’s relatives, the Brendewhins. The kindness of Countess Bryerly eased Treesa’s way into the Palace social scene. (LHM)

  Bryon

  One of Ancar’s mages, he was ordered to accompany and control Hardonen troops sent to invade Valdemar. (Winds)

  Brytha

  The white dyheli mage stag Darkwlnd rode to Hardorn. Brytha was Firesong’s usual mount, and carried him from k’Treva Vale to k’Sheyna Vale and then to Valdemar. (Winds)

  Bumblefoot

  Bondbird foot infection which can permanently cripple the bird if not properly cared for. (Owl)

  Burning Pines

  Site of the last battle of Lavan Firestorm. During the invasion of the Dark Servants of Karse, Lavan called down an all-consuming fire that destroyed the enemy and himself. To this day nothing will grow there except grass and firecone pines. (Arrows, BB)

  By the Names and the Powers

  A pledge made by the priest of Felwether when he accepted Tarma as Lady Myrias champion and Kethry as the potential solver of Lord Corbie’s murder. (Oath)

  Cafri

  The hertasi who was Kechara’s best friend, playmate, and caretaker in White Gryphon. (Gryphon)

  Calla

  One of the hertasi assisting the Healers in Ka’venusho. (Gryphon)

  Calum

  A scout and career fighter with the Guard, he led Lavan’s scout party to a good defensive position on the battlefield at White Foal Pass. (BB)

  Cariodoc (Lord)

  One of Queen Selenay’s counselors. (Arrows)

  Cartage Guild

  Operated in Jacona, capital of Charliss’ Empire, the guild for professional drivers of carts for hire. (Storm)

  Carter’s Lane

  A street in the Rethwellan capitol of Petras wide enough for four wagons to travel abreast. It is where several popular inns and taverns, including the Pig and Potion, are located. (Oath)

  Caryo (Companion)

  Queen Selenay’s Companion, she once kicked Prince Karathanelan, Queen Selenay’s devious first husband. (Arrows)

  Cascade shields

  A layering technique for constructing protective shields. The only shield actually using power is the outermost one, until something contacts it. (Winds)

  Cat-child

  Justin’s friend and a former victim of Wethes Goldmarchant’s sadism, she helped Tarma rescue Kethry from his clutches. She eventually became a weapons merchant. (Oath)

  Cataclysm

  The term describing the aftermath of the Mage-Storms caused when Urtho and Ma’ar’s headquarters were destroyed. (Gryphon)

  Cathan (Lady)

  A councilwoman and speaker for the Guilds during the reign of Queen Selenay. (Arrows, Storm, Winds)

  Cave of the Winds

  The Tayledras end of the Gate through which Herald-Mage Savil brought the dying Vanyel. (Winds)

  Cavil (Herald)

  The Herald pulled off Circuit duty to escort the k’Sheyna Gaters who arrived at Ashkevron manor. (Winds)

  Cedrys (Lady)

  Mistress of Briary Holding. (LHM)

  Ceejay/Seejay

  The land southeast of Karse, where Mind-magic and slavery are practiced. (Storm, Winds)

  Celandine (Master)

  An artist, painter of portraits, designer of furnishings, and maker of palace decorations, he was the Eastern Empire’s spy at Haven. Tremane ordered him to release assassination weapons known as “little birds” in an effort to break Valdemar’s foreign alliances. He murdered Ulrich and Querna, envoy of the Shin’a’in. (Storm)

  Celin

  He was the shaman of Ghost Cat Clan, and performed the sweat lodge ritual that made Darian Firkin an official part of the clan. (Owl)

  Cendal-wood

  A sweet-scented, vermin-proof wood native to Valdemar, and used to build food storage bins at the supply posts along the Herald circuit routes. It is also used to build chests and wardrobes. (Arrows)

  Chadran (Bard)

  A champion swordsman and full Bard, he taught history at the Collegium in Vanyel’s time. (LHM)

  Chagren shena Liha’irden

  A Swordsworn Shin’a’in Healer who aided Karal in the aftermath of the mage weapon channeling at Urtho’s Tower. (Storm)

  Chana

  A hertasi and Gesten’s daughter, she was in charge of packing the carry-basket for Tad and Blade’s trip to Outpost Five. (Gryphon)

  Change-beasts

  Created by the Mage-Storms, they were the result of the twisted magic associated with Change-circles. Change-beasts were also created by magical scars left on the lands by the great Mage-Wars. Some Dark Adepts created Change-beasts intentionally. Sometimes the parents are normal, but their offspring have new attributes, frequently dangerous ones. There are assorted species, including Change-bears, Change-boars, and Change-lions. (Owl, Storm, Winds)

  Change-children

  Humans or creatures modified from their original form by magic, sometimes intentionally by Adept Mages, sometimes by accident, as in the change-circles and in the untamed areas of the Pelagiris Forest. Nyara was a Change-child. (Winds)

  Change-circles

  Caused by the Mage-Storms, they are circles of land where matter is transposed or exchanged from other places or other states of being in the wild mage-energy of the storms. Unwary beasts and humans caught in them during the storms are altered, sometimes fatally, many times lethally. Northern barbarian Blood Bear Clan members entered such circles voluntarily and emerged as Change-beasts. Animals and plants weren’t the only things altered within the circles. A new paralytic disease created in the circles afflicted Blood Bear Clan and all the people they encountered during their raids and battles. (Owl, Storm)

  Change-lions

  A form of change-beast with huge canines extending far beyond the jaws, capable of working primitive invisibility magic. As long as they do not move while a human is looking directly at them, they cannot be seen. (Winds)

  Channel

  Someone with the ability to channel magical energy, who can work with a mage to store power or to funnel or filter power too strong for the mage to handle directly. Channels cannot control, see, or sense the power themselves. (LHM, Storm)

  Charis (Herald)

  She rode circuit near Valdemar’s southeastern border, and brought the bad news about the Karsite invasion (BB)

  Charliss (Emperor)

  The nineteenth Emperor of the East, he was known as “The Immortal.” An Adept, his mage powers prolonged his life to nearly two Centuries. One of the many Sons of Emperor Lioth, Charliss ascended to the throne at age thirty, and held power ruthlessly until his death. (Storm)

  Charm-makers

  slang term for a hedge-wizard or mage of little talent. Ancar referred to weather-wizard mage applicants as mere charm-makers, until Falconsbane told him weather-wizardry was a genuine craft. (Winds)

  Chasern

  A fruit grown in k’Sheyna Vale. (Winds)

  Chass

  A Herald trainee with the Gift of weather-working. (Winds)

  Chava

  A hot, sweet drink, sometimes topped with beaten cream, popular with the Hawkbrothers. The hertczsi also make a cookie with chava. (Winds)

  Cherin

  Tremane’s chief aide. (Storm)

  Che’sera

  A blue-clad Kalenedral and scholar from Kata’shin’a’in who is a shaman and Swordsworn to the Old One. (Storm)

  Chester, Cassle

  One of Tuck Chester’s sisters. (BB)

  Chester (Granny)

  Tuck’s grandmother, a spry, blue-eyed old lady with flossy, snow-white curly hair. She was called Curious Kit in her youth, because she always wanted to know, “what else happened?” when hearing stories or news accounts. (BB)

  Chester, Guy

  One of Tuck’s br
others. (BB)

  Chester, Hal

  One of Tuck’s brothers. (BB)

  Chester, Jan

  One of Tuck’s younger brothers. (BB)

  Chester, Ma

  Tuck’s mother. (BB)

  Chester, Merry

  One of Tuck’s sisters, a boy-crazy blonde. (BB)

  Chester, Pa

  Tuck’s father. (BB)

  Chester, Sheela

  One of Tuck’s sisters. (BB)

  Chester, Stane

  One of Tuck’s brothers. (BB)

  Chester, Trinny

  One of Tuck’s sisters. (BB)

  Chester, Tuck (Herald)

  Lavan’s best friend, partnered by Companion Dacerie. He is from a very large and noisy farm family in Briarly Crossing. (BB)

  Child-bane

  An herbal abortifacient. Moon-flower powder was much kinder; rather than eliminate an early pregnancy, daily use prevented pregnancy altogether. (Sword)

  Children of My Other Self

  The name the Star-Eyed Goddess gave Herald Roald and his Companion. (Oath)

  Children of the Hawk

  The Tale’sedrin Clan of the Shin’a’in, originally called the Taylesederas or Brothers of the Hawks. (Winds)

  Children’s Cloister

  A Karsite center where youngsters taken by the Black Robe Priests live and study until they are accepted as novice priests or servants, or are given to the fires as unusable or intractable. (Storm)

  Chirras

  A northern pack animal with triple-layered fur to endure cold weather. They are tall as a horse but with a longer neck. Their clawed feet are doglike, enabling them to scratch away snow drifts or walk atop them. Chirras have large, floppy ears and rabbitlike faces. Curious and intelligent, they are fond of music, and can hum in counterpoint to it. (Arrows, LHM)

  Chitward, Archer

  Lavan’s father, a cloth merchant, married to Nelda Hardcrider, a needleworker. (BB)

  Chitward, Feodor

  Lavan’s brother. (BB)

  Chitward, Lavan

  See Lavan Chitward

  Chitward, Lerris

  Lavan’s Uncle. (BB)

  Chitward, Macy

  Lavan’s sister and later one of the Queen’s embroiderers, she was the only member of his family that Lavan felt close to. Lavan’s best friend, Tuck, had a crush on her. (BB)

  Chitward, Nelda (née Hardcrider)

  Lavan’s mother and the Needleworker’s Guild Representative for five counties. (BB)

  Chitward, Samael

  Lavan’s older brother, apprenticed to one of their father’s colleagues in the Cloth Merchants Guild. (BB)

  Choose/Choosing

  The process of selecting Heralds, carried out by the Companions, who make those choices by their own unfathomable but unerring criteria. They Choose irrespective of age or gender, but tend to select youngsters just entering adolescence and boys more often than girls. Once Chosen, a Herald enters into a lifelong bond between herself or himself and the Companion. A Herald’s death usually means the death of the companion as well. (Arrows)

  Christa (Herald)

  Trained by Dirk, her Gift was Fetching. On her internship assignment she died saving children from raider fires in a village near Gyrefalcon’s Marches. Dirk felt guilty because he had never fully trained her on how to use the Fetching Gift to transport people, and those instructions would have saved her life. (Arrows)

  Chroniclers

  They are the keepers of the Archives. Many of Valdemar’s Guilds and important estates employ Chroniclers to maintain their historical records as does the Heraldic Collegium. Herald-Chronicler Myste’s records form a major part of the history of Valdemar as we know it. (BB)

  Chulka

  Chief hunter of the northern Gray Wolf Clan. (Owl)

  Cinnabar (Lady)

  Urtho’s kinswoman, a Healer of noble birth, a gracious lady and Tamsin’s lifebonded mate. (Gryphon)

  Cinsley

  The White Winds Adept who was rescued by the hertasi Gervase of the Pelaglr Hills. In gratitude, Cinsley made the lizardman a Mage and adopted him as his apprentice. (Oath)

  Circuit

  A regular route assigned to Heralds, with each Circuit covering specific sectors of Valdemar. The Heralds provide justice, communication from Haven, and stability for the kingdom’s outlying districts. At any given time, most of the Heralds will be out riding these circuits, gathering in formation for the Queen, and explaining the latest laws of Valdemar to the people. (Arrows)

  Citizens for Rights Group

  Jacona’s Underground Resistance movement against Baron Melles’ undeclared martial law and his other repressive new measures. (Storm)

  Clan banner

  The symbol of a Shin’a’in clan, After the bandit raid, Tarma retrieved her clan’s banner and took it to the Liha’irden camp. (Oath)

  Clan Elders

  The ruling Council of each Tayledras Vale. The members do not have to be elderly, but they are appointed by the other Clan Elders or are elected by the group they are representing (scouts, Mages, etc). (Winds)

  Clan Keep Voorthayshen

  Tayledras community with structures that make use of natural elements, including trees, ferns, hot springs for bathing, and sky lights for illumination. The furnishings and decorations mimic leaves or bent branches, blending in with the Keep’s theme. The Keep sits in a tear-drop shaped vale guarded by a magical barrier. (LHM)

  Clan Mother Kethryveris

  Kethry’s title when she became the matriarch of Tale’sedrin Clan. (Sword)

  Clan of the Racing Deer

  Also known as the Liha’irden Clan. Racing Deer Clan watched over Clan Tale’sedrin’s assets until Tarma had completed her revenge and rebuilt her clan. (Oath)

  Clan of the Stooping Hawk

  Also known as the Tale’sedrin clan—Tarma’s people who were attacked by bandits and massacred. Tarma was the only survivor, she and Kethry rebuilt the clan with fosterlings, adoptees and Kethry’s children. (Oath)

  Clans of the Folk

  Kyree communities. They have a treaty with the Tayledras. Aroon, the far ranger of the Hot Springs Kyree Clan, acknowledged that since Vanyel was Wingbrother to the k’Treva, his clan was honor-bound to give aid and shelter to him and his friends. (LHM)

  Clave

  One of Bazie’s fences for stolen textiles. (TT)

  Clay (Widow)

  A resident of Errold’s Grove. She had a bad leg and therefore couldn’t be expected to do field work so she did the town’s basketwork, knitting, and sewing. (Owl)

  Cleaning stone

  See sturgeon stone.

  Cleansing Fires

  Before Solaris, groups of people selected by Karse’s priests were burned at the stake as heretics. These mass burnings were known as Cleansing Fires. (Storm)

  Clerence (Duke)

  One of the Empire’s less admirable members of the nobility. (Storm)

  “Cletius and the Bathtub”

  A Fable cited by Natoli as an example of inspiration which may occur when someone quits trying to think too hard of a solution to a knotty problem. (Storm)

  Clevis (Prince)

  The oldest son of King Theran and Queen Fyllis. (BB)

  Climbing tool

  Used by Tayledras scouts to aid their movement through trees, it has hooked end and can be used as a deadly weapon as well as a tool. (Owl, Winds)

  Cloister

  A temple dedicated to the Goddess but used in a restrictive form by the Holderkin. The Cloister is served by women called to the vocation and they spend their entire lives in prayer for the souls of their people. Garbed head to toe in all-concealing robes, they vow never to leave the Cloister and observe an oath of perpetual silence. (Arrows)

  Cloistered Order of Krnos Sequestered

  An order where the nuns voluntarily have themselves sealed into small solitary cells where they spend the rest of their lives worshiping and praying. The cells are comfortable and anything that
the inhabitant needs is attended to by cloister workers and overseen by the Priestess. (BB)

  Clover tea

  A favorite with Lady Treesa and the women of her bower, clover tea is reputed to prevent aging and keep the complexion young. Red clover is preferred, but white clover is also used. (LHM)

  Cold Blades

  Followers of the Cold God, they are identified by a spider-web brand on one palm. They become assassins to provide a legacy for their families or to do penance for a terrible sin. If they are not killed while fulfilling their assignments, they commit suicide, leaving no trail back to whoever hired them. (Winds)

  Cold God

  A deity worshipped far to the south of Valdemar. Some of his worshippers hire themselves out as assassins. (Winds)

  Colddrake

  One of Ma’ar’s evil constructs, also known as ice dragons. They resemble huge snakes with stubby legs. They are slow-moving, but can hypnotize their prey into submission. They inhabit the Pelagir Hills and Northern Territory. (BV)

  College of Chirurgeons

  A unversity in Predain where Amberdrake was sent when he was thirteen to study modern medicine. (Gryphon)

  Comb, The

  A range of hills along the Rethwellan-Valdemaran border. Sheer rock faces and narrow goat tracks hold barely enough scrub vegetation for grazing. Many travelers die attempting to cross in winter. (Oath, Sword)

  Commander Sterm

  He carried out Melles and General Thayer’s martial law orders for Jacona, the Empire’s throne city. (Storm)

  Companions

  These are otherworldly creatures that resemble magnificent snow-white horses with brilliant blue eyes. As intelligent as a human, they search out those who will be Chosen as Heralds. The process of Choosing forms a mind-to-mind link that may only be broken by the Companion. Conmmunication between Companions and their Chosen is through Mindspeech or more subtle channels, if a Herald is not Gifted in that respect. A severing of the bond by the death of the Herald often means the Conipanion’s death as well.

  Initially, all Companions were Grove-Born, magically materializing as adults, just as the first three companions did. Eventually, enough took up residence in Haven that natural reproductive processes began. One Companion is always Grove-Born, and is the one that Chooses the Monarch’s Own. “Ordinary” Companions are the reincarnated spirits of former Heralds, though they keep this knowledge from the Heralds. Without the Companions, Valdemar’s independence would not have been possible nor would its long and enviable history of just rule and domestic stability. (BV)