The Valdemar Companion

by John Helfers; Denise Little

  Heshain (Wizard)

  The mage-lord who raided the Sisterhood of Spell and Sword complex, killing the fighters and everyone else not mage-talented and kidnapping the gifted girls. (Winds)

  Hesten

  One of Tarma’s students, he began school with a bit of an attitude. Nobly born, he thought being a fancy swordsman was sufficient until Tarma educated him about the reality of fighting. (Oath)

  Hevenbeck

  A town in Valdemar’s northern sector. Kris and Talia visited there twice during their circuit. Their first stop resulted in a startling judgment involving a parsimonious older couple and their servant. The second involved an attack by raiders from over the border, and finished in the grim aftermath of a bloody battle. (Arrows)

  Heverd

  One of Lord Rendan’s gang members killed by Vanyel during the ambush. (LHM)

  Hewar (Father)

  A young priest at Forst Reach’s village. He didn’t approve of the sanctimonious and restrictive Father Leren, according to Radevel, who agreed with Heward’s judgement. (LHM)

  her’y

  Shin’a’in term meaning “(is this not) the truth?” (Oath)

  Hewerd

  One of Lord Rathgar’s loyal guards. After the attack on the bridal feast, the wounded armsman Hewerd told Kerowyn that the raiders were accompanied by a mage and a hypnotic fog. (Sword)

  Hicanth

  A spring flower which produces a heady scent. They grow in abundance in Queen Selenay’s Palace Gardens. (Arrows)

  Hielmarsh

  A town southeast of Petras in Rethwellan. A deserted tower there was used as a torture chamber for Raschar’s bespelled sister Idra. To keep curious peasants away, he spread rumors that the place was haunted. (Oath)

  Hieratic script

  Karsite writing. It has a short form, which Karal and Ulrich used for taking notes. (Storm)

  High Court of Valdemar

  At Haven, located in the Palace. Appointees from all of Valdemar’s districts as well as the guilds gather to hear matters brought by the people to their representatives for the High Court to decide. The Monarch, Monarch’s Own, Heir to the Throne, Seneschal, and Heraldic representatives also attend. Among all the Great Courts of nobility in the realm, this is the true court, the one where the real business of governing is done and the important social contacts are made. (LHM)

  High Feast

  A fancy dinner put on by a noble or royal for an important occasion. The bridal supper for Kero’s brother was one, and it was a struggle for Rathgar’s small staff to provide the required number of courses for such an event. (Sword)

  High Magick/Magic

  A concentrated and specialized sorcery practiced by Courtly mages. (Oath, Winds, Storm, Sword)

  High Spur Road

  The road that branches off the Pelagiris Road and leads to Lythecare. (Winds)

  High Table

  The table at noble houses where the most exalted personages sit. The one at Forst Reach’s manor-keep was raised on a dais a hand span above the rest of the room and set at the head of the lower table. From its vantage point, Lord Withen Ashkevron ruled the roost, overlooking all those seated below. (LHM)

  Highjorune

  Capital of Lineas, it was the stronghold of the Remoerdis clan until their massacre. Vanyel found that the city lay on an intersection of seven powerful lines of force. The ley lines are dangerous and could cause earthquakes and eruptions if used. A Heartstone was placed above the conjunction to heal the lines. It is the Remoerdis Clan duty to protect this Heartstone located in the palace. (LHM)

  Hildre

  One of Quenten’s mages whose specialty was identifying and counterfeiting mage auras. Hildre intercepted a mage message from one of Prince Ancar’s commanders, enabling Daren to thwart the attack Ancar was planning on Kerowyn’s troops. (Sword)

  Hiring Fairs

  Where traveling laborers come seeking local employment. When Talia was contemplating running away to avoid being forcibly married, she remembered the hungry, desperate look of the out-of-work men haunting Sensholding’s Hiring Fairs; and she recalled that she had never seen any women among those seeking employment, which was not encouraging for her plan of hiring herself out as a menial. (Arrows)

  Hiring hall

  Established in various cities, they are meeting places for those seeking employment and potential employers, and collect a fee for the service. Most are simply halls lined with benches on each side with a desk at the end opposite the door. Tarma and Kethry stopped at a hiring hail when they arrived at Mornedealch. (Oath)

  Ho Play

  A traditional and very boring stylized enacting of traditional stories, the Haighlei art form was of little interest to most who attended the Evening Court. Nevertheless, custom demanded that it be staged at prescribed intervals during the year. (Gryphons)

  Hob

  The blacksmith and unelected leader of a half-abandoned Hardornen village where Elspeth and her escort spent a night. (Storm)

  Hob

  Healer-trainee, stocky, blond, over-eager, and a little self-conscious, He and his Healer mentor saw to Lavan’s recuperation after the school fire. (BB)

  Holard

  Kero’s wiry little orderly, a native of the Valdemaran-Rethwellan border mountains. He advised her to wear sheepskin boots to protect her feet, plus two pairs of wool socks, when she headed into that territory. (Sword)

  Holderkin

  A puritanical, patriarchal border folk dwelling in the southeastern corner of Valdemar’s territory. Originally, the Holderkin were from outkingdom in Karse. Talia’s family had settled in Valdemar less than two generations before Talia was Chosen as Herald. Holderkin discourage knowledge of outsiders and merely tolerate the intrusion of the Heralds and Valdemaran rule. They fled from religious persecution in Karse and are determined to cling firmly to their own ways in their new land. In their belief system, a patriarchal god and a passive, submissive goddess govern mortal lives. Their land is stony and difficult to farm, and raiders attack them every winter. Nevertheless, they scorn help, even from Healers, so many injuries and illnesses end in unnecessary deaths. Their hard lives dictate cultural patterns. The males over the age of ten are higher in rank than all women. Adolescent marriages are the norm, to hurry reproduction and make certain there are offspring to continue the Holderkin ways. A Holderkin household consists of the Father, his First Wife and Underwives, all unmarried sons and daughters, and Father’s Mother, if she is widowed. One household may combine with others into a Holding, or exist alone as a Steading. (Arrows)

  Holka Creek

  Place outside of Shonar where one of Tremane’s scouting parties had an encounter with a spiderlike Mage-Storm Change-creature. (Storm)

  Hollybush Tavern

  The tavern in Haven owned by Skif’s Uncle Lander. It was a low class dump that served food made from the discards of better taverns and beer that barely passed for drinkable. (TT)

  Holy Kreeshta

  Exclamation of alarm. (Gryphon)

  Holy Lerence

  A highly regarded famous religious figure of the past. The maid Reta, in telling Vanyel the terrible history of the Houses of Remoerdis and Mavelan, said she wondered if that was what Holy Lerence meant when he said. “The sins of the fathers shall be taken up by the sons”. (LHM)

  Honeybee

  Master Sun-priest-Mage Ulrich’s mule. She was very steady, but with a “sting” in her hind hooves. (Storm)

  Hooters

  A mercenary company. Karsite bandits overran their winter quarters and killed the civilians while the Hooters were putting down a rebellion in Ruvan. The incident created a lingering hatred of Karsites, as the “bandits” were suspected of being regular army, and the Hooters weren’t anywhere near Karse or threatening that land at the time of the massacre. (Winds)

  Hopeless

  Ugly, big war mare, partner of Graceless, trained by Beaker and Jodi and used in breaking other horses. (Oath)

  Horn

/>   A town on the Trade Road leading from Haven to the Karsite border. As Vanyel jokingly noted later in his career, the peacock he used to be got lost somewhere south of Horn. (LHM)

  Horned Hunters

  One of the Imperial peoples. Some were soldiers serving with Tremane’s forces. A shamanistic sect, they wanted to turn a corner of their barracks into a permanent sweat house; they further requested permission to go on dream quests and hold ritual fastings during the long snow-bound winter at Shonar. (Storm)

  Hostel

  In Hardorn, they are always on the main road and in the main square of a town, with a Guardpost close by. The hostels look like inns, but the signs outside always have as a symbol a wheat sheaf and a crown. When Talia and Kris were on their ambassadorial mission to Hardorn, they were instructed to stay at one of the hostels every night. The establishments were an innovation begun by King Alessandar, intending them to serve as a courtesy to those moving about his realm on official business. Court officials, envoys from other countries, and clergy were all given free and unlimited use of the facilities. (Arrows)

  Hounds

  The Hardornen symbol of fidelity. Tremane’s temporary throne, a theatrical prop, originally had been decorated with carvings of Imperial wolves, which Hardornen artisans converted to hounds. (Storm)

  Hounds, The

  Two stars that chase the sun at dusk. They provide a regular clock for the evening hours on clear, cloudless nights. (Arrows)

  House of Healing

  An intensive-care hospital located in Haven. Cases too severe to be treated elsewhere are brought here as a last resort. (Arrows)

  House of Scarlet Joys

  A brothel, one of three in Brether’s Crossroads. Kethry took a room there and invited Tarma to join her, as it was the least likely place murdering bandits would look for them. (Oath)

  Hovan

  Healer apprentice with the Skybolts, he put something in the lamp oil used in Captain Kerowyn’s tent; it made the Lamp smoke, but kept out the bugs. (Sword)

  Hover-sled

  Related to a carry-basket. Magically operated, it floats at half man-height. These were used during the Mage War for moving troop supplies and during the evacuation to carry what the refugees would need beyond the Gates. (Gryphon)

  Howell

  Cloth Merchants’ Guildmaster. He attended one of Lady Chitward’s parties and insisted on giving Lavan a package of tools suitable for an apprentice in the trade: a lens for examining a fabric’s weave, a rule to determine thread count, scissors, etc. Howell’s hands were permanently stained by indigo dye. (BB)

  Hulda

  The Adept mistress of Ancar, his ally, and teacher in black sorcery. She was voluptuous, with violet-colored eyes. good features, and long dark hair. She was also an agent of Emperor Charliss, and was sent to infiltrate Hardorn and later to spy on Valdemar. She told Ancar she would train him to be an Adept and promised him that he’d have dominion over seven kingdoms, including Valdemar. Her plan was to become Elspeth’s nursemaid and turn her into enough of a brat that she would never be Chosen. Ancar would then offer marriage to Elspeth and take Valdemar. Hulda’s plans were ruined when Talia was Chosen as Queen’s Own and discovered that Hulda was responsible for Elspeth’s behavior. Lord Orthallen warned Hulda of her imminent arrest, so she fled back to Hardorn. Talia would meet her again and learn part of the truth when she was captured and tortured during an ambassadorial mission to Hardorn. Hulda fell out of favor with Ancar because she could not or would not deliver what she had promised him—dominion over the kingdoms surrounding Hardorn. Hulda was also arousing suspicions in her true employer, Charliss, so he sent a second agent to Hardorn to analyze the situation and eliminate her if necessary. When Elspeth and her comrades stormed Ancar’s castle, Hulda tried to flee through a Gate with this agent. In desperation, Elspeth killed them both. (Arrows, Winds)

  Huur

  An eagle-owl bondblrd. Snowfire’s second bondbird and Hweel’s mate. (Owl)

  Huur

  Winterlight’s bondbird, a tuft-eared owl. (Winds)

  Hweel

  Snowfire’s primary bondbird, a short-eared eagle-owl. His mate is Huur. (Owl)

  Hydee

  An Errold’s Grove teenager. and one of Shandi’s circle of girlfriends. (Owl)

  Hydona

  Gryphon Master mage whose name means kindness. Larger than her mate Treyvan and mother to a pair of gryphlets, she took over from Darkwind when he was having problems training Elspeth to become an Adept. Hydona and Trevan were the advance guard sent by the Kaled’a’in Clan k’Leshya to investigate the appropriateness of the Vale area for settlement by a group from White Gryphon. When k’Sheyna Vale became open, they got permission to move their people into it. (Storm, Winds)

  Hyllarr

  Crested hawk-eagle of bondbird breeding, wounded and captured by a blood-path mage, then rescued by Darkwind, Elspeth, and the k’Sheyna hertasi. Elspeth thought that Hyllarr would be a natural bondbird for Starblade to help him recover from the damages Mornelithe had inflicted upon him, after Vree killed the bondbird construct that held Starblade in thrall to Falconsbane. Hyllar agreed, as he was injured and wanted to bond with someone who would provide him with company and care. (Winds)

  Hyron (Bard)

  Speaker for the Bardic Circle on the Queen’s Council. He supported King Alessandar’s marriage proposal for Elspeth’s hand, and Talia noted Bard Hyron was one of the Counsellors most eager for Lord Orthallen’s approval. After the battle with Hardorn, however, the Bard’s loyalty was confirmed. Talia told him his Circle would be invaluable in the future, because the Bards were Valdemar’s only repository of knowledge about the old magic. (Arrows)

  Hyrryl

  Shaman of the kyree Hot Springs Clan, a snow-white beauty with eyes as blue as a Companion’s. (LHM)

  Hywel

  The chief of the Ghost Cat tribe’s son, who followed the Ghost Cat Avatar out of the tribe’s encampment, hoping to find a magical cure for his little brother Jendey, who had the Summer Fever. Hywel had prayed for help, and received it in an unexpected form when he was captured by Kelvren the gryphon, taught the Tayledras language by Tyrsell the dyheli, and interrogated by Darian and Keisha. Keisha discovered the cause of Summer Fever and cured Hywel’s brother. According to custom, Hywel was now indebted to Keisha and Darian. To discharge his debt, he led them safely through the Northern territories on a search for Darians parents. (Owl)

  Ibram (King)

  He was the previous Emperor of Shalaman’s kingdom. Shalaman’s mother was his First Consort; his third consort was Noyoki’s mother, and Noyoki was her last son. (Gryphon)

  Ice Wall Mountains

  Far to the north of Valdemar, the Wall lies near Crookback Pass and beyond the wilderness of the Forest of Wendwintcr. This was where Vanyel died fighting Leareth. (Arrows, LHM, Owl)

  Iceshadow k’Sheyna

  K’Sheyna Elder. (Winds)

  Icolan Ar Perdin

  A dour little man, he was Lerryn Twoblades’ second-in-command in the Skybolts. When the Skybolts split up after the Karsite army’s breakthrough, Kerowyn went with Icolan’s group. Icolan died on that mission, clearing the way for Ardana to take over the Skybolts. (Sword)

  Idra (Captain)

  Third in line to Rethwellan’s throne, she renounced her hereditary rights to become a mercenary. She formed the Sunhawks twenty-five years before Tarma and Kethry met her. A muscular, athletic-looking woman, Idra had mouse-gray hair, a heroic face, and was a born horsewoman. Her fellow mercenary Devaril called her “Old Horseface,” and her brother Stefansen’s nickname for her was “Dree,” Idra was well-respected by her country, so when a dispute erupted as to which of her brothers, Raschar or Stefen, would inherit the throne, she was called home. Originally she was in favor of the eldest, Raschar, but changed her mind and supported Stefen instead. Before she could publicly declare her choice, Raschar drugged her and took her to Hielmarsh where he and his men raped and tortured her. She managed to
get a knife and kill herself to end the pain. Tarma and Kethry discovered what had happened, rounded up the Sunhawks and captured Raschar for judgement. They called Oathbreaker on him and released Idra from the Havens long enough to exact her revenge. (Oath)

  Idry

  Unpartnered Companion and Florian’s younger sister. She was first to volunteer for the mission to Urtho’s Tower, and was An’desha’s mount for that arduous journey. (Storm)

  Iftel

  Country north of Hardorn and east of Valdemar, it is an isolated and unassailable country, protected by an unbreachable force barrier. It has always been a mystery, even though Iftel has an ambassador in Valdemar. Its land is guarded by Vykaendys, a proprietary and powerful deity, the same Vkandis of Karse. The god created the impenetrable barrier around Iftel, and only those invited or priests of the Sun God can penetrate it. The people of this country served in Urtho’s Third Army, and survived the ancient Cataclysm by fleeing to Iftel by Gate. Afterward, they lacked the magic power to go elsewhere. Only a few traders have been permitted to cross the border into the country. However, those who want to leave are allowed to and generally describe the country as boring. Ancar made one attempt to invade Iftel which ended with his armies transported en masse back to his capital and their memories of Iftel wiped clean. Mages who accompanied them vanished. Now, with the approach of a new Cataclysm, Iftel and its deity have decided to aid the new Hardornian alliance, and have sent a wing of gryphons to join King Tremane’s forces. Tashiketh, the wing’s leader, explained that Iftel uses blood-sport games to choose its warriors and that those who flew to Hardom were all champions. Their rankings in the contests also determine the gryphons’ hierarchy and Iftel’s tax distributions. The countries of Iftel, Valdemar, Karse, and Hardorn now have binding peace treaties. (BV)