by Robert Ryan
Durletha: Hal. “She who is as enduring as stone.” A witch of Alithoras whose birth was before even the rise of the ancient, but now forgotten, Letharn empire.
Durlin: Hal. “The steadfast.” The original Durlin were the seven sons of the first king of Cardoroth. They guarded him against all enemies, of which there were many, and three died to protect him. Their tradition continued throughout Cardoroth’s history, suspended only once, and briefly, some four hundred years ago when it was discovered that three members were secretly in the service of elùgroths. These were imprisoned, but committed suicide while waiting for the king’s trial to commence. It is rumored that the king himself provided them with the knives that they used. It is said that he felt sorry for them and gave them this way out to avoid the shame a trial would bring to their families.
Durlin creed: These are the native Camar words, long remembered and much honored, uttered by the first Durlin to die while he defended his father, and king, from attack. Tum del conar – El dar tum! Death or infamy – I choose death! This man was a pupil of the lòhren Aranloth.
Durlindrath: Hal. “Lord of the steadfast.” The title given to the leader of the Durlin.
Duthenor: Duth. Prn. Dooth-en-or. “The people.” A single tribe, or sometimes a group of tribes melded into a larger people at times of war or disaster, who generally live a rustic and peaceful lifestyle. They are raisers of cattle and herders of sheep. However, when need demands they are fierce warriors – men and women alike.
Eleth nar duril: Hal. “Lie in peace.” Part of the Halathrin funerary chant.
Elugs: Hal. “That which creeps in shadows.” A cruel and superstitious race that inhabits the southern lands, especially the Graèglin Dennath.
Elùdrath: Hal. Prn. Eloo-drath. “Shadowed lord.” A sorcerer. First and greatest among elùgroths. Believed to be dead or defeated.
Elùgai: Hal. Prn. Eloo-guy. “Shadowed force.” The sorcery of an elùgroth.
Elùgroth: Hal. Prn. Eloo-groth. “Shadowed horror.” A sorcerer. They often take names in the Halathrin tongue in mockery of the lòhren’s practice to do so.
Elu-haraken: Hal. “The shadowed wars.” Long ago battles in a time that is become myth to the Camar tribes.
Exodus: The arrival of the Halathrin into Alithoras from an outside land. They came by ship and beached north of Anast Dennath.
Foresight: Premonition of the future. Can occur at random as a single image or as a longer sequence of events. Can also be deliberately sought by entering the realm between life and death where the spirit is released from the body to travel through space and time. To achieve this, the body must be brought to the very threshold of death. The first method is uncontrollable and rare. The second exceedingly rare but controllable for those with the skill and willingness to endure the danger.
Forgotten Queen (the): An epithet for Queen Carnhaina.
Free Cities: A group of cooperative city states that pool military resources to defend themselves against attack. Founded prior to Cardoroth. Initially ruled by kings and queens, now by a senate.
Galenthern: Hal. “Green flat.” Southern plains bounded by the Careth Nien and the Graèglin Dennath mountain range.
Gavnor: A lòhren of Queen Carnhaina’s ancient court. Driven by desperate need he attempted to Spirit Walk, though he did not have sufficient skill. He saw deeply into what was, and what yet may be. But he was assailed. He had neither the skill to attempt to defend himself, nor to return to his body. He was lost in the void, from whence none had ever returned. Yet Carnhaina recalled him, revealing herself as a great power, greater than most lòhrens or elùgroths. But Gavnor was changed by the experience. He withdrew from the court, renounced his stature among the lòhren order, and wandered the land as a lover of nature. It is said that his power was increased, and he may well yet still live. But none have seen him for long centuries.
Gernlik: Cam. A Durlin.
Gilhain: Comb. Cam & Hal. First element unknown, second “hero.” King of Cardoroth. Husband to Aurellin.
Graèglin Dennath: Hal. Prn. Greg-lin dennath. “Mountains of ash.” Chain of mountains in southern Alithoras. The landscape is one of jagged stone and boulder, relieved only by gaping fissures from which plumes of ashen smoke ascend, thus leading to its name. Believed to be impassable because of the danger of poisonous air flowing from cracks, and the ground unexpectedly giving way, swallowing any who dare to tread its forbidden paths. In other places swathes of molten stone run in rivers down its slopes.
Great North Road: An ancient construction of the Halathrin. Built at a time when they had settlements in the northern reaches of Alithoras. Warriors traveled swiftly from north to south in order to aid the main population who dwelt in Halathar when they faced attack from the south.
Grothanon: Hal. “Horror desert.” The flat salt plains south of the Graèglin Dennath.
Halath: Hal. King of the Halathrin. He died thousands of years ago. He led them on their exodus to Alithoras. Revered and loved as a great ruler. Originally, one of the main opponents of Elùdrath, leader of the elùgroths who sought dominion over Alithoras.
Halathar: Hal. “Dwelling place of the people of Halath.” The forest realm of the Halathrin.
Halathgar: Hal. “Bright star.” Actually a constellation. Also known as the Lost Huntress.
Halathrin: Hal. “People of Halath.” A race named after a mighty lord who led an exodus of his people to the continent of Alithoras in pursuit of justice, having sworn to redress a great evil. They are human, though of fairer form, greater skill and higher culture than ordinary men. They possess an inherent unity of body, mind and spirit enabling insight and endurance beyond other races of Alithoras. Reported to be immortal, but killed in great numbers during their conflicts with the evil they seek to destroy. Those conflicts are collectively known as the elù-haraken: the Shadowed Wars.
Harlak: Leth. An ancient name of Aranloth.
Harath Neben: Hal. “North gate.” This gate bears a token of two massive emeralds that represent the constellation of Halathgar. The gate is also known as “Hunter’s Gate,” for the north road out of the city leads to wild lands full of game.
Harlinlanloth: Hal. “The mighty power of gentle water over long years.” Current leader of the Drinhalath. Puissant in a form of Halathrin magic.
Harly: See Harlinlanloth.
Hilk Var Jernik: Captain of the Black Corps. A man of rare courage, intellect and judgement. Sentenced to a year’s servitude into the army of Cardoroth after being convicted of theft in his youth. So much did he impress his superior officers that they recommended him for promotion. This was denied by the aristocratic leaders of the army. The king, however, saw his worth as a man and promoted him.
Hvargil: Prince of Cardoroth. Younger son of Carangil, former king of Cardoroth. Exiled by Carangil for treason after it was discovered he plotted with elùgroths to assassinate his older half-brother, Gilhain, and prevent him from one day ascending to the throne. He gathered a band about him in exile of outlaws and discontents. Most came from Cardoroth but others were drawn from Camarelon.
Immortals: See Halathrin.
Jinks: See Hilk Var Jernik.
Karappe: A great healer of antiquity. Responsible for many of the medical treatises still used today among the Camar peoples. He lived to 109 years of age, and remained sprightly well past his hundredth birthday. Famous for recommending two mugs of beer, or one glass of wine, a day as good for health.
Kareste: A mysterious girl who helps Brand. She possess potent magic.
Kardoch: A hero of ancient lethrin society. Revered by them, and at times worshipped by them. It is believed that the elùgroths stamp out the latter practice. They have no room in their rule for reverence of anything save their own power, and the power that they ultimately serve themselves.
Khamdar: An elùgroth. Leader of the host the besieges Cardoroth.
Kirsch: A race of men who established a mighty empire across Alithoras. Yet they predated even the Lethar
n and nearly all knowledge of them is lost forever.
Lake Alithorin: Hal. “Silver lake.” A lake of northern Alithoras.
Letharn: Hal. “Stone raisers. Builders.” A race of people that in antiquity ruled much of Alithoras. Only traces of their civilization remain.
Lethrin: Hal. “Stone people.” Creatures of the Graèglin Dennath. Renowned for their size and strength. Tunnelers and miners.
Limloth: Hal. “Still-peace.” The “loth” element is the same stem as appears in Aranloth’s name. However, in this context it means a powerful or mighty sense of tranquility, a sense of serenity that has a prevailing effect on a person rather than as a force to achieve some physical impact. The name refers to an especially peaceful area in a high and remote section of the Auren Dennath mountain range.
Lòhren: Hal. Prn. Ler-ren. “Knowledge giver – a counsellor.” Other terms used by various nations include wizard, druid and sage.
Lòhren-fire: A defensive manifestation of lòhrengai. The color of the flame varies according to the skill and temperament of the lòhren.
Lòhrengai: Hal. Prn. Ler-ren-guy. “Lòhren force.” Enchantment, spell or use of arcane power. A manipulation and transformation of the natural energy inherent in all things. Each use takes something from the user. Likewise, some part of the transformed energy infuses them. Lòhrens use it sparingly, elùgroths indiscriminately.
Lòhrenin: Hal. Prn. Ler-ren-in. “Council of lòhrens.”
Lòrenta: Hal. Prn. Ler-rent-a. “Hills of knowledge.” Uplands in northern Alithoras in which the stronghold of the lòhrens is established.
Lornach: A Durlin. Friend to Brand and often called by his nickname of “Shorty.”
Lost Huntress: See Halathgar.
Magic: Supernatural power. See lòhrengai and elùgai.
Merlon: The vertical stonework on a battlement between crenels. The merlon offers protection, the crenel a gap through which missiles are fired.
Narinon: Hal. “Spear-water, a swimmer or diver.” A member of the Drinhalath. In love with Harlinlanloth, though aware that his feelings are not returned. Bears a facial scar due to a fight with a lethrin in an ancient battle. The lethrin did not survive, but his dying stroke nearly killed the Halathrin warrior.
Netherwall: One of the ancient names of the witch better known in present times as Durletha.
Nudaluk: Cam. A bird of the woodpecker family.
Otherworld: Camar term for a mingling of half-remembered history, myth and the spirit world.
Raithlin: Hal. “Range and report people.” A scouting and saboteur organization. In Camar society, they derive from ancient contact with, and the teachings of, the Halathrin. In Halathrin history the roots of the order predate the exodus.
Red-fletched arrows: Cardoroth is famed for having great archers, and the greatest of them always use the red feathers of the Cara-hak turkey for their fletching. The bird is revered by them as a creature of luck, and it is considered ill fortune to shoot one. But many a farmer or hungry hunter does so, and the feathers are never wasted. But a wide variety of feathers are used from different bird species for arrow making, though all are dyed red before use.
Sellic Neben: Hal. “East gate.” This gate bears a representation, crafted of silver and pearl, of the moon rising over the sea.
Sending: See Drùghoth.
Shadowed Lord: See Elùdrath.
Shazrahad: The Azan who commands an elug army, or serves as a lieutenant of an elùgroth.
Shorty: See Lornach.
Shurilgar: Hal. “Midnight star.” An elùgroth. Also called the betrayer of nations.
Sight: The ability to discern the intentions and even thoughts of another person. Not reliable, and yet effective at times.
Slithrest: One of the ancient names of the witch better known in present times as Durletha.
Spirit walk: Similar in process to foresight. It is deliberately sought by entering the realm between life and death where the spirit is released from the body to travel through space. To achieve this, the body must be brought to the very threshold of death. This is exceedingly dangerous and only attempted by those of paramount skill.
Sorcerer: See Elùgroth.
Sorcery: See elùgai.
Surcoat: An outer garment. Often worn over chain mail. The Durlin surcoat is unadorned white.
Taingern: Cam. A Durlin. Friend to Brand.
Tombs of the Letharn: The ancient burial place of the Letharn people. All members of the population, throughout the course of their long civilization, were laid to rest here. It was believed that to be interred elsewhere was to condemn the spirit to a true death, rather than an afterlife. The dead were preserved, and returned even from the far reaches of the empire. This was withheld from perpetrators of treason and heinous crimes. These were buried in special cemeteries near the river. Petty criminals were afforded an opportunity to redeem their place in the tombs on payment of a fine determined by the head-priest.
Tower of Halathgar: In life, the place of study of Queen Carnhaina. In death, her resting place. Somewhat unusually, her sarcophagus rests on the tower’s parapet beneath the stars.
Unlach Neben: Hal. “South gate.” This gate bears a representation of the sun, crafted of gold, beating down upon a desert land. Said by some to signify the homeland of the elugs, whence the gold of the sun was obtained by an adventurer of old.
War drums: Drums of the elug tribes. Used especially in times of war or ceremony. Rumored to carry hidden messages in their beat and also to invoke sorcery.
Wizard: See lòhren.
Wych-wood: A general description for a range of supple and springy timbers. Some hardy varieties are prevalent on the poisonous slopes of the Graèglin Dennath mountain range and are favored by elùgroths as instruments of sorcery.
From the author
I’m a man born in the wrong era. My heart yearns for faraway places and even further afield times. Tolkien had me at the beginning of The Hobbit when he said, “. . . one morning long ago in the quiet of the world . . .”
Sometimes I imagine myself in a Viking mead-hall. The long winter night presses in, but the shimmering embers of a log in the hearth hold back both cold and dark. The chieftain calls for a story, and I take a sip from my drinking horn and stand up . . .
Or maybe the desert stars shine bright and clear, obscured occasionally by wisps of smoke from burning camel dung. A dry gust of wind marches sand grains across our lonely campsite, and the wayfarers about me stir restlessly. I sip cool water and begin to speak.
I’m a storyteller. A man to paint a picture by the slow music of words. I like to bring faraway places and times to life, to make hearts yearn for something they can never have, unless for a passing moment.
Visit my website at www.homeofhighfantasy.com
Table of Contents
RAGING SWORDS
1. Death or Infamy
2. Too Many Enemies
3. Use the Sword!
4. The Long Hidden
5. The Fate of the Kingdom
6. A Chance at Life
7. A Token of Trust
8. The Enemy is Everywhere
9. Dust on the Wind
10. Speak True or Die
11. The Gleam of Eyes
12. We Do Not Yield!
13. A Token of Death
14. Forbidden Lore
15. Troubled Sleep
16. Called from the Otherworld
17. Not for Nothing
18. A Great Darkness
19. Beyond the Reach of Thought
20. Bright were our Swords
21. I am Death
22. Out of Dim Legend
Encyclopedic Glossary
DEFIANT SWORDS
1. Brave Fool
2. Evil must be Fought
3. From Another World
4. A Haunted Man
5. It Calls to the Dark
6. An Iron-hard Will
7. The Flicking Wings of a Hawk
8. What Hope for C
ardoroth?
9. The Shadow is Rising
10. If only Chance Allowed…
11. Magic, not Medicine
12. Blood Calls to Blood
13. The Ancient Past
14. A High Price
15. It will be a Long Night
16. The Forgotten Queen
17. The Head of the Snake
18. Hope for the Hopeless
19. The Great North Road
20. By Ancient Right
21. Impending Doom
22. We Hunt
23. A Man is Judged by his Deeds
24. I Must Drink my Fill
Encyclopedic Glossary
VICTORIOUS SWORDS
1. Two Futures
2. The Call to Serve
3. Old as the Bones of the Earth
4. The Fire of the Sun
5. A Dark Shadow
6. Relentless Swords
7. All the Days of Your Life
8. The World Shall Tremble
9. More than You Seem
10. Strife and Mayhem
11. Now is Our Chance
12. Strange things are Abroad
13. Hilk Var Jernik
14. A Great Honor
15. Like a Spear
16. If Only I could See
17. All Dead Men, Now
18. Something Stirs
19. They Will Tell their Children
20. Tall and Terrible
21. The Future is not Fixed
22. Stealth
23. Why do they Wait?
24. Have I not the Right?
25. The Light Grows Brighter
26. The Storm Breaks
27. Burn!
28. Filled with Power
29. Can You Deny Her?
Epilogue
Encyclopedic Glossary
