The Crown of the Blood
Page 50
Nalanorians – The peoples native to Nalanor. As the oldest members of the empire outside of Askhor, Nalanorians are generally staunch supporters of the empire, and seen as traditionally conservative in outlook and politics. The presence of the Greenwater's headwaters means that most Nalanorians are accomplished fishermen and sailors, valued across the empire, and they are also respected for the productivity of their farms.
Neerita – Youngest wife of Noran, sister to Anriit, from the Aluuns noble family.
Nemtun – Prince of the Blood, younger and estranged brother of King Lutaar and governor of Okhar. Nemtun brought Anrair into the empire by means of an exceptionally bloody campaign that lasted two years. Married to Lerissa.
Nemurians – Non-human species that live on a chain of volcanic isles lying off the coast of Maasra. Standing more than twice as tall as a man, and of broad girth, Nemurians are heavily muscled, covered with thick scales and possessing a prehensile tail. Extremely secretive, the only Nemurians known to the people of Greater Askhor are those who hire out their much sought after services as mercenaries. Nemurians are also well known for the skill in metalworking and the quantity of iron in their weapons and armour; an element still rare in the empire.
Nidan – Second Captain of the Fifteenth Legion.
Noran Astaan – A noble of Askhor, sole heir of the Astaan family and royal herald in service to Prince Aalun. A long time friend and ally of Ullsaard. Noran's wealth and estates give him considerable influence in the court of Askh. Married to Neerita and Anriit.
Nurtut – A heavyweight champion wrestler of Maarmes.
Nuurin – Fourth King of Greater Askhor, Lutaar's great-great grandfather.
Okharans – The native peoples of Okhar. Most populous peoples of the empire, Okharans are seen as listless and lazy by the natives of other provinces, and the bountiful wealth of their province encourages a culture with little love for physical labour and a deserved reputation of indolence within the Okharan nobility.
Orsinnin – One of the peoples living in Salphoria.
Pak'ka – Nemurian mercenary captain in the employ of Anglhan.
Poets – A much-maligned profession in Askhor, regarded as worse than prostitutes and criminals. Why this persecution exists is not known for sure, but it is believed to date back to Askhos's personal execution of a poet whose bad verse annoyed the First king.
Pretaa – Mother of Ullsaard, former courtesan in Askh and lover of Cosuas.
Rainaan – Headman of Thedraan.
Reifan – Salphorian rebel, one of Aroisius's lieutenants.
Rondin – First Captain of the Tenth Legion.
Thyrisa – Headwoman of Thedraan.
Udaan – The High Brother, head of the Brotherhood and chief advisor to King Lutaar.
Ullnaar – Son of Meliu, youngest of Ullsaard. Clever and cultured, Ullnaar is studying civic law at the colleges in Askh, under the tutelage of Meemis.
Ullsaard – General of the Askhan Empire. Native of Enair. Ally of Prince Aalun. Bastard son of King Lutaar. Married to Allenya, Luia and Meliu. Father to Urikh, Jutaar and Ullnaar. Pretender to the Crown of the Blood. Urias – Rebel Salphorian, lieutenant of Aroisius.
Urikh – Son of Luia, eldest of Ullsaard. As heir of the family,
Urikh has spent considerable time expanding his personal assets and influence across the empire.
Vestil – One of the peoples living in Salphoria.
Places
Altes Hills – Low mountain range stretching coldwards from the Magilnadan Gap to the coast of Enair. This range forms the duskwards boundary of coldwards Ersua and all of Anrair. Sometimes referred to simply as the Altes.
Apili – Ullsaard's estate in coldwards Okhar.
Askh – Founding city of the empire, capital of Askhor, birthplace of Askhos. The largest and most advanced city of the empire, boasting the Grand Precinct of the Brotherhood, the Royal Palaces, the Maarmes arena and circuit and many other wonders of the world.
Askhan Gap – The widest, and only easily navigable, pass in the Askhor mountains. Protected by the Askhan Wall and dominated by the harbour at Narun.
Askhira – Large port city on the coast of Maasra, with a harbour on the Nemurian Strait.
Askhor – The homeland of the Askhan empire, situated in the dawnwards region of the empire, bordered by the Askhor mountains and the dawnwards coast.
Askhor Wall – A defensive edifice stretching the entire width of the Askhor Gap, built in the earliest years of the empire to defend against attack from the neighbouring tribes. The Askhor Wall has never been attacked.
Atanir – A small harbour town on the Greenwater, used as staging point between Okhar and Mekha.
Caprion – A small town in Ersua with a growing reputation for the quality of its copper and bronze smelteries.
Carantathi – Current capital of Salphoria and seat of King Aegenuis's court. Lying far to duskwards of the Greater Askhor border, its precise location is unknown to the empire.
Carlangh – Walled fort and town on the border of Salphoria and the Free Country.
Enair – Most coldward province of the empire, brought into the empire during the reign of King Lutaar's predecessor. A land of strong winds, frequent rain, large marshlands and heavy forest. Enair has no major cities and relies on timber trade and sea fishing for its low income. Birthplace of Ullsaard.
Ersua – Most recent province of the empire, situated dawnwards of Nalanor and separated from Salphoria by the Free Country. Consisting mostly of the foothills of the Altes Hills, Ersua is now Greater Askhor's main source of ore for bronze.
Ersuan Highlands – A range of mountains that separates Ersua from Nalanor, curving several hundred miles to duskwards between Ersua and Anrair.
Geria – Harbour town on the Greenwater, capital of Nalanor, whose quays are owned by the Astaan noble family.
Grand Precincts of the Brotherhood – An imposing black stone ziggurat situated on the Royal Hill in Askh, predating the founding of the city. The centre of the Brotherhood's organisation, it is here that ailurs are bred, the fuel known as lava is created and the great library of the empire – the Archive of Ages – is found, and adjoining the precinct are the highest law courts of Greater Askhor. No one other than a brother of the king has ever set foot within.
Greenwater River – More than seventeen hundred miles long, this is the greatest river of the empire and main route of trade and expansion.
Karnassu – A town in coldwards Nalanor. The site of a massive fortified bridge across the Greenwater, protected by four huge towers.
Khar – A meeting place of the Mekhani tribes, razed by Ullsaard at the outset of his campaign in Mekha.
Khybrair – Town situated in the dawnward forests of Enair.
Labroghia – Salphorian region situated on the duskward slopes of the Lidea mountains, infamous for its mines run by debtor labour.
Landesi – Village in Salphoria, populated by a tribe of the Linghan peoples. Birthplace of Gelthius.
Ladmun River – River that runs along the border of Anrair and Enair from the Altes Hills.
Lehmia – Settlement in coldwards Ersua, which rebelled against Askhan rule and was destroyed by Ullsaard prior to his Mekha campaign.
Lehmin – Town in Maasra, where the great aqueduct taking mountain water to the farmlands to hotwards begins.
Lidean Mountains – Range of mountains separating Ersua and Near-Mekha from Salphoria, marking the coldwards edge of the Magilnada Gap and extending more than a thousand miles coldwards to the sea.
Maarmes – Area of Askh, dominated by the sporting circuits and arena of the same name, where ailur chariots are raced and wrestling tournaments take place. Maarmes is also home to the bloodfields of Askh, where nobles can resolve disputes in mortal combat. All duels on the bloodfields are to the death. Commonly, such duels are over marital disputes; if a marriage proposal is opposed, a noble that kills the head of a noble family undertakes to marry the daughters of that family.
Maasra – Province of the empire situated hotwards of Askhor, with a temperate climate and long coastline. The chiefs of the Maasrite tribes acceded to the empire without battle, though they initiated the Oath of Service by cutting out their tongues so that they could raise no opposition to the conquest. Its people are known across the empire for their placid disposition and its wine is considered the best in the empire. Nemuria lies just off the coast of Maasra.
Magilnada – A city founded by Baruun at the coldwards extent of the Altes Hills, in opposition to the rise of Askh. Magilnada has changed hands through many Salphorian chieftains since its founding, until its status as a free and protected city was guaranteed by agreement between King Aegenuis and King Lutaar. Though fallen into much disrepair, Magilnada remains a formidable fortification on the border between Greater Askhor and Salphoria, and the presence of its garrison protects the vital trade routes between the two.
Mekha – An arid land hotwards of Nalanor and Ersua, divided into the semi-scrub of Near-Mekha and the deserts of Deep (or Far) Mekha. Home to the Mekhani tribes.
Menesun – Ullsaard's estate in hotwards Ersua, granted by right of conquest.
Mount Litheis – One of the highest peaks of the Altes Hills, overlooks Thunder Pass.
Naakus River – A river in Near-Mekha, considered the border between Greater Askhor and Mekha. Site of Ullsaard's camp during his Mekha campaign and proposed location of a new Askhan settlement in the region.
Nalanor – Province of the empire lying to duskwards of the Askhor Gap and first to be conquered by King Askhos. Consisting of rich farmlands, Nalanor was once the centre of trade of the empire, but as Greater Askhor has grown, the province faces stern competition from Salphorian importers and growing farmlands in Okhar. Despite this, Nalanor is considered the gateway of the empire, as it is linked by the Greenwater to other parts of Greater Askhor and sits next to the only secure route into Askhor. Its capital is situated at Parmia.
Narun – Largest harbour on the Greenwater, situated on the border of Nalanor and Askhor. Known as the Harbour of a Thousand Fires due to its many light towers that allow safe navigation even at night. Many decades of construction have made Narun a huge artificial laketown boasting dozens of docks and quays. Almost all trade along the Greenwater passes through Narun at some point on its journey and most of the empire's shipbuilding is centred in Narun. The jewels in the crown of Narun are the stone built docks at the King's Wharf.
Nemuria – A chain of smoke-shrouded islands situated to dawnwards of the Maasra coast. Home to the inhuman Nemurians, little is known of this realm other than its volcanic nature and richness of iron. Nemuria is protected by arrangement with the empire so that no ship may approach within a mile of its shores.
Nemurian Strait – A narrow stretch of water separating the shores of Maasra from the isles of Nemuria.
Okhar – Province of the empire flanking the Greenwater River coldwards of Askhor and bordered to dawnwards by Maasra, duskwards by Ersua and hotwards by Mekha; of rich farmlands, vineyards, forested uplands and numerous harbour towns. After Askhor, the richest province of the empire, due in large part to its much-prized marble and linen. Governed by Prince Nemtun from the capital at Geria.
Oorandia – Former capital of Nalanor, now mostly deserted but still home to the second largest precinct of the Brotherhood.
Osteris – Town in Maasra, situated in the parched farmlands in the hotwards region of the province, where the great aqueduct terminates to provide irrigation.
Royal Way – The broad thoroughfare running from the main gate of Askh up to the palaces on the Royal Hill.
Salphoria – Lands situated to duskwards of Greater Askhor, separated from Ersua by the Free Country, of unknown size and population. Populated by disparate peoples and tribes, nominally ruled over by King Aegenuis from the capital at Carantathi.
Sea of the Sun – The body of water lying to dawnwards of Askhor and Maasra.
Straits of Lebrieth – Stretch of sea to dawnwards of Askhor.
Stykhaag – Ullsaard's home village in Enair.
Talladmun – Town in hotwards Anrair on the banks of the Ladmun River, garrisoned by the Second Legion.
Thedraan – Ersuan town situated a few miles from the Altes Hills.
Thunder Pass – Mountain valley in the Altes Hills, former debt mine and lair of Aroisius's Salphorian rebels.
Creatures
Abada – Large herbivorous creature with prominent nose horn, used as a beast of burden throughout Greater Askhor.
Ailur – Large species of cat bred by the Brotherhood as beasts of war and status symbols for Askhan nobility. Possessed of savage temper, only female ailurs are ridden to war, and do so hooded by armoured bronze masks. Known to attack in a berserk frenzy when unmasked.
Behemodon – Large reptilian creature native to the deserts of
Mekha. Employed as beasts of burden and war mounts by the
Mekhani tribes.
Blackfang – The ailur owned by Ullsaard.
Destiny – The ailur owned by Prince Aalun.
Kolubrid – Large, snakelike beast native to Maasra, employed by
Askhans as mounts for messengers and skirmishing cavalry.
Render – The ailur owned by Prince Erlaan.
Thunderbolt – The ailur owned by Noran.
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