Surrender

by Rhiannon Paille

  The Great Hall

  Center of the Universe, often thought of as a hollowed out planet. The Great Library takes up a large part of The Great Hall. Home to High King Tor of the Lands of Peace.

  Lands of Peace

  All Lands Across the Stars who have pledged allegiance to High King Tor and who benefit from his generosity and protection.

  Lands Across the Stars

  The Universe (usually meaning planets that are scattered across the sky.)

  Lands of Men /Avristar

  Home to Humans, Earth is over there somewhere too.

  Terra (tara)

  Earth, circa 7000BCE

  Amaltheia (am-al-thee-ah)

  The Obsidian Flame lives here.

  Nimphalls (nimb-falls)

  Shimma, Kuruny and Kazza lived here.

  Arathia (air-ah-thee-ah)

  The Armies of Avristar have been here for years, fighting against factions of Daed Warriors.

  Matakasha (mat-ah-kash-ah)

  One of the seven Lands of Men of the Lands Across the Stars.

  Ronannon (rown-an-non)

  One of the seven Lands of Men of the Lands Across the Stars.

  Seventia (sev-en-sha)

  One of the seven Lands of Men of the Lands Across the Stars.

  Lands of Immortals /Avrigard

  Home to Elvens, Fae, Draconians and other creatures who live for a long time.

  Lands of Beasts /Avristyr

  Home to demons and nasty creatures.

  Angrenoth, The Lands of Beasts (ang-wren-awth)

  Home to Mithronians, Goblins, and stronghold of Crestaos, Lord of the Valtanyana

  Land of the Dead /Avrigost

  That place nobody ever talks about. It used to be known as Land of Kings.

  Isle of Avristar (see map)

  Orlondir (Oar-lawn-deer)

  Royal City, located in the center of the Isle of Avristar.

  Elmare Castle (elle-marr-ee)

  Located in Orlondir, it’s where Fire Festivals happen, and where the Lord and Lady live.

  Mount Tirion (teer-ee-on)

  Located to the East of Elmare Castle, it is where the Gatekeeper lives and where Avristar herself can be summoned.

  The Waterfall

  Located at the border of Orlondir and Araraema, it’s an unnamed river that leads to the lake surrounding Avristar.

  Amersil (am-er-sill)

  Located in the West, this is where the handpicked Brothers of Amersil are trained.

  Araraema (air-rah-ray-ma)

  Located in the East, this is where the handpicked Sisters of Araraema are trained.

  Evennses (evan-sess)

  Located in the South, this is where the rest of the kinfolk are trained.

  House of Kin

  Located in Evennses, it is where the kinfolk live while being trained.

  Desaunius’s Cottage

  Located in Evennses, this is her home.

  The Lake

  Less of a lake and more of a sea, it’s endless until someone activates the mists that allow the kinfolk to travel to other lands (like the Lands of Men)

  Tolemny (toll-emm-nee)

  A sacred site

  Beonwyn (bay-on-win)

  A sacred tree

  Larna (lar-na)

  A meadow Krishani burned

  Yerbia (yer-bee-ah)

  A grove Krishani flooded

  Nandaro (nan-daw-row)

  Located in the North, it is host to villages of Centaurs, Kiirar, Shee, Feorns, and others who are considered permanent residents of Avristar. They often stay to their own affairs.

  Village of the Shee

  Located in Nandaro, it is very close to Avred.

  Hawklin (hawk-lynn)

  One of the towns in the province of Orlondir

  Gargoyle’s Keep

  Located in Nandaro, these are the Northeast shores, where the boats go to and from Avristar. They are often manned by a gargoyle, and most travel at night when gargoyles aren’t stone.

  Mallorn’s Cabin

  Located in Nandaro, very close to the Northeast Shores.

  The Orchards

  Endless rows of apple trees on the southwest side of Elmare Castle

  The Tower

  A secret place above Kaliel’s room at the Elmare Castle

  The Catacombs under Elmare Castle

  Where they keep the weapons and armor they haven’t used in thousands of years

  Words on Avristar

  Lands

  The World (usually meaning a single planet)

  Moons

  Months

  Summers

  Years

  Kinfolk

  People, children

  Samhain (sow-ann)

  Fire festival held before the beginning of Winter

  Beltane (bell-tayne)

  Fire festival held before the beginning of Summer

  Kiirar (kee-rawr)

  Lorekeeper

  Ahdunie (ah-done-ee)

  Greetings, farewell

  Traditions on Avristar

  Marry the Land

  Literal, meaning to marry Avristar, the Female Spirit of the Land. This is a tradition that occurs around a kinfolk’s twenty fifth summer. It ensures the kinfolk protection, signifies adulthood and loyalty to their home.

  Journey to the Great Oak

  A journey all kinfolk take around their fifteenth summer to learn their destiny. Half the battle is decoding the parables the Great Oak speaks in.

  Fire Festival

  A festival held at the Elmare Castle in the Royal City of Orlondir during Samhain and Beltane. The idea is that they light bonfires, hold games, a feast, and bless the land.

  Children of Avristar

  Literal, meaning Children born in thickets of grass, hollows of trees or beds of flowers.

  Birthstones

  Gifts from the Merfolk for each of the Kinfolk

  Creatures on Avristar

  Merfolk

  Webbed hands and feet, mohawk fins, black skin, gills

  Kraken

  Giant octopi that live in the deep waters surrounding Avristar

  Shee

  Six to twelve inches tall, glittery, wings, pale

  Centaurs

  Part human, part horse

  Gargoyles

  Bat-like wings, smushed faces, turn to stone in daylight

  Umber

  The horse Kaliel befriends

  The Shee

  Six to twelve inches tall, glittery, wings, pale skinned

  Drow

  Black skinned Elvens, also known as “creatures” simply because my characters didn’t know what the technical term for them was.

  Constellations seen from Avristar

  Phoenix

  South part of the sky

  Eagle

  Northeast part of the sky

  Griffin

  Intertwined with the wing of the phoenix

  Common Destinies for Kinfolk of Avristar

  Landkeeper

  Kinfolk that will tend to the harvest

  Weaver

  Kinfolk that will assist and upkeep Avristar’s magic

  Messenger

  Kinfolk that will deliver messages to those in the Lands Across the Stars

  Seer

  Kinfolk that will divine prophecies, omens and fortunes

  Healer

  Kinfolk that will be proficient in the healing arts

  Lorekeeper

  Kinfolk that will keep track of history, laws and lore

  Elder

  Kinfolk that will train other Kinfolk

  Uncommon Destinies for Kinfolk of Avristar

  Judge

  Kinfolk who will be judges in the Lands of Men

  Warrior

  Kinfolk who will join the Armies of Avristar

  Catalyst

  Kinfolk who will bring change to the Lands Across the Stars

  Peacemaker

  Kinfolk who will bring peace to the Lands Across the Star
s

  Troublemaker

  Kinfolk who will bring mischief to the Lands Across the Stars

  Destroyer

  Kinfolk who will bring destruction to the Lands Across the Stars

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  About the Author

  Rhiannon is a booksmith from the North, telling her fantastical tales to unsuspecting folk on mountains, in valleys and mostly in cities around the world. She holds a PhD in Metaphysical Science and Parapsychology, which is to say she happens to know a lot about what goes bump in the night. When she's not writing she's singing karaoke, burning dinner, and hiding her superhero identity. She'd like to own a unicorn one day, as long as it doesn't eat her. You'll find her sipping iced cappuccino despite her allergy to coffee at yafantasyauthor.com

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