Golden Scorpio

by Alan Burt Akers

  Deb-sa Chiu: Wizard of Loh at court of the Emperor of Vallia. (CPS)

  Delia: Mother Goddess generally associated with Delphond.

  Deliasmot: Town of Delphond where a canal trunk system terminates.

  deren: Palace.

  Djondalar of the Twisted Staff: Spirit or deity of Kregen.

  Dorgo the Clis: Tall, dark-complexioned man with facial scar who followed Prescot in fight against radvakkas. (GOS)

  Drakanium: Clean, neat, sparkling city of Delphond.

  Drak’s City: The Old City of Vondium.

  Drak’s Sword: Part of the regalia of the Emperor of Vallia.

  Drayzm: Small island of the Czarin Sea once called Nikzm and named for Dray Prescot.

  drikinger: Bandit.

  E

  Eganbrev: Province to the west of Aduimbrev up to Great River.

  Emerade, River: Runs from the Kwan Hills and joins the Great River where stands Thengelsax.

  Enevon Ob-Eye: Prescot’s chief stylor during the radvakka and Hamalian troubles. (GOS)

  “Eregoin’s Promise”: A drinking song of Paz.

  Ernelltar the Bedevilled: Runs of bad luck are attributed to this spirit or deity in North Segesthes.

  F

  Falanriel: Chief City of Falinur.

  “The Fall of the Suns”: A menacing song, Prescot dubs this lay, for its cadences and images invite mournfulness. It tells of the Last Days when the twin suns fall from the sky and drench the world of Kregen in fire and blood, in water and death.

  Falnagur: The castle fortress dominating the city of Falanriel.

  Father Tolki: The All Mighty, chief deity of the religion of Vallia which ousted that of the Mother Goddess and was in turn superseded by the purer religion of Opaz.

  Faxul: Leader of a file in the phalanx.

  Fegter: Member of the Fegter Party of Vallia against the Emperor and anybody else who stood in the way.

  Fist-tail or Hand-tail: Slang term for Pachak or Kildoi.

  flamil: A sand-scarf of Ba-Domek.

  Fletcher’s Tower: Once called the Jade Tower of the fortress of the Falnagur renamed by Seg Segutorio. (SES)

  Florania: Deity of a minor religion of Vallia patronized by millers and bakers. The Chief Priest of Therminsax, out of good intentions, attempted treachery against Prescot. (GOS)

  G

  Gate of Skulls: A gate giving ingress to Drak’s City in Vondium.

  Gelkwa: A trylonate of Vallia between the Kwan Hills and the Great River. Part of Hawkwa country.

  Gengulas: Legendary monsters with the power of Medusae.

  Gods sharpen both edges of a blade, the: A saying of Kregen which appears to imply that one evil may destroy another and in turn be destroyed.

  Golden Feathers Aegis, by the: A Flutsman’s oath.

  “Golden Fur”: A song shared by numims and Fristles.

  Great Chyyan: The black four-winged bird symbol of the evil and synthetic religion fostered by Phu-si-Yantong and destroyed in Vallia by Prescot and the SoR and Naghan Vanki. Adherents called Chyyanists. (SES)

  Guiskwain, San: The Witherer, na Stackwamor. A famed necromancer of the North East of Vallia who lived more than two and a half thousand seasons ago. His corpse was revived to inspire the Hawkwa revolt. (CPS)

  H

  Hakkodin: The axe and halberd men flanking the files of the Phalanx.

  Hawkwa: Term for the people of North East Vallia.

  Himet the Mak: Rafik Avandil, lion-man, tool of Phu-si-Yantong in preaching the artificial religion of Chyyanism. (SES)

  hirvel: A stubby, four-legged riding animal, not unlike a nightmare version of a llama with tall round neck, cup-shaped ears and shaggy body and twitching snout with a performance similar to a good quality waler.

  Hjemur-Gebir: a minor religion fallen into desuetude with a grotesque toad-thing as the idol of worship.

  Hockwafernes: Temple and township of Gelkwa where San Guiskwain was resurrected. (CPS)

  Hyr Notor: Alias used by Phu-si-Yantong in dealing with the Empress Thyllis of Hamal.

  Hyrvond: Imperial province immediately to the north of Vondium.

  I

  Ib Reiver: Soul Stealer — used in oaths.

  Imlien, Trylon Ered of Thengelsax: A racter with whom Prescot had a smart run in over his daughter. (SES)

  J

  Jakhan, Jak: Name used by Prescot during adventures in Hawkwa country. (CPS)

  Jak the Drang: Name used by Prescot to rouse Vallians against the Iron Riders and Hamalese. (GOS)

  Jhalak, by: A stikitche oath.

  Jhansi, Layco, Kov of Vennar: The Emperor of Vallia’s Chief Pallan. When his plots against the emperor were frustrated by Prescot and friends, took to the field in the time of the Troubles in Vallia when Hamal and the radvakkas invaded.

  jid: Bane.

  Jikai Vuvushis: Battle Maidens.

  Jikalla: A Kregish game.

  Jodhri: A formation of the phalanx containing six Relianches totaling 864 brumbytes and 144 Hakkodin.

  Jodhrivax: Commander of Jodhri.

  Junka: A deity of the North East of Vallia.

  Justicar: The imperial governor of a province.

  K

  Kadar the Hammer: Alias used by Prescot in Vallia. (SES)

  Kamist Quay: Wharves along the Great River in Vondium.

  Kapt: General.

  kax: Corselet, breast and back, cuirass.

  Kerchuri: Formation of the phalanx containing six Jodhris of 5184 brumbytes and 864 Hakkodin.

  Kerchurivax: Commander of Kerchuri.

  kharrna: Manifestation of power exercised at distance by a Wizard of Loh.

  Khibil: Member of race of diffs with fox faces, alert, strong, limber, excellent mercenaries used to outdoor life.

  khiganer: Heavy brown tunic, double-breasted, the wide flap caught up over the left side with a row of bronze buttons from belt to shoulder and from point of shoulder to collar which is stiff, hard and high.

  Kildoi: Member of race of diffs of Balintol with four arms and handed tail, very strong and courageous with apim-like features and a variety of hair-colorings.

  “King Harulf’s Red Zorca”: Drinking song of Paz.

  “King Naghan, His Fall and Rise”: Song of Kregen with undercurrents of merriment and discipline and admonishment.

  kitchew: Target for assassination on contract by stikitches.

  klattar: Parrying stick.

  Korero the Shield: A Kildoi rescued by Prescot from torture at the hands of the radvakkas and a good comrade who carries a pair of great shields in combat at Prescot’s back.

  krahnik: Small form of draught animal of good pulling power.

  Kroveres of Iztar: Members of Order of Brotherhood formed by Prescot on model of Krzy to ameliorate conditions in all Paz.

  KRVI: Abbreviation for Kroveres of Iztar.

  kutcherer: Knife somewhat like a butcher knife with a sharp pronged spike protruding from the heavy back.

  Kwan Hills: Range of mountains in Hawkwa Country famed for their plenitude of game, good hunting country.

  Kyro of Jaidur Omnipotent: Brilliant plaza or square in Vondium.

  Kyro of Lost Souls: Long plaza just within the Gate of Skulls of Drak’s City in Vondium.

  Kyro of Spendthrifts: One of the squares of Vondium famed for the expensive shops and stalls along the arcades.

  L

  Laik-Faxul: Quarter-file leader in Relianch.

  laybrites: Precious gem of deep yellow color.

  Laygon the Strigicaw: Stikitche who to his misfortune took a contract from Ashti Melekhi to assassinate Dray Prescot. (CPS)

  letha: Tough, springy, elastic white wood.

  Letha Brook: Runs through Therminsax.

  Lio am Donarb: A minor religion of Vallia.

  Liverspot Bark: Ingredient of the poison solkien concentrate.

  Llanitch!: Halt!

  Lornrod Caucus: Vallian political faction of whom it is said their only wish is to destroy everything and pull down
what has been painfully built over the centuries.

  Lushfymi, Queen of Lome: Popularly known as Queen Lush. A dark-haired violet-eyed woman of great poise and beauty sent by Phu-si-Yantong to entrap the Emperor of Vallia. Her allegiance changed and she worked with Prescot to save the emperor.

  M

  “Maidens of Vallia, The”: A lyrical ballad celebrating the virtuous women of Vallia.

  Makfaril: Beloved of the Black, the Chief Priest of the Great Chyyan, the evil and artificial creed of Chyyanism developed by Phu-si-Yantong to destroy Vallia. Rafik Avandil, numim. (SES)

  masichieri: Low-class mercenaries, not bandits but almost that, notorious for their rapacity and greed.

  Maybers: A race of trading and sea-faring diffs from Donengil.

  Mazilla: The high ornate collar much bejeweled and decorated worn by the nobility of Vallia, the simpler dignified high collar of the koters of Vallia. The nikmazilla is the smaller ornate collar worn with evening clothes.

  mazingle: Swod’s term for discipline.

  Melekhi, Ashti, Vadnicha of Venga: A thin, brittle and bright woman, hard-edged like a diamond, mannish, brilliant, with a flame about her that consumed all who were unfortunate enough not to know how to handle her. Came to an untimely end in her machinations with Layco Jhansi. (SVS)

  Mellor’An: Local god of North East Vallia concerned with agriculture, husbandry and fertility.

  Memph: A tree which yields a part of the deadly poison solkien.

  MichelDen: Capital city of the kovnate of Forli in southeast Vallia.

  Mustard Gate: A strong battlemented Tower-gate in an angle of the northwest walls of Vondium.

  N

  Naghan ti Lodkwara: Hawkwa member of the choice band who followed Prescot in the time of Troubles in Vallia. (GOS)

  Nalgre, Nazab na Therminsax: The emperor’s Justicar governing Thermin who loyally obeyed Prescot acting as Jak the Drang. (GOS)

  Nath the Gnat: Alias adopted by Prescot in the struggle against the Chyyanists. (SES)

  Nath the Iarvin: A hard man, ruffler, Bladesman, bought body and soul by Ashti Melekhi, who came to an unexpected end on a Krozair longsword. (SVS)

  Nav-Sorfall: Vallian province lush and rich with ponsho pastures to the east of Vomansoir. Naghan Vanki was made vad.

  Nazab: Governor of imperial province ranking with kov.

  Nazabhan, Nath, na Therminsax: Son of Nazab Nalgre, rose to command phalanx created by Prescot. (GOS)

  Nik-Faxul: Half-file leader in Relianch.

  Nikwald: Fortress town in the kovnate of Sakwara of Vallia.

  Numi-Hyrjiv the Golden Splendor: Great spirit or deity of numims and fristles.

  O

  Olordin’s Well: Insignificant hamlet where Prescot rendezvoused with Barty Vessler in south central Vallia. (GOS)

  Opaz Enthroned: Day of festival dedicated to Opaz. The day on which the army of Therminsax sallied against the radvakkas. (GOS)

  Opaz the Deliverer: Day of festival dedicated to Opaz on which Vondium rose against the Hamalese and the Freedom Fighters and the Phalanx struck in the Battle of Voxyri. (GOS)

  Order of Little Mothers: One of the sororities of Vallia dedicated to good works.

  P

  “Pachak with the Four Arms, The”: A song highly scurrilous of a fine people with an oblique reference to the Kildoi.

  pakai: String of silver or gold rings taken from defeated paktuns by paktun victories and worn as badges of prowess.

  Paltork: Commander of half Relianch.

  Panadian the Ibreiver, the Vicissitudes of: Cycle of plays by the long-dead playwright Nalgre ti Liancesmot from which couplets, aphorisms and character analyses are often quoted.

  Peral Gate: Imposing secondary gateway to the imperial deren of Vondium.

  Phalanx: Created in Vallia by Prescot to oppose the Iron Riders. A phalanx consists of two Kerchuris totaling 10368 pikes and 1738 Hakkodin. In the field any close-order body of brumbytes called the Phalanx.

  Poperlin the Wise: Mythical sage apostrophized by the workers of Vallia.

  Prison of the Angels: A gaunt granite prison of Vondium.

  Pyvorr, Tarek Dredd: The first martyr of the Kroveres of Iztar. (SVS)

  R

  radvakkas: The Iron Riders of North Segesthes.

  Rakkle-jik-lora: A violent headlong training game played by the Clansmen of the Great Plains of Segesthes.

  Relianch: Formation of the phalanx consisting of 144 brumbytes and 24 Hakkodin.

  Relianchun: Commander of a Relianch.

  Renberg, Marta, Kovneva of Aduimbrev: High-tempered, ambitious lady who assisted schemes of Phu-si-Yantong. (GOS)

  Rojashin the Kaktu: A Rapa paktun whose greed and overweening idea of his own importance drove him on to destruction and whose gear and pakai were used by Prescot in Hawkwa country. (CPS)

  ronil: Precious jewel of red color.

  Rosala and the Eye of Imladrion: An ancient legend of Kregen in its intentions paralleling the story of Pandora.

  rosha: Orange-like fruit.

  Ros the Claw: Name given to Princess Dayra of Vallia by virtue of the sharp steel gloved set of talons worn on her left hand with which she is very quick and cruel.

  Rumil the Point: Tavern swaggerer who insulted Prescot and dealt with by Rafik Avandil, lion-man, in The Savage Woflo. (SES)

  S

  Sabbator, River: In North East Vallia separates the trylonate of Zaphoret to the north from Urn Stackwamor, running into the sea opposite the island of Vellin.

  Sakwara: High Kovnate of Vallia north of Aduimbrev.

  Samphron Cut: A canal of Vondium.

  Sapphire Reception Room: One of the ornate but less formal chambers of the deren of Vondium.

  The Savage Woflo: Famous tavern of Vondium much patronized by the guardsmen and paktuns of the capital.

  sax: Fort.

  The Sea Barynth Hooked: Pot-house on the Kamist Quay of Vondium catering to skippers of Vallian ships.

  Shadow: Magnificent black zorca stallion freed from cruel Kataki owners and ridden by Prescot in Ba-Domek. (SVS)

  Shadow Forests of Calimbrev: Beautiful and rich forests in the west of the island coveted by the Strom of Vilandeul.

  Shalash the Shining: Fish deity or spirit called on by fisherfolk of Vallia.

  shandishalah: Merchandise of booths in the fish souks.

  Shastum!: Silence!

  Shkanes: Yet another appellation for the Shanks, the Shants, the Shtarkins, Leem-Lovers, reivers from over the curve of the world who ravage the sea coasts of Paz.

  Shudor Maklechuan: A Chulik paktun known as Shudor the Mak who was hired by Prescot with his band to fight for Therminsax. (GOS)

  signomant: An artifact created by a Wizard of Loh, often in the form of a heavy brass disc covered with hieroglyphs, by which he is able to observe events at a distance without forcing a projection of himself to the required place.

  Silversmiths Wharf: Canal side area where silver is traded in Vondium.

  Sisters of Patience: A sorority of Vallia.

  Sisters of Samphron: A semi-secret sorority of Vallia.

  solkien concentrate: A deadly poisonous compound that secretly wastes the flesh, dilutes the blood and destroys subtly.

  SOR: Abbreviation for the Sisters of the Rose.

  Souk of Chem: Bazaar of the ivory traders in Vondium.

  The Speckled Gyp: A tavern of Vondium smashed up by Dayra and her cronies.

  Stackwamors, The: Provinces of North East Vallia, the heartlands of Hawkwa Country, north, south, east and west Stackwamor.

  stiver: Silver coin on Vallia.

  “The Sylvie on the Slippery Slope”: A risqué song of Kregen.

  T

  tapo: Word of abuse with unpleasant connotations.

  tarek: A rank of the minor nobility within the gifting of a kov.

  Targon the Tapster: A Therminsaxer who became one of the choice band of followers of Prescot in the time of Troubles. (GOS)

  Tarkwa-fash: A town of
the North East near the Kwan Hills.

  tazll: Applied to an unemployed mercenary.

  Temple of Delia: An ancient ruined temple in Delphond dedicated to the Mother Goddess Delia where Prescot had a run-in with the masichieri of the Black Feathers. (SES)

  Terfaxul: Leader of a file in the Relianch one rank higher than a Faxul.

  Thengelsax: Town situated on Great River at point where River Emerade joins. One of the old line of fortresses against the North East of Vallia.

  Therduim Cut: Canal connecting Therminsax and Thengelsax.

  Thermin: Imperial province of Central Vallia.

  Thiurdsmot: A sizable town of Aduimbrev.

  Thofoler, Vad Inrien ham: A Hamalese Kapt who surrendered Vondium to Prescot and the Freedom Forces of Vallia. (GOS)

  tikshim: Form of address used by superior to inferiors, equating with “My Man.” The superiors consider it polite, the inferior are infuriated by its use.

  Tolindrin: Place in Balintol with diplomatic connections with Vallia.

  Tower of Incense: Contains the sorcerous chamber inhabited by the current Wizard of Loh in the deren of Vondium.

  Trechinolc: A cactus, constituent of the poison solkien.

  Trerhagen, Nath: The Aleygyn, Hyr Stikitche, Pallan of the Stikitche Khand of Vondium.

  tresh: Flag or banner.

  tsleetha-tsleethi: Softly-softly.

  Tunnel of Delight: Leads out to the Kyro of Jaidur Omnipotent in Vondium.

  Twitchnose: A chestnut zorca ridden by Prescot in Vondium.

  U

  Udo, Trylon of Gelkwa: Led rebellion of North East Vallia. (CPS)

  ukra: Flutsman’s weapon, a polearm from seven to fifteen feet in length with narrow blade and curved axe for aerial work.

  Ulbereth the Dark Reiver: Poem fashioned from the legends of olden time on Kregen. The episode of the Black Feathers tells of Ulbereth’s disguise to enable him to ravish a fair young virgin with golden hair.

  unggar: Beast of burden.

  Urn Stackwamor: Vadvarate of Hawkwa country in N.E. Vallia.

  urvivel: Saddle animal.

  Uthnior Chavonthjid: A leem-hunter and guide with a fine reputation who guided Prescot and Barty Vessler in the Kwan Hills. (CPS)

  Uzhiro, San: Necromancer of the Hawkwas who roused corpses from sleep to aid North East Vallian rebellion. (CPS)

  V

  Valhotra: Vadvarate province of Vallia immediately to the east of the imperial Vend provinces and Vondium.