Gilgalem Mountains: A mountain range in southern Austveeden that served as a sanctuary for the ancient Gallerlander tribe.
glading: A metallurgical method of infusing specific properties into weapons and armor by folding special materials into alloys as they are made.
glyphblades: Eight alchemical swords crafted for the original petty kings of the lands that later became Donovan. Adrithayn and Rhunegeld are two surviving glyphblades.
gode: A rust- and corrosion-resistant metal originally mined in ancient Bronhildia for primitive swordsmithing.
gode steel: A hard alloy of iron and gode first made by the ancient Bronhildi tribe.
Goyngard: A city in northern Toulon Ministry, Donovan.
Gromanese: Inhabitants of Groman Island, part of the Faukshal Island District of northern Calbria, who are known for their export of fine wines.
guldir(s): The gold coins of Donovan.
Hanovel Ministry: A northwestern territory of Donovan.
Harkarom Mountains: A mountain range in Barres Ministry named after an ancient highchief of the Bronhildi tribe that resided in the area during the colonial period.
Havelbern: A northern ward of Rugenhav.
Heingartmer: The capital city of the Rugen Empire.
Hidden Eyes: An ancient order of Naren-Dra shroud alchemists sent to secretly watch and sometimes kill the leaders of rival tribes. Also known as the Clan of the Hidden Eyes.
Hildegad: The main island of the Hildegad Island District of northern Calbria.
Hilrond: A town in Toulon Ministry, Donovan.
Hilsingor: Marshal Hilsingor was the ancient Brintilian commander of the Rivercross Corps during the First Crusade in Arukia, and commander of the Frontier Corps during the Second Crusade in Pemonia.
Hrallandia: An ancient tribal realm in modern Donovan previously inhabited by the Hrals.
Hullen: A ruined warcastle built in Sobel County of Delavon Ministry, Donovan. Built by the Frontier Corps during the colonization of western Pemonia.
Imvorlon: A county in eastern Delavon Ministry, Donovan.
Kemet: An ancient Bronhildi warrior.
Lambochardy: Island kingdom south of the continent of Pemonia. The people of Lambochardy are known as Lambics.
landship: Large six-wheeled ships originally built by the Rahlampians to sail across land, lakes, rivers, ditches, etc., and later adopted by the Calbrians. Landships are often equipped with catapults and archers.
Laume Ministry: A western territory of Donovan.
lawkeeper: The magistrates and lesser officers responsible for keeping the king’s peace throughout Donovan.
Leauvenna Ministry: A northern island territory of Donovan.
lord minister(ess): The high noblemen and noblewomen charged with governing the land ministries of Donovan. They are senior vassals who answer directly to the king.
Lord Ministers’ Council: The body of all lord ministers of Donovan with responsibility for providing counsel to the king, raising armies, levying taxes, and other administrative duties. The council also confirms the selection of new kings jointly with the Messengian Church of Donovan.
lorin(s): The silver coins of Donovan.
Lundwynland Ministry: A northern territory of Donovan.
Lyonseln: The capital and largest port of Leauvenna Ministry, Donovan.
machina arcana: The third of the three arcanae, machina comprises knowledge of natural physical and theoretical forces. Machina encompasses two divisions, mechanics and devices.
Maluram: A minor subtribe of ancient Gallerlanders who were master smiths that lived primarily in the Gilgalem Mountains of modern Austveeden.
Martinus: The title used by the head of the Messengian Church. Named after God’s first Messenger, Martinus Arnabin. The Martinus dwells in the Cryphanic Temple of the Holy Messengers in Almeria and is advised by the Temple Curia. The Martinus is also referred to as Temple Father or Holy Father.
mechan: The ancient suits of mechanized armor crafted by the first generation of the Order of the Candlestone. The first eight mechans were arrow armor, bear armor, forge armor, fury armor, lamp armor, ship armor, shroud armor, and wheel armor.
mechanics: One of the two divisions of machina arcana focused on the movement and properties of machines. Physical mechanics encompasses simple machines such as pendulums, screws, rudders, and sails, while theoretical mechanics studies buoyancy, radiants, gravity, and other fields. See also devices and machina arcana.
Melsard: A town near the Rugen borderlands in Alpenon Ministry, Donovan.
Memelos: The name of the devil in the Messengian and Congregant religious traditions.
Merbredel Ministry: An eastern territory of Donovan.
Merbredel Mountains: A mountain range in Merbredel Ministry, Donovan, still inhabited by wildermen believed to be the descendants of the Nake people of ancient Pemonia.
Merl: A town in eastern Alpenon Ministry, Donovan.
Messengianism: The dominant religion of Almeria and about a third of Pemonians. The religion was named after the Messengers, the great teachers believed to have been sent by God.
metallurgy: One of the two divisions of chemina arcana comprising the extraction and study of metals and stones, the crafting of stone, the making of alloys and amalgams, and the mixing of aggregates. See also alchemy and chemina arcana.
Meurden: A smuggler ship owned by Rilranef the Round.
Middlesea: Archipelago clusters and isolated volcanic islands between the northern continent of Almeria and the southern continent of Pemonia.
Mollering: An island in the Strait of Delnollen.
Mordmerg: A free city in Delavon Ministry, Donovan.
Mrigamad: An ancient Rahlampian chieftain.
Nairnbern Castle: A fortress in central Alpenon Ministry that protected the approach to Cantrileme.
Nakeland: Brintilian name for an eastern peninsula of modern Donovan now known as Merbredel Ministry, previously inhabited by the ancient Nake people.
Narendra Mountains: An ancient tribal realm in the high mountains of modern Calbria previously inhabited by the Naren-Dra people.
Narendrabruk: A river valley that serves as a border between Calbria and Delavon Ministry of Donovan.
Niberi: An ancient Gallerlander Maluram blacksmith.
Nore: An island territory split between Donovan in the northeast and Rugenhav in the southwest.
Nothild: A Bronhildi member of the seventh generation of the Order of the Candlestone.
Oladet: A town in Elmbrel Ministry, Donovan.
Onderhem Forest: The remaining core of the ancient Black Forest of Ondirhar in central Donovan that was once the territory of the Gallerlander tribe.
Oradrond: The port and capital city of Imvorlon County of Delavon Ministry.
Orbruk: River in northern Donovan.
Orringholm: A free city in Alpenon Ministry, Donovan. Located in the Orringholm River Valley, which serves as the border between Rugenhav and the Alpenon Ministry of Donovan.
Ovelia: A kingdom of southern Pemonia. The people of Ovelia are known as Ovelians.
Owerdir: An ancient Gallerlander chieftain.
Patriarch of Donovan: The leader of the Messengian Church of Donovan and subordinate to the Martinus.
Pemonia: The continent to the south of Almeria. Also known as the New World. The collective inhabitants of Pemonia are known as Pemonians.
Perilune: A county in Barres Ministry, Donovan.
popaver: A medicinal drug derived from a plant of the same name, used as a pain reliever and cough suppressant. It was also used to make the laudanum tincture beloved by Ovelians.
Quayrond: The primary coastal port of Lundwynland Ministry, Donovan.
quillshades: The adherents of the Order of the Shady Leaf who believe they can use writing to summon spirits from the earth, trees, stones, and other natural objects to do the bidding of men. The Order’s roots lay in the stone-worshiping tra
ditions of the Nake tribe in modern Merbredel Ministry, Donovan, but quillshades were gradually outlawed and arrested in most Pemonian kingdoms for their use of alchemical tricks to steal money or to intimidate or for their heretical religious beliefs.
Rachard: The capital city of Delavon Ministry and the original seat of the House of Valient.
Raffenia: An ancient tribal realm in modern Rugenhav previously inhabited by the Raffen people.
Rahlampia: An ancient tribal realm in the lowlands of modern Calbria and previously inhabited by the Rahlampian people.
Ralmogard: A free city in Toulon Ministry, Donovan.
Rampilar: A ruined warcastle built in the Caval Moors in Caval County of Delavon Ministry, Donovan. It was built by the Frontier Corps during the colonization of western Pemonia.
Reimvick, House of: A powerful Donovard family and rulers of Wallevet Ministry.
Rethsrond: The capital of Gadolin Ministry, Donovan.
Rhunegeld: An heirloom sword long held by the House of Avaleau. See also glyphblades.
Riddertin: A ruined warcastle built in Gadolin Ministry, Donovan, by the Frontier Corps during the colonization of western Pemonia.
Rilhammor: A large port city in Elmbrel Ministry, Donovan, and one of the first major ports to be established in Pemonia by the Brintilian Empire.
Rugen Empire: The realm dominated by the Kingdom of Rugenhav, encompassing the mainland Rugen wards, the island ward of Nydenbern, half of the island of Nore, mining colonies in Lambochardy, and far-flung islands in the Sepacian Sea.
Rugen Wars of Unification: A series of conflicts that consolidated many Rugen petty kingdoms.
Rugenhav: A kingdom in western Pemonia and the core of the Rugen Empire. The people of Rugenhav are known as Rugens.
Sea of Pemonia: The body of water between the islands of Leauvenna Ministry and the northern coastlines of continental Donovan.
Second Crusade: The Martinus of the Messengian Church declared the Second Crusade in 2262 to encourage Old World noble families and commoners to establish more colonies and subdue the natives of the New World. Marshal Hilsingor’s sailing to Pemonia to lead the Frontier Corps signaled the height of the Second Crusade.
Sember Family: Barons who served under Count Atilon and the Lord Minister of Barres Ministry, Donovan.
Seralin: The last Exarch of Pemonia of the Brintilian Empire.
Sernpert: A Donovard border castle in southern Alpenon Ministry.
sickness of the southern winds: A Lambic term for frostbite that creeps into the head and neck via the ears, nose, and mouth.
Sobel: A county in western Delavon Ministry, Donovan.
Strait of Delnollen: The channels between the Calbria and Donovan coastlines of the Calbrian Sea.
swordcraft: One of the two divisions of aerina arcana focused on swordsmanship and unit tactics. See also acrobatics and aerina arcana.
synthic: A rare condition characterized by the merging of the senses in ways only apparent to the synthic, such as seeing written letters and numbers in various colors, tasting shapes viewed with the eyes, and envisaging music and sounds in color and shapes.
Taranoga: An Ovelian merchant ship used by the Order of Candlestone for travel.
Temeszal: A kingdom in eastern Pemonia. The people of Temeszal are known as Temaris.
temple knight: The senior knights of the Messengian Church who protect the Martinus, Patriarchs, and basilicas, and other special tasks.
temple swordcraft: A school of swordcraft originating from Almeria and emphasizing high-held guards and strikes.
Theudamer, House of: A powerful Rugen family and rulers of the Rugen Empire.
Thimblegloves: The thieving name given to Milisend by Regaume.
Thorendor Castle: An isolated fortress with peculiar architectural features located near Bredahade, the capital of Wallevet Ministry, Donovan.
Thorendor, King: A petty king whose lands were absorbed into Wallevet during the unification of the Kingdom of Donovan.
Tiberon: The capital of the Kingdom of Calbria.
Toninbern: An eastern ward of Rugenhav.
Torfnabruk: A large border river in central Donovan between Toulon and Lundwynland Ministries.
Torgsbad Castle: A Donovard border castle in southern Alpenon Ministry.
Toulon Ministry: A central territory of Donovan and location of the kingdom’s capital of Eglamour.
Toulon River Valley: A large river system in northern Toulon Ministry, Donovan, in which the capital of Eglamour was founded.
treating: A metallurgical method of transferring specific properties onto the surfaces of finished weapons and armor by soaking them in prepared solutions.
tuning stones: Stones that naturally preserve the acoustics of earthquakes and originally used in Almeria to tune musical instruments. During the colonization of Pemonia, they were used as catapult ammunition to deafen, disorient, and frighten tribal warriors.
Valient, House of: A powerful Donovard family and rulers of Delavon Ministry that were longtime partners of the House of Avaleau kings of Donovan.
Vaudreuil Mountains: A mountain range west of Bredahade that forms the western border of Wallevet Ministry.
Vorrault: A free city in Wallevet Ministry, Donovan.
Wachot, House of: A powerful Donovard family and rulers of Barres Ministry.
Wallevet Ministry: A central territory of Donovan.
Wallon Arazmis: A member of the fifth generation of the Order of the Candlestone who assassinated Seralin the last Exarch of Pemonia in 2356. An ancestor of Arasemis.
wardenlord: The chief counselor to the emperor of the Rugen Empire who also serves as the ceremonial head of the wardens who govern the regions of Rugenhav on behalf of the emperor.
War of All Kingdoms: The final series of battles prophesied by the Order of the Candlestone to mark the end of the misguided modern era and the return to small, tribal societies ruled by elected chieftains.
Wartemur Army: An army that formed after the dissolution of the Frontier Corps in 2371 in what later became Donovan.
widsemer: A special scout trained in the ranger arts of spycraft, tracking, physical endurance, and poison-making established by the ancient master ranger Widsem. Adherents attend formal training at the Widsemer School of Rangerhood in Karnool, Austveeden, or one of a handful of training outposts across Pemonia.
wildermen: The modern Pemonian term for a variety of forest- or mountain-dwelling peoples believed to be the descendants of ancient native tribes.
wist: A gray-blue metal alloyed with gold, silver, iron, and copper to craft the signet rings of Donovard nobility used to authenticate documents.
Wosmok: An elite widsemer soldier of the Rugen Army used for subversion, sabotage, and assassination. The name is derived from the ancient Raffen word for ghost.
Zulgauet: A ruined warcastle sunken into a bog in Imvorlon County of Delavon Ministry, Donovan. It was built by the Frontier Corps during the colonization of western Pemonia.
ALSO BY CHRISTOPHER C. FUCHS
EARTHPILLAR NOVELS
Coming Soon:
The Depths of Redemption
A Light in the Depths
EARTHPILLAR HALF-TALES
The Fourth Messenger
The Revolution Machine
Coming in 2020:
Arcodum
The Feuding Tower
Read more at EarthpillarBooks.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHRISTOPHER C. FUCHS writes the Earthpillar epic adventure novels and half-tales, with flavors of historical fiction, fantasy, and steampunk. Lords of Deception is his debut novel. He is also the author of The Depths of Redemption, A Light in the Depths, The Revolution Machine, The Fourth Messenger, Arcodum, and The Feuding Tower.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank
s and appreciation to many for lending an ear, providing encouragement, and mending my scribbles. To my mother, who taught me to love books and to explore the art of writing. To my father, who taught me hard work and perseverance. And to my editors Anne McPeak and Tricia Callahan, for their talents and guidance.
SNEAK PEEK
The story of Arthan, Arasemis, Milisend and the others will continue. But for now, go back in time, nearly eight hundred years before Arasemis revives Candlestone, to witness the very beginning by reading the double-prequel to Lords of Deception. The first book is a journal written by Rildning himself, then step out of the journal and into an age of conquest and exodus across the New World that would set the stage for Lords of Deception…and what comes next.
THE DEPTHS OF REDEMPTION
Craving the adventures of his past life as a colonial knight, Rildning joins an expedition to seek allies among the natives of the New World of Pemonia. When the mission goes awry, Rildning learns the true objectives—gold and blood. Feeling betrayed by the empire and haunted by his past, he pushes onward in search of a lost companion.
Rildning struggles to survive the wilderness only to be taken captive by natives. By abandoning his old life and enduring the natives’ trials, he earns their respect and finds a new purpose—and even love. As the imperial legions threaten the natives’ capital, Rildning discovers an ancient prophecy that could bring the Old and New Worlds together, or forever keep them at war.
A LIGHT IN THE DEPTHS
Suffering heavy losses in a widening war, Rildning and his Gallerlander companions fan out across the continent to persuade other tribes to join in a common defense against the Brintilian Empire. But Rildning discovers that ancient tribal rivalries die hard and many still suspect him of spying for the empire.
Lords of Deception Page 53
