by C. M. Hayden
“You should know this is far from over, Taro. And what makes you think I haven’t been around? You think you got out of the Eventide’s crash unscathed by mere chance?” He tapped the side of his nose knowingly. “Think about it.”
“Still, some advice now and again would be helpful.”
“I admit I’ve been preoccupied elsewhere. Travelling, you might say. But you’ve proven yourself remarkably resilient. It looks like my faith was well-placed.”
Aris listened to Kurian’s heartbeat.
“Can you do anything for him?” Taro asked.
Aris lifted his ear, and replaced it with his hand. The dragon stirred slightly, and when Aris took his hand away, Kurian drew a long, painless breath.
“He’ll live,” Aris said, clapping his hands together. “Honestly, that’s a miracle in itself: facing the All-Seer and living to tell the tale. Remarkable.” A frown creased Aris’ cheek, and he glanced sideways at Nima. “But some wounds go deeper than the flesh.”
Taro knew what he meant. There were hard days ahead for Nima.
Aris started for the door. “I’ll be in touch.”
“Wait,” Taro said, reaching out. “How do I get a hold of you if I need you?”
Aris smiled. “I already told you, Taro. I’m always with you.”
With that, Aris left, and all was quiet again. Taro leaned back, smiling the first truly carefree smile he could remember. Somehow, through all the hardships he’d suffered, through all the pain and doubt, he’d come out on top. His friends were alive. His sister would soon be home safe.
There were hard times ahead, no doubt, but for now, in the crisp stillness of night, everything was all right. The challenges didn’t seem insurmountable. The way forward was clear.
Outside, the vast Endran landscape rolled past like a wheel of ice, and in the distance, peeking over the horizon, the bright glow of the Arclight shone against the snow.
Don’t worry, Taro’s adventure isn’t over.
Book 4, KINGDOM OF LIGHT, is coming soon.
Visit https://www.arclightsaga.com for more information.
Also check out CONCORDANCE, Book 1 of the Corelight Expedition, also from the Arkos universe.
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Appendices
I - SUN KINGS
CONCURRENT TITLES:
King of Endra Edûn
Right Hand of Amín
High Lord of Solis Enor
Warden of the Sunken City
THE LINE OF SUN KINGS
A note on dates: 0 N.E. is the year of Arkos’ creation. Endra (“The Kingdom of the Sun”) replaced the Children of Aldor and the ethnic Ciridin circa 1890. Many lords of the Old Kingdoms went south to Solis Enor, and would later be conquered by Sun King Agim. Others travelled west to Craetos (the continent), south to Kadrek, and southeast to Serra.
1 Aldor the Divine (1890ne - 1910ne)
2 Silos (1910ne - 1921ne) *
3 Thoros the Builder (1921ne - 1930ne)
4 Ranos (1930ne - 1941 ne)
5 Loren the Blind (1974ne - 2001ne)
6 Saethiria (2001ne - 2011ne)†
7 Aennon the Bastard (2011ne – 2050ne)
8 Agim the Conqueror (2050ne - 2101ne)
9 Lannis I the Ancient (2101ne - 2260ne)
10 Lannis II (2260ne - 2290ne)
11 Simros the Cruel (2290ne - 2325ne)
12 Aeyn the Great (2325ne - 2399ne)†
13 Renethon (2399ne - 2452ne)
14 Casterius I (2452ne - 2510ne)
15 Casterius II (2510ne - 2595ne)
16 Garan (2595ne - 2634ne)
17 Mordris I the Hammer (2634ne - 2694ne)
18 Mordris II (2694ne - 2699ne)
19 Mordris III (2699ne - 2788ne)
20 Baelon (2788ne - 2852ne)
21 Felyria (2852ne - 2899ne)†
22 Rastor (2899ne - 2931ne)
23 Demetros I (2931ne - 2998ne)
24 Demetros II (2998ne - 3041ne)
25 Nuramoth the Mad (3041ne - 3044ne)
26 Godric the Great (3044ne - 3101ne)
27 Godrin (3101ne - present)
† Female. Properly referred to as Sun Queen.
* The year of the final Old God’s departure from Arkos.
SUN KING GODRIN TERMANE
his father, SUN KING GODRIC
his wife, LADY LYRA, of House Tennrish
his daughter, LADY KYRA, heiress apparent
his brothers LORD CASSIN and LORD LANDEN
his sister LADY ESERA
QUEEN LYRA TERMANE (TENNRISH)
her father, LORD AEGYN, ambassador to the Celosan Republic
her daughter, LADY KYRA
her mother, LADY KIRIS
her brothers, SIR SILOS, SIR ANATAR, SIR JERAN, knight-warders of Castle Mardun and Castle White
HIGH COURT
Magister General LADY AMELIA ROSS, Imperator, chief officer of the Magisterium until her arrest for treason.
Magister General LORD TORRAN BRIEGO, Imperator, chief officer of the Magisterium.
Warder General SIR ORSET GAVIN, Supreme Commander of the Order of the White Sun, chief warder.
Solicitor General LORD LUNIL FENRIS, master of finance, taxation, overseer of provincial matters within the kingdom.
Ranger General LORD CASTOS ELAIN, Supreme Commander of Agim’s Eye, the primary ranger corps of the Endrans.
High General LORD LANDEN TERMANE, younger brother of GODRIN, Lord Commander of the Sun King’s armies.
II - THE OLD GODS
The Old Gods (also called the “Old High Gods” or the “Illithari”) are the creators of Arkos and its inhabitants. Their existence is not a matter of debate within the world, though their nature, will, and the method of their worship is a point of great contention. Most are generally believed to be benevolent. Some cultures believe there to be thousands of Old Gods; however, only six are commonly named.
LORENDAMU, who is called the Shipwright. The god of time and circumstance.
IRENIM, who is called the Helmsman. The god of magic and the ever-changing cosmos.
SARONA, who is called the Navigator. The goddess of life and nature.
TERITHOTH, who is called the Cartographer. The god of death.
AMÍN, who is called the Quartermaster. The god of fate and order.
NURUTHIL, known also as ITH-HARUS, who is said weaves the darkness and churning chaos of the universe. The first and oldest of the Old Gods.
His lieutenants CTHURHIL, SUBORGATH, ISAROTH, and SITH-NAROSA, whose thoughts and whispers drive mortal men mad.
Spoken of separately is the force known as:
AETHER, the churning chaos of the universe.
III - THE ARKOS
The Arkos (or simply “Arkos”) is the world-ship and the primary location for the events in the Arclight Saga. Designed and built by the Old High Gods (with the aid of the dragonkin and the First Ones) it is a massive superstructure that hosts continental landmasses, oceans, and thousands of species. The inhabitants of the Arkos are unaware that the planet is, in fact, a space-faring vessel.
From a great distance it appears as a spherical disc with six equidistant pylons and a protruding bottom. The sun and moons are artif
icial satellites simulating night and day.
The Arkos is composed mostly of aventium and is thought to be thousands of years old. The Old High Gods apparently abandoned it and all the inhabitants many hundreds of years ago. The reason for this is unknown, and many of the systems left behind have begun to malfunction.
The Arkos runs on templuric energy, such as that given off by the Arclight of the Magisterium. This creation energy adheres to biological entities and is shaped by the thoughts and emotions of those it binds to.
IV - DATING
A year on Arkos typically consists of 365 days, and 12 months. The months are named below, and dates, for example, are typically rendered as “the fourth day in the month of the Navigator.”
NAVIGATOR (30 days)
NORTHSTAR (28 days, 29 days during leap years)
CARTOGRAPHER (31 days)
EASTWIND (30 days)
QUARTERMASTER (31 days)
MAIDEN (30 days)
SHIPWRIGHT (31 days)
HELMSMAN(31 days)
SEAFAIR (31 days)
CORSAIR (31 days)
DAYBREAK (30 days)
HORIZON (31 days)
In most nations, years are measured starting at N.E., Numata Entara (“In the Year of Great Tide”). This is believed to be the year of Arkos’s creation.
V - THE RED KINGS OF NURENGARD
Seventy-one Red Kings have ruled over Caelis Enor. Since the Nuren do not have a birthright monarchy (the children of kings are not royalty, and do not inherit their father’s throne automatically) most Red Kings are unrelated.
Furthermore, it is uncommon for a king to serve to the end of his life. Typically, a Red King will relinquish power when he feels that he either can no longer perform the duties required of him (due to old age or sickness), or he has attained the peak of his reign. Leaving the position on a ‘high note’ is considered very favorable, and coveting the throne is considered dishonorable.
Who will become the next king is decided by a council of elders, called the Asjávegr. Petitioners to the throne must come before the council and proclaim their great deeds, strengths, and vision for the future of the Nuren. A vote is then held. If the vote is unanimous, the ascension proceeds unhindered. Otherwise, the elders put potential kings through a series of trials to test their valor and courage. It’s not uncommon for a royal ascension to last for months.
THE LINE OF RED KINGS
1. Asketill Hallgrimsson
2. Kisping Thoraldrsson
3. Iarund Vifilsson
4. Botulf the Demon Slayer
5. Iarund Sveinsson
6. Thorkel
7. Bergvid Ævarsson
8. Hallkel Ulfarsson
9. Hallmund
10. Diaror of the Woodland Row
11. Ulfrik the Wildhammer
12. Gunnleif Æskilsson
13. Bior
14. Thorgaut
15. Skapti
16. Kori the White Wolf
17. Marstymr
18. Leidolf the Dragonheart
19. Vandil the Stormbreaker
20. Hjorleif the Red Bear
21. Amundi Koigrimsson
22. Beinir Saksisson
23. Bodalf of Asmidr
24. Thrain the Hunter
25. Ospak the Gray
26. Hermund
27. Skapadr the Prophet
28. Eindridi the Blue Dragon
29. Eydis the North Wind
30. Thorfinn
31. Ulf the Longseer
32. Engal the Valdyr
33. Runolf Geirsson
34. Sigemund
35. Gudlaug Skjaldulfsson
36. Brodir the Titan
37. Hlenni Hedinsson
38. Naddon the Green Dragon
39. Finnvid
40. Arnsild Ironfist
41. Kætilfast Hafgrimsson
42. Ingibjorg Korisson
43. Orn Arngeirsson
44. Ingimar One Eye
45. Sigtrygg
46. Ketbiorn Solmundsson
47. Vebjorn
48. Styr
49. Hastein
50. Skialg Whitewood
51. Regin the Unburnt
52. Finnvid Ornsson
53. Kjotvi the Silver Dragon
54. Vestein
55. Hrodgeir the Elder
56. Hrodgeir the Younger
57. Thorgaut Nasisson
58. Sibbi Toresson
59. Ulfketil
60. Irenmund
61. Ulvkil Sighvatsson
62. Eydis Øystæinsson
63. Sigeræd Stormborn
64. Styrmir
65. Auðunar Hængsson
66. Geitirgest Kolbeinsson
67. Oddleif of the Forest Glen
68. Bjalfi the Blackfist
69. Renvald the Wanderer
70. Thjostl Hrafnkelsson
71. Mjolir
VI - NUREN CULTURE
HONORIFICS
There are over twenty honorific titles used by the Nuren. They are used for a variety of reasons, and are typically placed at the end of the given name of a subject.
-sin
Used for a person of great respect. The highest non-royal, non-divine honorific possible.
-ama
One of the most common honorifics. Used for a respected peer.
-ata
The least common honorific. Reserved for deities, kings, and dragons.
-saru
Used for students, apprentices, or underlings. If used in the wrong context, this suffix can be very patronizing or insulting.
-aru
Used by students when addressing teachers or masters.
NAMING CONVENTIONS
Nuren names and titles can vary a great deal. If one’s father was significantly important, a man might choose to proudly proclaim it as his surname (i.e. Ulvkil Sighvatsson would be Ulvikil, son of Sighvat). If a man’s father is not of particular note, he might simply go by his given name (i.e. Vebjorn). One might also be referred to by a great deed or prominent feature they have (i.e. Eydis the North Wind). A title like this must be proclaimed by his peers, he may not claim it himself.
Finally, a man might go by the place of his birth (i.e. Bodalf of Asmidr).
VII - PRONOUNCIATIONS
PEOPLE
Kyra :: “Ky” rhymes with “eye”
Kurian :: “Kur” is pronounced like “Cure”
Craetos :: Cray Tos or Cree Tos (“tos” rhymes with “dose”)
Taro :: “Tar” rhymes with “bar”
Nima :: Nee-ma
Lokír :: Low-keer
Mjolir :: Mjo-leer
Briego :: Bree-go
Antherion :: An-ther-ee-on
Nuruthil :: Nur-roo-thil
Sethetrion :: Seth-et-tree-on
Kadia :: Kay-dee-a
PLACES
Edûn :: Eh-doon
Helia :: Heel-e-ah. “Hel” is pronounced like “heal”
Celosa :: Sell-osa
Syseril :: Sis-er-ill
Caelis :: Say-lis
Aedris :: A-dris
Nir Daras :: Neer Dah-rahs
Bórhiemdr :: Beor-high-m-deer
OTHER
Magister :: Maj-is-ter
Magisterium :: Maj-is-tier-ee-um
Endran :: Endrin
Imperator :: Im-peer-e-tor
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