The Lost City

by Amanda Hocking

  King Mikko’s rule has had a few controversies, most notably when his brother Prince Kennet got involved in espionage with Kanin traitors. Even with the speed bumps, Mikko’s tenure as King is still viewed much more favorably than his father’s, who ruled with an iron fist. The King and Queen are trying for a gentler, kinder rule for the Skojare kingdom, and they’re working to make strong alliances with the other tribes.

  GLOSSARY

  Abisko National Park—a national park in the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden. It is located over an hour’s drive away from Kiruna Airport.

  Adlrivellir—name of a legendary troll kingdom.

  Áibmoráigi—the oldest troll establishment on Earth. It is located somewhere in Scandinavia, but its exact location has been lost since before 1000 CE. Frequently referred to as the “First City.”

  akutaq—a traditional Inuit food often referred to as “Eskimo ice cream.” It is not creamy ice cream as we know it, but a concoction made from reindeer fat or tallow, seal oil, freshly fallen snow or water, fresh berries, and sometimes ground fish. It is whipped together by hand so that it slowly cools into foam.

  álfar—name given to the trolls from the legendary kingdom of Alfheim.

  Alfheim—a mythological realm. To humans, the legend is that it is one of the Nine Worlds and home of the Light Elves in Norse mythology. To trolls, the legend is that it is a utopian kingdom hidden across the Lost Bridge of Dimma.

  Älvolk—a legendary group of monk-like trolls, who guard the Lost Bridge of Dimma, along with many troll secrets and artifacts.

  angakkuq—an Inuit word that roughly translates to “shaman” or “witch.”

  ärtsoppa—a Scandinavian soup made of yellow peas, carrots, and onions. Traditional versions have ham, but vegetarian trolls skip that.

  attack on Oslinna—a surprise military attack by the Vittra on the small Trylle village of Oslinna, Wyoming, during the War for the Princess. It left the city destroyed since January 2010.

  attempted assassination of Chancellor Iver—the attempt on the life of the Kanin Chancellor Iver Aven by the Queen’s guard Konstantin Black in January 2010. It was an attack unrelated to the War for the Princess. It was eventually tied to Viktor Dålig and his coup against the Kanin monarchy that lasted over a decade and ended in the Invasion of Doldastam.

  Aurenian Ballroom—a grand ballroom in the Mimirin named after the old Vittra King Auren.

  Battle for the Bridge—a legendary battle that took place in Áibmoráigi over the Lost Bridge of Dimma that occurred over a thousand years ago. In old myths, it is known as the Vígríðabifröst.

  Bedtime Stories for Trolls of All Ages—a children’s book of troll fables and stories. It contains an origin story about how all the tribes separated.

  beetroot salad—a common Scandinavian dish. It is traditionally made with diced beetroots, apples, vinegar, herbs, olive oil, red onions, yogurt, and lemon zest.

  blodseider magick—a type of taboo occult practice in extremist troll sects. The practice of seiðr is believed to be a form of magic relating to both the telling and shaping of the future.

  Candida viridi—a fungal infection that afflicts trolls, similar to Candida auris in humans. The differences being that C. viridi is hardy enough to thrive in cold temperatures, and it leaves a greenish tint to the skin of the affected individuals. The fungus causes invasive candidiasis infections in the bloodstream, the central nervous system, and internal organs. With modern medicine it is easily curable, but without proper treatment it is often deadly. Troll historians believe that C. viridi is what caused the Green Death (Grændöden) in the thirteenth century, which wiped out most of the trolls that remained in Scandinavia.

  Catacombs of Fables—a mazelike vault in the basement of the Mimirin that houses many of the fictional stories of the past, so as not to confuse fact with fiction.

  changeling—a child secretly exchanged for another. For trolls, it’s an ancient practice, with elite royal families leaving their babies in place of wealthy human babies. The humans unknowingly raise the troll baby, ensuring that the troll will have the best chance of success, with fine education, top health care, and rights to tremendous wealth. When they are of age, they are retrieved by trolls known as trackers, and the changelings are brought back to live with their tribes in their kingdom. The Trylle and the Kanin are the only two tribes that still widely practice changelings.

  chromosomes—DNA molecules with part or all of the genetic material of an organism.

  Churchill, Manitoba—a small human town in Canada. One must stop in Churchill if venturing to either Doldastam, Manitoba, or Iqaluit, Nunavut, and it may be the easiest way to get to Iskyla, Nunavut, as well.

  cloudberries—a plant native to alpine and arctic regions, producing amber-colored edible fruit similar to the raspberry or blackberry. It is commonly used in Scandinavian pies and jams.

  Dålig Revolt—the aftermath that took place after the unmarried Kanin King Elliot Strinne died unexpectedly in 1999 without a clear heir. The Chancellor appointed Elliot’s cousin Evert Strinne to the throne, overlooking Elliot’s sister Sybilla and her three daughters. Sybilla and her husband, Viktor Dålig, contested Evert’s appointment, and they staged a revolt that left four men dead, and the Dålig family was exiled.

  docent—a member of the teaching staff immediately below professorial rank. In the U.S., it is often a volunteer position, but it can be paid or done in exchange for room and board. At the Mimirin, docents are paid a minimal stipend in addition to room and board.

  dödstämpel—a form of martial arts practiced by trolls. The name means “death punch” in Swedish.

  dökkt rúgbraud—a Scandinavian dark rye bread.

  Doldastam, Manitoba—the capital and largest city of the Kanin kingdom, located in Manitoba, Canada, near Hudson Bay. The Kanin royal family live in the palace there, and the city is surrounded by a stone wall. The population is a little over twelve thousand as of 2019.

  Eftershom, Montana—a small Trylle village located in the mountains near Missoula. It is nestled in the convergence of several mountain ranges in western Montana. The terrain is notoriously rough and the winters are brutal. When it was originally settled by the Trylle, a Markis asked, “Why do we stop here?” And the leader answered, “Eftersom vi har gått tillräckligt långt,” which roughly translates to, “Because we have gone far enough.”

  ekkálfar—an old term used for “troll.”

  Eldvatten—a very strong alcohol made by the Omte. The name literally translates to “firewater.” It is also known as Omte moonshine, and it is used in Omte sangria.

  ex nihilo nihil fit—a Latin phrase meaning “nothing comes from nothing.” It is the motto of the Mimirin.

  First City, the—See Áibmoráigi.

  Förening, Minnesota—the capital and largest city of the Trylle kingdom. It is a compound in the bluffs along the Mississippi River in Minnesota where the palace is located.

  Forsa River—the river that runs through Merellä. It is a wide stream that slices the city in half and meets the ocean. The name means “rushing stream.”

  Frey—a mythological figure. To humans, he is known as the legendary Norse deity of virility and fair weather. To trolls, he is a troll from Alfheim who stayed behind to help rebuild their kingdom after the Battle for the Bridge. He is a prominent figure in the Älvolk cult, the Freyarian Älvolk.

  Freyarian Älvolk—the followers of the Älvolk who began following the more extreme teachings of Frey. See Frey.

  Fulaträsk, Louisiana—the capital city of the Omte, spread out in the trees and swamps of the Atchafalaya Basin in Louisiana.

  geitvaktmann—a goat watchman, similar to a shepherd or a peurojen.

  giant woolly elk—a name that trolls have given the line of Irish elk they breed. See Irish elk.

  gräddtårta—a Swedish cream-layer cake. Common during Midsommar.

  Grændöden—a plague. See Green Death.

  Green Death, the—a mass dea
th of thirteenth-century Scandinavian trolls. Troll historians believe that it was an outbreak of C. viridi.

  häxdoktor—a witch doctor or shaman.

  Heimskaga—a collection of ancient troll history, all written by the same troll historian, Hilde Nilsdotter. The name is an anglicization of the Norse words heim and saga, meaning “the world’s saga.”

  Hilde Nilsdotter—the Scandinavian historian and author of the Heimskaga. She was born a Marksinna in 1190 in Sweden. Her husband was a troll ambassador, and they moved to Doldastam in 1211, shortly after their marriage. She used her travels to compile the folklore and histories of her kind, before her death in 1254. She had two children who lived until adulthood: Knut and Norri, the latter of which has lineage that can be traced down to the most recent Kanin dynasty, Strinne, up to and including Linus Berling.

  hnefatafl—a family of ancient Nordic and Celtic strategy board games played on a checkered or latticed game board with two armies of uneven numbers.

  hobgoblin—an ugly troll that stands no more than three feet tall, known to be born only into the Vittra tribes. They are distinct from Vittra trolls with more humanoid features and attractive appearance who have dwarfism. Hobgoblins are slow-witted, possess a supernatural strength, and have slimy skin with a pimply complexion.

  host family—the family that a changeling is left with. They are chosen based on their ranking in human society, with their wealth being the primary consideration. The higher-ranked the member of troll society, the more powerful and affluent the host family their changeling is left with.

  Hudson Bay—a large bay in Canada. Doldastam is located on the Manitoba side, with Iqaluit across the bay on the Nunavut side.

  Information Styrelse—a board of information (similar to a board of education) in the Mimirin. These boards are subordinate only to their members and the Korva, and they preside over the Mästares and the teaching staff (including docents). The name comes from the Swedish word styrelse, meaning “board of directors.” The word information is the same in both Swedish and English. Each of these boards has thirteen members.

  Inhemsk Project—an effort undertaken by the Mimirin in Merellä to help trolls of mixed blood find their place in the troll world. Though it is primarily run by the Vittra, it is open to trolls from any of the five tribes. The main purpose is to combat the dwindling populations of the trolls (due both to issues like infertility among the Vittra and Skojare, as well as changelings choosing to live among the humans or being exiled because of their mixed race). The effort also seeks to reconnect trolls with their heritage and pass along history and culture.

  Invasion of Doldastam—the final battle in the Kanin Civil War that ended the war in May 2014. The Dålig supporters were led by Viktor and Karmin Dålig allied with the Kanin guards and the Omte, and the Strinne supporters were led by Bryn Aven and Mikko Biâelse allied with the Skojare, Trylle, Vittra, and many of the Kanin townsfolk. The Strinne supporters were victorious in the Invasion of Doldastam, and the invasion ended with the traitors being executed and Linus Berling coronated as the King of the Kanin.

  Iqaluit, Nunavut—the capital city of Canada’s northernmost province. It has a large Inuit population, but most residents can speak English. Despite being the largest city in Nunavut, it has a population of over seven thousand. Nunavut has no roads connecting the towns to one another, and it is only accessible by plane, usually flying in from Winnipeg or Churchill in Manitoba.

  Irish elk—a species of deer believed to be extinct; also known as the giant deer. It is believed to be one of the largest species of deer, but humans hunted them to extinction in the wild thousands of years ago. The Vittra have secretly been breeding and raising them, where they are known as “giant woolly elk” or “woollies.” They stand about 2.1 meters tall at the shoulders, carrying the largest antlers of any known cervid, and they can weigh over fifteen hundred pounds.

  irytakki—a language only spoken in Alfheim.

  Isarna, Sweden—an island and village in the Kalix archipelago in the Bay of Bothnia in Sweden. It is a Kanin/Skojare co-op, and the largest—and essentially only—troll settlement in Scandinavia, accessible by ferry or boat. The name means “islands of ice.” The nearest human settlement is Nikkala, on mainland Sweden.

  Iskyla, Nunavut—a small Kanin village, it is one of the northernmost troll communities in the world. Some Inuit humans also live there. It has become a dumping ground for unwanted babies. The name translates to “ice.” In 2014, Iskyla had a population of 878.

  Jakob W. Rells University of Parapsychology and Medicine—a university in Seattle, Washington. Rells University is renowned for paranormal and scientific studies, sometimes referred to as the Harvard of parapsychology. It was established by renowned telekinetic expert and medical doctor Jakob W. Rells in 1889. Rells presented as human, but he is suspected to have been from the Trylle kingdom.

  Kanin—one of the most powerful of the five troll tribes. They are considered quiet and dogmatic. They are known for their ability to blend in, and, like chameleons, their skin can change color to help them blend in to their surroundings. Like the Trylle, they still practice changelings, but not nearly as frequently. Only one in ten of their offspring are left as changelings. The Kanin are also the oldest tribe of trolls, having been the original troll tribe before the brothers Norund the Younger and Jorund the Elder fought about moving south in circa 1200 CE. Norund stayed in the north, strengthening the Kanin in Doldastam, while his brother went south and established the Vittra in Ondarike.

  Karelian Piiraka—a Finnish rye pastry. Rye-crusted, handheld pies with rice porridge as the most common filling, but a mix of root vegetables as filling is a frequent variation.

  kasteren axe—a small hatchet with curved blades, similar to an ulu knife, with a long, slender handle. Used in the game of økkspill. The name means “thrower.”

  Korva—a title for the Mimirin dean. The name means “crown.” The Korva is the highest position in the Mimirin.

  Lake Isolera—a secret, magical lake in Ontario, Canada, near Tricorn Lake, and known to the Skojare.

  Lost Bridge of Dimma—a legendary bridge in troll mythology—akin to the city of Atlantis or the Hanging Gardens of Babylon—that is watched over by the Älvolk. The bridge was alleged to have connected the ancient troll city of Áibmoráigi to the utopian kingdom of Alfheim, and it was believed to have collapsed before the end of the Viking Age (circa 1000 ce). The bridge was lost and the First City of Áibmoráigi was destroyed during the Battle for the Bridge, also known as Vígríðabifröst.

  lysa—a telekinetic ability related to astral projection that allows one troll to psychically enter another troll’s thoughts through a vision, usually a dream.

  mänsklig—often shortened to mänks. The literal translation for the word mänsklig is “human,” but it has come to describe the human child that is taken when the Trylle offspring is left behind in the changeling tradition.

  Markis—a title of male royalty in troll society. Similar to that of a Duke, it’s given to trolls with superior bloodlines and their correlating telekinetic abilities. Markis have a higher ranking than the average troll, but are beneath the King and Queen. The hierarchy of troll society is as follows: King/Queen; Prince/Princess; Markis/Marksinna; Högdragen; troll citizens; trackers; mänsklig; host families; humans (not raised in troll society).

  “The Markis and the Shadow”—a troll reinterpretation of the Danish fairy tale “Skyggen” (in English, “The Shadow”).

  Markis Ansvarig—a position of authority in troll communities, similar to a mayor or chieftain. Literal translation is “Markis-in-charge.” It is a position used in cities without any major royals, like King/Queen or Prince/Princess. The female equivalent would be Marksinna Ansvariga.

  Marksinna—a title of female royalty in troll society. The female equivalent of the Markis.

  Mästare—the title given to prestigious department heads at the Mimirin.

  Merellä, Oregon—a large, afflue
nt citadel in Oregon. It is technically under the Vittra rule, but many trolls from tribes all over live there. It is virtually a metropolis compared to most troll towns and villages, and it is essentially a college town built around the Mimirin institution and library. The name means “by the sea.” It is one of the oldest cities in North America, having been colonized after the trolls came over with the Vikings. Trolls first arrived in North America in early 1000 CE, and the trolls began moving west to get away from the violence of the Vikings. They settled Merellä around 1400 CE. It remains hidden with powerful cloaking spells by the Ögonen.

  Midsommar—a trollized version of the festival “Midsommarafton” or “Midsummer’s Eve.” It is a summer festival, celebrating the end of the long winter, with flowers, greenery, and maypoles.

  Mimirin, the—the great institution and library that holds much of the history of the trolls, located in the city of Merellä. The full official name is “Mimirin Talo,” which means “House of Mimir,” a reference to Mimir, the Norse god of knowledge and remembering.

  Mörkaston, Nevada—a Vittra city located near the Ruby Dome in northeastern Nevada. The name is an anglicized version of “mörkaste höjden,” which means “darkest point.”

  nettle—a stinging herbaceous plant common in Scandinavia. Nettles lose their sting when cooked and can be used in lieu of spinach or any other leafy green. Nettle can also be used dried, as a tea.

  Ögonen—the trollian guardians who use their powerful psychokinesis to hide the city of Merellä from humans. They are not considered to be part of any tribe and are almost considered to be something of another species. Their name means “eyes.” They are described as sinewy and nearly seven feet tall. They are covered in leathery, ocher skin, but it’s so thin it’s slightly transparent. They are androgynous, with very humanoid dark brown eyes.

  ogre—ogres are similar to hobgoblins, except they are giant, most standing over seven feet tall, with superior strength. They are dimwitted and aggressive, and they are known only to the Omte tribes.