Broken Blade (43 page)
Authors: Kelly McCullough
Ghost, Ghosting—
To kill.
To kill.
Govana—
Goddess of the herds.
Goddess of the herds.
Gryphon’s Head—
A tavern in Tien, the capital city of Zhan. Informal office for Aral.
A tavern in Tien, the capital city of Zhan. Informal office for Aral.
Guttersiders—
Slang for the professional beggars and their allies.
Slang for the professional beggars and their allies.
Hand of Heaven—
The Son of Heaven’s office of the inquisition.
The Son of Heaven’s office of the inquisition.
Harad—
Head librarian at the Ismere Library.
Head librarian at the Ismere Library.
Hearsay—
A type of eavesdropping spell.
A type of eavesdropping spell.
Heyin—
Lieutenant of the exiled Baroness Marchon.
Lieutenant of the exiled Baroness Marchon.
Howler—
Slang name for the Elite.
Slang name for the Elite.
Imperial Bush Roses—
Living security fencing.
Living security fencing.
Ismere Club—
A private club for merchants.
A private club for merchants.
Ismere Library—
A private lending library in Tien, founded by a wealthy merchant from Kadesh.
A private lending library in Tien, founded by a wealthy merchant from Kadesh.
Jack—
A slang term for an unofficial or extragovernmental problem solver, see also “shadow jack,” “black jack,” “sunside jack.”
A slang term for an unofficial or extragovernmental problem solver, see also “shadow jack,” “black jack,” “sunside jack.”
Jax—
A former Blade and onetime lover of Aral’s.
A former Blade and onetime lover of Aral’s.
Jenua, Duchy of—
A duchy in Zhan.
A duchy in Zhan.
Jerik—
The bartender/owner of the Gryphon’s Head tavern.
The bartender/owner of the Gryphon’s Head tavern.
Jindu—
Tienese martial art heavily weighted toward punches and kicks.
Tienese martial art heavily weighted toward punches and kicks.
Kaelin Fei, Captain—
Watch officer in charge of Tien’s Silent Branch. Also known as the Mufflers.
Watch officer in charge of Tien’s Silent Branch. Also known as the Mufflers.
Kaman—
A former Blade, crucified by the Elite, then killed by Aral at his own request.
A former Blade, crucified by the Elite, then killed by Aral at his own request.
Kanathean Hill—
One of the four great hills of Tien.
One of the four great hills of Tien.
Kelos Deathwalker—
A master Blade who taught Aral.
A master Blade who taught Aral.
Kila—
The spirit-dagger of the Blade, symbolizing the bond to Namara.
The spirit-dagger of the Blade, symbolizing the bond to Namara.
Kodamia—
City-state to the west of Tien, controlling the only good pass through the Hurnic Mountains.
City-state to the west of Tien, controlling the only good pass through the Hurnic Mountains.
Kvanas, the Four—
Group of interrelated kingdoms just north of Varya. Sometimes referred to as the Khanates.
Group of interrelated kingdoms just north of Varya. Sometimes referred to as the Khanates.
Kyle’s—
An expensive Aveni whiskey.
An expensive Aveni whiskey.
Liess—
A Shade, familiar of Sharl.
A Shade, familiar of Sharl.
Little Varya—
An immigrant neighborhood in Tien.
An immigrant neighborhood in Tien.
Lok—
A hedge wizard with a spit-adder familiar, works for the Countess Marchon.
A hedge wizard with a spit-adder familiar, works for the Countess Marchon.
Loris—
A former Blade.
A former Blade.
Magearch—
Title for the mage governor of the cities in the Magelands.
Title for the mage governor of the cities in the Magelands.
Mage gift—
The ability to perform magic, providing the power half of the power/focus dichotomy necessary to become a mage.
The ability to perform magic, providing the power half of the power/focus dichotomy necessary to become a mage.
Magelands—
A loose confederation of city-states governed by the faculty of the mage colleges that center them.
A loose confederation of city-states governed by the faculty of the mage colleges that center them.
Magelights—
Relatively expensive permanent light globes made with magic.
Relatively expensive permanent light globes made with magic.
Magesight—
The ability to see magic, part of the mage gift.
The ability to see magic, part of the mage gift.
Mage Wastes—
Huge area of magically created wasteland on the western edge of the civilized lands.
Huge area of magically created wasteland on the western edge of the civilized lands.
Malthiss—
A Shade, familiar of Kelos Deathwalker.
A Shade, familiar of Kelos Deathwalker.
Manny Three Fingers—
The cook at the Spinnerfish.
The cook at the Spinnerfish.
Manticore’s Smile, the—
An alley-knocker in Little Varya.
An alley-knocker in Little Varya.
Marchon—
A barony in the kingdom of Zhan. The house emblem is a seated jade fox on a gold background.
A barony in the kingdom of Zhan. The house emblem is a seated jade fox on a gold background.
Maylien Dan Marchon Tal Pridu—
A client of Aral’s.
A client of Aral’s.
Mufflers—
Captain Fei’s organization, so known because they keep things quiet.
Captain Fei’s organization, so known because they keep things quiet.
Namara—
The now-deceased goddess of justice and the downtrodden, patroness of the Blades. Her symbol is an unblinking eye.
The now-deceased goddess of justice and the downtrodden, patroness of the Blades. Her symbol is an unblinking eye.
Nightghast—
One of the restless dead, known to eat humans.
One of the restless dead, known to eat humans.
Night Market—
The black market.
The black market.
Nima—
Mana, the stuff of magic.
Mana, the stuff of magic.
Nipperkins—
Magical vermin.
Magical vermin.
Noble Dragons—
Elemental beings that usually take the form of giant lizardlike creatures.
Elemental beings that usually take the form of giant lizardlike creatures.
Old Mews—
An upscale neighborhood in Tien.
An upscale neighborhood in Tien.
Olen—
A master Blade who taught Aral.
A master Blade who taught Aral.
Oris Plant—
A common weed that can be used to produce a cheap gray dye or an expensive black one.
A common weed that can be used to produce a cheap gray dye or an expensive black one.
Others—
The various nonhuman races.
The various nonhuman races.
Palace Hill—
One of the four great hills of Tien.
One of the four great hills of Tien.
Patiss—
A Shade, familiar of Master Urayal.
A Shade, familiar of Master Urayal.
Petty Dragons—
Giant acid-spitting lizards, not to be confused with noble dragons.
Giant acid-spitting lizards, not to be confused with noble dragons.
Quink—
Slang word, roughly: freak.
Slang word, roughly: freak.
Rabbit Run—
An emergency escape route.
An emergency escape route.
Restless Dead—
Catchall term for the undead.
Catchall term for the undead.
Riel—
Currency of Zhan, issued in both silver and gold.
Currency of Zhan, issued in both silver and gold.
Right of Challenge—
Part of Zhan’s old Code Martial.
Part of Zhan’s old Code Martial.
Risen, the—
A type of restless dead, similar to a zombie.
A type of restless dead, similar to a zombie.
Sellcinders—
A fence or dealer in hot merchandise.
A fence or dealer in hot merchandise.
Serak—
A Rover, deceased lover of the young Maylien.
A Rover, deceased lover of the young Maylien.
Serass—
A Shade, familiar of Alinthide.
A Shade, familiar of Alinthide.
Shade—
Familiar of the Blades, a living shadow.
Familiar of the Blades, a living shadow.
Shadow Captain—
A mob boss.
A mob boss.
Shadow Jack—
A jack who earns his living as a problem solver in the shadow trades.
A jack who earns his living as a problem solver in the shadow trades.
Shadowside—
The underworld or demimonde.
The underworld or demimonde.
Shadow Trades—
The various flavors of illegal activity.
The various flavors of illegal activity.
Shadow World—
The demimonde or underworld.
The demimonde or underworld.
Shaisin—
Small town in Zhan, baronial seat of Marchon.
Small town in Zhan, baronial seat of Marchon.
Shan Starshoulders—
The god who holds up the sky, current Emperor of Heaven.
The god who holds up the sky, current Emperor of Heaven.
Sheuth Glyph—
A glyph for the binding of shadows.
A glyph for the binding of shadows.
Shrouding—
When a Shade encloses his blade in shadow.
When a Shade encloses his blade in shadow.
Siri Mythkiller—
A former Blade.
A former Blade.
Skip—
A con game or other illegal job, also a “play.”
A con game or other illegal job, also a “play.”
Sleepwalker—
An efik addict.
An efik addict.
Slink—
Magical vermin.
Magical vermin.
Smuggler’s Rest—
The unofficial name of the docks near the Spinnerfish.
The unofficial name of the docks near the Spinnerfish.
Snug—
A resting place or residence.
A resting place or residence.
Son or Daughter of Heaven—
The title of the chief priest or priestess who leads the combined religions of the eleven kingdoms.
The title of the chief priest or priestess who leads the combined religions of the eleven kingdoms.
Sovann Hill—
One of the four great hills of Tien.
One of the four great hills of Tien.
Spinner fish, the—
A shadowside tavern by the docks.
A shadowside tavern by the docks.
Stingers—
Slang term for Tienese City Watch.
Slang term for Tienese City Watch.
Stone Dog—
A living statue, roughly the size of a small horse. The familiar of the Elite.
A living statue, roughly the size of a small horse. The familiar of the Elite.
Straight-Back Jack—
A shadow jack who gets the job done and keeps his promises.
A shadow jack who gets the job done and keeps his promises.
Stumbles, the—
Neighborhood of Tien that houses the Gryphon’s Head tavern.
Neighborhood of Tien that houses the Gryphon’s Head tavern.
Sumey Dan Marchon Tal Pridu—
Baroness Marchon and sister of Maylien.
Baroness Marchon and sister of Maylien.
Sunside—
The shadowside term for more legitimate operations.
The shadowside term for more legitimate operations.
Sunside Jack—
A jack who works aboveboard, similar to a modern detective.
A jack who works aboveboard, similar to a modern detective.
Sylvani Empire—
Sometimes called the Sylvain, a huge empire covering much of the southern half of the continent. Ruled by a nonhuman race, it is ancient, and hostile to the human lands of the north.
Sometimes called the Sylvain, a huge empire covering much of the southern half of the continent. Ruled by a nonhuman race, it is ancient, and hostile to the human lands of the north.
Tailor’s Wynd—
An upscale neighborhood in Tien.
An upscale neighborhood in Tien.
Tangara—
God of glyphs and runes and other magical writing.
God of glyphs and runes and other magical writing.
Thauvik IV
or
Thauvik Tal Pridu, the Bastard King—
King of Tien and bastard half brother of the late Ashvik.
or
Thauvik Tal Pridu, the Bastard King—
King of Tien and bastard half brother of the late Ashvik.
Thieveslamp/Thieveslight—
A dim red magelight in a tiny bull’s-eye lantern.
A dim red magelight in a tiny bull’s-eye lantern.
Tien—
A coastal city, the thousand-year-old capital of Zhan.
A coastal city, the thousand-year-old capital of Zhan.
Timesman—
The keeper of the hours at the temple of Shan, Emperor of Heaven.
The keeper of the hours at the temple of Shan, Emperor of Heaven.
Travelers—
A seminomadic order of mages dedicated to making the roads safe for all.
A seminomadic order of mages dedicated to making the roads safe for all.
Triss—
Aral’s familiar. A Shade that inhabits Aral’s shadow.
Aral’s familiar. A Shade that inhabits Aral’s shadow.
Tuckaside—
A place to stash goods, usually stolen.
A place to stash goods, usually stolen.
Tucker—
Tucker bottle, a quarter-sized liquor bottle, suitable for two or for one heavy drinker.
Tucker bottle, a quarter-sized liquor bottle, suitable for two or for one heavy drinker.
Underhills—
An upscale neighborhood in Tien.
An upscale neighborhood in Tien.
Urayal—
A Master Blade.
A Master Blade.
Vangzien—
Zhani city at the confluence where the Vang River flows into the Zien River in the foothills of the Hurnic Mountains. Home of the summer palace.
Zhani city at the confluence where the Vang River flows into the Zien River in the foothills of the Hurnic Mountains. Home of the summer palace.
Warboard—
Chesslike game.
Chesslike game.
Wardblack—
A custom-built magical rug that blocks the function of a specific ward.
A custom-built magical rug that blocks the function of a specific ward.
Westbridge—
A bridge over the Zien upriver from the palace, and the neighborhood around it.
A bridge over the Zien upriver from the palace, and the neighborhood around it.
Worrymoth—
An herb believed to drive away moths.
An herb believed to drive away moths.
Zass—
A Shade, familiar of Devin.
A Shade, familiar of Devin.
Zhan—
One of the eleven human kingdoms of the east. Home to the city of Tien.
One of the eleven human kingdoms of the east. Home to the city of Tien.
Currency
Bronze Sixth Kip (sixer)
Bronze Kip
Bronze Shen
Silver Half Riel
Silver Riel
Gold Half Riel
Gold Riel
Gold Oriel
Bronze Kip
Bronze Shen
Silver Half Riel
Silver Riel
Gold Half Riel
Gold Riel
Gold Oriel
Calendar
(370 days in 11 months of 32 days each, plus two extra 9-day holiday weeks: Summer-Round in the middle of Midsummer, and Winter-Round between Darktide and Coldfast)
1.
Coldfast
2.
Meltentide
3.
Greening
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