The Ships of Merior (85 page)

KARMAK - plain located in the northern portion of the principality of Camris, Tysan. Site of numerous First Age battles where Paravian forces opposed Khadrim packs that bred in volcanic sites in the northern Tornir Peaks.

KARTHAN - kingdom in splinter world Dascen Elur, through West Gate, ruled by the pirate kings, s’Ffalenn descendants of the prince sent into exile at the time of the Mistwraith’s conquest.

KARTH-EELS - creatures descended from stock aberrated by the
methurien
, or hate-wraiths, of Mirthlvain Swamp. Amphibious, fanged, venomed spines, webbed feet.

KELDMAR s’BRYDION - younger brother of Duke Bransian of Alestron; older brother of Parrien and Mearn.

KHADRIM - drake-spawned creatures, flying, fire-breathing reptiles that were the scourge of the Second Age. By the Third Age, they had been driven back and confined in the Sorcerers’ Preserve in the volcanic peaks in north Tysan.

KHARADMON - Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven; discorporate since rise of Khadrim and Seardluin levelled Paravian city at Ithamon in Second Age 3651. It was by Kharadmon’s intervention that the survivors of the attack were sent to safety by means of transfer from the fifth lane power focus. Currently sent to the worlds cut off beyond South Gate to explore the Mistwraith’s origin.

KIELING TOWER - one of the four Compass Points or Sun Towers standing at Ithamon, Daon Ramon Barrens, Rathain. The warding virtue that binds its stones is Compassion.

KITTIWAKE TAVERN - sailors’ dive located in the city of Ship’s Port, Melhalla.

KORIANI - possessive form of the word ‘Koriathain'; see entry.

KORIAS - southwestern principality of Tysan.

KORIATHAIN - order of enchantresses ruled by a circle of Seniors, under the power of one Prime Enchantress. They draw their talent from the orphaned children they raise, or from daughters dedicated to service by their parents. Initiation rite involves a vow of consent that ties the spirit to a power crystal keyed to the Prime’s control.

LANSHIRE - northwestern principality of Havish. Name taken from wastes at Scarpdale, site of First Age battles with Seardluin that seared the soil to a slag waste, pronounced: lahn-sheer-e (last ‘e’ is nearly subliminal)

LAW OF THE MAJOR BALANCE- founding order of the powers of the Fellowship of Seven, as written by the Paravians. The primary tenet is that no force of nature should be used without consent, or against the will of another living being.

LEINTHAL ANITHAEL - great Paravian navigator who was first to circumnavigate Athera

LIRENDA - First Senior Enchantress to the Prime, Koriani order; Morriel’s intended successor.

LITHMERE - principality located in the Kingdom of Havish.

LUHAINE - Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven - dis-corporate since the fall of Telmandir. Luhaine’s body was pulled down by the mob while he was in ward trance, covering the escape of the royal heir to Havish.

LYRANTHE - instrument played by the bards of Athera. Strung with fourteen strings, tuned to seven tones (doubled). Two courses are ‘drone strings’ set to octaves. Five are melody strings, the lower three courses being octaves, the upper two, in unison.

LYSAER s’ILESSID- prince of Tysan, 1497th in succession after Halduin, founder of the line in Third Age Year One. Gifted at birth with control of Light, and Bane of Desh-thiere.

MACHIEL - steward and
caithdein
of the realm of Havish. In service under King Eldir.

MAENELLE s’GANNLEY - steward and
caithdein
of Tysan.

MAENOL - heir, after Maenalle s’Gannley, Steward and
caithdein
of Tysan.

MAIEN - nickname for Maenalle’s grandson, Maenol.

MAGYRE - scholar who discovered the secret of black
powder. In accordance with the Fellowship sorcerers’ compact, he was forced to give up his studies, but a copy of his papers survived.

MAINMERE - town at the head of the Valenford River, located in the principality of Taerlin, Tysan. Built by townsmen on a site originally kept clear to free the second land focus in the ruins further south.

MARL - Earl of Fallowmere and clan chieftain at the time of the battle of Strakewood Forest.

MATHORN MOUNTAINS - range that bisects the Kingdom of Rathain east to west.

MATHORN ROAD - way passing to the south of the Ma thorn Mountains, leading to the trade city of Etarra from the west.

MEARN s’BRYDION - youngest brother of Duke Bransian of Alestron.

MEARTH - city through the West Gate in the Red Desert. Inhabitants all fell victim to the Shadows of Mearth, which were created by the Fellowship sorcerer Davien to protect the Five Centuries Fountain. The Shadows are a light-fuelled geas that bind the mind to memory of an individual’s most painful experience.

MEDLIR - name carried by Arithon s’Ffalenn while he travelled incognito as Halliron’s apprentice.

MELHALLA - High Kingdom of Athera once ruled by the line of s’Ellestrion. The last prince died in the crossing of the Red Desert.

MELOR RIVER - located in the principality of Korias, Tysan. Its mouth forms the harbour for the port town of West End.

MERIOR BY THE SEA - small seaside fishing village on the Scimlade peninsula in Alland, Shand. Site of Arithon’s shipyard.

METH ISLE KEEP - old Paravian fortress located on the isle in Methlas Lake in southern Melhalla. Kept by Verrain, Guardian of Mirthlvain. Contains a fifth lane power focus and dungeons where
methuri
, or hate-wraiths, were held temporarily captive before transfer to Rockfell Pit.

METHLAS LAKE - large body of fresh water located in the principality of Radmoor, Melhalla.

METH-SNAKES - crossbred genetic mutations left over from a First Age drake-spawned creature called a
methuri
(hate-wraith). Related to iyats, these creatures possessed live hosts, which they infested and induced to produce mutated offspring to create weakened lines of stock to widen their choice of potential host animals.

METHURI
- drake spawned, and iyat-related parasite that infested live host animals. By the Third Age, they are extinct, but their mutated host stock continues to breed in Mirthlvain Swamp.

MINDERL BAY - body of water behind Crescent Isle off the east coast of Rathain.

MIRALT - port city in northern Camris, Tysan.

MIRTHLVAIN SWAMP - boglands filled with dangerous crossbreeds, located south of the Tiriac Mountains in principality of Midhalla, Melhalla. Never left unwatched. Since conquest of the Mistwraith, the appointed guardian was the spellbinder, Verrain.

MORFETT - Lord Governor Supreme of Etarra at the time the Fellowship sought to restore Rathain’s monarchy following the captivity of the Mistwraith, and during the muster for the war host against Arithon.

MORRIEL - Prime Enchantress of the Koriathain since the Third Age Year 4212.

MORVAIN - city located in the principality of
Araethura, Rathain, on the coast of Instrell Bay. Elaira’s birthplace.

NARMS - city on the coast of Instrell Bay, built as a craft centre by men in the early Third Age. Best known for dyeworks.

ORLAN - pass through the Thaldein Mountains, also location of the Camris clans’ west outpost, in Camris, Tysan. Known for barbarian raids.

ORVANDIR - principality located in northeastern Shand.

OSTERMERE - harbour and trade city, once smugglers’ haven, located in Carythwyr, Havish; current seat of Eldir, King of Havish.

PARAVIAN - name for the three old races that inhabited Athera before Men. Including the centaurs, the sunchildren, and the unicorns, these races never die unless mishap befalls them; they are the world’s channel, or direct connection to Ath Creator.

PARRIEN s’BRYDION - second youngest brother of Duke Bransian of Alestron; older brother of Mearn, younger brother of Keldmar.

PASYVIER - meadows in Korias, Tysan, where clan-blood drifters raise horses.

PERLORN - city in Fallowmere, Rathain on the trade road midway between Etarra and Werpoint.