Thieves of Islar: Book One of The Heirs of Bormeer (40 page)

First Rung

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Winter’s Hate - Calius deSwan

Second Rung

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The Spoiled Vassals – Victor Ortelli


      
The Black Fangs – Gerlido Krosch


      
The Grey Ravens


      
Ought Knives


      
The Bad Priests


      
The Gravy


      
Three Mill Legion – Jotar Vengh


      
Damaged Goods


      
Tanner’s Toughs


      
Belle’s Whistles


      
Henri’s Hands – Jaeron deAlto

Third Rung

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Ruggio’s Dockpads

Assassin’s Guild of Bormeer


      
Crimson Wolves

boektral (bĕk-trĭl)
– a cereal or grain plant with a large edible seed, similar to barley but the size of peas.

Bormeer (bōr-mîr) –
the northernmost kingdom along the coast of the North Lumeahotic Ocean.

daison (dī-
sǝ
n) horn –
a long, eight to ten foot, horn usually carved out of softwood originally used for communication in the mountains.

dozec
(
dō-zĕk
) – the basic currency of Bormeer, the dozec is a round coin 7/10” in diameter made of a 0.920 silver alloy; four zecca have the same value as a dozec.

Feral – a chess-like game played on a complex board of octagons and smaller squares; Feral pieces usually model nocturnal animals and the mythical demon woman,
satyra
.

faramel
(
fâr
-ǝ
-mĕl
) – a sweet grain, similar to oats.

full krovat
(
krō-văt
) – the highest currency of Bormeer, the full krovat is a five-sided coin with rounded corners nearly an inch in width made of a 0.915 gold alloy; the value of the full krovat is eight krovats.

gindi (jĭ-dē) –
an addictive, illegal drug, usually a yellowish tan powder, sniffed or added to tobacco; effects include exhilaration and extreme confidence.

gomjom (gŏm-jŏm) –
a popular athletic game played between two teams with a round, leather ball.

Islar (ĭs-lär) –
the second largest city of Bormeer with a population nearing one-hundred thousand; its primary economy based on silver mining, farming, fishing, and shipping.

Krovat
– the crown currency of Bormeer, the krovat sets the nation’s economy; the krovat is a round coin just over ½” in diameter made of a 0.915 gold alloy; six dozec have the same value as a krovat.

Lady Mara
– the Bormeeran goddess of health and hearth; only deity of the Bien’Tal pantheon still legally worshiped in Bormeer.

lecouri (lā-kŏr-ē) –
a fragrant oil derived from a fibrous, flowering plant generally found in the hilly regions of Bormeer and Rosunland.

mizec
(
mĭ- zĕk
) – the smallest currency of Bormeer, the mizec is a round coin just under an inch in diameter made of a 0.986 copper alloy.

satyra
(
săt-îr
-ǝ
) – a mythological creature, said to have the form of a naked female with cloven hooves for feet and the head of a goat.

Sira
(sîr
-ǝ
) – the smaller, more distant, of the two moons that orbit the world.

takridde (tăk-rĭd) –
a spiced tobacco usually used for smoking in pipes.

Teichmar (tēk-mär) –
the god of Justice, one of the Gods of Man.

Theela (thē-
lǝ
)
– the larger of the two moons that orbit the world.

tsipouro
(
tsĭ-pŏr-ō
) – a strong and syrupy alcoholic drink brewed, fermented, and distilled from plant roots and seed pods.

zecca
(
zĕk-
kǝ
) – the second smallest currency of Bormeer, the zecca is a five-sided coin with rounded edges around 7/10” wide and made of a 0.895 silver alloy; twelve mizecs have the same value as a zecca.

yathri
(
yă-thrē
) – a smooth fabric produced from the silk excretions of a venomous moth.

The journey to this first novel has been a long one, from a dream established when I was maybe fourteen. Unfortunately, I was good at letting life get in the way and kept most of my writing to myself, until I took that first step and engaged my initial victims a few years ago. So first, I have to thank those early readers who suffered through an incomplete first draft and took the time to let me know how I missed the mark and where I scored an inner ring.

Rosalee (still Mrs. A to me), Susan and Scott, Howard and Kathleen, Rich, and Sam - thank you for being the first explorers of Islar and not beating me up too badly on its flaws.

Thanks also to Rachel Weaver, the Louisville Writers Workshop critique group, and the “inner circle” of speculative fiction writers therein. You’ve taught me more about this craft in the past couple of years than I learned anywhere else.

I want also to extend my thanks to you, my readers,  who have taken a chance on a new novel and author in a genre that is teeming with truly fantastic works. I hope you enjoyed the deAltos’ journey and look forward to coming back for more. If so, please take a moment to post a review and tell a friend.

Finally, thanks to my wife, Valerie. For putting up with late nights, early mornings, grousing and grumpiness. And though you may not always understand that I actually am writing when I’m sitting in the recliner not doing anything, you are always supportive and encouraged me more than anyone to fulfill this dream. My love, always.

James Shade spent his youth visiting Berwick’s newsstand, looking for heroes on four-color pages. He studied Engineering at Penn State University and went on to help write the software that enables the F119 and the F135, the best metal birds-of-prey, fly. His passions include gaming, disc golf, and cooking on his Big Green Egg. He lives in Colorado with his wife, three children, and a small menagerie of animals. THIEVES OF ISLAR is his first novel.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/JamesShadeAuthor.

Katharina Nikola lives in Hamburg, Germany, and especially enjoys the harbour, the seagulls and the northern climate. She illustrates for several publishers and of course loves to draw and scribble all day, when she's not at her job as a Community Manager. Together with her illustrator boyfriend, Steffen Brand, she has finished a number of projects.

You can find her art here: http://tokala.deviantart.com

and Steffen's art here: http://steffenbrand.deviantart.com.