Traitor's Knot (75 page)

Summer 5671

Sunrise at Jaelot sees the flying departure of six trade galleys, oars driving up spray to speed the Light's redoubled muster of the Alliance towns to raise arms for war against Shadow at Alestron; and while the discovery of unexplained deaths and portentous fires sparks unease across the rest of the continent, Lysaer s'Ilessid boards ship for Varens, to raise his standard upon the East Halla peninsula…

Dakar the Mad Prophet awakens from Davien's enspelled sleep to find Etarra driven to rage over the uncanny fires that have murdered three captains at arms, High Chancellor Raiett Raven, and his highest-ranking town ministers; since no more clan children survive to be saved, and the aged bard has suspiciously vanished, he contacts Sethvir, then hires a post-horse to scorch the road to bear warning back to the clans in Melhalla…

Shown the captured lane imprint of a crown prince's sweeping defeat of the Kralovir, Selidie Prime closets herself for a prescient augury, then rejects the Forthmark peeress's pleading request, that initiate Elaira should be recalled: ‘No change in her orders. She may resume her lapsed practice of healing only after she meets the terms of her current assignment…'

A'BREND'AIA—the polite word for making love ‘the lyrical dance.'

pronounced: a-bren-day-ee-yah

root meaning:
a'brend'aia—
the dynamic balance of yin and yang

ADRUIN—coastal city located in East Halla, Melhalla. Enemy of Alestron, usually over the issue of blockades at the harbor mouth leading to the Cildein Ocean.

pronounced: add-ruin

root meaning:
al—
over;
duinn—
hand

AIYENNE—river located in Daon Ramon, Rathain, rising from an underground spring in the Mathorn Mountains, and coming above ground south of the Mathorn Road.

pronounced: eye-an

root meaning:
ai'an—
hidden one

ALESTRON—city located in Midhalla, Melhalla. Ruled by Duke Bransian, Teir's'Brydion, and his three brothers. This city did not fall to merchant townsmen in the Third Age uprising that threw down the high kings, but is still ruled by its clanblood heirs.

pronounced: ah-less-tron

root meaning:
alesstair—
stubborn;
an—
one

ALITHIEL—one of twelve Blades of Isaer, forged by centaur Ffereton s'Darian from metal taken from a meteorite. Passed through Paravian possession, acquired the secondary name Dael-Farenn, or Kingmaker, since its owners tended to succeed the end of a royal line. Eventually was awarded to Kamridian s'Ffalenn for his valor in defense of the princess Taliennse, early Third Age. Currently in the possession of Arithon.

pronounced: ah-lith-ee-el

root meaning:
alith—
star;
iel—
light/ray

ALLAND—principality located in south-eastern Shand. Ruled by the Lord Erlien s'Taleyn, High Earl, and appointed
caithdein
of Shand.

pronounced: all-and

root meaning:
a'lind—
pine glen

ALTHAIN TOWER—spire built at the edge of the Bittern Desert, beginning of the Second Age, to house records of Paravian histories. Third Age, became repository for the archives of all five royal houses of men after rebellion, overseen by the Fellowship Sorcerer, Sethvir, named Warden of Althain since Third Age Year 5100.

pronounced: all-thay-in

root meaning:
alt—
last;
thein—
tower, sanctuary

original Paravian pronunciation: alt-thein

ANGLEFEN—marsh located in Deshir, Rathain. Also a port town that links the sea-routes to Etarra.

pronounced: angle fen

root meaning not from the Paravian

ANIENT—Paravian invocation for unity.

pronounced: an-ee-ent

root meaning:
an—
one;
ient—
suffix for ‘most'

ARAETHURA—grass plains in south-west Rathain; principality of the same name in that location. Largely inhabited by Riathan Paravians in the Second Age. Third Age, used as pasture land by widely scattered nomadic shepherds. Fionn Areth's birthplace.

pronounced: ar-eye-thoo-rah

root meaning:
araeth—
grass;
era—
place, land

ARITHON—son of Avar, Prince of Rathain, 1,504th Teir's'Ffalenn after founder of the line, Torbrand in Third Age Year One. Also Master of Shadow, the Bane of Desh-thiere, and Halliron Masterbard's successor.

pronounced: ar-i-thon

root meaning:
arithon—
fate-forger; one who is visionary

ARWENT—river in Araethura, Rathain, that flows from Daenfal Lake through Halwythwood to empty in Instrell Bay.

pronounced: are-went

root meaning:
arwient—
swiftest

ASANDIR—Fellowship Sorcerer. Secondary name, Kingmaker, since his hand crowned every High King of Men to rule in the Age of Men (Third Age). After the Mistwraith's conquest, he acted as field agent for the Fellowship's doings across the continent. Also called Fiend-quencher, for his reputation for quelling iyats; Storm-breaker and Change-bringer for his past actions when Men first arrived upon Athera.

pronounced: ah-san-deer

root meaning:
asan—
heart;
air—
stone ‘heartrock'

ATAINIA—north-eastern principality of Tysan.

pronounced: ah-tay-nee-ah

root meaning:
itain—
the third;
ia—
suffix for ‘third domain' original Paravian,
itainia

ATCHAZ—town located in Alland, Shand. Famed for its silk.

pronounced: at-chaz

root meaning:
atchias—
silk

ATH CREATOR—prime vibration, force behind all life.

pronounced: ath

root meaning:
ath—
prime, first (as opposed to
an
, one)

ATHERA—name for the world which holds the Five High Kingdoms; four Worldsend Gates; formerly inhabited by dragons, and current home of the Paravian races.

pronounced: ath-air-ah

root meaning:
ath—
prime force;
era—
place ‘Ath's world'

ATHIR—Second Age ruin of a Paravian stronghold, located in Ithilt, Rathain. Site of a seventh lane power focus; also where Arithon Teir's'Ffalenn swore
his blood oath to survive to the Fellowship Sorcerer, Asandir.

pronounced: ath-ear

root meaning:
ath—
prime;
i'er—
the line/edge

ATHLIEN PARAVIANS—sunchildren. Small race of semimortals, pixie-like, but possessed of great wisdom/keepers of the grand mystery.

pronounced: ath-lee-en

root meaning:
ath—
prime force;
lien—
to love ‘Ath-beloved'

ATHLIERIA—equivalent of heaven/actually a dimension removed from physical time/space, or the exalted that lies past the veil.

pronounced: ath-lee-air-ee-ah

root meaning:
ath—
prime force;
li'eria—
exalted place, with suffix for ‘beyond the veil.'

AVENOR—Second Age ruin of a Paravian stronghold. Traditional seat of the s'Ilessid High Kings. Restored to habitation in Third Age 5644. Became the ruling seat of the Alliance of Light in Third Age 5648. Located in Korias, Tysan.

pronounced: ah-ven-or

root meaning:
avie—
stag;
norh—
grove

BAIYEN GAP—the trail built by the centaur guardians through the pass that crosses the Skyshiel Mountains, connecting the Eltair coast to Daon Ramon Barrens. Twice the site of a drake battle, once between rivals in the Age of Dragons, and again, in the First Age, against a pack of greater drake spawn. One of the old rights of way, not open to mankind's use.

pronounced: bye-yen

root meaning:
bayien—
slag

BARACH—second son of Jieret s'Valerient, and older brother of Jeynsa. Successor to the title, Earl of the North.

pronounced: bar-ack

root meaning:
baraich—
linch-pin

BARISH—town located just north of the border of Tysan, on the coast of Mainmere Bay.

pronounced: bar-ish

root meaning:
bar—
half;
ris—
way

BIEDAR—desert tribe living in Sanpashir, Shand. Also known as the Keepers of the Prophecy. Their sacred weaving at the well produced the conception of Dari s'Ahelas, which crossed the old
caithdein's
lineage of s'Dieneval with the royal line of s'Ahelas, combining the gifts of prophetic clairvoyance with the Fellowship-endowed penchant for far-sight.

pronounced: bee-dar

root meaning:
biehdahrr—
ancient desert dialect for ‘lore keepers'

BITTERN DESERT—waste located in Atainia, Tysan, north of Althain Tower. Site of a First Age battle between the great drakes and the Seardluin, permanently destroyed by dragonfire.

pronounced: bittern

root meaning:
bityern—
to sear or char

BRAGGEN—one of the fourteen Companions, who were the only children to survive the battle fought between Deshir's clansmen and the war host of Etarra beside the River Tal Quorin in Third Age Year 5638.

pronounced: brag-en

root meaning:
briocen—
surly

BRANSIAN s'BRYDION—Teir's'Brydion, ruling Duke of Alestron.

pronounced: bran-see-an

root meaning:
brand—
temper;
s'i'an—
suffix denoting ‘of the one'/the one with temper

CAINFORD—town located in Taerlin, Tysan.

pronounced: cane-ford

root meaning:
caen—
vale

CAITH-AL-CAEN—vale where Riathan Paravians (unicorns) celebrated equinox and solstice to renew the
athael
, or life-destiny of the world. Also the place where the Ilitharis Paravians first Named the winter stars—or encompassed their vibrational essence into language. Corrupted by the end of the Third Age to Castlecain.

pronounced: cay-ith-al-cay-en, musical lilt, emphasis on second and last syllables; rising note on first two, falling note on last two

root meaning:
caith—
shadow;
al—
over;
caen—
vale ‘vale of shadow'

CAITHDEIN—(alternate spelling
caith'd'ein
, plural form
caithdeinen)
Paravian name for a high king's first counselor; also, the one who would stand as regent, or steward, in the absence of the crowned ruler. By heritage, the office also carries responsibility for oversight of crown royalty's fitness to rule.

pronounced: kay-ith-day-in

root meaning:
caith—
shadow;
d'ein—
behind the chair ‘shadow behind the throne'

CAITHWOOD—forest located in Taerlin, south-east principality of Tysan.

pronounced: kay-ith-wood

root meaning:
caith—
shadow—shadowed wood

CALUM KINCAID—the individual who invented the great weapon that destroyed the worlds of humanity and caused the refugee faction, including the Koriathain, to seek sanctuary on Athera.

pronounced: calum kin-cade

root meaning not from an Atheran language

CAMRIS—north-central principality of Tysan. Original ruling seat was the city of Erdane.

pronounced: cam-ris

root meaning:
cairn—
cross;
ris—
way ‘crossroad'

CAOLLE—past war captain of the clans of Deshir, Rathain. First raised, and
then served under, Lord Steiven, Earl of the North and
caithdein
of Rathain. Planned the campaign at Vastmark and Dier Kenton Vale for the Master of Shadow. Served Jieret Red-beard, and was feal liegeman of Arithon of Rathain; died of complications from a wound received from his prince while breaking a Koriani attempt to trap his liege in Third Age Year 5653.

pronounced: kay-all-eh, with the ‘e' nearly subliminal

root meaning:
caille—
stubborn

CAPEWELL—town located on the south shore of Korias, Tysan. Home of a major Koriani sisterhouse.

CARITHWYR—principality in Havish, once a grass-lands breeding-ground for the Riathan Paravians. Now produces grain, cattle, fine hides, and also wine.

pronounced: car-ith-ear

root meaning:
ci'arithiren—
forgers of the ultimate link with prime power. An old colloquialism for unicorn.

CASCAIN ISLANDS—rugged chain of islands off the coast of Vastmark, Shand.

pronounced: cass-canes

root meaning:
kesh kain—
shark's teeth

CATTRICK—master joiner hired to run the royal shipyard at Riverton; once in Arithon's employ at Merior by the Sea, now shipwright for Duke Bransian s'Brydion at Alestron.

pronounced: cat-rick

root meaning:
ciattiaric—
a knot tied of withies that has the magical property of confusing enemies

CEREBELD—Avenor's High Priest of the Light, formerly Lord Examiner of Avenor.

pronounced: cara-belld

root meaning:
ciarabeld—
ashes

CIENN—clan scout and Companion in Earl Jieret s'Valerient's war-band, smith who shod their horses; died in the battle on Daon Ramon, Third Age Year 5670.

pronounced: kee-in

root meaning:
cian—
spark

CIANOR SUNLORD—born at Caith-al-Caen, First Age Year 615. Crowned High King of Athera in Second Age Year 2545, until his death when a rise of Khadrim called him to war in Second Age 3651. He is the only Paravian in history to have a namesake, more properly termed a
tiendar'shayn'd
or ‘reborn.' Cianor Moonlord was birthed at the darkest hour of the Second Age. He was still at hand in Third Age Year One to assist when the Fellowship Sorcerers wrote the compact that enabled Mankind to receive sanctuary on Athera. It was his hand that bestowed the sword Alithiel upon Kamridian s'Ffalenn.

CILADIS THE LOST—Fellowship Sorcerer who left the continent in Third Age 5462 in search of the Paravian races after their disappearance following the rebellion.

pronounced: kill-ah-dis

root meaning:
cad—
leaf;
adeis—
whisper, compound;
cael'adeis
colloquialism for ‘gentleness that abides'

CILDEIN OCEAN—body of water lying off Athera's east coast.

pronounced: kill-dine

root meaning:
cailde—
salty;
an—
one

CILDORN—city famed for carpets and weaving, located in Deshir, Rathain. Originally a Paravian holdfast, situated on a node of the third lane.

pronounced: kill-dorn

root meaning:
deal—
thread;
dorn—
net ‘tapestry'

CORITH—island west of Havish in the Westland Sea. Site of an old drake lair, and a ruined First Age foundation. Here the council of Paravians convened during seige, and their appeal brought the Second Dreaming by dragons, which enacted the summoning of the seven who became the Fellowship Sorcerers.

pronounced: core-ith

root meaning:
cori—
ships, vessels;
itha—
five

CRUIK—an old form of architecture, wherein living trees are molded to become structural support for a building, which is constructed around them.