TWOLAS - 06 - Peril''s Gate by Janny Wurts
KARTH-EELS—creatures descended from stock aberrated by the methurien, or hate-wraiths, of Mirthlvain Swamp. Amphibious, fanged, venomed spines, webbed feet, pronounced: caar-th eels root meaning: kar'eth—to raid
KARTHAN—kingdom in splinter world of 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, pronounced: karth-an root meaning: kar'eth'an—one who raids.'pirate
KATHTAIRR—landmass in the southern ocean, across the world from Paravia. The land was left sterile by drakefire during a far-reaching conflict in the Age of Dragons, pronounced: kath-tear root meaning: kait-th'era—empty place
KELHORN MOUNTAINS—a range of shale scarps in Vastmark, Shand. pronounced: kell-horn root meaning: kielwhern—toothed, jagged
KESWETH—scout from the outpost in the Mathorn Mountains whose wife was killed by headhunters. pronounced: kez-ith root meaning: kesieth—small clam found in freshwater streams
KEVOR—son and heir of Lysaer s'Ilessid and Princess Ellaine; born at Avenor in Third Age 5655. At age fourteen, in his father's absence, he exercised royal authority and averted a riot by the panicked citizenry of Avenor, earning the enmity of High Priest Cerebeld. pronounced: kev-or root meaning: kiavor—high virtue
KEWAR TUNNEL—cavern built beneath the Mathorn Mountains by Davien the Betrayer; site of High King Kamridian s'Ffalenn's death. pronounced: key-wahr root meaning: kewiar—a weighing of conscience
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. pronounced: kaa-drim root meaning: khadrim—dragon
KHARADMON—Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven; discorporate since rise of Khadrim and Seardluin leveled 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 guarding the star ward to guard against invasion of wraiths from Marak. pronounced: kah-rad-mun root meaning: kar'riad en mon—phrase translates to mean 'twisted thread on the needle' or colloquialism for 'a knot in the works'
KHETIENN—name for a brigantine owned by Arithon; also a small spotted wildcat native to Daon Ramon Barrens that became the s'Ffalenn royal sigil. pronounced: key-et-ee-en root meaning: kietienn—small leopard
KIELING TOWER—one of the four compass points, or Sun Towers, standing at ruin of Ithamon, Daon Ramon Barrens, in Rathain. The warding virtue that binds its stones is compassion, pronounced: key-eh-ling root meaning: kiel'ien—root for pity, with suffix for 'lightness' added, translates to mean 'compassion'
KITZ—man-at-arms in the sunwheel company out of Etarra. pronounced: kits
KORIANI—possessive and singular form of the word 'Koriathain'; see entry. pronounced: kor-ee-ah-nee
KORIAS—southwestern principality of Tysan. pronounced: kor-ee-as root meaning: cor—ship, vessel; i'esh—nest, haven
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. pronounced: kor-ee-ah-thain—to rhyme with 'main' root meaning: koriath—order; ain—belonging to
KOSHLIN—influential trade minister from Erdane, renowned for his hatred of the clans, and for his support of the headhunters' leagues, pronounced: kosh-lynn root meaning: kioshlin—opaque KRAEL—master of magecraft at Rauven Tower, on the world of Dascen Elur; one of Arithon's early tutors, pronounced: krayel root meaning: krial—name for the rune of crossing
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.
LEYNSGAP—a narrow pass in the Mathorn Mountains in the Kingdom of Rathain. pronounced: lay-ens-gap root meaning: liyond—corridor
LIRENDA—former First Senior Enchantress to the Prime, Koriani Order; failed in her assignment to capture Arithon s'Ffalenn for Koriani purposes. pronounced: leer-end-ah root meaning: lyron—singer; di-ia—a dissonance—the hyphen denotes a glottal stop
LITHMERE—principality located in the Kingdom of Havish. pronounced: lith-mere root meaning: lithmiere—to preserve intact, or keep whole; maintain in a state of harmony
LUHAINE—Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven, discorporate since the fall of Telmandir in Third Age Year 5018. Luhaine's body was pulled down by the mob while he was in ward trance, covering the escape of the royal heir to Havish. pronounced: loo-hay-ne root meaning: luirhainon—defender
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. pronounced: leer-anth-e (last 'e' being nearly subliminal) root meaning: lyr—song; anthe—box
LYSAER s'Ilessid—prince of Tysan, 1,497th 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. Also known as Blessed Prince, pronounced: lie-say-er root meaning: lia—blond, yellow or light; saer—circle
MACHLIN—clan scout from the outpost in the Mathorn Mountains. pronounced: mock-lin root meaning: miach'luin—cat kept for watch purposes, since cats can see etherically
MADREIGH—senior scout, Deshir clans. One of the eleven who stood to Jieret's defense in the battle of Strakewood Forest, pronounced: mah-dree-ah ('ah' is near subliminal) root meaning: madrien—staunch
MAENALLE s'GANNLEY—former steward and caithdein of Tysan; put on trial for outlawry and theft on the trade roads; executed by Lysaer s'Ilessid at Isaer, Third Age 5645. pronounced: may-nahl-e (last 'e' is near subliminal) root meaning: maeni—to fall, disrupt; alii—to save or preserve; colloquial translation: 'to patch together'
MAENOL—heir, after Maenalle s'Gannley, Steward and caithdein of Tysan. pronounced: may-nall root meaning: maeni'alii—to patch together
MAK s'AHELAS—High Mage of Rauven on the splinter world of Dascen Elur, father to Talera, and grandfather to Arithon and Lysaer. pronounced: mock s-ah-hell-as root meaning: miach—a form of mage-sight
MARAK—splinter world, cut off beyond South Gate, left lifeless after creation of the Mistwraith. The original inhabitants were men exiled by the Fellowship from Athera for beliefs or practices that were incompatible with the compact sworn between the Sorcerers and the Paravian races, which permitted human settlement on Athera. pronounced: maer-ak root meaning: m'era'ki—a place held separate
MATHORN MOUNTAINS—range that bisects the Kingdom of Rathain east to west. pronounced: math-orn root meaning: mathien—massive
MATHORN ROAD—way passing to the south of the Mathorn Mountains, leading to the trade city of Etarra from the west, pronounced: math-orn root meaning: mathien—massive
MEARN s'BRYDION—youngest brother of Duke Bransian of Alestron. Former ducal emissary to Lysaer s'Ilessid's Alliance of Light, pronounced: may-am root meaning: mierne—to flit MEIRIS—one of Princess Ellaine's ladies-in-waiting at Avenor. pronounced: marys
MELHALLA—High Kingdom of Athera once ruled by the line of s'Ellestrion. The last prince died in the crossing of the Red Desert, pronounced: mel-hall-a root meaning: maelhallia—grand meadows.'plain; also word for an open space of any sort
MELOR RIVER—located in the principality of Korias, Tysan. Its mouth forms the harbor for the port town of West End. pronounced: mel-or root meaning: maeliur—fish
MERIOR BY THE SEA—small seaside fishing village on the Scimlade peninsula in Alland, Shand. Once the temporary site of Arithon's shipyard, pronounced: mare-ee-or root meaning: merioren—cottages
METHLAS LAKE—large body of fresh water located in the principality of Radmoore, Melhalla. pronounced: meth-las root meaning: meth'ilass'an—the drowned, or sunken ones
METHSPAWN—an animal warped by possession by a methuri, an iyat-related parasite that infested live hosts. Extinct by the Third Age, their crossbred, aberrated descendants are called methspawn, found in Mirthlvain Swamp, pronounced: meth root meaning: meth—hate
METHURI—an iyat-related parasite that infested live hosts, extinct by the Third Age. pronounced: meth-you-ree root meaning: meth'thi—hate-wraith
MINDERL BAY—body of water behind Crescent Isle off the east coast of Rathain. Also reference point of a battle where Arithon tricked Lysaer into burning the trade fleet, pronounced: mind-earl root meaning: minderl—anvil
MIRTHLVAIN SWAMP—boglands located in Midhalla, Melhalla; filled with dangerous crossbreeds of drake spawn. Guarded by the Master Spellbinder, Verrain. pronounced: mirth-el-vain root meaning: myrthl—noxious; vain—bog, mud
MISTWRAITH—see Desh-thiere.
MORRIEL—Prime Enchantress of the Koriathain since the Third Age 4212. Instigated the plot to upset the Fellowship's compact, which upset the seven magnetic lanes on the continent. Her death on winter solstice 5670 left an irregular succession, pronounced: more-real root meaning: moar—greed; riel—silver
MORVAIN—city located in Araethura, Rathain, on the coast of Instrell Bay. Elaira's birthplace, pronounced: more-vain root meaning: morvain—swindlers' market
NARMS—city on the coast of Instrell Bay, built as a craft center by Men in the early Third Age. Best known for dyeworks. pronounced: narms—to rhyme with 'charms' root meaning: narms—color
NORTH-WARD—fishing town on the north coast of the principality of Fallowmere, Rathain.
NORTHSTRAIT—narrows between the mainland spur of northern Tysan and the Trow Islands.
ORNISON—master from Rauven Tower who taught Arithon his early lessons in magecraft. pronounced: or-nee-son root meaning: ornia'san—a blackbird with a crested head
ORVANDIR—principality located in northeastern Shand. pronounced: or-van-deer root meaning: orcein—crumbled; dir—stone
OSTERMERE—harbor and trade city, once smugglers' haven, located in Carithwyr, Havish. City where High King Eldir received his coronation, before moving his court to Telmandir. pronounced: os-tur-mere root meaning: ostier—brick; miere—reflection
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, pronounced: par-ai-vee-ans root meaning: para—great; i'on—fate or great mystery
PENSTAIR—Second Age ruin on the northern shore of Deshir, Rathain. pronounced: pen-stair root meaning: pensti'era—watchpoint, place for beacon fires
PESQUIL—Mayor of the Northern League of Headhunters at the time of the battle of Strakewood Forest. His strategies caused the Deshir clans the most punishing losses. Died of a clan vengeance arrow during the crossing of Valley gap in Third Age 5646. pronounced: pes-quil like 'pest-quill' root meaning not from the Paravian
POIREY—Araethurian herder, great-uncle to Fionn Areth. pronounced: pear-ree root meaning: paereia—salmon
RADMOORE DOWNS—meadowlands in Midhalla, Melhalla. pronounced: rad-more root meaning: riad—thread; mour—carpet, rug
RAIETT RAVEN—brother of the Mayor of Hanshire; uncle of Sulfin Evend. Considered a master statesman and a bringer of wars. Currently serving as High Chancellor of Etarra, ruling in the absence of the mayor, pronounced: rayett root meaning: raiett—carrion bird
RANNE—royal guardsman of Avenor, assigned as honor guard to the heir apparent, Prince Kevor. pronounced: rahn root meaning: ruann—a fledgling hawk
RATHAIN—High Kingdom of Athera ruled by descendants of Torbrand s'Ffalenn since Third Age Year One. Sigil: black-and-silver leopard on green field. Arithon Teir's'Ffalenn is sanctioned crown prince, by the hand of Asandir of the Fellowship, in Third Age Year 5638 at Etarra. pronounced: rath-ayn root meaning: roth—brother; thein—tower, sanctuary
RAUVEN TOWER—home of the s'Ahelas mages who brought up Arithon s'Ffalenn and trained him to the ways of power. Located on the splinter world, Dascen Elur, through West Gate, pronounced: raw-ven root meaning: rauven—invocation
REIYAJ—title for the seeress who inhabits a tower in southern Shand near the city of Ithish. Her oracular visions are based on meditative communion with the energy gateway marked and measured by Athera's sun. Although born sighted, practice of her art results in blindness. The origin of her tradition derives from mystical practices still extant in the tribal culture of the Sanpashir Desert, pronounced: ree-yahj root meaning: ria'ieajn—to touch the forbidden
RIATHAN PARAVIANS—unicorns, the purest, most direct connection to Ath Creator; the prime vibration channels directly through the horn, pronounced: ree-ah-than root meaning: ria—to touch; ath—prime life force; an—one; ri'athon—one who touches divinity
RIVERTON—trade town at the mouth of the Ilswater river, in Korias, Tysan; once the site of Lysaer's royal shipyard, before the site burned in Third Age Year 5654.
ROCKFELL PIT—deep shaft cut into Rockfell Peak, used to imprison harmful entities throughout all three Ages. Located in West Halla, Melhalla; became the warded prison for Desh-thiere. pronounced: rock-fell root meaning not from the Paravian
ROCKFELL VALE—valley below Rockfell Peak, located in principality of West Halla, Melhalla. pronounced: rockfell vale root meaning not from the Paravian
SAERIAT—name of the brigantine captained by Avar of Karthan, defeated and burned in engagement against seventeen warships of Amroth on the splinter world of Dascen Elur. pronounced: say-ree-at root meaning: saer—water; iyat—to break
s'AHELAS—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Shand. Gifted geas: farsight, pronounced: s'ah-hell-as root meaning: ahelas—mage-gifted SANPASHIR—desert waste on the southcoast of Shand. Home to the desert tribes, pronounced: sahn-pash-eer root meaning: san—black or dark; pash'era—place of grit or gravel
SAYTRA—Koriani Senior in charge of making talismans and fiend banes at the Highscarp sisterhouse. pronounced: say-tra root meaning: saer'tria—one who joins circles
s'BRYDION—ruling line of the Dukes of Alestron. The only old blood clansmen to maintain rule of their city through the uprising that defeated the rule of the high kings, pronounced: s'bride-ee-on root meaning: baridien—tenacity
SCIMLADE TIP—peninsula at the southeast corner of Alland, Shand. pronounced: skim-laid root meaning: scimlait—curved knife or scythe
s'DARIAN—family name for a line of centaurs who were master armorers in the First and Second Ages. Most renowned was Ffereton, who forged the twelve Blades of Isaer, Alithiel being for his natural son Durmaenir. pronounced: dar-ee-an root meaning: daer'an—one that cuts
SECOND AGE—Marked by the arrival of the Fellowship of Seven at Crater Lake, their called purpose to fight the drake spawn.
SELIDIE—young woman initiate appointed by Morriel Prime as a candidate in training for succession. Succeeded to the office of Prime Matriarch after Morriel's death on winter solstice in Third Age Year 5670. pronounced: sell-ih-dee root meaning: selyadi—air sprite
SELKWOOD—forest located in Alland, Shand. pronounced: selk-wood root meaning: selk—pattern
SETHVIR—Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven, served as Warden of Althain since the disappearance of the Paravians in the Third Age after the Mistwraith's conquest, pronounced: seth-veer root meaning: seth—fact; vaer—keep
SEVERNIR—river that once ran across the central part of
Daon Ramon Barrens, Rathain. Diverted at the source after the Mistwraith's conquest, to run east in
s'FFALENN—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Rathain. Gifted geas: compassion.'empathy, pronounced: s-fal-en root meaning: ffael—dark; an—one SHAND—High Kingdom on the southeast corner of the Paravian continent, originally ruled by the line of s'Ahelas. Device is falcon on a crescent moon, backed by purple-and-gold chevrons. pronounced: shand—as in 'hand' root meaning: shayn or shiand—two.'pair
SHEHANE ALTHAIN—Ilitharis Paravian who dedicated his spirit as defender and guardian of Althain Tower, pronounced: shee-hay-na all-thain root meaning: shiehai'en—to give for the greater good; alt—last; thein—tower, sanctuary
SHIP'S PORT—city located on the Bay of Eltair in the principality of West Halla, Melhalla.
SIDIR—one of the Companions, who were the fourteen boys to survive the Battle of Strakewood. Served Arithon at the battle of Dier Kenton Vale, and the Havens. Second-in-command of Earl Jieret's war band, pronounced: see-deer root meaning: i'sid'i'er—one who has stood at the verge of being lost
s'ILESSID—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Tysan. Gifted geas: justice, pronounced: s-ill-ess-id root meaning: liessiad—balance
SILVERMARSH—mire located south of Daenfal Lake, in the principality of West Halla, Melhalla.
SITHAER—mythological equivalent of hell, halls of Dharkaron Avenger's judgment; according to Ath's adepts, that state of being where the prime vibration is not recognized, pronounced: sith-air root meaning: sid—lost; thiere—wraith.'spirit
SKANNT—headhunter captain, served under Pesquil. pronounced: scant root meaning: sciant—a lean, hard-run hound of mixed breeding
SKYRON FOCUS—large aquamarine focus stone, used by the Koriani Senior Circle for their major magic after the loss of the Great Waystone during the rebellion, pronounced: sky-run root meaning: skyron—colloquialism for shackle; s'kyr'i'on— literally 'sorrowful fate'