firefriend: A term sub-red drafters use for each other.
Flame of Erebos, the: The symbolic pin all Blackguards receive: as a candle must be consumed to provide light, so too the Blackguards’ lives require sacrifice to be of use to Orholam.
flashbomb: A weapon crafted by yellow drafters. It doesn’t harm so much as dazzle and distract its victims with the blinding light of evaporating yellow luxin.
flechette: A tiny projectile (sometimes made of luxin), with a pointed end and a vaned tail to achieve stable flight.
foot: Once a varying measure based on the current Prism’s foot length. Later standardized to twelve thumbs (the length of the foot of Prism Sayid Talim, who decreed the standardization).
Free, the (see disambiguation with ‘Freed, the’ below): Those drafters who reject the Pact of the Chromeria to join the Omnichrome’s army, choosing to eventually break the halo and become wights. Also called the Unchained.
Freed, the (see disambiguation with ‘Free, the’ above): Those drafters who accept the Pact of the Chromeria and choose to be ritually killed before they break the halo and go mad. (The closeness of this term with ‘the Free’ is part a deliberate linguistic war between the pagans and the Chromeria, with the pagans trying to seize terms that had long had other meanings.)
Freeing: The release of those about to break the halo from incipient madness; performed by the Prism every year as the culmination of the Sun Day rituals. A sensitive and holy time, it is accompanied by both mourning and celebration. Each drafter meets personally with the Prism for the ritual. Many refer to it as the holiest day of their lives. The pagans take a different view.
frizzen: On a flintlock, the L-shaped piece of metal against which the flint scrapes. The metal is on a hinge that opens upon firing to allow the sparks to reach the black powder in the chamber.
gada: A ball game that involves kicking and passing a ball of wrapped leather.
galleass: Originally a large merchant ship powered by both oar and sail. Later, the term referred to ships with modifications for military purposes, which include castles at bow and stern and cannons that fire in all directions.
gaoler: One in charge of a prison or dungeon.
Gargantua, the: A veritable floating castle, it was Ilytian pirate king Pash Vecchio’s flagship, with one hundred and forty-one light guns and forty-three heavy cannons.
Garriston: The former commercial capital of Tyrea at the mouth of the Umber River on the Cerulean Sea. Prism Gavin Guile built Brightwater Wall to defend the city, but his defense failed, and the city was claimed by Lord Omnichrome, the Color Prince, later the White King, Koios White Oak.
Gatu, the: A Parian tribe, despised by other Parians for how they integrate their old religious customs into the worship of Orholam. Technically their beliefs are heresy, but the Chromeria has never moved to put the heresy down with anything more than strong words.
gciorcal: A traditional dance of the Blood Forest pygmies involving paired, spinning dancers.
gemshorn: A musical instrument made from the tusk of a javelina, with finger-holes drilled into it to allow different notes to be played.
ghotra: A Parian headscarf, used by many Parian men to demonstrate their reverence for Orholam. In old Parian tradition, a man’s hair is a sign of his virility and dominance and thereby his glory. Most wear it only while the sun is up, but some sects wear it even at nighttime.
giist: A colloquial name for a blue wight.
gladius: A short double-edged sword, useful for cutting or stabbing at close range.
Glass Lily, the: Another term for Little Jasper, or for the whole of the Chromeria as a collection of buildings. A reference to how the seven towers turn to follow the sun.
gleams: See ‘Chromeria trained.’
glims: See ‘Chromeria trained.’
gold standard: The literal standard weights and measures, made of gold, against which all measures are judged. The originals are kept at the Chromeria, and certified copies are kept in every capital and major city for the adjudication of disputes. Merchants found using short measures and inaccurate weights are punished severely.
Great Chain (of being), the: A theological term for the order of creation. The first link is Orholam himself, and all the other links below (creation) derive from him.
great hall of the Chromeria, the: Located under the Prism’s Tower, it is converted once a week into a place of worship, at which time mirrors from the other towers are turned to shine light in. It includes pillars of white marble and the largest display of stained glass in the world. Most of the time, though, it is filled with clerks, ambassadors, and those who have business with the Chromeria.
great hall of the Travertine Palace, the: The wonder of the great hall is its eight great pillars set in a star shape around the hall, all made of extinct atasifusta wood. Said to be the gift of an Atashian king, these pillars are made of trees that were the widest in the world, and their sap allows fires to burn continually, even five hundred years after they were cut.
Great River, the: The river between Ruthgar and Blood Forest, the scene of many pitched battles between the two countries.
great yard, the: The yard at the base of the towers of the Chromeria.
Green Bridge: Less than a league upstream from Rekton, drafted by Gavin Guile in seconds while he was on his way to battle his brother at Sundered Rock.
green flash: A rare flash of color seen at the setting of the sun; its meaning is debated. Some believe it has theological significance, citing Karris Atiriel’s sighting of it the evening before the battle in Hass Valley. The previous White, Orea Pullawr, calls it ‘Orholam’s wink.’
Green Forest: A collective term for Blood Forest and Ruthgar during the hundred years of peace between the two territories, before Vician’s Sin incited the Blood Wars.
Green Haven: The capital of Blood Forest.
Greenwall: The massive defensive wall surrounding Dúnbheo.
grenado: A clay flagon full of black powder with a piece of wood shoved into the top, with a rag and bit of black powder as a fuse.
grenado, luxin: An explosive made of luxin that can be hurled at the enemy along an arc of luxin or in a cannon. Often filled with shot/shrapnel, depending on the type of grenado used.
Guardian, the: A colossus that stands astride the entrance to Garriston’s bay. She holds a spear in one hand and a torch in the other. A yellow drafter keeps the torch lit with yellow luxin, allowing it to dissolve slowly back into light, so the colossus also acts as a lighthouse. See also ‘Ladies, the.’
Guile palace: The Guile family palace on Big Jasper, distinct from their residence on Jaks Hill. Andross Guile has rarely visited his home in the time Gavin has been Prism, preferring to reside at the Chromeria. The Guile palace was one of the few buildings allowed to be constructed without regard to the working of the Thousand Stars, its height cutting off some of the light paths.
habia: A man’s long garment, most common in Abornea.
Hag, the: An enormous statue that comprises Garriston’s west gate. She is crowned and leans heavily on a staff; the crown and staff are also towers from which archers can shoot at invaders. See also ‘Ladies, the.’
Hag’s Crown, the: One of the towers over the west gate into Garriston.
Hag’s Staff, the: The second tower over the west gate into Garriston.
haik: An outer garment that wraps around the body and head. Commonly worn in Paria.
Harbinger: Corvan Danavis’s sword, inherited when his elder brothers died.
Hass Valley: Where the Ur trapped Lucidonius. Karris Atiriel (later Karris Shadowblinder) saved his army there, after climbing through the mountain passes at night to strike the Ur’s camp from behind at dawn.
haze: A narcotic. Often smoked with a pipe, it produces a sickly-sweet odor.
Hellfang: A mysterious blade, also known as Marrow Sucker and the Blinder’s Knife. It is white-veined with black and bears seven colorless gems in its blade.
h
ellhounds: Dogs infused with red luxin and enough will to make them run at enemies, and then lit on fire.
Hellmount: A snow-capped peak far to the southwest.
hellstone: A superstitious term for obsidian, which is rarer than diamonds or rubies, as few know where the extant obsidian in the world is created or mined. Obsidian is the only stone that can draw luxin out of a drafter if it touches her blood directly.
Highland: A small town at the top of a volcano’s rim on Seers Island.
hippodrome (Rath): A stadium dedicated primarily to horse and chariot races, the hippodrome in Rath occasionally operates as a public gathering place for executions and other important state functions.
hullwrecker: A luxin disk filled with shrapnel. It has a sticky side so that it will adhere to a ship’s hull and a fuse to allow the attackers to flee before it explodes, often punching a hole in the ship’s hull and spraying shrapnel in toward the crew.
Idoss: An Atashian city, now under the control of the White King’s armies.
Incarnitive luxin: A term for luxin when it is incorporated directly into one’s body. This is forbidden by the Chromeria as debasing or defiling Orholam’s work (the human body itself) with man’s work, and is seen as a slippery slope to trying to fully remake the body and become immortal. In certain cases, the luxiats have turned a blind eye to more minor or prosthetic uses.
Inura, Mount: A mountain on Seers Island, at the base of which the Third Eye resides.
ironbeaks: A term for explosive luxin- and will-infused birds, which drafters use to attack opponents at a distance.
Ivor’s Ridge, Battle of: A battle during the False Prism’s War, which Dazen Guile won primarily because of Corvan Danavis’s brilliance.
Izîl-Udad: The current Nuqaba’s husband, the head of the family that had her mother assassinated. Now a cripple, rumored to have been pushed down the stairs by his own wife after he’d beaten her one too many times.
Jaks Hill: A large hill in the city of Rath overlooking the Great River, notable for its wealthy estates. Castle Guile dominates the area.
jambu: A tree that produces pink fruit.
Jasper Islands/the Jaspers: Islands in the Cerulean Sea. The Chromeria is on Little Jasper. Legend has it that the Jaspers were chosen for the Chromeria by Karris Shadowblinder after the death of Lucidonius because they were part of no satrapy, and therefore could be for all the satrapies.
javelinas: Animals in the pig family, often hunted. Giant javelinas are rare, but can reach the size of a cow. Extremely dangerous and destructive, giant javelinas are believed to have been hunted to extinction in all satrapies except Tyrea. Both species have tusks and hooves and are nocturnal.
jilbab: A long and loose-fitting coat, often with a hood. Often worn by Parians and occasionally Aborneans.
jinnyah: A female jinn or immortal.
ka: A sequence of movements to train balance and flexibility and control in the martial arts. A form of focusing exercise or meditation.
kaptan: Ptarsu for ‘head’ or ‘leader,’ cognate of ‘captain.’
Karsos Mountains, the: Tyrean mountains running east and west that border the Cerulean Sea.
katar: A type of punch dagger, it has a cross-grip and a hilt that extends up on either side of the hand and forearm. With this allowance for the fist and its reinforced tip, it is made for punching through armor.
Kazakdoon: A legendary city/land in the distant east, beyond the Everdark Gates.
Keffel’s Variant: A set of rules for Nine Kings to make the game especially quick.
Kelfing: The former capital of Tyrea, on the shores of Crater Lake.
khat: An addictive stimulant, a leaf that stains the teeth when it is chewed, used especially in Paria.
kiyah: A yell used while fighting to expel breath, tightening the trunk and empowering the body’s movement.
kopi: A mild, addictive stimulant, a popular beverage. Bitter, dark colored, and served hot.
kris: A wavy Parian blade.
Ladies, the: Four statues that comprise the gates into the city of Garriston. They are built into the wall, made of rare Parian marble and sealed in nearly invisible yellow luxin. They are thought to depict aspects of the goddess Anat, and were spared by Lucidonius, who believed them to depict something true. They are the Hag, the Lover, the Mother, and the Guardian.
Laurion: A region in eastern Atash known for its silver ore and massive slave mines. Life expectancy for the enslaved miners is short and conditions brutal. The threat of being sent to the mines is used throughout the satrapies to keep slaves obedient and docile.
league: A unit of measurement, six thousand and seventy-six paces.
léine: A close-fitting smock sometimes worn by Blood Foresters.
Library of Azûlay: An ancient library in Paria, the building itself is more than eight hundred years old, and built on the foundations of another library at least two hundred years older. The Nuqaba generally resides in Azûlay, though she has residences elsewhere.
lightbane: See ‘bane.’
Lightguard, the: Andross Guile’s personal army, nominally established to defend the Jaspers, answering only to him. Mercenaries, ruffians, veterans, and any others willing to fight for Andross Guile. Primarily washed-up Blackguards and the sons of poor nobles. Even their clothing is in contrast to—some would say a mockery of—the Blackguards’: white jackets with big brass buttons and medals.
lightsickness: The aftereffects of too much drafting. Only the Prism never gets lightsick.
lightwells: Holes positioned to allow light, with the use of mirrors, to reach the interiors of towers or sections of streets.
Lily’s Stem, the: The luxin bridge between Big and Little Jasper. It is composed of blue and yellow luxin so that it appears green. Set below the high-water mark, it is remarkable for its endurance against the waves and storms that wash over it. Ahhana the Dextrous was responsible for designing it and engineering its creation.
linstock: A staff for holding a slow match. Used in lighting cannons, it allows the cannoneer to stand out of the range of the cannon’s recoil.
Little Jasper (Island): The island on which the Chromeria resides. Became the site of the Chromeria after Vician’s Sin.
Little Jasper Bay: A bay of Little Jasper Island. It is protected by a seawall that keeps its waters calm.
loci damnata: A temple to the false gods. The bane. Believed to have magical powers, especially over drafters.
longbow: A weapon that allows for the efficient (in speed, distance, and force) firing of arrows. Its construction and its user must both be extremely strong. The yew forests of Crater Lake provide the best wood available for longbows.
Lord Prism: A respectful term of address for a male Prism.
Lords of the Air: A term used by the Omnichrome for his most trusted blue-drafting officers.
Lover, the: A statue that comprises the eastern river gate at Garriston. She is depicted in her thirties, lying on her back, arched over the river with her feet planted, her knees forming a tower on one bank, hands entwined in her hair, elbows rising to form a tower on the other bank. She is clad only in veils. Before the Prisms’ War, a portcullis could be lowered from her arched body into the river, its iron and steel hammered into shape so that it looked like a continuation of her veils. She glows like bronze when the sun sets, and a land entrance to the city comes through another gate in her hair.
Luíseach: A Blood Forest term for the Lightbringer.
luxiat: A priest of Orholam. A luxiat wears black as an acknowledgment that he needs Orholam’s light most of all; thus he is sometimes called a blackrobe.
luxin: A material created by drafting from light. See Appendix.
luxlord: A term for a member of the ruling Spectrum.
Luxlords’ Ball, the: An annual event on the open roof of the Prism’s Tower.
luxors: Officials empowered by the Chromeria to bring the light of Orholam by almost any means necessary. They have at various times pursued pary
l drafters and lightsplitter heretics, among others. Their theological rigidity and their prerogative to kill and torture have been hotly debated by followers of Orholam and dissidents alike.
magister: The term for a teacher of drafting, history, and religion at the Chromeria. It always retains its masculine ending: magister, not magister or magistra as appropriate. This is a relic from when all teachers were male, female drafters being considered too valuable for teaching.
mag torch: Often used by drafters to allow them access to light at night, it burns with a full spectrum of colors. Colored mag torches are also made at great expense, and give a drafter her exact spectrum of useful light, allowing her to eschew spectacles and draft instantly.
Malleus Haereticorum: ‘Hammer of Heretics.’ The title for a luxor commissioned to destroy heresy.
Mangrove Point: A village on the border between Blood Forest and Atash.
match-holder: The piece on a matchlock musket to which a slow match is affixed.
matchlock musket: A firearm that works by snapping a burning slow match into the flash pan, which ignites the gunpowder in the breech of the firearm, whose explosion propels a rock or lead ball out of the barrel at high speed. Matchlocks are accurate to fifty or a hundred paces, depending on the smith who made them and the ammunition used.
matériel: A military term for equipment or supplies.
merlon: The upraised portion of a parapet or battlement that protects soldiers from fire.
Midsummer: Another term for Sun Day, the longest day of the year.
Midsummer’s Dance: A rural version of the Sun Day celebration.
millennial cypress: A tree known for its immense age and ability to grow in damp conditions.
Mirrormen: Soldiers in King Garadul’s army who wear mirrored armor to protect themselves against luxin. The mirrors cause luxin to shear off and disintegrate when it comes in contact with them.
Molokh: God of greed, associated with orange. See Appendix, “On the Old Gods.”
monochromes: Drafters who can draft only one color. (See ‘bichromes’ and ‘polychromes.’)