Grand Conspiracy

  pronounced: dah-kar

  root meaning: dakiar––clumsy

  DAGRIEN COURT and LANE––locations in the city of Jaelot, Rathain.

  pronounced: dag-ree-an

  root meaning: dagrien––variety

  DAON RAMON BARRENS––central principality of Rathain. Site where Riathan Paravians (unicorns) bred and raised their young. Barrens was not appended to the name until the years following the Mistwraith’s conquest, when the River Severnir was diverted at the source by a task force under Etarran jurisdiction.

  pronounced: day-on-rah-mon

  root meaning: daon––gold; ramon––hills/downs

  DAVIEN THE BETRAYER––Fellowship Sorcerer responsible for provoking the great uprising that resulted in the fall of the high kings after Desh-thiere’s conquest. Rendered discorporate by the Fellowship’s judgment in Third Age 5129. Exiled since, by personal choice. Davien’s works included the Five Centuries Fountain near Mearth on the splinter world of the Red Desert through West Gate; the shaft at Rockfell Pit, used by the Sorcerers to imprison harmful entities; the Stair on Rockfell Peak; and also, Kewar Tunnel in the Mathorn Mountains.

  pronounced: dah-vee-en

  root meaning: dahvi––fool, mistake; an––one; ‘mistaken one’

  DAWR s’BRYDION––grandmother of Duke Bransian of Alestron, and his brothers, Keldmar, Parrien, and Mearn.

  pronounced: dour

  root meaning: dwyiar––vinegar wine

  DEAL––city located in Elkforest, principality of Carithwyr in Havish.

  pronounced: deal

  root meaning: dayal––moss grown

  DESH-THIERE––Mistwraith that invaded Athera from the splinter worlds through South Gate in Third Age 4993. Access cut off by Fellowship Sorcerer, Traithe. Battled and contained in West Shand for twenty-five years, until the rebellion splintered the peace, and the high kings were forced to withdraw from the defense lines to attend their disrupted kingdoms. Confined through the combined powers of Lysaer s’Ilessid’s gift of Light, and Arithon s’Ffalenn’s gift of Shadow. Currently imprisoned in a warded flask in Rockfell pit.

  pronounced: desh-thee-air-e (last ‘e’ mostly subliminal)

  root meaning: desh––mist; thiere––ghost or wraith

  DESHIR––northwestern principality of Rathain.

  pronounced: desh-eer

  root meaning: deshir––misty

  DHARKARON AVENGER––called Ath’s Avenging Angel in legend. Drives a chariot drawn by five horses to convey the guilty to Sithaer. Dharkaron as defined by the adepts of Ath’s Brotherhood is that dark thread mortal men weave with Ath, the prime vibration, that creates self-punishment, or the root of guilt.

  pronounced dark-air-on

  root meaning: dhar––evil; khiaron––one who stands in judgment

  DIER KENTON VALE––a valley located in the principality of Vastmark, Shand, where the war host thirty-five thousand strong, under command of Lysaer s’Ilessid, fought and lost to the Master of Shadow in Third Age 5647. The main body of the forces of light were decimated in one day by a shale slide. The remainder were harried by a small force of Vastmark shepherds under Caolle, who served as Arithon’s war captain, until supplies and morale became impossible to maintain.

  pronounced: deer ken-ton

  root meaning: dien’kendion––a jewel with a severe flaw that may result in shearing or cracking

  DYSHENT––city on the coast of Instrell Bay in Tysan; renowned for timber.

  pronounced: die-shent

  root meaning: dyshient––cedar

  EARLE––Second Age ruin located in West Shand, south of the Salt Fens. Fortress where the Mistwraith’s first incursion was fought, until Davien the Betrayer caused the uprising; also, where Seannory bound the four elements to conscious presence, in event Athera had need.

  pronounced: earl

  root meaning: erli––long light

  EAST HALLA––principality located in the Kingdom of Melhalla.

  pronounced: hall-ah

  root meaning: hal’lia––white light

  EASTWALL––city located in the Skyshiel Mountains, Rathain.

  ECKRACKEN––king drake who died by the Salt Fens in West Shand; his bones are guarded by a grimward, and his mate’s remains rest on the waste continent Kathtairr.

  pronounced: ack-rack-in

  root meaning: aykrauken––scorcher

  EILISH––Lord Minister of the Royal Treasury, Avenor.

  pronounced: eye-lish

  root meaning: eyalish––fussy

  ELAIRA––initiate enchantress of the Koriathain. Originally a street child, taken on in Morvain for Koriani rearing.

  pronounced: ee-layer-ah

  root meaning: e––prefix, diminutive for small; laere––grace

  ELDIR s’LORNMEIN––King of Havish and last surviving scion of s’Lornmein royal line. Raised as a wool-dyer until the Fellowship Sorcerers crowned him at Ostermere in Third Age 5643 following the defeat of the Mistwraith.

  pronounced: el-deer

  root meaning: eldir––to ponder, to consider, to weigh

  ELLAINE––Erdani woman affianced to Lysaer s’Ilessid.

  pronounced: el-lane

  ELSSINE––city located on the coast of Alland, Shand, famed for stone quarries used for ship’s ballast.

  pronounced: el-seen

  root meaning: elssien––small pit

  ELTAIR BAY––large bay off Cildein Ocean and east coast of Rathain; where River Severnir was diverted following the Mistwraith’s conquest.

  pronounced: el-tayer

  root meaning: al’tieri––of steel/a shortening of original Paravian name; dascen al’tieri––which meant ‘ocean of steel,’ which referred to the color of the waves

  ENNLIE––a woman volunteer who assists the Crown Healer at Avenor.

  pronounced: an-lee

  ERDANE––old Paravian city, later taken over by Men. Seat of old princes of Camris until Desh-thiere’s conquest and rebellion.

  pronounced: er-day-na with the last syllable almost subliminal

  root meaning: er’deinia––long walls

  ETARRA––trade city built across the Mathorn Pass by townsfolk after the revolt that cast down Ithamon and the High Kings of Rathain. Nest of corruption and intrigue, and policy maker for the North.

  pronounced: ee-tar-ah

  root meaning: e––prefix for small; taria––knots

  EVENSTAR––first brig stolen from Riverton’s royal shipyard by Cattrick’s conspiracy with Prince Arithon. Captained by Feylind.

  FALGAIRE––coastal city on Instrell Bay, located in Araethura, Rathain, famed for its crystal and glassworks.

  pronounced: fall-gair––to rhyme with ‘air’

  root meaning: fal’mier––to sparkle or glitter

  FALWOOD––forest located in West Shand.

  pronounced: fall-wood

  root meaning: fal––tree

  FATE’S WHEEL––see Daelion’s Wheel.

  FARIENNT TYR––Paravian invocation to make manifest.

  pronounced: far-ee-an-teer

  root meaning: ffar––to make; ient––suffix for ‘most’; tir––to be

  FELLOWSHIP OF SEVEN––Sorcerers sworn to uphold the Law of the Major Balance, and to foster enlightened thought in Athera. Originators and keepers of the covenant of the compact, made with the Paravian races that allowed Men to settle on Athera.

  FEYLIND––daughter of Jinesse; twin sister of Fiark; born in Merior by the Sea, and currently serving as captain of the Evenstar.

  pronounced: fay-lind

  root meaning: faelind’an––outspoken one/noisy one

  FFEREDON-LI––ancient Paravian word for a healer, literally translated ‘bringer of grace;’ still in use in the dialect of Araethura.

  pronounced: fair-eh-dun lee

  root meaning: ffaraton––maker; li––exalted grace

  FIARK––son of Jinesse; twin brot
her of Feylind; born in Merior by the Sea, currently employed as a factor by an Innish merchant.

  pronounced: fee-ark

  root meaning: fyerk––to throw or toss

  FIONN ARETH CAID’AN––shepherd child born in Third Age 5647; fated by prophecy to leave home and play a role in the Wars of Light and Shadow.

  pronounced: fee-on-are-eth cayed-ahn

  root meaning: fionne arith caid an––one who brings choice

  FIRST AGE––marked by the arrival of the Paravian Races as Ath’s gift to heal the marring of creation by the great drakes.

  GACE STEWARD––Royal Steward of Avenor.

  pronounced: gace––to rhyme with ‘race’

  root meaning: gyce––weasel

  GREAT WAYSTONE––amethyst crystal, spherical in shape, the grand power focus of the Koriani Order; lost during the great uprising, and finally recovered from Fellowship custody by First Senior Lirenda in Third Age 5647.

  GREAT WEST ROAD––trade route which crosses Tysan from Karfael on the west coast, to Castle Point on Instrell Bay.

  GRIMWARD––a circle of dire spells of Paravian making that seal and isolate forces that have the potential for unimaginable destruction. With the disappearance of the old races, the defenses are maintained by embodied Sorcerers of the Fellowship of Seven. There are seventeen separate sites listed at Althain Tower.

  HALFMOON––tavern located in city of Innish.

  HALLIRON MASTERBARD––native of Innish, Shand. Masterbard of Athera during the Third Age; inherited the accolade from his teacher Murchiel in the year 5597. Son of Al’Duin. Husband of Deartha. Arithon’s master and mentor. Died from an injury inflicted by the Mayor of Jaelot in the year 5644.

  pronounced: hal-eer-on

  root meaning: hal––white; lyron––singer

  HALWYTHWOOD––forest located in Araethura, Rathain.

  pronounced: hall-with-wood

  root meaning: hal––white; wythe––vista

  HAMHAND JUSSEY––see Jussey.

  HANSHIRE––port city on Westland Sea, coast of Korias, Tysan; reigning official Lord Mayor Garde, father of Sulfin Evend; opposed to royal rule at the time of Avenor’s restoration.

  pronounced: han-sheer

  root meaning: hansh––sand; era––place HARRADENE––Lord Commander of Etarra’s army at the time of the muster at Werpoint, still in power after Vastmark campaign.

  pronounced: har-a-deen

  root meaning: harradien––large mule HAVISH––one of the Five High Kingdoms of Athera, as defined by the charters of the Fellowship of Seven. Ruled by Eldir s’Lornmein. Sigil: gold hawk on red field.

  pronounced: hav-ish

  root meaning: havieshe––hawk

  HAVRITA––fashionable dressmaker in city of Jaelot.

  pronounced: have-ree-tah

  root meaning: havierta––tailor

  HIGHSCARP––city on the coast of the Bay of Eltair, located in Daon Ramon, Rathain.

  ILITHARIS PARAVIANS––centaurs, one of three semimortal old races; disappeared at the time of the Mistwraith’s conquest. They were the guardians of the earth’s mysteries.

  pronounced: i-li-thar-is

  root meaning: i’lith’eans––the keeper/preserver of mystery

  ILSWATER––both a lake bordering the principalities of Korias and Taerlin; and the river which carries the water trade route from Caithwood to Riverton.

  pronounced: ills-water

  root meaning: iel––light

  IMAURY RIDDLER––Centaur guardian who enspelled the foundations of the Second Age ruin beside Mainmere. Legend holds the stones will sing in the hour of Athera’s greatest peril.

  pronounced: ah-more-ee

  root meaning: imauri––riddle

  INNISH––city located on the south coast of Shand at the delta of the River Ippash. Birthplace of Halliron Masterbard. Formerly known as ‘the Jewel of Shand’, this was the site of the high king’s winter court, prior to the time of the uprising.

  pronounced: in-ish

  root meaning: inniesh––a jewel with a pastel tint

  INSTRELL BAY––body of water off the Gulf of Stormwell, that separates principality of Atainia, Tysan, from Deshir, Rathain.

  pronounced: in-strell

  root meaning: arin’streal––strong wind

  ISAER––city located at the crossroads of the Great West Road in Atainia, Tysan. Also a power focus, built during the First Age, in Atainia, Tysan, to source the defense-works at the Paravian keep of the same name.

  pronounced: i-say-er

  root meaning: i’saer––the circle

  ISHEAL––Paravian word to wish peace or calm.

  pronounced: ish-ee-all

  root meaning: isheal––to make quiet

  ITHAMON––Second Age Paravian stronghold, and a Third Age ruin; built on a fifth lane power-node in Daon Ramon Barrens, Rathain, and inhabited until the year of the uprising. Site of the Compass Point Towers, or Sun Towers. Became the seat of the High Kings of Rathain during the Third Age and in year 5638 was the site where Princes Lysaer s’Ilessid and Arithon s’Ffalenn battled the Mistwraith to confinement.

  pronounced: ith-a-mon

  root meaning: itha––five; mon––needle, spire

  IVEL––blind splicer who works under master shipwright, Cattrick; known for his spiteful tongue.

  pronounced: ee-vell

  root meaning: iavel––scathing

  IYAT––energy sprite native to Athera, not visible to the eye, manifests in a poltergeist fashion by taking temporary possession of objects. Feeds upon natural energy sources: fire, breaking waves, lightning.

  pronounced: ee-at

  root meaning: iyat––to break

  JAELOT––city located on the coast of Eltair Bay at the southern border of the Kingdom of Rathain. Once a Second Age power site, with a focus circle. Now a merchant city with a reputation for extreme snobbery and bad taste. Also the site where Arithon s’Ffalenn played his eulogy for Halliron Masterbard, which raised the powers of the Paravian focus circle beneath the mayor’s palace. The forces of the mysteries and resonant harmonics caused damage to city buildings, watchkeeps, and walls, which has since been repaired.

  pronounced: jay-lot

  root meaning: jielot––affectation

  JASQUE––servant of a blind spinster who lives in Jaelot.

  pronounced: rhymes with ‘cask’

  root meaning: jiask––binding faith

  JERIAYISH––initiate priest of the Light who has a seer’s talent.

  pronounced: jeer-ee-ah-yish

  root meaning: jier’yaish––unclean magic

  JIERET s’VALERIENT––Earl of the North, clan chief of Deshir; caithdein of Rathain, sworn liegeman of Prince Arithon s’Ffalenn. Also son and heir of Lord Steiven. Blood pacted to Arithon by Sorcerer’s oath prior to battle of Strakewood Forest. Came to be known by headhunters as Jieret Red-beard.

  pronounced: jeer-et

  root meaning: jieret––thorn

  JEYNSA––daughter of Jieret s’Valerient and Feithan, born Third Age 5653; appointed successor to her father’s title of Steward of Rathain, or caithdien.

  pronounced: jay-in-sa

  root meaning: garnet

  JUSSEY––Captain of the Guard in the city of Daenfal, Rathain; renowned for his mastery of the sword.

  pronounced: juss-ee

  KATHTAIRR––landmass in the southern ocean, across the world from Paravia.

  pronounced: kath-tear

  root meaning: kait-th’era––empty place

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

  pronounced: keld-mar

  root meaning: kiel’d’maeran––one without pity

  KELLIS––clan elder and Duchess of Mainmere.

  pronounced: kell-iss

  root meaning: kiel’liess––balm of grief

  KEVOR––son and heir of Ly
saer s’Ilessid and Princess Ellaine; born at Avenor in Third Age 5655.

  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 the 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 constructing 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’

  KORIANI––possessive 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.