High Deryni

  EDMUND Loris, Archbishop—Archbishop of Valoret and Primate of Gwynedd; leader, with Corrigan, of the anti-Morgan faction of the Gwynedd clergy.

  ELAS—one of Kelson’s generals present at the Dhassa war council.

  ERIC—a page to Bran Coris.

  EWAN MacEwan, Duke—Duke of Claibourne and hereditary Lord Marshal of the Gwynedd Crown Council; in command of the northernmost of Kelson’s three border armies.

  FURSTÁN—dynastic name of the ruling family of Torenth; Deryni.

  GARON—body squire to Wencit of Torenth.

  GILBERT, Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd with no fixed see; sided with Bishops Cardiel and Arilan in the Interdict schism.

  GLODDRUTH, General—one of Duke Jared’s generals who escaped the slaughter at Rengarth; later an aide to Kelson.

  GODWIN—one of Kelson’s generals present at the Dhassa war council.

  GORONY, Monsignor Lawrence—aide to Archbishops Loris and Corrigan; aided Warin in the capture of Morgan at Saint Torin’s.

  GRAHAM—a sergeant in the service of Bran Coris.

  GWYLLIM—a captain in the service of Bran Coris, his personal companion.

  HALDANE—dynastic name of the ruling family of Gwynedd.

  HAMILTON, Lord—seneschal of Morgan’s castle at Coroth.

  HARKNESS, Lord—one of Duke Jared’s retainers.

  HILLARY, Lord—commander of Morgan’s castle garrison at Coroth.

  HUGH de Berry, Father—priest and former secretary to Archbishop Corrigan; longtime friend and colleague of Duncan McLain.

  IFOR, Bishop—one of the bishops originally siding with Archbishops Loris and Corrigan in the Interdict schism; later became neutral.

  ISTELYN, Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd with no fixed see; not present at the Interdict schism, but later attached himself to Kelson’s army to minister to his men.

  JAMES—one of Warin’s sergeants.

  JARED McLain, Duke—Duke of Cassan and father of Duncan and Kevin; captured at Rengarth and executed by Wencit at Llyndruth Meadows.

  JEHANA, Queen—full-Deryni mother of Kelson and widow of King Brion.

  JENAS, Earl of—one of the lords captured with Duke Jared at Rengarth.

  JOSEPH—a clerk to Bran Coris.

  KELSON Cinhil Rhys Anthony Haldane, King—son of King Brion and Queen Jehana; now King of Gwynedd at age fourteen; counted as full Deryni.

  *KEVIN McLain, Lord—Earl of Kierney and half-brother to Duncan; betrothed of Morgan’s sister Bronwyn, with whom he was slain by illicit magic at Culdi.

  KYRI, Lady—known as Kyri of the Flame; member of the Camberian Council; full Deryni; around thirty.

  LARAN ap Pardyce, Lord—physician member of the Camberian Council; full Deryni; around fifty-five.

  LAWRENCE Gorony, Monsignor—see GORONY, Monsignor Lawrence.

  LESTER, Lord—one of the lords captured with Duke Jared at Rengarth.

  *LEWYS ap Norfal—an infamous Deryni who rejected the authority of the Camberian Council.

  LIAM, Prince—middle son of Duke Lionel, age seven.

  LICKEN, General—one of Wencit’s generals.

  LIONEL, Duke—Duke of Arjenol and brother-in-law to Wencit of Torenth; his three sons are direct heirs to the throne.

  LORIS, Archbishop Edmund—see EDMUND Loris, Archbishop.

  LUKE, sister—a nun assigned from Bishop Cardiel’s staff to assist the Countess Richenda.

  MACANTER, Lord—a northern border lord formerly associated with Ian Howell.

  MALCOLM Donalson—a peasant healed by Morgan and Duncan at Jennan Vale.

  MARCUS—one of Warin’s lieutenants.

  *MARTIN of Greystoke—master of the clerk Thierry.

  MERRITT of Reider—one of Wencit’s barons.

  MICHAEL—one of Warin’s lieutenants.

  MICHAEL—a child apprehended trying to steal Morgan’s horse.

  MOIRA—mistress to Thorne Hagen.

  MORAG Furstána, Princess—sister to Wencit and wife of Lionel; mother of Princes Alroy, Liam, and Ronal.

  MORGAN, Duke Alaric Anthony—Deryni Duke of Corwyn and King’s Champion; cousin to Duncan McLain and brother to Bronwyn.

  MORRIS, Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd with no fixed see; initially sided with Archbishops Loris and Corrigan in the Interdict schism.

  MORTIMER, Lord—one of Kelson’s generals present at the Dhassa war council.

  NIGEL Cluim Gwydion Rhys Haldane, Prince—Duke of Carthmoor; younger brother of the late King Brion, age thirty-four; Kelson’s uncle and his heir presumptive.

  OWEN Mathisson—a Warin man whose crushed legs were healed by Warin at Coroth.

  PATRICK Corrigan, Archbishop—Archbishop of Rhemuth and leader, with Loris, of the anti-Morgan faction of the Gwynedd clergy.

  PAUL de Gendas—Warin’s lieutenant.

  PAYNE, Prince—youngest son of Prince Nigel, age six; a royal page.

  PERRIS, Lord—one of Kelson’s generals.

  *PETER Davency—an Eastmarch soldier killed by Derry.

  *RALSON, Lord—deceased member of the Gwynedd Crown Council, replaced by Sean Lord Derry.

  REMIE, General—one of Kelson’s generals present at the Dhassa war council.

  RHYDON of Eastmarch, Lord—a full Deryni ally of Wencit; former member of the Camberian Council.

  *RHYS Thuryn—ancient Deryni physician associated with Saint Camber of Culdi.

  RICHARD of Nyford, Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd with no fixed see; captured with Duke Jared at Rengarth.

  RICHENDA, Lady—Countess of Marley and wife to Bran Coris, mother of Brendan.

  *ROLF MacPherson—a Deryni lord of the tenth century who rebelled against the authority of the Camberian Council.

  RONAL, Prince—youngest son of Duke Lionel, age three.

  RORY, Prince—middle son of Prince Nigel, age eleven.

  ROYSTON Richardson—a peasant boy, age ten; associated with healing of Malcolm Donalson.

  SELDEN—one of Cardiel’s soldiers who assisted in the capture of Morgan and Duncan at Dhassa.

  SIWARD, Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd with no fixed see; sided with Bishops Cardiel and Arilan in the Interdict schism.

  SMALF—a miller questioned by Morgan and Duncan on the Dhassa road.

  STEPHEN de Longueville—a soldier of Bran Coris ordered to test Cordan’s sleeping potion.

  THIERRY, Master—a clerk to Lord Martin of Greystoke; detained and interrogated by Morgan and Duncan on the Dhassa road.

  THOMAS Cardiel, Bishop—Bishop of Dhassa, age forty-one; leader of the Interdict schism with Arilan.

  THORNE Hagen—a member of the Camberian Council; full Deryni.

  TIERCEL de Claron—youngest member of the Camberian Council; full Deryni.

  TOLLIVER, Bishop Ralf—Bishop of Coroth and Morgan’s prelate, age fifty.

  *TORIN, Saint—one of the patron saints of Dhassa, associated with forests.

  TORVAL of Netterhaven, Baron—a messenger sent by Wencit to Kelson’s camp as hostage; killed by Warin and Duncan.

  VIVIENNE, Lady—a member of the Camberian Council; full Deryni.

  VOLMER, Lord—an agent of Wencit.

  WARIN de Grey—a self-appointed messiah who believes himself designated to destroy Deryni.

  WENCIT of Torenth, King—sorcerer king of Torenth, at war with Gwynedd.

  WOLFRAM de Blanet, Bishop—senior of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd; sided with Bishops Cardiel and Arilan in the Interdict schism.

  INDEX OF PLACE NAMES

  ARJENOL—duchy in eastern Torenth, held by Duke Lionel, a kinsman of Wencit.

  ARRANAL Canyon—northern passage through the mountains separating Torenth from Marley, which Duke Ewan’s army is assigned to hold.

  BELDOUR—capital city of the Kingdom of Torenth.

  BETHENAR—honor of one of the ancient families of the Eleven Kingdoms.

/>   CARBURY—seat of the Bishop of Carbury, Creoda.

  CARDOSA—disputed border city in the mountains between Torenth and Eastmarch.

  CARTHMOOR—duchy of Gwynedd bordering Corwyn and the Royal Honor of Haldane, held by Prince Nigel.

  CASSAN—duchy in the northwest of Gwynedd bordering the earldom of Kierney and the Meara Protectorate, held by Duke Jared McLain.

  CLAIBOURNE—duchy far to the north of Gwynedd, held by Duke Ewan MacEwan.

  COAMER Range—mountains on the southern border of Llyndruth Meadows, separating the Cardosa Defile from the Dhassa area.

  COROTH—ducal capital of Corwyn.

  COR Ramet—field where Kelson and the rebel bishops agreed to rendezvous.

  CORWYN—duchy of Gwynedd held by Duke Alaric Morgan, inherited from his Deryni mother, Lady Alyce de Morgan.

  CULDI—city associated with Saint Camber; burial place of Lady Alyce de Corwyn de Morgan; also the burial place of her daughter Bronwyn and Kevin McLain, who was Bronwyn’s betrothed.

  DHASSA—free holy city, seat of the Bishop of Dhassa, Thomas Cardiel, and meeting place of the Gwynedd Curia; known for its woodcraft and the shrines of its patron saints, Torin and Ethelburga, which guard it south and north.

  DOL Shaia—Kelson’s campsite in Carthmoor, just outside Corwyn.

  DRELLINGHAM—town where General Gloddruth agreed to meet Kelson and his army en route to Cardosa.

  ELEVEN Kingdoms—ancient name for the entire area including and surrounding Gwynedd; eleven kingdoms can no longer be traced.

  ESGAIR Ddu—the Black Cliff, prison fortress of Cardosa Castle.

  GARWODE—village near Saint Torin’s shrine.

  GRECOTHA—university city, site of the Varnarite School; seat of the Bishop of Grecotha, Bradene.

  GWYNEDD—central kingdom in the Eleven Kingdoms, ruled by the Haldanes of Gwynedd.

  HALDANE—royal duchy comprising the central portion of the kingdom of Gwynedd, traditionally held by the Haldanes of Gwynedd.

  HORTHNESS—holding of one of the ancient families of the Eleven Kingdoms.

  JASHAN, Lake—lake guarding the southern approach to Dhassa, at Saint Torin’s, passable by ferry.

  JENNAN Vale—village in Corwyn, near the northwest border; site of a skirmish between Prince Nigel’s troops and rebel peasants.

  KHARTHAT—site of the marketplace where Thorne Hagen first found Moira.

  KHELDISH Riding—northern area, under direct Crown rule; famous for its weavers.

  KIERNEY—former earldom of Lord Kevin McLain, bordering Cassan, the Meara Protectorate, and Gwynedd Crown lands.

  LINDESTARK—honor of one of the ancient families of the Eleven Kingdoms.

  LLYNDRUTH Meadows—grasslands at the foot of the Cardosa Defile; site of the final confrontation between Kelson and Wencit.

  MARBURY—seat of the Bishop of Marbury, Ifor.

  MARLEY—earldom held by Bran Coris.

  MEARA—crown protectorate to the northwest of Gwynedd; the kings of Gwynedd are also princes of Meara.

  NYFORD—city of origin of the itinerant Bishop Richard of Nyford.

  PELAGOG—holding of one of the ancient families of the Eleven Kingdoms.

  PURPLE March, the—vast meadowlands north of Rhemuth under Crown rule; one of the titles of the kings of Gwynedd is Lord of the Purple March.

  RAMOS—site of the infamous Council of 917; promulgated stringent anti-Deryni measures that set limits on the ability of Deryni to own property and forbade them to hold office, enter the priesthood, etc.

  RENGARTH—site of the betrayal of Duke Jared’s army by Bran Coris Earl of Eastmarch.

  RHELJAN Range—mountains separating Torenth from Eastmarch; site of the walled city of Cardosa.

  RHEMUTH—capital city of Gwynedd.

  RHENDALL—area famed for its blue lakes.

  RHORAU—holding of one of the ancient families of the Eleven Kingdoms.

  R’KASSI—desert kingdom south and east of the Hort of Orsal; famed for its blooded horses.

  SAINT Ethelburga’s Shrine—shrine of the patroness of Dhassa, guarding the northern approach to Dhassa.

  SAINT Neot’s—former Deryni monastic school, now in ruins; located in the Lendour Mountains between Corwyn and Dhassa.

  SAINT Senan’s Cathedral—seat of the Bishop of Dhassa, Denis Arilan.

  SAINT Torin’s—shrine of the patron saint of Dhassa, south of the city of Dhassa and Lake Jashan.

  STAVENHAM—seat of the Bishop of Stavenham, de Lacey.

  TOPHEL Peak—mountain visible from Thorne Hagen’s castle.

  TORENTH—vast kingdom to the east of Gwynedd, ruled by the Deryni King Wencit of Torenth.

  VALORET—interim capital of Gwynedd during the Festillic Interregnum; seat of the Archbishop of Valoret, Edmund Loris, and site of the Abbey of Saint Mark; located between Eastmarch and the Haldane Honor.

  VARIAN—holding of one of the ancient families of the Eleven Kingdoms.

  PARTIAL TIME LINE FOR THE HISTORY OF THE ELEVEN KINGDOMS

  822 The Festillic Coup. Ifor Haldane is deposed and executed. Festil I is crowned in Valoret, which becomes the new Festillic capital. Interregnum begins, lasting eighty-two years.

  THE FESTILLIC KINGS OF GWYNEDD

  846 Camber of Culdi born at Cor Culdi.

  900 King Blaine dies; Prince Imre succeeds to the throne.

  904 The Restoration. King Imre is deposed and executed; Cinhil Haldane, great-grandson of Ifor Haldane, is crowned in Rhemuth.

  905 Unsuccessful attempt by Imre’s supporters to overthrow the Restoration; Camber dies.

  906 Camber of Culdi canonized by the Council of Bishops.

  917 First of the great Deryni persecutions; Council of Ramos repudiates Camber’s sainthood, forbids all use of magic on pain of anathema, bars Deryni from holding high office, inheriting lands without direct Crown approval, from entering priesthood.

  THE POST-INTERREGNUM KINGS OF GWYNEDD

  1081 Prince Brion born.

  1087 Prince Nigel born.

  1091 Alaric Morgan born.

  1092 Duncan McLain born.

  1095 King Donal dies; King Brion succeeds to the throne; Lady Alyce de Corwyn de Morgan dies following the birth of her daughter Bronwyn.

  1100 Lord Kenneth Morgan dies; Alaric Morgan goes to court as a royal page.

  1104 King Brion marries Jehana.

  1105 Brion and Morgan slay the Marluk.

  1106 Prince Kelson born.

  1120 King Brion assassinated; King Kelson succeeds to the throne; Kelson slays Charissa, daughter of the Marluk, at his coronation.

  1121 The Cardosa Campaign; King Kelson overcomes Wencit of Torenth at Llyndruth Meadows.

  THE GENETIC BASIS FOR DERYNI INHERITANCE: 1974

  The primary genetic factor governing standard Deryni inheritance seems to be a simple sex-linked dominant carried on the X chromosome (designated X'). Thus, Deryniness per se is determined by the maternal line—not the paternal—and a male child displaying the Deryni capabilities must have had at least a heterozygous (X'X) Deryni mother.

  X'X-XY

  X'Y

  Only one X' factor is necessary for the individual to display the full spectrum of Deryni capabilities; nor is there any appreciable difference between the power potentials of male and female, X'Y and X'X. One may readily see, however, that because of the double X configuration of the female, there is the possibility of an X'X' combination. This so-called “double-Deryni,” a homozygous Deryni female, is no more powerful than her heterozygous sisters, however, for the X' factor is not cumulative. The only advantage that a homozygous Deryni female would have over a heterozygous Deryni female is that all of her offspring would be Deryni—and even this is not a significant difference, since the prime factor appears to strengthen the X chromosome carrying it, so that a heterozygous Deryni female is likely to pass on the X' to her offspring rather than the X. (X' eggs are more hardy than X eggs, and more likely to be fertile.) This propensity
of the X' chromosome to be passed on in preference to the X accounts, in part, for the survival of the Deryni through the great persecutions. Following are the probable outcomes of any Deryni mating, with non-Deryni offspring shown in brackets:

  A second Deryni factor, carried only on the Y chromosome, is the basis for the human assumption of Deryni powers. (The potential for this phenomenon was discovered by Camber of Culdi and Rhys Thuryn in the mid-890s, though they would not have been aware of any genetic basis for it.) This factor, when activated, is fully equal to the X' factor in power capacity, but is, of course, passed on only through the male line. Hence, a male showing the potential for assumption of Deryni power certainly had a father with the same capability—though this factor may be held and passed without the carrier’s knowledge for generations, as may the X' factor. By itself, the Y' factor will not confer Deryni powers on a male child, for the assumption of power is a difficult and tedious process and may be hampered or enhanced by numerous psychological and physiological factors.

  As for those rare individuals who seem to display this potential for power assumption without the requisite Deryni parentage to account for it (Sean Lord Derry, for example), we may find that this is due to a long-dormant Y' factor that has been passed on unwittingly for several generations. Unless the carrier of a Y' factor (or the X') is discovered by a true Deryni, and is informed and guided in realizing this potential, he or she will likely never become aware of this capability.

  Nor is the potential to assume Deryni power limited to one bearer at a time in any given family, though the Haldanes have always encouraged this belief, probably to lessen the likelihood of arcane dueling among potential heirs when the succession was in question. Nigel Haldane may be somewhat aware of the truth of the matter; he carries the Y' factor, as do his three sons, and both he and Conall had the Haldane potential activated while Kelson was still alive. In earlier generations, however, it is easy to see how, in a collateral branch of a family carrying the power assumption potential, as Nigel’s is destined to become, that the very awareness of this heritage could be lost—and who is to say how many Haldanes might have spread their seed and sired a line of potential Deryni? Derry, descendant of a long and noble line, may well have gotten his potential this way—perhaps as far back as seven or eight generations. And in an individual of peasant origin, like Warin de Grey? The droit du seigneur may account for many anomalies of birth.