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Cast of Characters
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Family names are in bold. Khaev names have the family name first, then the given name, while Imperial and Corsan names are the other way around. Names in brackets denote deceased. Imperials Corvus - mysterious swordsman in black. Isobel - Zhin's partner, in service to Justin Valos. Ilam Adrian - sorcerer, of common birth, in service to Justin Valos. Tayla Barschef - Lord Valos' chief of scouts. Benham Cartwrite - a minor riverlord in service to Justin Valos as chief of cavalry. Zhin Garret - recruiter in service to Justin Valos. Fyder Gunson - Lord Valos' chief of infantry. Karl Halter - commander of Ilam Adrian's personal guard. Veil se'Kalil - Red Hills native, sold to slavers by her father to pay some of his debts. Erin Torem - soldier in Ilam Adrian's personal guard. Justin Valos - once a powerful riverlord, now in exile and leader of a resistance movement against the Khaevs. Khaevs Ayamura Tolan - "Aya", a draekere. Gameh Lani - head of the Khaev spy ring in Corsa. Gefura Suron - 37th of Two Hundred and personal bodyguard to Tashida Ikon. Kagerin Family - one of the pre-eminent families of Khaevar. Renowned for their riches and occasional insanity. Kagerin Sendoh - Council member and current leader of the Kagerin family. Kagerin Shuzan - Blade leader in the Occupation. Older brother of Kagerin Shia. 54th of Two Hundred. Keimani Shia - "Kei", a draekere. Real name Kagerin Shia, younger sister of Kagerin Shuzan. Kitsu Meru - "Kit", a draekere. [Kitsu Sendameh] - Kit's father, Fourth of Two Hundred until his death. Killed in a duel with Tashida Zoron. Kurai Morika - Blade leader in the Occupation, commander of Khaev forces at the Anvil. Lin Kamiko - "Lin", a draekere. Moriseki Hikari - Mistress of Draekeres for the Occupation. Shikidai Gota - a monk in the service of Kagerin Shiori. Tashida Family - one of the pre-eminent families of Khaevar. The head of the Tashida family, Karikin, is unofficial head of the Council that rules Khaevar. Renowned for familial good looks. Tashida Ikon - High Commander of the Occupation, 45th of Two Hundred. Tashida Karikin - head of the Tashida family, unofficial head of the Council. [Tashida Kuron] - son of Karikin, during his life 60th of Two Hundred. Leader of the Khaev armies during the Conquest. Tashida Shiori - Khaev noble, niece of Tashida Ikon. Tashida Sumi - grandniece of Karikin, trained as a draekere but thrown out for causing the death of another student. Tashida Zoron - Second of Two Hundred, leader of the Two Hundred and the Council's military commander. Zesha Maini - "Zee", a draekere. Spirits Ba'lel - a minor spirit of fire and shadow, loyal to Vaalkir. Chemura - a spirit of fire in service to the Judge. Dryldamar - a minor spirit of fire and shadow, loyal to Vaalkir. Fen'zir - a minor spirit of fire and shadow, loyal to Vaalkir. Ghae'mar - a minor spirit of fire and shadow, loyal to Vaalkir. Ghael - a large group of fire and shadow spirits who rule the Diem Highlands. Ghael Rex - lord of the Ghael, a spirit of fire and shadow. Jyo-raku - a spirit of shadow. Kaal - a spirit of ice in service to Sybian. Kuul - a spirit of ice in service to Sybian. Kir'vah - a minor spirit of fire and shadow, loyal to Vaalkir. Saya - a spirit of light. Sybian - a spirit of ice. Tor'quai - a minor spirit of fire and shadow, loyal to Vaalkir. Vaalkir - a spirit of fire. Ya'blik - a minor spirit of fire and shadow, loyal to Vaalkir. |
Glossary
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(All dates are using the Imperial calendar, in which the current year is 6127. The current year by Khaev reckoning is 1480.)
Aether - according to Imperial belief, an ethereal world outside our own, into which the souls of the dead pass. The Aether is inhabited mostly by malign spirits, who take pleasure in tormenting human souls. Only by following the plan of the now-dead gods can one avoid this fate. Somewhat similar to the Khaev concept of Hell. Anvil, The - a massive fortress erected on the Imperial side of Crimson Pass during the Third Dynasty, to defend against Diem incursions from the west. The Anvil had never fallen until the Conquest, when the Khaevs captured it after a two-year siege. Battle of Crimson Pass, First - battle between Zen Hammersmith, founder of the First Dynasty, and a Diem horde in 187. The fledgling Empire was victorious, ending the Diem threat for many years. Battle of Crimson Pass, Second - battle between the forces of the Empire, led by Maximillian Senar, and an invading Diem army in 1112. After the battle, Maximillian Senar declared himself Emperor, beginning the Third Dynasty. Battle of Crimson Pass, Third - battle between Imperial forces and the Diem in 2429. The weakened Imperials were decisively defeated, allowing the Diem to lay siege to the Anvil and cross into the riverlands, where they essentially destroyed the Third Dynasty. Blade (military unit) - Basic unit of the Khaev military. A Blade has a commander, invariably a lord, and between one and five hundred soldiers sharing a set of equipment and tactics. (For example, Kagerin Shuzan's Blade is a light cavalry unit.) Traditionally the soldiers serving in a Blade are recruited from the lands of the Blade commander, and are personally loyal to their Blade commander. Most Khaev noble families can field a Blade in times of war, while especially rich and powerful families field more than one, usually dividing them up between the family's more martial sons and daughters. Certain specialized units -- draekeres, Maidens, monks, or siege engineers -- are outside of the Blade structure and have their own commanders. In addition, large units of medium infantry (considered a 'menial' task by the honor-oriented Khaevs) have recently been added to the Khaev military as a standing force, in the pay of the Council. Blade, Bound - legendary weapons from the Godswar, created by the gods and given to their human followers in order to combat hostile spirits. Blood Angel - a select group of Tellenna women, extensively trained and then sent into the outside world in order to make sure that the isolated island of Tellen does not fall dramatically behind in some vital fighting technique. Surviving Blood Angels eventually return home and share what they've learned, then undergo a competitive examination for the right to be inducted into the Eternal Guard. Cloudrippers - a range of mountains that runs north-south across the mainland, separating the Riverlands and the Diem Highlands from the High Desert and Corsa. Conquest, The - the Khaev invasion of the Empire. Beginning in 6086 and ending in 6089 with the fall of the Anvil, after which the riverlands can be considered to be under Khaev control. By Khaev reckoning, the Conquest is followed by the Pacification. Corsa (Corsan) - a city of pirates, thieves, and slavers to the south of the High Desert. Protected by impassable desert to the north, the Cloudripper range to the east, and the Tears of Heaven to the south, Corsa has traditionally enjoyed protection from the authorities, both Imperial and Khaev. Crimson Pass - the only wide, navigable pass through the Shieldwall range, often used by the Diem in their invasions of the Riverlands. The Third Dynasty erected the Anvil to guard the Riverlands end of the pass. Crossroads - Capital of the Empire and center of commerce for the riverlands since time immemorial. The city straddles the River Tsel, and is ideally positioned for land, river, and sea traffic. It has been almost completely destroyed many times during its history, most recently during the Conquest, but the tougher stone buildings and fortifications survive and the rest of the city is quickly rebuilt. Crossroads is currently home to over half a million people, mostly Imperials. Demon - another word for spirit. Imperials tend to refer to helpful or controlled entities as spirits, and malign entities as demons. Diem - somewhat savage people who inhabit the Diem Highlands, a plateau between the southern Cloudrippers and the Shieldwall range. There is some trade between the Diem and Imperials, but war is more common. The Anvil was erected during the Third Dynasty at the edge of Crimson Pass in order to stem Diem incursions. Doomwood - a large area of ancient forest in the south of the riverlands, infested by spirits of all kinds. Humans have steered well away from the Doomwood on all but a few occasions, since to enter it is near-certain death from marauding spirits. According to legend, the Doomwood grew up around Godsdoom, the last resting place of the gods of the Imperial pantheon. Draek - a large flying reptile with six limbs. (Four legs and two wings.) Draeks are light-boned, like birds, and carnivorous, feeding on horses, sheep, cattle, and the like. Typical hunting tactics are to swoop down and fatally wound an animal with the heavy talons on its rear legs, wait for the animal to die, then land and feed. In the wild, draeks are very territorial and rarely inhabit overlapping areas except during mating season. The Khaevs have tamed the draeks, and a special order of highly-trained soldiers, the draekeres, use them as flying mounts for couriers and aerial reconnaissance. A draek is somewhat less intelligent than a horse, and can carry a very limited load; typically no more than one hundred and fifty pounds. Despite this, their speed and mobility make them extremely useful. Draekere - a special section of the Khaev military, devoted to riding draeks. The principle use of draekeres is scouting, and in this capacity they provide the Khaev Blades with unmatched intelligence. Because draeks are relatively rare, though, draekeres must be well trained before they are allowed to fly. Thus over the years the draekeres have evolved into a more general special-forces unit, adept with many weapons and skilled in the arts of stealth and intelligence-gathering. Because the carrying capacity of a draek is extremely limited, only women with slight builds are admitted to the draekeres. The current Mistress of Draekeres of the Occupation is Moriseki Hikari. Dynasty, First - Founded in 150 by Zen Hammersmith after his defeat of the Diem in the First Battle of Crimson Pass. The Empire was a primitive military/tribal state. Eventually destroyed in 367 by the Sithans. Dynasty, Second - Founded in 410 by Maeg Wargroom, who took most of the riverlands back from the Sithans after the First Occupation. The Empire wass a relatively efficient autocracy that quickly became corrupt under the rule of Maeg's great-grandson Maeg II, who was assassinated in 690. Dynasty, Third - Founded after the Second Battle of Crimson Pass by Maximillian Senar in 1112. The Empire was a fairly advanced, benign autocracy that encouraged learning and peace. Generally considered the high point of Imperial development, it lasted for more than a thousand years. The Anvil and Steelgod were built during this period. After the Imperial forces were defeated in the Third Battle of Crimson Pass, Crossroads was eventually sacked in 2432, bringing the Third Dynasty to an end. Dynasty, Fourth - Kzesh "The Conqueror" Ulrin emerged as Emperor after defeating all other contenders in 3734. He established the Empire as a brutal, warlike state, conquered the Diem Highlands and the Red Hills, and launched invasions of Khaevar and Tellen. Ultimately, the Fourth Dynasty was wiped out by a reprisal from the Tellenna Eternal Guard in 4482. Dynasty, Fifth - Ian Nortal was elected emperor by the high lords of the riverlands, beginning the Fifth Dynasty in 4821. His family ruled reasonably effectively until a break in succession led to civil war in 5412. Dynasty, Sixth - Albert "the Peacemaker" Goriff persuaded the warring lords to unite behind a single emperor, with real power remaining in the hands of the high lords. Mika Seigar became empress, founding the Sixth Dynasty in 5914. It was destroyed by the Conquest in 6086. Empire, The - a large nation, centered on the riverlands but occasionally including the Diem Highlands and the Red Hills, that has existed on-and-off since the end of the Godswar (in the year 0). The Empire has gone through six Dynasties or distinct periods since its creation. Most recently, it was destroyed by the invasion of the Khaevs in 6086. Eternal Guard - the elite fighting force of Tellen. Little is known about this secretive island country, but the Eternal Guard have demonstrated their extraordinary discipline and prowess on several occasions. They appear to have an almost superhuman level of competence, leading some Imperial scholars to speculate that they have been enhanced by sorcery. Glitterstone Mines - some of the most productive gold and gemstone mines in the Empire, located in the northern Cloudrippers and protected by the fortress Steelgod. The mines were mostly exhausted during the Fourth Dynasty, but some still prospect for undiscovered veins. Gods - Mythical beings with powers greater than the strongest of spirits, said by some to have created humans or even the world itself. The people of the Riverlands worshipped six gods -- El, Fah, Sin, Kah, Vor, and Zetz -- until the end of the Godswar and their destruction at the hands of evil spirits. These gods are commonly referred to as the Imperial pantheon. The Khaevs originally referred to the local spirits as gods, but as human sorcery gained in strength and was systematized by the monks and Maidens, they discovered that the creatures inhabiting their land were not all-powerful and could be made to obey the will of men. Modern-day Khaevs believe in a cycle of reincarnation, but not in any actual deities. References to "the gods" ("by the gods", "gods-damned", and so on) survive in Khaev idiom. Godswar - Legendary war between the gods of the Imperial pantheon and the malign spirits of the world. The end of the war and the death of the gods marks the beginning of the Imperial calendar, and supposedly led to the creation of the Doomwood and Godsdoom. Since the end of the Godswar, spirits have run rampant in the world, allowing the use of sorcery. Godsdoom - both an event and a place. As an event, it refers to the end of the Godswar and the death of the Imperial pantheon at the hands of evil spirits. It also marks the beginning of the Imperial calendar. (Year 0.) As a place, it refers to the semi-legendary tomb of the gods, buried deep within the Doomwood. Supposedly, the malign spirits that inhabit the Doomwood are protecting the tomb from interlopers. Hell - according to the Khaevs, Hell is a place for souls who have fallen off the bottom of the chain of reincarnation -- who have so dishonored themselves that they have lost the right to exist in the material world and are consigned to oblivion. Somewhat equivalent to the Imperial concept of the Aether. High Desert - an extremely desolate stretch of sand to the west of the Cloudrippers and east of the Red Hills. Almost nothing lives in the High Desert, and what civilization there is clusters around a few tiny oases. These towns, such as Isail, are often used as stopovers by slaver caravans. Imperial, Imperials - in general, refers to anything relating to the pre-Conquest Empire. Sometimes used (mostly by Khaevs) to refer to the people who lived under the Empire or more generally to all non-Khaevs. Strictly should not refer to T'bach or Tellenna, since those islands were never brought into the Empire. Isail - a fortress-town built around an oasis in the High Desert, used as a stopping point for caravans. Khaevar (Khaev) - A large island to the north-west of the mainland, home to the Khaevs. Khaevs tend to be short, with pale skin and black hair. They live in an essentially feudal society that involves very little change -- families have well-established relationships going back thousands of years. Until recently there was little war in Khaevar, merely ritualized conflict; a faction of young Khaevs led by Tashida Karikin united the Council (the meeting of the highest lords) with the purpose of invading the Empire. This led the to the Conquest and the destruction of the Sixth Dynasty. The de facto capitol of Khaevar is Saido, a city near the northern shore. Notable fortifications include the Kagerin fortress at Yamika and the home base of the Maidens at Mora. Maidens - an order of Khaevs, entirely female, founded to train and control women who were found to have a talent for sorcery. Originally, the Maidens were a loose organization, by legend founded by a lord named Muraki Takai to care for his daughter, who had sorcerous talents. After the formation of the Khaev Council in 4647, the Maidens are eventually centralized and established as an arm of the Council's military, to provided support for the army. Mora - a single-towered fortress, the home base of the order of Maidens in Khaevar. Monk - a member of one of many orders of Khaevs, entirely male, founded to train and control men with a talent for sorcery. Unlike the Maidens, the monks are not centrally organized, and each monastery has its own methods of martial and sorcerous training. Monks are heavily recruited to support the Council's army. Mourning - the last day of the week by Imperial reckoning. The Empire uses a seven-day week. Six of the days are named for the six major gods of the pantheon: El, Fah, Sin, Kah, Vor, and Zetz. The seventh day is Mourning. At dawn, pious Imperials are supposed to light candles and spend an hour in contemplation of their loss. In more modern times (post-Third Dynasty) Mourning is typically a holiday, where work stops at noon and the evening meal is larger than usual. Occupation, First - The period from 367-410 when the Sithans conquered Crossroads and the riverlands. A legendary period in Imperial history, during which many famous stories of heroes fighting the invaders take place. Occupation, Second - The current era, starting from when the Khaevs conquered the Empire, from roughly 6089 onwards. Pacification, The - A series of running battles fought by the Khaevs to maintain control of the Empire. Ultimately most of the rebel factions were tracked down and destroyed, and despite the persistence of some rebel activity the Khaevs declared the Pacification over in 6100. Red Hills - a range of hills on the far western side of the mainland. Its indigenous people have dusky skin and brown to red hair, and live in a patriarchal culture based on mining and the slave trade via Corsa. The Red Hills were conquered by the Empire during the Fourth Dynasty, but never really adopted the Imperial culture. After the Conquest, the Red Hills became a subject state of the Khaevs. Riverlands - a broad swath of land to the east of the Cloudripper and Shieldwall ranges, and the homeland of the Empire. The indigenous people of the riverlands tend to be fair, with blond to brown hair and blue or gray eyes. The riverlands are cut by many rivers, most notably the Tsel, and much of the land is very fertile. Riverlands society has been basically feudal for a very long time, with the highest lords owing loyalty to the Empire. In the relatively recent past the riverlands were conquered by the Khaevs and the Sixth Dynasty was overthrown. Major cities in the Riverlands include Crossroads, capital of the Empire, and Sith. Major fortifications include the Anvil at Crimson Pass and Steelgod in the northern Cloudrippers. Riverlords - a generic term for the lords of the riverlands. Saido - The capital city of Khaevar. It lies in the north-east section of the island, at the foot of a spectacular cliff. Shieldwall - a range of mountains in the south-west of the riverlands, dividing them from the Diem Highlands. The Shieldwall range is an offshoot of the Cloudrippers, and is generally considered impassable except at Crimson Pass, which is commanded by the Anvil. Sith (Sithan) - a city in the northern portion of the riverlands. Historically, it was originally an enemy to the Empire, which was run out of the rival city of Crossroads. After Sith fell to the Third Dynasty in 1189, it became part of the Empire. By the modern day, there has been so much commerce between Sith and Crossroads that they have only minor cultural differences. Sorcery - the power to bind spirits and force them to serve. The more powerful the sorcerer, the more powerful and numerous the spirits he can bind. Because of their great power, sorcerers tend to be unpredictable and solitary. The exception is among the Khaevs, who train sorcerers from childhood to serve as monks or Maidens. Sorcerers are born, not made, though they can gain power by training. Most have are aligned with one particular type of spirit -- Fire, Light, Ice, or Shadow. Some sorcerers summon many beast-like spirits to destroy their enemies, while others have only a single powerful spirit who serves them in all things. One perennial danger is the summoning of a too-powerful spirit, who can either kill the sorcerer or reverse the binding and take the sorcerer as its slave. Spirit - a supernatural entity. Spirits fall into four general categories or alignments: Fire, Light, Ice, and Shadow. They also vary greatly in power and intelligence, from animal-like beasts to entities that greatly surpass human capability. Where spirits come from is not well understood -- they seem to arise from the land itself, and gain strength with the passage of years. The more intelligent ones can converse and even be negotiated with, but they are famously untrustworthy. A sorcerer, however, can bind spirits to his will and thus make them do his bidding. Unfriendly spirits are sometimes referred to as demons. Straits of Tellen - the narrow sea passage between the cliffs of the Diem Highlands and the island of Tellen, famous for its dangerous weather and pirate gangs. Steelgod - a massive Third Dynasty fortress in the northern Cloudrippers, originally intended as a mountain retreat for the Emperor. It guards one of the major roads leading to the Glitterstone Mines. Partially destroyed by Imperial sorcery during the Conquest, it was rebuilt by the Khaevs after its capture and is now used to train draekeres. Szandling - the lowest caste of Tellenna society, to which all non-Tellenna are by default assigned. Tears of Heaven - an island chain extending from the mouth of the bay near Corsa. Difficult to navigate under the best conditions, the islands have been turned into a hornet's nest of traps and defenses by the Corsans to prevent an invasion from the sea. T'bach (T'bach) - an island to the south of the mainland, famed for its lawlessness and production of wine and fine foods. The T'bach trade mostly through Corsa, which ships products to the Empire at a tremendous markup; thus, there are always fortunes to be made for ships willing to dare Straits of Tellen, which are notoriously fraught with foul weather and pirates. Tellen (Tellenna) - called the "True Land" by its inhabitants. A mysterious island south of the mainland, on which no outsiders are allowed. The Tellenna live in a rigid caste system about which very little is known. The Blood Angels are their most visible emissaries, traveling the length and breadth of the mainland in search of new fighting techniques before returning home. Also legendary are the Eternal Guard, a superhuman and supposedly immortal fighting force. Tsel, River - the largest river in the riverlands, on the banks of which lie both Crossroads and Sith. The Tsel flows from west to east, originating in the Cloudrippers near Steelgod. It is navigable for most of its length, and historically has been a major route for commerce. Yamika - an island fortress in Khaevar, the hereditary home of the Kagerin family. |