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Rados (RAH-dose) – A prosperous fishing town on the north shore of Tenith Island, one of the Hiron Channel Islands of the Oceanian Princedom of Trolyn.

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Red Hand of Pain, Order of the – A fighting order of the Korönian Cult sponsored by the clerical Order of the Searing Mace. The order holds the Darikazi castle of Strotodar and champions a holy crusade against pretty much everyone. The order was granted its lands in 2881 by King Toran. In 3010, it sent a force across the Kethil River and seized Bremkin keep from the Kildoran Republic. However, Bremkin was lost to the order in 3012, when a faction broke away to become the Order of the Fist of Shangtor. The Red Hand of Pain are currently undertaking a long-term campaign to exterminate the Ilrionim tribesmen of the Blackmist Mountains. The order supports Farlox III, who is seen as a leader who might be able to unify Darikaz and lead the crusade they favor.

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Republic of Kildora – The largest of the nations to the north of the Sea of Ukalus, on the fertile crescent of coastal plain that lies between the Gulf of Kildoras, to the west, and the Sarajis Mountains (also called the Savage Mountains) east and south. The natural vegetation is mostly mixed woodland and forest, with large tracts of cropland and pasture in the river valleys and flatlands. Rugged coniferous forest covers the eastern foothills and highlands, with mixed forest dominating the southern highlands. Much of the mountainous east and southeast is lightly settled compared to the more fertile and inviting western coastal plains. The south coastal region is dominated by the extensive marshes and wetlands of the Sea Fens at the mouth of the great Molisan River. Also in the south lies the Gap of Ukarïm, separating the Blackmist Mountains in the west and the Sarajis Mountains to the east, and the primary route into the Ukali Basin. Of the four peaks fully within the Republic, two are dormant volcanoes and one, Mt. Terminkül, is an active volcano. It’s last major eruption was 57 years ago.

Although the region is culturally dominated by the Republic, large areas claimed are also home to several tribal nations who range back and forth across the eastern and southern borders. Over the years the Kildoran states have assimilated large numbers of tribesmen, but many of the lands claimed by the People and Senate of the Republic are actually controlled by the Ilrionim, Ethmoniri and Firalani nations in the southeast, and the Maltori and Alpirven in the northeast. The heart of the Republic is Delfarin, the capital; it is from here that the Senate governs via the various factions that play a major role in the power politics of the Republic.

There are currently five major factions in the Senate, and some Senators are members of more than one: The Consolidation Faction is pro-republican and aims to clean up internal problems such as the Osafari bandits and the Ilrionim and Firilani barbarians. The Expansionist Faction is also pro-republican but favours the conquest of lands in Arushal and Darikaz. These are the two largest factions. Others are the Imperialist Faction, which wants a return to the Imperial system, with an elected emperor, coupled with internal consolidation, a hereditary nobility, and feudalism. The Monarchist Faction wishes to establish a weak king with the real power wielded by an hereditary Senate and an emphasis on foreign conquest. The Reform Faction, by far the smallest of the five, wants to clean up “abuses” in the Senate and the government. There is sympathy for this position in the rural areas. Factional politics are made more complex by the religious, guild and client relationships of the Senators. While still able to deal with some day-to-day matters, the Senate’s increasing inability to compromise on important issues has become a serious trend in the last few years, and has many observers worried.

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Revelsa Abbey – Eldaran religious institution founded by Dorikon I in 2865 SR to give thanks for his victory at Kelym. The original structures were completed in 2877 and have been expanded many times. Revelsa is the both the seat of the Kleros of Renoa’al and of the Archkleros of Arushal, who are traditionally one and the same. Since completion of the Caelite temple in Kelym in 3013 SR the Archkleros tends to spend much of his time there, and it has become common to speak of the “Archdiocesal seat at Kelym” although this is technically incorrect.The abbey produces a very fine wool cloth that is a major export via the nearby Royal Seat of Kar Kelym.

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Rogorkel (row-gore-KHEL)– One of the Four Lords of Chaos. Rogorkel is the Telnori/Eldar name given to the Elemental Demon Lord of Earth; the Kundari know it as Lahud-cha. Also known as the The Hammer of Hell and The Burrowing Death, it is one of the four chief lieutenants of the Demon King. In the Age of Chaos it was the Artificer of Naventhül. Its control artifact is said to be a tremendous war hammer of black iron, incised with runes of bronze, its handle wrapped in black and red leather made of Khundari skin, and a large Matrix Crystal set in the hammer head.

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Sakal-ur(sah-kahl-OOR) – The Kundari name for Haranol, the Elemental Demon Lord of Air, which see.

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Salatasic Reckoning (sahl-ah-TAS-ick) – The most common calendar in use throughout Western Novendo, and in large parts of the East. It uses the the Demon’s Fist as it’s zero point – dates prior to that disaster are followed by BD (Before the Demon’s Fist), dates after it are followed by SR (Salatasic Reckoning). If a date has neither suffix, it is generally assumed to refer to a date after the Demon’s Fist.

The Salatasic calendar was devised by the half-Telnori sage Salatas of Pagonia in the 5th Century  following the Demon’s Fist. She divided the year into 10 months, each month being 30 days long. The months are further sub-divided into three 10-day “weeks,” although that term is not used – they are commonly called a “ten-day” or “tenday.” The most common names of the days of the “week,” in much of Ysgareth, are: Talata, Sanita, Rakta, Garta, Launta, Kita, Seluta, Nyrata, Ionta, and Unkta. Since the Novendian year is 304-days long, to balance her system out Salatas created four intercalary High Celebration holidays, placing them outside the framework of regular months and days.

Each High Celebration day is dedicated to one of the four seasons and is celebrated on the appropriate solstice or equinox. They are: Saridás (spring equinox), Maitia Lai (summer solstice), Höl Kopia (autumn equinox), and Kristala Va (winter solstice). Every ten years a fifth intercalary day is added, following Kristala Va. This leap day (L’ara Kalia, the Day of Reckoning) compensates for the inaccuracy caused by the unaccounted for 29.6 seconds in each day of the calendar (the Novendian day is 25 hours, 29.6 seconds long).

This system has the virtue of making dates easy to remember, as the same date falls on the same day of the week each month and each year (i.e. the 18th day of any month falls on the eighth day of the week, thus the 18th of Vento always falls on a Nyarta). The four (or five) intercalary holidays fall between the days and dates of the regular calendar; for example, the winter solstice celebration, Kristala Va, falls between the 30th of Glacia (an Unkta, last day of the week) and the 1st of Novara (a Talata, first day of the week); thus, no weekday is associated with these holidays.

Salatas set her calendar within a framework of recurring cycles of 10: ten years, ten decades, ten centuries, and so on. Each unit of these cycles is named, sequentially, for creatures both mundane and fantastical. Although it varies from culture to culture, the most common sequence is: Phoenix, Serpent, Unicorn, Wolf, Boar, Dragon, Eagle, Wyvrn, Owl, Lion. Thus, one might speak of the year of the Wolf, in the decade of the Owl, in the century of the Dragon. A great deal of myth, folklore and superstition has evolved over the centuries concerning the possible combinations, and their meanings.

Since the general acceptance of the Salatasic Reckoning in the West, the only major change has been the evolution of the months of Sarnia and Turniki, which are now popularly broken into two parts, divided by the intercalary holiday that falls in the middle of each. The first half of Sarnia is called il’Sarnia, the second half, following Saridás, is va’Sarnia; il’Turniki is the half of that month prior to Höl Kopia, va’Turniki the half following it.

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Samokara – An inland city-state of the Wild Coast, situated at the confluence of the Polont and Adynith rivers, it is currently a republic, governed by a Council of Sages with a nominal Prince-Scholar as the executive. The arrangement has lasted for close to 30 years, and seems to be functioning as well as any human government ever does. Despite the cerebral basis on which it was founded (by a cadre of sages, mages and scholars, mostly, and a well-educated and intelligent young Prince) it retains an unusually pragmatic view on military matters, keeping the largest standing army on the Wild Coast. It is a magnet for both adventurers and scholars outside the mainstream, and it is the only realm on the Ysgareth continent (and perhaps the planet) that provides universal education to its citizens – indeed, schooling is compulsory for children between the ages of six and 18. This program was the centerpiece of one of the founders of the Republic, the grey mage Karavina.

While not a coastal city as such, Samokara maintains a maritime presence via a port town at the head of the navigable waters of the Polont River, west of the Kalach Fens. It is protected by the strong fortress-castle of Kar Kalach. It’s small navy is not match for the great fleets of such port cities as Agras, but it is sufficient to guard the republics interests, and their tax structure makes the small port an attractive option to many merchants in the southern Shattered Sea.

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Saridás (SAHR-ee-dahz) – The intercalary High Celebration of Spring in the Salatasic Reckoning. It falls on the spring equinox, in the middle of the second tenday of Sarnia, between the 15th and16th. The day is represented in art and festival by a cup or chalice, sometimes of precious metals and gems but more often carved of wood and painted in gay colors. Blue and green are the colors associated with this holiday.

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Sarijis Mountains (sahr-EE-jess) – The northernmost range of the World Spine Mountains, beginning on the east side of the Ukarim Gap, running east-by-northeast for 150 miles before curving sharply north, and running essentially northward to the northern tip of the Ysgareth continent. The western side of the range, particularly the central section, is a series of steep, almost vertical face, while the eastern faces tend to be more gently sloped, if no less rugged. The mountains separate the fertile Kildoran plains in the west from the more rugged lands of Varisea and Thilirdu (and the Hidden Sea) to the east. Also commonly called the Savage Mountains, due to the large number of fierce Umantari tribes, Gülvini colonies, and dangerous Kalovai who call the range home.

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Sarnia (sahr-NEE-ah) – The third month of the year in the Salatasic Reckoning. The month winter turns to spring. Often divided into two parts, il’Sarnia and va’Sarnia, separated by the spring equinox.

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Satirnus (sah-TEER-nus) – Perhaps the single most powerful man in the Kildoran Republic, currently both Marshal and Magistrate of the Somka Province, which he conquered nine years ago during the Somkari War with Arushal. The Ekoro clan, of which he is the head, was a middling clan of ancient roots but no particular distinction until his rise to power twenty years ago. A brilliant strategist and even better tactician, Satirnus first made his mark pacifying the barbarians of the Savage Mountains in his home province of Moralo, where he was eventually made Marshal. In 3010, the Arushali Earl of Somkari sent knights to enforce his claims on villages to the west and north of the Red River. Two of these were within the borders of Moralo Province, and the Senate ordered the Marshal of Moralo to attack and take Somkari. Satirnus besieged Somkari but moved the bulk of his army south to seize Dor Urdol, forcing the surprised earl to surrender. The onset of a bitter winter ended hostilities but Satirnus continued the siege causing great hardship in Somkari. Meanwhile, negotiations were taking place between Dorikon IV and elements of the Kildoran Senate. Before hostilities could resume, Arushal and the Republic concluded a peace treaty ceding Somkari, Urdol, and their territories to the Kildoran Republic. King Dorikon hadn’t wanted war to start with and the Senate did not want to see Satirnus cover himself with further glory.

Satirnus was furious with the Senate, believing that he could have conquered all of Arushal, and that the Senate had acted out of jealousy and fear. He allowed himself to be placated, however, when his supporters in the Senate were able to arrange for him to be appointed both Marshal and Magistrate of the new Somka Province, which he has effectively pacified. In the process, he has executed, exiled, or enslaved most of the Arushali nobility who were foolish enough to remain behind. As Magistrate, he has been the principal prosecutor of treason trials in the province, which have brought him considerable land and money. He is now, by far, the biggest landholder in the province, his estates there exceeding his traditional clan lands in Moralo Province by a significant margin. By redistributing these lands, he has effectively doubled the number of clients obligated to him and his clan.He has made especially generous endowments of frontier land to his Amethyst Legion troops.

None of his enemies in the Senate are happy about the growth of his power and what they very much fear are his Imperial ambitions. There is a growing desire to re-appoint him to the post of Marshal of Moralo in 3022. Satirnus has on several occasions commented that he could, given proper support, pacify one third of the province in each year of his term, eliminating both the barbarian threat to the proposed road through the Moralo Gap, and the Hefiosa brigands terrorizing the foothills. It is hoped that these endeavors would absorb his considerable energies and turn him away from thoughts of a throne. Due to his carefully worded vague statements on major issues, Satirnus has managed to gain some support from every senatorial faction. Interestingly, elements of the rural youth are becoming increasingly either Reform or Imperialist minded; both groups favor Satirnus, but for different reasons.

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Savage Mountains – A common alternate name for the Sarajis Mountains, which see.

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Sea of Storms – A narrow sea which separates the continent of Ysgaerth from the central subcontinent of Xenoca. It is bound in the west by the the Hellstorch Mountains, an eastern arm of which divides the sea into the Senvikar Bay to the north and the Gulf of Vernash to the south. At its eastern end the sea flows through the Strait of Cael, north and south around the Isle of Cael, into the Gulf of Pashwandir and thence to the Galean Sea.

The Sea of Storms is known as much for its strong currents and treacherous riptides as for the namesake bad weather that blows down from the Hellstorch at certain times of the year. Shipping is notoriously dangerous, especially during the rainy season, but that doesn’t stop daring merchants from the endeavor – not when the potential profits on goods from Xenoca (and the dark continent of Koruik south of her) are so vast.

Fourteen significant islands dot the Sea of Storms, the largest and eastern-most being the Isle of Cael at its mouth. From there, running more-or-less westward, are the much smaller islands of Remara, Techus, Divin, Urnta, Girig, Oxalut, Ingran, Tixul, Quatzu, Irim, Tefu, Axurn, and Viluk.

Besides the great western arms of the sea, several other major bays grace its coastline. Along the north shore, running east from Senvikar, are Harkim Bay, the Bay of Korush, Bulukar Bay, and Irvus Bay. Along the southern shore, running east from Vernash, are Bhentin Bay, Axuruthil Bay, the Gulf of Guhrin, and Minika Bay.

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Searing Mace, Order of the – A clerical order of the Korönian Cult that sponsors the fighting Order of the Red Hand of Pain. This is the most mystical of the Korönian orders. The order deeply involves itself in politics and favors a crusade against the Caelite-dominated kingdoms of the North – Arushal, Nolkior, and Tharkia. Its main temple is in Izmirk and it maintains a covert temple in Delfarin, which is engaged in subversion. In 3014, a faction broke off to form the Order of the Burning Blood.

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Seven Pillars, Order of the – A clerical order of the Korönian Cult headquartered in Izmirk. The order sponsors the so-called fighting Order of the Iron Fist of Tarutha. Both orders are almost solely concerned with the operation of the Taruthani arenas in Izmirk, Delfarin, and Zhatrik, and lesser arenas in other settlements in Darikaz and the Republic.

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Shadow – The Shadow of Torzhalo, which see.

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Shadow Mummy – Common name for the dreaded Torzhalo-ka Mummy, which see.

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Shadow Warriors – An elite cadre of Khundari fighters, trained in the secretive dwarven martial art of Kahar-ün-Tem, maintained by the Prince of Dürkon as his principal body guards and secret police. They also maintain an extensive spy network, both within the city-state itself and in neighboring lands, to keep Prince Rhogûn apprised of events relevant to his rule.

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Shala (SHA-lah) – One of the Greater Immortals. Goddess of Knowledge. Lady of Learning and Magic. Patron of the T’ara Kul and of both teachers and students. Daughter of Agara & Arial, sister to Tanar, she is also a warrior in her aspect as Defender of Truth. Mother of Xydona & Xydous.

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Shalara – The capital city of the feudal Kingdom of Nolkior. A map of the city may be found on the Atlas Novendo page. It is the largest settlement in the realm,and the second largest city of the North, with a population of almost 25,000. Although Shalara is not a freetown, being governed directly by the monarch, an aldermanic council of twelve provides advice and helps govern. The city boasts formidable fortifications, including the citadel of Kar Landsar, and contains many splendid public buildings and temples. Beneath the city lies a labyrinth of ancient tunnels, many of which date back before the time of Vindu when Shalara was known as Brinthor. When the Necromancer rebuilt the city as Vindus-Anol, many new tunnels were constructed. The tunnels can be accessed via the cellars of establishments controlled by the Zalik-mal and by the Cult of Naventhül. Few others know of these tunnels; fewer still explore them.

Shalara has grown wealthy from its location at the junction of four trade routes. Late every spring, goods arrive from the wild nortrhlands down the Fur Road, from Karac and Dürkon along the Khundari Road, from Ishkala and Valtira via the Imperial Canal, and from Kildora by the Salt Route. Ships from the Sydoran League and the southern Ukalis lands arrive in late spring through early fall. Most land caravans stay the summer, camping on a nearby common, and depart in early fall. During the summer, mercantylers from throughout the Ukalis Basin trade with locals and with each other at the Great Summer Fair. This event runs for the entire month of Emblio and is second only to the festival celebrating the arrival of the sea caravans in Lirilari.

The king spends every winter in Shalara. He is a competent administrator and enjoys the hours he spends managing his city. Ser Haldar Venera, Constable of Kar Landsar, administers the city in the king’s absence. The constable is fanatically loyal to King Garinalt. He works tirelessly to ensure the city retains its reputation for justice and prosperity. He communicates regularly with the Council of Aldermen, the Mangai, and the temples; his natural charisma ensures undisputed authority.

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Shattered Sea – The name given to the waters of the Oceanian Archipelago, laying off the northwestern coast of Ysgareth. In practice it is divided into smaller seas and channels. Bordered by Ysgareth to east and south, the Näalskelu Sea to the north, and the North Arkhonic Ocean to the west.

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Shazirka (shah-zeer-KAH)– One of the Four Lords of Chaos. Shazirka is the Telnori / Umantari name given to the Elemental Demon Lord of Fire; the Kundari know it as Zhizal-tok. Known as the Flaming Sword of Naventhül, it is one of the four chief lieutenants of the Demon King. In the Age of Chaos it was the Battlefield Commander of the Demonic Hordes. Its control artifact is said to be a massive battlesword of black steel, etched with runes of gold, the hilt wrapped in leather made from Umantari, Telnori and Khundari skin, and a large red Matrix Crystal set in the pommel. Legend says it has no sheath, “except for the bodies of its Master’s enemies.”

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Shield Brother/Sister – The oath relationship between two warriors, legally recognized in most cultures as equivalent to a marriage bond. The relationship often includes a sexual component, but this is not a perquisite. A given individual may only have one such bond at a time, but both parties may also be pair bonded in  marriage. For example, the Emperor Gil-Garon and his Myrmytron Kavyn Stormborn are Shield Brothers (and lovers), while Gil-Garon is also married to Mirial, Queen of Tor Andar, with whom he has a son.

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Dor Sholan – A fortress of Nolkior, located in the Miona Hundred of Buranshire, squarely in the heart of the kingdom. For many generations a center of weaving, dying, and fulling, the keep was built in 2755 SR by Queen Myrasel. Surrounded by good land between the Sürkil and Silvereye Rivers, much of the area is cultivated and fertile. The shire is relatively safe and prosperous.

Sholan is held by Sheriff of Buranshire, currently Ser Eris Karondal. Clan Karondal owes its position to Clan Artelkes, and holds four manors under Bankir. Historically, the sheriff has had to balance the Crown’s interests with those of the powerful Earls of Buran. He is fortunate that the interests of the Crown and Clan Artelkes are currently so closely aligned, and works to prevent any changes to that situation.

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Shuind’or (shoo-IN-da-OR) (Water Elemental) – Free-willed elementals that, when left to themselves, tend to fall to the lowest possible level and remain essentially dormant. Some scholars speculate that the deepest parts of the oceans are covered with Shuind’ori to depths of several kilometers.

Shuind’ori can change the viscosity of their watery host masses, cause currents and turbulence in large bodies of water, create whirlpools, even draw ships or swimmers under. They rarely take much interest in corporeal creatures, and some have reportedly gone mad after being summoned and controlled by mages. On the other hand, it is not unknown for water elementals, like other types, to develop a bond with a regular summoner.

It is “common knowledge” that the turbulence in the Gulf of Telia (east of Iria Island) is caused by an entity called Yadíum. Most scholars believe that Yadíum is a demigod or demon, but some suspect it is a Shuind’or (or at least some related entity). No one supposes that there are only a few types of Shuind’ori.

There are tales of Shuind’ori helping sailors who fall overboard, by bearing them up to the surface, as well as tales of Shuind’ori who hold sailors under the water until they drown. One mage in Tharkia has been studying Shuind’ori for nearly a decade, but after dozens of expeditions into areas where Shuind’or have been reported, has yet to meet one. He is beginning to suspect that they are no more than legend.

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Skorym (SKOR-em) – Second planet of the Ziran star system. Slightly more than half the size of Novendo, it is thought to possess a molten core beneath its lithosphere, a significant magnetic field, and an atmosphere of some sort. Skorym can be seen from Novendo as a very bright morning/evening star for much of the year, and possesses one rocky moonlet, Jesif, which orbits the planet in a fast, highly elliptical orbit 23° off the plane of the ecliptic.

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Solstice Meteor Shower – The smaller of the two major annual meteor showers that light the skies of Novendo each year between 17 Glacia and 5 Novara. It is considered auspicious to propose marriage under a shooting star during this period, most especially on the night of Kristala Va.

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Somka Province – The newest of the six provinces of the Kildoran Republic, its capital being Kar Somkari. Formerly part of the Delfari Empire, the Second Mageocracy, and the Kildoran League, Somka was an Earldom of the Kingdom of Arushal from 2922 to 3011, when it was annexed during the Somkari War. As a result of the past political instability in the region, the province is somewhat underpopulated. Both the offices of Marshal and Magistrate of Somka are held by one man, Satirnus Ekoro, who is possibly the single most powerful individual in the Republic. Satirnus was the general who conquered the territory for the Republic in 3010; for this service, the senate voted him the offices in 3011. Satirnus is, by far, the biggest landholder in the province, having acquired estates that now exceed his traditional clan lands in Moralo Province. With his conquest of Somka, Satirnus has been able to cement relationships throughout the Republic by ensuring the newly conquered lands have been distributed to friends and relatives. The Marshal has also made generous endowments of frontier land to his Amethyst Legion.

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Staff of Summer – Powerful artifact of the Toraz Convocation, created in the year 1562 SR by the Telnori mage Hasora-Tar of Serviana, the most skilled Torazin wizard of his age. Made of intertwining staves of living ironwood, the head of the Staff branches out to encase an ovoid of greenish resin, within which is set a large and very powerful Matrix Crystal. Hasora-Tar wielded the Staff of Summer for many years, bringing growth and life to the lands of the northern Ukali Basin, until he was sent by his king into battle with the Winter King. He eventually defeated the dark Gyantari wizard, freeing the lands for 100 kilometers around from the grip of his eternal winter, but at the cost of his own life. He left the Staff of Summer embedded in the rock of the Winter King’s stronghold to power the curse by which he bound the giant to eternal imprisonment. In early 3020 SR the location of the fortress and the Staff was discovered by the band of adventurers known as the Hand of Fortune, who recovered the artifact and saw the Winter King destroyed for good.

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Star Council – A mysterious and secret organization that is said to guide the course of history from behind the scenes. Any strange or dramatic event, from royal deaths to earthquakes, is supposedly the work of this hidden cabal of wizards, clerics and Telnori, designed to keep society stable and safe from a return to the Age of Chaos. Most who profess to believe in the Star Council feel that it is a generally benevolent organization, but that the focus on the greater good may lead to unfortunate consequences in the short run. Of course the educated segments of society think this is all hogwash, a myth of the ignorant who are desperate for any sense of control in their sad lives… better a shadowy conspiracy, they say, than the seeming randomenss of Fate! On the other hand, the very most educated people know that the Council does, in fact, exist…

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Stasis field – An energy field within which time moves at such an almost imperceptible rate s to be considered nonexistent. Anything caught within the field remains exactly as it was at the instant the field surrounded it. It is almost impossible to encapsulate a living being within a stasis field, however, even a willing one, as the living Aura rejects it at a deeply unconscious level. In extreme circumstance a comatose being might be successfully placed in stasis, but only a handful of mages or saints have ben able to do eventhat. The field can be created by various spells of the T’ara Kul or by the rituals of the Ky’lorkia of various religious cults. Only the Naventhülian demon worshipers seem to have no version of this spell/ritual, perhaps for philosophical reasons relating to Chaos and Order. Stasis is most commonly used to preserve a freshly killed person, generally in the hopes of reviving and then healing or curing the person at a later date. Bodies or items within a field can be difficult to handle, as the field itself is almost frictionless.

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Strictures of Yana – Also known as the Yanaric Code, the Strictures are the governing rules laid down by the Immortals in the Judgement of Shala which allow the Umantari to wield the T’ara (that is, practice magic). They became necessary following the Age of Chaos, and more particularly the Mage Wars, when Umantari wizards almost wrecked the world. Essentially they boil down to four main points: don’t do anything that will give magic a bad name; don’t use magic to fight wars; don’t spread the knowledge of how to wield magic to unauthorized persons; and kick the shit out of any renegade who breaks the rules. The actual Strictures are more elegantly phrased, of course. Since no one wants to see the Immortals descend on mankind again, and this time eliminate all the magic-users once and for all, the T’ara Kul are fairly good about self-policing. Of course, being human, politics and personalities shade interpretation and enforcement, especially where politics and war meet magic, but on the whole the Strictures remain a strong bulwark against chaos.

Sun Plains – A vast, grassy steppe that stretches along the south central section of the Ysgareth continent, between the Starwind Mountains and the Sea of Storms. The relative flatness of the plains is broken only by the long crescent of the Kadaran Hills, which enclose the small, fertile land of Kadara along the central north shore of the sea.

The Sun Plains are home to several nomadic or semi-nomadic tribes of greatly skilled horsemen and one clan of wild Centauri. The most famous of the tribes, and the most numerous, are the Garlini, who swept north out of the plains in the 28th century under the banner of the great Balar-Zal and conquered almost all of civilized central Ysgareth, founding the Garlini Empire. The other two major clans of Umantari horsemen are the Paltoini and the Harthini, whose ranges lay west of the Garlini but are divided by the lands of the Centauri Korunini.

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Sur Vendaz (soor ven-DAHZ) – The greatest of the T’ara Kul are the Sur Vendaz, the mages who have transcended the constrictions of convocational magic and become Gray Mages, able to wield spells of all elements with equal facility. They are the only ones who can create the so-called “neutral spells,” usable by all Convocations. Every 10 years the Grand Assembly elects the five Sur Vendaz to serve on the ruling High Council of the T’ara Kul, for a period of 20 years. Thus, half the Council changes every decade, at least potentially. In practice, sitting members are often re-elected, due to the reclusive and introspective nature of many (if not most) mages who attain the rarefied airs of the Sur Vendaz. Many do not wish to be distracted from their studies, and many more are simply unsuited to the practical demands of complex governance.

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Syrada (seer-AH-dah) – The Flaming Staff; a constellation in the northern Novendo sky and the ninth sign of the northwestern zodiac (6 – 30 Turniki). A Spirit sign, Syrada symbolizes the mystic union of Air and Fire, the smoke that remains when fire has consumed. The Staff, generally the symbol of controlled, directed energy, is here burning, representing energy unfocused and uncontrolled, power wasted or lost. In another sense, however, it symbolizes escape from destruction through change, a reminder that nothing is ever really destroyed, that acceptance of change is the road to wisdom.

Those born under this sign tend to be centers of confusion and tumult, both for themselves and for others. They are moody, often flighty, with wild imaginations and mercurial temperaments. Syradans lead active lives but are often indecisive, unable to focus their energies effectively. This often results in a great deal of effort expended to little profit. On the other hand they are also very adaptable and resilient to change. They may blow with the winds, but they are survivors.

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T’ara (tah-ARHA) – Literally, “Power of the World,” it is the universal energy that underlies all of Creation, the source and wellspring of Life; the residual power left over when the All brought Order out of the primordial Chaos. The source of what some call “magic.”

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T’ara Kul (tah-ARHA KOOL) – Meaning “Wielder of the Power of the World,” they are men and women who spend their lives practicing, refining and expanding their knowledge of, and  mastery over, the material world. While they recognize the Immortals as beings of immense power, and respect, even honor, some of them, they have no patience for religious “clap-trap” interfering with their pursuits. They organize themselves into various schools and guilds, with a loose overall organization, designed to teach and enforce the Strictures of Yana, adopted at the end of the Age of Chaos, in response to the Judgement of Shala. As the destruction of that Age demonstrated, the need to reign in the extreme or irresponsible elements in their ranks is vital, lest society (or worse, the  Immortals) again take action against them all.

More than willing to lead that charge would be the Ky’lorkia. Revering the Immortals as the source of T’ara, these men and women wield the power under the guidance and customs laid down by the various religions of Novendo. They generally view the T’ara Kul as dangerous renegades, if not outright heretics. But society finds the practical application of magic too useful to do without, as long as it remains quiet and controlled, or at least maintains that appearance. So the Cults must accept, however grudgingly, the place of the T’ara Kul in society. But behind the scenes, they are always looking for opportunities to undermine their rivals with both Princes and the People.

The Guild of Arcnae Lore is a loose blanket organization of alchemists, astrologers, psionicists, and rune-masters, and of which the T’ara Kul are a subset. By far the largest and most pervasive school of T’ara Kul thought is the Thularian, which perceives and describes the Universe in terms of six key elemental principles: Air (or Light), Fire, Matter (or Metal), Earth, Water, and Spirit (or Aura). Because manipulation of these elements impose a unique set of demands upon the mind and body, six schools of arcane lore evolved over time, each stressing one of the elements. The earliest schools predate the founding of Avantir by at least 500 years, and it was Thular of Oris who organized them into a unified philosophy in the Sixth Century.

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Taharazod (tah-HARRAH-zod) – (1868-2508 SR) The great-souled Telnori King of Serviana who sacrificed his own life to defeat the seemingly unstoppable demon Khanaribas the Corruptor, which had been set against his people by the Necromancer during the Great War. As the land died beneath the feet of the Corruptor, and the Desolation of Serviana began, Taharazod caused a great iron golem to be created, in the form of a Telnori knight, and a mighty sword for it to wield. Then the King split his own soul into two, pouring half into the Iron Knight and half into the Great Sword.

Four great mages of the land, who had already sacrificed their own bodies to transform themselves into powerful Elemental Beasts, to hold back the advancing armies, were called to Yalura. There they, too poured their souls into the Iron Knight, as did the great Umantari hero Kelohir the Gray and his companion the Khundari hero Zhedorum of Storm Peak. Then the seven-souled construct went out to face the Corruptor, and slew the demon’s physical form. Taharazod had erected great Wards to imprison the demonic spirit, and used the power of his own soul, and those of the Elemental Beasts, to power them even beyond death.

Only Kelohir and Zhedorum returned from that battle to repossess their bodies, to go on and fight the Necromancer in righteous fury – and they were both present at the final battle at Harkathir to see him defeated and destroyed. The body of King Taharazod was placed in a crystal sarcophagus which preserves his form uncorrupted, and interred in  a hidden tomb in the hopes that someday the two halves of his soul might be reunited, bring him back into the world alive. But until some way of destroying or permanently banishing demonic spirts can be found, this can never be.

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Talim Nar (tahl-EEM nahr) – The Talim Nar, or “Brotherhood of the Forest” in the Telnori tongue, is a covert brotherhood of human woodsmen intent on protecting the wilderness and its wildlife. The group was founded by followers of Drina in the foothills of the Sarijin Mountains in the 26th Century as a reaction to the depredations committed by gülvini.

The Talim Nar exists mostly in northern Ysgareth. The Brotherhood rarely has more than 1000 members, preferring to remain a small and elite group. Primarily male and Umantari in membership, some women and a few Aunari are members. Although still concentrated north of the Sea of Ukal, the Brotherhood can be found in most frontier or wilderness areas as far south as the city-state of Azdankür, especially where gülvini live near human settlements.

A second focus of the Talim Nar is to protect the wilderness from their fellow humans. The expansion of agricultural land, large-scale deforestation due to mining operations, and similar aspects of civilized life concern the Talim Nar. The extent to which they should oppose these activities is a controversial issue among the Brotherhood. Although most Brothers view the spread of civilization as inevitable, there are some who see any harm to the wilderness as desecration and oppose it vigorously.

The secretive nature and impressive wilderness skills of the Talim Nar have caused them to become figures of folklore. Most people have heard legends of the “wood-shadows,” and they are sometimes thought of as supernatural beings. They are frequently credited with defending villages from gülvini, caring for sick and injured wild animals, and protecting and returning livestock or people lost in the wilds.

The Brotherhood takes pains to maintain this mysterious reputation. Some of their goals and actions are at odds with local laws, social customs, or religious doctrine. Their beliefs and practices are little understood by outsiders and they are likely to be viewed with suspicion by most authorities, some of whom consider them little better than outlaws.

One aspect of Drinaist belief that most members of the Talim Nar share with the Telnori is an acceptance that destruction of nature by man is inevitable.Yet the Brotherhood struggles on, knowing that Drina does not condemn those who fail, only those who do not try. This fatalistic philosophy colors most aspects of a Talim Nar’s life.

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Tanar (tah-NAHR) – One of the Greater Immortals. The God of War, Master of Strategy and Conquest. Lord of Vengeance, Passion & Lust. Son of Agara & Arial, brother of Shala. Some-time lover of both Kasira and Cael.

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Tarim (tah-REEM) – Modern tribal peoples descended from the survivors of the Age of Chaos destruction of the realm of Thardol, occupying areas of modern Thalirdu.

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Taruthani Games – Korönian-sponsored gladiatorial entertainments consisting of a variety of bloodsports,  popular in Darikaz, the Republic of Kildora and Tür Kovan. The Games evolved from the practice of wandering bands of the early Korönian Cult challenging any warrior to fight their champion for a prize. As bands settled, the practice was not abandoned, but the crowds it attracted became too large for the village or town square. The combat was moved to reserved areas, either just outside the town or in an area purchased by the band. The idea of enclosing the area and charging admission was adopted from the Daishian and Oceanian models of arena-based athletic games.

In northern Ysgareth, the Taruthani Games became a widespread fixture during the reign of the Necromancer Vindus. They were not particularly successful, however, due to the constant state of war; Vindus’ eventual defeat and execution caused something of a decline in the fortunes of the Cult of Korön, to put it mildly. The present-day games trace their origin to the bloody public spectacles held during the reign of the Delfari Emperor Thulkar, a Korönian zealot. After Thulkar’s assassination the “entertainments” were briefly suppressed, but the gory spectacles had not been without their fans. Seizing the opportunity, the resurgent Korönian cult began holding small private “games” for paying customers. By the mid-28th Century the Cult of Korön had grown in popularity in the North, and aided by the sponsorship of wealthy patrons, was able to open major arenas in Izmirik, Delfarin and Zhatirk, and lesser arenas in smaller settlements.

The clerical Order of the Seven Pillars, and its associated fighting order the Iron Fist of Tarutha, were imported from Tür Kovan to administer the games, which quickly gained a very well deserved reputation for depravity. The games are outlawed in Serviana, Arushal, Nolikor, and Valtira in the north, and of course in the Ocean Empire. While they are not illegal in Olvânaal, the games hold little interest for the Skavarian peoples. In the south, only Tür Kovan allows the games – they are very popular there, given the power of the Korönian cult there.

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Telnori (tell-NOR-ee) – One of the three major intelligent races of Novendo, also called the Star Children. Distinct from their Umantari and Khundari cousins, the Telnori are always beautiful, physically perfect, and immune to most disease and illness. They are generally taller and stronger than the Umantari, but can often pass amongst them unnoticed if they wish. The greatest difference between the two race is longevity – while the Umantari seldom pass 120 years, the Telnori live to ages ranging from 800 to 1000 years. They are the ecological guardians of the planet, under the guidance of the Greater Immortals, and as such sometimes come into conflict with the shorter-lived races.

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Tenith Island (ten-EETH) – The southernmost of the seven major Hiron Channel Islands of the Princedom of Trolyn in the Ocean Empire.

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Thalirdu (thal-EER-doo) – Mountainous region of northeastern Ysgareth, laying south of the Hidden Sea. Home to numerous Tarim tribal peoples, a handful of semi-civilized Torokel princedoms, and, in recent centuries, several colonies of Skavarian invaders.

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Thardol (THAR-dahl) – Great mage-ruled realm in northern Ysgareth during the Age of Chaos; destroyed along with its rival, Vorkin, during the T’aran Wars. Its remnants are known today as Thalirdu and the Hidden Sea. The survivors became the the ancestors of the modern Tarim tribal peoples, and retain a healthy distrust of “civilization” to this day. The Tritani, or Merfolk, are also culturally descended from the Thardoli.

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Thularian (thoo-LAHR-ee-ahn) – Of or pertaining to the oldest of the organized schools of T’ara Kul philosophy. First espoused by Thular of Oris in 515 PD, this world view organized the disparate elemental magics of the early Age of Chaos into a unified whole, most often represented by the Thularian Hexagram. To the Thularian mage, the key universal principles are Air (or Light), Fire, Matter (or Metal), Earth, Water and Spirit (or Aura). The earliest Umantari schools of T’ara Kul thought, heavily influenced by Telnori teachings, focused on the belief that all substances were comprised of a small number of “psycho-physical” elements, but  Thular perceived the elements as mental templates, as ways to grasp and manipulate universal “realities.”

Most modern T’ara Kul subscribe to this view, and, as amplified in the works of Talorin Silvereye,  would deem it simplistic to view each item in the universe simply as being composed of varying amounts of these six basic “elements.” When the contemporary T’ara Kul philosopher says “earth” she means far more than the dirt beneath her feet. She is referring to the innumerable, natural cycles of birth, life, growth, death, and decay. The  point is driven home by the existence of divergent elemental grouping systems, some of which recognize more or less than six elements, yet still seem to work. Nevertheless, the major arcane schools have gradually come to adhere to the “hexagonal wheel” of Thular’s six elements.

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Thularian Hexagram (thoo-LAHR-ee-ahn) – A method of visualizing the unity of modern Thularian thought, showing how each of the six Convocations is in harmony with it’s neighbors and ultimately with the whole. When they begin their studies, the young  T’ara Kul learn spells of their own Convocation first. Once they have mastered their Primary Convocation they can learn spells from the Convocations on either side of the Primary (these are known as Secondary Convocations). Once spells in the Secondaries are mastered, then the mage may attempt to learn the Tertiary Convocations, and finally the Diametric Convocation. Neutral magics are the hub of the hexagram, usable by all Convocations, but may only be created by Gray Mages, those who have master all six Convocations. It is very rare for any mage to achieve this feat, as each Convocation requires a unique mind-set that most find difficult to reconcile in one mind.

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Tirus (TEER-us) – Innermost planet of the Ziran star system. A small, rockey planetoid, Tirus has no moons and is difficult to see from Novendo due to its proximity to the sun, although careful observation will reaveal it as a faint morning/evening star at dawn or dusk at certain times of the year.

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Tocharn Abbey (tow-CHARN) –  Located in the Cholas Hundred of Buranshire, Nolkior, Tocharn Abbey is the seat of the Kleros of Feradis, a diocese which includes the barbarian-infested Kurikmarch. The diocese’s abbeys are well-established and wealthy. The current Kleros, Tynal Artelkes is a second cousin of the Earl of Buran, and a close confidant and supporter of that nobleman. Kleros Artelkes joined the church at a young age. His clan’s wealth and power and the support of his mentor, Archkleros Kynn, ensured his swift promotion.

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Tollan (TOE-lahn) – The Ship; a constellation in the northern Novendo sky and the first sign of the northwestern zodiac (16 Novara – 10 Margas). A Water sign, Tollan symbolizes fulfillment and completion. It is a symbol of the soul on its journey through the great cycle of Life— from the shadowed shores of Eternity the Ship voyages out across the turbulent seas of the World, to return again into Eternity. The sea, like the World, is dangerous, with great potential for destruction; but the Ship floats upon it. The manner of its survival is important: the Ship does not oppose the Sea, it yields to the storm, seeking to harmonize and unify, and in so doing triumphs.

Those born under this sign are masters of compromise and tend to be unusually tolerant of others. They seek to harmonize with their environment and have a firm grip on reality. Often courageous, they are able to accommodate life’s ebbs and flows with equanimity. Even in apparent defeat, the Tollanian may sink into one of life’s troughs only to rise againon a new crest– they yield rather than be destroyed, and so survive to fight again. But they must also fight a tendency to let themselves drift on the seas of Fate, to let circumstance dictate their destiny, to be a pawn rather than a player.

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Toraz (TOR-ahz) / Torazin (tor-ah-ZEEN) – One of the six Elemental Convocations of the Thularian philosophy of the T’ara Kul, crudely known as the element of Earth. Torazin magics are focused on the cycles of growth and decay that underlie the natural world –  of the green and growing, the pale and dying. The base of Toraz is the fertile earth where life swarms. Torazin mages use organic objects as foci, including petrified wood, bags of earth, even living plants and animals. The Telnori seem to be especially attuned to this convocation, and to a lesser extent so too are the Khundari (although the Dwarves’ strongest affinity is for the Tykizu Convocation). It’s diametric convocation in the Thularian Hexagram is Vularu. It’s color is green.

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Torka (TOR-kah) – The Spear; a constellation in the northern Novendo sky and the fifth sign of the northwestern zodiac (26 Metisto – 20 Agras). An Earth sign, Torka symbolizes the cyclic nature of the world, the growth and decay of all life. It is the sign of Summer, of life at its peak, and of the male side of Nature. The Spear is depicted with leaves sprouting from its shaft, symbolic of the quiet tenacity of life, its ability to adapt and survive in many forms. It is a symbol of transition— from tender Sprout to living Tree to fashioned Artifact, only to sprout once again into new life. It is representative of the wisdom that recognizes the universal truth of Nature’s ultimate mastery over Man. The living wood has been shaped by Man, but overcomes his domination, reverting to its natural function, bringing forth new life.

Those born under this sign tend to be strong and constant of spirit, in tune with Nature. Their lives may undergo great changes or upheavals, but they maintain a tenacious grasp on who they are and a sense of their place in the universe. They are solid, and reliable, often possessed of a quiet strength from which others draw comfort. The Torkan may be bent by the winds of change, but is seldom broken. Their lives seem more strongly governed by the eternal cycles of birth, life and death than are the lives of others.

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Torlixam (tor-LICKS-ahm) – The almost indestructible building material of the Ancients, also called pseudo-stone by some. In appearance torlixam is bone-white, with a smooth matte finish, and is always fairly cool to the touch, no matter how warm the surrounding environment. Even in the full sunlight of high summer, the stone remains cool, almost chill. Surviving Ancient structures, although more than a million years old, remain unstained and generally unmarred by time. They also tend to be solid, continuous surfaces, rather than traditional “stone wall” construction.

This fact has led many scholars to the conclusion that torlixam was not so much an actual substance that the Ancients manufactured as it was a process by which they altered other, more ordinary, materials into something indestructible. A privileged few Umantari scholars or adventurers have had this theory confirmed over the centuries by the Khundari, who possess the few known Ancient devices that can create torlixam. Five such artifacts are believed to exist, but the location of only two are known with any certainty by non-Khundari – one is in the possession of the United Realms of Karac (specifically, the city-state of Karac-Tor), and the other lies in Zhan-Kor, in Oceania. A great enough force can actually break torlixam, as attested to by some ruins, but even then the pieces remain essentially impervious to any damage mere mortals might inflict.

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Torokel (tor-oh-KELL) – Descendants of the Oceanian/Valtiran colonists who settled in many coastal areas of Thalirdu during the Imperial Age, who merged with the native Tarim tribal peoples. Many Torokel peoples have been conquered in recent centureis by Skavarian and Olvânaali vikings, whose on-going incursions into the Hidden Sea threaten the few remaining Torokel princedoms.

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Torvin Marsh (TOR-veen) – A large expanse of wetlands lying along the northeast margins of Lake Everbrite in the southern Sarajis Mountains. Dominated by tall reeds, deep bogs, and small stands of trees throughout, it is a place of frequent rains, fog, and humidity. It is well suited to the reclusive meredragons and remains poorly explored by outsiders. Claimed by the Kingdom of Nolkior, the recent discovery of gold  grains and nuggets along the Grevas River has brought an influx of prospectors into the region, searching for the mother lode. As a result, the new keep of Dor Areson is nearing completion on the eastern edge of the marsh.

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Torzhalo (tor-SHALL-oh) – Said to be an orb (?) of pure blackness, possibly a window into the Void, from which emanates the Torzhalo-ka, or Shadow. Some belief the Torzhalo is an actual physical object, an artifact created or obatained by Naventhül during its time of banishment in the Void, the nothingness that surrounds reality and insulates it from the pure Chaos of uncreation. Others maintain that it is a metaphysical construct that exists wihtin the form of Naventhül itself. In either case, the Shadow that radiates from it is able to penetrate (through the ethereal, astral or spiritual planes) the crystal prison that contains the Demon King within the heart of Mt. Anura, and infect the physical world through the agency of once-living beings of the material world. These beings in turn drain the auras of the living to sustain both themselves and their demonic master in its prison, where the souls of those consumed by the Shadow become a part of Naventhül itself.

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Torzhalo-ka (tor-SHALL-oh-kah) – The Shadow of Torzhalo, also known as the Breath of Ozandin, is an horrific ethereal phenomenon which surrounds some artifacts “sacred” to Naventhül and which makes undeath possible.  The Torzhalo-ka is the deadliest of foes to mortals. There are many dangers and foul creatures to destroy the flesh, but nothing else in all Novendo has the power to actually destroy immortal souls. Even the cleric who invokes it is affected. The various cults of Naventhül manipulate the Shadow through a number of rituals, many recorded in the Songs of the Shadow Death, a volume of poetry by the early “prophet” Golith Eljendis from Om’endi. The Shadow is distinctly darker and cooler than its surroundings. It breeds inexplicable fear, and a faint odor of the crypt. Those who are touched by the Shadow may have their very life-force drained away. Anyone who voluntarily embraces the Shadow becomes a gülmora. Those who resist the Shadow and fail become zamoraz. To most folk the distinction between gülmoraz and zamoraz is unknown. Most churches and cults deliberately confuses the issue to outsiders. Most Eldari theologians agree that it was exposure to the Shadow that caused the Madness of Korön, that it’s residue infects him still, and that the taint was extended through him to his wife Zelist and, to a lesser extent, his twin brother Kalos.

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Torzhalo-ka Blade (tor-SHALL-oh-kah) – Also known as a  Shadow Blade, this weapon enhances the Shadow of its wielder. They are said to originate in the depths of Mt. Anura from the hands of Ozandin itself, but this is certainly a myth. Most Torzhalo-ka Blades exude fairly weak Shadows. Other Shadow-emanating artlfacts exist, such as rings, staves, or armour, but they are mercifully very rare.  The intent of any of these artifacts is to strengthen the wielder’s Shadow and extend its range. The chance of a morua obtaining a Torzhalo-ka Blade (or, less likely, other artifact) increases with each of its “half-lives.” Living persons who use Torzhalo-ka artifacts have to resist the Shadow quite often. Inevitably, such persons succumb to the Shadow.

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Torzhalo-ka Mummy (tor-SHALL-oh-kah) – The dread variety of zamoraz found in the western Ishkalan land of Pagonia, more commonly called a Shadow Mummy. This type of zamoraz are embalmed in the local fashion, with aromatic oils and spices and wrapped in fine linen. Camphor, nard, and bdellium are used to preserve the body, keep it supple, and to repel the omnipresent carrion-eating scarab beetles of the region. Pagonian zamoraz are often detectable by smell from a short distance, especially if the air is still. Embalming also involves an expensive and time-consuming process of stiffening some sections of the linen wrapping and even sometimes underlying them with bronze armour. When done properly, this protection does not inhibit the mobility of the zamora. Pagonian zamoraz are rare but can be encountered almost anywhere in Ishkala and eastern Ysgareth (but are seldom encountered west of the Worldspine Mountains). Because of their great durability and the skill required to make them, this embalming process is a favorite in most major Naventhülian “temples.” The largest, most powerful sacrificial victims are often marked for the Pagonian treatment, for use as guards around such Naventhülian compounds and their holdings. Pagonian zamoraz encountered on Ysgareth are invariably strong and well-armoured.

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Transmutation – One of the eight basic classes of magic in Telnori and Thularian philosophy. Transmutation is focused on changing or altering the physical properties of objects. Stone Touch and Plant Growth are examples of this class of magic. The other basic classes of magic are: Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, and Necromancy.  See also Arcane Symbols.

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Tritani (tree-TAHN-ee) – Also know as the Merfolk, the Tritani are one of the minor sentient races of Novendo. Half human and half fish (or, technically, sea mammal), they live in the shallow coastal waters of the world, and most have little contact with the surface races. Legend has it that they were created during the Age of Chaos, when the ancient land of Thardol was destoyed in the T’aran Wars. Tritanus was a great city of that land, at the confluence of the Darix, Alis and Irasta Rivers. As the lands sank beneath the waves in the final destruction of those great wars of magic, the mage Kanius managed to work a great spell to protect his city and his people. But they were submerged, and he could not hold back the crushing waters forever… and so he changed his people, that they could survive in the depths. Modern Tritani, who have spread out across the oceans of the world from the Hidden Sea, worship Kanius as a demi-god, and belive him to be the son of Tyvos, Immortal Lord of the Seas (whom they also worship).

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Turniki (tur-NEE-kee) – The eighth month of the year in the Salatasic Reckoning. The month summer turns to autumn. Often divided into two parts, il’Turniki and va’Turniki, separated by the autumnal equinox.

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Tykizu (tie-KEE-zoo) / Tykizun (tie-KEE-zoon) – One of the six Elemental Convocations of the Thularian philosophy of the T’ara Kul, crudely known as the element of Matter (or sometimes Metal). It’s realms are metals, minerals, and artifice. Tykizun magic runs in a slower vein and includes the construction and manipulation of metallic locks, tools and weapons, prospecting & mining, etc. This is the form of magic most favored by the Khundari, and the one they are most likely to excel at. The Tykizu mage favors metallic objects as foci. It’s diametric convocation in the Thularian Hexagram is Xavar’na. It’s color is yellow.

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Tyendus (tie-EN-dhus) – A small walled trading city of Nolkior, located at the junction of the Orthun and Dirin Rivers, where they form the navigable head of the Silvari (Silvereye) River. It grew to some prominence in the centuries after the Great War as the Imperial Arakez Canal silted up, forcing trade to move overland from the eastern coast. It’s fortunes have been in decline, however, since the joint effort of Serviana and Nolkior to dredge and reopen the Canal to sea-going vessels a little over 100 years ago.

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Tyvos (TIE-vohs) – One of the Greater Immortals. God of the Sea, Master of the Greater Waters. Lord of Oceans & Islands. He is also the God of Storms, and is the Great God of the Tritani. Brother to Gheas & husband to Liska.

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Ulbo River (ULL-bo)–Major river of Arushal, forming its eastern border with Nolkior, flowing out of Dragon Lake in the Sarajis Mountains and emptying into the Sea of Ukal.

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Ukal, Sea of (oo-CALL-us)–Inland sea in northern Ysgareth, the heart of the Ukali Basin region. The states that border the Sea of Ukal are, clockwise from the northwest: Darikaz, Arushal and Nolkior (recently merged into the Kingdom of Ukalus), the United Realms of Karac, Ta, Bynar, the Theocracy of the Faith, Orisu, and the Sydoran League. A small finger of Tor Andar, a province of the Ocean Empire, touches the Ukal between the Sydroan League and Darikaz. Connected to the Gulf of Telia and the North Sea by the Arakez Canal.

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Ukali Basin (oo-CALL-ee)–Geographical/political region of northern Ysgareth. Geographically, it is the drainage basin of the Sea of Ukal, into which flow all the rivers of the southern Blackmist and Sarajis Mountains, the eastern Greatstone Mountains, the western Karac Mountains, and the northern Tariath Highlands. Politically it is usually understood to include all the states bordering the Sea of Ukal (which see for a full listing), as well as the kingdoms of Tolus and Mariada, the lands of the Oceanian province of Tor Andar east of the Greatstone Mountains, and the Telnori/Umantari hybrid kingdom of Serviana. The Kildoran Republic is often included, due to its close cultural and political connection with the region.

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Ukalus, Kingdom of (oo-CALL-us)–The realm created on 10 Turniki 3019 by the marriage of Queen Miralda of Nolkior to King Dorikon IV of Arushal. The new kingdom occupies most of the northern shore of the great inland Sea of Ukal in northern Ysgareth.

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Ulborim Hills (ull-bore-EEM) – Southern foothills of Mt. Riodor in Arushal, north of Palnio Keep, home to Ilrionim and Centauri tribes.

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Umantari (oo-mahn-TAHR-ee) – One of the three major intelligent races of Novendo, also called the Children of the Land or The Reapers. Distinct from their Telnori and Khundari cousins, the Umantari are the most fertile and numerous race on the planet. Living between 90 and 120 years, they occupy every ecological niche available, are dynamic, volatile and unpredictable. While the Telnori have a greater rapport with the Immortals, the Umantari seem to be favored by the Greater Gods, as many refer to them. Containing and controlling Umantari growth and expansion, both geographically and technologically, is a major goal of the Telnori as ecological guardians of Novendo, and to that end they sometimes enlist Umantari agents, such as the Druids and certain secret societies.

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Unseen Library  – AKA the Great Library, the Library at Avantir, the Imperial Library. The greatest collection of written works on the face of Novendo, attached to but not actually a part of the Imperial Oceanian University. It is located on a rugged peninsula jutting into the middle of Lake Besina, on Keldonar Island, opposite the more accessible peninsula upon which the University sits. Generally reached only by boat, admittance to the Unseen Library is granted only to those seekers of knowledge who gift a written work either not yet possessed by the institution, one that expands on existing knowledge, or is in some other way unique or desired by the Librarians. Students properly enrolled in the University are admitted to the Open Stacks, containing a trove of mundane knowledge, but must have special permission from both a professor and a Librarian to access the more valuable, rare or arcane works.

No non-Librarian is ever allowed into the actual Archives of the Library, which is 90% or more of its actual institution, except with extraordinary permission from the Head Archivist – which is seldom granted. Even when it is, a Librarian minder always accompanies the visitor. More usually, visitors define what they are looking for, either by type or specific title, and the dedicated Library staff pulls it from the Archives and brings it to one of the countless Reading Rooms throughout the compound. No book is ever, under any circumstance, allowed to leave the Library grounds!

Founded before the Empire itself, the Unseen Library remains a thing apart in many ways – protected by the Imperial power, but not truly subject to it. Even more than temples, the Library is an absolute refuge – if the Librarians grants refuge to someone, whatever their crime, no authority may remove them thereafter. But neither can the the refugee ever leave the grounds, and they are required to devote themselves thereafter to the work of the Library. Such grace is seldom actually extended, but some of the most famous Librarians over the centuries have risen from asylum-seeker to high position – even to Head Librarian!

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United Realms of Karac (KAHR-ack) – The unified Khundari princedoms of the Karac Mountains in eastern Ysgareth, consisting of the city-states of Karac-Tor, Groth-Tor, Trest-Tor, Loga-Tor, and Grang-Tor. The High King of the United Realms is Haragon VII, Prince of Karac-Tor, which city is considered the capital of the URK.

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Urdol, Dor (OOR-doll) – A keep in the southwest of the Kildoran Republic, seat of the Urdol District of the Somka Province. Built in 2750 to guard the southern approach to the city of Olarin, after the fall of the Delanfari Empire in 2816, Urdol fell into the hands of a brutal Naventhulian despot called Mehergen of Kulth, who retained control even after the collapse of the Second Mageocracy. When he was finally assassinated in 2840, Urdol became an independent republic for a time but was annexed by the Kildoran League in 2861. Urdol was captured by the armies of Arushal in 2922, during the Five Year War, and remained a part of that kingdom until 3011, when it was recaptured for the Republic by Marshal Satirnus. The current district legar is Moraso Yarmedik, who is husband to Florina Ekoro, the eldest daughter of Magistrate Satirnus. The Yarmediks also hold land in Varin Province. The commander of Urdol Cohort is Tobrin Lovaril, a member of the powerful Lovaril clan from Yormath.

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Ur-Tel’naru – The so-called Dark Telnori of legend. The name is generally translated to mean either Dark Step-Children of the Stars or Shadow Step-Children of the Stars; the word carries elements of both meanings in the original Telnori. Legend has it that during the Age of Chaos, certain factions of the Telnori arose who chafed at the idea that they were, in the end, as mortal as their Umantari cousins. They sought to become as deathless as the Immortals, and in so doing fell into evil. They were ostracized from their brethren, and withdrew into remote enclaves to pursue their goals using increasingly dark and perverted rituals.

They eventually came to the attention of the Immortal Korön when he was seeking allies in his war against his fellow Immortals. Seduced by the Dark Immortal with promises of sharing the secrets of the Immortal’s deathlessness, they became his willing tools. To mark them as his own, and as a promise of immortality to come, he caused their skin to become a dark midnight blue, their hair stark white, and their eyes jet black, silver-blue, or deep red. In their service to Korön the Fallen Ones learned much of his arts… but always the final secret, and true immortality, was kept just out of reach.

After Korön’s first great defeat, when he was imprisoned and chained within the walls of his own fortress of Vaharkitor, the Ur-Tel’naru remained loyal, believing that if they could free him, then at last he would reveal the secret of immortality to them. Eventually they succeeded in freeing their patron, at least for a time. During his second, brief war against the Immortals, Korön summoned all the Ur-Tel’naru to him, to bolster his forces. Believing that now was the moment of their ascension to true deathlessness, they came.

In his second defeat and imprisonment, the few surviving Dark Ones were also taken prisoner. As punishment for their rebellion and their many crimes the Immortals sentenced them to be imprisoned, as their mentor was, but separate from him. They were taken to the island of Barasina, which lay in the midst of the Iria Channel in the heart of the Telnori realm of Serviana. There they were bound by powerful spells and rituals, such that they could never leave the island.

Cursing both the Immortals and Korön, the Ur-Tel’naru refused to live in the buildings provided for them by their estranged brethren, allowing them to crumble into ruin over the centuries. Instead they retreated underground, ever seeking some way beyond the barrier that imprisoned them. But by sea or air or cavern, there was no escaping the doom of the gods, and they passed into myth and legend among the Umantari.

The Telnori remember, however, and to this day the Isle of Barasina is avoided by all, though it lies within sight of both the Umantari city of Lairial and the Telnori capitol of Serviar, Tir-Iria. By the decree of the High King a watch is set over the island, but no man or woman may set foot there, for any reason. Legend has it that the occasional shipwrecked mariners are taken captive and sacrificed to extend the lives of the Dark Ones… and while most modern Umantari disbelieve such folk tales, few have ever sought to disprove them by setting foot on Barasina. Those that have dared, however, have never been seen again…

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Urve (OOR-veh) – Also called meredragons, the Uvre are a race of large, intelligent reptiloids, known to exist in only three locations on Novendo: the Urvel Marsh along the northwestern shore of Lake Zhan, on Great Oceanaia; the Torvin Marsh on the northeastern shore of Lake Everbrite, in Ysgareth; and the Silver Marsh along the southern margins of Goreth Lake in western Ishkala. Each “tribe” calls their habitat Dhurovu, a name that translates approximately as “The cold water that lives amid the land.” Their population is estimate by the few scholars who have studied them at between 1,500 and 2,400. Urve tend to stay in one area for most of their lives. See the Urve entry in the Bestiary for a more detailed description.

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Urvel Marsh (OOR-vell) – A large marsh along the northwestern margins of Lake Zhan, on Great Oceania. Home to a great many rare plant and animal species, as well as a colony of meredragons.

V

Va’Sarnia (VAH-sahr-NEE-ah) – The second half of the third month of the year in the Salatasic Reckoning, considered part of spring.

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Va’turniki (VAH-tur-NEE-kee) – The second half of the eighth month of the year in the Salatasic Reckoning, considered part of autumn.

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Vandor (VAN-dohr) – One of the Greater Immortals. The God of Fate. Judge of the Gods, he shares the realm of Justice with Agara, and speaks the Judgement of the Gods. With his offspring, Xydona and Xydous, he charts the Destiny of Men & Gods. His sister is Kasira.

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Vandol, Kar (VAN-dohl) – A major fortress of eastern Arushal, and the seat of the Sheriff of Savartimshire. The unwalled town that surrounds the castle is know as Vandoltown, to distinguish is from the fortress itself.

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Varisea (var-ee-SAY-ah) – Mountainous region of northeastern Ysgareth, laying north of the Hidden Sea. Home to numerous Varkim tribal peoples, a handful of semi-civilized Varokol princedoms, and, in recent centuries, several colonies of Skavarian invaders.

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Varkim (var-KEEM) – Modern tribal peoples descended from the survivors of the Age of Chaos destruction of the realm of Vorkin, occupying areas of modern Varisea.

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Varokol (var-oh-KOLL) – The civilized coastal peoples of Varisea, descendants of the merging of Varkim tribal natives of the region with the 13-17th Century Oceanian colonists. Some Varokol peoples have been conquered in recent centureis by Skavarian and Olvânaali vikings. These on-going incursions into the Hidden Sea worry the remaining Varokol princedoms, but they are not (yet) as threatened as their Torokel cousins to the south.

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Vento (VEHN-toh) – The ninth month of the year in the Salatasic Reckoning. An autumn month.

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Violet Eye, Order of the – A T’ara Kul order of the Xavar’na convocation, with chapter houses throughout the northern Ukalus region. It’s Citadel is located in the city of Shalara, in the feudal kingdom of Nolkior.

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Violet Mantle Palace of Arms – The College of Heralds for the feudal kingdom of Arushal, the only place where all the arms of the realm’s nobility are officially granted and registered. It is the second-best equipped and best managed college of heralds in northern Ysgareth, after the Enclave of the Holy Oak in Shalara, Nolkior.

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Vendari (ven-DAR-ee) – Master rank in the T’ara Kul. Once the rank of Vendari is achieved the T’ara Kul is considered a Master of his or her Discipline, and it is at this level that over half the T’ara Kul stay for the rest of their lives. Most will now depart their Citadel or Chapter Houses to find employment out in the “real” world, whether as a Royal Advisor or a village wizard, a “hired wand” or a self-employed adventurer. Some will elect to stay within the confines of the Citadel or a Chapter House, and will be assigned to a teaching position (wealthy patrons will also hire tutors for their children from an Order; such positions can be quite a plum for the security-minded Vendari).

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Virzon (veer-ZON)– The third largest walled town in the kingdom of Arushal, and the the largest settlement in Ulionshire.

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Vorkin (vor-KEEN) – Great mage-ruled realm in northern Ysgareth during the Age of Chaos; destroyed along with its rival, Thardol, during the T’aran Wars. Its remnants are known today as Varisea and the Hidden Sea. The survivors became the the ancestors of the modern Varkim tribal peoples, and many retain a healthy distrust of “civilization” to this day.

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Vortastra (vor-TAZ-trah) –  Also known as Hero’s Heart, it is a hardy evergreen fern, 12-18 inches tall, found by mountain streams and lakes. Large red tips on the leaves look like wet blood. Legend holds that the plant was marked by falling drops of blood from the hero Albarra as he walked along the sacred stream known as Anonaldar. The plant is harvested for its narcotic properties by mountain folk. Gatherers dry the leaves and smoke them in long clay or wooden pipes. Civilized users tend to use smaller, less conspicuous pipes.

Smoking a Vortastra pipe brings a tingling of the skin, fingers, and cheeks. Within 10-20 minutes, the smoker experiences euphoria, loss of inhibition, amplified tactile senses, and a boost to strength, courage, and stamina. Folklore says that only a great warrior can smoke more than three pipes and not perish with a ruptured heart. The effects wane after about four hours. Some tribes mix Vortastra with small amounts of Feralukis. This blend is often consumed by warriors on the eve of battle and stirs them to valiant action and selfless courage.

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Vortex, The  – A mysterious and, until very recently, virtually unknown secret criminal organization. In 3018 SR the actions of a group of adventurers known as the Hand of Fortune uncovered and disrupted several illicit ventures backed by the Vortex, bringing the organization to the attention of the equally mysterious and secret, but more benign, Star Council. The Vortex is now known to operate in at least the nations of the northern Ukali Basin, and seems to be aimed at destabilizing those governments; but the full extent of the organization remains a mystery, as do its membership and ultimate goals. The major known agents so far encountered have all been either T’ara Kul of considerable skill, or clerics of the darker sects. Fragmented references to a “Golden One” as the leader of the Vortex seem to indicate he or she, too, is an arcane master. The Star Council is scrambling to catch up, to learn all it can, and to stymie whatever nefarious plans this rogue group may have.

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Vularu (voo-LAH-roo) / Vularun (voo-lah-ROON) – One of the six Elemental Convocations of the Thularian philosophy of the T’ara Kul, crudely known as the element of Air. It’s realms are light, illusion, meaning and the winds. Valuru is the magic of the insubstantial, invisible, ethereal, and illusory. Vularun  mages manipulate light to illuminate, confuse, or hypnotize, and wind to destroy or aid. The essence of Vularu is bright, sterile, and unliving. Gems (especially red ones), mirrors, and other items which reflect or refract light are used as foci.  It’s diametric convocation in the Thularian Hexagram is Toraz. It’s color is red.

W

Wild Coast  – The region of the Ysgareth continent laying south of the Oceanian Archipelago, between Tor Andar and Kunya-Kesh. Once a part of the Ocean Empire, for centuries it has been a political maelstrom of petty kingdoms, minor princedoms, autocratic city-states, and the occasional republic. A relatively narrow belt of land between the Shattered Sea and the Worldspine Mountains, it is a rugged region of deep forests, fertile valleys and powerful rivers. It is dotted by walled cities, strong castles and keeps, and fortified towns of every size and kind imaginable. The area attracts adventurers and outcasts from across the continent, particularly to its two greatest cities – the wild freeport of Agras and the inland city-state of Samokara, currently the regions only functioning republic.

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Worldspine Mountains – Massive mountain range of the Ysgareth continent that runs generally south to north, dividing the narrow lands of the Shattered Sea from the wider lands of eastern Ysgareth.

X

Xaranda (zar-AN-dah) – Once a great trading city of the Telnori realm of Serviana, located at the western end of the Imperial Canal, about 10 kilometers east of where it meets the Silvereye River at the Silvari Locks. It was destroyed in 2508 SR, during the Great War, by the forces of the Necromancer. As the razing of the city occurred almost simultaneously with the Desolation of Serviana by the Corruption of the Demon Khanaribas, Xaranda was never rebuilt. Today its ruins are home to only a few scattered shepherds and an obscure order of hermit-monks at the equally obscure Shrine of Saint Helathor.

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Xavar’na (zah-var-NAH) / Xarvar’nan (zah-var-NAHN) – One of the six Elemental Convocations of the Thularian philosophy of the T’ara Kul, crudely known as the element of Spirit (or sometimes Aura). The realms of Xavar’na are knowledge, the mind, and the ethereal. It is the most esoteric of the esoteric schools. The Xavar’nan mage deals in knowledge, thought, and concept, all of which they believe stand above the other elements. They see the Immortal Shala as the patron of the arcane arts, and particularly of their own convocation. Xavar’nan foci incorporate illustrations, runes, or the written word. It’s diametric convocation in the Thularian Hexagram is Tykizu. It’s color is violet.

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Xavir’ask (ZAH-veer-ahsk) (Spirit Elemental) – Some scholars believe that there is no such thing as a Xavir’ask, and that all such entities are merely ethereals. The Xavar’na T’ara Kul, however, are quite certain that such entities exist, and sometimes find them very useful.

The “host mass” for a Xavir’ask that visits the corporeal plane, is the aura of a living entity. The fact that the Xavir’aski like to take up residence in plants and animals may have give rise to several schools of animistic ‘spirit magic’. An animal being ‘visited’ by a Xavir’ask tends to act with unusual intelligence. And shamans sometimes summon particular Xavir’aski as ‘spirit guides’.

The Xavir’aski do not “possess” their hosts. They may stay if welcome, but make no attempt to dominate or enter into Mental Conflict. If they are threatened, they simply leave. Those who summon Xavir’aski tend to form a relationship with a particular individual. By establishing such a specific relationship, the Xavir’ask is more likely to stay when summoned and more likely to lend its powers and guidance to its host.

The experience of hosting a Xavir’ask can be quite strange. It is difficult to function normally (indeed, impossible without a great deal of practice). The host typically enters a “dream state” for the duration of the visit, during which they “confer” with the Xavir’ask. Some T’ara Kul use this time to cast particularly difficult spells, or simply to commune with their own natures. To many, the experience is akin to that provided by certain psychotropic drugs.

The duration of a Xavir’ask “visit” is usually determined by mutual understanding, but the host is typically obliged to terminate within a few hours, due to the need to eat and drink. A Xavir’ask would rarely be willing to stay more than 1d100 hours in any case.

Those who establish relations with particular Xavir’aski generally host them at least every few days. Some scholars believe that each human has a particular Xavir’ask with whom s/he has particular affinity, a kind of “soul mate.” There is, of course, no way to verify this belief.

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Xenoca (ZEN-oh-kah) – The central subcontinent that connects the three continents that make up Novendo’s Major Landmass. Running from the mountainous northwest to the gentle plains of the southeast, from the eastern Hellstorch Mountains to the western reaches of the Naerius Ocean, the subcontinent connects to: Ysgareth, north across the Sea of Storms and the Hellstorch Mountains; Ishkala to the east, via the Isthmus of Pagonia; and Koruik to the south, across the Chain Lakes and Arkirafar Mountains. Despite its geologic isolation and unique cultural forms, a few geographers consider Xenoca to be part of Ysgareth; even fewer suggest it should be counted as part of Koruik.

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Xydona (zeye-DOE-nah) – One of the Greater Immortals. Goddess of Prophecy, Mistress of Seers. She creates the ink with which her father writes the Destiny of the World. Daughter of Vandor and Shala, twin sister to Xydous.

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Xydous (zeye-DOE-us) – One of the Greater Immortals. The God of Memory. Lord of the Past. He creates the parchment on which his father charts the flow of Destiny of the World. Patron of historians and students. Son of Vandor and Shala, twin brother to Xydona.

Y

Yalura (yah-LOOR-ah) – The ancient capital of the Telnori Kingdom of Serviana (modern-day Serviar), located on the River Asamira in the heart of the Blasted March. A shattered ruin since the Desolation of Serviana in 2508, it is forbidden to all without the express permission of the King of Serviar… which is almost never given. It is rumored that great treasures lie buried beneath the sterile dust of the Desolation, but despite this draw few adventurers have ever attempted to discover them, and even fewer have lived to tell of it. Aside from the draconian punishments of the Telnori king for any caught trespassing, the danger of the demon fever from the corrupted dust is deterrent to all but the most foolhardy. It is also rumored that King Taharazod, who sacrificed his life along with those of his four greatest mages to defeat the Demon Khanaribas, imprisoned the Corruptor beneath the city, and its malign influence can still infect those who stray too near.

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Yalva (YAWL-va) / Yalvan (YAWL-vahn) – One of the six Elemental Convocations of the Thularian philosophy of the T’ara Kul, crudely known as the element of Fire. Yalva is the most active, destructive, and least thoughtful school of magic, and includes the realms of heat, energy, and dryness. The Yalvan mage manipulates heat, smoke, and fire to produce pyrotechnic effects. They also deal in Ethereal Fire, which requires no mundane seed, but is somewhat less dangerous than mundane fire. It is the counterpart of Ethereal Water. Yalva foci include fire pots, flint and steel, and other fire-making tools. It’s diametric convocation in the Thularian Hexagram is Avikor. It’s color is orange.

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Yar Vendaz (yar ven-DAHZ) – The Yar Vendaz are the Grandmasters of the Orders. Each Order has one Yar Vendaz at a time, selected from the ranks of the Ko Vendari by all T’ara Kul in the Order of the rank of Vendari or above. It is usual, though not required, that the Yar Vendaz is one who has mastered spells from not only the two Secondary Convocations, but also spells from the Tertiary Convocations (i.e.— a mage of the Toraz Convocation, having mastered spells from the Tykizu and Avikor Convocations to become a Ko Vendari, should also have mastered at least one spell each from the Xavar’na and Vularu Convocations if he wishes to become Yar Vendaz of his Order). All of the Yar Vendaz within a Convocation form the Circle of Regents for that Order. The Circle of Regents governs all inter-Order affairs and is the final court of appeal within the Convocation.

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Ysgareth (is-GAHR-eth) – The third largest continent on Novendo (if the subcontinent of Xenoca is included), the northwestern portion of the planet’s Major Landmass. Home to many and varied Umantari cultures, as well as ancient Telnori, Khundari and other unique cultures. The Oceanian Archipelago is considered part of the continent. The planet’s largest continent, Ishkala, lies to the east across the Galean Sea, and the equatorial continent of Koruik lies to the south. The sub-polar continent of Näaskelu sits to the north across a narrow, cold sea and the North Arkhonic Ocean stretches into the west and the rumor of  mysterious, uncharted lands.

Z

Zakiruth (zah-keer-OOTH) – The second largest city of the Khundari Kingdom of Akaztamyr. Destroyed in the the 26th Century by the Gülvini armies of the Necromancer during the Great War, in what became known as the Carnage of Zakiruth. The legendary warrior Arghün Thunderhand led the last, desperate defense of the city, turning back three waves of gül-Hovgavui, giving many women & children the chance to escape, before being overwhelmed.

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Zalik-mal (zahl-ick-MAHL)– The so-called “Thieves Guild” of Ysgareth and western Ishkala.

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Zamora (zah-more-AH), plural Zamoraz (zah-more-AHZ) – The Warriors of Ozandin/Ardek-mu, best known and most feared of the undead. While they retain much of the physical skills possessed in life, they  have lost their aura, intelligence, and any shred of will – they exist only to serve Naventhül, through Ozandin, one of the Demon King’s principal servants. Their Shadow does not extend beyond their bodies, but the touch of a zamora has the same effect as being within the Shadow.

Zamoraz do not have human senses. Their Shadow senses the aura of living things, and stronger auras are easier to sense. Because this gives them an advantage in the dark, with no corresponding advantage in the light, zamoraz tend to be more active at night and in dark places. Zamoraz attack solely to engage in Shadow Conflict. For them, this requires touch. Typical attacks include grapples and tackles, or simple hand-to-hand combat at close range. Zamoraz often abrade their numb fingers against stones to sharpen the bony ends of their fingers into sharp talons capable of piercing heavy cloth and untreated leather. This reduces physical dexterity, for which zamoraz have little use in any case. Zamoraz virtually never take defensive maneuvers in close combat, closing and counter striking whenever possible. They usually initiate Shadow Conflict at the earliest opportunity. Victory for a zamora comes only when its victim is defeated in Shadow Conflict. They will attack a stunned or downed foe in preference to any other. A zamora defeated in battle crumbles, never to be reformed.

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Zarik’s War (ZAHR-icks) – A war between Darikaz and Arushal, 2980-2995, begun by Zarik Edokar, the Draikazi Grandmaster of the Korönian Order of the Iron Claw, who seized lands belonging to the Caelite Order of the Bronze Shield in Arushal. Begun without permission from the crown, this act led to fifteen years of conflict, thousands of soldiers and four monarchs dead, all because of one man’s ego. It grew until it encompassed all of Arushal and her allies in a long and destructive war with Darikaz, the end of which would see Darikaz on the verge of civil war, the assassination of Zarik, and an uneasy peace between the kingdoms over the objections of the Iron Claw.

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Zelist (sell-EEST) – One of the Greater Immortals. Goddess of the Night, Lady of Shadows & Illusions. Mistress of the Lesser Moon, Sender of False Dreams. She is the patron of thieves & assassins. Wife of Korön. Zelist was once part of the official Eldaran pantheon. But in her continued support of her husband, Korön, after his madness, even to the point of lending aid to his attempts to escape his imprisonment, she was eventually banished from official worship. Now her cult exists underground in most nations, with the exception of Darikaz, the Kildoran Republic, Tür Kovan, Daishia and a handful of lesser states, where her cult operates openly.

Once simply the Goddess of Night and the Lesser Moon, Osal, and a mistress of benign illusions, she is now associated with the more dangerous denizens of the night – thieves and assassins. Both groups worship her and pray for her aid in their endeavors, and her priestesshood is actually trained in the arts of the assassin. Indeed, Zelistian assassins are some of the most feared (and sought after) killers in the world.

Fortunately they are seldom hired out, for any price, to outsiders, unless the aim of a “client” also furthers some goal of the Cult. They are often at the disposal of the adherents of Korön, however. Zelistians consider the Korönians to be allies, although the latter do not nessecarily share the sentiment. This reflects the relationship of the deities themselves – Zellst remains faithful to her husband, but he treats her with a certain level of tolerant disdain, interspersed with momments of seeming affection.

Many theologians believe that, like Kalos, she was tainted by the Chaos that drove Korön mad when she entered the link with Naventhül in order to break it and save her husband from enslavement or dissolution. This might explain her later changes in behavior and temperment, except that she shows an exceptionally rational, calculating mind in her actions, save where Korön (or Cael) is concerned. The truth, as it often does, remains obscure.

The Cult of Zelist accepts anyone as a lay adherent, and into the military Order of the Dark Lantern, but only females may enter the priestesshood. Most of those chosen for the elite assassin’s training are priestesses, but promising males from the military order, or even the laity, are sometimes accepted. They are taken young, by age 14 usually, and training lasts 10 years. The Cult is generaIly fairly neutral in its actions and attitudes towards the cults of its former pantheon, with the exception of the Cult of Cael. Zelist was always jealous of the love Cael and Koran once shared, although she hid it, however poorly, when they were Shield Brothers. When Cael “betrayed” here husband by obeying Agara’s decree that they not try to pierce the thoughts of the Demon King Naventhül, all her suppressed anger turned to rage, now tainted by chaos-driven madness. Even more than her husband, she is implacably hostile to Cael and all his works and followers, and it is reflected in her adherents.

The rituals and ceremonies of the Cult are generaIly limited to the Ky’lorkia, with the laity being more or less ignored. This suits the laity just fine, as they are not generally the sort who appreciate authority and structure in their lives – they are content to pray to the goddess when they need her, and pay a tithe to ensure her support, but need little else in the way of religious teachings.

The Zalik-mal, or “Thieves Guild,” is not officially aligned with the Cult of Zelist, but there is a commonality of interests and some overlap in leadership, such that the two are often connected in the public mind.

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Zhan, Lake (ZHAN) – The largest lake on Great Oceania, on the eastern shore of which sits the great Khundari city-state of Zhan-Kor.

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Zhone (ZHONE) – The Dragon; a constellation in the northern Novendo sky and the eighth sign of the northwestern zodiac (11 Kilta – 5 Turniki). A Fire sign, Zhone symbolizes the destructive power of fire, reminding us that all that is created within the World must eventually be destroyed. While he is always without mercy, the Dragon does not always represent mindless, wanton destruction, although he is capable of it. His fire can purify, burning away the dross to reveal the gold, clearing away the old so that the new may be born. His fire represents the Ordeal that cleanses the World, preparing it for renewal.

Those born under the sign of the Dragon are perfectionists, tending to be intolerant and impatient, with quick and often violent tempers. They are quick to criticize and frugal with their praise; they dislike the old or conservative, often finding fault with what is established or accepted. They are progressive, eager to experiment, risk takers; they are always ready to act, leaping in where even gods might fear to tread. They are often revolutionaries of one sort or another, preferring to purge rather than modify. Many of the greatest conquerers and military innovators were Zhoneans.

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Zira (ZEER-ah) – Novendo’s sun, a yellow G1 type star 0.97 times the mass of Sol and 253,000 times the mas of Novendo. It has a rotation rate of about 26 days at its poles and about 20 days at its equator. The Ziran system contains seven planets: Tirus, Skorym, Novendo, Jara, Ketora, Pethos and Garus. Dozens of comets pass through the Ziran system, orbiting the sun in periods from 10-800 years. With the exception of a few large comets (such as Gendor’s Comet, named for the mage who established its 165 year cycle) most have not been accurately tracked by Umantari astronomers. They thus remain objects of awe and fear when they appear in the skies, believed to portend momentus events on Novendo. Astrologers are divided on the exact nature of comets’ influence on events in the mortal plane, but most agree they do play some role.