The Broken Kingdoms

APPENDIX 1 A Glossary of Terms

Amn: Most populous and powerful of the Senmite races.

Arameri: Ruling family of the Amn; advisors to the Nobles’ Consortium and the Order of Itempas.

Art Row: Artists’ market at the Promenade, in East Shadow.

Blood sigil: The mark of a recognized Arameri family member.

Bonebender: A healer, often self-taught, with knowledge of herbalism, midwifery, bonesetting, and basic surgical techniques. Some bonebenders illegally utilize simple healing sigils.

Bright, the: The time of Itempas’s solitary rule, after the Gods’ War. General term for goodness, order, law, righteousness.

Darkwalkers: Worshippers of the Lord of Shadows.

Dateh Lorillalia: A scrivener, formerly of the Order of Itempas. Husband of Serymn Arameri.

Dekarta Arameri: Most recent former head of the Arameri family.

Demon: Children of forbidden unions between gods/ godlings and mortals. Mortal, though they may possess innate magic that is equivalent, or greater, to that of godlings in strength.

Dump: A godling who dwells in West Shadow, overseeing the Shustocks junkyard. The Lord of Discards.

Easha: Local term for East Shadow.

Enefa: One of the Three. Former Goddess of Earth, creator of godlings and mortals, Mistress of Twilight and Dawn (deceased).

Eo: A godling who dwells in Shadow. The Merciful.

Gateway Park: A park built around Sky and the World Tree’s base, in East Shadow.

God: Immortal children of the Maelstrom. The Three.

Godling: Immortal children of the Three. Sometimes also referred to as gods.

Godsblood: A popular and expensive narcotic. Confers heightened awareness and temporary magical abilities on consumers.

God spots: Local/colloquial name for locations in Shadow that have been temporarily or permanently made magical by godlings.

Gods’ Realm: All places beyond the universe.

Gods’ War: An apocalyptic conflict in which Bright Itempas claimed rulership of the heavens after defeating his two siblings.

Hado: A member of the New Lights. Master of Initiates.

Heavens, Hells: Abodes for souls beyond the mortal realm.

Heretic: A worshipper of any god but Itempas.

High North: Northernmost continent. A backwater.

House of the Risen Sun: A mansion. One of several attached to the World Tree’s trunk.

Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, the: Collective term for the world since its unification under Arameri rule.

Ina: A godling who dwells in Shadow.

Interdiction, the: The period during which no godlings appeared in the mortal realm, per order of Bright Itempas.

Islands, the: Vast archipelago east of High North and Senm.

Itempan: General term for a worshipper of Itempas. Also used to refer to members of the Order of Itempas.

Itempas: One of the Three. The Bright Lord; master of heavens and earth; the Skyfather.

Kitr: A godling who dwells in Shadow. The Blade.

Lil: A godling who dwells in Shadow. The Hunger.

Madding: A godling who dwells in Shadow. The Lord of Debts.

Maelstrom: The creator of the Three. Unknowable.

Magic: The innate ability of gods and godlings to alter the material and immaterial world. Mortals may approximate this ability through the use of the gods’ language.

Maroland, the: Smallest continent, which once existed to the east of the islands; site of the first Arameri palace. Destroyed by Nahadoth.

Mortal realm: The universe, created by the Three.

Nahadoth: One of the Three. The Nightlord. Also called the Lord of Shadows.

Nemmer: A godling who dwells in Shadow. The Lady of Secrets.

Nimaro Reservation: A protectorate of the Arameri, established after the Maroland’s destruction to provide a home for survivors. Located at the southeast edge of the Senm continent.

Nobles’ Consortium: Ruling political body of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.

Oboro: A godling who dwells in Shadow.

Order of Itempas: The priesthood dedicated to Bright Itempas. In addition to spiritual guidance, also responsible for law and order, education, public health and welfare, and the eradication of heresy. Also known as the Itempan Order.

Order-Keepers: Acolytes (priests in training) of the Order of Itempas, responsible for maintenance of public order.

Order of New Light: An unauthorized priesthood dedicated to Bright Itempas, comprised mainly of former members of the Order of Itempas. Colloquially known as the “New Lights.”

Paitya: A godling who dwells in Shadow. The Terror.

Pilgrim: Worshippers of the Gray Lady who journey to Shadow to pray at the World Tree. Generally High Northers.

Previt: One of the higher rankings for priests of the Order of Itempas.

Promenade, the: Northernmost edge of Gateway Park in East Shadow. A site popular with pilgrims, due to its view of the World Tree. Also the site of Art Row and the city’s largest White Hall.

Role: A godling who dwells in Shadow. The Lady of Compassion.

Salon: Headquarters for the Nobles’ Consortium.

Script: A series of sigils, used by scriveners to produce complex or sequential magical effects.

Scrivener: A scholar of the gods’ written language.

Senm: Southernmost and largest continent of the world.

Senmite: The Amn language, used as a common tongue for all the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.

Serymn Arameri: An Arameri fullblood, husband of Dateh Lorillalia. Owner of the House of the Risen Sun.

Shadow: Local/colloquial name for the largest city on the Senm continent (official name is Sky).

Shahar Arameri: High priestess of Itempas at the time of the Gods’ War. Her descendants are the Arameri family.

Shustocks: A neighborhood in Wesha.

Sieh: A godling, also called the Trickster. Eldest of all the godlings.

Sigil: An ideograph of the gods’ language, used by scriveners to imitate the magic of the gods.

Sky: Official name of the largest city on the Senm continent. Also, the palace of the Arameri family.

Strafe: A city along the northwestern coast of the Senm continent.

Teman Protectorate, the: A Senmite kingdom.

Time of the Three: Before the Gods’ War.

T’vril Arameri: Current head of the Arameri family.

Velly: A cold-water fish, normally smoked and salted. A Maroneh delicacy.

Wesha: Local term for West Shadow.

White Hall: The Order of Itempas’s houses of worship, education, and justice.

World Tree, the: A leafy evergreen tree estimated to be 125,000 feet in height, created by the Gray Lady. Sacred to worshippers of the Lady.

Yeine: One of the Three. The current Goddess of Earth, Mistress of Twilight and Dawn. Also called the Gray Lady.