The Schemes of Dragons

GLOSSARY

Achird

The sun. The star around which Motherworld revolves.

Alemar Dragonslayer

Founder of Elandris; slayer of the dragons Faroc and Triss. Also Alemar the Great, Alemar I.

Alahihr

A union of tribes of the same race as the Vanihr, living in the Flat. The Alahihr practice of clearing land directly opposes the religious tenets of the Vanihr. The two peoples are bitter enemies.

Amane

A Vanihr tribe of cannibals.

amethery

An herb of the Cilendri forests, often used to prompt abortion.

burrost

Dried tree serpent, a Vanihr staple.

Cadra

Progenitor of the Zyraii.

Calinin

1. An ancient nation in the far west of the southern continent. 2. The empire that originated in Calinin, composed, at various times, of the countries of Calinin South, Aleoth, Cotan, Acalon, Tanjand, Agon, Neith, Tiandria, Serthe, Riannehn, Sirithrea, Numaron, Irigion, Rhida, Rhada, and Moin, as well as the motherland. 3. Those lands culturally and linguistically tied to the empire, including the countries above as well as Ranagara, Elandris, and Cilendrodel.

cheli

Among the southern Vanihr tribes, a person who is not capable of housing the memories of his ancestors, normally because of brain damage or mental retardation. Such persons are considered to be less than human and are not permitted to breed.

collberry

A low-lying tree of the Wood whose fruit is often eaten or fermented.

Dark Night

A term applied to those rare occasions when Achird, the Sister, Motherworld, and all of the major moons are below Tanagaran's horizon. Although traditionally celebrated only once a year, "dark nights" may happen as often as a month apart. Likewise, many Dark Nights are barely dark at all; total lack of suns, moons, and mother planet sometimes lasts as little as an hour. One of the major preoccupations of early Tanagaranese astronomers was the calculation of when Dark Night would occur.

drelb

A dwarfish people inhabiting the countries of Transilia, Intralia, Cisilia, Drelbhaven, and the Drelbmarch.

Dragonsdeep

Capital city of Elandris under Gloroc's rule. Originally called Wizardsdeep, it was the last city built by Alemar Dragonslayer, and served as capital of his empire for many centuries. eret-Zyraii The western fringe of Zyraii territory, uninhabitable because of its extremely arid climate.

erron

Small copper coin, smallest monetary unit of some of the Old Kingdoms.

Faroc

The male of the pair of dragons that once ruled the Dragon Sea, slain by Alemar the Great.

Fhali

A Vanihr tribe of the southern Wood, to which Toren belongs.

Firsthold

Original capital of Elandris.

the Flat

An unforested region in the center of the Wood, home of the Alahihr.

forest stalker

A very large, highly venomous spider indigenous to the Wood, known for stalking and killing large mammals.

Garthmorron

A large barony in central Cilendrodel, birthplace of Alemar and Elenya.

Hab-no-ken

Healing sect of the Zyraii priesthood, distinguished by their green clothing.

hai-Zyraii

A state conferred upon an individual through blood ritual, in recognition of deeds that greatly benefit the Zyraii nation.

hayeri

A small, deerlike animal of the Wood.

High Speech

Originally the formal court language of the Calinin Empire, now the lingua franca of the civilized lands.

Ijitia

1. A nation along the east bank of the River Sha. 2. The ancient empire originating along the Sha, spreading over the Mountains of the Gods into Agon, Tanjand, and Aleoth. Also included Tunaets and Fornaets.

Lerina

Mother of Alemar and Elenya.

Miranda

Sister of Alemar Dragonslayer; inventor of the airmaker; co-founder of Elandris.

modhiv

The warrior caste within the southern and central Vanihr tribes of the Wood. Plural: modhiv.

mong

A huge, man-eating fish indigenous to the River Sha.

Motherworld

The gas giant planet around which Tanagaran revolves.

New Kingdoms

The countries which were part of the Calinin frontier at the time of its greatest expansion, including Irigion, Numaron, Rhada, Rhida, and Moin.

oeikani (wah-kah-nee)

A large, herbivorous mammal found throughout Tanagaran, used as a saddle and pack beast, and occasionally as a source of food. Plural: oeikani.

Ogshiel

A Vanihr tribe of the northern Wood, bordering the River Sha. Legendary enemies of the Shagas.

Old Kingdoms

The northern continent monarchies conquered early by the Calinin, consisting of Riannehn, Neith, Sirithrea, Tiandria, and Serthe.

opsha

The military leader of the Zyraii nation. Until Lonal's ascendancy, it was considered a mythical title, because of internecine rivalry among the various tribes.

Po-no-pha (Po-no-fa)

The warrior class among the Zyraii, distinguished by their white clothing.

Retreat

A ritual hermitage observed by Hab-no-ken in order to recuperate from overuse of their powers.

the Ril

Gloroc's elite cadre of sorcerers.

Serpent Moon

A moon of Motherworld, original home of dragons and shagas.

Shaga

A race of lesser dragons, roughly man-size, that came from the Serpent Moon. They built a great civilization along the River Sha, which thrived until overrun by Ijitians from the north and Vanihr from the south. The refugees relocated in the Valley of Serpents.

Shahera

A prophet who lived at the height of the Calinin Empire, a century before the founding of Elandris. Considered the greatest master of the Sight ever to have lived, her auguries often dealt with the fate of nations and entire peoples. Her declaration that the Calinin Empire had already reached its maximum extent earned her the wrath of the emperor, who had her executed.

the Sister

Achird's orange companion star, visible from Tanagaran even in daylight.

Tanagaran

The world. Fifth moon of Motherworld.

thrijish

A type of coral whose proximity negates a dragon's ability to absorb sorcerous power from water.

T'lil

The second largest tribe of modern Zyraii, descended from Cadra's seventh son, Lil. Lonal's tribe.

Triss

Female of the pair of dragons that once ruled the Dragon Sea.

Urthey

Smallest major moon of Motherworld.

Vanihr

A golden-skinned, blond-haired race inhabiting the Wood, the archipelagoes, and much of the Far Western Lands. Disdaining large-scale agriculture and deeply devoted to traditional ways of life, the Vanihr have remained a Stone Age culture, separated into many small tribes. Plural: Vanihr.

vartham

A transparent, incredibly strong substance created by Miranda and Alemar the Great, used to form the domes that enclose the underwater cities. Like the airmakers, the secret of its creation was lost with the two great sorcerers.

Xais

1. Capital of the Calinin Empire. 2. Ancient capital of Aleoth. 3. Former northern capital of the Ijitian Empire; its conquest by the Calinin drastically altered the balance of power in the regions surrounding the inner sea.

Yent

A province in central Cilendrodel.

Yetem

A false name used by Elenya during her years in the Eastern Deserts.

Zee-no-ken

Monastic sect of the Zyraii priesthood, uninvolved in political and social life, often hermits. Many are skilled sorcerers.

Zyraii

1. A nomad nation of the Eastern Deserts. 2. The people or language of the Zyraii nation.