Elfhunter (80 page)

Tal-sithian
(SITH-ee-ahn): Green forested
island in the Linnefionn; the Elven-realm of the Lord Airan and
Lady Arialde. From sithion (deer). It means "realm of deer
roaming".

Tarfion
(TAR-fee-ohn): Father of Gaelen,
spouse of Gloranel, twin brother of Tarmagil and elder brother of
Turanen. Tarfion was probably unexcelled as a hunter-scout, and he
gained the King’s favor upon saving the life of his son, prince
Aruin. Name means "hunter of the realm". From fiona (hunter) and
tar (of the realm).

Tarmagil
(TAR-mah-geel): Fraternal twin
brother of Tarfion and favorite uncle of Gaelen and Nelwen. Known
for being free-spirited and of good humor, he was slain in the
Third Uprising. Name means "strong ally". From tar- (of the realm)
and magra (mighty).

Thaldallen
(Thall-DAH-len): An enormous,
solitary oak in the Greatwood forest. Name means "steadfast oak".
From thayla (trust) and dalen (oak).

Thaylon
(THAY-lon): Given name of Rogond, it
means "trustworthy". From thayla (to trust).

Thorndil
(THORN-deel): Northman, ranger, and
friend of Rogond, companion of Belegund. His name means "Piercing
gaze, eagle-eyed". From thorn- (to pierce).

Tibo
(TEE-bo): Dwarf of Grundin’s realm. Tibo
was known for his love of Elves.

Trachair
(TRACH-eye-eer): "The treacherous".
Evil Asarla also known as Kotos, Trachair is the name given him by
the Elves.

Troll
: These unusual beings are found in and
around the hilly and mountainous areas of Alterra. If Ulcas do not
love sunlight, trolls live in dread of it, for they cannot survive
exposure for more than a few moments. Trolls turn to stone if the
sun finds them, and hence they are abroad only at night. They are
very large, dull-witted, and slow-moving. If caught by them, one
should expect to be crushed and then eaten.

They are ancient creatures of unlimited lifespan, and
their origin is uncertain. The Rûndiam-har tells that they were
formed from the earth itself, and at first they served no one, but
Wrothgar subverted them during the Time of Mystery. They have since
played a part in all three Uprisings—an army of trolls approaching
by night is a fearsome sight. The armies of Light ultimately routed
them, though they are very difficult to kill using ordinary
weapons. It is a rare blade that will give more than a shallow
wound, and arrows will kill them only through the eye or the
mouth.

A few speak crude Aridani, though not very well, and
they may wear rough clothing, but go about unshod. Slow and stupid
they might be, but one should not underestimate them, for they
stand three times as tall as a man with ten times the girth, and
wield great hammers of stone. They will eat anything they can catch
and kill. They have often plagued the dwarves, who hate them with a
passion. Most formidable are the trolls that have lived beneath
fire-mountains, for those lands are poisoned, and the trolls have
grown larger and more dangerous as a result.

Tuathas
(TOO-ah-thas): Greatest of all Realms
of Men, Tuathas alone possessed an Asarla. Because of this they
were more enlightened than other men and were nearly as fair as the
Elves. Tuathas was destroyed during an eruption of one of the great
Fire-mountains that bounded it, and very little of the realm
survived. The cataclysm occurred in the year s.r.6740, and nearly
wiped out the entire northern race—the lands remained lifeless
until the turning of the Age. From tuath (north).

Tuathar
(TOO-ah-thar) sing. Tuathan: Men of
the northern Realm of Tuathas, lost in the rising of the Great
Fire-mountain. They are tall and comely, hardy and strong. Because
of the influence of their Asarla, they are more enlightened than
other races of men. They founded not only the realm of Tuathas, but
the great cities of Dûn Bennas and Dûn Arian. Examples are Rogond
and Thorndil. Name means ‘north-man’. From tuath (north) and aridan
(man).

Turanen
(TOOR-ah-nen): Younger brother of
Tarfion and Tarmagil, father of Nelwyn and spouse of Elwyn. An
unparalleled archer, he was slain in the third uprising. Name means
‘glen-bowman’. From tuag- (bow) and ranen (glen).

Turantil
(TOOR-an-TEEL): Sword of Halrodin,
prized heirloom stolen by Gorgon. Name means "scourge of the
north". From tuath (north) and ranta (scourge).

Tûr Dorcha
(Toor DOR-ka): Wrothgar’s
stronghold in the Darkmere, it means "Dark Tower". The fortress is
actually a sickly, pale grey due to the fetid mists of the Laban
Fuath, hence it is also called the "Pale Tower". Most of the
stronghold is belowground, carved into solid rock. The surrounding
bog is entirely unnatural and contains many vile, disgusting
perversions of normal creatures. Only the servants of Wrothgar are
likely to survive drawing too near to Tûr Dorcha.

Ular
(OO-lar): "The longbeard", chief of the
Council of Elders in Cós- domhain.

Ulcas
(UL-cas), sing. Ulca: Evil servants of
Wrothgar. Some are quite formidable in battle, but most can prevail
only through sheer numbers. All are ugly. They dislike sunlight and
live in dark places, particularly beneath mountains. They lurk in
nearly every dark, forsaken place in Alterra, and their numbers
have waxed and waned according to the power of their Master. There
is some debate among scholars concerning the origin of Ulcas, but
it is assumed that they are perversions of existing races, for
Wrothgar can create nothing of his own; he can only twist and
subvert the creations of Aontar.

There is some speculation that the Elves had a part
in the making of the Ulcas, a notion that is most emphatically
denied by both the Elves and the Ulcas. The two races hate each
other, and they claim no relationship that does not involve the
point of a blade. The Elves are quick to point out that Ulcas will
not consume their flesh (they will eat nearly anything else), that
they are entirely hairless, lacking even eyelashes, and that they
will not suffer the touch of objects that are Elven-made, hence
they could not share the same forebears.

The prevailing view held by western scholars is that
Ulcas were men in the beginning, and that Wrothgar, desiring to
make them stronger, infected them with a pestilence. This disease
killed the weaker members, and those that survived lived much
longer, even to the point of appearing to be immortal. All Ulcas
now carry the pestilence, which has changed over generations such
that it can no longer infect men. It is passed to the Ulcas before
they are born, and it makes them hardy and long-lived, but it also
twists and distorts their hairless bodies and makes them intolerant
of sunlight. Naturally, the Elves prefer this view, yet it has not
been proven.

Ulcas are highly variable in appearance; most are
greyish-black in color, but some are pale or mottled, and some are
dark as pitch. They are all undeniably ugly, some so ugly as to be
hideous. Ulcas typically speak a crude form of Aridani, varied
according to the area of origin. Because they do not write or
record events, we know little of their history, customs, or
culture. Their name simply means "evil, wicked" in the
Elven-speech.

They have played a large part in Wrothgar’s plans
throughout history, swarming down upon their enemies in huge masses
during battles. They are terribly weakened by sunlight, hence it is
perilous to go abroad at night in any unprotected lands. During
daylight they are most often found belowground. They feed primarily
upon flesh, scavenging the dead as well as preying upon the
living.

Their eyes are well designed for seeing in darkness,
with cat-like, vertical pupils. In color they are generally a pale
yellow to muddy yellow- brown; blue or grey-eyed Ulcas are almost
unknown.

Úlfar
(OOL-far): "Fen-serpents", vile, slimy
eels with rasping, sucker-like mouths. Arguably the most unpleasant
creatures in Alterra, they ensnare wading travelers or animals by
miring them in slime and entangling them. Once the prey is brought
down into the water, they attach to any hairless area and give an
envenomed bite. The venom subdues the victim, whereupon the
creatures enter through body orifices and consume it from the
inside out. They are normally found in bogs but can travel up fresh
waterways for a considerable distance. They cannot live in salt
water. Their bite is so septic that a man bitten by an Úlfa is
doomed to a very bad death. They are undoubtedly a perversion of
normal eels, designed by Wrothgar.

Unvar
(OON-vahr): Fisherman, brother of
Maleck.

Wellyn
(WEL-lin): Son and reluctant heir of
Ri-Aruin of the Greatwood, Wellyn is a very dear friend of Gaelen.
He has raven-black hair and blue-grey eyes. His name means
"courageous, one who is brave".

Wodon
: Herd stallion of Tal-sithian. His name
means "the hammer".

Wrothgar
(ROTH-gar): Evil Being of Alterra,
also known as the Shadowmancer or the Black Flame. He was so named
because of his ability to summon the dreadful being known as "The
Shadow", who can so confuse the soldiers of an enemy army that they
turn upon one another. His hallmark is the peculiar dark fire that
envelops him when he is engaged in battle—this flame will slowly
consume everything it touches.

Wrothgar has arisen thrice at the time these tales
begin; first in f.r.3506- 3525, second in s.r.2026-2029, and third
in s.r.6085-6091.

C.S. Marks has often been described as a Renaissance
woman. The daughter of academic parents, she holds a Ph.D. in
Biology and has spent the past two decades teaching Biology and
Equine Science. She is currently a Full Professor at Saint
Mary-of-the-Woods College in west central Indiana.

She began writing shortly after the untimely death of
her father, who was a Professor of American Literature at Butler
University. A gifted artist, she has produced illustrations and
cover art for all three books. She plays and sings Celtic music and
a few examples of her songwriting may be found within the pages of
Fire-heart. She enjoys archery, and makes hand-crafted longbows
using primitive tools.

Horses are her passion, and she is an accomplished
horsewoman, having competed in the sport of endurance racing for
many years. One of only a handful of Americans to complete the
prestigious Tom Quilty Australian national championship
hundred-mile ride, she has described this moment as her finest
hour.

She has been happily married for more than three
decades. She and her husband, Jeff, share their home with ten dogs
(predominantly Welsh Corgis) and five horses. They live deep in the
forest, where there are miles and miles of trail riding to be
had.

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C.S. Marks

The Fire King

Invincible. Unconquerable. Perfect. Fearless.

It’s no longer enough….

Not for Aincor Fire-heart, the first High Elven King
of Alterra. For Aincor’s reign, his power, his life itself – is
about to change.

After charging headlong into a conflict that plunges
all of Alterra into war, Aincor must face a force of such power and
terror that none may stand against it. Despite unrivaled skill,
pride, and valor, no one is truly invincible…or fearless. As the
Flame struggles against the Shadow, Aincor’s secret, hidden dread
rises up to torment him. Will it stand in the way of victory?

If the King falls – what of the Kingdom?

From the creator of the beloved ELFHUNTER Series
comes a tale of fate and faith, of the eternal but never certain
struggle of Light against Darkness, of the power of love itself –
as a King is forced to confront that which is in himself, that
which is in us all.

WHAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO LOSE TO GAIN ALL?

Available now in Print at
ParthianPress.com

and
Ebook on Amazon
.

Fire-heart

In the Second of the Tales of Alterra, the World
that Is…

…the Company embarks on a thousand-mile odyssey
through vast lands both savage and civilized, where they encounter
a great variety of strange, sometimes hostile people. Their eyes
are opened to many wonders, but evil lurks at every turn as destiny
takes them onto unexpected paths. Battling through blood,
treachery, fire, and thirst, they reach a safe and peaceful haven
only to face the ‘Scourge’—a terrible army of the worst dregs ever
to roam the desert—and its nearly insurmountable weapon. Meanwhile,
Gaelen of the Greatwood has summoned Gorgon Elfhunter to follow
after her, knowing that the journey has only delayed their final
reckoning. Should he find her, even the strength and will of the
Fire-heart might not be enough!