Renown of the Raithlin: Book One of the Raithlindrath Series (27 page)

Founding:
The arrival of Conhain and his people near Esgallien
Ford. This was nine hundred and fifty three years ago at the time of Lanrik’s
meeting with Erlissa and Aranloth.

Free
cities:
A group of cooperative city
states that pool military resources to defend themselves against attack.
Founded prior to Esgallien. Initially ruled by kings and queens, now by a
senate.

Galathar:
Hal.
“Green dwelling place – a forest.” Hero
of the immortal Halathrin whose deeds have been studied by the Raithlin and
whose actions have passed into legend.

Galenthern:
Hal.
“Green flat.” Southern plains bounded by
the Careth Nien and the Graèglin Dennath mountain range.

Ghash:
An elug term for a mischievous (and
sometimes malicious) spirit intent on causing harm (or death).

Gilhain:
Comb. Esg & Hal.
First element unknown,
second “hero.” A Raithlin.

Graèglin
Dennath:
Hal. Prn.
Greg-lin dennath. “Mountains of ash.” Chain of
mountains in southern Alithoras. The landscape is one of jagged stone and
boulder, relieved only by gaping fissures from which plumes of ashen smoke
ascend, thus leading to its name. Believed to be impassable because of the
danger of poisonous air flowing from cracks, and the ground unexpectedly giving
way, swallowing any who dare to tread its forbidden paths. In other places
swathes of molten stone run in rivers down its slopes.

Guardian:
A creature of sentient ùhrengai that preserves its
birthing land.

Gwalchmur:
Esg.
A
Raithlin.

Hainer
Lon:
Hal. Prn.
Hiner lon.
“Heroes way.” The main thoroughfare of Esgallien.

Hakalakadan:
Azn
.
 A
revered
title among the Azan peoples.

Haladhon:
Hal.
“Bright tower.” A tower in the Halathrin
fortress city of Alonin.

Halathar:
Hal.
“Dwelling place of the people of Halath.” The forest
realm of the Halathrin.

Halathgar:
Hal.
“Bright Star.” Actually a constellation.
Also known as the Lost Huntress.

Halathrin:
Hal
.
“People of
Halath.” A race named after a mighty lord who led an exodus of his people to
the continent of Alithoras in pursuit of justice, having sworn to redress a
great evil. They are human, though of fairer form, greater skill and higher
culture. They possess an inherent unity of body, mind and spirit enabling
insight and endurance beyond other races of Alithoras. Reported to be immortal,
but killed in great numbers during their conflicts with the evil they seek to
destroy.

Halls
of Lore:
Library of records
maintained by lòhrens of the history, knowledge and wisdom of the nations of
Alithoras. Accumulated over millennia and one of the treasures of Lòrenta.

Hamalath:
Hal.
“Sorrow joy”. An open-air theatre where
dramas of history, tragedy and humor are conducted. Derived from the Halathrin
who built many. In Esgallien called simply “The Hamalath,” as there is only one
of significant size.

Haranast:
Hal.
“Horse race.” A racetrack. Its form was
derived from the Halathrin but the love of horseracing by the Camar predates
the exodus of the immortals. A successful rider, or horse, could be more famous
and better loved than tribal chiefs or kings. The stealing of a racehorse is
punishable by death.

Headdress:
A turban. Worn by the Azan people as
protection from desert heat. Can be lowered in a sandstorm to protect the eyes
and breath. Its color, and the manner in which it’s worn signify military rank
or social status.

Karlenthern:
Hal.
“Games field.” The location of many
events during the Spring Games and other athletic competitions during the year.

Kûn
Dennath:
Hal.
Prn.
Kuun
Dennath. “Defended mountain.” A man made hill fort. Now the town center of the
oldest of the free cities.

Lake
Alithorin
:
Hal.
“Silver lake.” A lake of northern Alithoras.

Lanrik:
Esg.
A Raithlin.

Lathmai:
Comb. Hal. & Esg.
“Joy and unknown element.” A Raithlin.

Letharn:
Hal.
“Stone Raisers. Builders.” A race of
people that in antiquity ruled much of Alithoras. Only traces of their
civilization remain.

Lethrin:
Hal.
“Stone
People.”
Creatures of the Graèglin Dennath. Renowned for their size and
strength. Tunnelers and miners.

Lindrath:
Hal.
“People lord.” A shortening of
Raithlindrath. Commander of the Raithlin organization.

Ling:
Heather. Predominant plant growth of moorland. Purple
flowered in late summer and provider of food for deer, and food and cover, for
grouse. Prevalent in Lòrenta.

Lòhren:
Hal. Prn.
Ler-ren.
“
Knowledge giver – a counsellor.”
Other terms used by various nations include wizard, druid and sage.

Lòhren-fire:
A defensive manifestation of lòhrengai.
The color of the flame varies according to the skill and temperament of the
lòhren.

Lòhrengai:
Hal. Prn.
Ler-ren-guy. “Lòhren force.” Enchantment, spell or
use of arcane power. A manipulation and transformation ùhrengai, the natural
energy inherent in all things. Each use takes something from the user.
Likewise, some part of the transformed energy infuses them. Lòhrens use it
sparingly.

Lòhrenin:
Hal. Prn.
Ler-ren-in. “Council of lòhrens.”

Lonfar:
Hal.
“Way of peace.” The librarian of the Halls of Lore.

Lòrenta:
Hal. Prn.
Ler-rent-a. “Hills of knowledge.” Uplands in northern
Alithoras in which the stronghold of the lòhrens is established.

Mecklar:
Esg.
A senior
member of King Murhain’s retinue.

Menetuin:
Cam.
A city founded by a Camar tribe.

Merenloth:
Hal. Prn.
Mair-en-loth. “Words of power.” A
place for philosophical debate, reciting poetry and the chanting of bards.
Derived from Halathrin practice. Often full to capacity during times of change.
King Danhain, disguised as a bard, often frequented the Merenloth and chanted
pre-founding lays passed down from his grandfather. After the performance he
discoursed with the crowd to determine what the people thought of the king’s
rule. He sometimes changed his decisions after such debates.

Morleth
Stone:
Hal.
“Round Stone.” The name signifies that such a stone
is not natural. It is formed by elùgai for sorcerous purposes. The stone is
strengthened by arcane power to act as a receptacle of enormous force. Little
is known of their making and use except that they are rare and that elùgroths
perish during their construction.

Murhain:
Esg.
The
current
king of Esgallien. He was a younger son of the previous king and assumed the
throne unexpectedly. Earlier in his life, he had attempted to train as a
Raithlin but failed their vigorous standards.

Musraka:
Azn.
A
shazrahad.

Nudaluk:
Cam.
A bird of
the woodpecker family.

Otherworld:
Esgallien term for a mingling of
half-remembered history, myth and the spirit world.

Pattern-welded:
A blade forged and reforged from bundles of iron rods
that are twisted and beaten. This creates a flexible core to which a hard edge
is added. The process produces superior, distinctive and sort-after weapons.

Raithlin:
Hal.
“Range and report people.” A scouting and saboteur
organization. They derive from ancient contact with, and the teachings of, the
Halathrin. Their number is always 100.

Raithlin
motif:
A trotting fox looking back
over its shoulder. Symbolizes cunning, stealth and boldness.

Raithlin
crawl:
A famous technique of stealth.
It requires that the palms rest on the earth and the elbows remain tucked in to
the body for support and silhouette reduction. The bodyweight is borne on the
forearms and only one leg. The other is carefully brought forward in order to
avoid making noise while moving.

Raithlin
creed:
“
Our duty is to serve and protect. Our honor is to
fight but not hate. Our love is for all that is good in the world.”

Raithlin
principles of concealment:
The
Raithlin believe the eye recognizes movement first, silhouette second and color
last. Using this principle enables them to best determine how to remain unseen
in varying circumstances.

Raithlindrath:
Hal.
“Lord of range and report people.”

Rapier:
A lightweight sword, still deadly in skilled hands,
but advantageous for Raithlin mobility which is their prime concern.

Red
Cloth of Victory:
The highest symbol
of courage and determination in Esgallien society.

Rhodlin:
Esg.
A Raithlin.
Brother to Rhodmur.

Rhodmai:
Esg.
An inn servant who married King Danhain
and ruled as queen after his death. Her reign was noted for civic constructions
and marked for its peace. So much so that a prosperous period for the city has
ever since been known as “Rhodmai’s Peace.”

Rhodmur:
Esg.
A Raithlin. Brother to Rhodlin.

Seeker:
A person with a rare talent of finding lost things.
It stems from a latent use of lòhrengai.

Shazrahad:
Azn.
The Azan who commands an elug army.

Sign
of death:
See drùgluck.

Sorcerer:
See elùgroth.

Spring
Games:
A series of athletic and skill
based competitions in Esgallien deriving from antiquity. Other Camar peoples
also conduct the games, sometimes under a different name. Before the tribes
diverged, they met at various sacred sites marked by standing stones. There,
amid sporting games, feasting and trade, chiefs were chosen, disputes settled
and ceremonies conducted.

Talnak:
Azn.
A large goat-like animal that survives
and even flourishes in the most remote and inhospitable regions of the Graèglin
Dennath. Its preferred habitat makes it perilous to hunt, but its horn is
highly valued by the Azan people and used in ceremonial roles.

Ùhrengai:
Hal. Prn.
Er-ren-guy. “Original force.” The
primordial force that existed before substance or time, light or dark, life or
death, good or evil.

War
drums:
Drums of the elug tribes. Used
especially in times of war or ceremony. Rumored to carry hidden messages in
their beat and also to invoke sorcery.

Wych-wood:
A general description for a range of supple and
springy timbers. Some hardy varieties are prevalent on the poisonous slopes of
the Graèglin Dennath mountain range and are favored by elùgroths as instruments
of sorcery.

****

Thus
ends
Renown of the Raithlin.
Book two of the Raithlindrath series,
Lore
of the Letharn,
is forthcoming. Once again, Lanrik and Erlissa will be
caught up in events destined to shape the future of the land.

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