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— A —
Ancients
The name that refers to the magically powerful civilization that existed centuries before the Thyrellan Empire. Some think it refers to the builders and inhabitants of the Isle of Marr; others believe it was an older empire of unknown race and origin. Regardless of their origin or nature, the entirety of Ferron exists in their ashes.
Arcana
The magic of the Ancients considered to be white or morally acceptable and therefore acceptable to practice by magicians. The delineation between arcana and its antithesis, darcana, is moral and subjective in nature. As a result, what could be labeled arcana in one locale might be considered darcana in another.
Arcanist
A magician who professes to practice only arcana. Often, the title is used to differentiate the intentions or morality of the magician in the eyes of non-magicians.
Avery Coast
A treacherous area of rocks and riptides on the northeast coast of Hauther. An old legend says the moniker came from a buccaneer captain named Avery Finnegan who was said to have charted the dangerous coast and used it to evade capture on countless occasions. Some believe that “Ole Avery” had established a hidden harbor somewhere along the coast where he hid his loot. However anyone who has ever been known to search for it has never returned to tell the tale.
— B —
— C —
Cainon, Argus
He became Regent and assumed the powers of the throne when Gaedan III was assassinated. He ruled until Gaedan IV was of age to assume rule. A self-professed sorcerer, he established Thyrellan’s Ministry of Thaumaturgy and the Academy of Thaumaturgy. He was removed from his advisory role by Gaedan IV and later led the coup that unleashed the Revenarum and the blood plague upon the lands.
Casperia
A once grand city-state on the east coast of Hauther that was the last to resist the advancement of the Thyrellan Empire. Even after their fall, Casperia was always a center of resistance. After the fall of the Thyrellan Empire, Casperia became the last bastion of hope to fend off the advancing blood plague army.
Casperians
The name of the people who descend from Casperia.
Celestials
The name of the beings embodied by the stars in the night sky who are the bearers and protectors of all knowledge. The role the Celestials play in moral lives varies by belief. However, they aren’t usually the primary focus of worship. Where or how the idea of the Celestials came to be is a mystery, but most believe that they predate the Ancients and may have been their gods.
Chivar
The name of the battle priests of the Jovar who would tend to the spiritual wellbeing of the entire clan. They were equally as likely to bless dwellings, conduct prayers, or preside over weddings as they were to fight beside warriors into battle.
Claghist
The name of the Nokh language.
Conservators
A particularly ardent sect of Rebelionists who protected the patch of ground that absorbed the mythical blood of Callistos Sol. The Conservators, who revered Stole like a saint, unsuccessfully resisted the Seekers’ attempt to find and take possession of the blood for the Silver Order.
— D —
Darcana
The magic of the Ancients considered evil, black, or morally unacceptable and therefore a sin to practice. The word comes from blending the words “dark” and “arcana.” The delineation between darcana and its antithesis, arcana, is moral and subjective in nature. As a result, what could be labeled arcana in one locale might be considered darcana in another.
Darcanist
A magician who professes or more often is accused of practicing darcana. The most famous darcanist in recent memory is Argus Cainon, summoner of the Revenarum. Darcanists who are revealed for their true nature are usually slain on sight without trial or appeal. As a result, labeling or accusing someone of being a darcanist isn’t done lightly. If a person wants to call into question or simply insult a magician without invoking the same severity or response as would darcanist, one would use sorcerer. Otherwise, the person would simply be labeled a magician.
— E —
Errow
Refers to the numerous tribes of elves that once lived south of Thyrell and were enslaved and nearly annihilated by the Thyrellan Empire. Since the fall of the empire and the rise of the plague lands, the Errow have been scattered across Hauther. However, rumors persist that they have established a new home in the southern swamplands. Such rumors more likely stem from the hopes of Errow living poor lives under human subjugation.
— F —
Ferron
The name of the world as it is known in Hautherian.
Fort Bratton
The sea fort protecting Casperia’s port. It was the first time in Hauther blackpowder mortars were used to hold off an invading navy. It played a pivotal role in fending off the Thyrellan navy during its siege of Casperia.
— G —
Gaedan I, Byron
The third son of Lord Maerk Gaedan, Byron was “married off” to Dantivor Thyrell’s daughter, Melissand. Feeling spurned by his father, he began the long quest of a Thyrellan Empire by seizing the lordship of Iridan away from his older brothers upon his father’s death. Gaedan I died in his sleep in his later years, though many suspect that his descendent, Byron Gaedan II, had him poisoned.
Gaedan II, Byron
The son of Byron Gaedan I who expanded the Thyrellan kingdom to include the lands of the Errow tribes to the south. Gaedan II is widely considered the most ruthless and wicked ruler in the Gaedan line, eclipsing even his father. After nearly annihilating the Errow tribes, Gaedan II was the driving force behind building the Tamerian bridge, an architectural marvel that spanned the Great Tamerian Fjord. The bridge opened up the remainder of Hauther to Thyrell for conquest. Gaedan II was assassinated in his sleep in his elder years, an act that was blamed upon Casperian agents by his descendant, Byron Gaedan III.
Gaedan III, Byron
Byron Gaedan II’s son that established the Thyrellan Empire across the entirety of Hauther by sacking Casperia. He was young when he assumed the throne over his aging father and sacked the city-state, but not nearly as young as his decedent, Gaedan IV, who assumed the throne after him. Gaedan III’s attitude and policies shifted in the years following the sacking of Casperia. Instead of ruling with an iron fist, Gaedan III focused on developing Thyrellan for the benefit of its citizens. He is the one who appointed Argus Cainon to his court to oversee the administration of magical affairs across the empire. In addition, he is responsible for the initiative to rebuild Casperia and build the Imperial Highway that ran from Thyrell to Casperia. Many historians feel that these policies would have been the turning point that led the Thyrellan empire to a golden age if not for the Revenarum. Gaedan III died in his sleep, although rumors suggest that he was helped along possibly by Argus Cainon who was elected Regent after the emperor’s death.
Gaedan IV, Byron
The eleventh child and only son of Gaedan III, he became the emperor at the age of seven when his father died in his later years. Despite Argus Cainon’s surreptitious attempts to depose him, Gaedan IV assumed the throne and his father’s sense of social responsibility for his people. He dismissed Cainon from his court, which angered Cainon enough into summoning the Revenarum and attacking the capital in revenge. Gaedan IV was killed before the age of twenty by agents of Cainon who slipped into the imperial palace during the chaos of the Revenarum attack on the capital.
Gaedan, Maerk
The lord of port Iridan, the nearest port to Thyrell, and the father of Byron Gaedan I.
Great Tamerian Fjord
A fjord that spans from the west coast of Hauther all the way to the Hirol mountains which run down the center of the land. Many sages argue that it was created upon the violent destruction of the Ancient city on the Isle of Marr.
— H —
Hauther
The name of the continent according to Hautherians.
Hautherian
This refers to either the human inhabitants of Hauther or their predominant language.
Hirols
The name of the central mountain chain in Hauther. The Nokhen have an old bedtime tale that says the Hirols are the spine of an ancient dragon that had fallen upon the lands after being slain in an epic battle in the sky against a single dwarf, naturally, from a far off land named Hirol. Nokh scholars suggest that this is how Hautherians got their word hero, but this theory for the etymology of the word is usually rebuffed by human scholars, much to the amusement of the Nokhen. The Errow have lost most of their heritage, and therefore don’t have any tales for the Hirols. However, the Krendiri have old tales that explain that the world is an egg, and the Hirols are the cracks in the shell of the earth, similar to the cracks in the egg before it hatches.
— I —
Iridan
The seaport town that was west of Thyrell and was presided over by the Gaedan family.
— J —
— K —
Kethra Isle
An island that is part of the barrier island chain east of Casperia. On the island are ruins of what many believe to be a lighthouse of Ancient origin. The island was initially used as a base of operations by the Thyrellan navy from which to assault Casperia. However, within a week of setting up a headquarters on the island, the Thyrellans departed without apparent cause.
Krendiri
The name of the elven people who inhabited the Northern Woodlands before Thyrell pushed them out. Since the rise of the stalemate in the Plague War, rumors have trickled throughout Hauther that the Krendiri returned form their temporary shelter in Panjir and have taken up residence in the Northern Woodlands once again, holding back the Revenarum from invading the wood and crossing the Straits of Artan.
— L —
— M —
Mage
Sometimes called a “book wizard,” the word is a portmanteau of “magician” and “sage.” A mage is magician that applies his or her abilities toward furthering magical research and understanding, as opposed to a wizard, who applies magic abilities for practical effect. Mages are essentially academics and researchers who usually only leave their respective colleges or universities on pursuits of magical knowledge rather than adventure.
Magician
A person with the innate ability to sense, manipulate, and wield magic energy in one form or another. This term is the umbrella under which all other labels (e.g. arcanist, darcanist, warlock, witch, wizard, etc.) reside. The term does not necessarily cover religious persons, such as priests or clerics, unless such persons have the ability to manipulate magic energy. However, if a member of the clergy were a magician, the Hautherian church would use its own monikers, such as healer, diviner, medium, Inquisitor, etc.
Marr, Isle of
The island that now lies about a mile out to sea from the mouth of the Great Tamerian Fjord. It is believed that the island was once part of the Hautherian mainland and that a great Ancient city once rested upon it. There are only a few tales of visitors to the island, the most salient of which tell of monumental stone heads that face out toward the sea.
— N —
Nokhen
Refers to the clans of dwarves that inhabit the span of the Hirol mountains. In Claghist, the name for their language, “Nokh” is singular whereas “Nokhen” is plural. This fact is often lost on humans who think “Nokhen” is an adjective, as is often the case with adjectives in Hautherian. Instead, many humans tend to use “Nokhs” (pronouncing it as “knocks”) in place of the proper plural “Nokhen.” This mistake probably wouldn’t irritate the usually stoic Nokhen if it didn’t sound similar to “nahkis,” which is Claghist for “handle,” as in the wooden shaft of a hammer or axe. As mundane as the word seems, it happens to be used by the Nokhen in a way similar to how Hautherians would use “bonehead.”
Northern Woodlands
The area of woodlands on the northwestern end of the Hirols. This area was once a rich forest north of Thyrell. Since the fall of the Thyrellan Empire, the Northern Woodlands have become shrouded in mystery, darkness, and rumors of the supernatural. Some believe this is the blight of the blood plague twisting the wood into a perversion of its former self, while others believe the Krendiri have returned to protect the wood from Revenarum and Hautherians alike.
— O —
— P —
Panjir
This is the name of the continent just north of Hauther across the Straits of Artan. The principle inhabitants of Panjir are the Panjiri, brethren to the Krendiri and Errow elves. Most Panjiri consider that Hauther is just an extension of the Panjir continent instead of a continent of its own.
Panjiri
This is the name of the elves that inhabit Panjir. In the early days of the Thyrellan conquest, Panjir received their Krendiri brethren from the Norther Woodlands. There were some calls for the Panjiri to send their own forces to take back the woodlands for their brethren, but like the Errow, the Panjiri are a vast conglomeration of tribes without a unified force with which to act. By the time the Panjiri heard of the crimes against the Errow in the Hautherian plains, Gaedan II was in his later years. In secret, a coalition of tribes sent assassins to exact revenge for the atrocities that Gaedan II perpetrated against the Errow. What few know is that it was the Panjiri who assassinated Gaedan II, an act which was blamed on Casperia and led to redoubled efforts to sack the city by the Thyrellans.
— Q —
— R —
Rebelionists, The
The name of the underground organization that worked to overthrow the Thyrellan empire before the rise of the Revenarum. Many, if not most, of the primary motivators in the organization were descendants of families who escaped the sacking of Casperia. Some even claimed to be descendants of the prolific Callistos Sol himself.
Revenarum, The
The name of the dark horsemen who were summoned by Argus Cainon. They eventually wrested themselves free from their servitude and unleashed the blood plague across the lands. No on is quite sure what the Revenarum are. Theories speculate that they are anything from demons pulled from the aether to the Ancients themselves. Whatever they are, they are malevolent and dark beings whose only goal, it seems, is to subjugate Hauther through the blood plague.
Rhoendir
This was a human fishing town on the northern most coast of the Northern Woodlands. It was often considered the human gateway to Panjir, the continent north of Hauther. Since the rise of the Revenarum, no one has heard news from the port.
Ryttaren Strohmen
Description here.
— S —
Seekers, The
The group of knights from the Silver Order who set out upon the land to find anything of the Ancients they could use to fight the Revenarum. Their quest eventually led them to discover and obtain ownership of the mythical blood of Callistos Sol.
Sol, Callistos
This is the sea captain who led a fleet of ships to hold off the Thyrellan blockade and protect the fleeing Casperians during the sacking of Casperia. He was later drawn and quartered by the Thyrellan army, and legends say that the blood from his execution stained the ground permanently, never drying.
Sorcerer
A derogatory term for a magician. Once used to denote a magician of great power, the term became derogatory following the time of Argus Cainon, a self-proclaimed sorcerer. Typically, it is used when someone wants to insult or call into question the character of a magician.
Spine of Thyrell/Hauther
This was the nickname given to the Hirols once the Thyrellan Empire claimed the continent of Hauther. Since the fall of the empire, many had come to call it the Spine of Hauther, but over the years, that has fallen out of use.
Straits of Artan
The straits of water between Hauther to the south and Panjir to the north that connects the Shialla Ocean to the west and the Estrellan Sea to the east.
— T —
Tail of Thyrell/Hauther
This is the nickname given to the southern peninsula of Hauther once the Thyrellan Empire claimed the continent. Since the fall of the empire, many had come to call it the Tail of Hauther, but over the years, that has fallen out of use.
Thyrell
The trade town and eventual city that became the capital for the Thyrellan Kingdom and later the Thyrellan Empire.
Thyrellan Academy of Thaumaturgy
This was a government-sanctioned academy for training wizards in the empire. The Academy was founded and closely overseen by Argus Cainon.
Thyrellan Ministry of Thaumaturgy
This was a government agency that directed all policies pertaining to magic use and monitoring across the empire. It was founded and closely overseen by Argus Cainon.
Thyrell, Dantivor
The inn owner whose family eventually founded the trade town of Thyrell and whose descendants eventually established the Thyrellan empire across all of Hauther.
Thyrellan Empire
The empire that conquered Hauther and later fell to the Revenarum.
Thyrellan Imperial Guard
They were an elite force of Thyrellan soldiers charged with protecting the emperor. They failed spectacularly during an assault on the capital by Argus Cainon and his summoned Revenarum.
— U —
— V —
— W —
Wizard
A magician that applies his or her abilities toward a practical effect, as opposed to a mage whose focus is magical research and study. Wizards can be found plying their skills all across Hauther in many forms and specializations.
— X —
— Y —
— Z —
Zenaid, Madame
This is the name of a Huduun seer who was rumored to have lived in the darkest parts of the Southern Swamplands long before the Thyrellan empire. One legend says that before her disappearance, she foresaw the coming of the empire, the death each emperor, and the rise of Revenarum unto the land. Another legend claims that she was the secret lover of Callistos Sol, though this can’t be true because she was recorded to have lived and disappeared long before the rise of the Thyrellans and the birth of Stole.