Reader's Reference
for
Volume 2 The Nature of a Curse
Volume 2
The Nature of a Curse
The Nature of a Curse
Chapter 1
Micerea
The Reader's Companion to the Year of the Red Door.
| Reader's Reference Start Page | Maps |
| FAQ | About the Reader's Companion |
|
Arbuckle -- (Ned Arbuckle) Elderly bridge tender of Passdale. By the time he became Passdale's bridge tender, Arbuckle was a man of some considerable experience and ability.* Attis -- Thought to be the name of the original builder of Tulith Attis, an ancient fortress near Lake Halgaeth in the Eastlands. It was later the name for the town at the base of Tulith Attis, all of which was destroyed during the Dragonkind invasion of 322 S.A. (See Map of County Barley) Bailorg -- (Braig Bailorg Denuth Delcorman) One of the Elifaen, perhaps a Firstborn, but not a member of any known House. He was a mysterious figure, an acquaintance of Pellen in Duinnor during the early Second Age. He was also seen from time to time in various courts, traveling extensively throughout the realms. It is suspected that he traveled into the Dragonlands on several occasions. He was reported to have spent a great deal of time in the region of Shatuum as well, and is thought to have been present with the Dragonkind at the Battle of Tulith Attis, after which he disappeared for many years.* Barley -- A rural county within the old Eastlands Realm south of Lake Halgaeth and just east of the Thunder Mountains, bordering the lands west of the ancient fortress of Tulith Attis. It is so named because of the main crop grown in the region. Barley was once merely the regional name for the area, but was adopted as the county name when the Eastlands Realm organized itself into counting districts for the purpose of performing the First Census. Nearly all of the lands encompassing Barley were once part of the vast Bosk estate holdings, but over time much of the former Bosk lands were sold or deeded away. Its principal town is Passdale, formerly known as Dalefath. (See Map of County Barley) Bilaylin -- 1. a founder of the Bosk clan of Men, also called Bilaylin the Hammer. Along with several other Men he joined with the Elifaen to fight the Dragonkind in the Second Age. He gained a reputation for valor on the battlefield and cantankerousness everywhere else. He died at Tulith Attis during the Dragonkind siege of that place, but was survived by a son and three daughters. 2. The right name of Billy Bosk, a descendant of Bilaylin the Hammer. Billy Bosk was one of those who accompanied Robby Ribbon and his party westward in 870 of the Second Age. Bletharn -- (Bletharn Plain, or The Great Bletharn Plains) The great grassy plain that divides east from west, with Duinnor and Vanara on the north and west at the edge of the world and the other realms to its south and east. It is virtually uninhabited and has few trees and no significant surface water in the form of streams or lakes In addition, a peculiar blight lays upon this region so that any game taken from the place and eaten will make a person violently ill from an intestinal malaise that might last for days but rarely results in lasting harm.* (See Map of Forest Islindia) Bosk -- One of the Ancient Honored Houses of Men, though not a Named House. It is descended from the earliest Men that arrived on the world's shore. The family estate is located in County Barley of the Old Eastlands Realm. Its most famous member was Bilaylin the Hammer who fought and died at Tulith Attis. His descendants were granted vast land holdings not far from Tulith Attis. Boskland -- A regional name for the lands belonging to the House of Bosk. (See Map of County Barley) Broadweed -- (Gustan Broadweed) Schoolmaster in the town of Passdale, County Barley in the late Second Age.* Certina -- One of the so-called "Familiars." She accompanied Collandoth in the world during the Second Age. Certina's form was that of a small owl, no bigger than one's hand. Drago -- The ordinary class of Dragonkind. Mistakenly thought by some of the north as a separate race from the Alziekfria since the Drago and Alziekfria are different from one another in appearance and health. That is because the Drago do not regularly receive the darakal elixir and are thus more coarse in appearance and demeanor than those who rule. They suffer scales of the skin, thinning hair, and, should they suffer from the desert sickness long enough, their facial features change, most notable a thinning of the lips, thickening of the tongue, and the loss of the boney structure of the proboscis, resulting in a flat nose with narrow nostrils. As a result of the sickness, few Drago reach physical maturity, becoming increasingly weak and prone to illness, thus their mortality rate is quite high. Dragon -- Terrible, fire-spitting creatures spawned by Morgasir during the Time before Time. Most of the dragons, along with Morgasir and a host of his followers, were destroyed by Beras in a great conflict, but some escaped into the bowels of the earth and into far places. Legend has it that the dragons sired a race of slaves to serve them, and, when the dragons were destroyed, the slaves were set free, becoming the Dragonkind. Dragonkind -- Mortal inhabitants of the southern deserts, calling themselves Drakyr. Their legends tell that they were created as offspring of Morgasir's dragons, to serve as slaves. When Morgasir was destroyed, along with most of his creatures and followers, these people survived by eking out a living in the deserts, shunned and despised by the Faerekind in the fertile lands of the north. Eventually, they multiplied and built great cities, developed engineering and mathematics, writing, and other arts. Since the time of their first great king, Kalzar, the Dragonkind have warred with those of the northern lands.* Duinnor -- A northwestern realm, taking its name from the ancient name for the river that flows along its northern bounds. Among the smallest of the Realms, it is nonetheless densely populated, and, as the ruling realm of the Unknown Kings, it is the most powerful of all the realms. Its chief city is Duinnor City.* (See Map of Duinnor) Durlorn -- Resident of Janhaven, stockade foreman to Furaman the Trader. Faere -- Properly speaking, the First Ones, meaning the children of the spirit of the Earth. Those beings who came to inhabit the world in the Time Before Time and who embodied the joy and harmony of creation.* Frizella -- (Frizella Bosk) nee Starfind, wife of Garend Bosk of Boskland, in County Barley of the Eastlands during the late Second Age. Furaman -- (Seamus Furaman) A trader of the Old Eastlands Realm in the late Second Age. He owned and operated a trading post located in Janhaven and serving all of the surrounding region of towns and villages.* Glareth -- One of the Seven Realms, located in the northeastern coasts and borders the Old Eastlands Realm. Its chief city is Glareth by the Sea. Renown for its maritime trades, it is closely allied with Vanara and has strong trade ties to Duinnor. * (See Map of Glareth) Greardon -- Family of Passdale in the late Second Age that operated a flour mill. Alfred Greardon was instrumental in bringing a public school to Barley, and he later became the mayor of Passdale. He was killed in an accident that occurred at his family's mill. Griferis -- "Place of Judgment," the legendary place where future kings and queens are supposedly judged for fitness to rule. * (See Map of Vanara and Shatuum) Janhaven -- A trading town in the western parts of the Eastlands Realm in County Woodland at the foothills of the Thunder Mountains, situated along a route to Duinnor and also on the north-south trade route with Tallinvale. Its fortunes were increased when Seamus Furaman located a trading company there and steadily expanded his business operations throughout the region. In the late Second Age, when Triumvirate Redvests invaded the Eastlands and nearby County Barley, many refugees from the invaded lands fled to Janhaven. Although the Redvests made several attempts to take the town, they never succeeded against the coalition of fighters operating out of Janhaven. (See Map of the Western Eastlands) Kingsman -- A member of the King's Army of Duinnor, the best trained and most professional force in the Duinnor military.* Kundorlu -- In the Dragonkind Speech, teacher, or special mentor. The kundorlu of the upper castes were often also priests, mystics, or scholars in their own right and those of the lower castes acolytes and students of the great schools. Lakemen -- Men of Lake Halgaeth, renown for their boating skills, loyal to the Prince Danoss of Glareth, who maintains a residence at Formouth. Lakemen ply Lake Halgaeth with their sailboats and other craft and are expert in the ways of the lake. The Lakemen consider Halgaeth their own and not only do they fish in it and ferry trade upon it, but they also form themselves into military units for the lake's defense and protection. Narrows -- A narrow gap in the Thunder Mountains located on the road between Janhaven and Passdale. Passdale -- A town in County Barley of the Eastlands Realm on the banks of the Bentwide River. It was located on the site of a small settlement known as Dalefath which was destroyed in the Dragonkind Invasion of 322 S.A. (See Map of County Barley) Raenelle -- (Raenelle Bosk) Daughter of Garend and Frizella Bosk, older sister to Billy Bosk. Raenelle was captured by the Redvests during the invasion of 870 S.A. Redvests -- A name for the soldiers of the Triumvirate of Tracia due to their reddish surcoats, capes, and tunics. Robigor -- (Robigor Ribbon) Tradesman of Passdale, County Barley, in the Eastlands. Twice Mayor of Passdale, he was responsible for the rebuilding of the bridge across the Bentwide located in Passdale and for increasing trade and commerce in the region by his dealings with various traders, farmers, and merchantmen. Father of Robby the Younger, and husband to Mirabella Tallin of the House of Fairoak. Swyncraff -- A magical staff or rod that obeyed its master by remaining in any shape as long as its owner desired. It could be as hard as steel or as supple as rope.* Thurdun -- Son of Parthais, brother of Queen Serith Ellyn of the House of Fairlinden.* Tonifor -- Boskman, cousin to Billy Bosk on his father's side. Tracia -- One of the Seven Realms, located to the southeast of the world along the coasts where Men first settled. Its chief city is Forlandis. In the late Second Age, Tracia suffered a series of revolts and uprisings, culminating in the overthrow of the Ruling Prince by the so-called Triumvirate and its army of Redvests (named for the color of their uniforms).* (See Map of Tracia) Tulith Attis -- An old abandoned fortress in County Barley, of the Eastlands. It was the site of a siege and subsequent massacre during the Great Dragonkind Invasion, and events there precipitated much discord between Men and Elifaen.* (See Map of County Barley) Tulith Morgair -- A small beacon tower or keep on the west side of the Thunder Mountains. It is situated at the cliff end of a shoulder of a mountain that juts westward and overlooks a ford of the River Missenflo along the old road to Fisenwold. It was built by Danthis of Duinnor in the early Second Age as a part of a line of keeps that were to guard the trade routes to Duinnor. A battle took place below it along the banks of the Missenflo when a small loose knit army of men and Elifaen tried in vain to stop the eastward march of Dragonkind during the invasion of 322 S.A.. The keep was abandoned and soon fell into disuse and ruin. By the late years of the Second Age, it was all but forgotten. (See Map of the Thunder Mountains) Winterford -- Young man of Martin Makeig's Hill Town people. Winterford was a midshipman under Makeig aboard the Golden Swallow. He was aboard during the Battle of Grisland Strait and was with Makeig's surviving group after the loss of their ship and during their subsequent escape from Tracia. He and his fellow shipmates eventually settled in Hill Town, in the Thunder Mountains. *Many of these entries are abridged versions of those found within 
to the Year of the Red Door. Put a copy on your Shopping List today! 
Email Us:  mailto: infodesk@penflightbooks.com Or Write to: TYOTRD c/o Penflight Books P.O. Box 857 125 Avery Street Winterville, Georgia 30683-9998 U.S.A. (Be sure to include a Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope with all correspondence.) 
Copyright © 2023 by William Timothy Murray |