Reader's Reference
for
Volume 4
The Dreamwalker
The Dreamwalker
Chapter 18
Swyncraff's New Master
The Reader's Companion to the Year of the Red Door.
Reader's Reference Start Page | Maps |
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Anerath -- A spirited horse belonging to Ullin Saheed Tallin. The name comes from the Ancient Speech, and means "water prancer." Anerath was a gift to Ullin Saheed from the Thrubolds, renown horsemen and breeders of Duinnor, in gratitude for his having saved their son's life at the Battle of Garmitor. 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) 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) Beras -- The personification of the Creator; sometimes called Intent. He is worshipped by Elifaen, Men, and the Dragonkind, all having separate views of Beras. Beras is also referred to as the personification of the Creator's Intent, seeing to the balance of the world. It was Beras who commanded the earth to be formed and for life to emerge upon it. And it is Beras who is regarded as the father of the Faerekind. The Dragonkind peoples also worship Beras who is, in their religions, the force behind their liberation from the ancient dragons who enslaved them. Men worship Beras as their savior, who directed their departure from their Lost World and guided their epic passage across the boundless sea to the shores of the Found World. 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) Greenfar -- An isolated town on the outskirts of Forest Islindia, shielded from the world and under the protection of the King of the Wood (Islindia's father). (See Map of Forest Islindia) 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) Islindia -- Also known as the Lady of the Wood, Queen of the Wood, and the Princess of Sorrows. Islindia was Princess of Halethiris during the Age of Strife and the early First Age. Through an enchantment intended by her father, King Ilex, to restore Halethiris to the glory of the Time Before Time, Islindia was inadvertently given the power to bring about the past for one day each month. This ability brought her to Secundur's attention, who became infatuated by her beauty. Secundur captured Islindia and tried to force her to become his concubine, but she resisted. In an effort to punish her, he murdered her lover which served to make her even more resolute in her refusals. Still, Secundur continued to entreat her to be his, but she despised him and rebuffed him. She was rescued by her kin, but Secundur destroyed Halethiris with a withering blight. Only she, her father, King Ilex, and her uncle, Solstice, survived the blight Secundur put upon the forest. It is said that Islindia and her father were cursed to remain in the ruins of that place until the world was remade, at which time their spirits could be free.* (See Map of Forest Islindia) Kingsman -- A member of the King's Army of Duinnor, the best trained and most professional force in the Duinnor military.* Nasakeeria -- A forbidden land surrounded by the bones of those who attempt to enter therein, for whoever does so falls victim to a mysterious and powerful gush of flame that rapidly springs forth from the ground and consumes the interloper's flesh so quickly that his bones are thrown outward and back across the border.* (See Map of Nasakeeria and Middlemount) Nowhere -- The land of the Nowhereans, a diminutive people sometimes called Pixies in a derogatory manner. It was located in the western Thunder Mountains. (See Map of the Thunder Mountains) 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) Saheed -- A given name among Men, particularly of the Tallin and Markal lineages. Seafar -- A House of Men who originally settled in the northern coastal regions of Tracia but later settled mostly around the Bransondale region. They eventually resettled in Vanara and rose to great prominence as the most powerful House of Men in that Realm.* Secundur -- One of the Firstborn. He was believed to be a follower of Morgasir but escaped the destruction that befell his teacher. Known as the Lord of Shadow because he shuns light. Ever the provocateur of discord among people, he is held responsible for many of the world's woes, including the perpetual strife between the Dragonkind and the peoples of the northern lands. It is said that he provoked Kalzar to attack the north, and later provoked Cupeldain to retaliate. He also frequented Vanara, and spoke lies and rumors to Ormace and others when Cupeldain sought to have the Forty-Nine gathered. Later, King Parthais granted to Secundur a remote region northwest of Vanara later known as Shatuum, those mysterious forbidden lands bordered northwest Vanara and southwest Duinnor territories. There, Secundur slowly gathered his might, breeding foul creatures and hatching dark plots against other lands. Shatuum -- A forbidden land on the borders of Vanara and Duinnor along the western edge of the world ruled by Secundur. (See Map of Vanara and Shatuum) 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.* Tallin -- Surname of Men whose lineage goes back to the first Men who came ashore in the world. They eventually became the powerful Named House of Tallin, and under Lord Danig Tallin. It was also due in great part to his efforts that the people of Tallinvale and Tallin City became prosperous and secure.* Tallinvale -- A small but fertile valley along the eastern foothills of the Thunder Mountains in southwestern Eastlands. It is situated just north of territory in dispute, claimed both by Tracia and by the Eastlands. Tallin City, the ancient home of the family that gives its name to the region, is a prosperous and thriving center of agriculture and commerce, due chiefly to the guardianship of Lord Danig Tallin. Tallin City and Tallinvale are often used interchangeably. (See Map of the Western Eastlands) 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) *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 |