Reader's Reference
for
Volume 5 To Touch a Dream
Volume 5
To Touch a Dream
To Touch a Dream
Chapter 11
When All Moments May End
The Reader's Companion to the Year of the Red Door.
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Altoria -- One of the smaller realms to the south at the edge of the world where the sea begins. To its east is Masurthia, to the north is the Great Bletharn Plains, and to the west is the Hinderland (or Hinderlands), a vast area of marshlands and bogs bordered by the impenetrable Tulivana Mountains.* (See Map of Altoria) 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) Banis -- A Firstborn Elifaen of the House of Elmwood. Father to Atlana, Esildre, and Navis. His wife, Tiryna, departed with Aperion. Banis did not join with any other houses during the Time Before Time and lived throughout the Vanara region. As his children became warriors for Cupeldain, Parthais, and Serith Ellyn, Banis served in their courts in various nonmilitary capacities. He was a staunch supporter of Parthais, serving as Vanara's Minister of Justice for many years. In the latter period of Parthais's reign, Banis was removed from his position for insubordination to the throne and became something of a recluse from the Vanaran courts until Serith Ellyn became Queen. He briefly served her as a judge, but moved to Duinnor early in the Second Age, and rarely returned to Vanara thereafter.* 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) Belsalza -- During the late Second Age, King of the Dragonkind. Son of Salzadur and supposedly a descendant of Kalzar the Great. Belsalza rejected the reforms of his father, rebuilt the armed might of the Dragonlands, reunited the sundered tribes, and renewed war against the north. 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. Blain -- (Blain Farby) Father of Grantham Farby of Duinnor 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. Carbane -- Ruling Prince of Glareth, father of Prince Danoss. Carbane is of the Elifaen House of Beech. 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) Eastlands -- Also called "Eastland," "Eastlands Realm," or "the Old Eastlands Realm." The realm that lies south of Glareth and north of Tracia, extending from the coast of the world to the Thunder Mountains in the west. After the Seven Realms were established in the Second Age, it suffered many misfortunes including droughts, floods, plagues, and invasion. Its capital was at Colleton on the coast, once an important trading port. However, in spite of the rich natural resources of the lands, the inept rule of its kings prevented the Eastlands from becoming very strong. After the demise of King Inrick II, the Eastlands became a protectorate of Glareth Realm.* (See World Map) Edgewold -- An agricultural and trading town of Men located in the west near to the Plains of Bletharn on the Long Road from Altoria to Duinnor. During the late Second Age, it feuded with nearby Westlawn when that town was overtaken by Wickermen rebels. Eventually, Edgewold was garrisoned by an army from Duinnor which saw to its defense and eventually overthrew the Wickermen rebels. (See Map of Forest Islindia) Elifaen -- The Fallen Ones; those of the immortal Faerekind who refused to leave the world at the command of Aperion and who were "scathed," meaning they were stripped of their wings for their disobedience. This event is usually referred to as "the Fall," or sometimes "the First Scathing."* 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.* Farby -- A family of northwestern Duinnor, they were miners who in the middle to late Second Age made their fortune in mining iron ore, silver, and gold. * (See Map of Duinnor) Firstborn -- Those Faerekind or Elifaen who witnessed the Time Before Time. Also called the First Ones. Some of these were the embodiment of the spirits of the earth, becoming the very first of the Faere. Others were offspring of the Faere, conceived of love. Those Firstborn who lost their wings became known as the Elifaen, or Fallen Ones. 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) Grant -- (Grantham Farby, Grant Farby) Son of the Farby's of Duinnor, Blain Farby and his wife, Lady Elyna, born in the year 845 S.A. He would prove to be intelligent but somewhat peculiar, with a penchant for adventure. (See Grantham.) Grantham -- (Grantham Farby, Grant Farby) Son of the Farby's of Duinnor, Blain Farby and his wife, Lady Elyna, born in the year 845 S.A. He would prove to be intelligent but somewhat peculiar, with a penchant for adventure.* Gurasa -- A Dragonkind deemed by some to be the greatest military mind since Kalzar the Great. Having a slight and unimposing stature and bearing, Gurasa nonetheless was a meticulous planner, cunning tactician, and insightful leader who inspired his followers to great feats of courage and endurance. He was also fearless in battle, often leading the spearhead of his armies when he could have guided things from the rear. In spite of the many wounds that he received, and after loosing his hand in combat, he continued to ride ahead. A brilliant tactician and logician, he was famous for his traps, surprising battlefield maneuvers, and imaginative use of terrain to gain the upper hand against generally stronger and more numerous opponents. He was also very learned, having traveled extensively in the Northlands and all throughout the Dragonlands as a youngster. It is said that he was fluent in the dialects of the Northmen, and that he was highly knowledgeable about the histories of the North and the Dragonlands.* High Chamber -- The place where the Unknown Kings of Duinnor reside, located in the uppermost floor of the High Tower of the King's Palace in Duinnor City. Since its construction, the High Chamber has been the Unknown Kings' residence, by all accounts a modestly furnished place. There is only one door leading into the High Chamber, and the room is divided by a curtain so that any who enter cannot see to its far side. But some speculate that there are rooms beyond the curtain.* Highleaf -- A House of Men of Duinnor established in the middle Second Age. In the latter part of the Second Age, Lord Highleaf, who was made wealthy by his banking interests, purchased considerable acreage within Duinnor City, turning it into his new estate, called Wysteria Place. There, his son built the grand Starlight Hall, with its distinctive domed towers. He and his wife died of fever, and the estate was inherited by their daughters, Victoria and Elyna, who were both quite young. Collandoth, who was a friend of the family, took it upon himself to guard the girl's fortune from greedy relatives, and it was due to his work that enough of it was preserved so that the estate could be retained. * 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.* Linlally -- The ruling city of Vanara. Founded and built by Cupeldain, it was enhanced by the carvings and statues of Alonair. It was originally the name only for the palace that Cupeldain built atop the Falls of Tiandari, but later became the name for the larger city that grew up around and below the palace along the banks of the Iridelin River. Since it is a place of governance, and the oldest city of the Elifaen, it is an important city to all of the Realms. In the latter Second Age, Duinnor commonly stationed armies there, ostensibly for defense purposes since Linlally is the closest major city to the Dragonlands. (See Map of Vanara and Shatuum) Masurthia -- One of the Seven Realms. It is on the southern coast of the world between Altoria and Tracia. Masurthia was formed of territories that came under the rule of the Kingdom of Solsorna during the First Age.* (See Map of Masurthia) Mirse -- A region in Vanara along the eastern end of the Blue Mountains where it meets the Tulivana Mountains, often called The Mirse. It is a broad valley bordered on the east by a bend in the River Iridelin. On its southwestern side are few natural barriers into the Dragonlands and thus has been overrun many times by incursions by the Dragonkind and is considered one of the strategic gateways into the Northlands.* (See Map of the Dragonlands) Navis -- One of the Firstborn of the House of Elmwood, son of Banis, who with his siblings, Atlana and Esildre, was born during the Time Before Time. As did his siblings, Navis refused to go with Aperion and was Scathed of his wings. Navis was a renown warrior and had many adventures. He fought many battles under Silmain, Cupeldain, and Parthais. When a great monster, Jatarak the Ogre, appeared in the region of Altoria during the First Age, Navis pursued him into the Crevasse of Fire and slew him. In the Second Age, Navis singly fought and slew an entire legion of Dragonkind at the Battle of Saerdulin. He and his sister Esildre later became students of Raynor the Wise. After Esildre went to Shatuum, Navis traveled there seeking to free her, but he never returned. Osterflo -- The long river that flows from northern Duinnor eastward to empty into Salfin Bay at Glareth by the Sea. It was originally called the "duin nord," or north river, and is the basis for Duinnor's name. The name Osterflo, however, was the old Glarethian name of the river and came into standard use by the middle of the First Age.* (See World Map) Redvests -- A name for the soldiers of the Triumvirate of Tracia due to their reddish surcoats, capes, and tunics. 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. Serith Ellyn -- Firstborn Elifaen, Queen of Vanara, daughter of Parthais of the House of Fairlinden. Serith means "most high." The beginning of the Second Age is marked at the start of her reign. She and her brother Thurdun were exiled by King Parthais, and they were later the targets of his agents whose orders were to hunt them down and kill them both. Parthais was no less cruel to his own people who pleaded for deliverance from his tyranny. Serith Ellyn secretly raised an army and managed to position it well within Vanara without being detected. In a bold and swift night attack, she led her army into Linlally and stormed the White Palace where she slew her father.* Shevalia -- Firstborn Elifaen, daughter of Desira, father unknown. Wife of Bychanter, mother of Faeanna. Shevalia became a good friend of Loura (Cupledain's wife) and Lady Lyrium. Shevalia and Bychanter were murdered along with Cupeldain, Loura, and many others who were traveling with Cupeldain through lands near to those of the House of Hemlock. Some say that Shevalia's spirit, along with the spirits of the others, haunt a small lake near the town of Lochton, the site of the murders.* 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) Teracue -- (Artais Teracue) General of the Kingsman Fourth Army in the late Second Age.* 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) Triumvirate -- Also known as the Redvest Triumvirate for the reddish uniforms, surcoats, tunics, and banners of its soldiers. The Redvest Triumvirate is a trio of rulers that took power in Tracia in 853 S.A. during the civil war that drove out the Tracian Ruling Prince Lewtrah and his brother Prince Lantos after years of unrest.* 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) Tulivana -- (The Tulivanas) A virtually impenetrable mountain range running north and south from Vanara to the sea and to the west of Altoria. To the south, it rises up from the sea to the west of the Hinderlands. In the north, they bend westward into the Blue Mountains and the Megrinor Mountains. Along its eastern feet runs the Iridelin River, from Vanara to Altoria, feeding the Hinderland marshes before emptying into the Craggy Sea. To the west of the Tulivana range are the deserts of the Dragonkind. From north to south, its slopes are sharp and rugged with frequent earthquakes and avalanches and a few volcanoes. With its narrow and easily defended passes, the Tulivana Mountains make a natural strategic barrier against Dragonkind incursions. There have been only a few times in history when the Dragonkind managed to break through in large numbers, including the Great Invasion that took place in the early Second Age. (See Map of the Dragonlands) Vanara -- One of the Seven Realms and the most ancient of all, believed to be among the first places where the Faerekind of the world lived. It was in Vanara that the Faerekind built their first cities, before the Fall. It lies to the south of Duinnor and just north of the Dragonlands, separated by a rugged range of mountains from the deserts.* (See Map of Vanara and Shatuum) *Many of these entries are abridged versions of those found within 
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