Reader's Reference
for
Volume 5 To Touch a Dream
Volume 5
To Touch a Dream
To Touch a Dream
Chapter 3
The Scathing
The Reader's Companion to the Year of the Red Door.
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Almedian -- A small walled town of the northeastern Dragonlands, and home to Soltani Gurasa of the House of Golden Sand a famous Dragonkind general.* (See Map of the Dragonlands) 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) Ayreltide -- A winged horse in the service of Lady Islindia, Queen of the Wood. He exists as such only during the day and night period when Islindia brings forth her memories into actuality. Craggy Sea -- The stretch of sea to the south of the Dragonlands and Altoria. It is a region filled with reefs, shallows, and jagged rocks that jut up from the surface. The combination of these obstacles with powerful currents, frequent fog, strong tides, and violent storms make navigation through this sea nearly impossible. Since wood is scarce throughout the Dragonlands, the people of that region rarely venture far from the few safe bays along their coast. It therefore serves as a natural barrier protecting Altoria from any large-scale sea-based invasions from the west. (See World Map) 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) 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."* Fairoak -- One of the Named Houses of the Elifaen. When their Vanaran lands were lost to war and economic distress, Kahryna Fairoak married Danig Saheed Tallin, making the Joined House of Tallin and Fairoak. 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) Kajarahn -- Also called the "Free City," located in the northwestern deserts of the Dragonlands, known in former times as Alaberbra.* (See Map of the Dragonlands) 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) 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) 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) 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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