Reader's Reference
for
Volume 5
To Touch a Dream
To Touch a Dream
Chapter 37
The New River and the New Sea
The Reader's Companion to the Year of the Red Door.
Reader's Reference Start Page | Maps |
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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) Alonair -- One of the Firstborn of the Faerekind, a maker of fabulous statues and carvings of stone. It was Alonair who set before the Dragonkind the challenge of the Great Stone that preceded the first great conflict between Faerekind and Dragonkind and eventually led to The Fall and the Departing of Aperion's Host.* 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. Aremon -- A Nasakeerian hunter of the late Second Age. 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) 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.* 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. Great Stone -- A square block of marble some 120 feet in height, width, and length. It was quarried some time during the Time Before Time by Dragonkind King Kalzar. The Great Stone precipitated events that led to the Fall of the Faere.* (See Map of the Dragonlands) 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) 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.* 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. * 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) Nightar -- A prince of Nasakeeria. Saheed -- A given name among Men, particularly of the Tallin and Markal lineages. Seleesa -- Maiden of Nasakeeria, said to have been a witch or sorceress. 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.* Sir Sun -- A name sometimes given to the sun. In legend, Sir Sun was husband of Lady Moon.* 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.* 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 ![]() 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 |