“How do they feel about dwarves?”
“I don’t think you’ll have a problem. They’re the kind of people who tend to like everyone.”
“I could do with getting back to stonecutting.” Magnus nodded.
“Myron will drive him crazy with his quest to get the monastery exactly the way it was,” Hadrian said. “They’ve gone through five builders so far.”
“I know,” Royce replied with a little grin.
Royce climbed back on top of Mouse as Magnus went ahead to check on Mauvin.
Hadrian shook out his shirt before slipping his arm in the sleeve. “Arista told me you two were with Esrahaddon in the tower last night. She said he needed help with something, but wouldn’t tell me what it was.”
“He was using the tower to look for the Heir of Novron,” Royce replied.
“Did he find him?”
“I think so, but you know how Esra is. It’s hard to be sure of anything when dealing with him.” Hadrian nodded and winced as he pulled the shirt over his shoulders.
“Having troubles?”
“You try getting dressed with broken ribs sometime. It isn’t so easy.”
Royce continued to look at him.
“What is it? Am I that entertaining?” Hadrian asked.
“It’s just that you’ve worn that silver medallion ever since I’ve known you, but you never told me where you got it.”
“Hmm? This?” Hadrian said. “I’ve had this forever. My father left it to me.”
GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND NAMES
ADDIE WOOD: Mother of Thrace, wife of Theron
ALBERT WINSLOW, VISCOUNT: Landless nobleman used by Riyria to arrange assignments from the gentry
ALBURN: Kingdom of Avryn ruled by King Armand and Queen Adeline
ALENDA LANAKLIN, LADY: Daughter of Marquis Victor Lanaklin and sister of Brother Myron of the Winds Abbey
ALLIE: Daughter of Wyatt Deminthal
ALRIC BRENDON ESSENDON, PRINCE: Member of ruling family of Melengar, son of Amrath, brother of Arista
ALVERSTONE: al-ver-stone Royce’s dagger
AMBROSE MOOR: Administrator of the Manzant Prison and Salt Works
AMRATH ESSENDON, KING: am-wrath Ruler of Melengar, father of Alric and Arista
AMRIL, COUNTESS: am-rill Noblewoman that Arista cursed with boils
ANTUN BULARD: Historian and author of The History of Apeladorn
APELADORN: ah-pell-ah-dorn Four nations of man, consisting of Trent, Avryn, Delgos, and Calis
AQUESTA: ah-quest-ah Capital city of the kingdom of Warric
ARCADIUS VINTARUS LATIMER: Professor of lore at Sheridan University
ARCHIBALD BALLENTYNE: Earl of Chadwick
ARISTA ESSENDON, PRINCESS: Member of ruling family of Melengar, daughter of Amrath, sister of Alric
ARMAND, KING: Ruler of Alburn, married to Adeline
ART, THE: Magic, generally feared by nobles and commoners due to superstition
ARVID MCDERN: Son of Dillon McDern of Dahlgren
AVEMPARTHA: Ancient elven tower
AVRYN: ave-rin Central and most powerful of the four nations of Apeladorn, located between Trent and Delgos
BALLENTYNE: bal-in-tine Ruling family of the earldom of Chadwick
BA RAN GHAZEL: Goblins of the sea
BELINDA PICKERING: Extremely attractive wife of Count Pickering, mother of Lenare, Mauvin, Fanen, and Denek
BELSTRADS: bell-straads Family of knights from Chadwick, including Sir Breckton and Wesley
BERNICE: Handmaid of Princess Arista
BERNUM RIVER: Waterway that bisects the city of Colnora
BETHAMY, KING: Ruler reputed to have had his horse buried with him
BLACK DIAMOND, THE: International thieves’ guild centered in Colnora
BLACKWATER: Last name of Hadrian and his father, Danbury
BLYTHIN CASTLE: Castle in Alburn
BOTHWICKS: Family of peasant farmers of Dahlgren
BRECKTON BELSTRAD, SIR: Son of Lord Belstrad, knight of Chadwick, considered by many to be the best knight of Avryn
BRODRIC ESSENDON: Founder of the Essendon dynasty
BUCKET MEN: Term for assassin used by the Black Diamond thieves’ guild
BYRNIE: Long (usually sleeveless) tunic of chain mail formerly worn as defensive armor
CALIAN: cal-lay-in Pertaining to the nation of Calis
CALIANS: Residents of the nation of Calis, darker in skin tone, with almond-shaped eyes
CALIS: cal-lay Southern-and easternmost of the four nations of Apeladorn, considered exotic, in constant conflict with the Ba Ran Ghazel
CASWELL: Family of peasant farmers from Dahlgren
CENZARS: sen-zhars Wizards of the ancient Novronian Empire
CHAMBERLAIN: Someone who manages the household of a king or nobleman
COLNORA: call-nor-ah Largest and wealthiest city of Avryn, merchant-based, grew from a rest stop at a central crossroads from various major trade routes
COSMOS DELUR: Colnora’s richest resident
CRIMSON HAND: Thieves’ guild operating out of Melengar
CROWN TOWER: Home of the Patriarch, center of the Nyphron Church
CUTTER: Assassin of the Black Diamond, best friend of Royce, boyfriend of Jade
DAGASTAN: Major and easternmost trade port of Calis
DAHLGREN: dall-grin Remote village on the bank of the Nidwalden River
DANBURY BLACKWATER: Father of Hadrian
DANTHEN: Woodsman from Dahlgren
DAREF, LORD: Nobleman of Warric, associate of Albert Winslow
DARIUS SERET: Founder of the Seret Knights
DAVENS, SQUIRE: Boy who Arista had a youthful crush on
DEGAN GAUNT: Leader of the Nationalists
DELANO DEWITT, BARON: Nobleman who hires Hadrian to steal Count Pickering’s sword
DELGOS: One of the four nations of Apeladorn. The only republic in a world of monarchies, Delgos revolted against the Steward’s Empire after Glenmorgan III was murdered and after surviving an attack by the Ba Ran Ghazel with no aid from the empire.
DELORKAN, DUKE: Calian nobleman
DELUR: Family of wealthy merchants
DENEK PICKERING: Youngest son of Count Pickering
DILLON MCDERN: Dahlgren’s blacksmith
DIOYLION: die-e-leon The Accumulated Letters of Dioylion, a very rare scroll
DIXON TAFT: Bartender and manager of The Rose and Thorn Tavern
DROME: God of the dwarves
DRONDIL FIELDS: Count Pickering’s castle, once the fortress of Brodric Essendon, the original seat of power in Melengar
DRUMINDOR: Dwarven-built fortress located at the entrance to Terlando Bay in Tur Del Fur
DRUNDEL: Peasant family from Dahlgren consisting of Mae, Went, Davie, and Firth
DUSTER: Moniker used by Royce while a member of the Black Diamond
ECTON, SIR: Chief knight of Count Pickering and military general of Melengar
EDMUND HALL: Professor of geometry at Sheridan University, reputed to have found Percepliquis, declared a heretic by the Nyphron Church, imprisoned in the Crown Tower
ELAN: The world
ELDEN: Large man, friend of Wyatt Deminthal
ELLA: Cook at Drondil Fields
ELVEN: Pertaining to elves
ENDEN, SIR: Knight of Chadwick, considered the second best to Breckton
EREBUS: Father of the gods, also known as Kile
ERIVAN: ear-ah-van Elven empire
ERLIC, SIR: Knight competing in Dahlgren contest
ESRAHADDON: ez-rah-hod-in Wizard, onetime member of the ancient order of the Cenzar, convicted of destroying the Novronian Empire and sentenced to imprisonment
ESSENDON: ez-in-don
Royal family of Melengar
ESSENDON CASTLE: Home of ruling monarchs of Melengar
ESTRAMNADON: es-tram-nah-don Believed to be the capital or at least a very sacred place in the Erivan Empire
ESTRENDOR: es-tren-door Northern wastes
ETCHER: Member of the Black Diamond thieves’ guild
FALINA BROCKTON: Real name of Emerald, waitress at The Rose and Thorn Tavern
FANEN PICKERING: fan-in Middle son of Count Pickering
FAULD, THE ORDER OF: fall-ed Post-imperial order of knights dedicated to preserving the skill and discipline of the Teshlor Knights
FENITILIAN, BROTHER: Monk of Maribor, made warm shoes
FERROL: God of the elves
FINILESS: Noted author
FLETCHER: Maker of arrows
GALEANNON: gale-e-an-on Kingdom of Avryn, ruled by Fredrick and Josephine
GALENTI: ga-lehn’-tay Calian term
GALEWYR RIVER: gale-wahar Marks the southern border of Melengar and the northern border of Warric and reaches the sea near the fishing village of Roe
GALIEN, ARCHBISHOP: gal-e-in High-ranking member of the Nyphron Church
GALILIN: gal-ah-lin Province of Melengar ruled by Count Pickering
GEMKEY: Gem that opens a gemlock
GEMLOCK: Dwarven invention that seals a container and can only be opened with a precious gem of the right type and cut
GENTRY SQUARE: Affluent district of Melengar
GHAZEL: gehz-ell Ba Ran Ghazel, dwarven name for goblins, literally: Sea goblins
GHENT: Ecclesiastical holding of the Nyphron Church
GILARABRYWN: gill-lar-ah-bren Elven beast of war
GINLIN, BROTHER: gin-lin Monk of Maribor, winemaker, refuses to touch a knife
GLAMRENDOR: glam-ren-door Capital of Dunmore
GLENMORGAN: 326 years after the fall of the Novronian Empire, this native of Ghent reunited the four nations of Apeladorn; founder of Sheridan University; creator of the great north-south road; builder of the Ervanon palace (of which only the Crown Tower remains)
GLENMORGAN II: Son of Glenmorgan. When his father died young, the new and inexperienced emperor relied on church officials to assist him in managing his empire. They in turn took the opportunity to manipulate the emperor into granting sweeping powers to the church and nobles loyal to the church. These leaders opposed defending Delgos against the invading Ba Ran Ghazel in Calis and the Dacca in Delgos, arguing the threat would increase dependency on the empire.
GLENMORGAN III: Grandson of Glenmorgan. Shortly after assuming the stewardship, he attempted to reassert control over the realm his grandfather had created by leading an army against the invading Ghazel that had reached southeastern Avryn. He defeated the Ghazel at the First Battle of Vilan Hills and announced plans to ride to the aid of Tur Del Fur. Fearing his rise in power, in the sixth year of his reign, his nobles betrayed and imprisoned him in Blythin Castle. Jealous of his popularity and growing strength, and resentful of his policy of stripping the nobles and clergy of their power, the church charged him with heresy. He was found guilty and executed. This began the rapid collapse of what many called the Steward’s Empire. The church later claimed the nobles had tricked them, and condemned many, most of whom reputedly ended their lives badly.
GLOUSTON: Province of northern Warric bordering on the Galewyr River, ruled by the marquis Lanaklin
GREAT SWORD: Long sword designed to be held with both hands
GRIGOLES: gry-holes Author of Grigoles Treatise on Imperial Common Law
GUARDIAN OF THE HEIR: Teshlor Knight sworn to protect the Heir of Novron
GUTARIA: goo-tar-ah Secret Nyphron prison designed to hold Esrahaddon
GWEN DELANCY: Calian prostitute and proprietor of Medford House and The Rose and Thorn Tavern
HADRIAN BLACKWATER: Mercenary, one-half of Riyria
HALBERD: Two-handed pole used as a weapon
HEIR OF NOVRON: Direct descendant of demigod Novron, destined to rule all of Avryn
HELDABERRY: Wild-growing fruit often used to make wine
HESLON, BROTHER: Monk of Maribor, great cook
HILFRED: Bodyguard of Princess Arista
HIMBOLT, BARON: Nobleman of Melengar
HOUSE, THE: Nickname used for Medford House
HOYTE: Onetime First Officer of the Black Diamond
IMPERIALISTS: Political party that desires to unite all the kingdoms of men under a single leader who is the direct descendant of the demigod Novron
JADE: Assassin in the Black Diamond, girlfriend of Cutter, friend of Royce
JERISH GRELAD: Teshlor Knight and first Guardian of the Heir
JERL, LORD: Neighbor of the Pickerings known for his prizewinning hunting dogs
JULIAN TEMPEST: Chamberlain of Melengar
KILE: Master sword smith, named used by Erebus when in the form of a man
KRINDEL: Prelate of the Nyphron Church and historian
KRIS DAGGER: Weapon with a wavy blade, sometimes used in magic rituals
LANAKLIN: Ruling family of Glouston
LANIS ETHELRED: eth-el-red King of Warric, Imperialist
LANKSTEER: Capital city of the Lordium kingdom of Trent
LENA BOTHWICK: Wife of Russell, farmer in Dahlgren
LENARE PICKERING: Daughter of Count Pickering and Belinda, sister of Mauvin, Fanen, and Denek
LINGARD: Capital city of Relison, kingdom of Trent
LONGWOOD: Forest in Melengar
LOTHOMAD, KING: Lothomad the Bald, ruler of Lordium, Trent, expanded territory dramatically following the collapse of the Steward’s Reign, pushing south through Ghent into Melengar, where Brodric Essendon defeated him in the Battle of Drondil Fields in 2545
LOWER QUARTER: Impoverished section of the city of Medford
LUIS GUY: Sentinel of the Nyphron Church
MAGNUS: Dwarf
MANDALIN: man-dah-lynn Capital of Calis
MANZANT: man-zahnt Infamous prison and salt mine located in Manzar, Maranon
MARANON: mar-ah-non Kingdom in Avryn, ruled by Vincent and Regina
MARES CATHEDRAL: Center of the Nyphron Church in Melengar, run by Bishop Saldur
MARIBOR: mar-eh-bore God of men
MASON GRUMON: grum-on Blacksmith in Medford
MAURICE SALDUR, BISHOP: Head of Nyphron Church in Melengar, friend of the Essendon ruling family
MAUVIN PICKERING: maw-vin Eldest of Count Pickering’s sons
MCDERN: Peasant family living in Dahlgren
MEDFORD: Capital of Melengar
MEDFORD HOUSE: Brothel run by Gwen DeLancy and attached to The Rose and Thorn Tavern
MELENGAR: mel-in-gar Kingdom in Avryn, ruled by the Essendon royal family
MELENGARIANS: Residents of Melengar
MELISSA: Head servant of Princess Arista, nickname Missy
MERCS: Mercenaries
MERLONS: Solid section between two crenels in a crenellated battlement
MERTON, MONSIGNOR: Eccentric priest from Ghent, known to talk aloud to Maribor
MILLIE: Hadrian’s horse
MIR: Person with both elven and human blood
MONTEMORCEY: mont-eh-more-ah-sea Excellent wine imported through the Vandom Spice Company
MOTTE: Man-made hill
MOUSE: Royce’s horse
MURIEL: Goddess of nature, daughter of Erebus, mother of Uberlin
MYRON: Monk of Maribor, son of Victor, brother of Alenda
NAREION: nare-e-on Last emperor of the Novronian Empire
NATIONALISTS: Political party led by Degan Gaunt that desires rule by the will of the people
NEVRIK: nehv-rick Son of Nareion, the heir who went into hiding
NIDWALDEN RIVER: Marks the eastern border of Avryn and the start of the Erivan realm
NOVRON: Savior of mankind, son of the god Maribor, demigod who defeated the elven army in the Great Elven Wars, founder of the Novronian Empire, builder of Percepliquis