Lore of the Letharn Read online

  When Erlissa was strong enough she sent word across the land for healers to come to Lòrenta. Lòhrens took her messages, and traders who brought food and other supplies. In the meantime, she translated the book of healing that they had retrieved from the tower of Narvil, into the Camar tongue. In time, she intended to have it translated into all the other languages of Alithoras, even Azan. The work was slow and arduous, but she seemed to enjoy it.

  He found her one day, vexed by a difficult passage, and she seemed ready for a break.

  “It looks like hard work,” he said.

  She put down her quill.

  “It’s harder than I thought it would be. The translation itself is difficult, and Aranloth has to help me when I get stuck. But copying the plant drawings so accurately that they can’t be confused with anything else is the worst. They have to be perfect. Too much rests on getting the right herb.”

  He looked over at her work, awed by the detailed drawings in the Halathrin book, but surprised at how accurately she rendered them in her own.

  “They’re works of art,” he said. “I can barely draw a straight line.”

  She smiled. “Maybe. But your Raithlin skills are their own kind of art.”

  He nodded. “At least that’s one thing that I’m good at.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Yes. One thing you’re not good at, though, is keeping promises.”

  Lanrik knew what she meant, but he was not going to admit it so easily.

  “What do you mean?”

  Her eyes narrowed further, and he realized he had made a mistake.

  “I mean that you promised me the last time we were in the Angle that you would never enter the tombs. It was a promise, and you broke it.” She shuddered. “I never told you exactly what I saw in my vision, but you had to know I made you promise for a reason. You must have guessed that I saw your death.”

  Lanrik held up his hands. “What was I to do? I couldn’t let you die. You needed the herenfrak. So I helped get it. And just as well. Had Aranloth attempted it on his own, he might have died.”

  Erlissa clenched her hands into fists, but she spoke calmly.

  “I saw his death too, although that was less clear in my vision. I can’t make him promise me anything. But you, at least, I thought you, would do as I asked.”

  He had no answer for that. He would keep any promise that he made to her, except one that would see him safe and let her die. But she knew that, and there was no point getting into an argument over it.

  “And what of Caldring?” he asked.

  “Him, I did not see. It proves that visions need not come true.” She gave him a cool look. “But it came close enough.”

  Lanrik changed the subject.

  “Caldring is quite a find. He excels at the Raithlin skills. He’s better than I was at his age.”

  Erlissa narrowed her eyes further and added a frown. He knew that she understood that this was an attempt to change the subject, and she let it go after a long sigh.

  Some days later on a morning when the wind blew cold and chill, and the inhabitants of the castle sought refuge in the kitchen and in the common rooms where fires burned red in the hearths, Aranloth saw him in a hallway.

  “A moment,” the lòhren said. “I need to talk to you.”

  Lanrik fell in beside him and Aranloth led him out to the courtyard. The wind did not blow here, but it was icy cold despite the bright sunlight. Autumn was approaching, and the long days of winter would follow fast.

  They sat down on a bench, the very same on which Erlissa had been encased in ùhrengai.

  Aranloth absently ran his hand along his oaken staff. It was clear that much was on his mind, and Lanrik was happy to wait for him to order his thoughts.

  “It’s peaceful here,” the lòhren said unexpectedly.

  Lanrik glanced at the fountain. “It’s always peaceful here.”

  “It’s not like that in other places.”

  That got Lanrik’s attention. “Have you heard word of Ebona or Esgallien?”

  “Yes. A wandering lòhren returned this morning. He passed through Esgallien on his way here.”

  “What’s happening there?”

  “The power of the witch is reduced. But lòhrens are not welcome. Not in Esgallien, or its surrounds. There’s great unrest. Murhain still rules, and Ebona now openly advises him. The people mutter that she rules their land now. They don’t like it, but those who voice their anger have a way of disappearing.”

  “Was there any word of the Lindrath?”

  “Of him the lòhren specifically asked. No one knew where he was. Some supposed that he had left the city.”

  Lanrik thought about it.

  “I don’t think so,” he said. “Esgallien is his home. He would do all he could to protect it, and that means staying there.”

  “I hope he hasn’t done too much,” Aranloth said.

  “So do I. Ebona and Murhain would deal with him harshly. But he’s cunning. I don’t think he’d be caught unguarded.”

  “No,” Aranloth said. “But I think we’ll soon have to find out exactly what’s going on there. Or you and Erlissa will, at least.”

  “What about you?”

  “I have other tasks. First among them to travel to the Graèglin Dennath. You’re fulfilling your promise to Carnona every day that you teach the Raithlin to love the land. And Erlissa has kept her own promise, though it nearly killed her. It’s time for me to plant the seeds the Guardian gave me.”

  “Will that be safe?”

  Aranloth shrugged. “Nowhere is safe these days. But I’ll be as safe as you and Erlissa in Esgallien. I can help you with a disguise of sorts, but you must not get caught.”

  Something that Aranloth said disturbed him. It took him a moment to realize what it was, and then he had it. The lòhren had tasks, but he only named one of them. There was something else going on.

  As for him, he knew that Esgallien was a place that he could not take the shazrahad sword. He would be vulnerable without it. He must hide from his enemies and not fight them, at least not for the moment. But the thought of going there without Aranloth was a worry. He had grown accustomed to the lòhren. Together, they had achieved much. By himself, without the sword, he felt at greater risk.

  The lack of news about the Lindrath was the thing that disturbed him most, though. His old mentor was in danger, that much was obvious, but he was sure that he had not fled the city.

  Thus ends Lore of the Letharn. The story continues in…

  COURAGE OF THE CONQUERED

  Book three of the Raithlindrath series

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  Encyclopedic Glossary

  Many races dwell in Alithoras. All have their own language, and though sometimes related to one another, the changes sparked by migration, isolation and various influences often render these tongues unintelligible to each other.

  The ascendancy of Halathrin culture, combined with their widespread efforts to secure and maintain allies against elug incursions, has made their language the primary means of communication between diverse peoples.

  For instance, a soldier of Esgallien addressing a ship’s captain from Camarelon would speak Halathrin, or a simplified version of it, even though their native speeches stem from the same ancestral language.

  This glossary contains a range of names and terms. Many are of Halathrin origin, and their meaning is provided. The remainder derive from native tongues and are obscure, so meanings are only given intermittently.

  Some variation exists within the Halathrin language, chiefly between the regions of Halathar and Alonin. The most obvio
us example is the latter’s preference for a “dh” spelling instead of “th”.

  Often, Camar names and Halathrin elements are combined. This is especially so for the aristocracy. No other tribes had such long-term friendship with the Halathrin, and though in this relationship they lost some of their natural culture, they gained nobility and knowledge in return.

  List of abbreviations:

  Azn. Azan

  Cam. Camar

  Chg. Cheng

  Comb. Combined

  Cor. Corrupted form

  Duth. Duthenor

  Esg. Esgallien

  Hal. Halathrin

  Leth. Letharn

  Prn. Pronounced

  Alar: Azn. A strain of horses raised in the southern deserts of Alithoras. Bred for endurance, but capable of bursts of speed. Most valued possession of the Azan people, who measure wealth and status by their number. In their culture, where a person on foot is likely to die between water sources, horse-theft is punished by torture and death.

  Alithoras: Hal. “Silver land.” The Halathrin name for the continent they settled after the exodus. Refers to the extensive river and lake systems they found and their appreciation of the beauty of the land.

  Alonthùril: Hal. “White wolf.” See Arliss.

  Anast Dennath: Hal. “Stone mountains.” Mountain range in northern Alithoras. Contiguous with Auren Dennath and location of the Dweorhrealm.

  Angle: The land hemmed in by the Carist Nien and Erenian rivers, especially the area in proximity to their divergence. Once the homeland of the Letharn people. Their empire is gone, but the tombs of their dead remain.

  Aranloth: Hal. “Noble might.” A lòhren.

  Arliss: A young woman from Cardoroth City. Recruited into Lanrik’s new band of Raithlin. Called Alonthùril in the knife-fighting competitions that she entered.

  Arn: See Letharn.

  Assurah: Azn. A renowned sword-smith of ancient Azanbulzibar, capital city of the Azan people. He was also adept at elùgai, and his work was sought by the rich and powerful of many nations.

  Auren Dennath: Comb. Duth. and Hal. Prn. Our-ren dennath. “Blue mountains.” Mountain range in northern Alithoras. Contiguous with Anast Dennath. Home of the Duthenor, a tribe of people related to the Camar.

  Azan: Azn. Desert dwelling people. Their nobility often serve as leaders of elug armies. They are a prideful race, often haughty and domineering, but they also adhere to a strict code of honor.

  Brinhain: Comb. Esg & Hal. First element unknown, second “hero.” A captain in Esgallien’s Royal Guard.

  Burik: Head-priest of the Letharn.

  Caladhrist: Hal. Prn. Kal-ath-rist. “Gold gorge.” A valley north of Esgallien. Rich in gold and the source of much of the city’s wealth subsequent to the depletion of closer alluvial deposits. Many others mined the valley through the history of Alithoras, including the Letharn. A dangerous place and believed by many to be haunted.

  Caldring: A youth who lives by the shore of the Carist Nien. The people of his village, and the other villages scattered along the bank of the river, are descendants of the Letharn race. They have long since lost any memory of their origin. It was Aranloth who saved their ancestors when their empire fell into ruin, and he is a friend to them still.

  Camar: Cam. Prn. Kay-mar. A race of interrelated tribes that migrated in two main stages. The first brought them to the vicinity of Halathar; in the second, they separated and establish cities along a broad sweep of eastern Alithoras.

  Camarelon: Cam. Prn. Kam-arelon. A port city and capital of a Camar tribe. It was founded after Esgallien as the waves of migrating people settled the more southerly lands first. Each new migration tended northward. It is perhaps the most representative of a traditional Camar realm, while Esgallien is the most influenced by Halathrin culture.

  Cardoroth: Cor. Hal. Comb. Cam. A Camar city, often called Red Cardoroth. Some say this alludes to the red granite commonly used in the construction of its buildings, others that it refers to a prophecy of destruction.

  Carethgar: Hal. “Great man-beast.” A shortening of carethlingar. These are creatures of swamps and thick timber. They are shy of men and rarely seen, though tracks and fleeting glimpses keep their legend alive.

  Careth Nien: Hal. Prn. Kareth nyen. “Great River.” Largest river in Alithoras. Has its source in the mountains of Anast Dennath and runs southeast across the land before emptying into the sea. It was over this river (which sometimes freezes along its northern length) that the Camar, Duthenor and other tribes migrated into the eastern lands.

  Careth Tar: Cor. Hal. “Careth Tar(an) – Great Father.” Title of respect for the leader of the lòhrens.

  Carist Nien: Hal. “Ice River.” A river of northern Alithoras that has its source in the hills of Lòrenta.

  Carnona: Cam. The Guardian of Enorìen. A creature of ùhrengai who has remained in her birthing lands.

  Conrik: Esg. A former Raithlin and uncle of Lanrik.

  Crimson Hand: An inn in Red Cardoroth. Famous in the city for the cheapest ale, the most fights and as a meeting place of criminals.

  Durnlath: A citizen of Cardoroth. Recruited by Lanrik into the new order of Raithlin.

  Ebona: Cam. A witch. A being of ùhrengai who has long since left her birthing lands.

  Eleth nar duril: Hal. “lie in peace.” A phrase from Halathrin funerary rites.

  Elùgai: Hal. Prn. Eloo-guy. “Shadowed force.” The sorcery of an elùgroth.

  Elùgroth: Hal. Prn. Eloo-groth. “Shadowed horror.” A sorcerer.

  Elugs: Hal. “That which creeps in shadows.” A cruel and superstitious race that inhabits the southern lands, especially the Graèglin Dennath.

  Elù-Randùr: Hal. “Blade of the Shadow.” An elùgroth leader. Formerly a lòhren.

  Enorìen: Cam. The Eastern Hills. A land where ùhrengai runs strong. Protected by the Guardian Carnona.

  Erenian River: A river in northern Alithoras. Some say its name derives from a corruption of the Halathrin word “nien,” meaning river. Others dispute this and postulate the word derives from a pre-exodus name adopted by the Camar tribes after they settled the east of Alithoras.

  Erlissa: Esg. A young woman of Esgallien. Also known as the Seeker. Now being trained as a lòhren.

  Esgallien: Hal. Prn. Ez-gally-en. A city established by King Conhain. Named after the nearby ford.

  Esgallien Ford: Hal. “Es – rushing water, gal(en) – green, lien – to cross: place of the crossing onto the green plains.” A ford of the Careth Nien.

  Exodus: The arrival of the Halathrin into Alithoras from an outside land. They came by ship and beached north of Anast Dennath.

  Feldring: A citizen of Cardoroth. Originally a trader plying goods to the villagers along the Careth Nien. Subsequently, he established a thriving business in Cardoroth where Lanrik met, and recruited him, into the new order of Raithlin.

  Foresight: Premonition of the future. Can occur at random as a single image or as a longer sequence of events. Can also be deliberately sought by entering the realm between life and death where the spirit is released from the body to travel through space and time. To achieve this, the body must be brought to the very threshold of death. The first method is uncontrollable and rare. The second exceedingly rare but controllable for those with the skill and willingness to endure the danger.

  Founding: The arrival of Conhain and his people near Esgallien Ford. This was nine hundred and fifty three years ago at the time of Lanrik’s meeting with Erlissa and Aranloth.

  Free cities: A group of cooperative city states that pool military resources to defend themselves against attack. Founded prior to Esgallien. Initially ruled by kings and queens, now by a senate.

  Galenthern: Hal. “Green flat.” Southern plains bounded by the Careth Nien and the Graèglin Dennath mountain range.

  Graèglin Dennath: Hal. Prn. Greg-lin dennath. “Mountains of ash.” Chain of mountains in southern Alithoras. The landscape is one of jagged stone and boulder, relieved only
by gaping fissures from which plumes of ashen smoke ascend, thus leading to its name. Believed to be impassable because of the danger of poisonous air flowing from cracks, and the ground unexpectedly giving way, swallowing any who dare to tread its forbidden paths. In other places swathes of molten stone run in rivers down its slopes.

  Great North Road: An ancient construction of the Halathrin. Built at a time when they had settlements in the northern reaches of Alithoras. Warriors traveled swiftly from north to south in order to aid the main population who dwelt in Halathar when they faced attack from the south.

  Guardian: A creature of sentient ùhrengai that preserves its birthing land.

  Gwalchmur: Esg. A former Raithlin of Esgallien.

  Hakalakadan: Azn. A revered title among the Azan peoples.

  Halathar: Hal. “Dwelling place of the people of Halath.” The forest realm of the Halathrin.

  Halathgar: Hal. “Bright Star.” Actually a constellation. Also known as the Lost Huntress.

  Halathrin: Hal. “People of Halath.” A race named after a mighty lord who led an exodus of his people to the continent of Alithoras in pursuit of justice, having sworn to redress a great evil. They are human, though of fairer form, greater skill and higher culture. They possess an inherent unity of body, mind and spirit enabling insight and endurance beyond other races of Alithoras. Reported to be immortal, but killed in great numbers during their conflicts with the evil they seek to destroy.

  Halls of Lore: Library of records maintained by lòhrens of the history, knowledge and wisdom of the nations of Alithoras. Accumulated over millennia and one of the treasures of Lòrenta.

  Harakgar: Leth. The three sisters. Creatures of ùhrengai brought into being by the lore of the Letharn. Their purpose is to protect the tombs of their creators from robbery.

  Hargil: A young man from Cardoroth City. Recruited into Lanrik’s new band of Raithlin.