Lore of the Letharn Read online

  Harlak: Leth. An ancient name of Aranloth.

  Headdress: A turban. Worn by the Azan people as protection from desert heat. Can be lowered in a sandstorm to protect the eyes and breath. Its color, and the manner in which it’s worn signify military rank or social status.

  Herenfrak: Leth. An ancient and potent herb. A cure for many poisons.

  Lake Alithorin: Hal. “Silver lake.” A lake of northern Alithoras.

  Lanrik: Esg. A Raithlin. Also called the Raithlindrath.

  Letharn: Hal. “Stone Raisers. Builders.” A race of people that in antiquity ruled much of Alithoras. Only traces of their civilization remain.

  Lindrath: Hal. “People lord.” A shortening of Raithlindrath. Commander of the Raithlin organization.

  Lòhren: Hal. Prn. Ler-ren. “Knowledge giver – a counsellor.” Other terms used by various nations include wizard, druid and sage.

  Lòhren-fire: A defensive manifestation of lòhrengai. The color of the flame varies according to the skill and temperament of the lòhren.

  Lòhrengai: Hal. Prn. Ler-ren-guy. “Lòhren force.” Enchantment, spell or use of arcane power. A manipulation and transformation ùhrengai, the natural energy inherent in all things. Each use takes something from the user. Likewise, some part of the transformed energy infuses them. Lòhrens use it sparingly.

  Lonfar: Hal. “Way of peace.” The librarian of the Halls of Lore. Formerly known as Conrik, and once a Raithlin of Esgallien. Also, Lanrik’s uncle, and a sword-master of renown.

  Lòrenta: Hal. Prn. Ler-rent-a. “Hills of knowledge.” Uplands in northern Alithoras in which the stronghold of the lòhrens is established.

  Marsh hen: A member of the rail family. The variety that live by the shores of Lake Alithorin are found nowhere else in Alithoras. Their alarm call is eerily similar to a human scream.

  Mecklar: Esg. Was once a senior member of King Murhain’s retinue. A traitor slain by Lanrik in single combat.

  Merlon: The vertical stonework on a battlement between crenels. The merlon offers protection, the crenel a gap through which missiles are fired.

  Murhain: Esg. The current king of Esgallien. He was a younger son of the previous king and assumed the throne unexpectedly. Earlier in his life, he had attempted to train as a Raithlin but failed their vigorous standards.

  Musraka: Azn. A shazrahad.

  Narvil: Hal. “Pinnacle of knowledge.” A tower built by the Halathrin near the shores of Lake Alithorin. Ransacked by Shurilgar the Sorcerer and a band of elugs.

  Nurhaq: Azn. Cousin to Musraka.

  Otherworld: Esgallien term for a mingling of half-remembered history, myth and the spirit world.

  Pattern-welded: A blade forged and reforged from bundles of iron rods that are twisted and beaten. This creates a flexible core to which a hard edge is added. The process produces superior, distinctive and sort-after weapons.

  Raithlin: Hal. “Range and report people.” A scouting and saboteur organization. They derive from ancient contact with, and the teachings of, the Halathrin. Disbanded by the king of Esgallien, but founded anew by Lanrik and dedicated to the service of all Alithoras.

  Raithlin motif: A trotting fox looking back over its shoulder. A half moon rides above the animal. Symbolizes cunning, stealth and boldness.

  Raithlin crawl: A famous technique of stealth. It requires that the palms rest on the earth and the elbows remain tucked in to the body for support and silhouette reduction. The bodyweight is borne on the forearms and only one leg. The other is carefully brought forward in order to avoid making noise while moving.

  Raithlin creed: “Our duty is to serve and protect. Our honor is to fight but not hate. Our love is for all that is good in the world.”

  Raithlin principles of concealment: The Raithlin believe the eye recognizes movement first, silhouette second and color last. Using this principle enables them to best determine how to remain unseen in varying circumstances.

  Raithlindrath: Hal. “Lord of range and report people.”

  Rhamon: Azn. A servant of Musraka.

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

  Seeker: A person with a rare talent of finding lost things. It stems from a latent use of lòhrengai.

  Shazrahad: Azn. The Azan who commands an elug army.

  Shuffa: Leth. A type of boat. Small, fast and ideal for travel by river. Favored by the villagers who dwell along the Careth Nien, and based on a design carried down from ancient times when the Letharn fished the two rivers of the Angle.

  Shurilgar: Hal. “Midnight Star.” An elùgroth. Also called the betrayer of nations.

  Sorcerer: See elùgroth.

  Tombs of the Letharn: The ancient burial place of the Letharn people. All members of the population, throughout the course of their long civilization, were laid to rest here. It was believed that to be interred elsewhere was to condemn the spirit to a true death, rather than an afterlife. The dead were preserved, and returned even from the far reaches of the empire. This was withheld from perpetrators of treason and heinous crimes. These were buried in special cemeteries near the river. Petty criminals were afforded an opportunity to redeem their place in the tombs on payment of a fine determined by the head-priest.

  Ùhrengai: Hal. Prn. Er-ren-guy. “Original force.” The primordial force that existed before substance or time, light or dark, life or death, good or evil.

  Witchery: A type of elùgai. Distinct from the common spell-craft and potion making carried out by some village healers.

  Witch-fire: A potent attack of elùgai.

  Wych-wood: A general description for a range of supple and springy timbers. Some hardy varieties are prevalent on the poisonous slopes of the Graèglin Dennath mountain range and are favored by elùgroths as instruments of sorcery.

  Table of Contents

  1. Mist and Murk

  2. King’s Poison

  3. Flood of Fear

  4. The Light of Truth

  5. The Jealous Dead

  6. Time is Your Enemy

  7. Carist Nien

  8. A Shadow of Life

  9. Like Many, but Trust Few

  10. The King’s Men

  11. Sacrifice

  12. Dark Counsels

  13. The Watcher in the Dark

  14. Paths Already Trodden

  15. Thunder in the Night

  16. The Valley of Death

  17. The Wailing Dark

  18. Wrath of the Wizard-priests

  19. Queen of the World

  20. On Wings of Darkness

  21. The Light Within

  22. Wet Feet and Cool Heads

  23. The Earth Groans

  24. As it Began, so it Ends

  Epilogue

  Encyclopedic Glossary