A Shadow World Glossary Alliance: A powerful political merchantile league which holds sway over much of the western region of the hemisphere. The Alliance has recently made their first overtures to governments in Jaiman, Emer and Falias. Andraax [Ir. “first-claw”]: One of the three founders of the Order of Loremasters. Andraax is a renowned philosopher and historian, having penned numberless tomes chronicling the early ages of the world. While apparently not an Elf, Andraax was immortal. His final fate is unknown; some say that he is dead; others claim that we went insane (after either the Wars of Dominion or a journey to the East). Barka: A calculating device widely used in Sel-kai, it consists of numerous colored beads on a cylindrical frame. It is often worn as a large, heavy armlet, where it is easily accessed. Changramai: A philosophy/religion and school of unarmed combat, named for the legendary Master Changrama. Masters of the fighting techniques are known as Changramai Monks. Only a single school/monastery is known to exist, in a remote location (in northern Emer) where devout youths travel to learn the subtle arts of mind and body control. In what might seem (to outsiders) to be a contradiction, Changramai warrior monks make themselves available for a variety of mercenary jobs, including bodyguard. Channelling: One of the three 'Realms of Power' (along with the Essence and Mentalism) which make up the arcane forces of Kulthea.users of Channellingare able to cast spells by tapping into the inherent power of the god they worship. Charón: Third largest moon orbiting Kulthea, home of the Dark Gods (q.v.). Cloudlords: Organization founded by the Kirian family in Tanara (q.v.), original leaders of the Cult of Ezran in SE Jaiman. Dark Gods: Beings similar in power to the Lords of Orhan but with evil intent. They may be allied with the Unlife, for they seek to undermine and pervert the peoples of Kulthea — or they may merely seek followers to gain power for themselves. Their home is the moon Charón. Demons: Creatures from other worlds or planes of existence, brought here against their will or to do violence. They come in many forms but all are dangerous. Dragonlords: Beings of incredible power, age and intelligence, they are dragons, but able to assume human form, aided by artifacts called the Dragonhelms. There are six true Dragonlords, known by their colors: Black, White, Red, Green, Silver, and Gold. Dúranaki: A reclusive, technically and socially advanced but xenophobic culture in Tanara (SE Jaiman). East: The Eastern hemisphere. An area about which (to most people) virtually nothing is known. Wild tales tell of a tortured land dominated by the Unlife, or a land of incredible but insane beauty, or that there is no East at all: that the world is actually flat and that ships sail off the earth. Eidolon: A beautiful palace and city built upon a great disk suspended in the sky above the trade port of Sel-kai in NE Emer. It serves as a port for the realm's skyships. Elves: Common term used by mortals for the immortal races of the Erlini and Iylari Emer: A large continent in the center of the western hemisphere, just south of Jaiman. Erlini: (Ir. ‘growers’) Less lordly than the Iylari (q.v.), the Erlini Elves are nevertheless graceful beings who have a deep harmony with the earth and all natural growing things. Immortal, they never age and maintian a carefree attitude throughout their lives. Essænce: The force which — in its primal state — includes all forms of ‘Spell Power’ (for the realms of Mentalism and Channeling also use Essence, but in different forms), as well as flows of force which permeate the world. The Flows are linked in origin and substance to ‘Spell Power’ and many other Kulthean phenomena. Essence: One of the three ‘realms’ of the ‘Essænce’; the elemental force tapped by spell-users ("Magicians") directly. First Era: The time period from the beginning of civilization (the birth of the Althan Race) until the downfall of the K’ta’viir Empire. Sometimes referred to as the First Era of Ire, referring to the ire of evil. Flows of Essence (or ‘Essænce’): Invisible bands of radiation which sweep across the world in shifting patterns, they are the source of Essence power but can be dangerous to tap directly. The sites of some continuous Flows are often locations of holy places or centers of power for certain cultures. Focus: A location where the Essence is particularly concentrated. See the text for details of the effects of a Focus. Furlong: A unit of distance egual to 220 yards Garks: A race of sub-human, apelike beings. Gate: An alternative name for Portal. (q.v.) Greater Focus: A major concentration of Essænce Radiation, Greater Foci are sometimes marked by the ruins of ancient structures (various lost cultures were able to perceive the Essence and erected ‘temples’ to mark such areas). Gryphon College: A small, little-known center of learning in northwest Rhakhaan. Haalkitaine: Capital of Rhakhaan (q.v.), located at the foot of the Grey Mountains. Interregnum: Period between the First and Second Eras when Kulthea was essentially an uncivilized wasteland. Iorak: One of the Lords of Orhan; god of Craftsmanship. Iron Wind: An unseen evil force centered in Jaiman. Its minions include the secretive Priests Arnak and the vicious Iron Messengers. Iruaric: Language of the Lords of Essence, essentially a ‘dead’ tongue now, known by very few. Iylari [Ir. “beautiful- ”]: A race of immortal beings resembling mannish peoples, but generally more graceful and beautiful. They are one with the earth, and many possess Essænce powers of one type or another. Their exact origins are unknown, although it is generally accepted that they predate most mannish cultures yet antedate the Althans. There are actually three sub-groups of Iylari Elves, the Linæri, the Loari, and the Dyari Jaiman [Ir. “gift-home”]: A small continent in the north-central region of Kulthea's western hemisphere. Jaysek: One of the Lords of Orhan; god of Arts, especially literature. Twin 'brother' of Kieron. Jerak Ahrenreth: [Ir: "Secret Circle"] An occult organization of eight lords who desire to control the peoples of Emer through a variety of means, including the Dark Arts, political manipulation, deceit, and assassination. K’ta’viir [Ir. “lord-of-essænce”]: Racial name of the High Althans, a (supposedly) extinct race which ruled Kulthea — and much of the galaxy — ages ago. Karilôn: Hidden home of the College of Loremasters. Kieron: One of the Lords of Orhan; god of the lively arts and Festivals. Twin 'brother' of Jaysek Kulthea [Ir. “Shadow-world”] — the world. Leathes: Capital city of the duchy of Prevan in northwest Rhakhaan. Home of Kalen Avanir. Lethys: Largest city in Rhakhaan, located in the south of that realm on the coast. In SEI 6820 the capital of Rhakhaan was moved to Lethys after Haalkitaine was nearly destroyed by fire from the sky. The capital was returned to Haalkitaine in TEI 1001. Laan: A race of lordly men, generally tall and dark-haired, believed to be indigenous to Jaiman. In the Third Era they are far less numerous than the generally shorter and more stocky Shay peoples. Lords of Essence (aka K’ta’viiri): Men and women imbued with great power over Essence, probably because of irradiation by strong Flows of Essence in the youth of the race. They no longer exist, having destroyed themselves in a civil war ages ago. Lords of Orhan: A pantheon of (more or less) benevolent godlike beings who make their home on Kulthea's largest moon. While not truly omnipotent, they are very powerful, and faithful worshippers are able to access the Lords' powers via 'Channelling.' Loremasters: Sages, keepers of wisdom, advisors. All possess power over Essence, but are reluctant to weild it flagrantly except in dire need. Ubiquitous yet rarely obvious, they consider themselves the stewards of civilization on Kulthea Malvin Tesea: [Ir. “endless seas”] Name given to the two oceans which divide the eastern and western hemispheres of the planet. These bands of water are the widest in the world and have a number of mystical associations (including the idea that they are the edge of a flat earth…) They correspond with a particularly powerful Essence Barrier. Mikori: Fourth moon of Kulthea. Only 100 miles in diameter, it is barely visible from the Shadow World. Money: In the Shadow World, most advanced cultures use a gold/silver/bronze/copper/tin coinage, each coin being worth about 1/10th of the denomination preceding (e.g., a silver piece is equal to ten bronze pieces). Each coin weighs around a half-ounce. As a very rough comparison, one bronze piece would be about equivalent to a dollar in terms of buying power. Month: There are five month/seasons a year on Kulthea, each 70 days long and beginning when the great moon Orhan is new. They are, beginning with new year's day: winter, spring, summer, autumn, fall. Myri: Large, fair-skinned race in Tanara. They are related to the Talath people of NW Emer. Navigators: Guilds of men and women who serve as guides and travel expediters — for a price. By using their magical Compasses, they are able to locally control the weather and the very Flows of Essænce to create favorable travel conditions. They also have the power to teleport clients (willing to pay their fee) directly to a desired destination, utilizing a power they call a 'Jump'. Nexus: Headquarters of the Navigators, located in the center of Iyxia. Nomikos: A library and group of scribes whose center is an isle off south-central Jaiman. They are one of the few institutions in Jaiman besides the Loremasters whose fame is widespread. Old Race: a name by which some cultures of Emer refer to the Lords of Essænce. The Shay and Jameri sometimes call the Laan by this name. Older Ones: Not to be confused with the ‘Old Race’ (q.v.), these are the mighty Demons of the Void, a.k.a. Agothu, a race (or races) of beings totally alien to this plane of existence. Schrek is th spawn of a perverse union between a K’ta’viir and a Older One. Ondoval: one of the K’ta’viiri, former head of the jerak Ahrenreth. Ordainer: A Demon beyond the Pale. Manlike in form but over twenty feet tall, usually associated with fire or ice. Some have wings or a prehensile tail. All are cruel servants of darkness. Orhan: Name given to the largest moon which circles the World of Kulthea. Orhan has a thick, cloud-filled atmosphere, so it often has a soft, white, featureless appearance. It is the reputed home to the Lords of Orhan. Orhan & Charón: A game not unlike Terran chess, it features a circular board representing Kulthea. Two players control the higher pantheons of the two moons. They transport to various areas and move about, trying to cast the opponents back to their respective homes. Each god has specific moving abilities and power level regarding its ability to overcome opponents. Pieces may ‘team up’ to cast out a foe. Playing time is 1-5 hours. Portal: Generic name given to the ‘doorway’-like phenomena on the Shadow World. Portals of various design dot the globe, all of which allow instantaneous transport from one to another. They are arcane and impossible to control; only the very experienced dare use them. Reaan: One of the Lords of Orhan; god of Sleep, dreams, and night. Quindera: Stringed instrument resembling a lute but more difficult to play well. Quin: One-fifth of a circle, an important unit in Kulthean geometry. Quintar: The Kulthean day is divided by many cultures into five parts, called quintars. These are in turn subdivided into five hours each, making a 25-hour day. Timekeeping begins at midnight and the predawn quintar, followed by morning, midday, evening, and night. Rhakhaan: One of the ancient Six Kingdoms of Jaiman, given the Phoenix helm and related artifacts by the Loremasters in the Second Era. It was originally in the south-central portion of Jaiman, but has since expanded its borders to include some of the old lands of Zor and U-Lyshak. Saralis: One of the ancient Six Kingdoms of Jaiman, given the Wyvern helm and related artifacts by the Loremasters in the Second Era. It was located in the northwest region of Jaiman Second Era: Time period beginning with the founding of the College of Loremasters and lasting nearly 7000 years. TheSecond Era concluded with the Wars of Dominion, in which the Unlife was driven into hiding. Sometimes referred to as the Second Era of Ire. Sel-kai: A city-state in northeastern Emer, and one of the most widely-known trade centers in all the West. It is famous for its skyships — sailing ships which can also fly through the air — and the cloud city of Eidolon which hovers over the main city and seaport of Sel-kai. Sel-kai Currency: Sel-kai mints its own silver, gold, bronze and copper coins, and also prints a currency, though this is used almost exclusively within Sel-kai (few outside of the isle will take paper money, despite the robust Sel-kai economy). This paper is useful when making large transactions, and can be converted to coin at the mercantile centers or any large bank. While most merchants will accept coin that is not Sel-kai mint, they may mark up the price of goods bought with ‘outsider’ money, mistrusting its quality. PCs would actually do well to convert their cash at a bank, moneylender or mercantile center before going on that inevitable buying spree. Their coin will be (usually) analyzed fairly and their Sel-kai coin happily accepted at any vendor in the realm (or most other places as well). A Sel-kai silver piece (the most common monetary denomination) is called a sellin, a gold piece an orlin, etc. Plural is sellini (e.g., “I’ll give you ten sellini for that brooch!”). Currency Abbreviation Breakdown: Diamond note dn = 100 gold pieces Platinum note pn = 10 gold pieces Gold note gn = 1 gold piece Coin Abbreviation Breakdown: 1 gold piece (orlin) gp = 10 silver pieces 1 silver piece (sellin) sp = 10 bronze pieces 1 bronze piece bp = 10 copper pieces 1 copper piece cp = 10 tin pieces This system revolves around a gold standard, since a gold piece is the most valuable commonly used currency (although silver and bronze coins are in much wider circulation). This assumes a half-ounce currency. For late 20th century Terran comparison, a bronze piece in would approximately equal a dollar in value in most instances. Sellin: The gold coin minted by Sel-kai. A silver coin is a tenth sellin; the plural term is sellini. Shaal: One of the Lords of Orhan; god of the Seas. Skiff: A flat-bottom boat of shallow draft, commonly used in the canals of Sel-kai City, usually propelled by a long pole or oars. Star Iron: actually an alloy forged using metal gathered from certain meteorites. It is extremely strong once worked, though it invariably has a dull, dark grey appearance. The recipe has been lost with the First Era. Steardan: Winged horses which serve as mounts for the legendary Cloudlords of Tanara, they are similar to Pegasi, yet relatively unintelligent. Swamp Sickness: Viral pneumonia Tanara: One of the ancient Six Kingdoms of Jaiman, given the Pegasus helm and related artifacts by the Loremasters in the Second Era. Tanara is sheltered on three sides by mountains and on the fourth by the sea. Thus Tanara is effectively cut off from surrounding lands. Teris: One of the Lords of Orhan; god of travel and messages. Tethior: Craftsman, artificer, smith and Iylar master of the Essænce, Tethior created some of the most powerful artifacts in the history of the world. They include the Ilarsiri (seeing stones) and the helms, pendants and swords given to the six kingdoms of Jaiman. It is believed that Tethior was killed in the Wars of Dominion. Third Era: Time period from the end of the Wars of Dominion to the ‘present’. Sometimes (though rarely now) referred to as the Third Era of Ire. Timekeeping: The Kulthean day is divided into twenty-five hours (for reasons now lost to history). Clocks fall into one of two categories: most common are those with one hand which are actually divided into twenty-five parts. Others are broken into five parts, with a slow hand designating fifths (or “Quintars”) of the Kulthean day; a secondary hand passes through the same five parts of the round clock face to designate the hours. Clocks which chime signal the hours in long and short rings, or two tones, the Quintars rung first. The five Quintars have names which are the usual reference rather than a number. They are: Morning, Midday, Evening, Night, and Predawn. Most Kulthean clocks are set by the Vernal Equinox: The first hour of the first Quintar begins as the first rays of the sun lift over the horizon. Simpler clocks only have the slow hand and designate hours only by how far it has moved between Quintars. It has not yet become necessary for the precision of a “second” hand in general timekeeping. Certain scientists such as Astrologers have special instruments for very accurate timekeeping, required for accurate star-study. Tlilok: A tiny moon which actually orbits Orhan. U-Lyshak: One of the ancient Six Kingdoms of Jaiman, given the Sea-drake helm and related artifacts by the Loremasters in the Second Era. It was located in the southwest region of Jaiman. U-Lyshak is long detroyed, but a new kingdom of Helyssa is rising in that region. Unlife: The Enemy of life on the Shadow World; an evil force whose source is unknown. Acting always through minions, it seeks only the destruction of all life. It is theorized that the Unlife is in fact anti-energy, consuming life force and the very Essænce. Urulan: One of the ancient Six Kingdoms of Jaiman, given the Unicorn helm and related artifacts by the Loremasters in the Second Era. Urulan was located on a large island off the eastern coast of Jaiman, and populated almost entirely by Elves. It is now a haunted, desolate place. Uscurac: The language of Essence, used by Mages, Sorcerers and Mystics when casting spells of that realm. Varin: Moon of Kulthea, second largest of the Five. Vog Mur: (M-e: "Death-watch") A tiny island cluster off the NE coast of Emer, it is a center of many mysteries, and home to the Dragonlord Voriig Kye. Voriig Kye: Silver dragon, one of the six Dragonlords. Wars of Dominion: Conflict which marked the end of the Second Era between the minions of the Unlife and the Free Peoples, led by the Loremasters. Week: Ten days is the amount of time it takes for the second moon Varin to go from new to full and back to new, and is called a 'week' in many Kulthean cultures. Zor: One of the ancient Six Kingdoms of Jaiman, given the Gryphon helm and related artifacts by the Loremasters in the Second Era. Zor was located in the north-central region of Jaiman. Return to the Haalkitane Library Foyer Copyright © 1997-2003 Terry K. Amthor and Iron Crown Enterprises Shadow World® is a trademark of Iron Crown Enterprises. All rights reserved