Glossary A–F

Author's Note: The terms explained in this glossary pertain to the imaginary world of Earda, the setting for my books. If you are looking for a ‘correct’ definition, I suggest you try the Oxford English Dictionary or a dictionary of mythology or fairies.

AEN (pl. AENAR)

Lantean term, literally 'cycle', meaning a period of 76 years (4 'moon-seasons'). In age, roughly equivalent to one human year, though the oldest Lanteans were several hundred aenar old.

ABROMEL

Lantean food concentrate.

BLACK LANTEANS 

A popular term for the Renegades.

BODACH

A race of Firbolg, of particularly repulsive appearance, not good for much except tracking, which they did mainly by taste.

BOGGAN

Race of Firbolg, generally about the size of Fir Morian. The most numerous of gangrel types, pure boggans were always covered with extremely coarse hair and had, like most other Firbolg, proportionately longer arms. Hybrids were known. Boggans could interbreed with Ogri, Bogles, Humans and Shean.

BOGLES

One of the half-dozen or so types of Firbolg. Bogles were small— about Shean size— unlovely to look at, though not usually greatly deformed; a slight hunch-back was common. They possessed sharp eyes and ears, were cunning, tricky, cowardly and had a sixth sense for self-preservation. When cornered, they could fight fiercely, using any weapon that came to hand, including their sharp teeth and nails.

BOOK OF TELPAS

A volume of romances that purported to be factual.

BRAIES

Male leg-wear. (Also worn by females when skirts were inappropriate.) Worn all over the Nine Realms, usually quite close-fitting, laced at the front and held up by drawstring or belt at the waist. Length could vary between ankle and knee. Could be made of any material, including leather, but most often wool. Often dispensed with for casual wear, or in summer.

BROL, (pl. BROLL)

A type of mountain goat, tawny in colour, with almost straight horns. Possibly a form of ibex.

CARIL 

Lantean name for the (European) wren, Troglodytes troglodytes, a tiny but perky brown bird with a fine, and very loud, song. Picture

COMMONALITY

In full, the Commonality of Greater Merigarth. The federation of Shean settlements that made up their province in the Nine Realms; unique in that they possessed no rulers or aristocracy, at least in theory.

DANAIEN

Lantean, ‘Daughters of Danai’. An irregular construction— one would expect ‘Danaiein’, but the second ‘i’ in the plural was dropped, presumably for harmony in both spelling and pronunciation. Lantean, like ancient Greek, was a highly complex language full of irregularities.

DRIUWAIN

Outlaws, bandits. The term was in general use, coming from a southern Fir Morian tongue, but was not current in the Commonality.

DUERGHAR  (sing. DUERGH)

Name for Rockfolk (Rockmen) in their own language. Other races found this almost impossible to pronounce, not that many were ever encouraged to learn it; Morgil was the only one known to be so privileged at this time, and even he could not speak it perfectly. For this reason, Duerghar merchants and travellers often adapted  their names for outsiders. So K’Khéri shortened his to Khéri, and his brother (B’Khéri) to Bhéri. Brothers always had the same name, with a different prefix; the prefix was dropped when referring to fathers or other forbears, since individual fatherhood was not recognised. Each Duergh also had a secret name, given him by his mother, symbolised by the rune within his talisman. This he divulged to very few; occasionally, even a brother did not know it.

EARDA

The landmass comprising Europe and Asia. See Geography

EARANTAR HOL’T’UATH

Lantean Ear Earth (Earda), antar Lord, so ‘Lord of Earda’. Hol’t’uath from ancient Lantean holto (champion, defender) int (from) huath (pastures). All Immortals were fond of wordplay, as of any craft that served to pass the time.

EASTSHEAN

This was the largest sheading in area. However its population was not the largest, since much of it was marshy. Hence the nickname commonly given to Eastshean residents, ‘mudlarks’.

ELFIONAR

'People of Fionn'. Used to refer to those who came to Earda with him, and their descendants. Also included those Sylvani (see ellyl) who chose to live in Toremath. The singular, ELFION, was used as an individual title, but correctly only to unmixed Sylvani. Since the courtesy title of any with Lantean blood was Ellantar, to address one of these as Elfion bordered on insult— as Elfeor was well aware. (However, the term 'Elfion' was permisible poetically.)

ELLANTAR (pl. ELLANTARI)

Literally ‘Ellyl Lord of Lantis’. Title used among the Elfionar, strictly speaking designating only those of Lantean blood.

ELLYL

Originally a single humanoid race, of average height and relatively light-skinned, though any that lived in the open became sun-browned. They were long-lived compared to humans, with a span of two to three hundred years. Several tribes were persuaded to live in Lantis, where they were changed: they (or at least their offspring) grew taller, were made nearly impervious to heat and cold, intensely resistant to disease, and capable of self-regeneration. This made them effectively immortal, and extremely hard to kill. [When Rillodan asked Holt to spit him on his sword, he was playing a kind of Russian Roulette, as only a direct thrust through his heart would kill him.]

The Lantean ellyl who returned to Earda regarded the others as their brothers, and at first welcomed any that came to their realm. Some interbreeding even took place. But when the Renegades began to oppress Earda, many blamed Fionn— with some justice, since his revolt had paved the way for the rebellious Lords. Most of the Sylvani (as they came to be called) withdrew to deep forests, regarding their enhanced kin with suspicion.

FIRDAN

Shortened from Lantean Fir Danaan, "People of Danai". Later used, incorrectly, as synonymous with "Elfionar", but strictly it meant only Danai's descendants. Since she had 13 daughters there were many of these, including the Sons of Lhiannon and their offspring, who were part mortal, and Rillodan, who with his brother was the fifth generation from Kelanthë, eldest sister of Lhiannon.

FIR DOMNAN

“People of Domnar”. Domnar was the half-Lantean founder of Loigris and co-founder (with his twin brother Elsar) of Lioneis. Several of the original tribes taken under their wing had ellyl blood, having interbred with native (non-Lantean) races.

FIR MORIAN

Term for (human) races of Earda other than Fir Domnan, from the High Tongue of Loigris, literally meaning “lesser men”. This was not originally intended to imply inferiority, though later it might, depending on speaker or hearer; but it purported to refer to stature.

FIRBOLG

Originally a Lantean word referring to the denizens of Ceir Bolg, it came to embrace all of several races of humanoid creatures warped, both physically and mentally, by contact with the Renegades or Black Lanteans. The physical deformities were presumed not to have been intentional, but caused by working and living in areas poisoned by emanations from the Renegades’ power sources and experimental weapons; however their malformations certainly helped to promote the twisting of their minds. Though generally regarded by other races as inherently evil, in later times it was possible to find some who were not. But due to age-old enmity, and the ease with which Firbolg could be distinguished by their appearance, there was little chance for them to live peaceably among other races.

FORCE

Northern English word for a waterfall. High Force (which is exactly as described, and quite spectacular) is on the River Tees. Picture

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