Glossary – Book 2

Characters

SEEDLINGS, SPROUTS, AND SAPLINGS

GIMLEY’S COHORT

Andhi (Awnd-hi) – Friendly to almost everyone though she is prejudiced against Gimley and has bad history with Loclen. Closest with Ulo.

* Blessing: Can create ice talons from her fingertips.

Breck – From the Haggler’s Cliffs. Is typically bored until there something risky and exciting happening to bring out the dare devil in her. Likes difficult odds but not impossible ones. Closest with Juniper’s group when she isn’t being a loner.

* Blessing: She can “wrangle” things. Draws the attention of enemies within 30 feet so they attack her and increases her strength.

Dera – She’s quiet and sweet and has a head for numbers and calculations. She’s closest to Wren but is friendly with most of the cohort.

* Blessing: She can shape bone with her will if she maintains her concentration.

Ento (En-to) – From the Swirling Waters tribe. Grounds Idra and Juniper and lets them do most of the talking though sometimes she does have a dry comment to make. Nearly joined at the hip with Idra, protective of Juniper, and mostly ambivalent of everyone else.

* Blessing: Creates three different rings around herself with daggers connected to each ring.

Gimley (Gim-lee)/Gimlea (Gim-lay-ah) - Main character. Stubborn and has a need for control. From the Gabbler Shore tribe and known as “Little Diver” to some whisper women. Doesn’t want to get close to anyone and somehow allowed Prevna to form a friendship with her anyway. Adventurous, independent and lonely.

* Blessing: She can’t die.

Idra (Ee-dra) – From the Swirling Waters tribe. Has more than her share of pride. Nearly joined at the hip with Ento and protective of Juniper though sometimes she wishes she didn’t have to guard the younger girl.

* Blessing: Creates an invisible dome shield that people and things can exit from but can’t enter.

Juniper – From the Swirling Waters tribe. Melancholy air and can be a strong leader or a fearful mess depending on if fighting fish or heights are involved. Closest with Ento and Idra though she does also privately look up to Gimley and would like to be better friends with Prevna and Breck.

* Blessing: She can summon fresh water by cupping her hands together. Also has a pearl that allows her to form a sphere of water from the water she summons.

Loclen (Lock-lin) – From the Arches. Isn’t an early riser and takes pride in her intelligence. Formed a mostly one-sided rivalry with Gimley and is closest with Nii, Wren, and Dera.

* Blessing: She can blend in with shadows. In a darker environment this makes her effectively invisible while in a brighter environment she’d just be more difficult to spot.

Nii/Sanii – Takes pride in her strength and her blessing. Was friendly with Gimley until she learned about her blessing. Then she fell in with Ulo and Andhi until she’s seemed to have another change of heart. Now she’s rekindling her friendship with Loclen.

* Blessing: All of her ranged attacks/throws can’t miss as long as she can see her target.

Prevna (Prev-na) – From Milwa’s Picker band. Mischievous and determined and kind. At some point she saw Gimley and thought “Ah, that’s someone I’ll be friends with” and she’s made it her mission to make that come true ever since. It worked. She’s also friendly with most of the cohort.

* Blessing: Poison-touched. She can absorb or expel poisons and venom from plants and animals with her fingers.

Ulo (Oo-low) – She was ready to enter the Seedling Palace and be the best at everything. That didn’t happen and she likes to blame everyone else, especially Gimley who she’s prejudiced against. Closest with Andhi. She was close with Nii as well but now she’s starting to question the other’s loyalty.

* Blessing: Can breathe underwater.

Wren – From a runner tribe. Very friendly and open and charismatic. Has a bird companion named Chirp. She’s closest with Dera followed by Loclen and Prevna.

* Blessing: She can speak with birds. She bonds the easiest with wrens and other songbirds.

OTHER

Clara – Sprout that is always in the nested library with Shawsh.

* Blessing: can change the color of inanimate objects.

Fern – Sapling. Gimley’s group advisor during their trip through the woodlands to the Rookery.

Mil – Sprout who “makes the best nectar” and sells it for small favors and offerings in the arena.

WHISPER WOMEN

Beet – Peacekeeper. Part of Hattie’s squad.

* Blessing: Her hands and feet can stick to surfaces when she wishes it.

Corrin – Mellow whisper woman who has a very valuable blessing. Helped Gimley recover after Jin tested Gimley’s blessing during their one-on-one training.

* Blessing: Can make someone as they were an hour before, but she can only do it once a day. She has saved many from life threatening injuries with it. “Be as you were.”

Dawnli – Hundred Eyes (Sect head).

Eliss – Peacekeeper. Mishtaw’s life partner. She doesn’t like Gimley that much and thinks she’s a troublemaker.

* Blessing: her skin takes on an unusual texture and it boosts her physical defense.

Esie - Intermediary for the Lady of Calm Waters. Gives Gimley advice on occasion and keeps tabs on her. In a relationship with Kaylan.

Hana – Very skilled at shadow walking.

Hattie – Peacekeeper. Chatty, friendly squad leader. Likes dramatics and grand gestures.

* Blessing: Can make holes appear in the ground by twirling her finger.

Jin - Peacekeeper (Second in command). The cohort’s assigned teacher when they arrived at the Seedling Palace. Known for efficiently punishing those who didn’t adhere to the Scales’ rulings and forcing compliance.

* Blessing: Named Blessing (Desperation’s Mirage). Creates illusions with some physicality and effects.

* Known as the Enforcer.

Kaylan – The lazy sentry. A bit smug, easily amused, likes to tease, and is a good storyteller. In a relationship with Esie.

* Blessing: Can hear things miles away if she focuses.

* Known as Far Listener.

Lithunia – Hundred Eyes. High Priestess and leader of the goddess’s Chosen. Snow and shadow color scheme.

* Blessing: Can freeze her surroundings.

* Known as the Lady of Frost.

Melka – Peacekeeper. Hattie’s second-in-command.

* Blessing: Aura that strikes terror in the hearts of creatures within fifty paces. She can tell if it takes hold or not, and protect a select number of people in her area from the effect.

Mishtaw – Seeker. Leader of the squad Gimley and the rest get assigned to when they go the shore. Now Gimley’s sole allowed whisper woman mentor.

* Blessing: She can yell out a battle cry that increases her allies strength and agility for a short time.

* Known as the Relic Seeker.

Nadia (the Commander) – Peacekeeper (Sect head).

* Blessing: Storm Drinker.

Rivon – Hundred Eyes (Second-in-command).

Tasha – Strikingly beautiful. Owes Gimley a debt.

* Blessing: Can transform into a giant gray and black hawk that trails smoky shadows.

Yeelan – Esie’s sister. They look near identical though Yeelan is normally the dourer of the two. She’s a happy, giggly drunk.

Yetti (deceased) – The previous seedling mentor before Jin.

Yolanda – Scales (Sect head). Doesn’t take well to critique or humor. Strict.

Yule – Hundred Eyes. Sleek, no nonsense (or a prissy wretch according to some). Jin’s supporter.

* Blessing: Can spy on people from afar by viewing them through floating rectangles (screens).

FIRE STARTERS

Creed – Mishtaw’s fire starter. Very strong and Petra’s husband. Loyal and good-natured.

Petra – Eliss’s fire starter and Creed’s wife. Has a strong sense of direction and tracking training. Clear headed and kind.

Shawsh – Caretaker of the nested library in the Seed Landing. Makes miniature sculptures and knows the library like the back of his hand. Clara’s bound fire starter.

BLACK HANDED HEALERS

Maud – Older woman with a long braid of silver hair. Was dismissive of Gimley while gossiping with other healers.

Morgan – Ressia’s cousin. Accidentally reveals Gimley’s blessing to her cohort because he didn’t know it was a secret. Lanky, ponytailed man with a casual attitude.

Ressia – The healer who took care of Gimley and Fellen in the Statue Garden. Meets Gimley again when she goes to the arena. Insightful and not easily surprised.

Trish – Petra’s younger sister. Meets Gimley in war camp on the shore.

GABBLER SHORE TRIBE

Fellen - A huntress’s apprentice in the Gabbler Shore tribe. Gimley’s closest friend before she broke Fellen’s trust.

Rawley - Lone huntress of the Gabbler Shore tribe and Gimley’s mentor.

OTHER

Azabel (Az-AH-bell) - Sister goddess to Heliquat.

Chirp - Wren’s bird companion. He is a wren.

Dogar – Part of Milwa’s Picker band and protective of his cooking.

Heliquat (Hell-e-quat) – Goddess ruling over the territory where the story takes place. Largely associated with darkness, death, pine trees, and blood.

Her Beloved/ The Beloved - The only person to personally win Heliquat’s favor and convinced Her to allow humans to live in Her territory. Now she helps to act as an intermediary between the goddess and humanity. Blood and shadow color scheme. Tattoo artist? (the goddess saw her work and liked the idea of leaving her mark on others too?)

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Igi (deceased) – Prevna’s childhood friend.

Lady Blue (aka the Devouring Blue) – A demigoddess that lives in the ocean surrounding Heliquat and Azabel’s territories. Created when the goddesses tried to make a third sister with their same power but they failed. Shapeshifter who sends her armies of fish and other sea monsters to terrorize the goddesses and their people. People say she hates the sisters and wants to decrease their territories but no one knows if that is her true motive.

Lady of Calm Waters – Gimley’s elusive patron. She takes Gimley on in exchange for a favor.

Milwa - Prevna’s mother and leader of her Picker band. She had Prevna call her by her name from a young age in public as “she couldn’t only be her mother.”

Moorkin – One of the first Chosen and the first Recorder. Wrote the Collection of Wishes and has much of her writing and drawings reproduced to preserve her firsthand account of the beginning of the Fealty Age.

Ver – Prevna’s childhood friend. Has a slight obsession with ice folk.

Places

Broken Spear Peaks (Upper Peaks and Lower) – A mountain range to the right of the Cut. The Lower Peaks start next to the Cut and then transition to the Upper Peaks as the mountains get taller as they curve north.

Calling Road – The path the goddess and Her Chosen walk during a coming of age ceremony that takes place around the same time every year where tribesfolk show up to get a glimpse of them and show their respect. Starts when the goddess and Her Chosen step from the shadow paths on the edge of the forest until they reach the Seedling Palace’s shadows and enter the shadow paths again.

First Shore Lake – A gigantic lake right by the Seedling Palace. So called because it’s said the first people to see it thought it was the edge of the ocean on the other side of the goddess’s territory due to how large it is. Ringed by red sand.

Flickermark – A maze of ravines that are typically navigated using the stars in the sky, which is how Flickermark got its name. To enter the maze you have to pass under to large black, semi translucent hands that look like they are reaching up for help while the statue of goddess they are reaching toward is facing away and pointing to the Statue Garden. To exit without reaching the Statue Garden you have pass through a terrifying tunnel full of tortured people. Flickermark was created by the goddess as Her Beloved’s second trial.

Gabbler Shore – The lake and surrounding area where Gimley grew up when her tribe wasn’t sheltering in Grislander’s Maw.

Grislander’s Maw – The valley between the two offshoots of the Root Mountains. So called because its believed the mountains were created when Heliquat defeated the monstrous dog, so the valley supposed rests between his open jaws.

Haggler’s Cliffs – In the northeast part of Heliquat’s territory. Known for being extremely dangerous as well as hot springs that can restore health and grant invulnerability. Where Breck grew up.

Root Mountains – Mountains surrounding Grislander’s Maw. The mountains are thickly covered by pine trees and their roots. The western side of the mountains are more fertile than the east.

Seedling Palace – contains the goddess’s residence as well as a grove of six skyscraper high pine trees. Where seedlings train and whisper women, their fire starters, and black handed healers live.

* Arena – An area where seedlings and whisper women train, fight, and test their wits. Can be for fun, entertainment, and/or to increase their skill.

* Healer’s Nests – Area where the black handed healers live and treat their patients.

* Seed Landing – Where new Seedlings are trained and live until they gain their first boon. Has the Nested Library and a garden.

The Gathering Spot – Where Gimley has her trial at the end of the book. To reach it you have to pass through a tunnel with softly glowing moss and a disorientating array of images woven into the pine needles. Esie tells Gimley that the images are supposed to show paths to strength. The Gathering Spot itselfis set near the goddess’s nest so the goddess’s residence fills the vision of anyone standing in its center. It has two elevated wooden rings, with the higher one being wider than the other. Four ramps, equidistant rise up from the center area to provide access to the rings and an opening opposite of the tunnel contains a storage area.

Shadow Caster Mountains – the tallest mountains in the goddess’s territory. To the left of the Cut and said to be so tall that they touch the tips of the Silver Forest and as such if you climb to the top of the tallest peak you can speak to the dead.

Silver Forest – The afterlife people strive to belong to. It’s said that the stars are the tips of silver pine trees and the campfires of the dead. That the dead there can rest and enjoy themselves and be at peace.

Statue Garden – The holy site where shamble men gather around a grove of goddess grown pine trees near Flickermark. The place the Beloved needed to reach to complete her trial and that Fellen and Gimley had to reach to complete theirs. Now the home of Caretaker whisper women who take care of the holy site.

The Arches – Has terraced gardens and a gigantic ice statue of the Beloved that never melts and protects the residents in the gorge from the ocean waves. Arched pathways stretch from one side to another over the river at the bottom.

The Crossing River – The river Gimley and her tribe always have to cross when traveling to and from Gabbler Shore to Grislander’s Maw.

The Cut – The large valley that cuts through two prominent mountain ranges. Makes for the quickest passage between the northern and southern halves of the goddess’s territory but is also known preying Picker Bands that take advantage of travelers.

The Folds – The hills on the western side of the Root Mountains.

The Sisters (rivers) – Two major rivers that run nearly parallel to each other in the southern part of the goddess’s territory.

Animals & Monsters

ANIMALS

Bane Pack – Wolflike creatures with thick blond fur and oversized ears and long, narrow snouts. Their bite is venomous and will slow and disorient their prey. For most people it will keep working on their system until they become paralyzed. An individual one is known as a ‘bane’ but most travel in packs and they got their name for being the bane of lone travelers they often seem to hunt.

Heart Backed Asper – venomous snake. Asper’s love is common name for its venom.

Screecher – A money creature with a squat frame with white fur, red face, and a protruding mouth that lives in Haggler’s Cliffs. Can pour fog from their mouths and screech very loudly.

Sea snake/water snake – A large snake that lives in the ocean and never stops growing. The one that attacked Gimley had a large crest growing from its forehead.

Shaggy coated boar – A boar with a shaggy coat that lives in the Root Mountains.

Sleet Beetles – Chirp’s favorite snack.

MONSTERS

Conch commander – Considered to be a more intelligent fish monster that commands the Lady Blue’s troops.

Crawler – Stingray like monsters that look like two pieces of cloth rippling together with long whiskers and a longer tail. Can glide through water and, for a time, with more difficulty, overland. Can camouflage themselves and curl into tiny spaces. Often seem to be used as sentries and harassers on the ocean battlefronts. They are resistant to piercing attacks, especially on their back, but their belly is vulnerable to attacks.

Fish soldiers – fish that can walk on their back fins on land and use spears fight the whisper women. The common soldier in the Lady Blue’s forces.

Kraken/squid creature (no in world name yet) - A formidable foe in the Lady Blue’s forces. Can be difficult for whisper women to fight as it can stay out to sea and attack them on the shore with its long tentacles.

Shamble men – Zombie like creatures who come from people who weren’t burned during the five grace period after they died. They were created when rebels rose up against the goddess, only to be defeated, and the goddess punished them and everyone for daring to try. They have gray skin and ghoulish, androgynous faces so it’s impossible to identify who they once were.

Shore Eaters – Large bulbous creature, lobsterlike, that has shovel like front claws to help it pour sand down its throat. It eats the goddess’s land.

Storm singers – Mermaidlike sea creatures that can call down storms with their singing if enough of them gather together.

Blessings and Boons

BLESSINGS

Blessing – a supernatural power gifted from Heliquat to the people in Her territory, always marked by a symbol on the receiver’s body. Those destined to become whisper women receive a unique mark and power while everyone else receives the common blessing.

Bless Mark – the mark on a person’s body that comes with their blessing. If it is unique, it can be any shape and size as well as show up anywhere on the person’s body.

Common Blessing – Always appears as two small dots, one each at the center of the person’s inner wrists. Gives the blessing to produce a flicker of flame. However, there are two variations: Candles can produce a steady flame at the tip of a finger for a handful of seconds while Sparks can create the flame at a distance within a handful of feet, but it doesn’t last as long.

BOONS

Dark Sight – Allows you to see in the dark but everything is grayscale. Needs no light source.

Elemental Resistance – Allows you to resist the elements. The more you use and train with this boon the more a whisper woman can raise her resistance to different elements.

Shadow Walking – Allows you to travel through the shadow paths and sense shadows. The more a whisper woman trains with this boon the better she can travel through more difficult shadows and/or the farther she can travel using the shadows.

Wind Whispering – Allows you to speak remotely using the wind. The more a whisper woman trains with this boon the more she can say in a message as well as increase her accuracy and distance she can cross when sending a message. The better skilled wind whisperers can also send messages in lower wind areas that might stop others or simply send more complete messages than they could.

Groups

SECTS

Beastwatcher Sect – This sect is focused on protecting the natural resources of the goddess’s territory. They are the ones that hunt monsters, patrol the land to make sure the ecosystems are in balance and investigate outbreaks of disease and rot that are contaminating the surrounding land. Most likely to be knowledgeable of the different parts of the goddess’s territory, plants, and animals.

Caretakers Sect – This sect focuses on taking care of the goddess’s holy sites and the Groves that were grown at the Beloved’s four trials. They are the most tradition focused sect and are strict with their power structures and hierarchy as they are split between four locations. It helps them to make sure no one takes advantage of their decentralized structure to take control of the sect.

Hundred Eyes Sect – This sect are largely the information gatherers among the goddess’s whisper women. With a large network of spies and other intelligence gatherers they are nearly always the first to be aware of a developing situation or new information. They are the ones most likely to be sent across the border to learn more about the state of Azabel’s territory.

Peacekeepers Sect – This sect makes up the goddess’s army. Fighting the Lady Blue’s fish, putting down rebellion, taking care of death bringers…if there’s fighting to be done these are the whisper women sent to do it. They are the only ones who are given leniency when it comes to stepping in the goddess’s domain by killing and they are the most likely to be the most skilled when it comes to fighting, battle strategy and tactics, and crowd control.

Scales Sect - This sect would be akin to the goddess’s lawyer/court judges. They are the ones who interpret the goddess’s words, rulings, and past actions to determine if a whisper woman is at fault or so that they can consistently apply a law if a situation arises. There are rumors that the highest ranked Scales can get the goddess’s or Her Beloved’s direct input on a ruling if it is important enough, but no Scale has ever confirmed or denied this.

Seekers Sect – This sect is often considered the catch all sect by the others. It is supposed to be for whisper women who are driven by a passion to learn more about a subject and thus improve the tools and knowledge whisper women have at their disposal. Those that don’t easily fit into the confines of the other sects often join the Seekers sect, but because all their focuses are so individualized it is often those who are truly obsessed with their chosen subject that go the furthest in the sect.

TRIBES

Gabbler Shore – The tribe Gimley grew up in.

Swirling Waters – The tribe Juniper, Ento, and Idra grew up in.

GENERAL GROUPS

Black Handed Healers – The healers that reside in the Seedling Palace. They are often treated better than the healers in the tribes as the marks on their hands are inked by the Beloved herself and are supposed to keep them from giving or receiving too much life. Despite their name the marks are more a dark gray than black.

Carvers – The people who carve the trees for tribesfolk burials. They create Carver’s Mazes on the coffins which are supposed to lock the body inside the coffin while it burns on the pyre, but allow the soul to escape to the afterlife.

Seedlings – Whisper women-in-training. When capitalized ‘Seedling’ refers to a new trainee still living in the Seed Landing but otherwise includes all the girls who aren’t fulling fledged whisper women yet. Seedling Ranks from bottom to the top are: Seedling, Sprout, Sapling.

Whisper Women – The goddess’s priestesses who have completed their training. The are split between the six sects, but all have earned the goddess’s four boons. If they rise high enough in the goddess’s favor they can become one of Her Chosen.