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Glossary
World Building
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Units of Measurement
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1 Foot
average male foot
1 Span
average male stride, about 3 feet
1 League
an hour’s worth of walking, about 3 miles
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Times of Day
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Timeframe
Translation
Begin
End
Hours
Earlmorn
Morning
6:00
9:00
3:00
Latemorn
Morning
9:00
13:00
4:00
Highsun
Noon
13:00
13:00
0:00
Midday
Afternoon
13:00
18:00
5:00
Lateday
Evening
18:00
22:00
4:00
Earlnight
Night
22:00
0:00
4:00
Midnight
Midnight
0:00
0:00
0:00
Latenight
Night
0:00
3:00
3:00
Premorn
Morning
3:00
6:00
3:00
Days on Gaia have 26 hour periods; 13th hour is highsun; 26th hour is midnight
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Days of the Week
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Primoris
1st day of the week
Denuo
2nd day of the week
Tertius
3rd day of the week
Quartus
4th day of the week
Diapente
5th day of the week
Terminus
6th day of the week (weekend)
Somnus
7th day of the week (weekend)
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Months of the Year
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Wintermoon
1st month of the year
Icemoon
2nd month of the year
Newmoon
3rd month of the year
Springmoon
4th month of the year
Watermoon
5th month of the year
Solsticemoon
6th month of the year
Summermoon
7th month of the year
Fullmoon
8th month of the year
Harvestmoon
9th month of the year
Autumnmoon
10th month of the year
Duskmoon
11th month of the year
Darkmoon
12th month of the year
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Basic Geography
(Not comprehensive)
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Northern Continent
· Angkor: A nation to the south
· Saladin: A region in the center of the continent containing a great desert
· Kitezh: A nation to the north
· Koba: A nation to the east
· Vineta: A nation to the west
· Feylands: A small city-state in the northwest
Southern Continent, Archipelagos
· Malden: A wealthy nation
· Ek’ Balaam: A mysterious nation
· Minoa: A (mostly) uninhabited landmass
Oceanus
· Great Ocean: central, along the equator
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· Glacial Ocean: north, polar region
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Magic
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Layman
· Non-magic or untrained populace (99.99%)
Scholar
Wizard / Witch
· Red Manna
· Offensive Magic
· Curses
Scholar
Sorcerer / Sorceress
· Blue Manna
· Defensive Magic
· Healing and Blessings
Scholar
Ambisanguinous
· Blue and Red Manna
· All spells available
· Extremely rare
Rogue Scholar
· Exiled scholar
· Broke the Scholar’s Creed
· Danger to society
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People
Note: only includes characters mentioned in more than one chapter
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Blair, Phineas [Blayr, FIN-ee-uhs]: a general in the Angkorian army.
Bram: see Morrison, Abraham.
Brandt, Henrich [Brant, HEN-rick]: the well-respected king and ruler Kitezh. Father of Józef Brandt.
Brandt, Józef [Brant, YO-sef]: the heir to the throne of Kitezh. He is fifteen years old and has been thrust into the responsibility of inheriting his father’s kingdom. However, his interests remain with poetry, music, and theater.
Brandt, Ulrich [Brant, OOL-rick]: A previous king of Kitezh. Grandfather of Józef Brandt.
Chaucer [CHAW-ser]: an army captain serving as an investigator to the Kitezhian insurgency in Angkor.
Cedric: see Curtis, Cedric.
Clairvaux, Isabella [clair-VO, EES-a-BELL-a]: a fictional fairy-tale character with awesome healing abilities. Stories about her inspired Rosa Reynolds to become a sorceress.
Connor: Cedric’s foreman for his airship construction.
Cortez, Samuel: The seventh Gnostic Knight in King Richard’s service. He is well-trained in swordsmanship and wizardry. Along with Virgil Garvey, he seeks the four sunstones.
Cromwell, Richard: King of Angkor. He is fifty-five years old and successfully defeated Kitezh and Koba in a war that lasted almost ten years. He was convinced by Virgil Garvey that acquiring the four sunstones will help him maintain his leadership in the world.
Curtis, Cedric [KER-tiss, SED-rick]: the Grand Craftsman of Angkor. He’s in his mid-forties and grew up as the poor son of a fisherman. Cedric used his skills as a shipwright to invent air travel, which redefined warfare and made him extremely wealthy. He is an intelligent man, but hesitant to take any risks. He worked in King Richard’s service for fifteen years.
Deleuze, Matthias [dell-OOZE, MATT-ee-us]: One of the only scholars in the world with two types of manna in his blood, giving him the title of Ambisanguinous. He is sixty-seven years old and has studied magic in Vineta for most of his life. His daughter Angela ran away with Józef Brandt to see the world.
Deleuze, Angela [dell-OOZE, AN-ģel-ah]: the daughter of Matthias Deleuze. She ran away from home with a circus performer, who was really the prince of Kitezh in disguise.
Eckerd, Mason [ECK-erd, MAY-son]: an old colleague of Cedric Curtis, who provides supplies for his airships. They have a long-standing professional relationship.
Eckerd, Adam [ECK-erd, Adam]: the son of Mason Eckerd.
Erik: a butler who works for Cedric Curtis.
Garvey, Virgil [GAR-vee, VER-jill]: a new chancellor in the employ of King Richard Cromwell of Angkor. His mysterious entrance into Angkorian politics has many speculating over his origins. Along with Samuel Cortez, he seeks the four sunstones.
Geoffrey: A butler who works for Tom Reynolds.
Géorg: see Töller, Géorg.
Harding, Kane: A Royal Guardsman in King Richard’s service and Bram’s best friend from childhood. He is thirty-one years old, but joined the Royal Guardsmen when he was twenty-one and attending the academy. After joining, he and Bram lost contact.
Jean: see Vieillechaise, Jean.
Józef: see Brandt, Józef.
Kane: see Harding, Kane.
Konrad: see Rommel, Konrad.
Lady Azul: the title given to Kitezh’s most powerful sorceress.
Lady Rouge: the title given to Kitezh’s most powerful witch.
Marcus: an old friend of Bram’s father living in the village of Providence.
Matthias: see Deleuze, Matthias.
Mazda, Asura: A hermit who lives at the shrine at the Great Crevasse. Little is known about him, but he is said to provide wisdom and prophetic answers to the Gaian Priests and Priestesses who make a pilgrimage to his shrine.
Mica [MY-kuh]: a young Gaian Priestess from Minoa. She is sixteen years old and very talkative.
Morrison, Abraham (Bram) [Brahm]: the protagonist of the story. He is twenty-nine years old and a Gnostic Knight serving under King Richard. He was one of the youngest to achieve his rank at age twenty-two, only two years after enlisting in the military. He has no memory of his birth parents and was raised by an Angkorian farmer. Many consider him cold and emotionless, but Bram examines his conscience more than the average Knight.
Nan, Katharina [Nahn, CAT-ah-REEN-ah]: Wife of Quon Nan. She is originally from Kitezh and tends to be much more liberal than her conservative husband.
Nan, Quon [Nahn, Kwahn]: the current Kenju Master of Koba. He is thirty-four years old and inherited his father’s role after Wong Fei was killed, during The War. He was raised by a conservative family, but still married interracially with a Kitezhian woman. He is an honorable person and strives for perfection.
Nan, Wong Fei [Nahn, WONG-fay]: the father of Quon Nan. He fought during The War as Koba’s Kenju Master, but did not survive. He remains one of Koba’s most respected warriors.
Peng, Zhao [Pang, Zow]: the emperor of Koba. He is sixty-three years old and served as emperor during the War. He still reigns and is well respected due to his success in rebuilding his country after Angkor’s victory. He comes from House Agriculture, one of Koba’s six royal families and is also a Sunstone Protector.
Quon: see Nan, Quon.
Remiel: A mysterious person that Yuri/Uriel has been searching for.
Reynolds, Rosalyn (Rosa): a sorceress who fought alongside Bram during The War. She remains a romantic interest, even though they have not married. She is twenty-five years old and the daughter of Angkor’s Bank Chairman. She is strong willed and used to hardships, but also very sensitive.
Reynolds, Tom: the father of Rosa Reynolds and Chairman of the Royal Bank of Angkor.
Richard: See Cromwell, Richard
Rommel, Friedreich [RAH-mull, FRED-rick]: the father of Konrad Rommel, and one of Kitezh’s most respected generals. Friedreich died in battle during The War, but he raised his son with a very strict upbringing.
Rommel, Konrad [RAH-mull, CON-RAD]: the Primary Minister to King Henrich Brandt. He is thirty-seven years old and has been loyal to the Brandt family all his life. He disappointed his father by not being strong enough to rise in the ranks of the Kitezhian army, but his intelligence earned him a position as highest administrator in the realm.
Rosa: see Reynolds, Rosalyn.
Samir [sah-MEER]: a Clan Lord from Saladin who made his riches from the aftermath of The War. Samir is considered his desert name, not the one given at birth.
Töller, Géorg [TOOL-er, GAY-ORG]: a Kitezhian soldier who took up residence in Saladin after losing his arm in battle. He is thirty-six years old and is experienced in herb lore. He makes his money by selling rare medicines at the Herdrick Bazaar in Saladin.
Unruh, Hans [UN-roo, Hanz]: the acting Minister of Security in Kitezh. He is fifty-four years old and loves his country, but he is dissatisfied with the current rulership under the Brandt family.
Uriel (Yuri) [YER-ee-el] [YER-ee]: a child from the Gaian tribe in the Mountains of Ur. She is six years old and has exceptional magical talents. Her mother was tribal chieftess and raised her to believe she would one day inherit the gifts of the Goddess, Gaia.
Uriana [YER-ee-AHN-uh]: Yuri/Uriel’s mother.
Uriyé [YER-ee-ay]: A friend of Yuri/Uriel’s mother.
Vance, Maurice [Vanse, moor-EESE]: A famous sorcerer who researched the sunstones before he mysteriously disappeared, thirty years before the story begins. His journals supposedly hold first-hand accounts of the sunstone’s powers, but many believe he failed in his research.
Vieillechaise, Jean [VYE-SHEZ, Zhawn]: an old sorcerer who had once been Rosa Reynolds’ tutor. He originally came from the country of Vineta.
Virgil: see Garvey, Virgil.
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Places
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Angkor [AING-core]: a country on the southern coast of the Northern Continent. To the east is the nation of Koba, north is the Saladina Desert and Mountains of Ur, and west is the nation of Vineta. The capital city of Angkor is also named Angkor and is walled off from the nearby township of Niedam.
Ek’ Balaam [ECK-ball-AHM]: a nation on the Southern Continent.
Feylands: home to the Feylen people. It is a small, forested city-state on the Northern Continent, north of the nation of Vineta.
Gaia [GUY-ah]: the name of the planet. To those of the Gaian religion, the planet itself is a Goddess with the same name.
Garda: the main township of the Feylands.
Glacial Ocean: an ocean to the north of the Northern Continent. It borders the northern coasts of the Feylands, Kitezh, and Koba.
Great Crevasse: a canyon that runs for many leagues across the arid plains of Minoa. Its history plays a pivotal role in the Gaian religion. The Ancient Minoan culture built great temples in the same area, but they were all destroyed when the ground opened up and the crevasse was created. The reasons why remain a mystery.
Great Ocean: the largest body of water on Gaia, separating the Northern and Southern continents and running along the equator.
Kish: a large city in Vineta. It is home to the Circle of Eight and also one of the four sunstones.
Kitezh [kit-ESH]: a country on the north side of the Northern Continent. To the east is the nation of Koba, to the south is the Saladina Desert, and to the West are the Feylands. Kitezh aligned with the nation of Koba and fought against Angkor during the War, but they were still defeated.
Koba: a country on the east side of the Northern Continent. To the west are the nations of Angkor and Kitezh, as well as the Saladina Desert. Koba aligned with the nation of Kitezh and fought against Angkor during the War, but they were defeated.
Malden [MALL-den]: a nation on the Southern Continent, known to be wealthy because of its plentiful ore deposits. The Maldenese dislike magic.
Minoa [min-OH-uh]: it was once the hub of the Gaian religion and a very influential nation hundreds of years ago. However, in modern times, Minoa has become a home for refugees displaced by The War. It is also home to one of the four sunstones.
Mount Abakai [AB-uh-Kī]: a mountain range that spans across the nations of Koba and Kitezh. It was used as a caravan route during The War.
Niedam [NEED-um]: a large city in Angkor adjacent to the capital.
Northern Continent: one of the two major landmasses on the planet. It is the location for Angkor, Kitezh, Vineta, Koba, Saladin, and the Feylands.
Saladin (also: Saladina Desert) [SAL-uh-DEEN, SAL-uh-DEEN-uh]: a territory in the center of the Northern Continent. Also, the name of the central city. Saladin has no central government, but many will argue that it is ruled by the Clan Lords. Many use this region as a hub for travel between adjacent nations.
Rungholt: the capital city of Kitezh. It is also home to one of the four sunstones.
Southern Continent: one of the two major landmasses on the planet. It is the location of the nations of Ek’ Balaam and Malden.
Loulan [Loo-LAWN]: the capital city of Koba. It is also home to one of the four sunstones.
Ur [YOUR]: a region in the mountains to the north-west of Angkor. It is supposedly home to an Ashingi tribe.
Vineta [vin-EET-uh]: a country on the west side of the Northern Continent. To their east is the nation of Angkor, and the Saladina Desert, and to their north are the Feylands. The country is well known for its dense forests and its history of drawing academics to its school of sorcery, known as the Nexus.
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Things
(Not Comprehensive)
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Academy: a school in Angkor for higher education and preparation for military placement.
Ahrimen: an old story tells of four demons known as the Ahrimen that pitted the forces of evil against mankind, until they were sealed away for all eternity.
Airship: flying vessels that provide a means of air transport. Some of them resemble sea vessels, while others are more modern. They use a combination of magic and steam propulsion.
Ambisanguinous: a condition in which a person has two kinds of manna in their blood. Usually, wizards have red manna and sorcerers have blue, but Ambisanguinous scholars have both.
Archives: a great library in Angkor’s capital city that many claim to hold the world’s greatest repository for knowledge.
Ashingi [Ah-SHIN-Gee]: tribes of humans that avoid modern cities and villages and live off the land. Also known as Wild Ones.
Catacombs: a series of tunnels within Angkor’s Substratum that were designed to confuse prisoners that escaped from the dungeons.
Gorm: a species of spawn that flies with bat wings and is the size of a man’s torso. These creatures mostly pose only a minor annoyance, compared to stronger spawn.
Clan Lord: a term given to those in the free territory of Saladin who carry great influence in their society. They are typically very wealthy, having accumulated their riches in the aftermath of the War.
Endrake [EN-DRAKE]: a large and very dangerous spawn that resembles a mix between a blackbird and a serpent. They are dangerous creatures with sharp claws and barbs in their wings which can paralyze their victims when fired.
Feylen People [FAY-len]: not to be confused with the fey, or fairies, these people have a strong background in nature and magic, and they tend to isolate themselves from the rest of the world. They live north of the country of Vineta.
Firebomb: an explosive device used by airships to deliver devastating fire attacks.
Gaian Religion [GUY-en]: an ancient creed that worshipped the goddess of the planet, Gaia. Though it has fallen out of favor over the centuries, it has recently gained in popularity, due to the poverty in the wake of the War.
Gnostic Knight [NOSS-tick]: a unit in the Angkorian military that reports directly and independently to the king. In the post-war era, they have been used for special-ops missions. Their reputations are notorious for instilling “merciless justice”. They have been attributed to many atrocities during the War.
Kenju Warriors [KEN-Joo]: a military unit from Koba made from elite soldiers who train in a form of combat that leverages speed and agility.
Librem Arcana: A magical key to the Archives in the shape of a book.
Network: a series of underground passageways below the Kitezhian capital of Rungholt. They were built by extending the old city waterways, and spread wide throughout the city and surrounding hills. There are many hidden ingress points.
Omega War: according to old stories, this war was waged by four demons called the Ahrimen, creatures that had once pitted the forces of evil against mankind, until they were sealed away for all eternity.
Ouroboros: The protector of the Ancient Gaian tribe in the Mountains of Ur.
Prometheus: an ancient tree in the marshes of Kitezh that is currently the oldest tree in the world. Its sap supposedly contains healing properties.
Royal Guard: an order of warrior that swears a loyal oath in service to the king of Angkor. They are used as sentries in Angkor’s capital city, as well as personal bodyguards to the king.
Servant’s Highway: a magical conduit used to connect the Ancient Gaian temples, so that priests could easily access and maintain them.
Scraag: creatures that appear vaguely human, but are feral and dangerous. They have horrifying leathery faces and are known to eat humans.
Spawn: a term used to describe animals or creatures that have been corrupted by evil magic. So far, none have been found to be intelligent. No one knows where they came from, but they first appeared on the battlefields of The War. They have an insatiable appetite for killing, and have spread throughout the land.
Substratum: a series of underground passageways built below Angkor’s capital city. It spans many levels below the ground, and contains many services suitable to a military compound.
Transiens Veritas: An ancient enchantment that passes on knowledge of the sunstones to a lineage of Sunstone Protectors.
The War: a ten-year conflict between the nations of the Northern Continent. A dispute over borders led to a war between Angkor, Koba, and Kitezh, three of the world’s most powerful nations. Angkor eventually emerged as the victor.
Unification Day: a holiday that commemorates the union of the two countries that later became known as Angkor.
Viscar: equestrian-sized mounts resembling lizards with long pointed ears. Humans have mostly domesticated these creatures, but some are known to exist in the wild. They provide comfortable travel and can go longer distances than a horse.
Zounds: an airship design that stands for Zero Operations and Unlimited Navigations Defense System. The technology going into this vessel allows it to be completely automated. It uses state-of-the-art propulsion and stealth, and runs on a liquified form of manna as fuel. It is referred to as a Galleon-Class airship, due to its extremely large size.