Aestrux - The name of the world, also the name of the continent. Aestrux has a single inhabitable landmass with accessory islands near poles (uninhabitable). [Intro - Ch. 13]
Amnasín - location; the Kingdom of Amnasín; a nation located on the southern edge of the continent. It is known as a trading hub (the only safe land passage from the east to the west on the southern ocean) and the location of the [ territory ] of unicorns. Though traditionally a monarchy, the centuries-old agreement with the unicorns allows those creatures to select the next dynasty, if the current one is to end (regardless of how). Amnasín is rocky coast to the south, plains-to-desert on the west, the high and rugged Staargraven mountains to the north, and a wedge of avalanche zones and rocky hills to the east. The remainder of the country has various forests, with marshes in the south-east. Their flag is purple with a white unicorn head surrounded by green fern fronds. [Intro - Ch. 1]
archivist ("systems mage") - subclass of Sage (class); the archivists are best known for their employment to authorities (such as kingdoms or the adventurer's guilds) where they serve as management for improving the stats and skills of soldiers or adventurers. They are also used as fact-checkers in places where stats are limited, such as gambling halls, those these workers tend to be after-hours employees of larger groups. Most people do not need a systems mage for any purpose while improving their class abilities (such as artisans or scholars) but archivists provide the ability to alter or "reset" classes, subclasses, etc. Both systems mage and system mage are correct, as they are location-specific depending on if locals refer to the system as plural. [Intro - Ch. 5]
blixhund - beast; a fox-like magical beast that lives in social groups, preferring enclosed spaces such as abandoned buildings or ruins. Blixhund steal or capture enemy magic upon touch (of any body part, including their tail) which converts into electricity which is discharged offensively. Though a seasoned melee fighter can clear out a den of blixhund with ease, blixhunds are considered mage-killers -- a cornered mage in an enclosed space is dead meat. [Intro - Ch. 4]
Brigavalé - location; the Kingdom of Brigavalé; a nation on the northern edge of the continent. It is known for being very dangerous, given that two of its borders align with Drac Dūmon (land claimed by 3 dragons) and the Staargraven. The culture is unfriendly to outsiders and the climate is very cold, making Brigavalé largely untouched by tourism and adventurers, unless required. Language: Valien. [Intro - Ch. 2]
elves - (sub-) race;
Elves are not a race as much as a divergent evolution of humans. Magic is spread somewhat equally throughout all humans, with a minimum magical ability present in every human being which can be developed over time. Elves are an anomaly born from two humans. They are thought to be produced from either magic buildup in the bloodline(s) released at once into a single individual, or magic reallocation when a strong entity dies elsewhere. There has been no verification on which, if any, hypothesis is correct.
First Knight of Amnasín - kingdom rank; the highest ranking individual knight of the kingdom, without the burden of administrative duties; the First Knight is widely considered the best Champion in the kingdom. They oversee the training of all knights and soldiers, reporting to the Commander who manages all administrative needs, such as supplies, finances, recruitment, discipline, etc. [Intro - Ch. 14]
gambling terms - casinos or gambling halls have terms for people with Luck 1 (aces) or Luck 2 (pairs); there are nicknames for Luck 3 (tern) and Luck 4 (quatern) but they are usually referred to as Augmenters, as it's considered impossible to naturally have a Luck higher than 2. This terminology rarely exists outside of gambling halls, widely unknown to the general populace. [Intro - Ch. 11]
heads - currency; a large silver coin with the head of the reigning monarch on it, currently the Queen Voisava; 1 head is worth 50 targets.
hero - regardless of Earthly concepts, a hero in Aestrux is someone who was summoned from another world. There may be implications of serving the nation who summoned the hero, but there is not inherent quality of heroic applied to heroes. They are given the social designation of a high rank, high social class individual, but the expectations of their behavior are merely the cultural standard. They are not expected to be more noble or more good than anyone else. Alternative term is outworlder. [Discussed - Ch. 14]
hero skills - system concept, a category of skills available only to heroes. One hero skill may be obtained per each class (artisan, beastmaster, fighter, landwise, performer, mage, physician, sage, scholar, et al.). The hero skills are limited to non-combat skills that are common to each class. They must be unlocked through meeting unknown requirements, primarily by interacting with Aestrux. [Intro - Ch. 13, 14]
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
hiwode brooch - cultural item; a horseshoe-shaped brooch with one or more beads along the bottom curve, pinned in place between the two ends of the horseshoe. A hiwode brooch is a cultural indication of marriage. The first bead (saucer shaped) and the brooch itself are purchased at the same time. More beads can be added to indicate other accomplishments, such as: children (small, round beads), death (flat, disc spacers around the deceased individual's bead), important events (war, awards, graduation, etc; with nonstandard beads). The shape is unaffected by the gender of spouse or child. No ceremony is required to wear a hiwode brooch. [Intro - Ch. 10]
Inquisitor - subclass of Sage (class); also known as "rules mages", the inquisitors are able to use specific "Rules of [ ]" to force scenarios to fit their whims. The most commonly known rules are the Rule of Binding (oaths with stated penalties) and Rule of Truth (AOE truth-speaking spell). This subclass has an extensive list of requirements to unlock before a Sage can access it. [Intro - Ch. 3, 4]
korekun - beast; a dog-sized reptile found in salt marshes and estuaries. Korekun have blunt, pitbull-shaped heads with crocodilian features and a noticeable crest or sail on their back. They avoid direct human contact, choosing to eat fish, small birds, and rodents. [Intro - Ch. 8, 10]
ladies of the garden - slang; prostitute. Prostitution is common in the open gardens of castles and surrounding grounds, as a high concentration of soldiers generally needs a high concentration of sex. Brothels in Amnasín have greenhouse or plant theming as a correlation. Within the city itself, young ladies (or boys) avoid spending time alone in public green spaces to deter false accusations. Private gardens are always closed or locked. Garden boys or sowers are culturally common, but they tend to be lumped in with the larger ladies of the garden title. At the Solarium, the term flowers of the garden (shortened: flowers) is exclusively used. [Intro - Ch. 9]
loafs - currency; the small copper coin with a central diagonal slit and floral embellishments on the corners; 1 small copper coin will buy a loaf of bread, thus loafs. (Loaves is incorrect for the coins.)
magic sickness - ailment; a sickness induced by the sudden influx of magic, usually occurring in preteens going through puberty or in rare cases, people who come in contact with faulty enchantments or items with high magic pools. The symptoms of magic sickness are, of course, a system notification, plus fever and vomiting. The duration of magic sickness usually can be counted in minutes, not hours. [Intro - Ch. 13]
plicare bird - beast; a brown, mottled bird that behaves similarly to a mockingbird [Intro- Ch. 9]
Qhai Republic - location; a nation located on the south-western edge of the continent. It is a very rich nation with lots of gold and gemstones, dotted with rainforests and swaths of deserts, but it is primarily known for the current head of state who is a dragonrider. [Intro - Ch. 1]
quirita bird - beast; a small heron or egret with black, iridescent feathers and an off-white crest. Quirita are non-magical beasts, commonly found in coastal regions in both salt and freshwater sources. While docile, they are known for the loud screeches and hisses they produce when disturbed. [Intro - Ch. 2]
spirits - magic; a transparent magical entity that obeys the orders of its summoner. Summoners are an uncommon subclass of mage, as each spirit requires a significant amount of magic to summon which limits the other abilities of the mage. The spirits of new summoners lack independent thought and must be given play-by-play orders. Spirits who are summoned frequently for extended periods of time begin to develop independent thought and "personalities." With very few exceptions, well-developed spirits mimic the personality of their summoner. The types of spirits are varied and can be drawn from places of power, legends, archetypes, and more. [Intro - Ch. 4]
Staareaux - location; the Kingdom of Staareaux; a nation located on the western edge of the continent. It is known for fine wines and liquors, expansive coniferous forests, and a government ruled by a king but maintained and controlled by nobility. The "easiest" trail into the Staargraven begins in Staareaux. [Intro - Ch. 5]
Staargraven - location; an mountainous region in the center of the continent considered impassable by almost all sentient beings; dragons are the only creature large and durable enough to fly directly over it. It is largely unexplored. [Intro - Ch. 1]
targets - currency; the large copper coin featuring a shield (also known as a target) on its face; 1 target is worth 30 loafs.
tarrusmaw - beast; a large, tiger-sized creature resembling a giant salamander, with shark-like denticles in the shape of short, sharp pencils or knitting needles. Tarrusmaw walk similarly to lizards and alligators, therefore they are not considered agile or fast. They have armored spots on the top of their heads and back, choosing to overwhelm their prey with sheer weight in order to use their hind claws to disembowel, similar to raptors. [Intro - Ch. 12]
vetta root - crafting material; the root of a small tree which is a primary ingredient in healing potions; when harvested, they have the consistency and thickness of carrots, with a similar color under the outer layer. [Intro - Ch. 1, 10]
vode - a third gender, denoted by the symbol of a four-petaled flower which is usually purple or yellow-gold; presumed to use they / them pronouns. Usage: Both "a vode person" and "a vode" are correct, though the latter can be vaguely derogatory with the right tone. Vode as a term originates in the Qhai Republic, and the existence and use of vode is commonplace, if not unremarkable, in the western half of the continent (the Qhai Republic, Amnasín, Staareaux). [Intro - Ch. 9]