Hi and nice to see you! Jae Ess here.

As our story grows more complex, I thought it might be useful to provide the readers with a glossary. This is merely a courtesy for those who might be interested, or for those who may benefit from the occasional reminder on certain points. A thorough examination of this glossary is not necessary for the enjoyment of the book, so feel free to skip this completely.

While I don’t recommend reading straight through it as there will invariably be spoilers, feel free to refer back to this chapter as often as necessary. As the story progresses and more information becomes known, I will post new updated glossaries at various points to help the reader keep abreast of all the characters, organizations, pronunciation, etc..

If you’re like me and you’re going to read straight through this glossary in spite of being advised against it, concerning the topic of spoilers, I’ve taken precautions to keep them to a minimum. Anywhere you see this note: (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers), know that as of chapter 11, this character has not yet been introduced. I did not do the same for the other entries, as they pertain to world building, which one may learn now or later as they see fit without really spoiling the reading experience, in my opinion.

I’ve gone over this glossary a few times with a fine tooth comb, but it’s always possible I’ve missed a spoiler or two, so if I did, I’m sorry. Please admonish me in the comments—I can take it!

But I’ve talked about this way more than I intended to, so I’m going to shut up now! I hope you’ll find this glossary helpful and informative. Enjoy!

Guide to Characters and Terms in ‘The Embervane Legacy’

Part 1

Aeric (AIR-ick) – half elf commoner, he possesses uncommon mastery of the Aizer, though he’s never had professional training.

Agate, Mrs. – human commoner, head cook of the Embervane household, she shares her name and occupation with innumerable doppelgangers scattered throughout this world and many others.

Aizer (AY-zer) – the invisible stuff through which all elemental currents flow, its insulative properties make those who’ve mastered its use an Inborn’s worst nightmare.

Aizer Gateways – six small holes in the Aizer shield which allow small trickles of life-sustaining current to enter and leave the body, and the openings by which the Inborn calls to elements without to fuel their magic. The gateways are located in the feet (rani gate), stomach (gorenj gate), between the shoulder blades (dur gate), mouth (tsebe gate) and head (polin gate).

Aizer Monk – disciples of either the 1st, 4th or 7th Harmony, these devotees are trained to manifest the insulative properties of the Aizer. Armed with discipline and usually martial arts training, their primary goal is to tip the Balance in favor of their Harmony. See Balance, Harmonies.

Aizer Shield – an invisible force of Aizer found within each living creature’s body, this shield insulates them from elemental currents that would otherwise be caustic if one were to be exposed to them in their entirety.

Alder (ALL-der) – the language spoken in Alderosh. This is also the common language of the human nations within Runa.

Alderosh (AL-der-osh) – metropolis in southeastern Runa not far from the Mneran sea, it is kept safe by high walls and a magical dome that covers the entire city. It is lacking diversity, populated primarily by humans and a much smaller percentage of elves, including an elite class called the High Elves, who have reigned over the city for two thousand years.

Almar Westrin (AL-mar – WESS-trin) – (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) human commoner, Lord Embervane’s protégé and member of Rogue Arcana, he sees himself as an older brother to both Aeric and Mortalia. An Inborn mage who’s primary element is unknown. His secondary element is fire.

Audy (AW-dee) – human commoner, formerly Lord Embervane’s protégé, murdered by his master. Inborn and former member of Rogue Arcana, he commanded fire.

Balance, the – the carefully weighed state of the world, thought to be overseen by powerful beings called the Harmonies. Since absolute neutrality was thought to be the will of Scorroset when he created Miralet, followers of the god dragon (and typically the Fourth Harmony) strive to keep themselves and the world around them neither good nor evil, but perpetually gray. Meanwhile followers of the ‘good Harmonies,’ numbered One through Three, strive to tip the scales in favor of good, and followers of the ‘evil Harmonies,’ numbered Five through Seven, actively seek to bring evil and chaos to the world. It is considered the sacred duty of the Fourth, and those who follow the Fourth’s discipline, to keep an even balance between these two opposing sides, and ensure the world never tips too far in one direction or the other. See Harmonies.

Beast, the – (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) enormous black stallion belonging to Lord Embervane, generally considered unmanageable by everyone but Warren.

Bellamy Wilshire (BELL-uh-mee – WILL-sher) – (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) human nobility, second son of the old and noble house Wilshire, he is Mortalia’s intended fiancé.

Blue Elves, the – a hostile race of aquatic elves living on the northwestern shores of Runa. A rugged people, they are resistant to change and live in closely guarded isolation. They slip easily into the arctic waters and can dive to great depths for long periods of time. Taller and broader than other elves, their lifespan is roughly two hundred years.

Chew – also ‘Rot,’ an extreme hallucinogenic illegal drug found in Alderosh, users see all kinds of terrible and fantastic things that aren’t there. A party drug, chewy, tastes like bitter caramel.

Commons, the – massive housing project district in the middle of Alderosh, full of commoners with mediocre income.

Deadlands, the – uninhabitable radius around Alderosh of more than a hundred miles. Nothing can thrive here due to the lack of elemental current and the toxic gas belching out of Mt. Gadran for millennia. Those that by necessity must cross it are advised to use a mask. Continual exposure to the air in the Deadlands is known to shorten one’s lifespan significantly.

Dome, the – an enormous clear, reddish tinted magical barrier covering the entire city of Alderosh. Besides filtering the noxious fumes that exist outside the city, it acts as a barrier from tainted precipitation.

Don – human commoner employed at Embervane estate as the house steward for more than fifteen years. His loyalty is unquestioned.

Draconic – the ancient language of dragons, still spoken by these elusive magical beasts. Because it is the tongue of Scorroset, for the Inborn it is the language most commonly used to harness the elements.

Elemental Currents – countless invisible life-sustaining streams that run throughout the world, each composed of one of the five elements: fire, air, earth, water and electricity. When pulled from, these streams supply the Inborn elementalist with the material required for their spells. Note: Specific currents are more readily available under specific conditions. For example, within an open flame, a concentration of fire current may be found, although it is not sustaining the fire, nor is its presence required for it to continue burning. Simply the existence of the fire draws the fire current, and makes it prevalent in that space. Similarly, in an arctic environment, a fire current would be all but impossible to find. The currents simply would not gather in such a place.

Embervane, Lord – see Oscro Embervane

Enforcers – elven law keepers authorized to use brute force on humans when necessary. They rank higher than human police and are found all over Alderosh, especially in the poorer districts.

Erken (ur-KEN) – (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) human commoner, guard at Rogue Arcana who keeps the inner sanctum. His primary element is earth.

Falunine (FA-loo-neen) – the goddess of light in the mythology of the painted elves of Sankasaan. The twin sister and opposite of Selunine, she is the giver of all things good.

Ferine Peaks (fair-EIN) – treacherous mountain range north of Alderosh.

First Wall – the original wall erected as the boundary of Alderosh, as the population grew it became obsolete, however it still stands, separating the human Noble District and the Trade Districts from the Commons.

Gaydrim Palaedius (GAY-drim – pa-LAY-dee-yus) – High Elf, head of the High Elven council, ruler of Alderosh and self-styled benevolent patriarchal deity. An Inborn mage, his primary element is water, secondary fire, a rare combination.

Gemenite (JEH-muh-nite) – highly sought after crystal mined only in Mt. Gadran of Alderosh, full of concentrated elemental current. Its function is to supply the wearer with more elemental current (material for spells), an invaluable item in areas where that particular current is not readily available.

Gilman Maibry (GILL-man – MAY-bree) – human nobility, politician, sits on the Lower Council of Alderosh (human council), head of Rogue Arcana, a man of many secrets. An Inborn mage, his primary element is fire and his secondary is earth.

Glora (GLOR-uh) – human commoner, grew up in the orphanage with Aeric before being adopted by a wealthy family. A powerful Inborn with a water affinity, she saved Aeric’s life from life-threatening injuries.

God Dragon, the – see Scorroset

Goldmoon, Lady – see Sola Goldmoon

Great Wall, the – a high wall that marks out the boundaries of Alderosh and is the contact point for the dome covering the city.

Greyfish – small coastal fishing town north of the Ferine Peaks and south of Nevergreen wood.

Hard Candy – an expensive illegal drug found in Alderosh, it makes the user hyper and euphoric. It is the drug of choice for the wealthy.

Harmonies, the – seven beings of tremendous power said to be appointed by Scorroset himself to watch over the world and keep the balance of Miralet. Each Harmony represents a specific alignment, ranging from the First Harmony who represents absolute goodness, to the Seventh, who represents absolute evil. These beings are revered by cultures throughout the world, and people strive to align themselves to their chosen Harmony in various ways, though there is much debate as to whether they are a myth, historical figures, or present day demigods who still intervene in the world’s order. See Balance, the.

High Elves – immortal elves who have reigned over Alderosh for two thousand years. They possess seemingly godlike magical power, having wells of elemental current stored within them that never run dry. Though they style themselves as benevolent deities (especially Gaydrim), in reality they are self-serving tyrants who hold the city in a stranglehold of fear.

Inborn – anyone possessing the blood of Scorroset that is able to call on at least one of the five elements to do their bidding. Also called elementalist or mage.

Laselle (la-SELL) – (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) human commoner, water tutor at Rogue Arcana and resident healer. Water is her primary element.

Lurian Revalor (LURE-ee-en – REV-uh-lor) – (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) so named by young Mortalia after the angelic hero from an epic poem, he is an elven shadow enforcer who’s had visions of Mortalia for many years now, and seems to feel he has some special connection with her. A mysterious man who turns up and disappears when he pleases, his abilities are unknown. One of the Numbered, he is known among his colleagues and employers simply as Sirohar (SEER-oh-har), which is the elven word for Twenty-five.

Maibry, Lord – see Gilman Maibry

Mehan (MAY-han) – (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) elven word for Sixteen, he’s an elven shadow enforcer, one of the Numbered. Member of the Red Sunset group with a laid-back personality; his primary element is air.

Miralet (MEER-uh-let) – the world itself, thought to be formed by Scorroset.

Mneo (m-NAY-o) – (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) human commoner, former pirate, fire tutor at Rogue Arcana headquarters. Fire is his primary element.

Mneran Sea (m-NER-an) – a vast ocean to the east of the continent of Runa, said to be impassable.

Mortalia Embervane (mor-TAL-ee-uh) – human nobility, only child of house Embervane, the limits of her potential are as-yet unknown. An Inborn mage, air is her primary element, fire her secondary.

Mount Gadran (guh-DRAN) – large solitary mountain on the west side of Alderosh, the only place in the world where gemenite can be mined. The east face is green and covered with gorgeous elven architecture where Gaydrim and the other High Elves reside, while the west face is stripped by the gemenite mining and belches poisonous gas.

Nevergreen Wood – large forest of famously black pines that runs along the mid-eastern coastline of Runa.

North Iron District – industrial district of Alderosh, home of the auction house, countless warehouses, factories and mills. Tradesmen gather here, smiths, metal workers, factory workers, etc. A grimy, sooty place wreathed in smog, people here are well paid but often overworked and generally unhappy.

Numbered, the – see Shadow Enforcers.

Oscro Embervane (OSS-crow) – human nobility, head of house Embervane and the Embervane trade empire, and Mortalia’s father; an ambitious, duplicitous man. An Inborn with very little power, his primary element is water.

Painted Elves – pale elves with brightly colored hair and eyes in all colors of the rainbow who inhabit the Sankasaan islands. In the hot summer months they famously paint their bodies in lieu of clothing. They are the longest living humanoids in Miralet, with some reaching ages of 700 and older.

Pei Mu (PAY-MOO) – (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) half elven Aizer monk, a disciple of the Fourth Harmony. She is head of security at Rogue Arcana.

Pellafall (PEL-uh-fall) – an elven metropolis deep in the Aluriel forest, inhabited by elves with deep brown skin who live to be around three hundred years old. They are protective of their trees but nevertheless open to traders, trading particularly in medicinal herbs and art, exporting rare colored pigments and importing art in all forms. Beautiful art is the weakness of the Pellafall elves, and many collectors there will do anything to attain it.

Persephia Embervane (per-SEF-ee-uh) – (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) human nobility, wife of Oscro and mother of Mortalia.

Phaetania (fay-TAN-ee-uh) – a large island off the northeast coast of Runa. It is thought to be the actual location of Scorroset’s Rive, and as such is considered by many to be a sort of holy land. Covered in snow most of the year, it is a savage land full of fierce monsters of all kinds.

Pilgrim Keen – formerly Sagar Vitol, a Disciple of the Fourth, one hundred years ago he became disillusioned by the faith of his fellow disciples, feeling ‘Balance’ was not the highest virtue, and that there had to be more to life and attaining the highest level of consciousness than this. He renounced his faith formally, and understanding he felt compelled to seek a higher truth, Sophreth Enroh, Paragon of the Fourth, gave him his blessing as well as the name ‘Pilgrim Keen, Truthseeker.’ After this, he wandered the continent of Runa and the lands beyond, learning all he could and chronicling his observations faithfully in ten volumes. An old man when he disappeared fifty years ago, he was last seen taking a ship east into the uncross-able Mneran Sea, in hopes of discovering some great truth that might lay at the end of it.

Pink Sugar – or just Sugar, a pink crystalline drug that smells sweet when smoked. The drug of the lower classes, among the poor it’s become an epidemic. Highly addictive, it creates a false sense of security and happiness.

Plague, the – also Gaydrim’s curse, a seemingly supernatural malady that falls upon the households of those who blaspheme the High Elves. Those living in Alderosh and to a lesser extent in the surrounding areas live in constant fear of inviting plague, and so tend to speak favorably of Gaydrim and even engage in worship practices, so that the benevolent father will bless them with his continued protection, and not curse them by removing it.

Rhoda (ROE-duh) – (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) human commoner, Lord Maibry’s bodyguard and right hand woman. An Inborn elementalist and member of Rogue Arcana, her elemental affinities are unknown.

Rive, the (rhymes with hive) – the birth of the world, used as a verb to describe the event, as a noun to describe its location, and as a noun to describe the chaotic era immediately following the event. According to mythology, this is where the god dragon Scorroset rent the fabric of all the worlds and forced them to bleed together into the new world Miralet. This event explains the diversity of races and cultures within Miralet, and is considered the point of contact at which all the races’ bloodlines were fundamentally altered by Scorroset, creating the Inborn.

Rogue Arcana – secret society of mostly human Inborn in Alderosh, dedicated to overthrowing the current government under Gaydrim and establishing a new, free city. Appears to be headed by Lord Maibry.

Runa (ROO-na) – a large continent, home to many different countries and peoples including the city-state of Alderosh.

Sankasaan Islands (SANK-ah-san) – an island chain just off the southeast coast of Runa inhabited by the painted elves.

Scorroset (SKOR-oh-set) – mythical dragon who is traditionally viewed as having created the world Miralet. The devout hold to the idea that he watches over Miralet from his home plane, taking an interest in the affairs of mortals, but never directly interfering in them, instead leaving his avatars, the Harmonies, to keep the Balance for him. He is also referred to as the god dragon, or the Watcher.

Second Wall – the second wall erected as the boundary of Alderosh a thousand years ago. As the population grew it became obsolete, however it still stands, separating the Commons from the industrial Iron Districts.

Selunine (SEH-loo-neen) – 1. the goddess of darkness in the mythology of the painted elves of Sankasaan. The twin sister and opposite of Falunine, she is the bringer of all things evil. 2. (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) name given to a certain human girl Gaydrim has seen in his visions of the destruction of Alderosh; he believes her to be the avatar of Selunine manifested for his ruin.

Shadow Enforcers – elite assassins employed by the High Elves, they exist merely as legends or boogeymen in the minds of most Alderosh citizens. When they reach a certain rank, their name is erased, and they become one of the Numbered. This number does not indicate skill level, it is merely a slot to be filled when the previous Number retires or is killed.

Shagra (SHAH-grah) – a complex strategy board game played by two people on multiple colored checkered boards stacked atop each other in levels, in which the goal is to capture the opponent’s flag using the various pieces, each of which have specific names and rules regulating their movement. For example, the ‘wizard’ piece may move between the boards, but the ‘steward’ may not. The ‘steward’ may move in any direction, but the ‘knight’ may only move in straight lines. Each opponent begins with twelve pieces on each board arranged in a way that seems best to them, with the possibility of up to four levels. Typically, it is played by only two players.

Si (SEE) – (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) elven word for Two, he is an elven shadow enforcer, one of the Numbered. Leader of the Red Sunset group, he takes himself and his job very seriously. Abilities unknown.

Sirohar (SEER-oh-har) – elven word for Twenty-five, see Lurian Revalor

Sliver District – district in Alderosh located on the fringe of the human noble estates and the edge of the river Isalis, it is home to all sorts of shady customers that cater their services to the wealthy human elite.

Slums, the – also called ‘the sheet metal slums,’ the forgotten district of Alderosh on the far east side of the city, here is where the poorest gather to scrape out a living just within the safety of the dome. They build their houses out of rejected scraps of metal leftover from the Iron Districts.

Sola Goldmoon (SOH-lah) – (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) appears to be human nobility, a mysterious old woman working for Rogue Arcana with mysterious powers, including the power to erase or alter memories.

South Iron District – often called the shadow of North Iron, it’s inhabited by those who couldn’t make it in the more prestigious sister district. More gruesome than industrial, it is home to all the places in Alderosh people would rather forget existed—landfills, trash barges, countless slaughterhouses, and of course, the infamous asylums.

Tatinau (TA-tih-now) – small continent off the southwest coast of Runa, rich in rare natural resources. Considered a lawless place, slavery is commonly practiced, and pirates run rampant on all sides, waiting to catch unsuspecting trade vessels loaded with valuable goods.

Thadimir Embervane (THAD-ih-meer) – human patriarch of House Embervane that lived more than five hundred years ago, he was a powerful Inborn who once served as the Fifth Harmony. His betrayal of the Harmonies threw the Balance into chaos for a time, culminating in the battle of Discord where he eventually surrendered and was taken prisoner to be locked in another dimension where it is said he remains to this day.

Thatchcalas (THATCH-ka-lass) – country on the continent Matnar southeast of Runa inhabited by druidic dwarves.

Third Wall – the third wall erected as the boundary of Alderosh, as the population grew it became obsolete about two hundred years ago, however it still stands, separating the Iron Districts from the Slums.

Tin Faltry (FALL-tree) – human commoner, Lord Embervane’s awkward, anti-social protégé. Inborn, his primary element is earth and his secondary is fire.

Uthmonda (ooth-MON-duh) – civilized continent on the opposite side of the world from Runa. Somewhere in the countryside is located the Rogue Arcana headquarters which they access by a waypoint.

Warren – (a new character, not yet introduced, spoilers) half elf commoner, formerly a soldier and mercenary, he now works for Lord Embervane as stable master. He teaches Aeric and Almar the sword.

Watcher, the – another name for Scorroset, who is said to be watching over Miralet from an outside dimension to this day. See Scorroset.

Waypoints – pre-established magical portals leading to a set destination.