Below is a glossary of terms and locations referenced in the Geren novels and the stories on this website. When applicable, pronunciations follow a glossary term using Merriam-Webster and IPA phonetic notation. For those interested in hearing a pronunciation, copy the IPA notation into this IPA Reader and select one of the American voices, such as Joanna or Joey. My grateful thanks to the maker of that resource!
All definitions are influenced by the cultural perspective and point in time of their composition. Below the formal glossary those interested can read a dialogue between Warder Hu-Hov and Fourth Judge Hadarek regarding the terms, also including numerous extra tidbits.
Glossary
avarii \ǝ-ˈvär-ē\ /ǝˈvari/
One of the three speaking races. Avarii are not mammalian but avian, matchless fliers and singers who dwell in high mountains. Avarii are the tallest race with the longest lifespan, over 110 years. Aviir lay eggs, while both parents brood their offspring. They require freedom, and esteem beauty and creativity.
- A single male avarii is called an ava. \ˈa-vä\ /ˈæva/ The plural is avar. \a-ˈvär\ /aˈvar/
- A single female avarii is called an avii. \ä-ˈvē\ /aˈvi/ The plural is aviir. \ä-ˈvir\ /aˈviɹ/
Avarome \a-ˌvär-ˈō-mā\ /æˌvarˈomeɪ/
A nation located in the Echoing Mountains before its conquest by the Dominion in 427 AK. In Hu-Harek’s day it had two governments, one human and one avarii. Its seat of government was the Skyhall, where avarii senators and human councilors gathered to make rulings. Its primary exports were wool, cheese, and iron ore, along with other metals and precious stones.
birth mates
A pair of hyarmi cubs born together. They can be same sex or mixed, but are almost never identical twins. About sixty percent of hyarmi births are a birth mate pair.
Bivord \ˈbi-vȯrd\ /ˈbɪvoɚd/
The oldest known human nation, situated on both the north and south sides of the Bay of Bivord, which runs east from the Great Sea. Bivord’s seat of government is in Sebevord, considered the world’s oldest and greatest city. Bivord is led by an elected governor who is aided by elected senators. Bivord’s chief exports are metal tools and implements, pearls, ships, and cotton.
Blasted Lands
The region that used to be the nation of Triune. Anyone who tries to live in the Blasted Lands either eventually goes mad, dies mysteriously, or is forced to flee for their lives.
Caverns of History
The closest equivalent among the hyarmi to a human town or city. The Caverns is located in northeastern Landfall and is entirely underground, though sparsely populated compared to a human city. Records spanning millennia are stored in the lower levels of the Caverns, while the residents primarily dwell in the upper levels, where the libraries and four great halls are located.
center post
In Landfall each district has a center post that serves as a community hub for that district. The center post is usually a large dead tree, and message branches containing news or announcements are posted there.
Chief Judge
The longest serving judge who leads the Council of the Races, though this role alternates between races with each succession. The Chief Judge also acts as tiebreaker when needed, and serves until death or resignation. Only the Chief Judge can call for an extra Council meeting due to urgent need.
Council Hall
A cavern in eastern Landfall where Council meetings have occurred for centuries, since 923 DH.
Council meeting
A gathering of the Council of the Races that occurs twice each year, on the full of the Sister nearest the spring and autumn equinox. While the Council judges handle disputes and requests the day of the meeting, the days beforehand are a festival filled with trade, competitions, and celebration.
Council judge
Any individual hyarmi, avarii, or human chosen and appointed by judges of the same race to serve on the Council of the Races. Each judge serves until death or resignation, and may eventually assume the role of Chief Judge.
Council mage / mage ally
The Council’s mage allies were founded in 917 DH as a result of the war in Triune and the Council’s need for protection and enforcement. They started their own mage school in 924 DH, which for centuries was the premier mage school in the world. Due to their origins, the Council’s mage allies also provide regular assistance to Landfall and the local city states of the Open Lands against dark mages and various types of calamities; this aid greatly widened in scope after the discovery of Traveling.
Council of the Races
A judicial body that handle disputes between members of different races, since nearly every nation possesses a government and populace of a single race. The Council of the Races was founded 217 years before the birth of Hu-Harek (-217 BH), with each race represented by three judges. The number of Council Judges has varied between nine and thirteen across the centuries.
dark mage
Any mage who preys upon or exploits others, generally to increase his or her own power. Since power taken from others never lasts long, very few dark mages stop after their first victim.
dating systems
Hyarmi dates fall into three epochs and are recognized by the scholars of most human nations. DH dates are tied to Hu-Harek’s age during her lifetime, backdated to year 0 DH, the year she was born. AK dates are the years following her death and start with year 0 AK, which is also 1066 DH, the year of her death. Because that system proved so much better for calculation than the previous regnal system, dates from before Hu-Harek’s birth were later converted to BH dates, counting backward.
The avarii nation named the Federated Enclaves of the Icespire Ranges (called Oversea everywhere else) counted their dates from the year of their founding (FC), equivalent to -436 BH. Their dating system is no longer used, since Oversea fell in 1046 DH.
Bivord broke away from its regnal dating system and began a new calendar in 350 AK, which for them is 1 FD, the first year of deliverance. In that year, the Great Wave fell on parts of the coast of Bivord, Glashowal, and Lansend. Due to the Defender’s foreknowledge and actions—along with the aid of Landfall, the Council mages, and other governments—countless lives were saved. Bivord now starts their new year on the anniversary of that date, the twenty-first of Octurn, rather than starting a new year near Midwinter as is done everywhere else (except Oversea).
The Dominion counts from the year Thimron founded his Alliance of Cities. They call it the Central Age, so 1 CA is equivalent to 293 AK by the hyarmi calendar.
district
Landfall has between fifty and sixty political districts, each of which elects their own elder to represent that district at the Table of the Elders. The districts are numbered roughly from east to west. District boundaries are frequently changed, particularly after a census.
Dominion
A human nation first called the Alliance of Cities. It was founded by Thimron in 293 AK under the pretext of bringing organization and stability to the Open Lands, which ran south of and overlapped parts of Landfall. When Thimron II took Thimron’s place after his death in 329 AK, the Alliance of Cities was renamed to the Dominion of the Heirs of Thimron. The Dominion’s government was allied with the servants of the Goddess since its earliest days, and its capital is the Emperor’s City, also founded by Thimron. Its chief export appears to be the invasion of neighboring nations.
Eastshield
A human nation once located in the rocky hills south of western Landfall and north of Nestondom. Eastshield’s government collapsed in 266 AK. In Hu-Harek’s day, Eastshield’s seat of government was in Silvervale, with an elected governor guided by elected councilors. Chief exports were silver and iron, along with copper and other metals or precious stones.
Glashowal \ˈgla-shō-ˌwȯl\ /ˈglæʃoˌwɔl/
a human nation located west of both the Blasted Lands and Bivord. The mages rule those who have no power, call them serfs, and generally treat them as inferior chattel. Glashowal has seven duchies led by seven dukes, though in Hu-Harek’s time it contained nine duchies. Which duchy is ascendant and which duke becomes Archmage of Glashowal with their seat as the ruling city varies, generally determined by power and prestige. Glashowal has minimal exports, aside from impoverished, desperate serfs trying to flee to Bivord and a better life.
historian
A hyarmi trained in the Caverns of History who has mastered the disciplines of both loremaster and lore-gatherer. Though the title implies an emphasis on the past, some historians focus on studying aspects of science, mathematics, or current events. Most historians spend their lives in the Caverns of History.
hu- \ˈhü\ /ˈhu/
Female hyarmi, hu-hyarmi, have the term hu- prefixed to their names because that means breath in their language. Hu-hyarmi are the ones who bear and carry life. Hyarmi consider it an incredible honor to bring new life into the world.
hyarmi \hī-är-mē\ /haɪarmi/
One of the three speaking races. Hyarmi are the smallest race, the size of female wolves. They are marsupials, with hu-hyarmi carrying their cubs in their pouches. They dwell in the north, in forests, grasslands, or tundra, and prefer to live underground. Hyarmi walk on their hind legs, but run on all fours. Hyarmi eschew violence, esteem the past, and revere life; they all seek to live by the precepts of their sacred Law.
Landfall
The hyarmi nation, date of founding unknown. While not all hyarmi live in Landfall, Landfall is the only nation with a strictly hyarmi government. Landfall’s leader is the princess or prince of the hyarmi, an honorary position due to their ancestry; often the princess or prince has little interest in wielding political influence. Landfall is governed by the Table of the Elders, with each elder elected to represent a district, then serving until death or resignation. Landfall’s chief exports are ivory, grain, lumber, glass, and horses.
Lansend
A comparatively young human nation, founded in 116 AK. Lansend is located south of southern Bivord, spreads across a huge peninsula, and borders Avarome and Sutherule on its east. However, most of the populace lives near the sea or near Bivord, instead of the barren interior. Lansend’s government is a hereditary monarchy, with the king choosing his councilors. Lansend’s chief exports are wine, spices, and silk.
Lore-gatherer
A hyarmi trained in the Caverns of History to take accurate records, along with researching or investigating matters of interest.
Loremaster
A hyarmi trained in the Caverns of History as a keeper of knowledge. Loremasters often recite memorized accounts, tutor cubs interested in learning at the Caverns of History, and explain where to find the historical sources for tales. Each district in Landfall generally has at least one loremaster to serve the community.
mage
An individual of any race born with power, more precisely defined as manipulating power, which can be used on the surrounding environment. Mages can wield magefire or mage shields, or communicate at a distance using the magespeech. They can scry others using scrying stones and also wield illusions. Mages have a lifespan roughly twice as long as those born without power.
mage-seer
An individual who has inherited both types of power. Humans from the Dominion call them double power rather than mage-seer, but that term is misleading. Mage-seers possess a lifespan over tenfold the lifespan of those without power, while their power is over tenfold that of the most powerful mages.
Master Historian
A hyarmi historian elected by fellow historians, who serves as leader in the Caverns of History until death.
Nestondom \ˈnes-ten-ˌdǝm\ /ˈnɛstɛndǝm /
A human nation located north and east of the Echoing Mountains before its conquest by the Dominion in 383 AK. Nestondom is the Dominion’s breadbasket, and its primary exports have always been wheat, rye, flax, and linen. Before its conquest, Nestondom had an unusual government. Its capital was the city of Neston. There the Lady of Neston led the nation, aided by her Circle of counselors. The lady herself was chosen by the Circle every twelve years based upon her resemblance in appearance and demeanor to the original Lady of Neston. Nestondom also possessed a national religion, the veneration of the Queen of the Harvest. A renegade cult of that faith became the bloodthirsty servants of the Goddess in the Dominion.
recorder
A hyarmi who can take accurate records but is unable to master the skills required to gain the title of lore-gatherer or loremaster.
sacred Law
The hyarmi sacred Law is the hyarmi creed and ethos, defining the life-revering peace, mercy, and gentleness all hyarmi aspire to. The sacred Law transcends mere ritual or external performance, but is instead a way of living: to shun violence, cherish creation, uphold life, and embrace truth. The hyarmi call it their Law because they consider it too essential to treat as merely an ideal. Those who walk away from its peace and wisdom walk away from being hyarmi.
Seer
An individual possessing power attuned to perception rather than control. Seers can discern emotion and detect lies and deceit in others. Like mages, seers have a lifespan roughly twice as long as those born without power. Seers have visions of events taking place in a different location in space or in time. Avarii seers witnessed past events, hyarmi seers behold the present, and human seers view the future. Most seers have limited control over their visions.
servants of the Goddess
A religious order who worship a white stone on the Goddess’ Mountain near the Emperor’s City in the Dominion. They call that white stone the Goddess of the earth, and sacrifice humans, hyarmi, and animals to it, claiming those sacrifices will give their goddess the power to rule the earth, to destroy all rebels along with the non-human speaking races, and to bring endless peace.
Sister
The brightest light in the night sky and how humans and hyarmi measure their months. Each new month starts when the Sister is new, hidden from sight. A fortnight is half a turning of the Sister, and a week is approximately a quarter turning. She is called the world’s little Sister because she is far smaller, and because much less life is found on her.
Sutherule \sˈǝ-thǝ-ˌrül\ /ˈsʌθɝɹul /
A nation defined by culture rather than government. Each Sutherulian clan maintains its own borders and has its own chief and patron deity. Sutherule’s primary exports are olive oil, indigo, and spices, while their main import consists of unfortunate debtors, prisoners, or captives purchased as slaves. Mages are feared and hated in Sutherule, described as witches, and generally either driven out or slain.
Triune
A nation unlike any other, since all three speaking races took part in its government. Each of Triune’s five provinces was led by a trio of elected governors, one of each race. The nation as a whole was ruled by the elected triumvirs in the capital of Eskaldaen. Each triumvir and governor ruled until death or resignation, except for the avarii. Triune was destroyed between 915 and 918 DH, under attacks by Subverted and invasion from Glashowal.
Glossary Dialogue
Shortly after the autumn Council meeting of 437 AK, Warder Hu-Hov visits Fourth Judge Hadarek with a request.
Hadarek: “A discussion regarding brief definitions for this peculiar list of terms…. Why choose me, Warder Hu-Hov?”
Hu-Hov: “You know as well as I that many of our fellow historians rarely or never leave the Caverns of History. Since you are a judge on the Council of the Races, you do. You also have to interact with humans more than most historians.”
Hadarek: “Excluding yourself, of course. I understand. Master Historian Hened might arouse concern if he spoke too succinctly in a matter like this. Some might assume he was getting sloppy.”
Hu-Hov: “Exactly.”
Hadarek: “We may as well start with the terms we’ve already used.”
Hu-Hov: “Yes, what’s a historian?”
Hadarek: “A great accomplishment! While the topics of study and investigation are endless, the type of focus is how we hyarmi assign our academic titles. A lore-gatherer is anyone trained to take accurate records, along with researching or investigating a matter of interest.”
Hu-Hov: “So it makes perfect sense they would be involved whenever our government calls for a census.”
Hadarek: “A loremaster is anyone trained as a keeper of knowledge. They often recite memorized accounts, tutor cubs interested in going to the Caverns of History, and explain where to find the historical sources for our tales. A loremaster does not need to possess skill with taking records of new events, however.
“But a historian is a hyarmi who has mastered the disciplines of both loremaster and lore-gatherer. Hence why it is extremely difficult to gain the title. I have not forgotten that last round of tests with Historian Hurnian!”
Hu-Hov: “Nor I. I start shedding just thinking of it! You did well, Hadarek. I should just add that a recorder is a hyarmi who can take accurate records but is not able to master the skill to gain the title of lore-gatherer or loremaster.”
Hadarek: “A good recorder is invaluable. So are the students who failed their courses but cannot bear to leave the Caverns of History. I doubt we would have any cooks or cleaners if not for them! Since most historians, lore-gatherers, and recorders live in the Caverns, that gives us the next term to define.
“The Caverns of History is the closest equivalent among the hyarmi to a human town or city. It is entirely underground and sparsely populated compared to a human city. Maybe ten caves per hyarmi, maybe even twenty?”
Hu-Hov: “That’s simply because it’s so large.”
Hadarek: “Millennia’s-worth of records are stored in the lower levels of the Caverns, while most of us live in the upper levels, where the libraries and four great halls are located. The libraries are organized by century and contain the documents of what is considered most historically relevant for each century.”
Hu-Hov: “And we both regret being born too late to participate in the debates over the fourth century library. But when you talk about the Caverns to a new judge, or to visitors at a Council meeting, do you hear any common questions?”
Hadarek: “Mostly they ask about getting lost! Which of course we all do, particularly lower down. The human judges seem to think we even die down there, unable to find our way back.”
Hu-Hov: “Humans can be so morbid.”
Hadarek: “Perhaps it actually happened, before the Defender. But even then, someone would have to get lost, lose their wits completely, and then have nobody else notice their absence for days.”
Hu-Hov: “That reminds me of Historian Hurr. We kept thinking he was dead, he would disappear for so long!”
Hadarek: “I missed most of that speculation, and I think I only saw him once. I remember the cobwebs in his whiskers.”
Hu-Hov: “I’m afraid we’re digressing. “
Hadarek: “True, but we missed one term. The Master Historian is elected by the historians, and serves as leader in the Caverns of History until death or resignation.”
Hu-Hov: “They are also given dreadful secrets of deep knowledge, which means most die shortly after assuming the office.”
Hadarek: “What’s interesting is that the humans are largely unaware of that. They believe the customary rapid turnover is simply because we elect old historians.”
Hu-Hov: “Now with Hened serving as Master Historian for decades, they’ll start to expect long tenures.”
Hadarek: “Yes, humans have such short memories. The average tenure of the Master Historian over the past one thousand, seven hundred, and twenty—”
Hu-Hov: “I’m guessing Hened has impacted the median and the mean for that value, but we’re digressing again.”
Hadarek: “My apologies. The Council of the Races was founded 217 years before the birth of Hu-Harek to handle disputes between members of different races, because every nation except Triune possessed a government and populace entirely, or primarily, of a single race. When the Council was founded, each race had three judges. A Council judge is selected by the other judges of the same race and serves for life.”
Hu-Hov: “Usually.”
Hadarek: “Of course there are exceptions! I’m trying to be brief, at the risk of oversimplifying. The size of the Council has ranged between nine and thirteen while the breakout of the number and title of the judges for each race has changed as well. If Hened were here, we could show off by reciting the year every structure change occurred and the names of every judge who was ever stripped of their position.”
Hu-Hov: “But he is not here, and nobody else is interested in hearing a list of dates and names with no context.”
Hadarek: “Of course. The Chief Judge is either the longest-serving human or hyarmi judge, while whether a human or hyarmi leads the Council alternates with each succession. The Chief Judge serves as a tie-breaker should the Council have an even number of votes.”
Hu-Hov: “Such as during the periods when there were no avarii judges.”
Hadarek: “Council meetings take place twice each year, currently on the full of the Sister nearest the spring and autumn equinox. While the judges handle disputes and requests the day of the meeting, the days beforehand have long been a festival filled with trade, competitions, and celebration.
“The Council Hall is the cavern where Council meetings have occurred since the spring of 923 DH, after the fall of Triune and the later attack on the Council in 921 DH made the previous location of Bannerhall too dangerous.”
Hu-Hov: “Bannerhall was never intended to be defensible. No one would even imagine that sort of need in Hu-Harek’s day, since Bannerhall was so close to her home. And you realize that attack was aimed at just the avarii judges.”
Hadarek: “But the attackers sought the political end of crippling the Council, by preventing the judges from attaining the supermajority vote needed for a declaration of war and founding the beginnings of the Sevenfold Alliance. Had all the avarii judges been killed that day, who would appoint a new one? A supermajority vote would be impossible by the rules in place at the time, and the delay in finding an acceptable solution could have cost years.”
Hu-Hov: “I understand your wording now. I won’t ask you to briefly describe the Sevenfold Alliance or a supermajority vote as it was in those days, but we can’t leave out the Council’s mage allies, who began around that same time. That means we should define the term mage first.”
Hadarek: “I’m perplexed by the composition of your list, honestly. Some of these items appear suitable for a human born in a place like Avarome or Lansend where they know very little about us. But others appear suitable only for…for a human raised from birth in a dark mage’s lair who doesn’t know anything at all!”
Hu-Hov: “It’s best not to overestimate human education. Fewer nasty surprises. Continue, please.”
Hadarek: “A mage is an individual with power, more precisely defined as manipulating power, which can be used on the surrounding environment. Mages can wield magefire or mage shields, or communicate at a distance using the magespeech. They can scry others using scrying stones and also wield illusions. Mages have a lifespan roughly twice as long as those born without power. A dark mage is any mage who preys upon or exploits others, generally to increase her or his own power. Since power taken from others never lasts long, very few dark mages stop after their first victim.”
Hu-Hov: “It’s hard to define mage without bringing in a host of additional terms. Nowadays, humans assume that all hyarmi with power are seers and all humans with power are mages, but that is not true.”
Hadarek: “The last recorded hyarmi mage died in 21 AK. I was fascinated to read that account from 288 AK regarding the human seer the Defender found. Well, technically, she found him. Who knows if there might be more out there?”
Hu-Hov: “And I remember the excitement during the last census in 402 AK over whether another hyarmi mage, or even a mage-seer, might have been found. Because the mage trait is recessive for hyarmi, it is possible that one might be born unexpectedly.”
Hadarek: “Please don’t make me define recessive. Or mention Hu-Harek’s secrets, for that matter.”
Hu-Hov: “I agree. Let’s continue.”
Hadarek: “A seer is an individual possessing power that is attuned to perception rather than control. The fact that hyarmi seers can, with training, perceive down to the molecular level is what makes—”
Hu-Hov: “That’s raising even more terms you will not want to define.”
Hadarek: “Let me try that again.
“A seer is an individual possessing power that is attuned to perception rather than control. Seers can discern emotion and detect lies and deceit in others. They also have a longer lifespan, just like mages. Seers have visions of events taking place in a different location in space or in time. Avarii seers witnessed past events, hyarmi seers behold the present, and human seers view the future. But most seers have limited control regarding what they will have visions about.”
Hu-Hov: “Not very succinct, but I won’t ask you to make a third attempt.”
Hadarek: “Thank you! A mage-seer is an individual who has inherited both types of power. Humans from the Dominion call them double power rather than mage-seer, but that term is misleading. Their lifespan is over tenfold the lifespan of those without power, and their power is over tenfold that of the most powerful mages.
“We all grow up learning about the mage-seers: Hu-Harek and Heruvael for the hyarmi, the Master Shapechanger Fynydov and the Defender of Life for the avarii. The historians and lore-gatherers consistently describe Heruvael as a reclusive hermit, so I laugh over how his name still manages to show up all over the past five centuries in our records! Did you read the account of the one time he and Hened met?”
Hu-Hov: “Yes, 381 AK. I would say I never had such an exciting morning when I was a student, except that would be inaccurate. I was student in 403 AK when the news of Hileko’s transformation reached the Caverns on the seventeenth of Kuarturn.”
Hadarek: “I was ten. 403 AK was when I decided I really wanted to become a historian.”
Hu-Hov: “Now we can finally talk about the mage allies.”
Hadarek: “The Council’s mage allies were founded in 917 DH as a result of the war in Triune and the Council’s need for protection and enforcement. They started their own mage school in 924 DH, and for centuries it was the premier mage school in the world. Because of their origins, the Council’s mage allies have also provided regular assistance to Landfall and the local city states of the Open Lands against dark mages and various types of calamities.”
Hu-Hov: “A perfect segue to tackle the nations next.”
Hadarek: “I can feel my upcoming definitions collecting critical notes should any human scholars find them!”
Hu-Hov: “We’re not doing this for human scholars, so don’t worry. Start with Landfall; just be brief.”
Hadarek: “I hope I get something out of this, like a bag of fresh apples, or—”
Hu-Hov: “Landfall.”
Hadarek: “Landfall is the hyarmi nation, date of founding unknown since nobody can agree on which record to accept. Not all hyarmi live in Landfall, but it is the only nation with a strictly hyarmi government. Our leader is the princess or prince of the hyarmi, but that is an honorary position, due to their ancestry, and often the princess or prince has little interest in wielding political influence.”
Hu-Hov: “In most cases.”
Hadarek: “Yes, we are experiencing a fairly dramatic exception in the form of our current prince. Prince Hiarmintar-ik can be quite exasperating, but certainly never dull.
“Landfall’s government is the Table of the Elders, with each elder elected to represent a district, and serving until death, resignation, or being removed from office. Landfall’s most common exports are ivory, grain, lumber, glass, and horses.”
Hu-Hov: “I changed my mind. We should define hyarmi terms next, before moving on to the human nations. Hyarmi first, of course.”
Hadarek: “Hyarmi? I can’t succeed at a challenge like that! I’m starting to believe I’ve offended you somehow.”
Hu-Hov: “No, it’s because I believe you could actually pull this off. In fifty words or less.”
Hadarek: “Hyarmi are one of the three speaking races. Hyarmi are the smallest race, the size of female wolves. Hyarmi walk on their hind legs, but run on all fours. They prefer to live underground. Hu-hyarmi carry cubs in their pouches. Hyarmi eschew violence, esteem the past, and revere life. They—”
Hu-Hov: “Stop.”
Hadarek: “Don’t let Hened or Hurnian ever see this, please!”
Hu-Hov: “How about hu-hyarmi?”
Hadarek: “Female hyarmi have the term ‘hu’ prefixed to their names because that means breath, and they are the ones who bear and carry life, who secure our future. It is an incredible honor to bring new life into the world.”
Hu-Hov: “How about birth mates? I have one, a brother. Did you?”
Hadarek: “Actually, no. I was a single birth. Birth mates are a pair of hyarmi cubs born together. They are not like the identical twins that rarely occur among humans. They can be same sex or mixed, not identical. About sixty percent of hyarmi births are a birth mate pair.”
Hu-Hov: “Good, thank you. Now district and center post.”
Hadarek: “Landfall has between fifty to sixty political districts, each of which elects their own elder to represent that district at the Table of the Elders. The districts are numbered from east to west, and since it is best that districts have equivalent population size, boundaries are frequently changed, particularly after a census. That’s when the total number of districts can also be changed.”
Hu-Hov: “Did you read about how Heruvael frequently complained that his district number kept changing and how impossible it was to remember the correct number?”
Hadarek: “I suppose after living a couple centuries, it all starts to blur together. But you know how much Heruvael enjoyed complaining.
“A district center post is a community hub for a district. Message branches containing news or announcements are posted there. Often ponies are kept nearby in a communal herd for their own wellbeing and for loan to travelers. In the past, loremaster story nights and other celebrations frequently took place near the center post, but now it has become too dangerous.”
Hu-Hov: “Some of the very large districts have accessory posts serving just a portion of that district, so that most hyarmi can reach their post within a half day of travel.”
Hadarek: “I forget about those since I didn’t grow up in a large district.”
Hu-Hov: “I did, but I still forget about them. What I never forget was that I lived too far away from both the main center post and the district loremaster, Loremaster Hivanel, to get the training I wanted. Hence why I had to find my own patron to sponsor me at the Caverns of History.”
Hadarek: “You landed on your feet falling out of that tree.”
Hu-Hov: “Thank you, Hadarek. Now try avarii, fifty words.”
Hadarek: “Can I review what I said for hyarmi first?”
Hu-Hov: “Here you go.”
Hadarek: “Thank you. Avarii are one of the three speaking races. Avarii are bird kind, not beast kind. Avarii are the tallest race with the longest lifespan. Aviir lay eggs, while both parents brood their offspring. Avarii are matchless singers. Avarii live in high mountains; they require freedom and esteem beauty and creativity.”
Hu-Hov: “Don’t worry, I won’t show that to the Defender.”
Hadarek: “Just don’t make me define human!”
Hu-Hov: “We’ll let the humans figure themselves out. Back to nations.”
Hadarek: “Avarome was a nation in the Echoing Mountains before its conquest by the Dominion in 427 AK. In Hu-Harek’s day it had two governments, one human and one avarii. Its seat of government was the Skyhall, where its senators and councilors gathered to make rulings. Its primary exports were wool, cheese, iron ore, and some other metals and precious stones.
“Nestondom was a nation that ran north and east of the Echoing Mountains before its conquest by the Dominion in 383 AK. Nestondom is the Dominion’s breadbasket, and its primary exports have always been wheat, rye, flax, and linen. They grow some fantastic apples in the western foothills, however.”
Hu-Hov: “I know exactly what you’re doing there.”
Hadarek: “Good. Nestondom had an unusual government. Its capital was in the city of Neston. There the Lady of Neston led the nation, aided by her Circle of counselors. But the lady herself was chosen by the Circle every twelve years based upon her resemblance in appearance and demeanor to the original Lady of Neston.”
Hu-Hov: “In a sense, they honor Nestondom’s founder akin to how we honor Hu-Hua-ik, except they don’t esteem her physical descendants, while our princess or prince must be descended from Hu-Hua-ik.”
Hadarek: “Yes, any woman could become the Lady of Neston, if she resembles her enough, regardless of her heritage.”
Hu-Hov: “She must be born in Nestondom, remember?”
Hadarek: “Of course. But her parents could have come there from anywhere: Bivord, Eastshield, Avarome, it hardly matters. She need only be born in Nestondom herself and resemble its founder. On a darker note, Nestondom also had a national religion, the veneration of the Queen of the Harvest. A renegade cult of that faith became the bloodthirsty servants of the Goddess in the Dominion, a scourge upon the whole earth.”
Hu-Hov: “Or that’s how it appeared. But they spread so many lies—”
Hadarek: “If they are speaking, they are lying.”
Hu-Hov: “But usually some truth is mixed in. So did any of them ever truly revere the Queen of the Harvest, or was that just a pretext for a bunch of dark mages to justify their bloodletting, by calling it a sacrifice to their goddess?”
Hadarek: “I expect both might have been the case. But I guess this means we should describe the Dominion next. Get it over with and move on to more pleasant governments.”
Hu-Hov: “I agree.”
Hadarek: “The Dominion was first called the Alliance of Cities, founded by Thimron in 293 AK under the pretext of bringing organization and stability to the Open Lands, which run south of Landfall and overlap parts of our nation. That pretext ended with the attack on the city of Gateside in 295 AK, because it refused to join his alliance. But as revealed by the cruel abduction of seven-year-old Huliin in 297 AK, Thimron was planning to name himself emperor long before he actually took that step in 317 AK. It was not until Thimron II took Thimron’s place after his death in 329 AK that the Alliance of Cities was renamed the Dominion of the Heirs of Thimron. The Dominion’s government has been in league with—”
Hu-Hov: “Or more accurately, controlled by.”
Hadarek: “—the servants of the Goddess since its earliest days. And their Goddess, which they call the Queen of the Earth, is actually a demon that hungers for blood. The Dominion’s government is despotic and its chief export appears to be war.”
Hu-Hov: “Or annexations, as they have claimed half of Landfall under their rule and refuse to recognize our government.”
Hadarek: “That’s because they spout the lie that we are demon-infested beasts and rebels against the Goddess. Since we are mere beasts, we obviously cannot have a functioning government.
“Eastshield was a nation located in the rocky hills south of Landfall and north of Nestondom. Its government collapsed in 266 AK. In Hu-Harek’s day, Eastshield’s seat of government was in Silvervale, with an elected governor guided by elected councilors. Chief exports were silver and iron, along with copper and other metals or precious stones.”
Hu-Hov: “Why their government collapsed when it did, without any warfare, plague, or famine, is a matter of ongoing debate.”
Hadarek: “Multiple factors, I’m sure. After that collapse, parts of Eastshield were subsequently annexed by Nestondom and Landfall.”
Hu-Hov: “Until the Dominion moved in.”
Hadarek: “Of course. Bivord is the oldest known human nation, situated on both the north and south sides of the Bay of Bivord, which runs east from the Great Sea. Its seat of government is in Sebevord, considered the world’s oldest and greatest city. Bivord is led by an elected governor who is aided by elected senators. Its chief exports are metal tools and implements, pearls, boats, and cotton.”
Hu-Hov: “Both Bivord and Eastshield have governments loosely modeled after Landfall’s government.”
Hadarek: “Landfall and not Triune, which makes sense, considering.”
Hu-Hov: “Best do Triune next, then.”
Hadarek: “Triune was a nation unlike any other, because all three races had a part in government. Each province was led by a trio of elected governors—one for each race. The nation as a whole was ruled by the elected triumvirs. Each triumvir and governor ruled until death or resignation, except for the avarii, who always had term limits and no reelection clauses as part of their government. I think it’s hysterical how much avarii hated getting elected.”
Hu-Hov: “Even less than we like getting drenched. But you’re digressing.”
Hadarek: “I wish I could have lived in that time and visited! But Triune was destroyed between 915 and 918 DH, under the attacks by Subverted and invasion from Glashowal. What once was the nation of Triune is now the Blasted Lands. Anyone who tries to live there either eventually goes mad, dies mysteriously, or is forced to flee for their lives.”
Hu-Hov: “Essentially. Some small parts of the Blasted Lands were successfully annexed by Bivord, Glashowal, and Eastshield.”
Hadarek: “You wanted me to be succinct. I can be very detailed if you would prefer.”
Hu-Hov: “No, my apologies. You’re doing exactly what I want!”
Hadarek: “Glashowal is a nation located west of both the Blasted Lands and Bivord. Its government is oppressive, because the mages rule over those who have no power, and generally treat them as inferior chattel. They are called serfs, but most are hardly better than slaves. Glashowal has seven duchies led by seven dukes, though in Hu-Harek’s time it contained nine duchies. Which dutchy is ascendant and which duke becomes Archmage of Glashowal with their home as the ruling city varies, generally determined by mage-power and prestige. Glashowal has minimal exports, aside from impoverished, desperate serfs trying to flee to Bivord and a better life.”
Hu-Hov: “You left out how too many of the aristocracy consider our fur as a luxury item.”
Hadarek: “We lose far more of our people to the servants of the Goddess these days than to poachers from Glashowal. Nor did I want to depict all of the dukes and barons as equally perverse. I’m sure there are exceptions if we look hard enough.”
Hu-Hov: “Let’s describe somewhere warmer now.”
Hadarek: “Lansend is a comparatively young nation, founded in 116 AK. It is located south of southern Bivord, spreads across a huge peninsula, and borders Avarome and Sutherule on its east. However, most of the populace lives near the sea or near Bivord, and not in the barren interior.”
Hu-Hov: “Certainly not now, after the annihilation of the Sojourners.”
Hadarek: “Lansend’s government is a hereditary monarchy, and the king chooses his councilors. Its chief exports are wine, spices, and silk.”
Hu-Hov: “That does seem the default among humans. Rule by the richest or most powerful, rather than through elections or shared leadership.”
Hadarek: “Most of the city states in the Open Lands were like that, but not all had hereditary leadership. Some governors or princes were wise enough to choose successors by capability rather than relation.”
Hu-Hov: “Whereas avarii always defaulted to republics, always. But we’re digressing again. What’s left…Sutherule.”
Hadarek: “Sutherule can be called a nation if defined by culture rather than government. Each of its clans maintain their own borders and have their own chief. Each clan has a patron deity, though what that deity actually is spans between the spirits of creation, the beast lords, or even renowned people from the past. Sutherule’s chief exports are olive oil, indigo, and spices, while their chief import is unfortunate debtors, prisoners, or captives purchased as slaves. Mages are feared and hated in Sutherule, called witches, and generally either driven out or slain.”
Hu-Hov: “And so far, Sutherule is the only nation that has successfully repelled an attempted Dominion invasion.”
Hadarek: “That’s just because it’s on an island and Dominion mages can’t Travel there. Mainland Sutherule is part of the Dominion now.”
Hu-Hov: “Of course. We’ve been mentioning plenty of terms, but what really should be defined are the various year labels, for context. Different nations or regions use different dating systems, after all.”
Hadarek: “Hyarmi dates currently fall into three epochs, and every Caverns-trained hyarmi blesses Hu-Harek for being born. Otherwise we would still be using the regnal system and having to memorize how many years every princess or prince led us and in which order they were all born!
“DH dates are tied to Hu-Harek’s age during her lifetime, backdated to year 0 DH, the year she was born. AK dates are the years following her death and start with year 0 AK, which is also 1066 DH, the year of her death. Because that system is so much better for calculation than the previous regnal system, dates from before Hu-Harek’s birth have been converted to BH dates, counting backward.
“Many nations have their own regnal dating that is used ceremonially. Most scholars of any nation have adopted the hyarmi dating. Some exceptions are significant enough to merit mention.
“The avarii nation named the Federated Enclaves of the Icespire Ranges, which is called Oversea by everyone else, counted their dates from the year of their founding, which is equivalent to -436 BH. Nobody uses their dating system anymore, since Oversea fell in 1046 DH.
“Bivord broke away from its regnal dating system and began a new calendar in 350 AK, which for them is 1 FD, the first year of deliverance. In that year the Great Wave fell on parts of the coast of Bivord, Glashowal, and Lansend. Due to the Defender’s foreknowledge and actions, and the help of Landfall, the Council mages, and other governments, countless lives were saved. Bivord is now unique, because their new year starts on the anniversary of that date, the twenty-first of Octurn, rather than near Midwinter as it does for everyone else except Oversea.
“The Dominion, of course, can’t tolerate using dating systems belonging to anyone else. They count from the year Thimron founded his Alliance of Cities and call it the Central Age, so 1 CA is equivalent to 293 AK by the hyarmi calendar.
“My apologies, Hu-Hov. I don’t know how to be brief when it comes to dating systems!”
Hu-Hov: “You did well enough. And I won’t ask you to try to explain the calendar of Oversea.”
Hadarek: “No calendars at all, please. My throat is sore.”
Hu-Hov: “Nice try. If you couldn’t recite the entire ‘Rescues of Hurrem,’ then I might believe you. Besides, we’re almost done. How about the Sister?”
Hadarek: “The Sister? In what sense of the word? Are you crafting these descriptions for somebody who is blind? Anyone who’s been out at night knows what the Sister is.”
Hu-Hov: “Have at it. Avoid using terms I might ask you to define, like orbit.”
Hadarek: “Huh. Some humans probably believe it’s made out of dough, and gets green and moldy when it’s full. Fine. Let me think.
“The Sister is the brightest light in the night sky and how we measure our months. Each new month starts when she is new, hidden from our eyes. A fortnight is half a turning of the Sister, and a week is approximately a quarter turning. She is called our world’s little Sister because she is far smaller, and because much less life is found on her than on this blessed world.”
Hu-Hov: “Not bad. It makes me wonder, though, how we know the Sister is so much smaller. I’m sure I read it somewhere.”
Hadarek: “Parallax. Eclipses. Something like that. But I am not the right historian to question if we’re getting into that sort of mathematics.”
Hu-Hov: “The humans can do their own math calculations. I just need you to define our sacred Law.”
Hadarek: “No. I’m done now, completely done. You couldn’t give me enough apples to—”
Hu-Hov: “Fine, I’ll do it. Our sacred Law is our creed and our ethos, the life-revering peace, mercy, and gentleness all hyarmi aspire to, while our Lawmasters themselves are first and most adamant in claiming that they have not attained it. It is never mere ritual or external performance, but our way of living: to shun violence, cherish creation, uphold life, and embrace truth. It is our Law because it is too essential to treat it as merely an ideal. Those who walk away from its peace and wisdom walk away from being hyarmi.”
Hadarek: “Plainly I should have quit sooner!
