AVAR, The: the ancient race of Tencendor who live in the forests of the Avarinheim and Minstrelsea. The Avar are sometimes referred to as the People of the Horn. Their Mage-King is Isfrael.

AVARINHEIM, The: the northern forest home of the Avar people.

AVENUE, The: the processional way of the Temple Complex on the Island of Mist and Memory.

AVONSDALE: province in western Achar. It produces legumes, fruit and flowers. It is administered by Earl Herme.

AXE-WIELDERS, The: once the elite crusading and military wing of the Seneschal. Once led by Axis as their BattleAxe, the Axe-Wielders are now completely disbanded.

AXIS: son of the Princess Rivkah of Achar and the Icarii Enchanter, StarDrifter SunSoar. Once BattleAxe of the Axe-Wielders, he a.s.sumed the mantle of the StarMan of the Prophecy of the Destroyer. After reforging Tencendor Axis formed his own house, the House of the Stars. He is now the Star G.o.d of Song.

AZHURE: daughter of WolfStar SunSoar and Niah of Nor, and G.o.ddess of the Moon. She is married to Axis. Their children are Caelum, Drago, RiverStar (now dead) and Zenith.

AZLE, River: a major river that divides the provinces of Ichtar and Aldeni. It flows into the Andeis Sea.

BANES: the religious leaders of the Avar people. They wield magic, although it is usually of the minor variety.

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BARROWS, The Ancient: the burial places of the ancient Enchanter-Talons of the Icarii people. Located in southern Arcness, the Barrows guard the entrance to the Star Gate.

BATTLEAXE, The: once the leader of the Axe-Wielders. The post of BattleAxe was last held by Axis. See 'Axe-Wielders'.

BARZULA: one of the TimeKeeper Demons, Barzula is the Demon of mid-morning, and of tempest.

BEDWYR FORT: a fort that sits on the lower reaches of the River Nordra and guards the entrance to Grail Lake from Nordmuth.

BELIAL: lieutenant and second-in-command in Axis' army during the fight against Gorgrael. Belial is the father of Askam and Cazna. Now dead.

BELTIDE: see 'Festivals'.

BERIN, Baron: a minor n.o.bleman of Romsdale.

BOGLE MARSH: a large and inhospitable marsh in eastern Arcness. Strange creatures are said to live in the Marsh.

BORNEHELD: Duke of Ichtar and King of Achar. Son of the Princess Rivkah and her husband, Duke Searlas, half-brother to Axis, and husband of Lady Faraday of Skarabost. After murdering his uncle, Priam, Borneheld a.s.sumed the throne of Achar. Now dead.

BRACKEN RANGES, The: the former name of the Minaret Peaks.

BRACKEN, River: the river that rises in the Minaret Peaks and which, dividing the provinces of Skarabost and Arcness, flows into the Widowmaker Sea.

BRANDON: a soldier in Zared's force.

BRIDGE, The: the bridge that guards the entrance into Sigholt is deeply magical. She will throw out a challenge to any she does not know, but can be easily tricked.

BROTHER-LEADER, The: the supreme leader of the Brotherhood of the now disbanded Seneschal. The last Brother-Leader of the Seneschal was Jayme.

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CAELUM STARSON: eldest son of Axis and Azhure, born at Yuletide. Caelum is an ancient word meaning 'Stars in Heaven'. Caelum now rules Tencendor.

CARLON: main city of Tencendor and one-time residence of the Kings of Achar. Situated on Grail Lake.

CAULDRON LAKE, The: the lake at the centre of the Silent Woman Woods.

CAZNA: wife to Belial. Now dead.

CHAMBER OF THE MOONS: chief audience and sometime banquet chamber of the ancient royal palace in Carlon. It was the site where Axis battled Borneheld to the death.

CHARONITES: a little-known race of Tencendor, they inhabit the UnderWorld. When Drago killed Orr in the chamber of the Star Gate, it is supposed that the race became extinct.

CIRCLE OF STARS, The: see 'Enchantress' Ring'.

CLANS, The: the Avar tend to segregate into Clan groups, roughly equitable with family groups.

CLOUDBURST SUNSOAR: younger brother and a.s.sa.s.sin of WolfStar SunSoar.

COHORT: see 'Military Terms'.

COROLEAS: the great empire to the south of Tencendor. Relations between the two countries are usually cordial.

CREST: Icarii military unit composed of twelve Wings.

CREST-LEADER: commander of an Icarii Crest.

DANCE OF DEATH, The: dark star music that is the counter point to the Star Dance. It is the music made when stars miss their step and crash into each other, or swell up into red giants and implode. Only WolfStar and Azhure can wield this music, although both lost the ability to do so when the TimeKeepers destroyed the Star Gate.

DAREWING FULLHEART: senior Crest-Leader and Strike Leader of the Icarii Strike Force * 732 .

DEMONIC HOURS:.

Dawn: ruled by Mot, a time of hunger. Mid-morning: ruled by Barzula, a time of tempest. Midday: currently safe until Qeteb is resurrected. Mid-afternoon: ruled by Sheol, a time of despair. Dusk: ruled by Raspu, a time of pestilence. Night: ruled by Rox, a time of terror.

DISTANCES:.

League: roughly seven kilometres, or four and a half miles.

Pace: roughly one metre or one yard. Handspan: roughly twenty centimetres or eight inches.

DOME OF THE MOON: a sacred dome dedicated to the Moon on Temple Mount of the Island of Mist and Memory. Only the First Priestess has access to the Dome, and it was in this Dome that Niah conceived Azhure.

DRAGONSTAR SUNSOAR: (Also known as Drago.) Second son of Axis and Azhure. Twin brother to RiverStar. DragonStar is also the name of the son StarLaughter SunSoar was carrying when she was murdered by her husband, WolfStar.

DRIFTSTAR SUNSOAR: grandmother to StarDrifter, mother of MorningStar. An Enchanter and a SunSoar in her own right and wife to the SunSoar Talon. She died three hundred years before the events of this book.

EARTH TREE: a sacred tree to both the Icarii and the Avar. It is situated in the extreme northern groves of the Avarinheim forest, close to the cliffs of the Icescarp Alps.

EARTH TREE GROVE: the grove holding the Earth Tree in the northern Avarinheim where it borders the Icescarp Alps. It is the most important of the Avarinheim groves and is where the Avar (sometimes in concert with the Icarii) hold their gatherings and religious rites.

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ENCHANTRESS, The: the founder of the Icarii Enchanters, and the first to discover the way to use the power of the Star Dance. She bore three sons, the eldest of whom founded the Acharite race, the middle founded the Charonite race, and the youngest founded the Icarii race. The Enchantress also gave birth to twin daughters. No-one knows the fathers of any of her children. The t.i.tle of 'Enchantress' is now occasionally given to Azhure.

ENCHANTRESS' RING, The: an ancient ring once in the possession of the Enchantress, now worn by Azhure. Its proper name is the Circle of Stars, and it is intimately connected with the Star G.o.ds.

ENCHANTERS: the magicians of the Icarii people. Many of them are very powerful. All Enchanters have the word 'Star' somewhere in their names.

ENCHANTER-TALONS: Talons of the Icarii people who are also Enchanters.

ENEMY, The: the name given by the TimeKeepers to the ancient ones who trapped Qeteb and then fled with his life parts through the universe. It was the Enemy who crashed into Tencendor during Fire-Night.

ESCATOR: a kingdom far away to the east over the Widowmaker Sea. There is some intellectual, diplomatic and trade traffic between Escator and Tencendor.

EVENSONG: daughter of Rivkah and StarDrifter SunSoar, sister to Axis and wife to FreeFall SunSoar.

FARADAY: daughter of Earl Isend of Skarabost and his wife, Lady Merlion. Once wife to Borneheld and Queen of Achar, Faraday now aids Drago. She is the mother of Isfrael, who was conceived during her brief and tragic affair with Axis.

FERNBRAKE LAKE, The: the large lake in the centre of the Bracken Ranges. Also known by both the Avar and the Icarii as the Mother.

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FERRYMAN, The: the Charonite who plied the ferry of the UnderWorld. His name was Orr, and was one of the Lesser immortals. Orr is now dead after being struck by the Rainbow Sceptre in the chamber of the Star Gate.

FESTIVALS of the Avar and the Icarii: Yuletide: the winter solstice, in the last week of Snow-month.

Beltide: the spring Festival, the first day of Flower-month.

Fire-Night: the summer solstice, in the last week of Rose-month.

FIRE-NIGHT, The: see 'Festivals'.

FIRST, The: the First Priestess of the Order of the Stars, the order of nine priestesses on Temple Mount.

The First, like all priestesses of the Order, gave up her name on taking her vows. Niah of Nor once held this office.

FIVE FAMILIES, The First: the leading families of Tencendor, led, in turn, by Prince Askam of the West, King Zared of the North, Prince Yllgaine of Nor, Chief Sa'Domai of the Ravensbund and FreeFall SunSoar, Talon of the Icarii. The delicate balance between these families was greatly upset when Zared seized the throne of Achar.

FLULIA: one of the nine Icarii Star G.o.ds, Flulia is the G.o.ddess of Water.

FLURIA, River: a minor river that flows through Aldeni into the River Nordra.

FORESTFLIGHT EVERSOAR: a member of the Lake Guard.

FORTHEART: one of the Alaunt, and mate to Sicarius.

FORTRESS RANGES: the mountains that run down Achar's eastern boundary from the Icescarp Alps to the Widowmaker Sea.

FREEFALL, Talon: son of BrightFeather and RavenCrest SunSoar, husband of EvenSong SunSoar. They have no children.

' 735.FROISSON: a unit commander in Caelum's force. GAPFEATHER: a member of the Lake Guard.

GATEKEEPER, The: the Keeper of the Gate of Death in the UnderWorld and mother of Zeherah. Her task is to keep tally of the souls who pa.s.s through the Gate. She is one of the Lesser immortals. GERLIEN: a soldier under Zared's command. GHEMT: a game played with sticks and dice in a circle of diamond-shaped s.p.a.ces. GOLDMAN, Jannymire: Master of the Guilds of Carlon.

One of the most powerful non-n.o.blemen in Tencendor. GORGRAEL: the Destroyer, half-brother to Axis, sharing the same father, StarDrifter. Axis defeated him in a t.i.tanic struggle for control of Tencendor forty years before current events. GORKENFORT: a major fort situated in Gorken Pa.s.s in northern Ichtar. GORKEN Pa.s.s: the narrow pa.s.s sixty leagues long that provides the only way from Ravensbund into Ichtar. It is bounded by the Icescarp Alps and the River Andakilsa. GRAIL LAKE, The: a ma.s.sive lake at the lower reaches of the River Nordra. On its sh.o.r.es are Carlon and the tower of Spiredore. GRAWEN: a captain in Zared's army. GREATER, The: the nine Star G.o.ds. GREMEN: a guard in Carlon. GRISTLECREST SWEPTNEST: an Icarii inhabitant of the Minaret Peaks. GRYPHON: a legendary flying creature of Tencendor, intelligent, vicious and courageous. Gorgrael recreated them to defeat Axis, but they were all destroyed by Azhure. GUNDEALGA FORD: a wide shallow ford on the Nordra, just south of the Urqhart Hills. GUSTUS: Captain of Zared's militia.

736 .

GWENDYLYR: wife of Duke Theod of Aldeni, and mother of their twin sons. HAGEN: once a Plough-Keeper in the (now destroyed) village of Smyrton who was husband to Niah. He was accidentally killed by Azhure some forty-three years ago.

HANDSPAN: see 'Distances'. HEAVORAND, Bransom: a merchant from Carlon. HERME, Earl of Avonsdale: son of Earl Jorge, mentor of Duke Theod of Aldeni and friend to King Zared. HERVITIUS: a master of a merchantman. HORNED ONES: the almost divine and most sacred members of the Avar race. They live in the Sacred Grove.

HSINGARD: a ruined town situated in central Ichtar. HURST, Karl: a wool trader from Carlon. ICARII, The: a race of winged people. They are sometimes referred to as the People of the Wing. ICEBEAR COAST: the hundred-league long coast that stretches from the DeadWood Forest in north-western Ravensbund to the frozen Tundra above the Avarinheim. It is very remote, and very beautiful. ICESCARP ALPS, The: the great mountain range that stretches across most of northern Achar. ICESCARP BARREN: a desolate tract of land situated in northern Ichtar between the Icescarp Alps and the Urqhart Hills. ICEWORMS: ma.s.sive worms of ice and snow created by Gorgrael. ICHTAR, Dukes of: once cruel lords of Ichtar, the line died with Borneheld. ICHTAR, The Province of: the largest and richest of the provinces of Achar. Ichtar derives its wealth from its extensive grazing herds and from its mineral and precious gem deposits. Ruled by Zared, now also King of the Acharites.

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ICHTAR, River: a minor river that flows through Ichtar into the River Azle. ILFRACOOMBE: the manor house of the Earl of Skarabost, the home where Faraday grew up. INISCUE, Mayor: Mayor of Severin. ISABEAU: first wife of King Zared. She died in a hunting accident ten years before current events. ISFRAEL: Mage-King of the Avar. Son of Axis and Faraday. ISLAND OF MIST AND MEMORY: one of the sacred sites of the Icarii people, once known as Pirate's Nest.

The Temple of the Stars and its complex are situated on a great plateau on the island's southern coast. JACK: senior among the Sentinels. JARL: A pottery trader of Nor.

JASPAR: a lieutenant in Zared's force, loyal to Askam. JERVOIS LANDING: the small town on Tailem Bend of the River Nordra. The gateway into Ichtar. JESSUP, Baron: a minor n.o.bleman of Avonsdale. JESTWING BLUEBACK: an Icarii male from the Minaret Peaks.

JOKAM: an Avar man, and leader of the StillPond Clan. KASTALEON: one of the great Keeps of Achar, situated on the River Nordra in central Achar. Approximately six months before the events of this book, it was blown up by Theod under instructions from Zared, killing many thousands of Caelum's men. KEEPS, The: the three great magical Keeps of Achar. See separate entries under Spiredore, Sigholt, and Silent Woman Keep.

KILCKMAN, Bormot: a trader of Carlon. KILLINGREW: a young commander in Zared's army. LAKE GUARD, The: a militia composed entirely of the men and women who SpikeFeather TrueSong rescued from Talon Spike when it was threatened by Gryphon. They escaped via the waterways, and were * 738.

changed by their experience. The Lake Guard is dedicated to the service of the StarSon. LAKE OF LIFE, The: one of the sacred and magical lakes of Tencendor. It sits at the western end of the HoldHard Pa.s.s in the Urqhart Hills and cradles Sigholt. LEAGH, Princess: sister to Askam, daughter of Belial and Cazna. Now wife of Zared and Queen of Achar. LEAGUE: see 'Distances'. LESSER, The: a term given to creatures of such magic they approach G.o.d-like status. MAGARIZ, Prince: husband to Rivkah, Axis' mother, and father to Zared. Now dead. MAGIC: under the influence of the Seneschal all Artor- fearing Acharites feared and hated the use of magic, although their fear is now as largely dead as the Seneschal. MALFARI: the tuber that the Avar depend on to produce their bread.

MARRAT, Baron: Baron of Romsdale. MAZE, The: a mysterious labyrinth underneath Grail Lake. MAZE GATE, The: the wooden gate into the Maze. Its stone archway is covered with hieroglyphics. MEANTHRIN: a soldier in Zared's force. MILITARY TERMS (for regular ground forces): Squad: a small group of fighters, normally under forty and usually archers.

Unit: a group of one hundred men, either infantry, archers, pikemen, or cavalry.

Cohort: five units, so five hundred men.

See also 'Wing' and 'Crest' for the Icarii Strike Force. MINARET PEAKS: the ancient name for the Bracken Ranges, named for the minarets of the Icarii cities that spread over the entire mountain range. MINSTRELSEA: the name Faraday gave to the forest she planted out below the Avarinheim.

739 *

MONTHS: (northern hemisphere seasons apply) Wolf-month: Raven-month: Hungry-month: Thaw-month: Flower-month: Rose-month: Harvest-month: Weed-month: DeadLeaf-month: Bone-month: Frost-month: Snow-month: January February March April May June July August September October November December MOONWILDFLOWERS: extremely rare, delicate violet flowers that bloom only under the full moon. Closely a.s.sociated with Azhure. MORNINGSTAR SUNSOAR: StarDrifter's mother and a powerful Enchanter in her own right. She was murdered by WolfStar SunSoar. MOT: one of the TimeKeeper Demons. Mot is the Demon of dawn and of hunger. MOTHER, The: either the Avar name for Fernbrake Lake, or an all-embracing term for nature which is sometimes personified as an immortal woman. MURKLE BAY: a huge bay off the western coast of Tencendor. MURKLE MOUNTAINS: a range of desolate mountains that run along the length of Murkle Bay. Once extensively mined for opals, they are now abandoned. MURMURWING: a young Icarii. NARCIS: one of the nine Icarii Star G.o.ds, Narcis is the G.o.d of the Sun.

NECKLET, The: a curious geological feature of Ravensbund. NIAH: of the once baronial family of Nor.

Mother to Azhure, Niah was seduced by WolfStar SunSoar and murdered by Brother Hagen. Niah was the First Priestess 740 '.

of the Order of the Stars. WolfStar promised her rebirth to be his lover for eternity, and her soul was born into Zenith, youngest daughter of Axis and Azhure.

In Sinner, Niah and Zenith battled for control of her body and soul, with the result that Zenith forced the Niah-soul into a child she was carrying (fathered by WolfStar), which she gave premature birth to and then killed. WolfStar now carries the corpse of the Niah-infant about with him.

NINE, The: see the 'Star G.o.ds'. (The Nine' can also occasionally refer to the nine Priestesses of the Order of the Stars.) NOR: the southernmost of the provinces of Achar. The Nors people are far darker and more exotic than the rest of the Acharites. Nor is controlled by Prince Yllgaine.