THE WORLD

COUNTRIES AND CONTINENTS

The Witterland - An ever-frozen continent to the north from which Djurians, the ancestors of Baegard and Benwold, are said to have long ago migrated.

The Sumerland - An eternally hot continent to the south from which Zakai, the ancestors of Zakowa and North and South Vinaxi, are said to have migrated. Known as "the Suncoast" to Syptens.

Enea, or The Middle Land - A continent positioned between the Witterland and the Sumerland where the events of the story take place.

Baegard, or The Seven Jarlheims - A nation founded among the mountains and the wide valley cradled among them. The jarlheims are city-states within Baegard that share similar cultures and unite for the purposes of common defense. Known as "the Winter Holds" to Syptens.

Ha-Sypt - A nation that has long been the antagonist of Baegard. It is a land of deserts and oases, founded primarily along the rivers Nu and Qal. It is ruled by a monarch held to be a god, the Karah. Syptens are descended from Eneans, the native people of Enea.

Benwold - A nation that shares a common descent from Djurian culture with Baegard and often allies with them.

Zakowa - A nation of Sumerland descent that often allies with Ha-Sypt.

North and South Vinaxi - Two nations of Sumerland descent that are in constant conflict with their sister nations.

Xen'tia - A powerful republic of Oessa, the continent to the west of Enea; sometimes participates in the wars between Baegard and Ha-Sypt.

Jin'to - A widespread empire of Oessa, the continent to the west of Enea; sometimes participates in the wars between Baegard and Ha-Sypt.

CITIES OF BAEGARD

Oakharrow - Formerly ruled by its jarl, Bor Kjellson.

Petyrsholm - Ruled by its jarl, Petyr Petyrson.

Ragnarsglade - Ruled by its jarl, Ragnar Torbenson.

Djurshand - Ruled by its jarl, Hother Alverson.

Greenwuud - Ruled by its jarl, Siward Jonson.

Skjold - Ruled by its jarl, Harald Sigurdson.

Aelford - Ruled by its jarl, Alrik Adilson.

OAKHARROW

The Squalls - The poorest district; primarily populated by Vurgs.

The Dusty Wares - The street-side markets along the main thoroughfare, the Iron Road.

Oakheart - The richest district; primarily populated by Thurdjurs and Balturg highborn.

Greenstead - The primary gathering place in the city for large-scale events.

Dawnshadow - The cliff that looms over Oakharrow.

Harrowhall - The former bastion of the last king of Baegard and the home to the present jarl; the center of Thurdjur power.

Vigil Keep - The citadel of the thane and center of Balturg power.

Honeybrook - The river that runs through the city.

EILDURSPRALL

Heim Numen - The compound of the gothi located within the Yewling town of Eildursprall. The center of the Inscribed religion in Baegard.

The Silvers - The three leaders of the gothi who rule from Heim Numen.

The Etching Wall - Every gothi contributes to carvings of the Inscribed.

CITIES OF HA-SYPT

Qal-Nu - The border city that was sacked by Baegardians just over twenty years before the start of the story.

Annax-Nu - The capital of Ha-Sypt, where the karah reigns.

CLANS

Thurdjurs - The ruling clan of Oakharrow; their clan color is aqua.

Balturgs - The secondary ruling clan of Oakharrow; their clan color is red.

Vurgs - The poorest and most oppressed clan of Oakharrow; their clan color is yellow.

TRIBES OF THE TEETH

Yewlings - The settled people of towns such as Jünsden and Eildursprall, who are on generally peaceful terms with Baegardians.

Skyardi - A nomadic tribe with a tenuous relationship with Baegardians.

Woldagi - A seasonally nomadic tribe with a hostile relationship with Baegardians.

Ovaldi - One of the tribes who has joined the Jotun's army.

Haddik - One of the tribes who has joined the Jotun's army.

Telduri - One of the tribes who has joined the Jotun's army.

Roks - One of the tribes who has joined the Jotun's army.

MAGIC

Volur - The Old Djurian word for one who can use magic.

Seidar / The Sight - Magic as Baegardians know it; involves the ritualized use of runestones. When employed, it is called "Seeing."

Khnuum - A mysterious substance contained within drascale ore that causes hallucinations in those susceptible to its influence, such as Volur.

The Hall of Doors - the place seers visit to access the power of runes; appears as a shadowy corridor lined with doors that are inscribed with runes. Open the doors and their powers are conferred. Hael Ek'dyrr is the Hall of Doors in Old Djurian.

BAEGARDIAN CULTURE

Jarl - The highest social position in present Baegard; the ruler of a jarlheim and leader of the ruling clan.

Thane - The second highest social position in present Baegard; the next-in-command of a jarlheim after the jarl and the jarl's heir, and the leader of their clan.

Lawspeaker - The primary judge and arbiter of justice in Oakharrow.

Warden of the Watch - The primary leader of the city watch.

City Sentinel - One of the captains of the watch, focused on the protection of the city.

War Drang - The leader of Oakharrow's patrols and, in times of war, its warriors.

Drang - A leader of a company of warriors.

Huskarl - A man-at-arms, such as a guardian of the Harrowhall, or a keeper of Vigil Keep.

Gothi - Once a group of people dedicated to keeping old Djurian traditions alive, they have become in the modern era a codified priesthood. They have a centralized compound located in Eildursprall, where the three Silvers oversee the religion.

Yeoman - A man who holds and manages a small estate of land.

Thrall - A slave, often of Sypten descent and captured in raids.

SYPTEN CULTURE

The Ascendant Empire - Syptens' name for their country. Also refer to it as "the Plentiful Land" and themselves as "the People of Dust."

The Holy Karah - The god-king of Ha-Sypt; often referred to as "Divine One."

Ohkweht - The sister to the karah; translates to "Royal Sister."

High chanter - The highest priest dedicated to a specific Sypten god; referred to with the honorific "nautjer."

Vizier - The foremost advisor to the karah.

Chief general - The head general of the Sypten armies; honorific for generals is "baka."

Paragon - A notable champion addressed as "lion."

Afterlife - Syptens believe they either descend to the Jackal's Blight or receive an everlasting life in the Jackal's Delight, both ruled over by the god Gazabe.

Apostates - Those who defy the will of the Divine, including the karah.

Duaat - A Sypten game modeled after the real-life game "Senet," in which the aim to move one's pieces across a long board and into the afterlife.

Nomes - Districts of Ha-Sypt, ruled over by governors called "nomarchs."

Khopesh - The preferred Sypten sword; is curved halfway up its length like a sickle and single-edged.

DJURIAN PANTHEON: THE INSCRIBED GODS

Djur - The Wild God, the Greatbear, the God of the Stars and Wrath; father to many of the pantheon.

Nuvvog - The Trickster, the Dragon God, the God of the Sun and Deceit; father to the other half of the pantheon.

Skirsala - Goddess of the Harvest; one of the three Wild Wives of Djur.

Yusala - Goddess of the Forest; one of the three Wild Wives of Djur.

Lerye - Goddess of the River; one of the three Wild Wives of Djur.

Ovvash - Goddess of the Underworld; the daughter of Nuvvog and the surtun Finyurrle.

Lavaethun - God of the Sea Moon; thought to take the shape of a giant sea serpent.

Skoll - God of the Blood Moon; thought to take the shape of a giant wolf.

Baltur - God of Poetry and Justice; the son of Djur and Skirsala.

Volkur - Goddess of War and Glory; the daughter of Djur and Lerye.

Mostur - God of Stone and the Forge; the son of Djur and Yusala.

The Spinners - Three immortal beings who are said to spin the thread of each person's life when they are born and determine the timing of their deaths.

SYPTEN PANTHEON: THE DIVINE

Pawura - The Dreaming Antelope; Goddess of Art and Love.

Yeshept - The Prowling Lioness; Goddess of the Hunt and Wealth.

Qa'a - The Wise Scarab; God of Justice and Foresight.

Bek - The Red Behemoth; Goddess of Might and War.

Aya - The White Cobra; God of Cunning and Deceit.

Gazabe - The Black Jackal; God of Death and Decay.

Hua - The Bright Maker; Father of the People of Dust; Mother of the mighty Huame; Creator of All. Also known as the sun and claimed to be the mother of the huame, the southern giants.

OTHER

Jotunar - Giants of Frost The mythic behemoths of the Witterland

Surtunar - Giants of Fire; the mythic behemoths of the Sumerland. Known as "huame" to Syptens, or "Children of the Sun."

Jotunmen - Barbars who have have been changed into bestial men that resemble the Jotun

Nuvvog's Rage - The mysterious inferno that appears to manifest from Chasm-dust 

Woolith - A livestock animal that resembles a mixture between an aurochs and a wooly mammoth.

THE CHARACTERS

OAKHARROW

Thurdjurs

Aelthena Of'Bor - Daughter to the jarl of Oakharrow.

Bjorn Borson - Youngest son to the jarl of Oakharrow.

Bor Kjellson - Jarl of Oakharrow.

Bestla Of'Bor - Wife to the jarl of Oakharrow.

Annar Borson - Eldest son of the jarl of Oakharrow; the jarl's heir.

Yofam (Yof) Borson - Middle son of the jarl of Oakharrow; the war drang.

Frey Igorson - A guardian of the Harrowhall.

Yaethun Brashurson - The lawspeaker of Oakharrow; son of the deposed jarl.

Brashur Felson - Former jarl of Oakharrow; deposed and executed by Bor Kjellson.

Egil Yaethunson - Son of the lawspeaker; a sentry of the watch; a member of the Hunters in the White. 

Vedgif Addarson - An elder of the Thurdjur clan; first drang to the Hunters in the White; known as "the Rook" for commanding role in the Sack of Qal-Nu.

Keld Erlendson - Youngest member of the Hunters in the White.

Morif Morifson - The warden of the watch.

Brant Elofson - An elder of the Thurdjur clan.

Fiske Yarison - An elder of the Thurdjur clan.

Raldof Koryson - Blademaster of the Harrowhall

Menif Laethson - A sentry of the watch.

Skarif Graynson - A guardian of the Harrowhall.

Menith Karlson, or "Pine" - A guardian of the Harrowhall.

Pestur Yroelson, or "Ratclaw" - A guardian of the Harrowhall.

Balturgs

Asborn Eirikson - Son of the thane of Oakharrow.

Kathsla Of'Eirik - Wife to the thane of Oakharrow.

Eirik Havardson - Thane of Oakharrow; leader of the Balturg clan; known as "Bloodaxe" for his ferocity during the deposing of Brashur Felson and the Sack of Qal-Nu.

Loridi Kelnorson - The self-proclaimed "Lord Sword"; a jester of the Hunters in the White; Balturg.

Seskef Gulbrandson - Named "Skiff" by Loridi; companion to Loridi and member of the Hunters in the White; Balturg.

Tait Knudson - A young keeper whom Bjorn attacks and injures.

Snornir Baelson - A city sentinel of the watch

Hervor Halvorson - Known as "Silverfang" for his silver false tooth; an elder of the Balturg clan; also a wealthy merchant and owner of drascale mines.

Vurgs

Skarl Thundson - Known as "the Savage" and "Dragonskin"; leader of a rebellion.

Troel Magurson - A sentry of the watch.

Thralls

Uljana - The loyal servant to Lord Bor.

Other

Yonik Of'Skoll - A gothi (priest) of Oakharrow; famous for his greatbear cloak won from a hunt.

Ilva Of'Skirsala - The head gothi (priestess) of Oakharrow.

Bastor, or Alabastor Ragnarson - A rogue first encountered in the Wolf's Den, revealed to be the Heir of Ragnarsglade.

PETYRSHOLM

Ipu - A thrall young woman who works in the Elkhorn kitchens.

Pyhia - The thrall head cook of the Elkhorn kitchens.

Bennu - A young thrall girl.

Neith and Soben - Two young thrall boys.

Ragnar the Younger - Bastor's younger brother and the youngest son of Ragnar Torbenson, Jarl of Ragnarsglade.

Thorpe and Kustaa - Two guards of the Elkhorn.

Destin - A huskarl to the jarl Siward.

Helka - Lord Siward's eldest daughter.

Olle - Lord Siward's infant son.

Yerrik - A wall captain.

Endre Kettilson - A huskarl to Lord Ragnar.

EILDURSPRALL

Tyra - An acolyte at Heim Numen who works in the library.

Flint - The captain of Eildursprall's sentries.

Wuldof and Dagar - Two sentries of Eildursprall.

Embla - A priestess stationed at Heim Numen.

Torvald Geirson - The Last King of Baegard. Legends tell of him wandering into the Teeth and never returning.

The Silvers

Mother Sign - An enigmatic older woman skilled in the Sight.

Mother Iron - A bold older woman who positions herself as the de facto leader of the Silvers.

Father Temperance - A cautious older man who counsels a conservative approach. 

JARLS OF BAEGARD

Bor Kjellson - Jarl of Oakharrow.

Ragnar Torbenson - Jarl of Ragnarsglade.

Petyr Petyrson - Jarl of Petyrsholm.

Alrik Adilson - Jarl of Aelford.

Harald Sigurdson - Jarl of Skjold.

Siward Jonson - Jarl of Greenwuud.

Hother Alverson - Jarl of Djurshand.

Wives of the Jarls

Sigrid Of’Harald - Wife to Lord Harald, the Jarl of Skjold.

Iona Of’Siward - Wife to Lord Siward, the Jarl of Greenwuud.

Olga Of’Petyr - Wife to Lord Petyr, the Jarl of Petyrsholm.

Inkeri Of’Hother - Wife to Lord Hother, the Jarl of Djurshand.

Nanna Of’Alrik - Wife to Lord Alrik, the Jarl of Aelford.

HA-SYPT

Sehdra - The "ohkweht," or "Royal Sister," of the karah, the ruler of Ha-Sypt.

Hephystus III, or Physt - The karah, or god-king, of Ha-Sypt.

Oyaoan - The leader of the huame, the southern giants.

The Ibis - The Suncoaster translator to Oyaoan.

Teti - A servant and friend to Sehdra.

Zosar - The vizier to the Karah.

Raneb - The high chanter of Qa'a.

Nekau - The first chief general.

Amon - The second chief general.