PLACES.
Algan: Inland farming city on the western border of the Kingdom of Aelargo.
Alorn Mountain: An ancient volcano now dormant on the north western point of the Kingdom ofAelargo.
Blue Dolphin Inn: Dagger Home and merchant"s inn that has a huge stainless steel hoop mounted on the roof with a platform which the owners and legends claim was the main port of call for the Emerald Heart.
Breorchy: Onasa Channel port city on the northwestern border of the Kingdom of Aelargo.
Burga Mountains: A blue mountain range which cuts east-west across the southern part of the North Duianna Continent from the Darain Ocean to the Onasa Channel.
Burga Spine Mountains: A blue mountain range which cuts north-south from the Onasa Channel to the Windy Pa.s.s.
Delivery Channel: A waterway system of all ancient port cities which connects one or more rivers together to flow under the city, creating a simple, smooth-flowing, barge-friendly means of transporting large loads.
Dorn Hills: A large range of hills on the north edge of the border between the kingdoms of Aelargo and Nasur.
Eralci: An unknown kingdom or city in ancient times now lost.
Greyrhan: A province of the Duianna Empire in the far north just south of the great ice fields.
Halias-Ne Mountains: A thick rocky mountain and volcano range which cuts the entire Duianna continent in half, spanning from the Darain Ocean on the east to the Occiduis Ocean on the west.
Llino: The Sea Prince"s stronghold and capital. Notable places: Blue Dophin Inn, the Night Market.
Loren Sound: An inlet of the Darian Ocean bordering the southeastern part of the north Duianna Continent.
Miumi: Port trade city on the Loren Sound on the eastern border of Oslald.
Night Market: A unique black market in Llino in which any service or goods may be purchased through brokers known as Hands. The market opens every day at sunset and closes at sunrise.
Onasa Channel: Inlet of the Loren sound which traverses through hundreds of miles of canyons northerly to the great Empire Lakes, generally salt water transitioning to fresh water near the Empire Lake outlets. Also known as the Onasa River.
Rhini Wood: The old-growth forest along the northwestern edge of Bear Foot Sea in the Kingdom of Aelargo. Also the name of the village and farming lands in the same location.
Windy Pa.s.s: A series of hills and valleys which separate the Burga Spine Mountains from the Halias-Ne Mountain Range, bordering Nasur on the east and Laeusia on the west.
t.i.tLES/POSITIONS.
Apprentice: Any tradesman under training for a guild (Mages" Guild included).
Blade: A professional soldier, mercenary fighter, sword master.
Councilor: A member of Leading Council of the Argos Guild of Mages.
Dagger: Professional warrior specialists for hire that hold to a strong set of ideals based on commitment, courage, and honor.
Guard: City soldiers, general police force.
Hand: Broker or facilitator for trade in various goods or services, usually illegal.
High Councilor: Chairman of the Leading Council of the Argos Guild of Mages.
Journeyman Mage: t.i.tle of a mid-level magician for the Argos Guild of Mages; carries a unique badge of office and is seen as a direct representative of Argos.
Knife: An a.s.sa.s.sin or hired killer, strongly controlled by a secretive guild Magus (pl. Magi): A higher magician who has achieved the rank of master in the guild PEOPLE AND THINGS.
arit: A strong, bitter drink made from roasted beans of the aritia tree which only grows in tropical climates.
blood compa.s.s: A magical artifact made with blood which is capable of retracing a person"s life. Its construction is taboo in many lands and illegal in a few. It is effective for as long as the subject lives and for many hours after death.
Boadua of Mostill Valley: A senior priestess of Dalpha in Llino.
cycle: One complete cycle of the moon Tempa. Each year has twelve lunar cycles divided into the four seasons winter (Samag, Noelag, Foilleg), spring (Gearra, Marta, Abra), summer (Sealen, Ogmen, Luchen), and autumn (Lunas, Sultas, Fomas).
dagger table: Various inns and taverns allow mercenaries to hire out from them. A Dagger table is reserved for only Daggers. Daggers signal they are open for hire by placing their dagger into the table standing up. Senior Dagger tables have a Dagger holder mounted on the table and, in Dagger Homes, can be owned exclusively.
Damega Drakeruin: Legendary warrior who started many of the Dagger traditions. Although very mercenary he is always portrayed in a "Robin Hood" fashion. A good-hearted rogue, who refused any offer to settle down. Supposedly found or was gifted the Emerald Heart, a flying ship.
Ditani: A Karakian servant to Magus Vestul.
Dohma Gerani: Captain of the City and Palace Guards in Llino.
Dolphin dagger doors: Unique doors use only at the Blue Dolphin Inn in Llino for Dagger and special guest rooms which are considered unbreakable and thief proof that require a combination and a special key to open.
Emerald Heart: Legendary flying ship of Damega Drakeruin. Legend has it that it flies faster than any creature and is home-ported in a secret place far in the north.
Faltla of Rhini Wood: Ticca"s Uncle a retired tactics Dagger that served in the Realms" War and trained Ticca from birth.
Genne: The current owner of the Blue Dolphin Inn the original Dagger House in Llino.
Hisuru Amajoo: The city fortress home of the Nhia-Samri.
hyly: A semi-sweet liquor made from honey.
Kliasa: The daughter of House Elaeus of Rea-Na-Rey Magus Andros: A fifty year master mage of the Argos Guild of Mages and Lebuin"s mentor at the Llino Guildhouse.
Magus Cune: A twenty five year master mage of the Argos Guild of Mages and Lebuin"s nemesis for all of Lebuin"s twenty years at the Llino Guildhouse.
Magus Gezu: A seventy year master of the Argos Guild of Mages that died in the summer of 15348.
Magus Nillo: High Councilor and a sixty year master mage of the Argos Guild of Mages and Lebuin"s mentor at the Llino Guildhouse.
Magus Seriel of Eralci: An ancient mage who wrote the secret tombs of magic Lebuin acquired and studied.
Magus Vestul: An immortal master mage who predates the Argos Guild of Mages. Close friend of Duke. Lives in Algan.
mark: A period of time equal to a twenty-fourth part of a day and night and divided into 60 minutes.
Nhia-Samri: A shadowy, ruthless mercenary group of warriors of unknown size which fight with inhuman speed and agility.
Nigan: A combat specialist Dagger that works out of the Blue Dolphin Inn in Llino. Partners with Rissy and is called "Hairy" by Ticca.
oda.s.si: Single edged magical weapons of the shadowy faction of warrior mercenaries called the Nhia-Samri.
Risy: A combat specialist Dagger that works out of the Blue Dolphin Inn in Llino. Partners with Nigan and is called "Frumpy" by Ticca.
Sayscia: The High Priestess or The Great Lady of Dalpha in Llino.
Shar-Lumen: The shadowy Grand Warlord of the Nhia-Samri.
sharre: A sweet wine made by the elves from unknown ingredients. If kept properly it grows more potent over time. Five to fifty-year-old sharre is very robust and gives a little energy, as well as making people drunk extremely fast. Sharre over one hundred years old can heal wounds, revive tiredness, and sharpen the mind dramatically. Sharre over five hundred years old is thought to restore youth.
Sula: A priestess healer of the Temple of Dalpha.
The Traitor (Amia-Dharo): The second-in-command Nhia-Samri who betrayed the Nhai-Samri in a great war and helped the Alliance Nations end hostilities. Second most deadly warrior in the world.
Ticca of Rhini Wood: A hunter Dagger that works out of the Blue Dolphin Inn in Llino.
vanedicha: A poison which induces a trance if a small amount is inhaled and kills in less than a minute in larger doses. Victims are unusually truthful when revived from a vanedicha-induced trance.
OTHER ITEMS OF NOTE.
Argos Guild of Mages Sigil: A stylized gold dragon with the five silver waves behind it.
Money.
For over 10,000 years all of the nations of the Duianna continent as well as many trade nations on other continents have done trade based off of the Duianna Imperial Money System. The money system was further cemented by the Covenant of Duianna. Although prices may shift slightly and the value of various precious metals will fluctuate the currency has remained stable. Any attempt to undermine the currency is seen as a capital offence in every nation known.
Copper Ring (r).
Ring: 1 Pence: 4 Bell: 6 Tyme: 12 Chera: 24.
Cross: 48 Crown: 960 1 lb 99% base: 360 Coin (oz): .044 Approx Size: 1/2 Penny Copper Pence (p) Ring: 1/4.
Pence: 1 Bell: 1-1/2 Tyme: 3 Chera: 6 Cross: 12 Crown: 240 1 lb 99% base: 90 Coin (oz): .178 Approx Size: ~ nickel Palladium Bell (b) Ring: 1/6 Pence: 2/3 Bell: 1 Tyme:2 Chera: 4 Cross: 8 Crown: 160 1 lb 99% base: 220 Coin (oz): .073 Approx Size: ~ dime Palladium Tyme (t) Ring: 1/12 Pence: 1/3 Bell: 1/2 Tyme:1 Chera: 2 Cross: 4 Crown: 80 1 lb 99% base: 110 Coin (oz): ..145 Approx Size: < nickel="" silver="" chera="" (c)="" ring:="" 1/24="" pence:="" 1/6="" bell:="" 1/4="" tyme:1/2="" chera:="" 1="" cross:="" 2="" crown:="" 40="" 1="" lb="" 99%="" base:="" 140="" coin="" (oz):="" .114="" approx="" size:=""> dime Silver Cross (s) Ring: 1/48 Pence: 1/12 Bell: 1/8 Tyme:1/4 Chera: 1/2 Cross: 1 Crown: 20 1 lb 99% base: 70 Coin (oz): .229 Approx Size: ~ quarter Gold Crown (g) Ring: 1/960 Pence: 1/240.
Bell: 1/160 Tyme: 1/80 Chera: 1/40 Cross: 1/20.
Crown: 1 1 lb 99% base: 180 Coin (oz): .089 Approx Size: ~ dime.
Acknowledgments.
First and foremost thank you to my readers. Without you I cannot continue to write and every day I enjoy chatting with you online. My readers" comments and reviews inspire me to work ever harder to produce good stories and fantastic characters.
Next I must send a huge thank you to my great friend Charles Berry who started as my very first beta reader and continues to inspire me with new ideas. Thanks for the long chats on character development and possibilities. Also, a huge thank you for donating the audio trademark and music for the promotional videos!
I have not the words to thank Elle Casey and Lindsay Buroker for taking an interest in an unknown new writer and answering my questions, no matter how trivial. Very early in my learning to be a professional writer I read everything I could from other successful writers on how to do this job. That you two took an interest in me and mentored me with suggestions and great references for professional services really propped me up at times!
To one of the greatest editors of all time, Alexis Arendt (Wordvagabond.com) a tremendous thank you. Your hours of toil, words of support and editorial comments made this book a reality. Looking down I humbly apologize for the number of reflexive sentences. You are the best!
To Kitten Jackson (kittenkjackson.com) an amazing editor with a unique view on my work. I really appreciate you stepping out of your comfort zone into the weird genre of fantasy. However, now that you are properly addicted to the genre the world is a better place. Thank you for sneaking my book into your tight schedule.
The unbelievably great art work, formatting, and cover work for this book was done by Glendon Haddix, Tabatha Haddix, and Steven Doty of Streetlight Graphics (www.StreetlightGraphics.com). Steve Doty is the principle sketch artist, and in spite of my promise to keep revisions to a minimum he still redid a number of sketches until I was simply awestruck at seeing an image of something I had only imagined. I am really sorry I caused so many eraser holes because every piece you made was amazing from the beginning!
To my loving wife who at first wasn"t sure about what would happen but supported me anyway- I love you. You took care of so many things and let me spin my threads on the keyboard. Also to my son who kept me off the keyboard often enough that I didn"t miss out entirely on your fifth and sixth years of life! Talking to you and playing games gave me a lot of interesting ideas that I hope you remember as you read these stories.
Finally to everyone else I cannot possibly list from my life, who are my friends and family. You all inspire me, make me laugh, and support me when I"m down. I love you all! Stay Sharp and don"t forget to call from time to time.
Other Works BY Leeland Artra.
Golden Threads Trilogy.
Book One: Thread Slivers.
Book Two: Thread Strands (available August 2013).
Book Three: Thread Skein (available March 2014).
end.