Glossary

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Acolyte, one who studies to become a paytor of the Church

Actaeon Guard, name of the Legionary Guard. From a standard-bearer named Actaeon who centuries earlier died protecting the body of his Imperator (see also, Green/Blue Cloak)

Adalalcas, the northern continent (see also, Imperium)

Adalcis, ocean to the east

Aidari, regarded as fanatics this group have committed acts of terrorism against the imperium

Angels, considered divine by humans, they are spirit guardians of the Spectrum. Legend and the White Daemoni suggest they once took fleshly bodies and walked among humans, and were known as Angelborn

Angelborn, angelic spirit reborn as a flesh and blood human, retaining angelic powers

Atlantis, a vanished island to the east, it was the centre of great wonders and technologies

Batav, a broad river boat for carrying goods

Bent, refers to magical ability (see also, Talent)

Black Birth, name given by breathers to the birth of a viral

Black Palace, palace in the capital, Icarthya, and home to the Imperial Family

Bluecloaks, refers to the legionaries of Byrsa. These are the only Actaeon Guard soldiers to wear a different colour. A civil war erupted between blue and greencloaks centuries ago. Byrsa’s garrison is the only one to wear a different colour, and are proud of the fact, although in Icarthya, blue is the colour of a plebeian

Blue Palace, imperial seat in Byrsa, occupied by a Governor

Borderlands, mountainous western region of the imperium. Suffers from constant rebellion and conflict. Locals disdain imperial clothing and traditions, preferring their own ancient ones. (see also, Ewsannec Tribes)

Breathers, a name used by virals to refer to anyone living

Byrsa, second largest city in the imperium

Cerberus, fabled guardian of Hell’s Teeth (see also, Grim, Hells Teeth)

Chimera, a low rank of Fallen Ones, capable of shapeshifting (see also, Fallen Ones)

Clots, when attacked, virals formed groups called clots to defend themselves (see also, Purges)

Conclave, consisting of the nine original families, which ruled pre-imperium, the conclave is the political arena and a check on the imperator’s power

Conclavist, a member of the imperial Conclave

Conversion, a mysterious ritual that enslaves the mind, (see also, thraels)

Dalba, a full body cloak with a thick gauze face veil worn by the imperial Family when beyond the palace. It once denoted divinity and sacredness. While this used to be imperial law, it is no longer enforced and considered customary. Used for ceremonial occasions mostly. It is a crime for anyone not of the Imperial Family to wear the dalba

Darken, an imperial bodyguard assigned to each member of the imperial Family. The identity of a Darken is known only to the imperator and the one protected

Dralans, monetary unit of the Icarthian Imperium, denominations of gold, silver, bronze, and copper

Eladaldor, the southern continent (non-imperium)

Ewsannec Tribes, mountain tribes to the west of Adalalcas who are in constant rebellion. Region known as the Borderlands, though it is within imperial territory, they have their own culture, language, and traditions. (see also, Borderlands)

Exemplar Guardians, the elite imperial bodyguard, considered separate from the legions. Known to harbour fanatical views (see also, Redcloaks)

Fallen Ones, corrupted, evil, angels. Although not mentioned in the White Daemoni, the Fallen Ones have taken more notice of humans since the discovery of the Shathra Stone (see also, Angels, Chimera, Titans, Harpies)

Glut, a name given by the poor, for the richest areas of an imperial city

Gog of Magog, eldest of five sons of the infamous Nephilim King, Og of Bashan, Gog is next in line to rule. Magog is the name of his kingdom (see also, Nephilim)

Gorgons, large and muscular, sabre-toothed creatures used by harpies as mounts. Origins unknown. Mentioned twice in the White Daemoni, and also in legend with reference to the Grim (see also, Harpies)

Governor, ruler of any imperial city save the capital where the imperator/imperatrix sits

Greencloak, refers to regular legionaries of the Actaeon Guard

Grim, the, evil character in folklore, and the White Daemoni, who occupies Hell

Grimstyx, also known as Hell, it is the fabled world of the Grim mentioned several times in the White Daemoni

Grolg, a relative of the Skunk and the common cow, often used for hauling wagons and carts

Grond, a heavy spiked war hammer, wielded one handed by giants

Guck, a seaweed concoction eaten by virals (Name invented by Threadfin Todder)

Gulac, a military grouping of one hundred Nephilim warriors (see also, Nephilim)

Gulley, a fortified, narrow strip of land joining the northern and southern continents protected by double walls and forts

Gurd, a small hut made from dried mud, branches and twigs over a wooden frame

Hallow Quarter, (Byrsa City) churches and the Blue palace

Harog, a spear-like weapon with dual ends, one a blunted or spiked weight, the other a blade

Harpies, a middle rank of winged Fallen Ones, considered vicious. According to the White Daemoni, they also ride the Gorgons (see also, Fallen Ones)

Hell’s Teeth, a fabled fortress of the underworld, guarded by Cerberus, where the Grim resides (see also, Grim, Cerberus)

High Exemplar, leader of the exemplar guardians and personal bodyguard to the imperator

Icarthian, both official nationality and language of the imperium

Icarthya, capital city of the imperium located on the north-eastern coast of Adalalcas

Imp, a misnomer referring to young Nephilim (an imperial historian is believed to have named them, alluding to a demonic creature in the White Daemoni, and not in reference to their size)

Imperator/imperatrix, ruler of the imperium

Imperial marshal, commander of all imperial legions, excepting the exemplar guard. Usually a member of the Imperial Family though exceptions exist historically

Imperial Quarter, (Icarthya City) churches, parks, libraries and the Black Palace

Imperium, an empire that encompasses the entire northern continent, so named as to set it apart from other empires on the southern continent

Kecci, a small dog-like animal, the result of mixing slinkt and dog. Its whine is not as dangerous as a slinkt’s (see also, Slinkt)

Lame, imperial city on the edge of what is called the borderlands (see also, Borderlands)

Malk, river that flows through the city of Byrsa into the Adalcis Ocean

Mammon Quarter, (Byrsa City) wealthy merchants, churches and libraries

Marshal, commander of a single legion

Minorum, a class of politicians considered plebeian and given less authority in conclave

Mongrels, small and deformed but intelligent beings of mysterious origin often used as scribes

Muck Quarter, Muck, often said in a derogative manner, it refers to the poorest areas of a city. The poor, or Muckers, often bear the name with pride

Nalrost, Rasnal, ancient human high mage, (non-viral)

Natron, a chemical salt found in the southern arid regions of the imperium. The undead use it keep their bodies from rotting too much

Nephilim, race of giants on the southern continent of Eladaldor (see also, Gog of Magog)

Noy, a broad river that flows northeast to southwest through the imperium

Oblivion Chains, rare angelic objects used to bind the soul (see also, Soul Shard)

Paladin, a legionary officer, financier and patriarch of the Church

Patriarchal, class of politicians made up of the nine ruling families (see also, Minorum)

Patricians, the elite, whether of the political class, the rich etc.

Paytor, educator and clergyman

Plagues, a series of devastating outbreaks, which have spread throughout the known world for centuries. Believed by many to have only begun two hundred years ago (see also, Virals)

Plebeians, (Plebs) anyone who isn’t of the elite class. Not always Muckers (see also, Patricians)

Pleth Quarter, (Icarthya City) wealthy merchants, libraries and part of the city port.

Prime, a crime boss who rules the underbelly of a city

Prole Quarter, (Byrsa & Icarthya) factories, stonemasons, artisans, and (Icarthya) port

Purges, an extermination of virals in history, lasting several years and spanning continents. Little is known of what happened, or why

Redcloak, refers to exemplars who wear red. Colour said to symbolise life, the blood of the living (see also, Exemplar Guardians)

Scarap, a broad blade with multiple curves and four sharp points, designed for hacking

Scrips, a form of money introduced by Imperator, Olen Quintus, to improve the lives of the poor. Accepted only by the Church in exchange for food, clothing etc. Muckers are not allowed to use dralans (see also, Dralans)

Shathra, a Nephilim graveyard of legend

Shathra Stone, a powerful stone sphere worshiped by the Nephilim. Believed a myth by many

Shraeds, winged entities of Tartaros

Skunk, a broad-backed muscular animal for carrying immense loads. Slow-moving, it emits a regular and foul smell. The spine of any legion supply line, but always kept to the rear

Slinkt, a sleek and vicious predator that occupies forests. It emits a high-pitched whine that knocks smaller animals dead. Can render a grown man unconscious. Crossbred with dogs to produce kecci

Soul & Fury, a board game, played by patrician elites

Soul Shard, an angelic weapon forged in the mortal realm. Imbued with a portion of an angel’s soul, which gives it great power, but weakens the giver. To give an entire soul to a shard is taboo (see also, Angels)

Soul Splice, a rare form of soul-shard, designed to fight Fallen Ones in their human form. Its sole purpose is to separate the soul from the flesh

Spectral, Spectralic, considered the opposite to viralic magic, and a power linked to the Spectrum, it is a form of power accessible to the living. However, for centuries there have been no known spectral mages

Spectrum of Existence, is everything in existence both seen and unseen, flesh spirit and all other forms of reality. Believed to contain hundreds of millions of other worlds

Sydarag, a lizard-like creature that runs on two legs with a long neck and snaking tail. Used by the imperial legions as mounts, because of their great endurance

Talent, a name used to refer to magic. It is Threadfin’s belief that only virals have talent, but legend suggests the living once did so too (see also, Bent, Viralic, Nalrost)

Tarl, a large forest that covers much of the northern half of the imperium

Tartaros, name given to the Darkness devouring the Spectrum of Existence. Possibly the White Daemoni’s version of Hell, as Hell’s Teeth is considered nothing more than folklore by scholars

Tharons, name given to ancient rulers of northern Adalalcas (pre-imperium)

Thraels, humans enslaved by Fallen Ones (see also, Fallen Ones)

Titans, highest rank of Fallen Ones, these entities have little of their angelic selves remaining. Though not the first to have given themselves to evil, they are its most loyal

Tystria, third largest city of the imperium

Viralic, name given to magical power used by virals (see also Talent)

Virals, often called Plagueborn, deaders or undeaders, virals are born dead and always after a plague outbreak. Regarded as lower than animals, few remain since the purges. Some think them a myth. As they grow older, their bodies decompose faster. Legend suggests there were several types once

Warg, powerful wolf-like predator from the southern continent. Often found in company of Nephilim. Imperial historians have suggested they are a cross between black wolves (now extinct), and an unknown creature

Warghound, unrelated to wargs, this large creature is in fact a distant relative of the sydarag, though it retains no lizard-like features. Loyal and fierce in defence of their masters

Watcher, a powerful entity Threadfin Todder encounters in a place between worlds

White Daemoni, ancient holy text of the Imperial Church and source of all holy doctrine. Said to have been written by an ancient angel who wore flesh. The name of that angel is a matter of contention, as the author is unknown (see also, Angels)

Yellow Bliss, a poison extracted by apothecaries from a plant called, Yellow Spot

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