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R
Radiant Enlightenment, Emperor. Past ruler of the Empire of Splendour.
Raincloud Fox. Lesser Immortal responsible for making it rain (usually when you don't want it to).
Raindrops, Skill of. A fighting style learned by Salsham'ai. Practitioners learn how to affect the body energy (Pas Aat) of others so as to cause pain or unconsciousness through just a touch.
Ralstinaapi. High priest of the Empire of Splendour whose purges of the priesthood led to corruption that precipitated the War of Many Blessings.
Rao-Shimvar. Literally "Duty to Society". Rao-Shimvar is the moral principle behind Empire of Splendour society. It sets out everybody's place in the grand scheme of society, and the role that they are expected to play. Actions should be considered based upon their effects on society first, then family, then associates, then on one's self.
Rawuna: Title given to Moa-Ruaki tribal shamans.
Received Wisdom. Current ruler of the Empire of Splendour. Received Wisdom has ruled for sixty years, since coming to the throne at the relatively late age of ten.
Red Jade. Rare mineral capable of storing magical power and trapping spirits.
Red Jade Spirits. Spirits that inhabit Red Jade. They possess a person by entering through wounds, and induce a frenzied blood-lust in the victim.
Reflected Glory. De facto capital of the Empire of Splendour. Founded on the banks of the Nine Spirits River as a place where petitioners wait for an audience with the Emperor.
Resonant Magic. A type of magic practised on the Continent of Perfection. Magic in the Concordant parts of the world is rigid and crystallised. In order to produce an effect, precise rituals must be performed in order to "resonate" the latent magic.
Retrievers. Agents of the Technocracy of Hudan tasked with ensuring their technology does not fall into outside hands.
Ritual Magic. Commonly another term for Resonant Magic, but can be applied to any lengthy magical procedure, such as summoning or enchantment.
River of No Geese. See No Geese, River of.
Ri-Waki-Ri-Nahua: A Moa-Ruaki name for floating dockyards where they construct Pahu-Ri and other vessels.
Roabha. Traditional robes worn by Magisters Administory and Magisters Judiciary. The roabha is worn over several layers of silk shifts, and is a heavy wide sleeved garment. Roabhas are coloured and embroidered according to one's official status.
Rolls of Heaven. Ancient work of Imperial religion that lists the names and functions of hundreds of the Immortals.
Ruaki: Prime folk-hero of the Moa-Ruaki, he who tricked gods and created their way of life.
Ruby Horse. One of the geomantic animals. Ruby Horse lives in the west. She is the patron of scholars.
S
Salsham'ai. Also known as Tree Folk, Salsham'ai are a diminutive species, human-like except for their prehensile toes. Salsham'ai are generally peaceful and spiritual, but this does not make them defenceless, as the Empire of Splendour discovered when it tried to conquer them. As the name suggests, they live in trees.
Saman. Reptilian servitor race bred by the Sth-Gar.
Sea of Deep Wisdom. See Deep Wisdom, Sea of.
Seabone: Mysterious material sold by the Ti-Kop aqautic folk. It is pearlesecent in colour and can be made into anything from nets to axe-heads. If it is not immersed in sea water on a daily basis, it disintegrates.
Seeking Perfection, Empress. Former ruler of the Empire of Splendour. Seeking Perfection's ascension to the throne led to the War of Many Blessings. She later integrated the lunar calendar and the official calendar.
Sepuraabi. (1)The name of a dam in the Empire of Splendour. (2) The high priest who created the dam during the War of Many Blessings.
Shadows of Radiance. Secretive agents of the Empire of Splendour who carry out the dirty work of the Emperor.
Shai-Tar. Demonic entity worshiped by apostate Ptorac and Sth-Gar.
Shandix. Slender-yet-sturdy breed of large antelope used as mounts in the Empire of Splendour. They are fast, but unable to carry more than a light person.
Shattered Road. Ruined highway running across the Plains of Pesh.
Shay: Term used by the salsham'ai for spirit creatures and other monsters.
Shegu. Legendary Durdrn who created ships a mile or more wide, and led many durdrn off to places unknown.
Shempa-Laksu. A type of shape-changer, shempa-laksu are wild and dangerous in their beast form. They occur when evil spirits take over a person.
Shining Wisdom, Ministry of. A department in the bureaucracy of the Empire of Splendour that oversees education.
Shimsha. Pastry stuffed with meat and/or vegetables, usually fried but sometimes baked. Popular food in the Empire of Splendour.
Shoka. Hot beverage made by the salsham'ai from the beans of a fragrant epiphyte. Somewhere between chocolate and coffee.
"Showing a blank". Expression meaning to stymie someone. Derives from Dragon Scales, where the "blank", or zero valued side is the hardest to match.
Shri. Small feathered reptiles domesticated in the Empire of Splendour and bred either for fighting matches or for exotic plumage.
Shroma: Wild, chaotic sun god of the salsham'ai.
Shromic. Sub, or semi-conscious language used by the salsham'ai. The language of the soul rather than the intellect.
Sightless Wisdom, Magister of. A Magister Judiciary appointed as a council for the defence under the Oksan justice system.
Silent Earth, Magister of. Fourth rank of Magister Administory.
Silent Sword. High quality blade made with steel from Fnoi Province (formerly the Nome of Silence).
Silent Willow, Emperor. Former ruler of the Empire of Splendour.
Six Winds, Magister of. Middle rank of Magister Judiciary.
Skill of Raindrops. A fighting technique used by salsham'ai that uses pressure strikes and precise touch to render the target unconscious.
Skin. Game played using Dragon Scales. The object is to lay down pieces by matching sides with already laid pieces. Similar to dominoes.
Snow Princess. Immortal daughter of the Divine Emperor, she watches over the Durdrn of Vorsheeva.
Spider In Amber: Fighting style employed by the salsham'ai. A wrestling technique that compensates for small size.
Spirit Magic. A type of magic that involves summoning, controlling, coercing or otherwise dealing with spirit creatures. Practised by shamanic cultures.
Spirit Realm. Magical realm that overlies the mortal realm, where the spirits that control the machinery of the world live.
Splendour, Empire of. A faded political entity that once ruled much of the southern world in an empire based on trade and culture.
Ssatepta. Meaning "Renouncer", term given to a member of the Ptorac race that has rejected their culture.
Sth-Gar. Trading race from islands to the north and east of Perfection of Concordance. Sth-gar have a sinister reputation and fondness for reptiles.
Studious Tranquility, Emperor. Former ruler of the Empire of Splendour.
Subduer of Ignorance. Honourific title given to the ruler of the Empire of Splendour.
Succulent Gourd Magister of. Lowest rank of Magister Judiciary.
Sugar Root. Succulent vegetable enjoyed by the salshamai. Actually the shoot of an epiphyte that grows on the braashak tree.
Sweet Dew Sister. Immortal in charge of creating flowers.
Syllabic Magic. Rare form of magic that uses ten magical syllables strung together in complex "sentences".
T
Tabusami. Name given to magicians in the Empire of Splendour who have failed to register with the authorities. They are considered criminals.
Tangashi Clan. Member of the Merchants League dealing mainly in luxury goods. Based in Llaza where it is infamous for the misbehaviour of young Lok Tangashi and his cohorts, The Birds of Paradise.
Tas-Nabrenor. A lonely isle in the southern oceans, a place of great riches but also the prison colony-turned-city of Paradise.
Technocracy of Hudan. See Hudan, Technocracy of.
Tembu. Huge shaggy ox-like creature (although nearing elephant size). Used as beast of burden in the Empire of Splendour.
Ten Thousand. Common euphemism in the Empire of Splendour meaning "countless".
Ten Thousand Immortals. Collective name given to the hierarchy of gods and spirits that maintain the correct running of the natural and supernatural worlds.
Ten Thousand Ships, City of. Port city at the mouth of the Nine Spirits River. Once powerful, now in the shadow of Llaza.
Tengbo. Short chopping sword, traditionally from Fnoi Province.
Tenoko-O. Subterranean race at war with the humans of Kiranjika.
Tenora-Mishu. (1) Also known as Moon Jasmine Woman or Lady Moon Jasmine. An Immortal who brings inspiration in dreams, through the scent of the night-flowering moon jasmine plant. (2) A game played using Dragon Scales.
Teshnuvar. A Great Sage who lived 2000 years ago, Teshnuvar wrote the seminal work of natural philosophy - On the Workings of the Universe. This has had a great influence on science and magic in the Empire of Splendour.
Teth-Xar. The Earth Serpent. A god worshipped by the ssatepta Ptorac.
Thalsa. Capital city of the salsham'ai.
Thellingerstan. Mountain region to the northeast of the Empire of Splendour where the the people are tall, blond-haired barbarians who ride eagles and revere twins.
Themnassic: Sedate moon goddess of the salsham'ai.
Themnassic. Main language of the salshamai.
Three Sisters Mountains. Mountain chain bordering the east of the Anhoi River. Created from the bodies of three daughters of Lady East who lay down their lives to save the Empire of Splendour.
Three Smoke, Lord. Ruler of the Underwater Darkness World and foe of the Divine Emperor.
Throne of Heaven Mountains. Mountains that form the northern border of the Empire of Splendour. Beyond them lies the centre of the world - the Great Glacier.
Thousand Rice Sisters. Lesser Immortals in charge of making rice grow.
Thunder. One of three Immortal brothers from the Department of Heavenly Waters. See also Flood and Lightning.
Tik. Main language of the aquatic Ti-Kop folk.
Ti-Kop. Race of intelligent aquatic humanoids, slightly fish-like in appearance and found along the shores of Perfection of Concordance.
Tlaxu. Feline humanoids. Mountain and Plains cultures can be found bordering the Empire of Splendour but other races are rumoured to exist.
Tree Folk. Nickname for the Salsham'ai.
Tshem. Infamous plains tlaxu who led a great horde to attack Llaza over one hundred years ago.
Tshoymar. Young, displaced males of the plains tlaxu seeking to win renown through daring deeds.
Turif. Important Clan of the Merchants League. Also referred to as the Turifim.
Tuuma Cormayr. Powerful pirate band of the Necklace of Plenty Also known as the Bloodhawks.
Twelve Rivers, Magister of. Highest rank of Magister Judiciary.
Tyannah. Denra-Lyr goddess of summer, warmth, youth and love.
