~CHARACTER HIERARCHY~

Dear Reader;

The first chapters of this book may seem long-winded but I seek only to bring out the nature of the era. To understand a people's culture is to understand a people's mind.

I urge you to keep an open mind—in all ranges of the word, as scenes included contain chaos, bloodlust, homosexualism, and incest.

Kindly vote, send gifts and post your reviews.

~. ~. ~.

AEON: The mysterious Keeper of Eracuse and defender of the night creatures. Also known as the Crimson Knight.

ADRAMON: The whole continent of the North and South empires. Shared boundaries with the Carrean sea, the Isles of Mithos, and the borderlands of the Iron Clan.

ANNWN: Treacherous little tree demons. Lived amongst the werebeasts and vampires of Eracuse.

ATHOS: Giant fire god of the Icelanders; rumored to have carved the world with a mighty battle-axe that spewed fire.

BLOOD CHILDREN: Any child of Eracuse. Vampires. Werebeasts. The Annwn. Also called Night creatures.

BLUE CLOAK: A soldier of the Syverian army: Infantry, cavalry, or artillery. Known for their notable blue capes atop silvery armor. The finest army in the whole continent.

CALIPSOS: Wealthy capital of the summerlands. Home to the Seer towers and the Ivory castle.

CARREAN SEA: The eastern sea border of Syveria. Also called the emerald sea.

ERACUSE: The forest of gigantic red trees dividing the north and south empires. Home to werebeasts, vampires and the Aeon. Also called Blood Forest.

GRACES: The general name for Priests of the Syverian Pantheon.

HOUSE BATHURST: Wealthy noblehouse of Syveria. Possessed a good number of ports and controlled trading routes across the Carrean sea.

~Family crest is a leaping stallion upon a silver veil.

HOUSE CRANMER: Second wealthiest house in all of Syveria. Friends of the crown, and traders in sapphire-glass.

~Family crest is the branched antlers of an Elk upon a gilden drape.

HOUSE MANDERLEY: Simple Noblehouse of Syveria, home to the Gentles of Calipsos. House of the Queen.

~Family crest is a red vixen with opal eyes blazoned upon white silk.

HOUSE PIERRAN: The Royal house of Syveria. Family members possessed a consistent blue eyes.

~Family crest is an eagle with golden eyes upon a regal scarlet banner.

ICELANDER: General name for the people from Valkalon.

ICE LORDS: The High lords of the Ice realms that answered to the Emperor.

IRON CLAN: A clan of savages that roamed the borderlands uninhabited by Syverians. Conducted raids from time to time.

IRKALLA: The desert region beyond the emerald sea. Deadly no man's land. Home to tribes with mountains and caves for homes.

ISLE OF MITHOS: The islands of the Carrean sea. Home to the Shagans. Shared borders with the desert tribes of the Irkalla.

IVORY CASTLE: The colossal fortress of the syverian royal family. The Pierran home.

KRAVATHOS: Frosty stronghold of the Ice Emperor named after the Iceland god, Athos. Rumored to possess great weapons of sorcery. Also called the Shield of the North.

MOOR OF WILHEIM: The evergreen fields beyond the White lake; lay opposite to the Cranmer manor and one of the many properties of the Noblehouse.

NIGHT WARS: A long battle fought by the Ice Emperor and the Summer King centuries before, ending in a devastating blood bath.

OTHERWOLDERS: The inhabitants of Valkalon that lived amongst the humans. Consisted of the Fae Princes, the pale-eyed Wytchers, and fantastic beasts.

PANTHEON: The seven gods of Syveria headed by the Seventh Flame.

RIDGE OF NEVERMORE: The Great Partition in the North that served as a veil between the Mortal Realm and the Netherworld of demons.

SAPPHIRE GLASS: The rich clear-blue crystal treasure of Syveria. Mined by workers for House Cranmer.

SEER: A Syverian scholar. Tutored in the arts of angles and trigonometry. Studied the stars and invented great machines.

SEVARII: The highest coin of the Summerlands. A smashing gold, carved with the embossing of Nihila Pierran, the Golden Knight. A hundred SEVARII was called a SEVARIUS.

SHAGAN: A man or woman from the Isles of Mithos; Brown-skinned, and beautiful warrior tribe with winged horses.

SHIELD MAIDEN: The Icelander Clan of women warriors. They were called Witches by the South for their mystifying beauty and strength.

SIGH OF ROSES: Eulogy of the Golden One, First Ruler of the Summerlands and King during the Dark Ages.

SISTERS OF MAGDA: The High Priestesses of Valkalon, servants of Athos. Sisterhood of Clairvoyants.

SYVERIA: The summerlands, the Empire south of Adramon. Wealthy and with a consistent human population. Free of werebeasts and magic.

SYVERIAN: General name for the people of Syveria. Also called summer dwellers.

TEST OF THOUGHTS: The entrance examinations undertaken by applicants into the Seer Towers.

VALE OF WAILS: The crater housing the Athenaeum of Syveria. It was marked by dense woodland with dry trees, enveloping mist, and mysterious wailing sounds.

VALKALON: The Ice realms, the Empire north of Adramon. Frosty deserts with colossal ice structures. Home to ancient relics and magical weaponry. Land of the Otherworlders and also humans.

WHITE LAKE: The dazzling lake west of Calipsos. Surrounded the Cranmer residence.

WHITE THRONE: The Syverian throne made of pure melted ivory.

WYTCHER: A Valkalon wizard: mage of great powers. Possessed uncanny hair color but with a shared pale eyes. Also called Moon Knight.

WEREBEASTS: Blood children of Eracuse capable of changing forms to the likeness of beasts. Also called Night children.