Word of Traitors: Legacy of Dhakaan - Book 2 Page 41

  Ko: A changeling who attempted to kidnap Vounn d’Deneith by taking the place of one of her guards.

  Koolt: A dynasty of the early Dhakaani Empire.

  korluaat: A highly alcoholic beverage favored by the hobgoblin warriors of Darguun (literally “hero’s blood”).

  Krakuul: A hobgoblin warrior in the service of Haruuc, assigned to guard Vounn and Ashi d’Deneith.

  Kuun: Surname of a line of heroes of the Dhakaani Empire, first carried by the warlord Duulan, a friend of Taruuzh. Tales of the name of Kuun are closely tied to Aram, the legendary Sword of Heroes.

  lhesh: Goblin for “high warlord.” In the time of the Dhakaani Empire, a lhesh was a general given command of the empire’s armies for a set period of time. In modern times, Haruuc has adopted the term as the title of the ruler of Darguun.

  lhevk’mor: “Adjunct warlord,” a temporary rank assigned to warriors acting under the authority of a warlord in Darguun’s army.

  lhevk’rhu: “Skilled warlord,” the third highest formal rank in Darguun’s army. A lhevk-rhu is outranked only by a lhevket (“elder warlord”) or the lhesh.

  lhikor: “Warblade,” a warrior commanding a squad in Darguun’s army.

  lhurusk: “War-leader,” a senior warrior commanding a platoon in Darguun’s army.

  Library of Korranberg, the: The greatest repository of knowledge in Khorvaire and a central institution of life in Zilargo—some historians maintain that Zilargo’s unique form of government and internal security were modelled on the organization of the Library.

  Maabet!: An extremely ancient Goblin curse word still in use today. There is no known translation.

  magebred: Any animal magically bred for enhanced characteristics (greater speed and endurance, for example), usually by House Vadalis.

  Makka: Formerly the chief a tribe of bugbears living in the southern Seawall Mountains, now a rogue hunter looking for revenge.

  Marguul: The bugbear tribes that dwell in the highlands of the Seawall Mountains in the west of Darguun. Paying only lip service at best to Haruuc’s authority, they live in independent, often hostile tribes.

  Marrow: A worg from a pack allied with the taarka’khesh, but assisting Chetiin. Worgs resemble wolves the size of ponies, but are far more intelligent. They speak their own language and can understand others.

  mazo: Goblin affirmative, stronger than “yes” and used specifically when discussing plans or acknowledging orders.

  Mournland, the: A common name for the wasteland that was once Cyre, devastated by the unnatural disaster known as the Mourning. The borders of the Mournland are marked by dense banks of gray mist, behind which lurk dangerous monsters and phenomena. The Mournland forms more than half of Darguun’s eastern border.

  Munta the Gray: The aged hobgoblin warlord of the powerful Gantii Vus clan.

  muu’kron: An ancient goblin symbol of the Dark Six consisting of six strings knotted together and bearing small talismans representing the dark gods. Philosophers note that when spread out flat, the muu’kron form the Hexagram that is the more common symbol of the Dark Six.

  muut: The goblin concept of ordinary honor or duty, something is gained by doing one’s job properly. Compare with atcha.

  noon: A starchy grain, most often pressed into compact balls, that is a staple of the traditional goblin diet and that still forms an important part of goblin cuisine.

  Orien, House: A dragonmarked house bearing the Mark of Passage. House Orien operates services related to travel, shipping and communication, including a postal service and the Lightning Rail. Orien also maintains the network of trade roads across Khorvaire.

  Paatcha!: An offer of honor through admiration, spoken as a compliment or delivered as an imperative to troops. Literally “to offer honor.”

  Pradoor: An elderly goblin priestess of the Dark Six. Pradoor is blind but claims to be guided by the Six. Her patron god is the Devourer.

  Raat shan gath’kal dor: “The story stops but never ends.” The traditional closing of hobgoblin legends.

  Raat shi anaa: “The story continues.” The traditional opening to hobgoblin legends.

  Razu: An old hobgobin woman, the mistress of rituals in Khaar Mbar’ost.

  Rhukaan Draal: The capital city of Darguun (literally “Crown city”), founded by Lhesh Haruuc on the site of a former Cyran frontier town to serve as a neutral territory where all Ghaal’dar clans would be equal. Over the course of thirty years, it has grown into a rough and sprawling city with a population of approximately 80,000.

  Rhukaan Taash: “Razor Crown,” the largest and most powerful clan of the Ghaal’dar. Warriors of Rhukaan Taash receive a series of ritual scars across their brow as a sign of adulthood. Tariic inherited the position of warlord of Rhukaan Taash on Haruuc’s death.

  Riis: a dynasty of the late Dhakaani Empire.

  Riis Shaarii’mal: The Three Tearing Wheels, an ancient battle standard of Dhakaan depicting three notched black rings on a red background.

  Rod of Kings, the: Properly known by its Goblin name, Guulen, the Rod of Kings was forged by the legendary Dhakaani dashoor Taruuzh during the Daelkyr War and presented to the emperors of Dhakaan. Lost for millennia, it was recovered to serve as a symbol of rulership in Darguun, but bears both a terrible curse and tremendous power.

  ruuska’te: A goblin term of affection, literally “tiger man.”

  saa: A casual Goblin greeting. A more formal greeting is saa’atcha, roughly equivalent to “It is an honor to meet you.”

  Seawall Mountains: Mountains forming the western and northwestern borders of Darguun, a natural barrier between Darguun and Breland.

  Senen Dhakaan: The ambassador of the Kech Volaar to Khaar Mbar’ost, a duur’kala, and Ekhaas’s superior.

  Sentinel Tower: The primary stronghold of House Deneith, a massive keep in the city of Karrlakton.

  shaarat’khesh: The Silent Blades. See: Silent Clans, the.

  shaat’aar: A small sweet bun filled with honey cream. A common Goblin sweet.

  shava: One of the most honored goblin traditions, shava is best translated as “sword brother,” someone a warrior trusts with his life. The relationship between shava is exceptionally strong and carries with it significant responsibilities and expectations. Most goblin warriors never even consider taking a shava.

  Shadow Marches, the: A distant wilderness of marshes, home to tribes of orcs and savage humans.

  Silent Clans, the: Although technically numbered among the Dhakaani clans, the two Silent Clans stand apart. They are formed entirely of goblins and are renowned for their stealth: the taarka’khesh (“silent wolves”) are scouts, while the shaarat’khesh (“silent blades”) are spies and assassins. By ancient tradition, the Silent Clans do not take sides in any conflict, instead acting as mercenaries of complete impartiality and reliability.

  Six Kings, the: An allusion to the six hobgoblin warlords brought together by Jhazaal Dhakaan approximately 17,000 years before the present to found the Empire of Dhakaan.

  Sovereign Host, the: A religion found across much of Khorvaire and actively promoted in Darguun by Haruuc as a civilizing influence. The Lords of the Host are Arawai (god of agriculture), Aureon (god of law and knowledge), Balinor (god of beasts and the hunt), Boldrei (god of community and hearth), Dol Arrah (god of honor and sacrifice), Dol Dorn (god of strength at arms), Kol Korran (god of trade and wealth), Olladra (god of good fortune), and Onatar (god of artifice and the forge).

  ta muut: The most basic way of saying “thank you” in Goblin, ta muut literally means “you have honor” or more accurately “you do your duty.” Spoken as acknowledgement of a deed performed correctly, it carries no connotation of debt on the part of the speaker. For comparison, see Ya panozhii kita atcha.

  taarka’khesh: The Silent Wolves. See: Silent Clans, the.

  taarka’nu: A goblin term of affection, literally “wolf woman.”

  taat: Goblin term for someone of significantly lesser status than the speaker. Derog
atory and insulting.

  Tariic: A hobgoblin warrior of the Rhukaan Taash clan and nephew of Haruuc. He has a more worldly approach to culture, politics, and economy than more conservative Darguuls. A claimant to the throne after his uncle’s assassination.

  Taruuzh: A legendary Dhakaani daashor, creator of the original binding stones, the grieving trees, and the sword Wrath. His stronghold, Taruuzh Kraat, was located where Tzaryan Keep now stands in Droaam.

  tying of hair: A custom among goblin mothers, particularly hobgoblins, of tying distinctive knots in their children’s hair as a luck charm—not, as suggested by scholars of the Library of Korranberg, as a means to distinguish them among crowds of goblin children.

  To hold a sword by the blade: A goblin expression for being in a risky situation.

  Toh!: A Goblin warning cry (“Beware!”).

  Torlaac River: A powerful river of southern Darguun. South of the river, the land rises to become the desolate and dangerous Torlaac Moor.

  Treaty of Thronehold: Signed in 996 YK, the Treaty of Thronehold marked the end of the Last War. Among its many articles, it formally recognized a number of new nations (including Darguun, Zilargo, and Valenar) and bound all signing nations in a pact of peace.

  Valaes Tairn: The proper term for the warrior elves of Valenar.

  Valenar: The lands claimed by the Valenar elves as their rightful territory by virtue of ancient ties to the land dating back to conflicts with the Empire of Dhakaan. Recognized as an independent nation by the Treaty of Thronehold.

  Vanii: A hobgoblin warrior of the Ja’aram clan and the last of Haruuc’s three shava, slain in battle against the rebellious Gan’duur clan.

  Wrath: Properly known by its Goblin name, Aram, Wrath is the legendary Sword of Heroes. Forged from byeshk by the legendary Dhakaani dashoor Taruuzh during the Daelkyr War, it was wielded by the hobgoblin heroes of the line of Kuun before being lost in the slaying of the daelkyr lord of Jhegesh Dol. Legend says that Wrath will not bear the touch of a coward. Wrath was recovered from the ghostly fortress of Jhegesh Dol by Geth, who now carries the blade.

  Ya panozhii kita atcha: The most formal form of thanks in Goblin. Translated, it means “I owe a debt to your honor.” It shows a deep indebtedness on the part of the speaker and is never used casually. Compare with ta muut.

  Zilargo: The homeland of the gnomes, Zilargo has long pursued a diplomatic policy of neutrality and conciliation. Recognized as an independent nation by the Treaty of Thronehold.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Don Bassingthwaite is the author of numerous fantasy and dark fantasy novels. His most recent book is the first book in the Legacy of Dhakaan, The Doom of Kings. It continues the tale of Geth, Ashi, and Ekhaas, first introduced in The Dragon Below trilogy: The Binding Stone, The Grieving Tree, and The Killing Song.

  Don lives in Toronto, surrounded by gadgets, spice jars, and too many books. You can find him online at www.dbassingthwaite.com.

  Legacy of Dhakaan, Book 2

  WORD OF TRAITORS

  ©2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC

  All characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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