A Record of Ash & Ruin: The Grieving Lands

Book 1: Glossary & Dramatis Personae

Aditi - The old female cook in the slave pits. It is thanks to her that Gilgamesh is able to survive.

[the] Adventurer’s Guild - An organization specializing in slaying monsters, gathering rare and precious materials, conquering dungeons, and protecting the weak. They are rivals of the Mercenary Guild.

Aeyory - The sacred tree of Avaria. Except for the tree blessed by the goddess herself, the Aeyory usually blossoms when the first snows of winter thaw. Since military campaigns usually start in spring, the blossoms of the tree have come to symbolize war.

Ancestor Spear - An object of reverence for the Children of the Tides. It was Gilgamesh’s first weapon.

Ansan - Seat of power for the Children of the Tides. The city of tents is built around an ancient Ark made of mystical living Witchwood. It is a nexus of trade.

Ansarai’s Fighting Pit - A seedy fighting pit in Ansan. Gilgamesh wins a lot of money here by placing a bid on Vidone Amantea, a plant from the organizers.

Aranthia - A kingdom far to the west of Ansan.

Arbitrator - A man responsible for dispensing justice in the borderlands of Aranthia.

Arimea Lostariot - An elven Spellsinger. Gilgamesh and his companions barely survive a hostile encounter with her and her entourage just outside of Ansan.

Arvan Azzarik - A gladiator in Ansarai’s Fighting Pit.

Avaria - Goddess of Justice. Known in the North as ‘Vari, Chooser of the Slain’. She is often symbolized as wielding the sword of ‘Judgment’ and the knife of ‘Mercy’.

[the] Beacon Mountains - An active volcano range and the home of Durhit Coal, a companion of Gilgamesh.

Beron de Laney - Author of ‘The Fanciful Travels’, an account of his travels and adventures across the world of Gesthe.

Bibsis - An amphibious monster sacred to the Children of the Tides for their control over the element of water. Also known as Rain-Bringers and Callers.

[the] Blooding - Part of the Winnowing.

Bogurchu Batbayar - A Waverider of the Children of the Tides. He is one of the first people that Gilgamesh encounters.

Bone-Dragon - A necromantic creation made from the flesh of a newly dead dragon.

[the] Breaking - Another term for the Cataclysm.

Bronzegate Hold - The place Durhit mentions as he dies.

Broomshead - A type of mushroom that the Alchemist Hamsa requests that Gilgamesh find for him.

Calling - The calling to which one’s soul is naturally inclined. It is a path of fate.

Caru nut - The seed from the Caru tree. When falling from a great, these large heavy nuts can kill. The remains of those killed then act as fertilizer for the new sapling.

Cataclysm - An apocalyptic event. The last Cataclysm was caused by the Seed of Oblivion being brought into the world of Gesthe.

Catyid - A large docile rodent that resembles a capybara but with a scaly sinuous tail.

Charisma - The attribute that governs how one can interact effectively with others. It includes confidence and eloquence, and it can represent a charming or commanding personality.

Cillis Aideh - Smith of the Soot-Stained Pig. Supplies Gilgamesh and his companions with a new set of armor and equipment. Recommends that he purchase a Tsengelt-tum andtrains Gilgamesh in its use.

[the] Concord - An agreement between all of the higher beings.

Constitution - This attribute encompasses a character's physique, toughness, general health, and resistance to disease and poisons. It also determines the number of potions one can consume without ill effect. The Constitution attribute greatly affects both Stamina and Health.

Cronir

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Dagesh - A corrupt guard in Ansan. He recommends that Gilgamesh stay at his cousin’s inn, the Twisted Boar.

Darcen Tsend - Guildmaster of the Adventurer’s Guild branch in Ansan. Reputedly has the ability to detect lies.

Darren Kragain - A Bard whom Gilgamesh encounters in the Twisted Boar. Gilgamesh inspires Darren to create a new type of music by introducing him to melodies from his own world.

Deeptakers - An elite group of dwarven warrior miners who explore the Everdark in search of treasure and long-lost artifacts.

Degei Ganbataar - Slave Overseer of the Slave Pits of Ansan. Disciplines and tortures Gilgamesh after he kills Harun.

Devon the Dirk - A drunken regular of the Twisted Boar. He taught Gilgamesh how to throw knives.

Dexterity - This attribute is a reflection of a number of physical abilities including hand-eye coordination, agility, reflexes, fine motor skills, balance, and speed of movement. Dexterity also moderately affects maximum Stamina.

Durhit Coal - A dwarf from the Beacon Mountains. He became a slave in Ansan as his sister Evenes was unable to pay for his war ransom. He is slain by a chameleonic variant of Echo-Stalker.

Dragonroot - A highly valuable alchemical ingredient. It can be used to craft a poison that was said to be able to kill even a Dragon. The plants are guarded by the monstrous Jaderock bees.

Dragons - Capricious sentient winged lizards that possess great physical and magical might. They are some of the most powerful beings on Gesthe and their strength is said to rival the gods themselves.

Earth-Mother - A dwarven term applied to the element of Earth, the soil, the rocks, and the mountains. Dwarves believe that all creatures are of the Earth since all must return to it one day.

Echo-Stalker - A monstrous multi-limbed insectile creature found in the deep parts of the world.

Elves - A long-lived humanoid species whose origin is shrouded in mystery species. The elves refer to themselves as the ‘The First Children’. They are allies of the Fae. There are several varieties of elves.

Elwin Tucker - Gilgamesh meets Elwin in the slave pits of Ansan. He professed to be a Forester, but is in fact a Rogue.

Entropy - One of the first primordials. Entropy as a higher truth is present in almost all things in the universe and is not reliant on mortal worship or belief.

Evenes - Durhit’s sister. She could not pay Durhit’s ransom when he was taken as a prisoner of war. This led to the dwarf becoming a slave in Ansan.

[the] Everdark - A vast subterranean realm beneath the surface of the world.

Fae - The inhabitants of the In-Between.

Fen Vaigorus - Author of the ‘The Living Sword’.

[the] Festival of the Undrawn - A martial tournament in an unknown city.

Gaven Tolaris - A gladiator in Ansarai’s Fighting Pit.

Gesthe - The name of the world our protagonist finds himself in. The word means ‘Garden’ in the language of the elves.

Gideon de Salavia - an academic and scholar who authored numerous books exploring topics such as justice, morality, and humanity's place in the world.

Gilgamesh of Uruk - The first hero and protagonist of our story. In certain translations, Gilgamesh is also known as the Watcher of the Deep Places.

Girabis - A large gentle creature used as a pack animal.

[the] Glass Fire Sea - An area of ocean protected by sentinel crystals that burn incoming ships to a crisp.

Gnarlug Bonegrinder - An orc in Ansarai’s Fighting Pit. He is slain by Vidone.

Goblin - A small green feral humanoid. Thought to be cousins to the orcs.

God-touched - The name of those who suffer from epileptic fits.

[the] Grass Sea - The domain of the Children of the Tides. Travel across this vast expanse is difficult as a Water Mage is required to conjure drinking water.

[the] Grieving Lands - The name of the region where Gilgamesh is initially transported to.

Gunne - A boy who had sworn vengeance against Gilgamesh for killing Harun the Iron. On Durhit’s request, Gilgamesh kills Gunne out of mercy.

Great Crawler - A large underground creature. It is believed that they are the cause of some earthquakes. Also known as Earth Dragons.

Hamsa - An Alchemist in Ansan.

Harun the Iron - The first human our protagonist kills. Gilgamesh kills the large man after he cuts in front of him to wash.

Hassan - Gilgamesh encounters this man when he becomes a slave. Hassan is charismatic and sanguine, but tremendously obese.

Healing Potion - An item that when imbibed restores Health.

Health - The measure of one’s current physical status.

Ice Drake - Lesser cousins of the dragons. They prey upon the Cronir. They grow more vicious and powerful as they age.

Icewalker - The title for those who have lived for fifty years or more in the North.

Intelligence - The attribute that measures mental acuity, the accuracy of recall, and the ability to reason. It significantly affects maximum Mana capacity.

[the] Inverse Mountain - A legendary place in the Everdark.

Iron Slave-collar of Obedience - A magical collar that can cause great pain to the wearer.

Jongshoi Aigiam - A boy that Gilgamesh is forced to kill in the Winnowing.

K.D Fidditch - Author of the book Monsters of Mortal Realm. Staple reading for Adventurers.

Kar-Kaphon - How the people of the North refer to their home of endless tundra and ice.

Kazass - Strong drink made from the fermented blood of Cronir.

Khisam - Husband of Cillis Aideh.

Kidu Kreshin - A peerless warrior and Hunter of the Three Bears clan from the far North. He is a loyal companion of our protagonist. Gilgamesh encounters Kidu in the slave pits of Ansan.

Lanelo - A purple fruit that is commonly used to make refreshing fruit juice.

[the] Language of Knots - In ancient times the Children of the Tides traveled the seas. Since paper could get wet and rot easily at sea, they used knots instead to record things and communicate. In the modern era, many people across the Grieving Lands still use knotted pieces of string with knots to represent words and ideas.

Laur - A genus of six-limbed warm-blooded creatures. They look like a cross between a wolverine and a warthog. Some Laur species have been domesticated.

[the] Living Sword - A treatise on how a warrior should train in the use of a sword and a commentary on martial arts in general. Written by Fen Vaigorus.

Luck - How this attribute works remains a mystery to Gilgamesh.

Mana - The source of magic for the world of Gesthe. It is called the god-gift by the many races of Gesthe and is associated with life itself.

Mana Potion - An item that when imbibed restores Mana.

[the] March Reaches - A borderland region of the Kingdom of Aranthia.

[the] Mercenary Guild - The rivals to the Adventurer’s Guild.

Monsters of the Mortal Realm - A encyclopedic book detailing the monsters of the world of Gesthe.

Navigator - In ancient times they relied on the skills of the Navigators to cross the great seas of Gesthe. However, in the modern age, Navigators are relied upon to chart the best course of action for their people.

Necromancy - The art of raising the dead and bringing them back into a state of unlife. This school of magic was discovered by the ancient Republic of Arastia before the last Cataclysm.

Nord - Cousins to the people of Kar-Kaphon. Nords are the seagoing people of the North.

[the] North - An vast expanse of ice and tundra. Also known as the Kar-Kaphon.

Olai - A Navigator for the Children of the Tides. Condemns Gilgamesh to fight in the winnowing.

Orc - A powerful green-skinned race of humanoids. They grow stronger and more powerful if they are injured or go into a bestial heat.

Patches - The large donkey that Gilgamesh saves from the butcher’s block.

Quas - Name of both the island and the city on it. It is famous for being a center of learning.

Quassian - The name of the people and the language of Quas.

Rawesan - The blessed land of scripture.

[the] Republic of Arastia - The nation that fought against the Alliance in ages long past.

[the] River God - The god of time and prophecy. Also known as the god of the ‘Wend and Way’.

River-Lurker - A six-legged crocodilian. They can often be found near where River Root grows.

River Root - An alchemical ingredient. It is part of a job request that Gilgamesh and his companions accept as one of their jobs as adventurers.

Rockcrab - An edible land crustacean. They are commonly found scavenging through the waste and detritus of cities and urban areas.

Sahel - The name of the Sun that the world of Gesthe orbits.

Sainba - A large ancient forest filled with gigantic trees.

Seaguard - A coastal town with high walls ruled over by Lord Farilse.

[the] Seed of Oblivion - An artifact that was brought into the world of Gesthe from another plane of existence.

[the] Shallow River - The river that represents death.

[the] Soot-Stained Pig - A smithery and armory in Ansan city.

Stamina - The capacity to engage in physically demanding activities. When certain conditions are met, Health can be used in the place of Stamina.

Stone-eater - A derogatory term for a dwarf.

Strength - The Strength attribute is a measure of muscle strength, endurance, and stamina combined. Strength moderately affects Stamina and to a much lesser degree maximum Health.

Taciano - Clerk at the Adventurer’s Guild in Ansan. He is assigned to Gilgamesh’s party.

Taper Athinad - Proprietar of the Twisted Boar, an inn and tavern in the city of Ansan.

Three Bears - A Tribe of the North.

Time of Trials - A period when the North is especially cold and unforgiving.

Trade - The common language and lingua franca for the Grieving Lands.

Truth-seal - An piece of paper that is used to confirm bets in Ansan.

Tsengelt-tum - A hybrid weapon that is capable of acting as both a simple mace and a deadly flail. The chain is short enough not to hit the wielder’s hand.

[the] Under-Kingdoms - The ancient realms of the dwarves before the Cataclysm.

Vidone Amantea - A Duelist from Quas. He slays the orc Bonegrinder in Ansarai’s Fighting Pit.

Vizzeks - The first Bone-Dragon.

Waverider - An officer in the standing army of the Children of the Tides.

Wildlands - The untamed area beyond the Sainba forest.

Windspeaker - Keepers of the oral traditions and lore of the Kar-Kaphon. A few of them can harness the elemental power of Mana.

Winnowing - The sacred act where the young men of the Tides must prove themselves capable of taking the life of another man.

Wisdom - The attribute that governs willpower, common sense, perception, and intuition. It moderately affects maximum Mana and Mana regeneration.

Witchbound - A term describing a magical tool or item.

Witchwood - A near-legendary substance grown from the groves of giant sentient trees that have their roots in both the world of Gesthe and the In Between. Sacred to the Elves and the Fae.

Zajasite - Glowing crystals that are mined from the earth.