LITMIR.BIZ

       Author’s Note

      Rather than place this background information in an appendix at the back where you might not notice it until you’ve finished the book (I’ve done that before) I’m putting it here at the front. However, it is best to skip it and return only if you find you need it. All the information here is given to you in the text and unfolds naturally with the story.

      The people of Abeth descend from four ‘tribes’. These tribes were:

      Gerant – distinguished by their great size

      Hunska – distinguished by their speed. A dark-haired, dark-eyed people

      Marjal – distinguished by their ability to tap into the lesser magics

      Quantal – distinguished by their ability to walk the Path and work greater magics

      The great families of empire adopt the suffix -sis when the head of the family is named a lord by the emperor. The emperor’s own family are the Lansis. Other families of note include the Tacsis, Jotsis, Memsis, Galamsis, Leensis, Gersis, Rolsis, and Chemsis.

      In the Convent of Sweet Mercy novices move through four classes on their way to taking holy orders. A novice must graduate from each class. The classes are named after the four orders of nun:

      Red Class – typical novice age 9-12

      Grey Class – typical novice age 13-14

      Mystic Class – typical novice age 15-16

      Holy Class – typical novice age 17-19

      On taking holy orders novices become nuns. They follow one of the following paths:

      Bride of the Ancestor (Holy Sister) – a nun concerned with honouring the Ancestor and maintaining the faith. The most common calling

      Martial Sister (Red Sister) – a nun skilled in armed and unarmed combat, usually showing hunska blood

      Sister of Discretion (Grey Sister) – a nun skilled in espionage, stealth, and poisons. Often showing marjal blood and a talent for shadow-work

      Mystic Sister (Holy Witch) – a nun able to walk the Path and manipulate threads. Always showing quantal blood

       Dramatis Personae

      Nuns (in order of superiority)

      Glass: Abbess of Sweet Mercy Convent, also known as Shella Yammal

      Rose: Sister Superior, Holy Sister, runs the sanatorium

      Wheel: Sister Superior, Mistress Spirit, Holy Sister, teaches Spirit classes

      Apple: Mistress Shade, Grey Sister, also known as the Poisoner, teaches Shade classes

      Pan: Mistress Path, Holy Witch, teaches Path classes

      Rule: Mistress Academia, Holy Sister, teaches Academia classes

      Tallow: Mistress Blade, Red Sister, teaches Blade classes

      Chrysanthemum: Holy Sister, mostly known as Sister Mop

      Flint: Red Sister, Grey Class mistress

      Kettle: Grey Sister

      Oak: Holy Sister, Red Class mistress

      Rock: Red Sister

       Novices

      Alata: junior novice

      Arabella Jotsis: junior novice, quantal and hunska blood

      Clera Ghomal: junior novice, Nona’s friend, hunska blood

      Croy: junior novice

      Darla: junior novice, gerant blood

      Ghena: junior novice, hunska blood

      Hessa: junior novice, Nona’s friend from Giljohn’s cage, quantal blood

      Jula: junior novice, Nona’s friend, studious

      Kariss: junior novice

      Katcha: junior novice

      Ketti: junior novice, hunska blood

      Leeni: junior novice

      Mally: junior novice, Grey Class head-girl

      Ruli: Nona’s friend, marjal blood

      Sarma: junior novice

      Sharlot: junior novice

      Sheelar: junior novice

      Suleri: senior novice

       Others

      Emperor Crucical: his palace is in the city of Verity

      Sherzal: the emperor’s sister. Her palace is close to the Scithrowl border

      Velera: the emperor’s sister. Her palace is on the coast

      High Priest Jacob: head of the Church of the Ancestor

      Archon Nevis: high-ranking priest

      Archon Anasta: high-ranking priestess

      Archon Philo: high-ranking priest

      Archon Kratton: high-ranking priest

      Thuran Tacsis: lord, head of the Tacsis family

      Raymel Tacsis: heir to Thuran Tacsis, Caltess ring-fighter, gerant blood

      Lano Tacsis: Thuran Tacsis’s second son, hunska blood

      Academic Rexxus Degon: senior Academy man

      Markus: child from Giljohn’s cage, marjal blood

      Saida: child from Giljohn’s cage, gerant blood

      Willum: child from Giljohn’s

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