Charamemas (4036-4108)—The famed Shrial commentator and author of The Ten Holies. Achamian’s replacement as Proyas’s tutor in exoterics in 4093.
Charcharius, Trimus (4052- )—The Patridomos of the House Trimus.
Chargiddo—A large fortress located on the frontier of Xerash and Amoteu beneath the Betmulla Mountains.
Chemerat—An ancient Kyranean name for Shigek, meaning “Red Land.”
Chepheramunni (4068-4111)—The King-Regent of High Ainon, nominal leader of the Ainoni during much of the First Holy War, claimed by disease at Caraskand.
Chiama—Walled town on the River Sempis, destroyed by the First Holy War in 4111.
Chianadyni—A governorate of Kian and one-time tributary of the Nansur Empire. Located to the west of Eumarna and east of Nilnamesh, Chianadyni is the traditional homeland of the Kianene and, after Eumarna, the wealthiest and most populous governorate in Kian.
Chigra—“Slaying Light” (Aghurzoi) An ancient Sranc name for Seswatha.
Children of Eänna—An epithet for Men in The Chronicle of the Tusk.
Chinjosa, Musammu (4078- )—The Count-Palatine of the Ainoni province of Antanamera, appointed King-Regent of High Ainon shortly after Chepheramunni’s death in the winter of 4111.
Chorae—Artifacts of the Ancient North, also known as “Trinkets” (to the Schools) and “The Tears of God” (to the Inrithi). In appearance, Chorae are small iron spheres, one inch in diameter, that are banded by runes written in Gilcûnya, the holy tongue of the Nonmen Quya. Chorae are extraordinary in that they render their bearer immune to all sorcerous Cants and instantly kill any sorcerer who comes into contact with them. Although the principles behind their creation (they belong to a lost branch of sorcery called the Aporos) are no longer understood, thousands are believed to circulate in the Three Seas alone. The Chorae play a pivotal role in the political balance of power in the Three Seas, insofar as they allow the non-scholastic Great Factions to check the power of the Schools.
Chorae bowmen—Specialized units that use Chorae affixed to the end of arrow shafts or crossbow bolts to kill enemy sorcerers. Chorae archers are a staple of almost every military organization in Eärwa.
Chronicle of the Tusk, The—The most ancient extant human text in Eärwa, and the scriptural foundation for all mannish faiths save Fanimry. As the oldest literate work, its provenance is almost entirely unknown. Many Inrithi commentators have pointed out that it must have been a collective work, cobbled together from many (likely oral) sources over a period of many years. Like most scriptures, its popular interpretation is highly selective and idealized. It consists of the following six books:
Book of Canticles—The old “Tusk Laws” regarding every aspect of personal and public life, which were superseded in the Inrithi tradition by the revised strictures of The Tractate.
Book of Gods—The primary scripture of the Cults, enumerating the various gods, and explaining the rites of purification and propitiation basic to each.
Book of Hintarates—The story of Hintarates, an upright man plagued with apparently undeserved adversity.
Book of Songs—A collection of verse prayers and parables extolling the virtues of piety, manliness, courage, and tribal loyalty.
Book of Tribes—The extended narrative of the first Prophets and Chieftain-Kings of the Five Tribes of Men before the invasion of Eärwa.
Book of Warrants—The account of the observances governing the interactions between castes.
Cil-Aujas—A lost Nonman Mansion, located in the shadow of the Osthwai Mountains.
Cincûlic—The undeciphered tongue of the Inchoroi, which the Nonmen call Cincûl’hisa, or “the Gasp of Many Reeds.” According to the Isûphiryas, communication between the Cûnuroi and the Inchoroi was impossible until the latter “birthed mouths” and began speaking Cûnuroi tongues.
Cinganjehoi ab Sakjal (4076- )—Famed Kianene Saptishah-Governor of Eumarna, known among his people as “the Tiger of Eumarna.”
Cingulat—A Ketyai nation of the Three Seas, located on the northwestern coast of Kutnarmu, just south of Nilnamesh.
Cinguli—The language of Cingulat, a derivative of Sapmatari.
Cironj—A Ketyai island nation located at the juncture of all three of the Three Seas, and possessing a strong mercantile and maritime tradition.
Cironjic—The language of Cironj, a derivative of Sheyo-Kheremic.
Cishaurim—The notorious priest-sorcerers of the Fanim based in Shimeh. According to Fanim religious tradition, the Prophet Fane became the first of the Cishaurim after he went blind in the desert. Given Fane’s claim that the true power of the Solitary God cannot be exercised so long as one sees the profane world, Cishaurim initiates voluntarily blind themselves at a certain point in their study, enabling them to dispense the “divine water” of the “Psûkhe,” as the Cishaurim refer to it. Little is known about the metaphysics of the Psûkhe beyond the fact that it cannot be perceived by the Few and that it is in many ways almost as formidable as the Anagogic practice of the Schools.
The Scarlet Spires categorize individual Cishaurim according to their power: Tertiaries, or those with only the most rudimentary strength, Secondaries, or those with strength comparable to sorcerous initiates, and Primaries, those with strength exceeding that of initiates (but still, according to the Scarlet Magi, short of the strength possessed by true Anagogic sorcerers of rank).
Citadel of the Dog—The great redoubt of Caraskand as named by the Men of the Tusk. Raised by Xatantius in 3684, it was originally called Insarum, until it fell to the Fanim in 3839, who called it Il’huda, “the Bulwark.”
Cleansed Lands—A Kianene epithet for nations where Fanimry is predominant.
Cmiral—The great temple complex of Momemn, located near the heart of the city, adjacent to the Kamposea Agora.
Coithus, House—The ruling dynasty of Galeoth.
Cojirani ab Houk (4078-4112)—The Grandee of Mizrai, famed for his enormous strength and size, slain by Prince Nersei Proyas at the Battle of Caraskand.
College of Luthymae—The College of the Thousand Temples responsible for spying and intelligence.
College of Marucee—A College of the Thousand Temples destroyed in the Sack of Shimeh in 3845.
College of Sareöt—A College of the Thousand Temples dedicated to the preservation of knowledge, destroyed in the Fall of Shigek in 3933.
Colleges—Organizations of priests directly subordinate to the Thousand Temples, with mandates ranging from caring for the poor and sick to the collection of intelligence.
come after, to—For the Dûnyain, “to come after” means to be victimized by events over which one has no control. See Dûnyain.
come before, to—For the Dûnyain, “to come before” means to master the passage of events. See Dûnyain.
Commerce of Souls, The—Ajencis’s classic treatise on politics.
Condic—The language group of ancient pastoralists of the Near Istyuli Plains.
Conditioned, the—A term used to refer to the Dûnyain.
Conditioning, the—Specifically, the arduous physical, emotional, and intellectual training undergone by Dûnyain monks, though the term has more general and far-reaching connotations as well. The Dûnyain believe that everything is conditioned in some way, but they draw a principled distinction between the arbitrary conditioning of the world and the rational conditioning of Men. Conditioning in the light of the Logos, they believe, allows more such conditioning, which in turn leverages more such conditioning, and so on. This virtuous circle, they believe, finds its apotheosis in the Absolute: the Dûnyain believe that, using reason, they can condition themselves to the point of becoming unconditioned, a perfect, self-moving soul. See Dûnyain.
Conphas, Ikurei (4084- )—The nephew of Emperor Ikurei Xerius III and heir apparent to the Imperial Mantle.
Conriya—A pre-eminent Ketyai nation of the eastern Three Seas, located south of Ce Tydonn and north of High Ainon, founded in 3374 (after the collapse of the East
ern Ceneian Empire) around Aöknyssus, the ancient capital of Shir. Of the four successor nations to the Shiradi Empire (Cengemis, Conriya, Ainon, and Sansor), none has worked so hard to reclaim and preserve its ancient traditions. Nowhere are the caste divisions more rigidly observed, and nowhere are the codes governing caste-noble behaviour more strict. Though many, particularly the Ainoni, scoff at what they consider the affectation of antique ways, there can be little doubt that the resulting social discipline has served the Conriyans well. Since gaining independence, Conriya has successfully weathered innumerable incursions, invasions, blockades, and embargoes, almost all of them due to the machinations of High Ainon.
Conriyan—The language of Conriya, a derivative of Sheyo-Kheremic.
Consult—The cabal of Magi and Generals that survived the death of Mog in 2155 and has laboured ever since to bring about the return of the No-God.
Coyauri—The famed elite heavy cavalry of the Kianene Padirajah, first organized by Habal ab Sarouk in 3892 as a response to the Nansur Kidruhil. The White Horse on Yellow is their standard.
Csokis—A derelict Inrithi temple complex located in Caraskand.
Cuärweth—A province of interior Ce Tydonn, located to the north of Meigeiri.
Cuäxaji (4069- )—The Sapatishah-Governor of Khemema.
Cu’jara Cinmoi (?-?)—The greatest of the Nonman Kings and first great foe of the Inchoroi. See Cûno-Inchoroi Wars.
Cultic Deities—See Hundred Gods.
Cultic Priests—Those priests, usually hereditary, devoted to the service and worship of one of the Hundred Gods.
Cults—The collective name of all the various sects devoted to the individual Gods of the so-called Kiünnat. In the Three Seas, the Cults have been administratively and spiritually subordinate to the Thousand Temples since Triamis I, the first Aspect-Emperor of Cenei, declared Inrithism the official state religion of the Ceneian Empire in 2505.
Cumor, Haarnan (4043-4111)—The High Cultist of Gilgaöl in the Holy War, claimed by disease at Caraskand.
Cûno-Halaroi Wars—The wars between Nonmen and Men following the Breaking of the Gates, of which very few accounts exist. See Breaking of the Gates.
Cûno-Inchoroi Wars—The protracted series of wars between the Nonmen and the Inchoroi following the ancient arrival of the latter.
According to the Isûphiryas, the Incû-Holoinas, the “Ark-of-the-Skies,” plunged to earth to the west of the Sea of Neleost in land ruled by Nin’janjin, the Nonman King of Viri. The letter sent by Nin’janjin to Cû’jara-Cinmoi, the King of Siöl, is recorded as follows:
The Sky has cracked into potter’s shards,
Fire sweeps the compass of Heaven,
The beasts flee, their hearts maddened,
The trees fall, their backs broken.
Ash has shrouded all sun, choked all seed,
The Halaroi howl piteously at the Gates,
Dread Famine stalks my Mansion.
Brother Siöl, Viri begs your pardon.
Rather than send aid to Nin’janjin, Cû’jara-Cinmoi assembled an army and invaded the lands of Viri. Nin’janjin and his Ishroi capitulated without battle; Viri became a bloodless tributary of Siöl. The western lands of Viri, however, remained shrouded in cloud and ash. Survivors from the region spoke of a fiery vessel streaking across the skies. So Cû’jara-Cinmoi commanded Ingalira, a hero of Siöl, to lead an expedition to find this Ark. What happened to Ingalira on this expedition is not recorded, but he returned to Siöl some three months later and presented two inhuman captives to Cû’jara-Cinmoi. Ingalira called these captives Inchoroi, or “People of Emptiness,” both because the sounds they made were empty of meaning and because they fell from the emptiness of the sky. He spoke of flattened forests and gouged plains, of mountains thrown into a ring, and of two golden horns rearing from a molten sea, so mighty they brushed the clouds.
Repelled by the obscene aspect of the Inchoroi, Cû’jara-Cinmoi had them put to death, and set a Watch upon the Incû-Holoinas, the Ark-of-the-Skies. Years passed, and the power of Cû’jara-Cinmoi and the High Mansion of Siöl waxed. The Mansion of Nihrimsul was subdued, and her King, Sin’niroiha, “First Among Peoples,” was forced to wash the sword of Cû’jara-Cinmoi. With the subsequent conquest of Cil-Aujas to the south, Siöl and her High King commanded an empire that ranged from the Yimaleti Mountains to the Sea of Meneanor.
During this time, the Watch was kept on the Ark. The land cooled. The skies cleared.
Either because of original inconsistencies or because of subsequent corruptions, extant versions of the Isûphiryas are unclear as to the subsequent order of events. At some point a secret embassy of Inchoroi reached Nin’janjin at Viri. Unlike the Inchoroi brought to Cû’jara-Cinmoi by Ingalira, these possessed the ability to speak Ihrimsû. They reminded Nin’janjin of Cû’jara-Cinmoi’s treachery in his time of need, and offered an alliance to break the yoke of Siöl over Viri. They would undo, the Inchoroi said, the misfortune their coming had wrought upon the Cûnuroi of Viri.
Despite the warnings of his Ishroi, Nin’janjin accepted the Inchoroi terms. Viri revolted. The Siölan Ishroi within its halls were slain; the rest were enslaved. At the same time, the Inchoroi swarmed from the Ark, overwhelming the Watch. Only Oirinas and his twin, Oirûnas, survived, riding hard to warn Cû’jara-Cinmoi.
Sil, the Inchoroi King, and Nin’janjin assembled their hosts to meet Cû’jara-Cinmoi on the fields of Pir-Pahal, which Men would call Eleneöt in a later age. According to the Isûphiryas, the Nonmen of Viri were dismayed by the sight of their allies, who wore fierce and festering bodies as garments of war. Gin’gûrima, the greatest hero among them, pointed to Nin’janjin and declared, “Hate has blinded him.” This treason within a treason was repeated by others, until it became a thundering chorus. Nin’janjin fled, seeking protection from Sil. The Inchoroi then turned upon their allies, hoping to destroy the host of Viri before Cû’jara-Cinmoi and the great host of Siöl could close with them.
Overmatched by the Inchoroi and their weapons of light, the Nonmen of Viri were driven back with horrendous losses. Only Cû’jara-Cinmoi and his Ishroi Chariots saved them from utter destruction. The chroniclers of the Isûphiryas claim the battle raged through the night and into the following morning. Eventually, all but the most powerful of the Inchoroi were overwhelmed by the valour, sorceries, and numbers of the host of Siöl. Cû’jara-Cinmoi himself struck down Sil, and wrested from him his great weapon, Suörgil, “Shining Death,” which Men in a latter age would call the Heron Spear.
Much reduced, the Inchoroi fled back to their Ark, taking Nin’janjin with them. Cû’jara-Cinmoi hunted them within sight of the Ring Mountains, but was forced to abandon his pursuit when word of further disasters reached him. Emboldened by Siöl’s distraction, Nihrimsul and Cil-Aujas had revolted.
Weakened by the Battle of Pir-Pahal, Cû’jara-Cinmoi was hard pressed to recover his empire. A Second Watch was put upon the Holoinas, but no attempt was made to breach the gold-grooved faces of the Ark. After years of hard campaigning, Cû’jara-Cinmoi finally brought the Ishroi of Cil-Aujas to heel, but King Sin’niroiha and the Ishroi of Nihrimsul continued to resist him. The Isûphiryas chronicles dozens of bloody yet indecisive confrontations between the two Kings: the Battle of Ciphara, the Battle of Hilcyri, the Siege of Asargoi. Proud beyond reason, Cû’jara-Cinmoi refused to relent, and put to death every embassy Sin’niroiha sent to him. Only when Sin’niroiha became King of Ishoriöl through marriage did the High King of Siöl concede. “A King of Three Mansions,” he is said to have declared, “may be Brother to a King of Two.”
The Isûphiryas mentions the Inchoroi only once during this time. Unwilling to assign desperately needed Ishroi to the Second Watch, Cû’jara-Cinmoi had charged Oirinas and Oirûnas, the sole survivors of the First Watch, with recruiting Men for the duty. Among these Halaroi was a “criminal” named Sirwitta. Apparently Sirwitta had seduced the wife of a high-ranking Ishroi and conceived by her a daughter named Cimoira. Th
e Judges of the Ishroi were perplexed: such a thing had never happened before. The truth of Cimoira was suppressed, and despite her mannish blood she was accepted as Cûnuroi. Sirwitta himself was banished to the Second Watch.
Somehow (the Isûphiryas does not go into detail) Sirwitta managed to enter the Incû-Holoinas. A month passed, and all thought him lost. Then he reappeared, deranged, screeching claims so alarming that Oirinas and Oirûnas brought him directly to Cû’jara-Cinmoi. What was said between Sirwitta and the High King of Siöl is not recorded. The chroniclers say only that Cû’jara-Cinmoi, after hearing Sirwitta speak, ordered him put to death. A later entry, however, describes Sirwitta as “tongueless and imprisoned.” It appears the High King, for some unknown reason, had rescinded his warrant.