Glossary of Lyran Tal
Aeromancy: n. (1) The Gift of Magic which deals with the element of Air; (See: Gifts of Magic, The)
Animancy: n. (1) The Gift of Magic which deals with the element of Spirit; (See: Gifts of Magic, The)
Arch-Mage: n. The masculine ruling head of the one of the seven orders of magic.
Arch-Magess: n. The feminine ruling head of the one of the seven orders of magic.
Badlands: The regions to the east of the Silver Moon Empire. (See: Badlands)
Caster: n. [vulgar slang] (1) A man or woman who uses the power of "Rune Magic" to achieve desired effects similar to those of the Mages; (2) Sometimes used interchangeably with the word 'Oracle.'
Charlatan: n. (1) A man or woman who uses magically imbued talismans or tools to pose as a mage; used interchangeably with the terms 'Toy-Player' and 'Wizard' (definition 1); (2) A man or woman who makes false claims to magical prowess.
Dreven: The capitol city in Shadokhan, where the Emperor's palace, Taysáyad Keep, is located.
Drowser: n. A sleep-inducing herbal infusion, the drowser goes by many names across the Empire, with many different recipes. Herbalists (along with a few alchemists) sell them as sleep aids, and with occasional use, they're effective at helping people find rest.
Like any medicinal mixtures, however, most drowsers are addictive with prolonged use, or in large doses. Many sages and scholars have found themselves unable to sleep without a nightly infusion. Withdrawal symptoms generally include nausea and insomnia, though it takes at least half a month of average infusions to risk addiction (with larger dosages hastening the process). As most people only take a drowser now and then, very few are aware of their potential addictive properties. Most drowsers are inexpensive, but are by no means a frequent purchase.
Gifts of Magic: n. (1) The spheres of magical ability which the mages of Lyran Tal practice; each Gift is practiced separately; (2) The gifts are (in alphabetical order): Aeromancy, Animancy, Geomancy, Hydromancy, Necromancy, Pyromancy, Vivomancy. (See: The Unified Theory of Magic)
Geomancy:n. (1) The Gift of Magic which deals with the element of Earth; (See: Gifts of Magic, The.)
Half-lo: n. so named because half their heritage is derived from below the water, Half-los are part human and part Mer. They are found in all their wildly varying shapes, color and and sizes on the islands of both Northern and Southern Oceanuus. (See: Oceanuus)
Hydromancy:n. (1) The Gift of Magic which deals with the element of Water; (See: Gifts of Magic, The)
Mage: n. (1) A man who practices, and is skilled in, any of the Gifts of Magic or Anti-Magic; (2) used interchangeably with the term 'Mancer.'
Magess: n. (1) A woman who practices, and is skilled in, any of the Gifts of Magic or Anti-Magic; (2) used interchangeably with the term 'Mancer.'
Mancer: n. [vulgar slang](1) A man or woman who practices, and is skilled in, one of the Gifts of Magic; is usually tagged on to the end of a prefix to denote the Mancer's chosen school of magic [i.e. Pyromancer, Geomancer, et cetera]; (2) Used interchangeably with the term 'Mage.'
Necromancy: n. (1) The Gift of Magic which deals with the force of Death; (See: Gifts of Magic, The)
Oracle: n. (1) A man or woman who uses the power of "Rune Magic" for the specific purpose of divination, fortune-telling, or other oracular feats; (2) A man or woman who has the ability to foresee the future or past.
Offworlder: n. An exceedingly rare term. Non-Lyran Talian characters are referred to as 'Outlanders.' For Lyran Talians who live in the Silver Moon Empire, the term 'Outlander' encompasses both off-world folk who have traveled to Lyran Tal via the Nexus Portal before it was permanently closed on 7 Chillset 1277/3 Dec 2009, and those folk not from the seven regions of the Silver Moon Empire (i.e. the Badlands). In fact, the term 'off-world' is a concept known to exceptionally few people and would likely confuse or upset the common resident.
Outlander: n. Anyone and anything that is not from the Silver Moon Empire.
Pyromancy: n.(1) The Gift of Magic which deals with the element of Fire; (See: Gifts of Magic, The)
Rune Magic: n. (1) A form of lesser magic which requires specific sigils, glyphs, and runes to achieve specific effect; most commonly used as wards against magic.
Sorcerer: n. (1) A man who tricks, forces, or otherwise uses the spirit or demon world to achieve a desired effect manifestable as magic.
Toy-Player: n. [vulgar slang](1) An insulting term used to describe one who does not practice magic, but uses magically imbued talismans or tools as if s/he were a mage; (2) A man or woman who uses magically imbued talismans or tools to pose as a mage; used interchangeably with the term 'Charlatan.'
Twixt n. The Twixt is part of the spirit realm; a realm through which the spirits pass on their trek from Life. There is only speculation, theory and abstract philosophy on the subject, as the truth is only known by those who have died. have ever delved into this dimension.
The Twixt is the "place between everything." It is a spiritual plane that surrounds the world and is not accessible by the common man/woman. The Twixt is nebulous and somewhat different for every individual, in terms of their personal experience. What holds true for all, though, is that it is a place in between - between all things: light and dark, life and death. It also functions as a holding area for the afterlife.
Vivomancy: n. (1) The Gift of Magic which deals with the force of Life; (See: Gifts of Magic, The)
Warlock: n. [vulgar slang](1) A man or woman who practices, and is skilled in, one of the Gifts of Anti-Magic; (2) Used interchangeably with the term 'Mage' to describe to a practitioner of Anti-Magic.
Witch: n. (1) A woman who tricks, forces, or otherwise uses the spirit or demon world to achieve a desired effect manifestable as magic; (2) A woman who uses the power of "Rune Magic" to achieve desired effects similar to those of the Mages. (3) [vulgar slang] An insult used to describe any female practitioner of magic.
Wizard: n. [archaic slang] (1) A man or woman who is knowledgeable in the arts of illusion and sleight-of-hand, giving them the appearance of magic; used interchangeably with the term 'Charlatan.' (2) A man or woman who is learned in the ways of the Gifts of Magic but cannot access their power.
Selected Regional Terms
(also known as 'slang')
This list is not meant to be definitive; there are other terms used throughout the Empire. These are listed here for players who want to "flavor" their character's speech in written or live play. Most of these terms predate the Silver Moon Empire, from the days when each region governed itself (as evidenced by the number of insults).
Arboria
- Common: Arborian, Arboric
- Derogatory: Barkers, Branchies, Woodsies, Knife-ears (Elves only), Pointers (Elves only), Leaf Ears (Elves only - used primarily by Dwarves), Tree Folk, Stouts (Dwarves only)
Balthazor
- Common: Balthazoran, Balthazort, Balthos
- Derogatory: Darklanders, Deaders, Pasty-Faces, Bonelickers, Corpsediggers, Gravehounds, Necromancer or Necro (assuming that anyone from the region is a necromancer)
Cloosidian
- Common: Cloosite, Cloosi, Cloosish
- Derogatory: Birds, Mounties, Air-heads, Peakers, Featherbrains (Seleventi only)
Luminii
- Common: Luminian, Luminite, Luminath
- Derogatory: Heartlanders, Loonies
Oceanuus
- Common: Oceanuusian, S'oshans (local only), Islanders
- Derogatory: Noosies, Pearlies, Clamcrackers,
- Derogatory Island terms for those of fair skin: Gulls, Ghosts, Mallows [from the common name for Hibisicus flowers, "Marsh Mallows"], Suds
- Abyss: n. Dark place or reference to a mythological afterlife, often used as a curse. ("To the Abyss with you!")
- Ayoh: Hello
- Flood: a curse ("Oh, flood!" "That flooding idiot...")
- Fry: young child, kid
- Tide ride: When things can't get worse... and then they do.
Shadokhan
- Common: Shadokhanners, Shadokhane
- Derogatory: Schuks
Thermador
- Common: Therm, Thermadoran, Thermish
- Derogatory: Sandmen, Dunefolk, Sand Dogs, Grit Farmers, Sand Eaters
The Empire
- Common: Imperial, Empran
- Derogatory: Smooners, Spoons (usu. in reference to Silver Moon Knights), Moonies (Silver Moon Knights), Klockies or Klockers (Klockwork Soldiers)
