Voulhire: A Reference Guide

This is an alphabetized series of words and phrases that might sound strange to newcomers of Voulhire.

A

Abelor: The eastern island of Kurgia, home to the capital and the vast majority of the Kurgian people.

Age of the Wizard-Kings: A term sometimes used to describe the general reign of House Modius, but more commonly to describe the latter generations, when the magical aptitude of that lineage wrought oppression for the people of Voulhire, culminating in the terror of King Meruvian and the downfall of the Modius Dynasty in the year M:802.

Alcovia: A mining town in southern Voulhire. The largest producer of iron in the kingdom, Alcovia provides almost all of its output to the city of Virko.

Alios Vilendria: See “Vilendria, Saint Alios.”

Alithea: The spirit universe, one of three universes of existence, along with the physical universe (Cosmos) and the magic universe (Caromentis).

Astralites: Pockets of bright energy that shine bright, like a miniature star. Their origins are a mystery, but some from Kurgia claim to have seen them. They supposedly vary in size from hand-holdable to the size of a villa.

B

Baal: A vassal of the Kurgian Sultan, essentially Kurgia’s counterpart to a Voulhirian Lord.

Baellont, King Saint (bay-lont): King of Voulhire from I:86-I:142. After defeating his treacherous half-sister Kistatri Khavel, Baellont took the throne from her three-year usurpation and founded the Mianoran Council, so that such an unjust conflict could not take place again. He also ordered the construction of “Baellont’s Wall,” the wall that closes around the circular layout of Soulhire.

Ballerhal (bal-er-haul): The wealthiest city in Voulhire, based on per capita net worth. Aside from this, Ballerhal is known for its artwork, particularly paintings and statues (not all of which were actually produced in Ballerhal, but exhibited there).

Bawler: One of three known cosmites in modern Voulhire. Although well-known, Bawler resides as a hermit in the Graylands, probably in or close to Odaiamar.

Bio magic: The practice of magic that concerns direct manipulation of the body on a cellular level, altering the nature of bodily function. Skilled biomages throughout history have been said to heal the sick and mend wounds to greater effect than other healers, but the style of magic was deemed a violation of the body. It was first banned by the church and then by the state a few years later.

Brannottus Dith: The largest town on the island of Dith, the seat of Desancrius’s power during the Duma Bay War.

C

Carnem Relay: A device (located at the top of the Diadem in Yamon Soul) which enables the Destinic high clergy to see all magic cast for thousands of miles, effectively covering all of Voulhire.

Caromentine: Of or relating to Caromentis; magical.

Caromentis: The magic universe; one of the three universes of existence, along with the physical and the spiritual. Very little is known about the magical universe, only that all magic comes from it.

Cathidien (Palace): The home of the king and his family, and the Mianoran Council and their families. The Mianoran Council convenes in this building, and the king holds court on the ground floor. Standing at fourteen-hundred feet, Cathidien Palace is the tallest building in Voulhire.

Chalethire (shall-eth-ire): A city between the industrious Voulhirian heartland and the posh northern realm. Chalethire is known for its wine and for its legendary knights, who are said to rival the Knights of Mianora.

Church of Destinism: The primary religion of Voulhire. Church doctrine centers around the belief that, while free will is quite real, every person is placed on Earth to do exactly what God knows they will do, thus befitting His divine plan by the free will of His children, the good ones and the bad.

Common Era: The measurement of years following the fall of the third and last great dynasty of Voulhire. Galen Bray arrived in Voulhire as the year was turning CE:180.

Consigliere: A city councilor of Cridaea.

Consiglio: The city council of Cridaea.

Cosmite: A person who has gained supernatural authority over the physical universe, the way a mage takes command over Caromentis.

Cosmology: In general, the study of the Cosmos, but particularly of the supernatural powers hidden in the physical universe.

Countermagic: A cosmic measure to counter the effects of magic.

Cridaea (cri-day-a): One of three Voulhirian cities enclosed by a wall (the others being Soulhire and Yamon Soul). The city is known for its bright lights which at night can be seen a hundred miles away, and for its highly skilled archers.

Crodai: The third great dynasty of Voulhire, a family steeped in religion and corruption. Their reign lasted 311 years.

Crodai, Vidius: The host (leader) of the Riva Rohavi at the time of Galen Bray’s arrival to Voulhire.

D

Destinism: See Church of Destinism.

Desancrius: The witch-scientist who turned Kurgia against itself and represented the losing side of the Duma Bay War. While controversial, his contributions to science are still admired by scholars throughout the nations of man.

Deus Pharus: Port town

Diadem: The towering church in the center of Yamon Soul, where the eiodi resides and holds mass.

Diamora: The supposed academy where the Mianoran Knights are trained. It is said to be nothing more than a legend, or at least an exaggerated aspect of Mianora’s training program.

Dire Vine Jungle: A dark and heavy forest north of the Voulhirian heartland. Enshrouded in mystery and fables, very little is known about the jungle other than that very few visits, especially into the heart of the jungle, have ever yielded anything other than death.

Dith: The western of Kurgia’s twin islands, largely infertile, forbidden, effectively cut off from the Sultanate.

Duma Bay: The strip of ocean water that separates the twin islands of Kurgia.

Duma Bay War: A civil war waged throughout the nation of Kurgia in CE:81. The war resulted in the end of the Kurgian Republic and the rise of the Kurgian Sultanate.

E

Eikle, Arctus: The grand marshal of the Vilendrian Guard.

Eiodi (eye-uh-die): The head of the Church of Destinism, traditionally a mage of immense power and wisdom. At the time of the arrival of Galen Bray, the eiodi was Sasha Gadesh.

Emperor of Lullabies: The ruler of a landmass that dwarfs Voulhire and the sea that surrounds it. The emperor is mysterious to humanity, as no one knows what he looks like, and he comes from a nation inhabited by shadowy creatures. Some say that he is formless, existing on a plane of the cosmos that human minds cannot comprehend.

F

Feast of Human Hands: A year-ending celebration held on the 96th (the last day) of summer. Although observed throughout the kingdom, the highlights of the feast are generally found in Soulhire, where participation is said to exceed eighty percent, not including visitors.

Fuchsia Steel: A steel with a brilliant pink hue. It is somewhat softer than regular steel, but easier to imbue with magic, which in a way gives it a higher capacity for magic.

G

Graylands: An inhospitable desert of ash in the northwest region of Voulhire. Odaiamar is the only known community there.

Gadesh, Eiodi Sasha: Voulhire’s incumbent eiodi at the time of the arrival of Galen Bray.

H

Heius Priest: The highest-ranking priests of Destinism before the eiodi.

Hell’s Reach: Kurgian name for the tectonic trench that runs north-south at the center of the Back Ocean.

High Magus (plural High Magi): A priest placed in charge of a significant division of church hierarchy. They stand in authority above the magus priests, or magi.

Hollenblase (hollen-blaze): A demonic artifact used to bind demons to the physical universe. A demon or demons bound to a particular hollenblase are generally subservient to the one who holds it, as the holder controls the demon’s ability to interact with the physical universe.

Honeyhearts: A tiny flower with black petals and a golden center; they grow in bunches, indigenous to a certain part of Caromentis.

Host: The leader of the Riva Rohavi.

Howling sapphires: A deep blue flower that grows along the Rivers Ordo, Liber, and Nubere.

Hrelek, Venden (relik): The founder of Virko. As a young man, he came to Voulhire with money and charisma, using both to acquire property and turn it into a hub for travelers and merchants in the south-central realm. Twenty-five years later, Virko would become the most prolific producer of artisan goods in the kingdom.

I

Idus (eye-dus): The first great dynasty of Voulhire, starting with King Saint Idus and stretching 727 years.

Idus, King Saint: The founding father of both Voulhire and the Church of Destinism. He was also the first king of Voulhire, reigning from unification, in the year I:1, to his death in I:43.

Indarmo, Eiodi Maxus: Reigned over the Church of Destinism during the closing years of the Age of the Wizard Kings. Inspired by the tone of culture set by House Modius, Indarmo made the study and proficiency of magic a priority for the clergy, a precedent which would stretch hundreds of years forward.

Iseron (eye-zer-on): An island-city amidst an archipelago off the west coast, known for its scenery, cuisine, and output of tobacco.

J

Javikun Falls: A great waterfall that drops from the River Modius over the Morningshadow Cliffs, forming clouds extending from the face across the land. Tourists come from all over the kingdom to witness it.

Javikun Modius, King: King of Voulhire during the Modius Dynasty, Javikun became famous for his historical skill with magic, his jealous obsession with it, and his mysterious disappearance, which ended his rule. Fables suggest that the disappearance was caused by Javikun’s long-awaited success in gaining entrance into Caromentis; if such an outlandish theory were to be true, Javikun would have been the only person known to have accomplished this.

Joshua, Order of: An order of monks who have splintered from the Church of Destinism, while maintaining many of the core beliefs of the mother church.

K

Kama Moja: The capital of the Kurgian Sultanate since CE:81.

Kistatri Khavel: Illegitimate queen of Voulhire. Khavel took the throne when her mother, Queen Beata (or Beata the Disowned), murdered King Idus II in I:83. Khavel ruled for three years, until her half-brother, Baellont, returned from hiding with the army that would overthrow her.

Kurgia: A nation consisting of two large islands located west by northwest of Voulhire; together, these tropical islands comprise approximately half the landmass of Voulhire. The twin islands of Kurgia are inhabited by dark-skinned humans commonly referred to as “black.”

Kussdervolk: Meaning Kiss of the Cloud in an ancient language, Kussdervolk is a small village situated on ridges that run along the Morningshadow Cliffs, right next to Javikun Falls; a hub for tourists.

L

Lactis Steel: A metal slightly stronger than common steel. Shiny and milk-white, it is formed from white iron. It is the material used to forge the armor and weapons of the Mianoran Knights.

Lands of the Princes, The: A chain of four islands far west-by-southwest of Voulhire. The lands are in a constant state of war at the pleasure of their rulers, the sons of the Emperor of Lullabies.

Lodestar: The palace of the Sultan of Kurgia, also the largest lighthouse built by man.

M

Magesty: The space within Alithea that separates the physical world from Heaven. It has been described as a ladder or a staircase, with Heaven at the top. The realization of this realm came from several prophets who have contributed to the Mortal Divines.

Magus (plural magi): The basic rank of a priest in the church of Destinism.

Maido, Midius: Chancellor of the Mianoran Council at the time of Galen Bray’s arrival to Voulhire.

Meldorath, Dalehei: General of the Voulhirian southern army for ten years. Meldorath left that esteemed office to take on a smaller position in the southern coastal village of Hillport before ascending to sovereignty there. When caught conducting vile experiments on people, Meldorath was sent by King Wilhelm to be executed. The exact site and time of said execution is not known.

Mianoran Council (or Mianora): The governing body founded by King Saint Baellont to prevent civil war among claimants to the throne of Voulhire. Every heir chosen by the king must be affirmed by the Mianoran Council before officially becoming a legitimate claimant to the throne. The council itself consists of two hundred men and women; its army of highly trained knights (the Mianoran Knights) has historically numbered ten to twelve thousand.

Mianoran Justice, Office of: Division of Mianora devoted to its few responsibilities of enforcing domestic order, most especially its monitoring and acting against the Riva Rohavi.

Modius: The second great dynasty of Voulhire, a family historically known for its skill in magic. The dynasty stretched 802 years, ending with the reign of King Meruvian.

Morningshadow Cliffs: Mile-high cliffs that run hundreds of miles north and south. In the morning, they cast a far shadow across the Western Plains.

Mortal Divines, The: The holy book of Destinism, a compilation of all affirmed prophets throughout history, beginning chronologically with King Saint Idus.

N

Nightynight: A name given by humans to the most elite class of warriors under the banner of the Emperor of Lullabies. They stand more than twice the height of an average human man, with long arms that nearly reach down to the ends of their long legs. Like other inhabitants of that dark empire, the surface of their bodies look like black clouds in the dead of night. The nightynights are the strongest and fastest subjects of the Emperor of Lullabies, and are said to be capable of instantaneous teleportation, sometimes stealing children in the night to deliver them to unknown horrors.

Niviad, King Saint: The third of House Idus’s three great kings. Toward the end of his family’s dynasty, Niviad brought about the defeat of the Riva Rohavi’s greatest assault on the kingdom.

Numerius: The country that existed upon the lands that now belong to the princes, the sons of the Emperor of Lullabies.

O

Odaiamar (oh-die-a-mar): An ancient city barely inhabited. It is the only community known to exist in the Graylands.

p

Palazzo, or Pallazo de Cridaea: The capitol building of the Voulhirian city of Cridaea.

R

Ramshire: A special breed of horses that are slower than regular horses but far larger and stronger, and can travel for a longer period of time without having to stop. They are bred almost exclusively by the Mianoran Knights, generally used for their more heavily equipped units and for long-distance patrols.

Raspaedeus, Baenar: Considered to be the most successful leader of the Riva Rohavi, Raspaedeus orchestrated an uprising that almost destroyed House Idus and the Voulhirian kingdom. This uprising was put down by King Saint Niviad.

Raven Steel: The strongest metal known (not including alloys), five times the strength of steel. Raven steel is black and even more reflective than most other metals.

Red Valley, The: A great valley some forty miles across. It is filled with roses, giving the landscape a red appearance. In the center stands Sacristy.

Rendenhide: The first structure to exist on the land which now comprises the city of Virko. Traditionally, it is the residence of Virko’s lord.

Rilegatura: Elite guards in the city of Cridaea who protect the Pallazo, Cridaea’s capitol building.

Riva Rohavi (ree-vah roe-ha-vee): A rebellious organization whose roots trace back as far as Voulhire itself. The particulars of their savagery changes from one leader to the next, as does their general aggression, but they have always existed with the ambition of Voulhire’s complete destruction.

S

Sacristy: A tree with the mass of a mountain, holding upon its branches a city. The city, also called Sacristy, serves as the capital of the United Reservations of Abelor.

Seat of Command: The war room of the Voulhirian king, located on the sixth floor of Cathidien.

Siden of Chalethire: A famous former paladin of the Chaletherian Knights. At the time of Galen Bray’s arrival, Siden was one of three known Cosmites in modern Voulhire. He is believed to have been a loyal follower of Meldorath.

Sindaco: The term for “mayor” in the city of Cridaea.

Sisini or The Sisini Peoples: The sapient animals who make up the United Reservations of Abelor.

Soulhire: The capital of Voulhire, a circular layout closed in by a high wall, which bridges over the three points at which the rivers enter and exit the city proper. Cathidien Palace is located in the center, at the tip of the peninsula, where the two great rivers form into one.

U

Uninhabitable North: The upper half of Voulhire’s island, the land is technically claimed by the kingdom, but neither governed nor visited. The region is bordered by infertile mountains as far north as any Voulhirian is known to have traveled. North of those mountains, volcanic ash flows like rivers through the innumerable mountains, and the peaks of the mountains act like islands over the deadly cloud.

United Reservations of Abelor, The: A semi-independent nation made up of reservations on Kurgian soil, populated by the Sisini peoples.

V

Val Eve: The inner district of Yamon Soul, where the wealthy live in the shadow of the Diadem.

Vilendrian: Bodyguards of the eiodi. Numbering just over twelve-hundred, they also serve as an elite tier of the Yamon Soul city guard.

Virko: The most productive city of Voulhire, whose engineers were paid by wealthy investors to design revolutionary machines. Virko’s factories produce plumes of smoke in the processing of raw materials from neighboring communities. Their artisan products are relied upon by farmers and enjoyed by casual consumers throughout the kingdom.

Vidius: See “Crodai, Vidius.”

Vilendria, Saint Alios: A legendary cosmite warrior who participated in the founding of Voulhire. Saint Alios also built Yamon Soul and founded the Vilendrian Order.

Void: The space between the physical universe and the dark realm of the spiritual universe. It has been described as a vortex, denizens of Hell striving to climb out and escape into the Cosmos.

W

White Forge: A theory among many Destinics, albeit noncanonical to the church, as to the creation of souls, that being a titanic apparatus made of light, where true life is crafted by God.

White Steel: See “Lactis Steel.”

Y

Yamon Soul: The holy city of Voulhire, located on the southern coast, where the River Nubere lets out into the sea. It consists of four outer quadrants, and the inner section of Val Eve, where the eiodi resides in the Diadem.