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Q
Qinu Fzaib, Colonel. Ruler of Kronlordan when it first became seceded from the Empire of Splendour. Changed his title to "Shogun".

Quiet Contemplation, Day of. Last day of Victory Over Passions (fifth lunar month). It is a day of peaceful meditation on ones life, and a day to make resolutions for ones betterment.

R
RaBhesh. Part of the Way of Six Energies. Transcendent energy.

Radiant Enlightenment, Emperor. Past ruler of the Empire of Splendour.

Raincloud Fox. Lesser Immortal responsible for making it rain (usually when you don't want it to).

Raindrops, Skill of. A fighting style learned by Salsham'ai. Practitioners learn how to affect the body energy (Pas at) of others so as to cause pain or unconsciousness through just a touch.

Ranasha Qin. Assistant to Gorshan Reniq Astavar, and manager of Gorshan Press. She is very loyal to her employer.

Rao-Shimvar. Literally "Duty to Society". Rao-Shimvar is the moral principle behind Empire of Splendour society. It sets out everybody's place in the grand scheme of society, and the role that they are expected to play. Actions should be considered based upon their effects on society first, then family, then associates, then on one's self.

Received Wisdom. Current ruler of the Empire of Splendour. Received Wisdom has ruled for sixty years, since coming to the throne at the relatively late age of ten.

Red Jade. Rare mineral capable of storing magical power and trapping spirits.

Red Jade Spirits. Spirits that inhabit Red Jade. They possess a person by entering through wounds, and induce a frenzied blood-lust in the victim.

Reflected Glory. De facto capital of the Empire of Splendour. Founded on the banks of the Nine Spirits River as a place where petitioners wait for an audience with the Emperor.

Resonant Magic. A type of magic practised on the Continent of Perfection. Magic in the Concordant parts of the world is rigid and crystallised. In order to produce an effect, precise rituals must be performed in order to "resonate" the latent magic.

Rishta Vallans. Merchants League Agent who has documented his travels. Rishta was born in Nirhamsa where his family are merchant gardeners. He is trained in the Crane Style fighting technique and is good friends with the Salsham'ai Dhalooth. Rishta has a dry, cynical outlook on life which masks a charitable soul.

Ritual Magic. Commonly another term for Resonant Magic, but can be applied to any lengthy magical procedure, such as summoning or enchantment.

River of No Geese. See No Geese, River of.

Roabha. Traditional robes worn by Magisters Administory and Magisters Judiciary. The roabha is worn over several layers of silk shifts, and is a heavy wide sleeved garment. Roabhas are coloured and embroidered according to one's official status.

Rock Men. Informal name given to strange stone creatures. Consuming minerals appears to give them intelligence and skills.

Ruby Horse. One of the geomantic animals. Ruby Horse lives in the west. She is the patron of scholars.

Ryub. Gold coin used in Vaarta.

S
Salsham'ai. Also known as Tree Folk, Salsham'ai are a diminutive species, human-like except for their prehensile toes. Salsham'ai are generally peaceful and spiritual, but this does not make them defenceless, as the Empire of Splendour discovered when it tried to conquer them. As the name suggests, they live in trees.

Sea of Deep Wisdom. See Deep Wisdom, Sea of.

Sea of Usk. See Usk, Sea of.

Seeking Perfection, Empress. Former ruler of the Empire of Splendour. Seeking Perfection's ascension to the throne led to the War of Many Blessings. She later integrated the lunar calendar and the official calendar.

Sepuraabi. (1)The name of a dam in the Empire of Splendour. (2) The high priest who created the dam during the War of Many Blessings.

Setting Sun, Temple of. Massive religious complex that dominates Sunset Canyon.

Seven Angry Stree, Festival of. A contest between dosha of different fighting styles held outside Reflected Glory every three years.

Seven Systems, The. In the medical theory of the Empire of Splendour, the seven functional areas of the body. They are Air, Fluid, Thought, Vitality, Bone, Generation and Digestion.

Shadow Lark. A sea-going junk belonging to Captain Ying Woo. The Lark is often engaged in operations of a dubious legality. Based in Llaza.

Shamblers. Mysterious race of supernatural giants, seemingly hills come alive. They vary in height from ten to fifty feet tall, and pay no heed to other races.

Shandix. Slender-yet-sturdy breed of large antelope used as mounts in the Empire of Splendour. They are fast, but unable to carry more than a light person.

Shegu. Legendary Durdrn who created ships a mile or more wide, and led many durdrn off to places unknown.

Shelled Ones. Crab-like humanoid creatures that live underwater. Common along the shores of Oksa where they form a dangerous nuisance.

Shempa-Laksu. A type of shape-changer, shempa-laksu are wild and dangerous in their beast form. They occur when evil spirits take over a person.

Shifra. Famous composer/choreographer of kunubara.

Shining Wisdom, Ministry of. A department in the bureaucracy of the Empire of Splendour that oversees education.

"Showing a blank". Expression meaning to stymie someone. Derives from Dragon Scales, where the "blank", or zero valued side is the hardest to match.

Skill of Raindrops. A fighting technique used by salsham'ai that uses pressure strikes and precise touch to render the target unconscious.

Skin. Game played using Dragon Scales. The object is to lay down pieces by matching sides with already laid pieces. Similar to dominoes.

Sickle Root. Delicacy from the islands of Fon.

Silent Earth, Magister of. Fourth rank of Magister Administory.

Silent Sword. High quality blade made with steel from Fnoi Province.

Silent Willow, Emperor. Former ruler of the Empire of Splendour.

Six Energies, Way of. School of thought from Ut'Bharma that teaches control over the magical energies of the world.

Six Winds, Magister of. Middle rank of Magister Judiciary.

Snow Princess. Immortal daughter of the Divine Emperor, she watches over the Durdrn of Vorsheeva.

Spirit Magic. A type of magic that involves summoning, controlling, coercing or otherwise dealing with spirit creatures. Practised by shamanic cultures.

Spirits, Festival of. Last day of Victory Over Death (twelfth lunar month), celebrating the rebirth of the Celestial Emperor. Many people dress up in ghostly costumes and parade through the streets. Paper lanterns and frog salt are used to scare away any real ghosts who may appear.

Splendour, Empire of. A faded political entity that once ruled much of the southern world in an empire based on trade and culture.

Stree. Goose-sized feathered lizards kept as pets in the Empire of Splendour. Wild stree are vicious, and are used in fighting matches. Domesticated stree are more docile and have been bred for the decorative nature of their plumage.

Studious Tranquility, Emperor. Former ruler of the Empire of Splendour.

Subduer of Ignorance. Honourific title given to the ruler of the Empire of Splendour.

Succulent Gourd Magister of. Lowest rank of Magister Judiciary.

Sunset Canyon. The capital city of Dronistor and home to the massive Temple of the Setting Sun.

Sweet Dew Sister. Immortal in charge of creating flowers.

Syllabic Magic. Rare form of magic that uses ten magical syllables strung together in complex "sentences".

T
Tabusami. Name given to magicians in the Empire of Splendour who have failed to register with the authorities. They are considered criminals.

Tas-Nabrenor. A lonely isle in the southern oceans, a place of great riches but also the prison colony-turned-city of Paradise.

Tembu. Huge shaggy ox-like creature (although nearing elephant size). Used as beast of burden in the Empire of Splendour.

Temple of the Setting Sun. See Setting Sun, Temple of.

Temusha, Dowager Lady. Mother of Most August Minister Es-Gadar of the Ashoyin Protectorate.. Temusha remains in Ashoyin and rules in Es-Gadar's name.

Ten Thousand. Common euphemism in the Empire of Splendour meaning "countless".

Ten Thousand Immortals. Collective name given to the hierarchy of gods and spirits that maintain the correct running of the natural and supernatural worlds.

Ten Thousand Ships, City of. Port city at the mouth of the Nine Spirits River. Once powerful, now in the shadow of Llaza.

Tengbo. Short chopping sword, traditionally from Fnoi Province.

Tenoko-O. Subterranean race at war with the humans of Kiranjika.

Tenora-Mishu. (1) Also known as Moon Jasmine Woman or Lady Moon Jasmine. An Immortal who brings inspiration in dreams, through the scent of the night-flowering moon jasmine plant. (2) A game played using Dragon Scales.

Teshnuvar. A Great Sage who lived 500 years ago, Teshnuvar wrote the seminal work of natural philosophy - On the Workings of the Universe. This has had a great influence on science and magic in the Empire of Splendour.

Three Sisters Mountains. Mountain chain bordering the east of the Anhui River. Created from the bodies of three daughters of Lady East who lay down their lives to save the Empire of Splendour.

Three Smoke, Lord. Ruler of the Underwater Darkness World and foe of the Divine Emperor.

Throne of Heaven Mountains. Mountains that form the northern border of the Empire of Splendour. Beyond them lies the centre of the world - the Great Glacier.

Thousand Rice Sisters. Lesser Immortals in charge of making rice grow.

Thunder. One of three Immortal brothers from the Department of Heavenly Waters. See also Flood and Lightning.

Tibrafes. City-state on the Anhui River famed for its leather and perfume.

Tlaxu. Feline humanoids. Mountain and Plains cultures can be found bordering the Empire of Splendour but other races are rumoured to exist.

Tree Folk. Nickname for the Salsham'ai.

Two Rivers Lake. A lake at the confluence of the Near Anhui and Far Anhui branches of the river. The city of Ashoyin sits on its shores.

Twelve Rivers, Magister of. Highest rank of Magister Judiciary.

Turuk. Administrative capital of Oksa. Built by the Merchants League.

Tyannah. Denra-Lyr goddess of summer, warmth, youth and love.

Tyannah, Birds of. Small finches that mate for life. Given as a romantic gesture. From the saga of Fianva and Turritin, where a Bird of Tyannah carries secret messages between two separated lovers.

T'Yorta. Isolated island nation in the southern seas of Conclave. T'Yorta is home to two rival cultures who each try to out-do the other by improvements to their society.

Tzefu. A city in the Ashoyin Protectorate. Loyal to Minister Es-Gadar's forces.

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