The single continent of Amassia.

Glossary

A B C D E F G H & I J & K L M N O P Q & R S T U V & W X Y & Z


A

Aaron Adicio—first born son of the Magistrate of Palrio, deemed
marred by the Bone Throwers and sacrificed to the sea, an act
which has fueled the Magistrate’s hatred of the black-robe.

Agapha—a tree-like warrior phantom with incredible endurance
and strength.

Aku—also referred to as the Sacred Isle of Aku, a politically
neutral island realm where all initiate savants go to train for
advancement to yellow robes.

Alters—phantoms who can change shape from one solid form to
another. They are most common in Aturnia and Gollnar but can
be found in any realm.

Amassia—the third planet from the sun whose seven continents
have, over millenniums, formed a single landmass surrounded
by sea.

An’awntia—pronounced an-ON-tee-ah—the highest state of
mind-body-spirit unity an Amassian can embody, where they
have mastered every lot and reached the end of their path.

Ancient Sea Scrolls—historical fossil records, preserved in petrified
tablets, that record the histories of the realms previous Great
Dyings. Only fragments have been found to date…

Ash—orphaned at age eight, Ash, best friend of Marcus Adicio,
is a seventeen-year-old non-savant wordsmith whose dream is to
set foot in every realm of Amassia. Though she doesn’t raise a
phantom of her own, other phantoms are oddly curious about her.

Asyleen—the Sierrak Sanctuary in the far north of the continent
lead by the red-robe Zanovine and the Magistrate, Rantorjin.

Atikis—the red-robe of the Sanctuary of Goll who raises a
monstrous alter phantom.

Aturnia—the realms of both Norther Aturnia and Southern
Aturnia are to the north of Palrio and hostile. Tann of Lepsea has
taken over from their deceased red-robe, peace be his path. Due
to political misconduct, Northern Aturnian savants are banned
from training on Aku.

Avon Eyre— Pronounced ah-von-are. Stories describe it as a
small island at the top of the world reached only by an ice bridge
in winter. It hosts a Sanctuary where the fabled Brotherhood of
Anon dwell.

B


Baiseen—the seat of the throne in the realm of Palrio. Home city
to Marcus and Ash.

Belair Duquan—a green-robe warrior savant from Tangeen who
joins Marcus on the initiation journey to the Isle of Aku.
Black-Sailed Ships—outlawed in Palrio, these vessels hoist black
sails when they carry a marred child to the Drop to be sacrificed
to the sea.

Black-Sailed Ships—outlawed in Palrio, these vessels hoist black
sails when they carry a marred child to the Drop to be sacrificed
to the sea.

Bone Throwers—those who carve and throw the whistle bones,
belonging to a sect of savants whose phantoms never take solid form
but remain as wisps of energy and colored light. They wear black
robes, no matter their rank, and are oracles, throwing the bones to
determine when to sow, harvest, go to war, and most importantly,
which child has the potential to be savant, non-savant or marred.

Brogal—the High Savant of Baiseen and Ash’s guardian. He raises
a bird of paradise caller.

Brotherhood of Anon—an ancient sect of savants from the far
northern Sanctuary of Avon Eyre who worship the Second Sun.

Bucheen—the orange-robe master healer on Aku. Raises a
chameleon healer phantom.

C

Callers—phantoms who use vocalizations to call things to them,
such as: fish to nets, weapons from a warrior, weeds from a garden
bed, or in rare cases, blood from bone or memories from the mind.

Council members—high-ranking officials of the Sanctuary and
Magistrate court allowed to attend policy meetings and vote on
the Summits.

Crown of Bones—the group of twelve original whistle bones, when
collected and played together at once.

D


De’ral—Marcus’s warrior, a phantom of massive size and will.

Destan—an Aturnian green-robe with a warrior phantom, training
on Aku.

Dina—an orange-robe healer savant at the Sanctuary of Baiseen
who specializes in herbal medicine.

Drop—a deep-sea trench along the continental shelf where the
black-sailed ships take the marred children for sacrifice.

E & F

Er—King of Se Er Rak (now known simply as Sierrak) the
northern realm of Amassia. King Er was thought to be the fi rst
known savant, and from his skeleton the original whistle bones
were carved.

Ferus River Falls—originally named Mossman’s Shoals, the falls
above Capper Point.

First Whistle Bones—also called the original whistle bones—the
first twelve whistle bones, purportedly carved from the skeleton
of King Er, which actually stem from much earlier times. Each
represents one of the lots or ways on the path to An’awntia. Once
made into a Crown of Bones, eventually, they were dismantled
and sent to the sanctuaries for protection. Each is kept in a place
of honor, symbolic of the responsibility and privileges of being
savant. In order, they are:

Crown of Er (jaw) —First Lot—Awareness of Self

Tree of Eternity (vertebra)—Second Lot—Awareness of Body

Ancient Shearwater (scapula)—Third Lot—Awareness of Mind

Ma’ata (Femur)—Fourth Lot—Awareness of Feelings

Water Serpent (coccyx)—Fifth Lot—Awareness of Creativity

Mummy Wheat (radius)—Sixth Lot—Awareness of Service

Mask of Anon (cranium)—Seventh Lot—Awareness of Relationship

Scroll of Hetta (rib)—Eighth Lot– Awareness of Renewal

Arrow of Nii (femur)—Ninth Lot—Awareness of Expansion

Jenin Stones (Tibia)—Tenth Lot—Awareness of Leadership

Eye of Sierrak (fibula)—Eleventh Lot—Nonjudgment

Prince of the Sea (scapula)—Twelfth Lot—Self-acceptance.

G



Gaveren the Great—a celebrated Sierrak warrior out of history
whose phantom was thought to be the largest and most powerful
ever raised.

Ghost Phantoms—a rare occurrence where, upon the death of its
savant, the phantom becomes untethered from the depths of its
being. A ghost phantom roams for an unknown time, always in
search of a new savant to serve as host.

Goll—the main Sanctuary in the northern regions of Gollnar,
led by the red-robe Atikis and his terrifying, multiformed alter
phantom.

Gollnar—the realm to the northwest of Baiseen, home of the
red-robes Atikis of Goll and Zekia of Kutoon.

Great Dying—the once every twenty-fi ve-million year extinction
that wipes out most of the life forms on Amassia, leaving what
survives to evolve along a new path.

H & I



Healers—phantoms devoted to the care and well-being of all life
no matter the realm, rank, or species. Healer phantoms are found
in all the realms.

High Savant—a red-robe savant who has obtained the highest level
of aptitude and rank. They usually oversee one of the Sanctuaries.

Huewin—the orange-robe library master on the Isle of Aku.

Initiate—a green-robe savant who has advanced in training far
enough to attempt the journey to Aku to earn their yellow robes.

J & K



Jacas Adicio—Marcus’s father and Magistrate of Palrio, savant to
a caller phantom and lord of the throne of Baiseen.

Kaylin—a bosun’s mate who guides Marcus and his company when
they are stranded on their way to Aku.

Klaavic—Palrion fi sh stew with prawns, crab, fi sh, mussels, and
clams in a tomato, garlic, and basil broth.

Kutoon—the main Sanctuary in the south of Gollnar, led by the
High Savant Zakia and her alter phantom.

L



Landers—a term for those who cannot swim, or when used by
Mar, for those who do not live beneath the waves.

Larseen—a yellow-robe friend of Marcus who raises a jackal
caller phantom.

Lepsea—High Savant Tann’s Sanctuary on the far northeast of
Sierrak.

Lots or “Ways” to An’awntia—twelve in number, they are: receptivity,
awareness of body, awareness of mind, awareness of feelings, play,
work, partnership, renewal, travel, leadership, nonjudgment, and
self-acceptance. The journey begins on the eastern point of the great
circle and travels like the visible sun around the Earth. Once the fi rst
twelve ways are taken, the journey begins again, each lot building on
a theme that, over lifetimes along the path, develops to its highest
form of expression.

M



Ma’ata Corals—the ancient polyps that grow from the bones
of the old gods and surround the tombs of the Mar. Sometimes
written ma’atta.

Ma’ata Keeper—a Mar who tends the underwater tombs and
oversees the turnings of sacrificed children into Mar.

Mar—long thought to be a mythic race who live beneath the sea
but can pass on land as non-savant, or even savant, under certain
circumstances. Some say they feed on the child sacrifi ces; others
say they turn the drowned children into Mar.

Marcus Adicio—the green-robe Heir to the throne of Baiseen,
Marcus is the third son of Jacas Adicio and raises a warrior
phantom. He’s also Ash’s best friend.

Morning Ritual—An early morning practice on the Isle of Aku
where all gather for a short meditation followed by rigorous,
dynamic exercise.

N



Natsari—a phantom told of in the ancient sea scrolls who rises to
bring balance to the world.

Nonnova—the island chain to the south west of Baiseen, allies
of Palrio, led by the High Savant Servine and her healer-caller
phantom.

O



Ochee—a Tangeen spiced tea made from an aromatic mix of ginger,
cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, black tea leaf, and dried orange peel.
You can purchase Ochee Tea from Ravenscraft Teas & Magic.

Old gods—a pantheon of deities said to have been trapped under
the earth eons ago, before the last Great Dying. From them the
Ma’ata rose.

Ousters—these phantoms dispel or vanquish objects, weather,
animals, or people. The more advanced ones are very specific. They
can push away certain types of objects but pass through others. The
Aturnians originally used these phantoms to control weather and
rain cycles but in the last fi ve hundred years they have been trained
for war/battle. Opposite of a caller but can create similar results.
Palrio—the realm south of Aturnia, ruled from the city and
Sanctuary of Baiseen.

P



Pandom City—the seat of rule for all of Tangeen, the realm across
the sea to the west of Palrio. The rulers are the Magistrate Riveren
and the High Savant Havest. This is the home realm of Belair
Duquan.

Path—the path is the road to An’awntia one walks. No one is
fully aware of how far they’ve come along the path with each
new lifetime, or how far they have yet to go. It is believed that
the savants are closer to An’awntia—further along the path—but
it has never been proven.

Petén Adicio—second son of the Magistrate of Palrio, the nonsavant
brother of Marcus.

Phantoms—a phantom is energy in the savant’s inner being and
can rise only when the trained savant drops one or both knees to
the ground. At that point, the phantom rushes out of the depths
of their core, into the earth and rises, blasting from the ground
and taking form. In essence, it is a materialization of the savant’s
shadowed, subliminal, often unknown side of themselves. It is
all that is suppressed, and all that is yet to actualize. All that is
potential. The savant must come to terms with their own fears and
longings if they are to control their phantom, serve the Sanctuaries
and protect the realm.

Phantom Throne—the throne in the Hall of Baiseen. In the
time of each magistrate’s reign, their phantom is carved into
the massive wood of this high-backed seat. Over the centuries,
it explodes with dozens of phantoms, Jacas’s wolf being the most
conspicuous.

Piper—an orange-robe, one of the top healers in the Baiseen
Sanctuary who raises a double-headed black serpent healer. She’s
the offi cial healer on Marcus’s initiation journey to the Isle of Aku.

Potentials—the children whom the Bone Throwers deem worthy
to try to raise a phantom. They are sent to the sanctuaries at
eight years of age. The brown-robes receive intensive training to
see if they are indeed savant. Most will fail and go back to their
families, declared non-savant. Those who do raise their phantom
will stay on as blue-robes and train up through the ranks, as far
as they can go.

Q & R

Realms of Amassia—see the map and individual realms for details.
Palrio
Tangeen
Isle of Aku
Nonnova
Sierrak
Gollnar
Northern Aturnia
Southern Aturnia
Avon Eyre

Recorder—a wordsmith or scribe, usually savant, who chronicles the
initiation journey and other signifi cant events of the realm.

Retoren—an ancient language Ash tries to translate.

Rhiannon—Baiseen’s treasurer’s most ambitious daughter, yellowrobe
to a meercat caller phantom and childhood friend/once love
interest of Marcus.

Rigg-tackle-stuggs—a Sierrak football game played with two balls,
four teams and four goals, one on each point of the compass.

Rowten—non-savant captain of the Baiseen Palace honor guard.
Rune bands—also known as rune chains—manacles or bracelets
made from copper, bone, or sometimes gold. Etched with runes from
the ancient sea scrolls, when worn they are said to keep a savant’s
phantom from rising and cause terrible pain if they try.

S



Salila—a Mar woman with extreme appetites, intractable will, and
no obvious morals. Her only fear is Teern, known to all Mar as Father,
and King of the Sea. You can read more about Salila and Teern in
The Blood in the Beginning.

Samsen—a yellow-robe savant who raises a part caller-part alter
phantom that is confined to various forms of birds. He accompanies
Marcus on his initiation journey as guard.

Sanctuaries—the temple retreats devoted to the training of savants
and their phantoms.

Savant—One who can raise their phantom, bringing forth a
manifestation of their being that is either caller, ouster, alter,
warrior, or healer, or some combination of two.

The ranks are:

Brown-robe—those deemed as potentials by the Bone
Throwers who, when eight years old, are brought to the
sanctuaries to try to raise their phantom

Blue-robe—successful potentials who have begun their
training at the sanctuary

Green-robe—more advanced savants but haven’t held their
phantom to form

Yellow-robe—savants who have successfully completed their
initiation journey

Orange-robe—highly trained savants who have reached
master level

Red-robe—the highest-ranking savant in a given sanctuary

Black-robe—one of the Bone Throwers whose phantoms
never hold a solid form

Sea Eagle—Captain Nadonis’s carrack that sails Marcus and his
party toward Aku.

Second Sun (also Dark Sun or Twin Sun)—Amassia’s binary sun
that travels an extremely eccentric orbit. It can be viewed by the
naked eye once every twenty-fi ve-million years, when it heralds
the next Great Dying.|

Sierrak—the realm to the far north, main Sanctuary in Asyleen.
Sierrak is the home of the High Savant Tann, and famous for their
starwatchers, and finely made distance viewers.

Summits—These are meetings attended by council members,
usually yellow-robe and higher, to make policies for the realms.
A vote on the Summit carries weight, as even the Magistrate must
uphold Summit decisions, agreed with or not.

T



Talus—a mysterious white-robe savant Ash meets on the Isle of
Aku.

Tangeen—the realm to the west of Palrio, whose seat of rule is
Pandom City. Home of Belair Duquan. Also home realm to the
most beautiful Sanctuary in all of Amassia, Whitewing.

Tann—a red-robe, High Savant of Lepsea, Sierrak, who raises a
reptilian ouster phantom.

Taruna—the Ma’ata keeper charged with minding the Mar’s
underwater tombs off the coast of Kutoon in Gollnar.

Teern—called Father by all Mar, and the King of the Sea, Teern has
the responsibility of ensuring the survival of his people. Some say
he isn’t Mar himself, but the last of the old gods, surviving many
cycles of the Great Dying and remaining unchanged. More stories
with Teern (and Salila) include The Blood in the Beginning.

Tessellated columns—the monoliths that rise when called to
protect Baiseen. Nearly three stories tall, they are carved from
obsidian found in the high ranges of Palrio. Ancient legends say
they were set by Mar, back when the southwest of Palrio was
under the sea.

Tutapa—the island archipelago realm in the South Seas. Their
Sanctuary, La’hanta, is very small and thought not to host an
original whistle bone.

Tyche—granddaughter of Yuki, a ten-year-old orange-robe savant
who raises a caller phantom in the form of an impala.

U V & W



U’karn—head of the war council of Baiseen.

Warriors—phantoms that train for battle, prepared to guard and
protect their realm. Seen more in Sierrak and Aturnia but can be
found in any realm, though very rare in Palrio.

Whistle Bones—carved from bone, baleen, shell, or tusk. Only
the whistle bones, thrown by the black-robe savants, can predict
which child will raise their phantom, which will be non-savant, and
which is marred and must be sacrificed to the sea.

X Y & Z



Yuki—the High Savant of Aku and Tyche’s grandmother.

Zakia—High Savant of Kutoon in Gollnar who raises an alter
phantom.

Zarah—an orange-robe warrior from Northern Aturnia who
teaches on the Isle of Aku, Marcus and Belair’s instructor.

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