Glossary

By Dolores J. Nurss

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Note: This glossary changes constantly, receiving new entries all the time. Most of these words will not crop up in all stories. I have not written down all of the unusual words and terms that I have buried in my notes, but have concentrated mainly on those most pertinent to finished novels (which is why you will at first see more notes on Til Territories and the Charadoc than any other cultures) though I am trying to include as much as I can on missions, cultures and lands not yet formally written about--hundreds of cultures exist in my notes, and they all have their peculiar terminology. Please notify me if you find anything unfamiliar in my tales that I haven't yet catalogued for this letter. Thank you.
 

Ubarni Peak:  An active volcano in the lower slopes around Ganshu.  The Ganshi consider Ubarni Peak a mystical site, where seers climb to gaze into the molten crater in search of visions.

The name supports the theory that the original colony, although funded by Chinese investment, consisted mainly of technicians and laborers from Upper Pradesh, India, of the Ubarni region.

Underground Outlaws: Disciples of Alroy kept under the closest supervision, usually in the formative stage of their education in Alroy's ways. Most often they literally live underground.
 
undershield: That part on the underside of a GEM which receives the impact of inward-deflected pebbles and debris.
 
United Tribes: After Tambour conquered the various bands of The Tribe, one by one, they united them into one nation, called United Tribes, and (by their own measure) brought to them the “blessings of civilization”. The Tili�n strongly disagree as to their methods and the standards by which they measure “success” in “benefitting” another people.

Universitei de Chanson et Roman:  The chief university of Vanikke and a world-class  institution of higher education, found in Nuvelle Parie, in Vanikke.  Even after the unfortunate events of 2708, it still possesses one of the greatest libraries in the world, particularly in its store of fiction and poetry.

unvigna: A weed native to Altraus and the surrounding islands, with long, lanceolate leaves striated in red, and pufflike seed heads much like the dandelion. Absorbs magentine and iron compounds to create its red streaks, which attract a blood-sucking insect with whom it enjoys a symbiotic relationship. The Novatierran mosquito burrows into the upper tuber to lay its eggs, depositing a pool of blood there to nourish its larvae. This blood also nourishes the Unviga.
 
Usrey: A region of tundra in the northernmost reaches of the Northeastern continent, bordered to the West by Tambour and Tlangit-Toh, to the south by Neyth, Gueymaial, Novostopol, and Duerlongh, to the east by Naugren, and to the north by frozen sea.
 
Rumor alleges that nomadic tribes wander it, and the nations that border it won't set foot into their territory, not even the most warlike ones, not though still other rumors describe its hills as rich in magentine. Documenting such an elusive population, in such difficult terrain, presents many challenges, when anthropologists and agents have many other communities still in need of study, both more accessible and more urgently in need of our attention. So the lack of documentation does not automatically make Usrey unpopulated. Indeed, the more sensitive telepaths and oracles of the bordering nations periodically report the presence of exceptionally strong minds beyond their borders—strong, enough, perhaps, to keep their existence a closely guarded secret and their peace undisturbed.

Upovae:  In Darvinian mythology, the four Causal Mates of Timora, who create all things through mating with Timora, Goddess of Transition, who "came from somewhere else, somewhere unknown."  The first being in the universe, they say, was Horo, or Time, who first discovered Timora and woo'ed her. begetting on her the planets and stars and all things that have regular cycles.  Then came Theto, Fate, who begat upon her humankind and all creatures of instinct.

But one night Theto sleepwalked out among his people and begat Daio on a human woman named Mette; they say that his unconscious mind knew that he needed some counterpoint that he would never consciously plan on.  Sure enough, Daio grew up to become a great gambler, and Theto heard about him, and challenged him to a game of dice, thinking that no power on Novatierre or Earth could best Fate.  When asked what Daio would wager his life for, Daio said a night with Timora--and to Theto's shock Daio won; only then did he recognize his own son, touched with divine energy.  Horo, however, declared him a brother, come into the world differently, but destined to join them.  Thereafter Daio has often had access to Timora by trickery.

The final brother, Ario, Horo begat on Melle, consciously and by choice.  He gave his son a destiny greater than all, and the bards call Ario the god of Choice and Free Will.  On reaching his maturity he walked right up to Timora and kissed her fully in Theto's sight, and whisked her off to make love, while Horo held Theto back and said, "His time has come."  The Darvinians say that Timora loves all of the brothers in different ways, yet she loves Ario best of all.