Realm of the Imperium

APPENDIX A
GLOSSARY
Bullion Beast - A domestic animal bred for its meat and milk. The bullion is very large and docile, living mainly in the Palimar Plains where it roams freely. It looks similar to a giant, hairy tick with a large bloated body, small head, legs, and large feet. It is not very swift, but hardy and prolific as it delivers litters of several offspring two to three times a season. Bullions are “harvested” throughout the year from the plains.
Camamara - A small island to the far west of the provinces off the western shore of Selas.
Catalyst – The power source of Sirdar. Red stones similar to the Crystal of Healing.
Clurichaune - A small people living chiefly in the woods and on one or two islands. They have a charm about them, but are very rare since few females are born to the race. They tend to the trees and forests and are very reclusive.
Craistan Nuts – Similar to English chestnuts.
Crystal of Healing - A stone made of white crystal, which is the source of power for Assemblage. It is from this stone that the starguider’s via acquires the power. It rests in the secluded Sanctum on the Isle of Mathisma.
Da – A Tolan slang term for father.
Detachment - A serious depression that affects pre-guiders after first trial. In extreme cases, it can cause delusion, deep depression, and eventually madness. Suicide is very common with the disease. Some symptoms of the disease are manifested in all pre-guiders. This madness is rare in modern times, but was quite common in the beginnings of Assemblage. Guiders are rigorously trained to help the student avoid detachment.
Dispersion - Usually occurs in pre-guiders where they have sporadic control over the power, often causing some very unfortunate and often interesting “accidents” involving the power, but usually not fatally.
Eecha - An animal used for transportation, hauling, and pulling wagons (larger varieties). They are similar to the horse as they are hoofed with very long legs; however, they have some characteristics similar to camels as well. Eechas are bred to be very swift runners and have great endurance (about double that of a common horse). They have flat faces with wide nostrils, very long fine hair (usually two to four inches) that covers most of their body, long pointed ears, and short stubby tails. Their eyes are very large and are usually either very dark brown or green. Their night vision is excellent. They come in a variety of coats from very long (common) to some short hairs ranging in color from white to brown to black and a variety of coat patterns in many combinations of colors (again, depending on where they were bred). Though very hearty in most situations, they spook easily at danger (unless specifically bred otherwise. Mathismian eechas are bred for their intelligence and ability to suppress their startle reflexes).
Elite Guard - The emperor’s personal guard. They see to the protection of the imperial family and the security of the Keep. They handle most of the duties for running the Keep on a daily basis. Only the most experienced guards are promoted to the Elite and only by the hand of the emperor.
Ethos, The Star - Largest star in the Imperium solar system. The belief is Ethos, the Goddess, inhabits this star and channels power down to the Crystal of Healing on the Isle of Mathisma in Sanctum.
Ethosian - Roughly December
Eventide - Roughly September
Figin Fruit - A yellow sweet fruit with a hard outer shell and mushy fruit inside.
Fireweed and Fratellas - A type of salad with red leafed fireweed that is very spicy and orange rinds of fratellas, a hard tuber root vegetable.
First Prince or Princess - First born of the emperor or empress and heir to the throne of the Imperium.
First Trial or Coming to Power - When novice starguiders have their first confrontation with the power. When they can control it, they are capable of the first level of guidance. This is actually the most dangerous of all levels because of the unpredictable nature of the power. Young pre-guiders can easily die at first trial or go mad from the touch of the power.
First, Second, Third and Fourth Trial - The differing levels attained by the guider as he or she progresses through the training. Assemblage discovered the power had varying degrees of strength, and each was denoted by a differing color. White was
the simplest and most common and came with first trial or the coming to power. Blue denoted the second trial or the coming to knowledge, which enables one to learn quickly. It is at this stage you begin to develop your sight. Green denotes the coming to nature and gives you power over trees, grass, wind, rain, etc., helping them to be—well, more than they are. There is also a fourth trial, but it is very rare and is thought to be a combination of the first three levels.
Fourth Trial – See First Trial
Goddesses – Ethos, Goddess of Ethics, Rule & Government, Leader of the Gods; Leuko, Goddess of Light and the moons; Krikos, Goddess of Life; Ventus, Goddess of the Air, Wind and Weather.
Gods - Eraze, God of the Earth; Pyra, God of Fire and the Sun; Hydor, God of Water, the Sea and the Rains; Noscere, God of Knowledge, Learning and Wisdom; Lughati, formerly, The God of Liberty, but became the God of Lies, Deceit, the Fallen One.
Guider or Starguider - A member of Assemblage whose duty it is to teach and guide a young student through First Trial and beyond as necessary.
Guider’s Sense - Not exactly prescience, but rather a guider’s ability to “feel” there is something wrong or when there is pending risk. They can sense when someone is in danger, hurt, or even alive, when there is doubt. They can usually also sense someone else’s emotions, especially strong emotions like hate, fear, anxiety, or even love. Guider’s Sense usually comes only after Second Trial and gets stronger as the guider does.
The Hold - The prison located in the lower three levels of the Keep on the eastern side toward the sea.
Imaka - A liquid medicinal that helps with pain and fatigue, usually administered by a starguider. Made from water that is placed in the niche in the Holding Stone where the Crystal of Healing had been when it came to the Imperium.
Immunity Sanction – Security clearance.
Imperium - A number of provinces and the religious sanctuary of Mathisma, a large island to the east of the mainland provinces, both ruled by a combined supreme authority, the Empire on the one side and Assemblage on the other. Governance of the provinces and Mathisma is split into two ruling bodies. The provinces are chiefly run by the Emperor/Empress who oversees the Councils of Trade & Justice, which administer trade, security, and law. Mathisma is chiefly run by Assemblage, which governs religion, the arts, and education. The Northern Wastes and several smaller islands are not incorporated or protected by the Imperium.
Kerillian the Prophet - A man who traveled throughout the disperse tribes of humans scattered through the ancient provinces. He brought knowledge to those tribes he felt were deserving. “The Legend of Kerillian” is possibly the first written record of the Imperium history that covers his journeys and his prophecies of coming events. Many of his tenets are still strictly followed by the modern Assemblage. They used his writings as a basis for setting up the Imperium.
Knoshkin – A type of hard sweet pastry, usually toasted, made of whillen wheat.
Laminia – Creatures who live on the blood of the young and weak. They were associated with Sirdar during his first reign.
Last Defense - The trial of an accused criminal where he or she is allowed to offer their last defense against accusations and present evidence before sentence is carried out. Somewhat like our appeal process. Usually, before anyone is accused and brought before Last Defense; investigations, interviews, and evidence are meticulously gathered and evaluated by the Council of Justice. If someone is innocent, he or she is usually found so during this part of the process. If someone makes it to Last Defense, usually this is the last ditch effort to fight for their innocence.
League - The Imperium common unit of distance roughly one-half mile.
Locare - A very rare gift among guiders. Those who have mastered the art of locare can find people, things, and places using their vias and this sense. Some with this ability can even pick up an object and gain a very accurate insight into anyone who has held it, similar to psychic readers.
Low Season- Roughly winter
Makhia - A legendary trial by battle fought between the gods to settle matters of great importance. These were usually fought so wars could be avoided and usually ended when one would concede. There are legends that the makhia was also sometimes fought by ancient kings and to the death. The winner would usually inherit the lands of the loser.
Marshall of the Guard - Commander of the Elite, the Council, and the Gate Guards.
Mathisma, The Isle of - Home of Assemblage and the Crystal of Healing in the far east of the Ethosian Sea.
Mourna - A creature of Sirdar, a giant bird, similar to an eagle but much larger with black feathers and human eyes. Its voice sends out a sound that enchants a starguider so he or she falls under its master’s sway. The creature’s voice, however, has no effect on non-Assemblage. Also called Assemblage Bane.
Meridian Season – Roughly Fall
Power - That energy which emanates through a series of three points, forming a rough triangle. The belief is it starts from the star Ethos, then through the Crystal of Healing on Mathisma and then into a via held by a starguider. It is amplified by the resonance of musical notes sung by starguiders trained to control the intensity, direction, and wavelength of the power. It is known to incinerate on contact anyone not trained in its use. It is strongest at night when Ethos is high in the sky.
Pre-Guider - A student who has gone through first trial, but has not been ordained as a starguider yet. Many years of education and training are required before a pre-guider receives his or her via and are granted the rank of guider.
Prelacy – A group of starguiders who advise the Provost headed by the Prelate.
Prelate - The starguider who is the speaker of the prelacy. He or she officiates at meetings and acts as liaison to the Provost.
Provost - Leader of Assemblage, in essence the second most powerful leader in the world after the emperor. The Provost has almost limitless power and is aided by the prelacy, a committee of starguiders who advise. The prelacy is chaired by the prelate who acts as liaison to the Provost.
Redwyn - A large red moon, largest of the two that orbit the planet. It rises first followed by Whilema about half an hour later.
Salminian - A large bass-like fish found throughout the provinces in fresh water streams and lakes.
Sanctum - The structure that houses the knowledge of mankind in a great library and the Crystal of Healing. It is located on a very small island bridged to Mathisma and is tended by the Provost and the Keeper of the Books.
Sea Scalards - Large bright blue and black sea birds, a common shore bird throughoutthe Imperium.
Season - A full rotation around the Imperium sun roughly approximating our earth year.
Second Trial – See First Trial.
See – See Vision.
Shoalfish - Largest fish in the Ethosian Sea. It is larger than our blue whales, but very timid and scarce. Despite its name, they usually only appear in the deep ocean.
Sight – See Vision.
Span - The Imperium common unit of measure - roughly six feet.
Springtide – Roughly Spring
Staking or The Stake - Brutal form of execution where the condemned are stripped and bound to a large stake, their hands, and necks stretched and tied to the top, and the ankles and legs stretched and tied to the bottom. The stake is lifted up and then quickly thrown into a hole where it is tapped down. When the stake hits the hole usually the prisoner’s neck, shoulders, and hips come out of their sockets. If lucky, it will break the neck immediately and kill the person. If not, they will leave them there until the prisoner dies in excruciating pain the entire time.
Starguider or Guider - A member of Assemblage whose duty it is to teach and guide a young student through First Trial and beyond as necessary. All members of Assemblage are commonly called guiders.
Starmoths - Small points of light that are summoned by the power. They “dance” in the air merrily and let off a soft tinkling sound, like suspended glass in the wind, which to most, is quite enjoyable. Their main attribute is that they detect evil that lies in others. The latter can be seen by their reaction to the one being tested. Despite their airy countenance, they can be quite terrifying if aroused by evil thoughts or lies.
Tavelson - A Tolan acid used to clean rust from tools and dissolve iron.
Third Trial – See First Trial.
Via - An instrument of varying sizes and shapea, which contains a piece of crystal that allows a guider to channel the power. It is usually an object that can be held in the hand such as a scepter or staff. However, many guiders have vias in the shape of
a ring or pendant. The original vias were made from the Crystal of Healing, however, another source of crystal was found in the Imperium that worked as well, thus causing a quick early expansion of Assemblage.
Vision or Sight - Precognition experienced by many guiders, usually occurring during one of the trials and sometimes in dreams. Occasionally guiders can experience a vision even when awake.
Vulcha - A very large predatory bird with black and red feathers, bare head, and neck. They can grow to be around ten feet tall.
Whilema - Smaller of two moons that circle the Imperium. It rises after the larger Redwyn.
Whillen – A staple grain of the Imperium. Grown and harvested everywhere in the provinces, it is used for most of their staple foods and their beer.

APPENDIX D
HISTORY OF THE CRYSTAL OF HEALING
As told by Trenara of Mathisma at a lecture for pre-guiders before the coming of Starsight
“The origin—there are many differing ideas about that. The most popular and certainly the most enduring, is based on the old ballads that were handed down at the time. You have heard the story of Goddess Ethos descending from the heavens and entrusting the Crystal of Healing to us for safekeeping, until she returns to retrieve it and place it back in its rightful place among the stars. To be honest, I think that and all other embellishment of it are a lot of rot, though there are those who would ask my immediate expulsion for saying so. Personally, I’m more of the opinion that the crystal did come from the heavens, but by a much more conventional route, simply falling from the sky when it came close to our world. Many of the scholars are now studying the heavens and have theorized that there are many such stones floating in the heavens. Not perhaps as the crystal is, nor radiating such force, but they have found other plainer stones in odd places that could only have gotten there in that way. But I won’t pursue that. I have never had much interest in rocks from the heavens, except the crystal, so I can’t elaborate.
“But however the stone came here, the fathers found it and discovered its great power, though in rather a hard way. It is said that many people died from its touch the first few seasons it was here—thus the forming of Assemblage by the first Provost, Cessas, nearly a millennium ago. Unbelievably, the crystal was thought by most to be evil, a blight to the world. The first Assemblage guiders were considered demons or madmen. But Cessas had a great curiosity and many think he was a genius for his time.
“Of course, back then the world was quite barbaric, being for the most part several small countries that were in essence no larger than villages that bickered and warred among themselves. Cessas gathered what people he could and took the stone to where Thrain is now. There he began a methodical study of the crystal and its amazing properties.
“It is said that he discovered its healing powers quite by accident—his own, I’m afraid. He had received a great injury and was laid in the same room with the stone. When his servants came to check on him the next morning, he was completely healed. He had gained a great measure of knowledge concerning the stone and Ethos after that. He began to teach its uses to his disciples and sent them out to find others that were special in the way they were; thus the custom of search each season. They grew in numbers rapidly, extending well beyond the borders of Thrain into the other provinces.
“Soon Ethos and the Crystal of Healing were thought of as gifts from the gods. Certainly, crops and people fared better when a starguider was present with his or her
vias, which were made of the actual crystal in those days, rather than fabricated from other stones as they are now.
“The land began to have purpose and unity. Some seasons later, Thrain was looked on as the ruling province, and more and more the Assemblage was looked at as being the law. It’s no small wonder Cessas in the last seasons of his life, conceived of the idea of the Imperium, a world governed by two bodies, the empire on the one hand to govern the provinces, and Assemblage on the other to promote the religion of Ethos and provide knowledge to the world. He had always wanted to study and learn, increasing his knowledge and that of Assemblage. He felt that was the purpose of the group. But more and more the people turned to Assemblage for leadership and the guiders became judges, administrators, and the like, until there was little time left for study.
“It wasn’t until after Cessas’ death that the Imperium began, when Felos was blessed as the first emperor. The empire began to run the land, and Assemblage retired into study. However, Felos was killed soon into his reign, assassinated by the king of the north’s guard. This sparked the Great Northern Wars, and the northerners attacked the still embryonic empire, nearly destroying everything Assemblage had built.
“That war lasted nearly sixty seasons, but finally Assemblage succeeded in driving the northerners back to their land on the other side of the mountains and dispersing them. Of course, the war continued for over six hundred seasons after that, but during this brief respite, they built the Keep to protect the young empire from attack, so they could find a more suitable place to continue their work. It is said that many of the corner stones in the Keep were placed there by the starpower, although I half wonder if that is not some fanciful tale spun by minstrels of the time. In any event, the Keep was built, much to the relief of the growing Assemblage. Once the empire could stand alone, they removed themselves to Mathisma, where they finally built their schools and temples. They took the Solemn Vow never to interfere in the affairs of the empire, except as advisors. The Imperium was at last complete.”