Alk – Large, antlered moose-like animal. Its massive horn-like antlers are prized for their hardness and are often fashioned into tools and household implements. The meat is also prized for its rich taste. These great animals are never domesticated but must be hunted in the wilds on a seasonal basis.
Anarra – The world. Consisting of several islands and continents, most of which is unexplored except for Ythira, the eastern continent.
Athiliel – God. The Creator of the universe, the One Who Is. All-Knowing and All-Powerful. He is called by many different names in different cultures, but He is the only true God. Other names for Him are Durrock, Athalias, Ka’Hanni, and Te’Liira.
Avira – A cactus-like plant found in the desert climates to the south. Its moisture can help keep someone alive. The leaves can be boiled to produce a wax-like compound (Avira butter) which eliminates the adhesive effects of a rith’s web.
Barma – Reddish-skinned fruit about the size of a small melon. It can be peeled like a banana or an orange, and yields sweet, juicy segments of fruit.
Barsilas Leaves – Large, almost translucent, vein-like leaves. When wrapped tightly around fresh foods, these tend to preserve the perishable products for extended periods of time.
Bathalisk – A huge domesticated draft animal. Similar in shape to a buffalo, only much, much larger and they have six great legs. They have a huge horned head and great shaggy shoulders. They range in color from a deep, dark brown to almost black.
Bork – A wild boar-like animal. These usually inhabit forests and jungles. Its meat is prized by hunters.
Bristleweed – A large, bush-like weed. It grows in large clumps with tangled vein-like branches. Once plucked off and dried, their branches form stiff, natural brushes used to curry animals. Sometimes the whole plant dries up, and its dried, snapped off husks roll interminably across the land.
Corabent – Large, predatory cats. They are strong and tenacious, with reddish-orange fur and wild, black manes. They are usually found across the great plains to the south of Ythira.
Cyr Nilth – The Fallen One, also known as Muurdra. Once the most beautiful of Athiliel’s creations. Before his fall, he was second in knowledge and power only to the Creator Himself.
Ethulan – A meat-cake. Composed of flour and dried meat, these are cooked to produce flaky cakes which tend to stay well preserved for long journeys.
Fleef – Small, rodent-like mammals, similar to a mouse. They are extremely quiet, but can generally find their way into locked food stores.
Gorguls – An evil race of foot soldiers. Lightly scaled, with yellowish-green skin, they foul creatures were spawned by Muurdra long ago in imitation of Athiliel’s creations.
Hand – An Anarran week. A period of time consisting of five days.
The Ilyri – Immortal, all-male race of angelic beings. Created by Athiliel to worship and serve Him, they are actively involved with preserving Anarra from being destroyed by Muurdra’s foul agents, protecting the land and the water as gifts to mankind. They are also periodically engaged in actual open warfare with the Neffeluur, the Fallen Ones.
Jackards – Large, vulture-like birds. They are scavengers, and will feast on the aftermath of great battles. They are extremely ugly in appearance, with black feathers, red, beady eyes and wickedly sharp beaks.
Kabba – A root from low bush-like plants commonly found in forests or along streams. When dried and ground, the roots form a powder which is often poured into hot water to make a stimulating drink similar to coffee or tea. It has a faint, yet distinct cinnamon flavor.
The Keldar – The noble race of the Elves. They are graceful and immortal. They have a special covenant relationship to Athiliel, and for that they are hated above all other races. They are also called the Thuvan by most other races.
Kiara – The smaller of Anarra’s two moons. It is reddish-gold in color and has a cycle of twenty-eight days.
Kuls – Tuber-like vegetable grown in the ground. When baked or boiled they produce a starchy food highly relished by all Anarrans.
Kurgoth – A huge, hairy monster. Standing nearly ten feet tall, it is a blood hunter, or blood tracker, created long ago by Muurdra.
Kuulo – Domesticated bird, much like a chicken, commonly used to produce eggs. Its roasted or fried meat is a common dish. Many farmers and villagers maintain a healthy population of them for their own needs.
Lence – Tall, stalk-like plant. These produce large heads of tightly wrapped kernels, which can be boiled and eaten with a meal. When dried and pounded into powder, its kernels produce a fine yellowish flour. This is often formed into cakes, called lence-cakes, which stay fresh for a long time.
Luumin – Small, apelike creatures with large eyes and tufted ears. Their hands and feet are practically identical, with thick, calloused digits for grasping and swinging lightly through the trees. They prefer dense, moist jungle-like conditions. They are extremely mischievous.
Morlung – Tall, corpse-like beings with deathly white skin, long flowing white hair and totally black eyes. Although alive, they are often mistaken as walking corpses. Cunning and powerful in their usage of dark arts, they are also known as Necromors. They are Muurdra’s corruption of the Elves.
The Neffeluur – The Fallen Ones. Once a powerful and immortal angel-like race (see Ilyri), they fell with Muurdra long ago. They are still active participants in his rebellion against Athiliel.
Osk – Domesticated cattle. They are used to provide meat and milk for their needs of the people. Some of these powerful animals are even employed to do the heavy work of pulling plows and such things. Great herds of these horned mammals roam openly across the Plains of Kuria in the south.
Riffin – A popular card game. There are several different varieties of the game and every town seems to sport their own set of rules.
Rith – A huge spider. They spin enormous webs across trees and canyons. They tend to have stiff, spiky hair all across their huge bodies. The are usually black in color, with flame-like streaks of red, orange or yellow running across their bloated abdomens.
Rogin Berries – Large, dark-reddish fruit grown in wild thickets. They are about the size of a nickel and are somewhat crunchy on the outside like a nut, yet have a juicy inside which has a sweet fruity flavor.
Sar’nathi Blades – The fabled seven swords of Arias. Composed of sironath and shards of crystal, these long lost swords were created by a master smith of the Elves named Arias. With his passing the secret to reproduce them was lost.
Shart – Long-haired, goat-like animal. These nimble-legged creatures have great spiraling horns. They are most often found running wild over high hills and mountain ranges, but are occasionally domesticated for their wool and their milk. Once sheared the hair is woven into a fairly cheap cloth called sharcloth.
Sheera – The larger moon. It is bluish-silver in color and has a cycle of thirty-six days. Its surface is deeply pock-marked.
Sironath – Keldarin name for an unusual meteorite material which fell out of the sky. It means starcast or heavencast. It was used by the elven master-smith Arias long ago to create a special set of swords, called the Sar’nathi blades. There are only seven of them in existence, but they were lost long ages ago in a series forgotten wars. With the passing of Arias sometime long ago, the secret of their construction was completely lost, as well.
Sleeth (Watchbeasts) – Large, scaly cat-like creatures. They appear to be a cross between a great hunting cat and a large reptile. They have six legs and are extremely predatory in the wild. But they are more often domesticated, bred and trained to patrol the outer perimeter grounds of towns and villages, especially at night. They are mostly blind in the daylight.
Slor (Giant) – Large, lizard-like animals. They are strong and relatively slow moving upon their four heavy legs. With broad backs and long, powerful tails, they are frequently employed as draft animals in the far south, where occupants ride in large howdahs strapped across their backs. Their thick, mottled skin ranges in color from a pale green to yellowish-gold or even gray. Their smaller cousins can be found sunning themselves upon rocks and trees across most of Ythira.
Tanga Juice – A dark blue juice made from the crushed berries of a tanga plant. Its flavor is a little tart, but is also very refreshing. The juice stays fresh for a long time in a leather bota, which makes it appealing for travelers to carry with them.
Targ – Large, three-headed wolf. They stand much taller than an average wolf and are extremely vicious. They are fast and relentless, but seldom hunt in packs.
Telm-wood – Extremely dense trees. The wood from these gnarled trees is used very beautiful when polished. It is popular for carvings and for making tools and weapons. These items are especially strong and durable. It is the most prized type of wood for the fashioning of long bows.
Thag – An antelope-like animal. Smaller and more delicate than the alk, these animals commonly roam through forested lands and the lower slopes of mountains. They are especially swift on their hooved legs when spooked. The meat of the thag is highly prized for its leanness and its rich flavor. Leather from its hide is very soft and durable, and is often used for a variety of goods, including pouches, boots and other clothing.
Thark – A large flightless bird. Its meat is rich and savory in flavor and its long, colorful feathers are prized for use as ornamentation.
Theralon – A special un-faceted gemstone. About the size of one’s palm, these smooth stones are often called the Tears of the Creator, or Athiliel’s Tear. They can be used to make its bearer invisible and are a popular tool among assassins, but they are extremely rare and, as a result, very expensive.
Thisalant – A large, water fowl. These live around rivers and lakes, and all throughout marshy lands. Its call is like a wailing warble.
Thorka – Horse-like mounts of Anarra. They have six legs and can run like the wind. They are frequently used as mounts for warriors in battle, and often carry riders with dispatches and messages between kingdoms. Sometimes they are even employed for the sport of racing, where individuals wager on the outcome.
Thorro – A smaller beast of burden. They are a somewhat donkey-like in appearance, with long ears, hooved feet and a short, nervous tail. They are believed to be a distant cousin of the mighty thorka. They are have a stubborn nature but are often a preferred form of mount for many people of Ythira, due primarily to their lower cost.
Timbercat – A large predatory cat. These cougar-like animals inhibit the northern forests and the lower foothills of the mountains. Upon occasion hunger drives them into the haunts of man in search for food.
Turth – Small, racoon-sized mischievous mammal. These curious critters often get themselves into tightly sealed places and containers, hunting for food. They are voracious, and will eat just about anything. They are cute with their bandit-like appearance, yet are despised by farmers and villagers for constantly getting into and spoiling their preserved foods. Their meat is eaten upon occasion when nothing else is available.
Ur – A small, marsupial-like mammal. They are especially timid and hop about very quickly on their long backs legs. They possess extremely long ears and can hear predators coming from a great distance away. They can be domesticated, for their meat is tender and tasty.