"Who are you?" the woman said harshly. "You're not-"

  Hassani crossed the distance in a few sprinting steps. Her knife pressed against the woman's throat before she could finish the sentence. "You're going to take me to my things."

  To her credit, the woman didn't intimidate easily. "You're Fatma's pet Inviolate."

  "You're reliable and smart enough that she trusts you with her affairs, so you know what I did to the Small Masters. I'm going to rely on your desire to avoid their fate while you're going to have my things fetched here." Hassani spoke calmly, but fatigue, stress, and her desperation to know where they kept Avani strained against her control.

  The woman smirked and flicked her gaze over Hassani's shoulder.

  She turned to see three hulking guards rise from a long bench placed against the far wall. The leather armor they wore looked to be designed for intimidation more than practicality: all spikes and dangling bones. They carried heavy cudgels stained with dried blood and clumped here-and-there with wiry hair. Either they'd beaten someone to death and never cleaned their weapons or they'd placed the gruesome bits there intentionally. Whichever option might prove true, they implied much about the thugs' purpose and hopefully their level of training.

  Johine had disappeared somewhere. In her haste and fixation on getting her things, Hassani hadn't noticed. Had he even come inside with her? Right when she could use him and his spear.

  The majordomo smirked and spoke to the three guards in a dismissive tone as though she held the upper hand and didn't feel a knife's edge resting against her throat. "This is a slave escaped from Fatma's clutches. She's useful to the master alive so-"

  Johine charged screaming from a side door, his spear driving deep into one of the guards' sides. Hassani immediately threw the majordomo aside and rushed the closest guard, raising the knife high and jerking her hand forward. Flinching away from the blade he expected to be flying at his head, the thug's distance-keeping club swing flew wild.

  She ducked it, rushed forward, and slashed the meat and tendon where elbow met forearm, hewing down to the bone. He wailed and crashed to the ground clutching his arm against his chest.

  The remaining guard batted at Johine's madly-thrusting spear while the man backpedaled frantically. He tripped over the bench as he turned to throw a backhanded swing in her direction. Speed put her inside the swing and she caught his hand. A jerking twist popped something in his wrist, tumbling the club to crack against the white tile as Johine's spear punched through his thigh on the other side. Staggering back, the guard grunted and cursed, but only once. Hassani snatched up his club before it had finished bouncing, her swing glancing off the forearm he thrust out to stop it, then landing with a thudding crunch into his chin as Hassani's rebound swing hurtled upwards.

  Johine shouted, snapping Hassani's attention back out into the room as the guard crumpled back into the wall and bench. In a single deft motion, Johine tossed the spear up to catch it reverse-style above his shoulder, then threw in. Its point dug deep into the door the majordomo was yanking open, slamming it back closed. She threw her hands up reflexively, lurched to the side, and spun to face them with her hands up.

  "Gladiator?" Hassani quirked an eyebrow at Johine in passing as she scanned the status of the guards then, satisfied they were no threat, skimmed room for any further dangers. A dozen slaves, a few staring, the rest rushing off.

  "If you ever wanted a chance at freedom, this is it," she said to the ones who remained, before turning back towards where the woman formerly-in-charge slumped in a corner next to the door.

  "Vale Legion. Deserter." Johine thudded his fist to his chest as he came to attention, the motion made extra absurd by his filthy nakedness. "Caught and sold, but no one wanted Johine."

  "Gratitude either way," she said, walking over to where the majordomo still stood plastered against the wall by the door. Practiced breathing patterns calmed Hassani as she walked, the regular, slow breaths bringing her back down from fighting readiness.

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  The woman stared at them slackly, all arrogance vanished.

  "My things," Hassani said, standing close and tapping the freshly-bloodied cudgel against her shoulder for emphasis.

  The woman glanced at the club, then the naked, blood-spattered Johine as he wrenched his spear free, then to Hassani's hard eyes.

  A gulp. A hasty nod.

  Ten minutes later, Hassani wore the Aze Blade at her hip, her pack on her back, and heard the clink of 'nails against her Inviolate Amulet in her belt pouch. Half-an-hour after that, she and the freshly-garbed, blood-cleansed, knife-and-cudgel-packing Johine pushed their way through the massive crowds overflowing the stone arena's stands. A platform stood erected in the arena's center, its top dense with Dynasts, Versers, well-dressed slaves, and Ferals.

  Only one person atop it, however, mattered and she drew all Hassani's attention: Fatma. The Small Master stood beside Ijran draped in gaudy layers of gold necklaces, plastered with makeup, and garbed in a cloth-of-gold gown that looked like it weighed as much as Avani did. The woman stood with arms crossed, staring down her nose and gloating at everyone her eyes fell upon, from slave to Dynast.

  A tall, dark-skinned Seneschal in embroidered blue robes stood at the front of the platform, his strings projecting his voice loud enough to echo through the stadium. Hassani half-listened as they pushed their way down, seeking a way onto the arena sands and closer to the platform. She wasn't sure exactly what her plan might be when she got there, but she was certain she'd die before being caged again.

  "Slaves," the Seneschal boomed. "How would you like to earn your freedom?"

  The murmurs previously rippling through the assembled throng died near-instantly at the question. Thousands of rapt eyes latched on the man as he spoke, full mostly with skepticism and doubt, but laced with curiosity and tiny glints of hope.

  "The Small Masters have agreed with the Dynasts of the Resistance Against the Grievous Ancient Coup that they should grant freedom to all who take up arms with us against the greedy, hoarding Ancients who have lorded for centuries over us all: menial, Dynast, Verser, Master, and slave alike. In their perfidy, they have claimed the Legions as their own personal armies and now threaten to make slaves of everyone with their stolen might."

  He paused for affect, before continuing. "And so we offer this: anyone who willingly stands with us against them, who falls in under our banner and manages to kill a foe whilst under our command shall earn their freedom."

  It took a while for the hubbub that created to die down. Hassani and Johine ducked under a beam barrier dividing the stands from the sands then continued to push through the milling, gossiping crowd. Fatma and Ijran stood to the left of the Seneschal with their vastly-expanded retinues of slaves, servants, and guards while the Dynasts and their people stood to the Seneschal's right.

  "I hear the doubt in your voices from where I stand, but I swear to you by the light of the Ascendant that every word I speak is true!" the Seneschal continued. "And further more, you earn a slave of your own for each additional you kill, to serve you or be freed as you see fit."

  This spawned much commotion and consternation. By the time the Seneschal got everyone quieted down again enough to speak on, Hassani and Johine had reached as close as they dared. Only a few rows of onlookers stood between them and the mixed rank of Ferals and Versal troops surrounding the platform.

  "What say you, slaves of Berujat?" the Seneschal boomed, raising his arms wide. "Will you rise up against those who oppress us all? Will you win your freedom? Will you fight?"

  A pregnant pause held for several seconds before a tall figure not far from Hassani ripped away the cowled robe she wore and stepped forward. Gasps of astonished recognition from those atop the platform turned all eyes towards her. Under their scrutiny, the crowd folded back all around her.

  "Always wanted to do that," Hassani heard her mumble.

  The woman wore strange garb: black pants like they wore in the Directory, a flowing blue shirt of layered silks, and a strange pink cap adorned with many strange symbols jutting backwards from her head. Atop all the other strangeness, the luminescent First Thread of a Dynast traced her forehead and strings dangled from ear and clung to throat. Hassani's eyes widened as she pieced together who it was.

  "My name is Aida," she boomed, a hint of a amusement in her vastly-amplified voice. "You may know me as the Mother of Exiles."

  The platform erupted in shouts. The guards around the platform reached for weapons. The Mother of Exiles turned to the crowd and pointed towards the platform, her voice ringing in the air. "New offer. Raise arms against these Dynasts and other slaving shits right here, right now. Don't let them give you the freedom that should be yours, take it back with your own hands."

  A moment of shocked silence. Then ten-thousand slaves roared at once. Ferals and versal troops drew or leveled weapons. Panicked orders rang out. Berujat citizens turned to flee.

  Fatma happened to glance down and catch Hassani's eye.

  "I'm coming for you," Hassani said, drawing her Aze Blade.

  And all hells broke loose.

  Next chapter: Exiles vs Rags vs. ???

  Adonissian: a Phero who poses as a traveling musician. Died of the Wretch Plague in Heaven's Tread.

  Aida: MC. Mother of Exiles. "Ender of Verses?" "Savior of Dynasties?"

  Aj: a long-slumbering, powerful being which annihilated Inro's Sunset Legions. Also "almost destroyed the Dynasty single-handedly six-and-some centuries ago"

  Alerestro: a handsome, multi-talented man from Azure. Partner of Viviana

  Aliasara: servant at Ocyl's villa who befriends Aida

  Anticores: a pair of Sect representatives, off-putting and strange

  Arca: chief of the tribe that "adopted" Inro

  Asta: Tertius Dynast of Silk.

  Avani: Hassani's daughter, an albino

  Baka: Dynast of Ziggurat. Huge, massively strong. Tertius.

  "Braid"; a thug who accosted Aida in Jadeye. His face gifted to Aida by Ocyl.

  Broadaxe: large, axe-and-shield-wielding Feral protecting Aida. Killed by Jaxe in Jadeye

  Cairin: Arca's sister, slinger

  Cleft Hand: malcontent in the One-Eighth, maimed hand due to Ryk

  Das: Rega's Immanent

  Deai: Hassani's swordmaster, renowned for killing a Paragon

  Dels: Dynast of Azure

  Denault: Hassani's husband. Shipwright, Kin.

  Eonora: a Legion officer in Ziggurat who defected with the Rogue Legions Mother's Militant

  Eth: a young Imminent

  Ghillie: a 3rd Feral who wears a primitive Ghillie suit. Carries cross between kunai and acupuncture needles

  Ghulen: Rega's "pet monster", an Inviolate

  Goboro: a fat, amiable scribe friend of Hassani's in Libriam

  Godge and Ardina: Primary Small Masters in Berujat

  Fallon: Aida's Seneschal. Died killing the Inviolate Rasofi in Jadeye

  Fatma: weakest Small Master of Berujat

  Feral: a bone-masked woman of violence (Feral) in Aida's service. Knife wielder. Killed by Ghillie in Jadeye.

  Festrin: Seneschal of Monopollis, father of Fallon

  Fetriene: Ocyl's soresearer

  Goldilocks: twitchy, spear-and-javelin carrying Feral guarding Aida. Died burning a Wicker Way in Jadeye.

  Hassani: Inviolate agent of the Black Court, sent by Fractious Fraction

  Hue: Vibrant accompanying Simon

  Huspara: minor bureaucrat in Libriam

  Ijran: Multi-minded wiz, Small Master of Berujat

  Inro: Dynast formerly ruling Sunset

  Izbali: a silent tribal shaman

  Janali: Ocyl's elegant Seneschal

  Jaxe: Dynast of Stacks. "Young" (Secounds), wealthy. Also has "the Pale" (an Albino). Ancient.

  Johine: crude slave

  Kass/Kassenia: mercenary attached to Adonissian. Died of Wretch Plague?

  Maxem: High Parser from Ink, ambassador to Jadeye

  Ocyl: Dynast of Heaven's Tread, powerful and unpredictable

  Parathas: Aida's skinscribe. Also a mountaineer.

  "Professor, The": leader of Aida's Wretches, impaled on a tree in the One-Eighth

  Rasofi: Inviolate killed by Fallon in Jadeye

  Reck: Dynast of Chalk, "not witty enough to be clever and takes himself too seriously to be ironic". Paranoid, Fractious Fraction. Tertius. Died to a mob of menials in Jadeye.

  Rega: Inro's sister, Dynast of Monopolis. Septemius

  Riccaro: majordomo of Ocyl's estate. Hung by a looting mob in Heaven's Tread.

  Ruja: Dynast of Berujat

  Rustrovan/"Rusty": Eth's old, gap-toothed skinscribe

  Ryk: "the most beautiful man Aida had ever seen", a Paragon

  Sadar: odd boy traveling with Semon, a Twine

  Sava: Dynast of Libriam

  Savalius: Grand Quartermaster of the Legions

  Semon "Goldtongue": white-haired, one-eyed master of cults. First Disciple of the Mother.

  Sephily: diminutive Arborist from Groves

  Stiller: serving boy at Ocyl's estate. Rendered mute by psychological or head-trauma

  Strygen: a dusa traveling with Semon

  Taesal: one of Rega's other Inviolates, axe scar to face

  Three Bracelets Left: "Leader" of the Mune collective

  "Toothy": leader of a group of thugs who accosted Aida in Heaven's Tread. Killed by Feral in Jadeye

  Tyrs: many-pierced Secundus Dynast of Forge

  Valeer: a mentally challenged, unkempt individual able to manipulate Thorns. Died in Jadeye to "Braid".

  Vanyen: A crippled young woman who created the Cult of the Mother. Martyred Prophet of the Mother. Murdered by Semon Dynastic Assassins.

  Venner: Grandmaster of Optimimes in Jadeye, "best in the entire Book"

  Viviana: gorgeous, multi-talented ex-slave from Berujat. Partner of Alerestro.

  Wake: Dynast of Graves, marries even though they all die. Quintus. Isolate.

  White Spiral: an older Feral in Aida's service. Archer. Died protecting Aida in Jadeye

  36th Dynasty: A Dynasty the Anticores have met?.

  100th Dynasty: The Dynasty ruling the Book.

  Adventures of Bubo, The: popular kids story

  All, The: All the verses, even those beyond The Book.

  Ancients: a major Dynastic Chapter, an "elite number", "own Ziggurat" and "run the great bank that is Monopolis"

  Anchorites: individuals capable of creating anchor points affixed to nothing.

  Annalis compound: sprawling complex in Libriam, heart of The Book's bureaucracy. Arrivals 'Dirt' home to new dispatches, Archives 'Dust' storage for old material. Paths and Ways storage for 'nails.

  Anticore: Sect creature which "wears convincing human skins" with "swarming insects... beneath the skin"

  Arborian: gardeners from Groves

  Arcers: a type of mancer able to summon blades of energy

  Ascen, The/The Ascendant: divinities "watching over every verse"?

  Assessor: census-taker

  Audits/"Diggers": Libriam internal affairs

  Autumn: verse rich in gold?

  Aze: swordmaker?

  Azure: An oceanic verse with blue beaches ruled by

  Berujat: "fleshmarkets"; primary seat of slave trade and home of most Lineage Masters, owned by Fraction.

  Black Court: a realm of pure darkness. Also, those who rule there. Where Partaking happens.

  Black Court Tribunal: localized Black Court authority?

  Blood, The: imbibed at Partaking, transforms one into a Dynast if they survive

  Book of Verses, The: the 1,000 verses ruled by the Dynasty. "The Kiloverse"

  Broadcliff, Tallmarket: cities in Stacks

  Calms: periods when ever-blowing winds die down in Berujat

  Canyon of Cages: cliff where slaves are held in Berujat

  Cave Dwellers: tribes that live in the underground in Origin, keep others out until "the Return"

  Century Thread: additional threads appearing elsewhere on the body every century a Dynast lives

  Cerebrist: creator of slavants

  Chalk/"Vistas": verse entirely made of chalky cliff, belongs to Reck

  Chant, The/Sacrosanct Chant: some sort of law in the Dynasty?

  Chant of Inoculation: chant supposed to protect against disease, "Mudra of Cleansing"

  Chapters: power groupings among the Dynasts of the Book: predominantly The Ancients, the Fractious Fraction, and Isolates.

  Circular Sea: an ocean abutting the Jadeye segment of Heaven's Tread

  Clock Priest: priests from Gears who track and tell time religiously

  Commu: chewed drug/herb?

  ConMach: convoy? courier? "ConMach drains the very life from the Directory's verses". Supply "ConMach machines"

  Crowmen: buy corpses to return them to life and service as rotters

  Cupola Thorn: the main Thorn in the city Jadeye in Heaven's Tread, a stone dome built over it

  Currence: something valuable inside old coins? "harder than currence"? "Solid current forms currence." Currence melts to watter.

  Currency: money, gold coins once held currence inside to give value, now debased

  Current: some form of energy that powers "artifices"? "Solid current forms currence."

  Directory: "the Directory to Ink is like the Dynasty to the Book", dominating rulers of Ink

  Donative, The: Black Court taxes, taken by Legion if not offered. Don't pay, no Partaking every century.

  Dusa: people with manipulable hair of silver wire, from Gears

  Dynast: individual given rule of a verse if they survive Partaking. Ageless and hard to kill. Regenerative. Sustained by "the Blood"; no food or water necessary.

  Dynast's Tower: a massive tower at the peak of Ziggurat.

  Dynasty: the Dynasts who rule the Book

  Ebon: founder of the Dynasty and Black Court

  Ebon Saga: the tale of Ebon's foundation of The Book and Dynasty

  Ebonese: the language of the Book

  Echoseer shells: devices to allow one to "see" in the Black Court

  El: semi-insubstantial snake/remora-like creatures that follow gods (and sometimes Dynasts) around

  "Emperor of Everything": popular kids story about Inro turning down becoming emperor, then crushing those who elevated a different Dynast

  Feral: bone-masked bodyguards who require the essence of their master to survive. "Damned to Ferals" as a form of capital punishment. "the damned", "damned to a Feral"

  Fetalist: Imminent faction who believe the future is unchangeable

  First Thread/Primus: a fresh Dynast/the first luminescent silver thread etched into their foreheads.

  Forge: verse ruled by Tyrs with much metalworking

  Fractious Fraction/"DissatisFaction"/"The Renewal": a major Dynastic Chapter who "hate everyone including each other", "entice every freemancer and Lineage Master" ... "to Berujat". For those with "verses deficient in maor ways."

  Gates, The: Inter-verse travel method created by Ebon. Opened with Limn

  God, A: unique, "undying" creatures of immense size, The First Ones

  God's Rote: child's first memorization, what gods are

  God-dwellers: "monks" who live on a god

  God-touched: those who have physically touched a god (and lived)

  Gonist: organ dealers and traders

  Gons: self-sustaining organs capable of living outside a host

  Graves: a verse "Made of the dead by the dead for the dead".

  Green People: A tribe of jungle dwellers from Origin

  Groves: a forest verse, home to Arborists

  Heaven's Tread: a verse "inside a hollow rolling pin", host to Jadeye, the largest city in the Book

  High Parser: officials from Ink

  Imminent: seers advising Dynasts and shaping course of The Book

  Imminent Prophecy: something about a barbarian Dynast, Ender of Verses and/or Savior of Dynasties?

  Inevitables; faction of Imminent who believe it is their sacred duty to ensure the future comes to pass as seen

  Ink: home verse of the Skeinry, Keens, Directory, and "the Faded People"

  Innoculist: doctors who teach chants "brought from Logos" to cure disease

  Inviolate: agents of the black court who "serve the Black Court, protect the Dynasty, uphold the Chant, root out corruption" with "unlimited, undisclosed, and untraceable budgets"

  Inviolate Vial: carried by Inviolates as badge of office

  Iode: substance that ignites when crushed

  Iris: the giant portals leading between one cylinder of Heaven's Tread to the next

  Isolates: a major Dynastic Chapter with a "unified stand for independence", "cheat the Donative, stockpil[e] currence and watter" "hire Keen mercenaries" "raise own private Legions in secret"

  Jade Eye, The: the "giant emerald" at the middle of Ocyl's Spire in Jadeye

  Jadeye: the largest city in the Book and major trade hub, in Heaven's Trade

  Jar: Name of a "gold" coin now made of brass. Once held currence within.

  Jaxeday: holiday in Stacks with boat carvings, feasts, games of Fishhead, dances, and storytelling

  Jaxestack: a whitewashed stack on Stacks home to Jaxekin

  Jutland Reach: a verse with guns?

  Green People: tribes that live in the jungles of Origin

  Keen: Ink warriors wearing impossibly-heavy iron armor whose power source drains color from the area about it. "Tank knights"

  Kin: descendants of a Dynast, most desperately trying to reach 100 so they can Partake

  Kiss, The: disease that wiped out "hundreds of verses", also name for the time period when Aj became active last and destroyed 100s of verses before halting in Sunset

  Lambent ram: animal whose wool glows?

  Letch: sect bred leech-like creature designed to stop bleeding on wounds

  Libriam: a swampy verse home to the Annalis, heart of The Book's bureaucracy

  Libwe: tribe possessing the "holy" Limn clay bed.

  Limn: "infused clay" bearing some sort of internal power, used by Ebon to found the Dynasty

  Lineage: a line of mancers taught by a Master

  Linemen: workers on the Stacks trolleys who pull the cars along the lines

  Lizard Hunters: Arca's people, walkers of the wastes of Origin

  Logos: "the thought realm"

  Machine Curse: something that stops machines from working between verses?

  Mancers: "no mancers arc (could) affect it", people with abilities beyond human normal, usually trained/implanted by a Master.

  Master's Markets: primary slave market in the Book in Berujat

  Menial: common folk

  Molt: person able to shed skins (see skins)

  Mon, The: "the Outsiders". "exist only to destroy the Book" with their "demonic and monstrous children" from "the Hells beyond"

  Monopolis: the "City of Currency", bank verse ruled by Rega

  Mourne, The: something dangerous that lurks in the Vale, "the why we do not tarry"

  Mother's Faith: the relgion based on Aida created by Semon

  Mother's Militant: Formerly the Rogue Legions led by Eonora, now pledged to protect the people of the Book

  Mune: a utopist collective from Dost who mask their identities and share everything communally

  Nameday: when children are named

  Ocyl's Preserve: a garden "beyond the Circular Sea" in Heaven's Tread?

  Ocyl's Spire: the tower home to the court of Ocyl, Dyanst of Heaven's Tread

  One Tribe, The: Arca's new tribe incorporating the Libwe and whomever else is conquered or enticed to join.

  One-Eighth Shithole: Aida's verse. Unfortunately. A desolate place home to volcanoes and a giant dead turtle

  Optomime: gadgeteer

  Origin: the First Verse, from which Ebon originated, containing the "Cities Below". The "first page of The Book"

  Pale, The: light-skinned people, conquered by Ebon during the founding of the Dynasty. Alternately, albinism

  Paragon: warrior who can see the future

  Partaking: the ritual that creates Dynasts (or kills those who try). Performed by some unknown, large creature in the Black Court.

  Phero: Lineage whose scent creates overwhelming attraction

  'pillar: fuzzy Sect-bred giant caterpillar pet

  Porcelain Guard: Ocyl's white-masked Ferals

  Pure Priest of the Ascen/Blind Priests: priests praising the Ascen and back the Black Court

  Rags: derogatory name for alliance of Isolates and Fractious Fraction. Call themselves "Resistance Against the Grevious Ancient Coup."

  Reachers: massive, Sect-bred creatures that direct traffic and rescue unfortunates in the Sighted Path in Jadeye

  Reconquest: time four-hundred years ago when Inro "drove [tribals] back into civilization's fold at spear point"

  Rotters: sack-clothed, crudely-masked 'zombies' uses as pack-beasts and simple laborers. Created/sold by Crowmen.

  Royal Strider: giant striders which carry carriages of the wealthy slung underneath them

  Sect, The: breeders of useful insectoid- and/or sauroid-like creatures

  Seericide: seers capable of Knowing everything as they die

  Seneschal: chief servant of a Dynast, bear permanent strings allowing them to speak and understand any language

  Shale: a verse famous for its expensive stone

  Shore Striders: tribes that live along the oceans of Caves

  Shackle Pens: slave pens near Master's Market in Berujat?

  Shrineway: religious section of Jadeye "brailled prayers along the walls ... [and] cobblestones"

  Sighted Path: the zero-g road down the center of Heaven's Tread

  Silk: verse owned by Asta where all of verse's silk originates

  Sixth Tier Rebellion: last major uprising, in Ziggurat a century ago when "half the legions rose up". Put down by Baka

  Skeinry: iron-plated communication centers where Skeiners translate vibrations sent by wyre from other verses

  Skin/Hollow: animate skin of a molt able to move, talk, and share snatches of its experience with its molt

  Skinlife: living tattoos

  Skinscribe: individuals brailled with lore, walking libraries

  Slavant: an individual who "loses much" to be implanted with an ability

  Soresearer: individuals capable of "healing" by cauterizing wounds with their hands

  Stacks: An ocean verse comprised of tall pillars jutting up from the seas. Trolleys run on long ropes between them "affixed by Anchorites to airy nothing"

  Striders: "stilt-legged gray-skinned insect-lizard"s used as fast mounts, large enough to carry several riders

  Strings: worn or implanted wire devices that translate speech

  Stone Walkers: tribes that live in the cold of Origin

  Subterrane, The: inter-verse travel route accessed by Ebon via Limn

  Sunset: the verse where Aj was 'contained', formerly protected by Dynast Inro. The "Prison of Prisons" holds mad Dynasts, monsters and demons... vaults of dangerous relics.

  Sunset Legions/Vault Legions: Inro's Legions, wiped out by Aj in Sunset

  Surgon: person able to remove organs

  Swirl: A verse. "The pleasure barges of Swirl"

  Syphon: machine ConMach uses to "drain the very life" and color from a verse to "fuel... machinery"

  Tangle, The: the jungles of the One-Eighth

  Terminus: "Gates End", a verse?

  Thorn: huge, curling thorns which Valeers can use as gateways to the Vale, doorways between verses. Grow into verses over centuries

  Thrum: guide in the Black Court

  Tribunal: group of three Dynasts coming together to make ruling or pass judgment

  Twine: "one soul threaded through two bodies"

  Unkillable Swordsman: a Paragon killed by Deia long ago

  Vale: "The Place Between". A realm of high-contrast black and white full of thorns and Thorns.

  Vale Walkers: discoverers of verses

  Valeer: people capable of activating Thorns, barely functional of anything else

  Valeer's 'nail: crystals containing wafers that allow travel within the Vale to specific verses without a Valeer

  Venger: muscle man?

  Verse: a pocket universe or world

  Verser Lord/Lady: agents of an individual Dynast who rule part of a verse at the whim of their Dynast

  Vibrant: color-changing individuals from Ink?

  Watter: an energetic liquid. "Currence melts to watter. Watter's current dissipates over time, leaving water."

  Weeping Falls: Jadeye Iris flowing with waterfalls

  Wicker Way: towers of stone, wood, and rope that connect opposite far sides of Jadeye

  Wiz of Berujat: multi-minded, capable of performing multiple tasks simultaneously

  World Spear: an immense stack on Stacks

  Wretch: untouchables forced to walk on all fours, "the human refuse that cleans up the literal waste piles"

  Wretch Plague/Dynast's Plague: the flu. A horrific disease spread by Wretches.

  Wyres: lines run through the Vale between verses that allow communication between. A giant Ziggurat