As Ghillie's weapons slid free, Aida's people coalesced about her out of the crowd. Ryk smiled as he adjusted his grip on a huge ovoid, brass-rimmed shield he'd acquired somewhere. Even Alerestro and Viviana had found a short spear and long dagger apiece. Eth merely stood chewing her fingernails and tapping her foot impatiently.

  About them, slaves attacked the guards handling them, assaulted Berujat's menials, ran off into the city, hurled stones at the ranks of Ferals and Versal troops gathering on the platform, or armed themselves with whatever they could find to charge towards the ranks of Dynastic bodyguards.

  Aida's eyes randomly met with a sunburned, scarred blond woman wearing what looked to be faded and worn Inviolate blacks and carrying a hefty sword on her slight waist. A strange feeling of recognition hit Aida even though she was sure she'd never seen the woman before and the feeling seemed to be mutual as the woman nodded to her. Then chaos surged and the woman was gone, vanished into the crowd.

  Dozens of archers and slingers moved to the front edge of the platform, taking shots at leaders among the slaves. Scattered among them stood a variety of people Aida assumed to be mancers or something: a chick with shaggy red hair flaring knife-thin blades of blue force from the scar tissue in her hands. A naked guy sprouting patches of shaggy hair all over his body then retracting it, enlarging and shrinking his teeth, and extending and shrinking the shape and length of his fingers. Others as bizarre stood among them, but Aida had little time for any more curious gawking.

  After the initial enraged rush, the Feral's discipline, the Versal troop's superior armament, and the demoralizing effect of well-placed arrows and stones raining from the platform threatened to break the slave's attack even if they outnumbered the Dynastic forces twenty-to-one. If they lost the momentum now, the slaves would probably scatter and try to make it on their own or small groups. Even if the rest of Aida's followers were pouring through the nearest Thorns as fast as they could at that moment, it was miles away and they were little better equipped to face combat than the slaves. As loyal as they were, few were warriors.

  No, This was their one shot.

  "Then let's take the shot," Aida said, her voice reverberating with the layers of resonant power she'd be continually building up in her strings. She strode towards the battle lines. Ryk stayed close by her side, occasionally stepping in to raise his shield. Thunks, clangs, scrapes, or thuds sounded each time. By the time they'd made their way to a gap in the slave's attacking ranks, the shield sprouted half-a-dozen arrows plus dings and divots from thrown spears or hurled sling stones.

  Without any preamble, Aida shoved the nearest slaves aside to stare down the bristling ranks of spears and layered shields presented by the Dynastic forces. She growled, the sound rattling her bones.

  "Kill her!" a Dynast shouted from atop the platform.

  Ryk and Ghillie stepped close on either side as the line of Versal troops charged, but she didn't need them. Aida unleashed a blast that sheared through the closest half-dozen men, then expanded in a V-shape towards the platform. Wood splintered, cracked, and flew apart as the blast slammed into the structure like a tornado crossed with a grenade. The platform somehow remained standing after, though huge cracks ran through most of the remaining beams and planks. Groans, creaks, and pops shuddered from what was left.

  Versers and Dynasts atop it yelled as they scrambled to their feet, some shouting commands, others falling over each other in their haste to escape.

  "Don't think so," Aida murmured, a low hum building up the vibrating force in her strings again. The mass of slaves beside and behind her echoed the scream before crashing into the Dynastic ranks. Ryk and Ghillie took down the few Ferals and Versal troops daring enough to take a shot at her while she doubled and redoubled the hum, layering harmonic chords atop one another.

  Aida honed the sound vibrating in her strings, subconsciously shaping it for a wider blast. She wasn't exactly sure what it was she did to change it, but months of practice had built up an instinct for directing the power, angle, and cone of the sounds she could produce. Until she'd crumbled the Neck she'd had no idea how much power she could unleash; now it was time for a few other Dynasts to make the same discovery.

  This shout originated as a many-pitched bark, something like the sound she'd heard karate masters make on TV during some brick-breaking competition she'd idly watched on late night ESPN11 or whatever. If the first blast hit like an RPG, this one hit like a jet-dropped bomb detonating the platform's frontal facing. Boards, bodies, and bits of both hurled away while jagged spears and ricocheting hunks of tumbling wood exploded into the backs of the Dynastic ranks.

  And just like that, the enemy force was breaking and running. Slaves hounded their every step, snatching up hastily-discarded weapons as the Versal troops fled for their lives. The surviving Ferals, on the other hand, rushed into the wreckage, gathering in small knots to hold off the enraged mob as they searched the splintered remnants for their Dynasts.

  Aida walked to the edge of the platform, simultaneously awed, gratified, and horrified by the devastation she'd unleashed. "See if you can capture a Dynast alive. We could use some answers."

  "We do," Eth said at the same time, pointing off towards the back of the platform where Ryk already jogged, casually dispatching a handful of Ferals on the way. If she didn't know he was a Paragon his reactions would have seemed superhuman, but knowing the future probably rendered the fights no more difficult than his training exercises.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Of course you know," Aida said, rolling her eyes. She turned to Alerestro and Viviana. They'd bloodied their spears at some point and a splash of blood smeared the side of Viviana's face. "You okay?"

  "It's nothing," Viviana said, smiling viciously. "My opponent won't miss it."

  Aida wondered again exactly who these two might be and who'd sent them. She debated bringing it up, but she was worried any sort of confrontation that might arise from such a confrontation might cost her two of her most useful lieutenants. Either way, now wasn't the time. "Okay. Viviana, since you unfortunately have some experience with things here, why don't you two try to round up as many slaves, or ex-slaves I guess now, together so I can talk to them. We may have won a battle here, but we have a war to win yet for the rest of the Book."

  “As you wish," she said. She was off, calling to the nearest cluster slaves looting a sprawl of dead Versal troops. Something about 'Calm loci' that made absolutely no sense to Aida.

  She turned to Alerestro. "I want you to go to the nearest Thorn and organize our volunteers as they come through. Get them here so we can have them help us organize things."

  "It shall be as you say, Dynast," Alerestro said, the elegance of his deep bow somewhat at odds with the bloody spear propped over one shoulder.

  When Aida turned back to the platform, she saw Ryk dragging a dazed and bloody long-haired figure from the rubble, the woman stumbling over the ripped remnants of an over-long, gray dress.

  Eth closed in on her, her expression flat. "Congratulations, you succeeded. What's the plan after this stunning victory? Oh wait..."

  "You know there isn't one," Aida said, modulating her voice and expression to make it as light and airy as Eth's was harsh and sarcastic. "If I don't know what I'm doing next, how could our enemies ever figure out our plans?"

  "A stunning stratagem," Eth said, rolling her eyes. "What could possibly ever go wrong? And yes, of course.

  Aida had already begun talking when Eth answered and the last of her question came out through gritted teeth. "You wouldn't let me attack from anywhere other than this specific spot for a reason, right?"

  After clearly enjoying Aida's glare for a moment, Eth continued. "There were a variety of mancers up on the platform that would have been problematic if we'd tried this elsewhere. Here, they were all too far away to do anything effective."

  "Figured as much," Aida said, glancing at the ruin of the platform. "Almost feels like cheating."

  "It is. You're the cheat piece, remember?"

  As Ryk and the captured Dynast drew closer, Aida snapped her fingers. "Wake!"

  Aida's memories the woman centered mostly on her fussing and babying over her latest man-child of a husband back in Ocyl's villa in Jadeye. The woman had absolutely reeked of wealth, privilege, and superiority. Now splinters and dust clogged her tangled hair. Blood ran down her cheek and dripped from her left hand. The fine gold thread trimming her dress frayed out from the gray fabric and it dragged from her frame, stained with blood and trailing behind in tangled tatters. Enough remained to keep her private bits private, but barely.

  Looking around, Aida found a section of relatively-intact platform frame with a knee-height crossbeam that looked stable. She sat on it gingerly and, when it held, leaned her chin on her fist as Ryk thrust Wake down before her none-to-gently.

  "Wakey wakey," Aida said, snorting at her own terrible pun. "Sorry about my entrance. Hope I didn't interrupt anything important here."

  Wake pulled herself up in as dignified a manner as she could manage considering her situation and glared. "How did you get here? My team was supposed to kill your Valeer and destroy your 'nails."

  A nonchalant shrug seemed an appropriate response so she did so, cleaning something imaginary off a fingernail.

  At least the Dynast got straight to the point. "Hope that Arcer wasn't too expensive a hire. Got killed by a terrtle while trying to kill a rotter. It was a dead terrtle even."

  "At least we took out most of the Ancient's Valeers and 'nail depositories. Took down a couple of the bastards too. Tyrs of Forge was fed into one and Silk needs a new Dynast at least." The flash of triumph on her face faded quickly as she trained a furious look on Eth. "What happened to your famed Imminent neutrality? The entire history of the Book you've never taken sides. Now you align with this barbarian over the Book's rightful rulers?"

  "History is ending, so why not?" Eth said, scratching at a sweat-stained armpit. "And I'm not taking her side because I want to, believe me."

  "Thanks for that," Aida said, shaking her head, then shrugging as she looked at Wake. "She isn't kidding."

  "Any time," Eth grunted.

  "So, Wake. Walk with me," Aida said, rising, turning, and striding towards the stadium's bleacherish area. She'd gotten only hints of the look and layout of Berujat on the way in due to their haste to get to the arena when they heard about the Slave Legions. Plus that stupid, hot, and heavy cowl they'd thrown on her left her half-blind and half-cooked besides. They sure looked cool in movies and she had felt like a complete badass revealing herself when the time came, but damn did she sweat like a hog wearing that thing.

  Wake hitched up and held together what she could of her gown and tagged along after with Ryk. Eth and Ghillie followed close behind. Viviana waved from where she had gathered what hopefully were the ring-leaders among the ex-slaves and they'd clumped near the arena's main entrance. Judging by the number of runners they were dispatching and receiving, they were making progress organizing things.

  "What are you going to do with me and the other Dynasts?" Wake said, her tone sharp and demanding.

  "If any others survived, you mean? Hm, hadn't thought about that," Aida said, truthfully. She turned to Ryk. "You know of any gods nearby that might be snackish? Dynasts probably make for pretty good eating."

  Ryk grinned. "Heard there's a big, flying manta-like one that swoops in sometimes around here. They chain slaves atop a precipice to hopefully appease it. Sometimes works."

  As they ascended the stadium steps, Aida spared a glance at Wake. To her credit, the woman still didn't reveal the faintest scrap of fear, just anger and indignity. "Would be a waste of my knowledge and experience. I've been alive for over five centuries. Do you have any in your ragged band of rebellious, illiterate menials who can match that level of experience?"

  "After hanging out with them and you, I'd rather have my rebellious menials, illiterate Ferals, and 'filthy' Wretches by my side, thank you very much."

  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. Assassinated by the Rags.

  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. Fed into one of his own forges by the Rags.

  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