N. Jemisin: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

It surprises me to admit it, but I shall miss you, Enefa. My soul is not used to solitude.

Then again, I will never be truly alone, thanks to you.

Sometime after we left Sky and Itempas and the mortal world behind, Sieh took my hand. “Come with us,” he said.

“Where?”

Nahadoth touched my face then, very gently, and I was awed and humbled by the tenderness in his gaze. Had I earned such warmth from him? I hadn’t—but I would. I vowed this to myself, and lifted my face for his kiss.

“You have much to learn,” he murmured against my lips when we parted. “I have so many wonders to show you.”

I could not help grinning like a human girl. “Take me away, then,” I said. “Let’s get started.”

So we passed beyond the universe, and now there is nothing more to tell.

Of this tale, anyhow.

Altarskirt rose:A rare, specially bred variety of white rose, highly prized.

Amn:Most populous and powerful of the Senmite races.

Arameri:Ruling family of the Amn; advisors to the Nobles’ Consortium and the Order of Itempas.

Arrebaia:Capital city of Darr.

Blood sigil:The mark of a recognized Arameri family member.

Bright, the:The time of Itempas’s solitary rule after the Gods’ War. General term for goodness, order, law, rightness.

Darkling:Those races that adopted the exclusive worship of Itempas only after the Gods’ War, under duress. Includes most High Northern and island peoples.

Darr:A High North nation.

Dekarta Arameri:Head of the Arameri family.

Demon:Children of forbidden unions between gods/godlings and mortals. Extinct.

Enefa:One of the Three. The Betrayer. Deceased.

Enefadeh:Those who remember Enefa.

Gods:Immortal children of the Maelstrom. The Three.

Godling:Immortal children of the Three. Sometimes also referred to as gods.

Gods’ Realm:Beyond the universe.

Gods’ War:An apocalyptic conflict in which Bright Itempas claimed rulership of the heavens after defeating his two siblings.

Heavens, Hells:Abodes for souls beyond the mortal realm.

Heretic:A worshipper of any god but Itempas. Outlawed.

High North:Northernmost continent. A backwater.

Hundred Thousand Kingdoms:Collective term for the world since its unification under Arameri rule.

Irt:An island nation.

Islands, the:Vast archipelago east of High North and Senm.

Itempan:General term for a worshipper of Itempas. Also used to refer to members of the Order of Itempas.

Itempas:One of the Three. The Bright Lord; master of heavens and earth; the Skyfather.

Ken:Largest of the island nations, home to the Ken and Min peoples.

Kinneth Arameri:Only daughter of Dekarta Arameri.

Kurue:A godling, also called the Wise.

Lift:A magical means of transportation within Sky; a lesser version of the Vertical Gates.

Maelstrom:The creator of the Three. Unknowable.

Magic:The innate ability of gods and godlings to alter the material and immaterial world. Mortals may approximate this ability through the use of the gods’ language.

Menchey:A High North nation.

Mortal realm:The universe, created by the Three.

Nahadoth:One of the Three. The Nightlord.

Narshes:A High North race whose homeland was conquered by the Tok several centuries ago.

Nobles’ Consortium:Ruling political body of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.

Order of Itempas:The priesthood dedicated to Bright Itempas. In addition to spiritual guidance, also responsible for law and order, education, and the eradication of heresy. Also known as the Itempan Order.

Relad Arameri:Nephew of Dekarta Arameri, twin brother of Scimina.

Salon:Headquarters for the Nobles’ Consortium.

Sar-enna-nem:Seat of the Darren ennu and the Warriors’ Council.

Scimina Arameri:Niece of Dekarta Arameri, twin sister of Relad.

Scrivener:A scholar of the gods’ written language.

Senm:Southernmost and largest continent of the world.

Senmite:The Amn language, used as a common tongue for all the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.

Shahar Arameri:High Priestess of Itempas at the time of the Gods’ War. Her descendants are the Arameri family.

Sieh:A godling, also called the Trickster. Eldest of all the godlings.

Sigil:An ideograph of the gods’ language, used by scriveners to imitate the magic of the gods.

Sky:Largest city on the Senm continent. Also, the palace of the Arameri family.

Stone of Earth:An Arameri family heirloom.

Tema:A Senmite kingdom.

Time of the Three:Before the Gods’ War.

Tokland:A High North nation.

T’vril Arameri:A grandnephew of Dekarta.

Uthr:An island nation.

Vertical Gate:A magical means of transportation between Sky (the city) and Sky (the palace).

Viraine Arameri:First Scrivener of the Arameri.

Walking Death:A virulent plague that appears in frequent epidemics. Affects only those of low social status.

Yeine Arameri:A granddaughter of Dekarta and daughter of Kinneth.

Ygreth:Wife of Dekarta, mother of Kinneth. Deceased.

Zhakkarn of the Blood:A godling.

In the name of Itempas Skyfather, most Bright and peaceful.

The Conspirators, as they are properly called, [2] The subjects do not refer to themselves as such, but this terminology was agreed upon per the Munae Scrivan , 7th Reiterate, year 230 of the Bright. are like all gods in that they possess complete mastery over the material world [3] Defined as magic per Litaria standard terminology, 1st progression. as well as most things spiritual. Though not omnipotent—only the Three, when united, were so gifted—their individual power is so great relative to that of mortals that the difference is academic. However, the Bright Lord in His wisdom has seen fit to greatly limit the power of the Conspirators as a punishment, thus enabling their use as tools for the betterment of mortalkind.

Their disparate natures impose further limitations, different for each individual. We refer to this as affinity , since gods’ language appears to have no term for it. Affinities can be either material or conceptual, or some combination thereof. [4] See On Magic , volume 12. An example of which is the Conspirator called Zhakkarn, who holds dominion over all things combat-related including weaponry (material), strategy (conceptual), and the martial arts (both). In actual battle she has the unique ability to replicate herself thousands of times over, becoming a literal one-woman army. [5] As observed in the Pells War, the Ulan Uprising, and other occasions. However, she has also been observed to avoid any gathering of mortals for peaceful purposes, such as holiday celebrations. Indeed, being near religious paraphernalia symbolizing peace, such as the white jade ring worn by our order’s highest devotees, causes her acute discomfort.