Peter Brett: The Skull Throne

Savas: Jardir’s Mehnding dama son.

Scorpion: A Krasian ballista, the scorpion is a giant crossbow using springs instead of a bowstring. It shoots thick spears with heavy heads (stingers) and can kill sand and wind demons outright at a thousand feet, even without wards.

Shalivah: Krasian girl working at Shamavah’s restaurant in Cutter’s Hollow. Kaval’s granddaughter, whom Rojer dotes on out of guilt that her father was killed saving his life.

Shamavah: Abban’s Jiwah Ka. She speaks fluent Thesan and is assigned to oversee Abban’s operations in Hollow County.

Shanjat: Kaji kai’Sharum who trained with Jardir. Leader of the Spears of the Deliverer and wed to Jardir’s middle sister, Hoshvah. Father of Shanvah.

Shanvah:Sharum’ting niece of Jardir. Daughter of Shanjat and Hoshvah.

Sharach: The smallest tribe in Krasia, with fewer than two dozen warriors at one point. They were rescued from extinction by Jardir.

Sharaj: Barrack for young boys in Hannu Pash, much like a military boarding school. The sharaji are located around the training grounds, and there is one for each tribe. The name of the tribe is a prefix, followed by an apostrophe, so the sharaj for the Kaji tribe is known as the Kaji’sharaj. Plural is sharaji.

Sharak Ka: Literally “the First War,” the great war against demonkind the Deliverer will begin upon completion of Sharak Sun.

Sharak Sun: Literally “the Daylight War,” during which Kaji conquered the known world, uniting it in Sharak Ka. It is believed that Jardir must do the same if he is to win Sharak Ka.

Shar’dama:Dama who fight alagai’sharak in defiance of Evejan Law.

Shar’Dama Ka: Literally “First Warrior Cleric,” the Krasian term for the Deliverer, who will come to free mankind from the alagai.

Sharik Hora: Literally “heroes’ bones,” the name for the great temple in Krasia made out of the bones of fallen warriors. Having their bones lacquered and added to the temple is the highest honor that warriors can attain.

Sharukin: Literally “warrior poses,” practiced series of movements for sharusahk.

Sharum: Warrior. The Sharum dress in robes often inlaid with fired clay plates as armor.

Sharum Ka: Literally “First Warrior,” a title in Krasia for the secular leader of alagai’sharak. The Sharum Ka is appointed by the Andrah, and the kai’Sharum of all tribes answer to him and him only from dusk until dawn. The Sharum Ka has his own palace and sits on the Spear Throne. He wears dal’Sharum blacks, but his turban and night veil are white.

Sharum’ting: Female warrior, mostly used to describe Inevera’s personal guard. The chin Wonda Cutter was the first to be recognized by Jardir.

Sharusahk: The Krasian art of unarmed combat. There are various schools of sharusahk depending on caste and tribe, but all consist of brutal, efficient moves designed to stun, cripple, and kill.

Shevali:Dama advisor to Damaji Ashan.

Shusten:Dal’Sharum son of Abban. Raised to hate his khaffit father.

Sikvah: Hasik’s daughter by Jardir’s sister Hanya, and Amanvah’s personal servant. Offered to Rojer as a second bride.

Skull Throne: Made from the skulls of deceased Sharum Ka and coated in electrum, the throne is powered by the skull of a mind demon, casting a forbiddance that prevents demons from entering the inner city of Everam’s Bounty. The seat of power for Krasia’s leader.

Soli:Dal’Sharum brother of Inevera. Push’ting. Lover of Cashiv. Killed by Kasaad.

Spears of the Deliverer: The elite personal bodyguard to Ahmann Jardir, made up mostly of the Sharum from his old Maze unit.

Spear Throne: The throne of the Sharum Ka, made from the spears of previous Sharum Kas.

Stinger: The ammunition for the scorpion ballistae. Stingers are giant spears with heavy iron heads that can punch through sand demon armor on a parabolic shot.

Sunian: Artifacts from the city of Anoch Sun. Also the name of its people.

Tachin:Damason of Jardir, Krevakh tribe.

Thalaja: Jardir’s second Kaji wife, mother of Icha and Micha.

Tikka: Grandmother (informal term of affection).

’Ting: Suffix meaning “woman.”

Tribes: Anjha, Bajin, Jama, Kaji, Khanjin, Majah, Sharach, Krevakh, Nanji, Shunjin, Mehnding, Halvas. The prefix am’ is used to denote both family and tribe, as in Ahmann asu Hoshkamin am’Jardir am’Kaji.

Undercity: Huge honeycomb of warded caverns beneath Fort Krasia where women, children, and khaffit are locked at night to keep them safe from corelings while the men fight. Still being constructed in Everam’s Bounty.

Vah: Literally “daughter” or “daughter of.” Used as a suffix when a girl is named after her mother or father, as in Amanvah, or as a prefix in a full name, as in Amanvah vah Ahmann am’Jardir am’Kaji.

Waning: (1) Three-day monthly religious observance for Evejans occurring on the days before, of, and after the new moon. Attendance at Sharik Hora is mandatory, and families spend the days together, even pulling sons out of sharaj. Demons are supposedly stronger these nights, when it is said Alagai Ka walks the surface. (2) The three nights each month when it is dark enough for mind demons to rise to the surface.

Watchers: Watchers are the dal’Sharum of the Krevakh and Nanji tribes. Trained in special weapons and tactics, they serve as scouts, spies, and assassins. Each Watcher carries an iron-shod ladder about twelve feet long and a short stabbing spear. The ladders are light, flexible, and strong. They have interconnecting ends (male/top, female/bottom), so ladders can be joined together. Watchers are so proficient they can run straight up a ladder without bracing it and balance at the top.

Zahven: Ancient Krasian word meaning “rival,” “nemesis,” or “peer.”

Raised on a steady diet of fantasy novels, comic books, and Dungeons & Dragons, PETER V. BRETT has been writing fantasy stories for as long as he can remember. He received a bachelor of arts degree in English literature and art history from the University at Buffalo in 1995, then worked for a decade in pharmaceutical publishing before returning to his bliss. He lives in Manhattan.

Visit Peter online at www.petervbrett.com or follow him on Twitter @PVBrett.