Glossary (UNS)

A collection of common terms appearing in the Unnamed Story.

Gifted
A general term used to identify people who have active magical abilities or natures. The word preexists the classifications of witch and mage, and is used in Lunescent Canon to refer to all magiborn people collectively.

Knight
A soldier, traditionally honored by the Crown and raised a rank of minor peerage for service. The term has been split in recent years to signify both "true" knights, and the Temple's private military.

Mage
A Gifted person known to the Temple and authorized to use their magic for specific purposes. All magiborn are expected to present themselves to the High Council, in order to record the presence of magic and judge the level of threat inherent in that magic. Acceptable groups range from Nullmagi to Functional, displaying powers that are considered gainful to the population. Those displaying powers that are or could become harmful, or would be otherwise difficult to regulate, are classified under three headings: Nuisance, Hazard or Disaster class. Those belonging to these categories are unable to obtain licensing, and are therefore considered witches. The word "mage" is considered offensive in Corva, where magic-use is a greatly honored practice.

Magiborn
The offspring of an identified mage or witch. Used in a general sense to identify people with established magical heritage, whether Gifted or Null.

Nullmage
A mage with potential but without clear magical ability. This classification is given to people of magiborn backgrounds who display the presence of magic without any functional use or threat apparent. Nullmagi are able to obtain modified licenses declaring their status and the Temple's judgment of them as a non-threat, protecting them from arrest or prosecution for witchery.

Royal Knight
A soldier of distinction that has been recognized and decorated by the King of Kyravelle. Royal Knights are minor nobles, gifted with the honorific "Ser" before his or her first name. They often act as landholders or minor administrators, in addition to representing and enjoying the favor of their monarch. Considered to be "true" knights, though they are few and far-between.

Temple Knight
A class of highly-trained soldiers recruited by the Temple of Divine Revelation for the sake of peacekeeping among the magiborn population. "Knight" in this case is used as a class signifier, and is broken up into military brackets of rank (Private, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Commander, General). Temple Knights are not recognized as members of the peerage.

Witch
A class used by the Temple to identify unauthorized or unlicensed magic-users. Those who do not present themselves to the Temple for classification or otherwise are unqualified to be licensed are considered witches. Magiborn are permitted a grace period until the age of sixteen to present themselves, or else be placed in contempt of the Articles, unless inability or ignorance can be proven. The word has developed a bad connotation, and is used regularly by non-magic individuals to refer to all Gifted in general, licensed or not. Prior to the Temple's appropriation of the term, the word was used in Caspaine to describe people of a magical nature in a neutral sense.

Witchborn
A corrupted slang-form of the classification 'magiborn,' often used as an insult for people of magical heritage. This is especially prevalent for those with identified witches in their line, whether parents or siblings.

Kyravelle
The main setting of the Unnamed Story, located at the southwest of the continent and dominating the majority. The Road to the World. Kyravelle owns the largest number of trade-routes on the continent, and boasts a large number of races and languages. The land is made up of a large number of provinces, each with a specialty export, with the southeastern capital city of Aurora acting as one of the busiest and most vital ports in the world. The majority of native Kyravellans are pale or ruddy complected and dark-haired, with those descended from Caspaini and Ceresian migrants presenting as somewhat darker with more colored hair-types. The largest minority population in Kyravelle is Malvarian, with the second-largest being Alderan or of Alderan descent.

Alderon
Located to the northeast of Kyravelle, sharing its eastern border. Home of the Alderan nomadic tribes, a group made up of almost entirely magiborn people. Alderon is Kyravelle's oldest ally, and maintains a peace agreement with the Crown that ensures the safety of all Alderan people in the land, in return for martial support in times of war. Alderans range from brown to black in skintone, with dark hair textured best for braids and coils. The majority of Alderans have scarlet-brown eyes, aside from a small minority presenting with green.

Caspaine
Located to the north of Kyravelle, sharing its southern border with it, its western border with Corva, and its eastern border with Fortana. A protectorate of Corva through Syrganos, Caspaine is largely impoverished, making its money in fish-export and tropical plants. Its people are deeply superstitious, and share an antagonistic relationship with both their own magiborn and their sorcerer overlords in Syrganos. The Sea of Caspaine is central to the province, and the biggest salt-water body on the Continent. The population is largely brown and olive-tone, with hair-colors ranging from black to blond, with rare instances of red. They are prone to freckles.

Corva
Located to the northwest of Kyravelle and the west of Caspaine, separated on that border by the Black Iron Mountains. The Empire of Corva is the second largest country on the Continent, comprised of several smaller countries united during a distant war. Corva boasts the largest population of magiborn outside of Alderon, and the use of magic is considered not only an art, but a mark of inherent nobility. Their language is notoriously complex; the average Corvite speaks no less than three languages--one for each class they interact with--the ruling nobles speaking all seven fluently. The people of Corva are divided into two denominations: the fair, dark-haired Elysians and the swarthy, clear-eyed Ceresians. The majority of Corvites are biracial, leaning more or less toward Elysian.

Fortana
Located far to the northeast of Kyravelle, and north to Alderon. Fortana is taxed by a relentless a desert climate, high temperatures and regular sandstorms making life difficult for the nomadic tribes of the region. The country as a whole is stringently practical, eschewing the use of magic in favor of developing knowledge in medical science. Socially, Fortan people are governed by strict rules of courtesy, and many are pacifists, with the country as a whole boasting no military strength to speak of. Its people are dark-complected and often fair-haired.

The Malvary Isles
Located off the west coast of the mainland, and comprised of four small islands, gathered around a much larger one.

Riverenbeck
To be added

Syrganos
To be added

The Arcane Guard
The foot-soldiers of the Temple, serving mostly as day-to-day observers and regulators. They can be enlisted as support troops by Temple Knights, and answer to them in the chain of command. Their major purpose is the monitoring of their respective towns, identifying and escalating instances of illegal magic and law-breaking to their superiors, and suppressing lesser threats as they can. They have no judicial power.

The Bariykacha
The Alderan Royal Guard, named for the Vot word meaning "barricade." They acted as elite bodyguards to the Royal Family, dispatched as a sign of good will under the Treaty of the Roses. The Bariykacha quit the land of Kyravelle in response to the establishment of the Order, and the Crown's support of it.

The Order of Adavarion
The military force of the Temple, charged with peacekeeping, and the capture and punishment of witches. Established by King Tarrant, as an added measure of security against the growing, unbridled magical population and general unrest. Named for Adavarion, God of War and protector of Soleris. Its members are referred to properly as Knights of Adavarion, but more often than not, they are called Temple Knights.

The Order of the Rose
The official guild of soldiers knighted by the King of Kyravelle, in recognition of excellence and service.

The Rose Guard
Successor to the King's Guard, fashioned after the Bariykacha and acting as the king's personal retinue and populated entirely by Royal Knights.

The Sentinelle
An elite branch of the Imperial Corvite military, and the most powerful martial force in Corva. Comparable to the Knights of Adavarion, with the exception that their ranks are entirely populated by combat-trained sorcerers.

The Temple
Properly named "The Temple of Divine Revelation." The largest religious authority in Kyravelle, representing its most prominent religion, the Solerian Path. The Temple is charged with the moderation of the magic, and holds sole power over both the licensing and prosecution of magiborn. The Temple worships the Architect of the World, and his son, Soleris, Lord of the Day.

Lorekeeper
An unavowed member of the Temple clergy, though not officially a cleric, charged with the memorization and recitation of Temple Canon. Lorekeepers assist evangelists in educating the masses through storytelling. Most are valued for their performative skill, whether singing, pantomime or just skill in weaving the tale.

Repentant
A person of magiborn stock who submits themselves to Temple service, in order to "repent" for the stain of their magical blood. Repentants trade menial service in return for room and board. They can hold no rank higher than lorekeeper, and are not members of the cleric caste.

The Lunesce Path
Also called the Path of Night. A smaller branch of the Divinian religion that worships the goddess, Lunescene, and looks upon Soleris with disfavor. Its members are viewed as heretics by the Temple, and their teachings are considered blasphemy. It is widely observed in Corva, where magic is revered, and often embraced by disenfranchised witches in all parts of the world. Its adherents refer to themselves as Lunescents, and consider themselves to be her "children," referring to Lunesce herself as the Great Lady.

The Solerian Path
Also called the Path of Light. A branch of the Divinian religion that worships the god, Soleris, and looks upon Lunesce (and by connection, most or all magiborn) with contempt. Considered by the Temple to be a more zealous outlier, they are nonetheless considered part of the Divinian congregation. Adherents of the Path refer to themselves as Solerian. Many consider themselves to be descendents of Soleris' first people.

The Ternion
The three leaders of the Temple, who collectively rule upon matters of Temple Canon and magical law. The trio is made up of the Proceptor (charged with education and head of the clergy), the Mason (architecture and supply) and the Arbiter (magical law and judgment).