Glossary of terms in Born Of Wind:
This list may provide useful and/or fun, for those currently reading:
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Ahnn'yaeh: “get lost”, Hyish language.
Algae-fur creatures: Any animal, often native in the forests, that has algae fur, which allows for nutrient-gain via photosynthesis.
Arctic City: northern city inhabited by Meruyan and Warix.
Arash'sha: “excuse me”, Hyish language.
Blue root tea: common breakfast tea, native to the southern Meruyan territory with a Sweet-tangy pungent smell. Sentimental to Meleena’s childhood.
Bulbub tree: tall forest trees with sheet-like (willowy) vines, night-glowing bark, and edible roots.
Bramble Sheep: docile, domesticated land creature farmed for the berries growing from its back, fibrous spiny outer fur, and meat.
Bronze (tech): secondary valuable metal alloy, used as a cheaper catalyst for wind energy, but less efficient than copper.
by sought after and mined by Warix due to its catalytic properties, enhancing wind-energy and serving as a basis for their technology. (see wind-tech).
Copper (tech): valuable metal, sought after and mined by Warix due to its catalytic properties, enhancing wind-energy and serving as a basis for their technology. (see wind-tech).
Desh’Ja: “we are”, Hyish language.
Desh’Ju: “you are”, Hyish language.
Desh’Ju Warix?: “Are you a Warix?”, Hyish language.
Dlawn’Edo: capital city of Meruyan, in a forested mountain waterfall basin, protected from Warix attack. Historically was a monastery.
“Do fish have fins”: Meruyan expression to relay obviousness.
Earth Spirit: unnamed fabled spirit, original creator of all the humanoid creatures.
“Fish-kisser!”: Meruyan expression for one who overly flatters or humors someone for personal gain.
Fleeg street: commercial center of Sen’Drorn city. Where Flax lives, working for Borak’s engineering shop.
Fire Spirit: unnamed fabled spirit who endowed the Hyish with their spit-fire ability and fire-resistant scales.
Flower-maned lion: large land predator. Among Warix, symbolic of power. (See Sen’Drorn Flag).
Gebuk’Desa: one of the northern hilly villages on Warix land, where Meruyan live and work.
Gommwood: a deer-like creature that looks like an orchard of dead, leafless trees when gathering to graze in large, open spaces. Dangerous: loud sounds scare them into stampeding, earning them the name “quiet forest” and inspiring legends of missing people.
Great Split, The: infamous event where a rebellious third of the Warix people left the Sen’Drorn Nation and split off to form the Sen’Prin Nation, triggering the current political instability. Eighteen years ago from present.
H’th’ka’Ja: : “thank you”, Hyish language, literally: “we are gracious”
Hyish (People): humanoid race, originally creations of earth spirit, blessed by fire spirit. Reptilian, most numerous, live everywhere in tribal villages. Glass-blowing experts due to their spit-fire and resistant scales. Said to be unconquerable, due to their fighting spirit and ability to come together in large numbers. Loyal to other Hyish above others; also love shiny riches.
“Inhale the ocean”: Meruyan expression for taking on too much to an impossible extent.
Jade Desert: location for Hyish trading post where the Jade Hyish Clan dwells; Where Sen’Prin spies, Flax and Thian, are seen looking for the lost pendant.[JL1]
Journey of Future Leaders: a journey undertaken by the top few students chosen for the coveted Council apprenticeship, to learn more of their world and prove themselves worthy to join the governance in the top tier of society.
Kelpie: water-horse, hostile except to Meruyan, who share a bond and have domesticated them for riding and carrying loads. They bite Warix and won’t permit them to ride, which is why the Warix banned them in the northern villages. [JL2]
Kelpweave: clothing material worn by Meruyan, allowing for easy transition between land and sea. Harvested by special fine-bred kelp, farmed underwater. In contrast, Warix wear leather and plant-based fibers. Meruyan wear Warix clothing only when living on their land, therefore can’t easily go underwater, thus living unnaturally.
Light of the Meruyans Festival: event celebrating the start of summer and the end of study for young Meruyans coming of age; on this night, Councilmembers assign apprenticeships to determine their future vocations.
May’Fee clan: prominent Hyish clan, wealthy nomads on the pulse of inter-group politics. Their flag is a black and white serpent skull. (see Hyish nomads)
Meruyan (People): humanoid race, originally creations of earth spirit, blessed by water spirit to become a aquatic people who can breathe underwater with rib gills. Live underwater and by the seashore. Their photosynthetic hair gathers energy from the sun and floats in air. Various shades of greens and blues for hair and skin. When they get wet, fins spawn from their forearms and legs. Those living underwater for very long acquire tube worms, barnacles, mollusks on their bodies, as well as webbed extremities and shoulder spines. Wear Kelpweave clothes to accommodate land and sea.
Meruyan Language: original language of Meruyan, used underwater and composed of clicks.
Meruyan Council: ruling members of the united Meruyan governance, headquartered [JL3] in the Meruyan capital city.
Meruyan Council Historian: Village local, appointed by the Meruyan Council to document and report on notable happenings.
Meruyan Nation Flag: blue-green wave, merging of land and sea.
Meruyan Villages (Southern): Meruyan-sovereign land village in the southern bay, by the shore and undersea. (see Pontai’Desa).
Meruyan Villages (Northern): Meruyan villages under Warix-dominion, more inland, tropical climate for best year-round crop growing (see Gebuk’Desa).
Muul’dre: harmless forest herbivore, thin legs, with scales that glisten to alarm if in danger.
Na ga sshhek: “it is over there”, Hyish language.
Nectar sprig: small flying pollinator of plants, nectar drinking griffon. Symbolic among Warix of altruism and collaboration. (see Sen’Prin Flags).
Ne Mayfee na lang?: “where is Mayfee's tent?”, Hyish language.
Neutolyth: Giant, shelled semi-aquatic, tentacled beast of burden used in Meruyan farming.
Netic: cactus-lizard [JL4] creature domesticated by the Hyish. The creature retracts its full body spikes only for a Hyish rider, due to their shared reptilian bond.
Noyade (Water Spirit): fabled water spirit, worshiped by the Meruyan, who Blessed them with water breathing, fins, to make them aquatic humanoids.
Nushenyu (Wind Spirit): fabled wind spirit who bestowed the Warix with their wind abilities, and in turn worshipped as a Warix goddess.
“Nushenyu’s blessings!”: Warix greeting or exclamation.
“Oyster-brain”: Meruyan expression for calling someone stupid.
“Oysters!”: Meruyan exclamation.
Pontai’Desa: one of the southern Meruyan villages, where our hero hails from.[JL5]
Pon-Urchin: giant sea urchins adapted to living on land, farmed by Meruyan for meat and carapace.
“Praise the waves”: Meruyan expression for happiness, good fortune, or relief.
Rash’Ju Warix?: “Do you understand Warix?”, Hyish language.
Rock Lobster: breed of lobster that never stops growing, said to live for hundreds of years. Said to make good companion animals for Meruyan, due to their strength and loyalty.
Sen’Drorn City: largest city of the Sen’Drorn Warix. Built on a steep cliff, full of winding angles, with buildings of volcanic rock, designed to get around with wind energy. The fortress at the top is headquarters for the Emperor and his ruling elites.
Sen’Drorn Elder-Advisors: the elite few who decide on the policies of the Sen’Drorn nation.
Sen’Drorn Emperor: the ruling power of the stronger Warix nation. Elected by the elite council, chosen for battle prowess, he decides on expansion plans with the aim of bringing prosperity and a high standard of living to the people of his nation.
Sen’Drorn Flag: depicts the flower-mane lion, strong and fierce, and represents power.
Sen’Drorn Warix Nation: larger nation of Warix, older and established.
“Sen’Drorn” (linguistic): Warix language, ‘sen’ meaning ‘loyal’, ‘drorn’ meaning ‘to the state’.
Sen’Prin City: the city of the Sen’Prin Warix nation, established when the people fled. Built inside a steep forested gorge, on a series of bamboo bridges, it provides the natural protection from invasion that allows their survival.
Sen’Prin Flag: depicts the Nectar sprig pollinating the resting flower-maned lion. Represents compassion as a balance of power.
Sen’Prin Governess: leads the small nation and its defensive military and spy network; current governess is also the first.
Sen’Prin Warix Nation: smaller nation of Warix, split-off from the first, who fight for better Meruyan rights, created and led by governess Arenay.
“Sen’Prin” (linguistic): Warix language, ‘sen’ meaning ‘loyal’, ‘prin’ meaning ‘to the people’.
Sssuhan: “Dirty liar”, Hyish language.
Sssuh'Ju nels: “You cheated him”, Hyish language.
“Storm and thunder!”: Warix expression of disbelief or indignation.
“The turnip calls the carrot dirty”: Meruyan expression for hypocrite.
Uhn, ghha: “yes, okay”, Hyish language.
Underwater City, The: last remaining large Meruyan underwater civilization.
Vangrot: small, climbing, chattering creatures, dangerous for often stealing food. Live in a broad range of locations.
Vendengire: a Warix town not far from Sen’Drorn, which was secretly taken as a Sen’Prin outpost.
Warix (People): humanoid race, originally creations of earth spirit, blessed by wind spirit. Can manipulate the wind, and use it as a basis for their technology (see wind-tech). They have horns to sense the wind, and if cut, disables their abilities for up to a week until regrowth. Eyes, hair and skin colors resemble a fall forest, with shades of brown, bronze, reds, yellows, and shades of purples, white and black. A curious people, they often explore in search of better resource opportunities, and seek to dominate others they meet. The Warix people are currently split into two antagonistic nations (see Sen’Drorn and Sen’Prin).
“Warm sands welcome”: Hyish greeting, in the Warix language.
“What in Nushenyu’s storms is going on”: Warix expression of surprise.
Wind Goddess Pendant: a legendary, ancient, carved pendant shaped like a ram’s head, said to contain the trapped spirit of wind. The Warix nations seek it out, hoping she will help end their stalemate and fight for their side.
Wind-Tech: tech based on copper as a catalyst, where wind is blown through small tubes to enhance its effect on the other side. Energy can be stored inside motors to generate electricity, powering lights and gadgets. The highest quality power comes from more intricate surface areas created, such as copper bent into spirals, therefore the most skilled engineers are masters of crafting delicate artistry.
Wristcomm: Warix tech, wind-up gadget that clasps to the wrist and uses radio waves to communicate afar. Standard in the military and council in all nations, otherwise not as common among civilians. Very few Meruyan own one; only top government Meruyan council-members.