Doppelganger (53 page)
Edame—Fire Hand. Domain adviser to Lord Iseman and Lady Terica of Haira.
Eikyo—a witch-student in her twenty-fifth year. A friend of Miryo's. Intends to join the Earth Heart.
Elements—the substances that make up the world. Each has a variety of symbolic associations. The five Elements are Fire, Air, Water, Earth, and Void.
Fire—one of the five Elements. Fire is associated with the Maiden. Among the witches, the Fire Ray serves the rulers of the land as advisers.
First—the third chime of the clock, corresponding to 6 a.m.
Freelance—a term used for Hunters who work for hire in short-term jobs.
Governor—an individual who rules over a region of a domain, answering to a Lord or Lady.
Hand—one of the three Paths. Witches of the Hand carry out the work of their Ray, usually in other domains.
Head—one of the three Paths. Witches of the Head conduct the research and recordkeeping of their Ray, often in Starfall or one of the domain halls.
Heart—one of the three Paths. Witches of the Heart are the organizational and administrative structure of their Ray, and often live in Starfall.
High—the fifth chime of the clock, corresponding to noon.
Hinusoka—a witch-student. Died during the final test of passage.
Hunter—an individual trained by one of the Hunter schools. Hunters may be trained in a specialty, such as spying, assassination, bodyguarding, or mercenary soldiering, or they may generalize. Some are bonded; others are freelance. All Hunters are highly skilled at individual combat. Their training lasts for ten years, ending at the age of twenty.
Ice—a Hunter of Thornblood. Year-mate of Lion. A longstanding enemy of Mirage's.
Itsumen—Key of the Void Hand.
Iseman—the Lord of Haira, and husband of Terica. A devout Avannan.
Jaguar—the Grandmaster of Silverfire.
Kai—the honorific used for an unranked witch of the Air Ray.
Kasora—the honorific used for a Key of the Air Ray.
Katsu—the honorific used for a witch of unknown or undecided affiliation.
Kekkai—Key of the Fire Heart. Successor to Tari. Kerestel—the former name of Eclipse.
Key—a witch who leads a Path. A new Prime is selected from among the ranks of the Keys of the appropriate Ray.
Kimeko—Key of the Void Heart.
Kobach—a noble, now deceased. Tried to usurp the lordship of Liak from Narevoi. Killed by Mirage in Haira.
Koika—Prime of the Earth Ray.
Lady—the ruler of a domain, if female; the highest political rank.
Last—the eighth chime of the clock, corresponding to 9 p.m.
Late—the seventh chime of the clock, corresponding to 6 p.m.
Light—the sixth chime of the clock, corresponding to 3 p.m.
Linea—the Lady of Abern.
Lion—a Hunter of Thornblood. Year-mate and lover of Ice.
Lionra—the seneschal of Haira Keep.
Lord—the ruler of a domain, if male; the highest political rank.
Low—the first chime of the clock, corresponding to midnight.
Mai—the honorific used for an unranked witch of the Water Ray.
Maiden—the youngest Aspect of the Goddess, associated with youth and the Element of Fire.
Makiza—the honorific used for a Key of the Water Ray.
Marell—a Silverfire agent. Stationed in Chiero.
Man—the honorific used for the Prime of the Water Ray.
Menukyo—a witch. According to legend, the eldest daughter of Misetsu.
Mid—the fourth chime of the clock, corresponding to 9 a.m.
Mimre—the Lord of Seach.
Mirage—a Hunter of Silverfire. Year-mate of Eclipse. Formerly called Seniade.
Miryo—a witch-student in her twenty-fifth year. Daughter of Kasane.
Misetsu—the first witch. A holy woman in the area now called Starfall who received the gift of magic for her piety.
Morisuke—Void Head. Stationed in Samalan to provide information to witches traveling to or from Starfall.
Mother—the third Aspect of the Goddess, associated with family and the Element of Water.
Nai—the honorific used for an unranked witch of the Fire Ray.
Nakana—the honorific used for a Key of the Fire Ray.
Nalochkans—members of a religious sect that denies the Warrior Aspect of the Goddess.
Narevoi—the Lord of Liak.
Narika—Air Head. Often works to recruit new witches into the Air Ray.
Nasha—a Silverfire agent. Stationed in Handom. Nayo—the honorific used for the Prime of the Fire Ray. Nenikune—Void Heart. Keeps the Starfall infirmary. Onomita—Key of the Fire Head.
Path—one of the three divisions of a Ray, each dedicated to a different function. The three Paths are the Hand, the Head, and the Heart. A Path is led by a Key.
Perachi—Water Hand. Serves the people of Samalan.
Prime—a witch who leads a Ray. Together, the five Primes rale the domain of Starfall, and the witches who serve in other domains.
Ralni—the Lord of Insebrar. Rana—Prime of the Water Ray.
Ray—one of the five divisions used among the witches, corresponding to the Elements. Each Ray serves a different subset of the world. A Ray is led by a Prime.
Ruriko—Void Heart. Secretary to Satomi.
Ryll—one of two court artists employed at Haira Keep. Specializes in portraits.
Sai—a Cousin. Assigned to aid Miryo in her search.
Sareen—second highest-ranking performing member of the
Satomi—Prime of the Void Ray.
Seniade—the former name of Mirage.
Shimi—Prime of the Air Ray.
Silverfire—one of the Hunter schools, training freelancers who do a variety of work. Their school is located a short distance away from Elensk in Miest. They have a longstanding rivalry with Thornblood.
Slip—a Hunter of Silverfire, retired from active work. Twin of Wisp. Jaguar's secretary.
Stoneshadow—one of the Hunter schools, training bonded assassins, who are often employed by Lords or other powerful figures.
Talon—a Hunter of Silverfire, retired from active work. Teaches unarmed combat at the school.
Tangle—a Hunter of Cloudhawk. Served Lord Cano of Razi; killed by Wraith.
Tari—Key of the Fire Heart Path; now deceased.
Terica—the Lady of Haira, and wife of Iseman. A devout Avannan.
Thornblood—one of the Hunter schools, training freelancers who do a variety of work. Their school is located north of Angrim in Abern. They have a longstanding rivalry with Silverfire.
Tomichu—Void Head. Keeps the common library at Star-fall.
Tothe—one of two court artists employed at Haira Keep. Specializes in landscapes.
Tsue—
a
Cousin.
Ueda—Key of the Earth Heart.
Viper—a Hunter of Silverfire.
Void—one of the five Elements. Void is associated with the Warrior. Among the witches, the Void Ray serves the witches themselves, handling the internal affairs of Star-fall and its people. Alone among the Elements, Void does not make up a part of the physical world, but rather represents that which is not the world. Warrior—the fifth Aspect of the Goddess, associated with death, warfare, and the element of the Void. Alone among the Aspects, she does not stand for a stage in the cycle of life, but rather for the end of that life.
Water—one of the five Elements. Water is associated with the Mother. Among the witches, the Water Ray serves the common people of the land, often living in the larger villages and towns to heal diseases and handle other problems.
Willow
—a Hunter of Silverfire. Year-mate of Mirage and Eclipse.
Windblade—one of the Hunter schools, training freelance bodyguards. Their school is located south of Angrim in Abern.
Wisp—a Hunter of Silverfire, retired from active work. Twin of Slip. Stationed as an agent in Angrim.
Wolfstar—
one of the Hunter schools
, training freelance assassins.
Wraith—a Hunter of Wolfstar. Assassinated Lady Anade of Razi.
Yaryoki—Void Hand. Stationed in Aystad. Yuri—Water Head. Teaches history at Starfall.
Marie Brennan holds an undergraduate degree in archaeology and folklore from Harvard and is now pursuing a Ph.D. in anthropology and folklore at
Doppelganger
is her first novel; she's currently at work on the sequel. More information on the novels and her short stories may be found at
http://www.swantower.com
.