The Wooden Prince (35 page)

The wind hit the sails hard, pushing the boat forward so fast that they were all knocked off their feet. All except for Mezmer, who held the wheel and howled, “Hold on, my darlings!”

The rushing wave and bellowing wind shot the ship past the massive teeth of the Deep One, straight out into a tropical blue sky. The ship rocked side to side among the clouds until the sails billowed and caught the wind.

Pinocchio stood, facing the south with the warm sun in his face and the turquoise ocean stretching into the distance. Geppetto put his arm around him, giving him an excited squeeze. One by one, the others gathered around them, staring out to the horizon, each hoping to be the first to set eyes on the enchanted island realm.

What lay ahead? Pinocchio wasn't sure. But he was glad for his companions, glad for his family, glad they were going home.

“TO ABATON!” Pinocchio roared.

The others cheered, their voices together as one. “TO ABATON!”

ABATON
. An island in the uncharted reaches of the southern Indian Ocean, ruled by the immortal magician-king
Prester John
. While legends circulated for many centuries prior, Abaton was not discovered until the late thirteenth century by the merchant Marco Polo, although how Polo passed the Deep One to reach Abaton is the subject of much historical debate. Abaton has no human inhabitants, and very few humans have ever set foot on the island. All magic now found around the known world originates from Abaton and its
elementals
.

ABATONIAN DIASPORA
.
Abatonians
who emigrated to the
humanlands
after trade began with
Abaton
. Most of the Abatonian diaspora are
elementals
and
chimera
, but a few human kingdoms have allowed other species to enter, often with dangerous consequences.

ABATONIANS
. The nonhuman races of creatures native to the island kingdom of
Abaton
. Many (e.g.,
elementals
and
chimera
) are humanoid. Others include talking animals as well as a great menagerie of monstrous species.
Elemental
and
chimera
Abatonians now live in nearly all human kingdoms around the world (see
Abatonian diaspora
), although only in the
Venetian Empire
are Abatonians regarded as a slave class.

AIRMEN, IMPERIAL
. A division of soldiers in the
Venetian Empire
's military. In addition to long-range muskets and weightless armor, airmen are issued mechanical wings originally designed by the renowned
alchemist
Leonardo da Vinci.

ALCHEMIST
. A practitioner of
alchemy
. As humans, alchemists possess no natural magical powers over the elements, so they must work with
elemental
assistants to manufacture their alchemical designs using the laws of
transmutation
. Alchemists are able to integrate the various
elemental
powers in order to give technology extraordinary new functions. A rare few of the most talented alchemists have learned to use minor
elemental
beings (e.g.,
salamanders
) to perform alchemy without the assistance of a major
elemental
.

ALCHEMY
. A branch of human science devoted to engineering and design based on the
transmutation
of materials into magical states using elemental powers. Alchemical technology is almost exclusively found in the
Venetian Empire
, which closely guards the secrets of its workings.

ANCIENTMOST PEARL, THE
. The mysterious object that is
Prester John
's source of immortality and magical power. In the
humanlands
it is also called the Philosopher's Stone, since Prester John is the great “philosopher” of
Abaton
whose magic is the foundation for Venice's
alchemy
.

AUTOMA
. Alchemical machines, made of wood and gears, that look like humans, act with limited independence, and are used throughout the
Venetian Empire
as servants and guards, especially by the wealthy.

BASE METALS
. Metals, including lead, iron, nickel, and zinc, that are not found in
Abaton
.
Abatonians
cannot stand contact with any base metals. The
alchemists
of the
Venetian Empire
discovered that these metals weaken
Abatonian
magic and thus disrupt alchemical technology. Only transmuted alloys of gold, silver, and copper are used in
alchemy
. The
Abatonian diaspora
living in the
humanlands
primarily use weapons and tools made of bronze.

CATCHFOOLS
. A well-guarded district in the city of Venice where
Abatonian
elemental
and
chimera
slaves are confined away from the human citizenry.

CHAMELEON CLOAK
. A non-alchemical magical item more commonly found outside the
Venetian Empire
that allows the wearer to become nearly invisible, as the fabric of the cloak assumes the appearance of the adjacent surroundings. The cloaks were first brought to the
humanlands
by
gnomes
with the
Abatonian diaspora
.

CHIMERA
. A nonmagical humanoid race of
Abatonians
who share both human and animal features. Generally called
half-beasts
by humans of the
Venetian Empire
, as well as in many other human kingdoms.

DEEP ONE, THE
. The colossal sea monster that guards the waters of the Indian Ocean around
Abaton
. The Deep One is one of the four rumored primeval monsters that, according to legend, spawned the elemental races of Abaton, and the only one known to humans.

DJINNI
(
pl.
djinn
)
.
One of the four races of humanoid
elementals
of
Abaton
. Djinn are fire
elementals
and exhibit magical powers over heat and flame. Like their lesser
elemental
cousins,
salamanders
, djinn can grow new limbs when they are severed; the process often takes months to years, however.

DOGE
. The title of the ruler of the
Venetian Empire
. Although the doge was an elected leader when Venice was a republic, after the large influx of
Abatonians
into the empire during the fourteenth century, the doge became the crowned emperor and the highest leader of all military, political, and daily affairs in the empire. The doge's wife holds the title of dogaressa.

DONKEY CARTS
. Wagons equipped with mechanical legs to maneuver over rough terrain—an inexpensive mode of transportation used in the
Venetian Empire
. The mechanical donkey heads attached at the front are often built by second-rate
alchemists
from the parts of out-of-use
automa
.

ELEMENTALS
. Magical beings, originating from
Abaton,
that draw their powers from the elements: air, earth, fire, and water. The four major races are intelligent humanoids:
sylphs
(air),
gnomes
(earth),
djinn
(fire), and
undines
(water). Some minor, nonsentient species of elemental creatures also exhibit magical powers, including
pixies
(air),
pygmies
(earth),
salamanders
(fire), and
naiads
(water). Rumors state that there are also four primeval elemental monsters, although, aside from
the Deep One
, little is known about these creatures, even in Abaton.

ELIXIR
. A potion, derived from the properties of a
fantom
, that extends life.

FAIRY
. A disparaging term, along with
blue fairy
, used by humans in the
Venetian Empire
(and in other human kingdoms) to refer to a
sylph
.

FANTOM
. The principal mechanism that animates an
automa
. The fantom was first designed by the
alchemist
Leonardo da Vinci in the late fifteenth century. Composed primarily of transmuted gold, fantoms are the only alchemical creations that require the assistance of all four
elemental
races.

FEALTY COLLAR
. A collar of transmuted bronze that tightens to the point of strangulation if the wearer tries to pass certain alchemied barriers. The collars are placed upon many
Abatonian
slaves in the
Venetian Empire
to prevent escape.

FEALTY KEY
. A specially designed key that allows one to activate an
automa
's obedience functions by inserting the key in the
fealty lock
.

FEALTY LOCK
. A mechanism found at the back of an
automa
's neck. Once the
fealty key
is inserted and turned, the
automa
follows all orders presented by its master. If the
automa
has confusion about its orders or begins to malfunction, an elongated nose shows that the
automa
should be repaired or destroyed.

FEALTY PAPERS
. Official documents issued by the
Venetian Empire
to all
Abatonian
slaves to prove ownership and identify to which citizen, family, alchemical workshop, or governmental branch the
elemental
or
chimera
belongs.

FIRE EATER
. A disparaging term used by humans in the
Venetian Empire
(and in other human kingdoms) to refer to a
djinni
.

FLYING CARPET
. A magical item banned throughout the
Venetian Empire
. Flying carpets were first introduced to the
humanlands
in the Arabian Sultanates by
sylph
immigrants.

FLYING LION
. An alchemical war machine, in the form of a winged lion, used by the
Venetian Empire
's military. The design is based on the emblem of Venice.

FORTEZZA DUCALE, THE
. The floating fortress and imperial palace of the
doge
of the
Venetian Empire
. Originally the palace sat upon foundations in the lower city, adjacent to the cathedral of Saint Mark. After several attacks upon the city by
chimera
mercenaries serving the Habsburg Empire, Venice's
alchemists
had the masonry transmuted and added gearwork propellers (the largest ever built) to make the Fortezza hover and to better defend the city.

GNOME
. One of the four races of humanoid
elementals
of
Abaton
. As earth
elementals
, gnomes exhibit magical powers over metal, rock, and other materials of the earth. Because their flesh has a consistency similar to clay, gnomes can split apart at will into smaller versions of themselves, as well as fuse back together.

HALF-BEAST
. A derogatory term used by humans in the
Venetian Empire
(and in other human kingdoms) to refer to a
chimera
.

HUMANLANDS
. All kingdoms and civilizations around the world, with the exception of
Abaton
.

HUNTER'S GLASS, THE
. One of the four glass globes, each with unique magical properties, made by the ancient
undine
magi of
Abaton.
It shows in which direction a missing object is when the object is visualized in the mind of the one holding it.

LEAD
.
See
base metals.