04 shadowheart tad williams

Table of Contents Title Page Copyright Page Acknowledgements PART ONE - THE KNOTTED ROPE Chapter - A Cold Fever Chapter - A Letter from Erasmias Jino Chapter - Seal of War Chapter - The Deep Library Chapter - Haunters of the Deeps Chapter - The Tree in the Crypt Chapter - The Battle of Kleaswell Market Chapter - And All His Little Fishes Chapter - The Thing with Claws Chapter 10 - Fools Lose the Game Chapter 11 - Two Prisoners Chapter 12 - Willow Chapter 13 - A Glimpse of the Pit Chapter 14 - The Queen of the Fay PART TWO - THE TORTOISE Chapter 15 - Heresies Chapter 16 - A Cage for a King Chapter 17 - Defending the Mystery Chapter 18 - Exiles and Firstborn Chapter 19 - Mummery Chapter 20 - Words from the Burned Land Chapter 21 - Call of the Cuttlehorn Chapter 22 - Damnation Gate Chapter 23 - A Storm of Wings Chapter 24 - Disobedient Soldiers Chapter 25 - Tooth and Bone Chapter 26 - By the Light of Burning Ships Chapter 27 - Full of the Stuff Chapter 28 - Better Than Expected PART THREE - THE OWL Chapter 29 - A Little Man of Stone Chapter 30 - Slipping on Blood Chapter 31 - The Gate to Funderling Town Chapter 32 - A Coin to Pay the Passage Chapter 33 - Spearpoint Chapter 34 - Coming Home Chapter 35 - His Dearie-Dove Chapter 36 - When the Knife Falls Chapter 37 - The Blood of a God Chapter 38 - A Visitor to Death’s Estate Chapter 39 - The Very Old Thing Chapter 40 - Fiery Laughter Chapter 41 - Snakes and Spiders Chapter 42 - The Pale Blade Chapter 43 - Fever Egg Chapter 44 - The Screaming Stars PART FOUR - THE PINE TREE Chapter 45 - Only in Dreams Chapter 46 - The Guttering Candle Chapter 47 - Death of the Eddons Chapter 48 - By the Dark River Chapter 49 - Two Boats Chapter 50 - Cuckoo in the Nest Chapter 51 - A Shared Admiration Chapter 52 - The Crooked Piece Chapter 53 - Shadowplayers Chapter 54 - Evergreen Epilude Appendix Appendix DAW Books Presents The Finest in Imaginative Fiction by TAD WILLIAMS SHADOWMARCH SHADOWMARCH SHADOWPLAY SHADOWRISE SHADOWHEART TAILCHASER’S SONG THE WAR OF THE FLOWERS MEMORY, SORROW AND THORN THE DRAGONBONE CHAIR STONE OF FAREWELL TO GREEN ANGEL TOWER OTHERLAND CITY OF GOLDEN SHADOW RIVER OF BLUE FIRE MOUNTAIN OF BLACK GLASS SEA OF SILVER LIGHT Vansen and Finn Teodoros were deep in a slightly frog-mouthed discussion about the Qar, comparing their experiences, Vansen’s mostly personal, Teodoros’ mostly learned from study Nevin Hewney, perhaps depressed by the lack of available female company or just overcome by all the wine he had downed, had fallen asleep between the two of them, so that they both had to lean forward to talk around his bobbing, bearded head “ But Phayallos says that when the gods walked the earth they could take any form, so why should Zosim, if it truly was him, not simply take the form of a bird or a fiery arrow and fly out of the deeps that way?” Vansen shook his head firmly, then shook it again “Because because curse it, Teodoros, I don’t know Why should I? He was a god! If you’d have been there, you could have asked him.” “I am not so brave, Captain ” Briony, who had been admiring Ferras Vansen’s face, the almost child-like earnestness that appeared so quickly even when he looked his most mature and handsome, did not notice for some moments that Matt Tinwright was standing beside her, swaying slightly from side to side “Yes, Master Tinwright?” “Are you you still I did not want to hurt your brother, Princess Truly I didn’t .” “I know, Tinwright That’s why you are standing free here before me, drunk to the gills on my good Perikal red wine.” He frowned “I thought that Hewney brought the wine ” “We’ve moved on to the royal stores long ago,” she said “You should sit down again, man, before you fall and hurt yourself.” “I I wanted to talk to you, Princess Briony To thank you for making me your poet.” She smiled “You are welcome.” “I have a question.” He licked his lips, clearly uneasy “Do you remember that that I was writing a poem about you? How you were like Zoria?” She nodded, although the memory was very vague indeed It hadn’t been very good was all she could recall “Of course, Master Tinwright.” He smiled in relief “Well, I was thinking I might go back to it but I was thinking That’s what I was doing—thinking about the poem I was thinking that I couldn’t make a poem about you that didn’t have anything about about, you know, the things that happened Here and while you were in Syan I’ve been asking people Trying to find out the truth.” “I’ll be happy to answer your questions, Matt,” she said kindly “But not tonight Tonight is for merriment.” “I know!” He waved his hands as though accused of theft “But I was thinking and thinking about how the whole thing has been like well, like one of Finn’s or Nevin’s plays from the very first.” “I’m not certain I understand.” She looked over to Vansen and Teodoros, still talking like fast friends—or maybe Finn just fancied her guard captain She could hardly blame him “Like a play?” “All of it Like a puppet play Someone was always behind everything we saw From what I’m told ” he screwed up his face, trying hard to get it right, “from what I’m told, Zosim was behind it all, pretending to be Kernios But Hendon Tolly thought it was someone else, a goddess—he sometimes seemed to think it was Zoria herself! But it was all Zosim wearing disguises, you see? Just like a player!” “I suppose ” “All of it like a play You were a princess, but you disguised yourself, just as in so many stories The villain of the piece hid in the shadows and had others his bidding, like that southern king, that autarch That’s just like one of Hewney’s plays, too But what really made me stop and wonder was when I thought, ‘but if Zosim was behind it all, but he was beaten in the end who did that?’” Briony, a little the worse for wear herself after several cups of Perikal, could only shake her head “Who did what?” “Beat Zosim Tricked him and defeated him.” “Well, the boy Flint, that I told you about earlier he claims that part of Crooked lives inside him .” “Exactly!” said Tinwright loudly, then blushed “Yes, Highness And when you told me that, I really got to thinking You know the stories from the old days about how Kupilas beat Kernios and Zosim both, right here!” He frowned “I mean, down underneath the earth You know, don’t you?” “I have heard many stories in the last year But yes, I know about what Kupilas was supposed to have done to Kernios and Zosim and the rest.” “But who else was there all the time? Who else was present when that all happened?” Briony was beginning to wonder if it might be time to end the festivities “I don’t know, Master Tinwright Whom?” He smiled in pink-cheeked triumph “Zoria was—Zoria, the Dawnflower She was there Kernios killed her for betraying him—or at least that’s what the stories say But what if she didn’t die, like Zosim didn’t die? What if she stayed alive in those whatever places?” She looked at him and realized that he was not quite as drunk as he looked “It’s it’s a fascinating idea, Master Tinwright ” “It was your Zorian prayer book that saved me from your archer, you know.” He said the words very carefully, then smiled when he had successfully navigated the sentence “It was over my heart and stopped the bolt Zoria’s hand Your prayer book Do you see?” Briony didn’t know what to say “I suppose ” “Very well One last question, Princess I heard you’re building a shrine to the forest goddess Lisiya Can I ask you why?” “Demigoddess Because because I promised if I survived that I would build one for her I would rather not say anything more about it Why you ask?” He nodded “Can I show you something I found in a book?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thin volume, then fumbled it open “It’s written by Phayallos He wrote a lot about the gods ” Tinwright squinted as he turned pages “Ah, here it is.” He cleared his throat “ And these goddesses and demigoddesses, especially Lisiya of the Silver Glade and her sisters, were commonly called the Handmaidens of Zoria, and strove to see that the Dawnflower’s wishes were carried out in the world, that Zoria’s worshipers were rewarded and her foes were thwarted.” He closed it, spoiling his moment of triumph a bit by dropping the book on the floor “Master Matty is drunk!” laughed Finn Teodoros “Time to take him home.” As Finn and Matt Tinwright helped Hewney onto his feet, Briony could not help asking the young poet, “And will you continue with your poem?” “Oh, yes,” he said, his eyes shining “I have so many ideas—it will be the best thing I ever did! I was miserable because because of a woman but now I know why I was meant to this!” He was still burbling as Vansen helped the three of them out the door “Help them down the stairs!” Vansen shouted to a page “We not want the princess’ guests breaking their necks And tell the coachman to take them back to their inn.” “Oh, gods,” groaned Hewney, waking up “Not the Quiller’s Mint! I’d rather sleep in the gutter.” Ferras Vansen came back in a little unsteadily and threw his arms around Briony She kissed him, but she was preoccupied and he could tell “What were you talking with that fool of a poet about?” “The gods,” she said “And whether or not earthly life is only a sort of play.” “I’m glad I missed it, then,” he said “I never had the wit for such things Now come to bed, my beautiful Briony, and let me love you a while before we both have to get into costume and go back to playing our own parts once more.” 54 Evergreen And that is the end of my tale, which is meant both to instruct and to please His Highness, and all other young people who shall read the Orphan’s story.” —from “A Child’s Book of the Orphan, and His Life and Death and Reward in Heaven”, written by Matthias Tinwright and presented to His Highness Prince Olin Alessandros on the occasion of his first birthday THE MORNING DAWNED BRIGHT and much hotter than the day before Barrick could smell the sap beginning to move in the pines and firs, the slow sweetness that ran through their veins as the Fireflower did in his The Qar had traveled through the night, but slowly; now that Saqri had died, there was no need to go faster than what the many wounded could comfortably manage Duke Kaske of the Unforgiven brought the reports from the scouts: the road ahead was all but empty for several leagues “But after that there are several mortal villages, and then a walled city with towers,” Kaske said His almond-shaped eyes were drawn up ever so slightly at their outer edges, which Barrick knew meant that the corpse-pale fairy was fighting with strong emotions “We did not pass this way when Yasammez led us We have not come against it before.” Barrick nodded He leaned down to pat the neck of his horse, then drew back on the reins so that the black charger pulled up with anxious, skittering feet; even the horses didn’t like this place and longed for the dark meadows of home “Stop here,” he called out, then repeated it again without spoken words The procession behind him slowed and began to split into smaller pieces, horses and other steeds taken down the small slope to water, some of the Changing tribe joining them in fourfooted form, which made the other animals restive “Don’t worry, Kaske, we’ll go around it There is no dishonor in that.” But the Unforgiven, a terrifying and fearless warrior, was still troubled “But you know these mortals We can avoid them now, but someday they will come into our lands With the death of Yasammez the Mantle will vanish How can we keep them out?” The skin of his face pulled ever so slightly tighter “The Mantle—gone!” “What you care?” Barrick asked him “You and your folk live in the snowy hills Surely you will be grateful to see the sun again.” Kaske shook his head “It it will be strange Everything will be strange now.” Barrick spread his fingers—Tale of Years—and said, “Yes, it will.” My love You are there! Barrick’s heart, which for two days had felt like Kaske’s mountain home, an icy stone beneath freezing gray skies, now suddenly was drenched with sunshine You came back to me! Oh, praise the Book, you came back I feared I feared I was frightened, too, she said Her thoughts, the voice, it was hers, blessedly hers but so weak! The Fireflower women—the mothers and grandmothers, they are so stern, so beautiful and terrible ! I thought they would sweep me away likeaflooding river I did, too! I was terrified! But I had Ynnir to help me Do you know him? Know him? He is my son, grandfather, my husband, Qinnitan said, still a little dreamy and confused I know what Saqri knew, and what all who came before her knew ! Ynnir helped me I not think I could have survived otherwise Who helped you? You He felt it come from her like a caress The thought that we would be separated again if I could not find a way to live with it I have had too much of that, Barrick Eddon Her thoughts twisted a little, took a tone of amusement and wonder And you are King Olin’s son—of course! To think that all that time I didn’t know ! As she said it, he could see his father plainly, but it was a different Olin who faced him, the man Qinnitan had known, a kind, brave man unshadowed by rage, who valued his own life far lower than that of any innocent Tell me about him, Barrick said Stay with me as long as you can and tell me what I missed all those years that the shadows fell between my father and me When she grew weary and her words began to slow, he stopped her, kissed her with a word and a thought, and let her go Only when she had slipped down into sleep and he could no longer feel her did he let the sadness he had been holding at bay so long wash over him He looked at the couch on which Qinnitan’s small, slender body lay, in a wagon pulled by two patient nightsteeds What if they never had more than this? Ynnir and Saqri had lived that way for centuries That was some solace, anyway Barrick doubted he would live so long He stood for a long time gazing back across the hills The gleam in the distance was the tilted windvane on top of Wolfstooth Spire’s shattered roof; the rest of the castle was invisible below the intervening hills It was strange to be looking back on his old home The last time he had stood in such a place he had wondered whether he would ever see it again, and this time was no different As he stared, he felt something strange happening all around him, a sudden warmth and a feeling of the air being pulled in many directions at once Then something snapped like a large branch breaking and the space immediately in front of Barrick’s face was full of flapping blackness Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed the dark shape It was feathery and fat and smelled like carrion “Don’t hurt us!” it croaked “Us be a bird of artfullest power—a wishing raven! Spare us and us’ll grant you all manner of wishery, that you’ll see!” Barrick stared in astonishment “Skurn? Is that you?” The bird slowed its thrashing, turning its desperately shiny black eye on him “Mought be Then again, it equal-like moughtn’t.” “Don’t you remember me?” “Well, doubtless that you look like the Barrick lad I helped so many times But us has seen many a few others nearly as much like him since us first went through that darksome gate out of Sleep ” “Where have you been, Skurn? You never reached Qul-na-Qar—I didn’t see you after we escaped from the city of Sleep! And I never saw Raemon Beck again.” “Us hasn’t seen that one either, though in our travels, us has seen a few creatures that were Beckish Thanks mightily for telling where you’ve been—but not much help when us needed it, was it?” The bird fluttered up out of Barrick’s open hand and onto a branch just a little overhead “Been flapping in and out of some dreadful places since then Some nice ones, too, to say fair, but still strange as down on a toad.” He preened himself a bit “Rather grand, our adventures have doubtless been, you and us No doubt some fairy bard will want to make a tune of it all, with clever words to show how dangerous our fates narrowly was.” Barrick almost smiled, but was not going to be so easily lulled “You talk more than you ever did, bird.” “It goes to show the gods live and the world be still full of miracles, as our mam used to say when us were scarce out the egg.” “And I suppose you’ll want to go with me.” “Nay, don’t think thyself so grand!” The bird looked up as if in search of some even higher perch more suitable to his stature “Any bargain us made is long past No need for us to follow all draggitytail and call anyone master.” “Who said anything about calling someone master?” Barrick turned and called to Kaske and Sunset Pearl that it was time to gather up their people and return to the road “I just thought you might like to keep company with me for a while I’m more or less the king of the fairies now Did you know?” “King of the fairies?” Skurn hopped down the branch and looked him up and down carefully “Them Qar must have lost a lot of their important folk somewhere.” The bird made a harsh spitting noise “Must be scraping the barrel now, us means.” My love? So soon? I hoped you would sleep until tomorrow It is a beautiful night I can feel it even if I can’t see it Is that horrible bird asleep? Barrick looked down at Skurn bouncing on the front of the saddle The raven’s head was settled deep in his fluffed up collar of black-and-white-spotted feathers Yes He’s actually not as bad as he seems He couldn’t be Don’t be cruel He helped me many times Saved my life at least once I’m sorry In Xis they were birds of ill-omen I will try to be kinder My Fireflower mothers are scolding me, too They say his kind are Whitefire’s messengers Oh, Barrick, there is so much to know! Look, he said The Twilight Lands I can see them in the distance and I can see the stars, too! What you mean? The Mantle The cloud of separation and protection that over this place so long It’s gone Nothing left now but wisps like fog He sighed, dazzled by the painful brightness of the stars in the night sky Ah, if you could only see this land of ours! I hear its beauty in your thoughts She went quiet then, but it was a companionable silence, both of them close despite their terrible separation My love? he asked sometime later Qinnitan, my heart, are you still awake? She stirred I drifted I drifted with you I miss the House of the People, she said, though I have never seen it with my own eyes Is it as beautiful as my memories? It’s a very old place It has every kind of beauty But there is more to it than that Of course, she said, then a moment later: Barrick, I can feel the moon Is it bright? It is It makes me stronger just feeling it By the Hive, I think I can hear it, too I feel as if I can hear everything! He took a deep breath, in part to ease the rush of feeling Even his thoughts were muddled, stumbling You too ? I thought I would be I thought I would never I know, she told him, and for just a moment he could feel her as if she were beside him, as if they again held each other in the dark dreamland Talk to me, Barrick It was close, as intimate as a whisper Tell me everything I know everything the Fireflower knows, but the Fireflower knows scarcely anything about you At least scarcely anything of the sort of things a lover wants to know I will, he said And the first thing you must know about me is that I am not an ordinary person He could feel her amusement Of course you aren’t! As you told that foul bird, you are a mortal who became monarch of the fairies ! No, that isn’t it I was about to say that I am a twin Epilude THE MORNING SUN had pulled itself up above the eastern horizon, and the sky was brightening Despite the paucity of clouds, a low rumble filled the air, beginning so low that it disturbed only a few slumbering creatures deep in the earth, but then rising until it made the slender branches of the birch trees quiver Birds burst squawking from their upper reaches and a deer sprinted across the Coast Road The rumble grew until it sounded much like thunder, then the air seized, roiled, and cracked like a drover’s whip Something fell out of the nothingness onto brown Southmarch earth still wet with dew For long moments Raemon Beck, merchant’s son, husband, and father, only lay facedown in the middle of the road, frightened by yet another forced, lightning-flash journey from one nowhere to another At last, when the rumble of his arrival had subsided, he worked up the courage to lift his head A moment later, he clambered up onto his feet, staring in astonishment to the southeast There, across a short distance of green bay, stood the familiar towers of Southmarch Castle—some a little the worse for wear, scarred by fire and cannonballs, but unquestionably and recognizably the four cardinal towers and the even taller black-and-white prominence of Wolfstooth Spire Beck stared He touched his own face as if unable to believe both he and Southmarch could exist at the same moment in the same place, then let out a whoop of delight and began a clumsy dance in the middle of the Coast Road Two more deer, a doe and a fawn, sprang from the underbrush and bounded away into the depths of the woods, terrified by the disheveled man’s capering “Praise the gods!” Beck shouted, tears streaming down his cheeks “Praise all the gods! I’m back! I’m home!” And then he dropped down to his hands and knees and kissed the ground over and over before he rose, still loudly thanking Heaven, and trotted off in the direction that would at last lead him again to Helmingsea and his family Appendix PEOPLE Adis—true name of Merolanna’s son Aesi‘uah—chief eremite to Lady Yasammez A‘lat—a priest, servant of the Autarch Akutrir—a Qar warror of the Unforgiven tribe Androphagas—legendary monster, half-bull, half-serpent Aristas—mentor of Adis, the Orphan Avros—aka Little Avros, a Temple Dog Aylan—Sulepis’ great-grandfather Beetlewing—a Rooftopper, Beetledown’s father Benaridas—a mercenary killed at Kleaswell market Benediktos—Anissa’s father, monarch of Devonis Black Noszh-lah—Funderling version of Immon Blackspine—Trickster Bluedeeps—in the icy northern part of Qar lands Buckle—a Summerfield guard Calomel—Cinnabar and Vermilion Quicksilver’s son Chaffy—one of Brone’s hired men Cheshret and Tusiya—Qinnitan’s parents Chrysolite—a Funderling warder Corundrum—a Funderling engineer Dard, aka Dard the Jar—Hierosoline merchant Dawet dan-Faar—envoy from Hierosol, late of Tuan Dawn Flower—a Qar name for Zoria, mother of Kupilas Dolomite—a Funderling, Jasper’s lieutenant Dordom—Parnad’s oldest son Duke Kaske of the Unforgiven—a Qar war leader Duke of Veryon—a Syannese historical figure Ekkadar—leader of the Qar at Kleaswell Market Flightless—a Trickster Qar, son of Greenjay Flowstone—a Metamorphic Brother Gerasimos—Trigonarch who rejected Hypnologues Gennadas—a Syannese knight Gorhan—Tulim’s uncle Gunis—a Nushash priest with the Autarch’s army Hereddin—Xixian tactician, writer Hypnologues—AKA “Hypnologoi”, a heretic sect Ice Ettins—one of the types of Ettins Idite dan-Mozan—widow of Effir dan-Mozan Jackdaw—a Qar, a Trickster Karisnovois—Rooftopper name for Kernios Kayne, Prince—Queen Lily’s son who died young Kelonesos—famous sea monster Kernios Olognothas—the Earth Lord as All-Seeing Kersus—Xixian tactician, writer Khau-Yisti—Yisti (Funderling-type Qar) bred by Autarchs Khobana the Wolf—a murderess and prisoner Kioy-a-pous—Skimmer name for Crooked Kirgaz—one of young Tulim’s royal brothers Kymon—a viscount of a county on the Syannese border Leekstone—Opal’s maiden name Longscratch—Trickster Mackel—Skimmer, Rafe’s father Mawra the Breathless—a Qar Mehnad—a prince of Xis Mihannid Blue Kings—ancient Xandian dynasty Miron—Lord Helkis’ given name Morna—goddess of winter, victim of Zosim Moros—treacherous servant of Adis Moseffir—a Dan-Mozan grandchild Mountain Korbols—a tribe of Qar Okhuz—Xixian name for Volios the god of war Okros Dioketian—a physician, Osias—Tyrant of Hierosol during the Orphan’s time Oyler—one of Brone’s pages Paka—a Xixian soldier Parak—former autarch of Xis, Sulepis’ grandfather, Parnad’s father Pardstone Jasper, the last Funderling who had regularly contributed to the wide conversation of scholars Pebble Jasper—wife of Wardthane Sledge Jasper Perch—one of Brone’s hired men Phayallos—famous scholar Pirilab—Xixian historian Pyarin—Skimmer name for Perin Rhantys of Kalebria—a scholar, author of “The Agony of Truth Foresworn” Riddletongue—a Trickster Salt Nitre—nephew of Ash Selia ei’Dicte—Anissa’s maid’s real name Shadow’s Cauldron—an Elemental Silvergleam—a Qar name for Khors the moon god, father of Kupilas Singscrape—a Deep Ettin, Hammerfoot’s son Skollas—a historical dictator of Hierosol Sorykidons—residents of Sorykos who claimed the Orphan had been born there Spelter—a drow, related to Funderlings Stephanas, Sir—a knight, one of Eneas’ Temple Dogs Sunset Pearl, aka Urayanu—aka She of the Strengthening Touch—Qar healer Tirnan Havemore—Castellan under Hendon Tolly Tulim—twenty-third in the line of succession Tyron—famous Kracian bard and poet Ultin—a prince of Xis Unforgiven—a tribe of manlike Qar Upsteeplebat—Queen of the Rooftoppers of Southmarch Uwin—priest who replaced Father Timoid Vasil Zeru—White Hounds quartermaster Volofon—a mercenary from Ikarta in Krace Weasel—one of the Temple Dog scouts Whitewound—Ettin clan from Bluedeeps Willow—A pixilated girl Xergal—Xixian name for Kernios Ximander—famous scholar Xosh—Xixian name for Khors Xyllos—a sea monster Yermun—Xixian name for Immon the Gatekeeper Zoaz—Xixian god, groom of the solar chariot PLACES Ancestor’s Blood—Qar name for the Sea in the Depths Anglin Parlor—Hendon Tolly’s temporary throne room Argas River Valley—in southern Silverside Blue Lamp Quarter—a district of Xis Brewer’s Store Cavern—a cavern between the temple and Funderling Town Cavern of Winds—a series of connected chambers in the Funderling Mysteries Counting Room—a large cavern underneath Southmarch Crying Hill—site of a famous battle between Qar and Dreamless Dunletter—a town in the hills of Brenland Frannac—Connordic island Gem Street—the main processional in Funderling Town Glittering Delights—Qar name for Sandsilver’s Dancing Room Grasshill Bridge—in mainland Southmarch Great Delve—a large Stormstone tunnel leading under Brenn’s Bay to the mainland Initiation Hall—the center of the Maze Iron Reach—passage above the Metamorphic Brothers temple Kalebria—a southern city, once part of Syannese empire King’s South Cabinet—a room connected to the Erivor Chapel Lake Strivothos—a huge inland sea in southern Eion Last Hour of the Ancestor—Qar name for Southmarch Castle, esp the deepest parts Last Reach—a tunnel complex in the Funderling Mysteries Millwheel Road—a major road that runs into the Coast Road near Southmarch Castle Moonless Reach, a long, lightless cavern complex below Funderling Town Mudstone Reach—another cavern system beneath Funderling Town Ocher Bar—a clay pit near Iron Reach Ocsa—Connordic island Old Baryte Span—a series of tunnels off the Great Delve On Krisanthe—a Trigonate temple in mainland Southmarch Onir Beccan—a town in Blueshore on the edge of Brenn’s Bay Potmis Bridge—scene of a famous Syannese military defeat Prince Kayne Library—in the royal residence at Southmarch Revelation Hall—the last chamber of the Maze before the Balcony over the Sea in the Depths Sandsilver’s Dancing Room—a large cavern near the Metamorphic Brothers Temple Sharm—Connordic island Shoremarket—a square in mainland Southmarch Silver River Road—a main road through Kertewall and Silverside Skean Egye-Var—Skimmer’s name for M’Helan’s Rock Sycamore Tower—the tallest tower in the Orchard Palace Stefanian Hills—hills between Brenland and Summerfield Tessideme—name for Tessis when it was a village Vale of Aulas—a forested stretch between Oscastle and Southmarch Weeping Staircase—part of Qul-na-Qar White Bank Road—a road near the lagoon in the Outer Keep of Southmarch Xan-Horem mountains—Xixian mountains Yenidos Mountains—Xixian mountain range THINGS (AND ANIMALS) A Diversitie of Truthfull Thinges—a book by Ximandros Tetramakos a-recking—toward the right side Always Fire—the force that created the Book of the Fire in the Void Askorab—AKA “skorpa” AKA “seliqet”: scorpion Chastiser—Hammerfoot’s war ax Day of Fires—Midsummer’s Eve in Xis Day of Smoke—Midsummer’s Day in Xis Ghostmaker—a Xandian knife guruodir—heavy Funderling stabbing-spears with broad iron spearheads and shafts of oak Hormos—a country dance in March Kingdoms Kinwar—the Qar re-invasion of Southmarch meadowqueen—a wildflower Muckle Brown—a flittermouse, bat Mykomel—AKA “mushroom jack”, a Funderling liquor Royal Spindle Shell—one of the Rooftopper’s sacred artifacts Sea Postern—a gate that the Skimmers use to slip in and out between Southmarch harbor and Brenn’s Bay Sealskin—the name of Rafe’s boat seliqet—Qar word for scorpion Seven Gray Birds—a constellation and a group of semi-mythical Qar prophetesses Third Hierarchical Conclave—a famous Trigonate religious council Torvionos—a southern dance popular at the Southmarch court Ul-Ushya Festival—important Xixian yearly celebration Yah’stah’s Eye—a Qar name for a star Appendix THE PRINCIPAL GODS OF THE TRIGONATE FAITH AND THEIR DIVERSE NAMES AMONG THE HEATHEN PEOPLES PERIN the god of the sky and Thane of Lightnings is called Argal by the Xixians, Cloudwalker, Skylord, and Thunder by the Qar, Hand of the Sky or Lord of the Peaks by the Rooftoppers, and Pyarin by the Skimmers ERIVOR the god of the waters is called Eshervat in the south of Xand, Efiyal by the Xixians, EgyeVar by the Skimmer-folk, and Ocean by the Qar KERNIOS the lord of the underworld is named Xergal by the Xixians, Black Earth by the Qar, and Karisnovois by the Rooftoppers Together, Perin, Erivor, and Kernios are known as the Trigon, the Three, the Brothers, or the Three Brothers DEVONA, goddess of the forest, called Devona of the Harp ERILO, god of the harvest, which is why the Qar name him Harvest HILIOMETES the mighty demigod is sometimes called (or confused with) Melarkh, hero of the Xixians HONNOS the god of travelers is called Yunas by the Xixians and Red Stag by the Qar IMMON the Gatekeeper of Kernios is called Yermun among the Xixians and Black Noszh-La by the Funderlings of Southmarch KHORS the first god of the moon, named Xosh by the Xixians and Silvergleam by the Qar KUPILAS the Artificer, god of healing and making and smithing, is called Crooked by the Qar, Habbili by the heathens of Xis, and Kioy-a-pous by the Skimmers MADI ONYENA, mother of Zmeos, Khors, and Zuriyal, called Ugeni by the Xixians; Umdi Onajena by others of the southern lands, and Bird Mother or Breeze by the Qar MADI SURAZEM, mother of the Three Brothers, called Shusayem in Xis and Moisture by the immortal Qar MESIYA the goddess of the moon and first wife of Kernios, called Nenizu by the Xixians SIVEDA is the goddess of the night STRIVOS the god of the wind is sometimes called Invisible by the Qar SVA, the grandmother of the gods, is named Void by the Qar and Zha among the Xixians SVEROS the father of the gods, called Twilight by the Qar and Zhafaris in Xis VOLIOS, god of war, known as Volios of the Measureless Grip or Volos Longbeard is named Okhuz by the Xixians and Bull by the Qar ZMEOS the Horned Serpent, the Great Enemy, called Nushash by the Xixians and Whitefire by the Qar His sword was also named Whitefire (In the pagan rites of the Xixians, Zmeos stole and married Zoria to begin the Godwar, not his brother Khors, as our faith teaches.) ZO, grandfather of the gods, is called Light by the Qar and Tso by the Xixians ZORIA the daughter of Perin, mother of Kupilas, and later the wife of Kernios is called Suya by the Xixians and Pale Daughter, Dove, Dawnflower, or Almond Blossom by the Twilight Folk, or Qar ZOSIM the god of crossroads, poets, thieves, and drunkards, called Salamandros in his aspect as a fire god, Shoshem by the Xixians and Trickster by the Twilight Folk ZURIYAL the Merciless, sister of Zmeos and Khors, called Surigali by the people of distant Xis, and Judgement by the Qar The war between the children of Surazem and Oneyna, called the Godwar, is also named the Theomachy or Onyenomachy ... MOUNTAIN OF BLACK GLASS SEA OF SILVER LIGHT Copyright © 2010 by Tad Williams eISBN : 978-1-101-47508-9 All Rights Reserved Maps by Tad Williams DAW Book Collectors No 1526 DAW Books are distributed... making our website, www.tadwilliams.com, a fun and informative place to visit Please come and join us there, or see me make a fool of myself on Facebook at www.facebook.com /tad. williams Don’t worry... Appendix Appendix DAW Books Presents The Finest in Imaginative Fiction by TAD WILLIAMS SHADOWMARCH SHADOWMARCH SHADOWPLAY SHADOWRISE SHADOWHEART TAILCHASER’S SONG THE WAR OF THE FLOWERS MEMORY, SORROW