S

Find below an alphabetical list of all the character names, places and objects beginning with the letter S in the World of Astrom. I shall add to this list as more of my works are published. If an entry is missing, leave a comment below and I shall fill it when I can.

Sachill

A river in Kalimar, running through the breadth of Tol Ankil. It is a daughter-river of the Pharaphir, which flows out of the Black Mountains and into the forest before branching into the twin streams of Sachill and Namorell. Both these waterways exit the forest in its south-eastern corner and empty into the Bowl Lake by double cascades. The Sachill, like many elven streams, is inhabited by water spirits, with which the wood-elves have great affinity, and with whose assistance they are able to travel swiftly upstream. See also Tol Ankil & Pharaphir.

Sampa the Smooth

A man of Aranar and a member of the outlaw band of Raspald Kin-Slayer. Sampa’s crime was cheating and deceiving his lord, but he soon found ways to enrich himself outside the law. Where Raspald was a brutal killer, Sampa was notorious as a charmer and a honey-tongued rogue. See also Raspald Kin-Slayer.

Saneth

An upland region of far eastern Maristonia. The Saneth, meaning ‘grey uplands’, is characterised by isolated granite tors rising out of tumbled hills. It lies in the easternmost part of the East-fold, beyond the Armist Road. The Kalimari border is to the north and the Phirmar is to the south. It is wild, wooded country, and is often frequented by outlaws and barbarian raiders from Swordhilt Peninsula, against whom the legions of Maristonia occupy a chain of forts and towers. See also East-fold, Phirmar & Swordhilt Peninsula.

Sceant

A man of Aranar and a member of the outlaw band of Raspald Kin-Slayer. Sceant was a violent and brutal man, shunned by society for being a horse-thief and a murderer. See also Raspald Kin-Slayer.

Second Chapter

A unit of time in the history of Astrom, the second of four major epochs known as ‘chapters’. After the three thousand years of the First Chapter, the Second Chapter encompassed the next three thousand years. It began with the awakening of the first non-elven races, the armists and the dwarves, and ended with the Great Betrayal in which millions of elves renounced Prélan and were doomed to mortality. See also First Chapter, Third Chapter & Fourth Chapter.

Second Circle

One of four circles that organise the League of Wizardry. The circles increase in importance from the higher numbers to the lower, so the Second Circle was the second most senior, made up of powerful senior wizards. These experienced masters were known as Kenapayen, or Overseers, charged with the supervision and training of the junior wizards of the Third Circles. They also served as ambassadors to foreign courts or on the most dangerous assignments. They were outranked only by the Master Mages of the First Circle, who were the greatest and wisest wizards. See also League of Wizardry.

Second War of Kurundar

A great conflict in which the Free Peoples of Astrom fought against the dread sorcerer Kurundar. It was the second war instigated by Kurundar, and this time he was far stronger and held half of Astrom under his sway before he was finally forced back. The war spanned the end of the Third Chapter and the beginning of the Fourth Chapter, and its end saw only the defeat, not the destruction of Kurundar. See also First War of Kurundar, Kurundar & Free Peoples.

Silver City

The capital city of Ithrill and the heart of Lancearon’s realm. It took its name from the fallen star which crashed there in the First Chapter, and ever after the city was filled with a unique silver light. It was Lancearon’s royal seat and the capital of first the kingdom of Ithrill and then the Silver Empire. Del Lance and Silverdom were among its other names. See also Ithrill, Lancearon & Silver Empire.

Silver Emperor

The peerless title of Lancearon when he ruled an empire consisting of the western half of Astrom. It was a name that inspired fear, awe and hatred, for Lancearon was both an enlightened despot and ruthless with his enemies. See also Lancearon & Silver Empire.

Silver Empire

The empire forged by King Lancearon of Ithrill. Starting from his ancient kingdom of Ithrill, Lancearon conquered first Hendar, then most of Aranar and parts of Maristonia and Lurallan. This vast realm expanded and endured for centuries in the second half of the Third Chapter. Its grand design was to unite the resources of the Free Peoples against Kurundar, but opposition to Lancearon was so fierce that war hardly ever ceased within its borders. Ultimately the empire succeeded in its task, defeating Kurundar, but itself was overthrown in the process. See also Lancearon, Ithrill & Kurundar.

Silverdom

A colloquial name in the common speech for Silver City, signifying its controlling position at the heart of the Silver Empire. See also Silver City.

Sin-Serin

A wood-elven princess, one of three identical children of Queen Dácariel, the ruler of Tol Ankil. Sin-Serin is tall, brown-haired and valiant. Like her twin brothers, she is deadly with a bow in hand and has the gift of shape-shifting, taking on the forms of diverse beasts of the forest. Sin-Serin is barely distinguishable in looks from her brothers, but she distinguishes herself as a path-finder and scout. See also Dácariel, Tol Ankil & Wood-Elves.

Sin-Solar

A wood-elven prince, one of three identical children of Queen Dácariel, the ruler of Tol Ankil. Sin-Solar is tall, dark-eyed and brooding. Like his twin siblings, he is deadly with a bow in hand and has the gift of shape-shifting, taking on the forms of diverse beasts of the forest. Sin-Solar is barely distinguishable in looks from his brother and sister, but he has a distinct role in overseeing the march-wardens of the forest, keeping watch over his queen’s borders. See also Dácariel, Tol Ankil & Wood-Elves.

Sin-Tolor

A wood-elven prince, one of three identical children of Queen Dácariel, the ruler of Tol Ankil. Sin-Tolor is tall, grave and renowned for his wisdom. Like his twin siblings, he is deadly with a bow in hand and has the gift of shape-shifting, taking on the forms of diverse beasts of the forest. Sin-Tolor, even more so than his brother and sister, is devoted to his mother and rarely leaves her side. He acts as her bodyguard and one of her principal advisors. See also Dácariel, Tol Ankil & Wood-Elves.

Skux

A formidable weapon unique to the men of Ciricen. Somewhere between a long-hafted axe and a halberd, it has both a curved blade for chopping and a spear-point for stabbing. Yet it is shorter than a halberd, and better suited to close-quarters combat. The more elaborate kind have multiple grips to allow for more skilful use. See also Ciricen.

Sordai

A race of mortals in Ciricen who fell into darkness, under the sway of Kurundar of Urunmar. They originated in a faction of savage and seditious lords seeking redress for losses sustained in the infamous Dragon Wars. They became known for their willingness to work with invading Northmen from Urunmar against their own kin, and were ever corrupt and untrusting. Originally from Sordaron province in northwestern Ciricen, they soon established strongholds throughout the north of the kingdom. For long centuries and millennia they warred against the Lordai, who were the true men of Ciricen, loyal to the crown and the ways of the Free Peoples. The Sordai favoured red garments, outlandish weapons and often wore baleful masks. They had fearful religious practices and maintained hellish strongholds in the mountains of Sordaron and Ark. See also Ciricen, Lordai & Kurundar.

South-fold

A region of Maristonia representing the southernmost part of the realm. It encompasses all the lands south of the rivers Gilbune and Alicir, all the way to the frontier with Lurallan in the far south. Beyond the Gilbune and west of the Carthaki Mountains is the West-fold, whilst on the other side of the mountains, north of the Alicir, are the Central Lands. The South-fold contains the southernmost spurs of the Carthaki Mountains, the great Vale of Mandor, the semi-arid uplands of the Brown Wold and the long, snaking reach of Mastred Peninsula. It is a country rich in resins and minerals, known also for sugar plantations, olive cultivation and wine production. Along its extensive coasts are many great trading ports, of which the greatest is Marble, the ducal seat and regional capital. The strong Southern Army of Maristonia is ranged in frontier camps and forts along the border with Lurallan, keeping a watchful eye on the Alanai. See also Lurallan, Maristonia, Mastred Peninsula.

Southern Army

One of the five standing armies of Maristonia, tasked with guarding its southern borders. Composed of ten legions, the Southern Army is based throughout the South-fold but mainly concentrated along the border with Lurallan. This is the most unstable frontier, thanks to the warlike Alanai, whom the armists have never been able to wholly pacify, and as such the southern legions are the most experienced and vigilant. The other armies are the Eastern, Northern, Western and Central Armies. See also Alanai, Maristonia & South-fold.

Stonad

A mountainous region on the borders of Kalimar. Stonad is a remote series of glens, canyons and inhospitable hills between the Black Mountains proper to the north and the forest of Tol Ankil to the south. For time out of mind it has been the haunt of harracks, deep bored with their mysterious underground dwellings, which radiate out from the fell city of Faudunum. Travellers shun the region, where even the very rocks seem in league with the harracks. See also Faudunum, Harracks & Tol Ankil.

Surumo

An armist of Maristonia, the commander of the Third Cohort of the Royal Guards. Transferred from the legions, Surumo catches the eye of King Curillian and is entrusted with escorting his sovereign to Oron Amular. A devoted and professional soldier, Surumo will stop at nothing to keep the king safe. See also Curillian & Royal Guards.

Sword of Maristonia

A storied blade carried by the Kings of Maristonia. Also known as the Falakinde, it was forged long centuries ago by the Sea-elf Prince Torlas and gifted to Arimaya, the grandfather of King Curillian. Since those days it has won renown in many quests and wars, a sword that warriors will flock to and which strikes fear in the hearts of its enemies. Forged from rare Zimmerill and a star-shard, chased with runes and steeped in spells for the destruction of its enemies, it is rumoured to be unbreakable, as well as being an heirloom of great beauty and inestimable worth. See also Arimaya, Curillian & Zimmerill.

Swordhilt Peninsula

A remote, barbarous part of Astrom, lying on the shores of the Troizon Ocean between Maristonia to the west and Kalimar to the south. By an accident of history it was never settled by the elves, and only later did the corsairs of Lurallan make colonies there for the furtherance of their raids on Maristonia. These colonies clustered in the south of the peninsula, hemmed in by a line of forts maintained by the Eastern Army of Maristonia. The Kings of Maristonia often led punitive campaigns into the territory, but never conquered it properly, and so periodically endured its raids into the East-fold. The northern part of the peninsula, jutting into Nimrell Bay, is wide, flat and windswept. The peninsula is so named because it looks like the hilt of a sword that has been lodged into the side of Astrom. See also Lurallan, Maristonia & Nimrell Bay.