Glossary for The Sentinel Trilogy Book 2: Arbiter
Aeo: The god who created the physical and spiritual realms and all races therein. He is thought to reside within the City of Peace in kai’lani.
Aeo leywa ai shea: A phrase used by Followers to say goodbye. Means ‘Aeo be with you and protect you’ in the Ancient language.
aether: The energy source for the spiritual gifts. It is generated by one’s soul and is invisible, but can be sensed as a mist. Depending on one’s gift, it might be detected in the form of a color, a scent, a taste, or otherwise.
aethryn: One who uses aether.
Alani: The name of the planet on which the story takes place.
amos: An elemental that is the primary source of their element on Alani. There is one amos per element: Nuri for Phoera, Yvonne for Aris, Lillian for Malo, and Roth for Terruth.
arbiter: A spiritual gift that can transfer thoughts and memories from one mind to another.
Aris: The element of air. People of this element commonly live in Valinor, Arisia, and Sai.
element: Four states of matter and energy that can be controlled by elementals and humans. They are Phoera, Aris, Malo, and Terruth.
elemental: A race of sentient beings created after the angels but before humans. There are one amos and seven trai’yeth for each of the four elements.
exorcist: A spiritual gift that allows the user to steal another’s aether. ‘Vampire’ is a slang term for an exorcist.
healer: A spiritual gift with the ability to detect injury and bind severed flesh.
Honeylands: A collection of regions in kai’lani that are considered to be Aeo’s territory.
ironfeather: A type of Serran with a thick wing design meant for flying high and long distances. Can become hard and sharp when infused with aether.
kai’lani: The spiritual realm. Means ‘sky of fire’ in the Ancient language.
la’avod: A term meaning ‘life bond’, and an ancient tradition of Illyria that spread to Kioa, LaKota, and Terruth. A person may devote their life to the protection or service of another for reasons of honor or debt. The person offering la’avod becomes a member of the other’s household and is protected from abuse under international law. Although the very meaning of the word is ‘life bond’, some la’avod arrangements last for seven years.
ma’lani: The physical realm. Means ‘sky of water’ in the Ancient language.
Malo: The element of liquid matter. People of this element are generally from Malaan, Sai, Katrosi, or northern Terruth.
oba: A Terruth word referring to the male leader of one’s household.
Orso: A cursed shimmerwing angel who is worshipped as a god in the form of a wind-serpent.
perrunt: A Terruth word meaning ‘puppy.’
Phoera: The element of energy. Allows the user to raise or lower the temperature inside an object and to control energy sources such as light and electricity. People with this element are usually native to Kioa, Katrosi, Illyria, LaKota, or Sai.
sentinel: A spiritual gift which can release aether in powerful waves or compact strikes.
sage: A spiritual gift which allows the user to see possible futures.
Serran: A human who has made a blood bond with an angel and been given an angel’s feather. After a three-day period of transformation, the human can gain the angel’s wings at will along with increased eyesight and other physical changes. There are three types of angels (and therefore Serrans): shimmerwing, ironfeather, and quillsong.
shlanga: A Terruth word meaning ‘snake.’
shimmerwing: An angel whose thin wings are designed for agility and speed. Can reflect foreign aether when infused with the user’s aether.
spiritual gift: Supernatural abilities given to humans, called ‘crafts’ by Lynx. They are fueled by aether. Any human may learn to use any of the four common gifts–sentinel, vanguard, arbiter, and valnah–but only someone with the gift itself may learn it to its full potential. There are nine gifts total, with the rare gifts being healer, exorcist, sifter, weaver, and sage.
Terruth: The element of solid matter. Also the name of a large country to the east of the southernmost continent, where people who wield its element live (people of Terruth descent also commonly live in the nation of LaKota). Its dark-skinned, light-haired people are known for the strength of their traditions, integrity, and the simple life. It is home of the Aeo Suuvah Serran Academy, and its capitol is Tuumichi.
trai’yeth: A type of elemental designed to hold vast amounts of their element. Means ‘sealing vessel’ in the Ancient language. Have the ability to drain or infuse humans of their element. Can transform into any creature of which it possesses DNA. There are seven trai’yeth per element.
valnah: A spiritual gift that can influence the feelings and emotions of others. Means ‘song of courage’ in the Ancient language.
Valinor: A mountainous nation north of Katrosi and south of Sai. Capitol city is Haevyn. Also the surname of the royal family. Means ‘courage and honor’ in the Ancient language.
vanguard: A spiritual gift that can create walls of aether, varying in strength depending on the user’s skill.
weaver: A spiritual gift that allows the user to bind aether of different sorts into physical objects. The aether deteriorates over time depending on the strength of the weave.