Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksFold/unfold allBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== Glossary ====== Definitions for game-specific terms, both relating to parts of the game's setting, and game mechanics and roleplaying. This page is intended as a reference, rather than something you should actually read all the way through, as the terms are also generally described on their relevant pages. <tabbox Out Of Character Terms> \\ \\ \\ \\ ---- * **[ ]**: often used to mark out-of-character text embedded in otherwise in-character text * **Ballgowning**: roleplaying in-character romances * **CAMPO**: Campaign Organiser, the head(s) of the GM team * **Debrief**: an extra meeting at the end of the game where we discuss what happened and reveal secrets * **Downtime**: the part of the game in between sessions, involving written rather than live roleplay * **Eternity**: an extra, public turnsheet at the end of the game about the rest of the character's life * **Fluff**: aspects of the game's storytelling not represented by game mechanics * **FOIP**: "find out in play", i.e. the GMs aren't going to tell you now but perhaps you'll find out later * **GM**: the people who plan and run the game * **IC / in character**: part of the fiction of the game * **Metagaming**: a player using OC knowledge to decide their character's actions, where the character does not have access to that information, especially in cases where this is inappropriate (it isn't always) * **NPC / non-player character**: character played by the GMs * **OC / out of character**: real, non-fictional * **PC / player character**: character whose part a player plays * **Physrep**: costume and props * **PvE**: "player vs. environment", situations where PCs are in competition with NPCs or the world at large (e.g. monsters in the Labyrinth) * **PvP**: "player vs. player", situations where PCs are in competition with each other, either directly or indirectly * **Quirk**: a game-mechanical trait describing an aspect of a PC's circumstances and plot * **Rank**: a numerical representation of skill, magic or social status level * **Session**: the part of the game involving physically meeting and acting (synonymous with "uptime") * **Skill**: a game-mechanical trait describing a PC's ability to do certain categories of task * **Turnsheet**: a written description sent to the GMs of a player's plans for a downtime, and the GMs' response describing how those plans go * **Uptime**: the part of the game involving physically meeting and acting (synonymous with "session") <tabbox In-Character Terms Alphabetically> \\ \\ \\ \\ ---- * **Alasset**: a major province, the breadbasket of the Southern Empire * **Altalyria**: a major province, the breadbasket of the Northern Empire * **Arbiter**: soldier of the 13th Legion's 2nd Cohort, administers law * **Arshabeya**: the Purdanist goddess of darkness and good * **Calling**: the particular criterion Sathists believe is used to evaluate each person's success in life * **Centurion**: mid-rank military leader of the 13th Legion * **Chapter master/-ess**: leader of a chapter within a holy order * **Church of the Guardian**: The organised church following the Unspoken Word religion * **Clan**: a group of related Gentens with similar designs * **Cohort**: major division of the military of the 13th Legion (1000 soldiers) * **Corpunia**: a major province of the Northern Empire, harsh but rich in resources * **Creed of Moderation**: a common part of almost all Gentens' designs, forbidding excess proliferation * **Crown of Horns**: the crown of the Tharenan Empire, now lost * **Custodian**: soldier of the 13th Legion's 1st Cohort, guards the city * **Damya**: title of the Ezu merchant caste * **Delegate**: members of the ruling council of Dolom * **Delegation**: the ruling council of Dolom * **Design**: the basic desires chosen for a Genten by their parent * **The divine medium**: a rare substance used in the spiritual practices of the Ezu priest caste, also known as ether * **Divine Mysteries**: the religion of the Ezu Plateau * **Divine servant**: members of the Ezu servant caste who serve the priests directly * **Dominion**: major ecclesiastical province of the Church of the Guardian * **Dragon's ichor**: an oily gel produced by Dragonblooded, highly flammable on contact with the air * **Dragonblooded (pl. Dragonblooded)**: people with variably draconic features, often nobles * **Eosena**: the Eastern continent * **Ether**: a rare substance used in the spiritual practices of the Ezu priest caste and the forges of the 13th Legion * **Eyestone**: the Slimefolk's eyes, which can be added, removed and re-used * **Fist art**: Ezu unarmed martial arts styles * **Fixed clan**: Genten clan with a written specification for a design which all members must follow * **Flame sac**: small organ in the neck of Dragonblooded that produces and expels dragon's ichor * **Forgemaster prime**: head forgemaster of the 13th Legion * **Forgemaster**: high-rank civilian leader of the 13th Legion * **Fre**: a tall, thin Ssar morph, with larger skulls * **Fusion**: either the process of Slimefolk combining together, or the resulting merged individual * **Gatekeeper**: tribune of the 13th Legion's 1st Cohort, in charge of guarding the city * **Genten**: people with bizarre desires and hard shells * **Grandmaster/-ess**: leader of a holy order * **Great House**: the noble houses descended from Kallia's companions, second only to the imperial house * **The Guardian**: the god followed by the Unspoken Word religion * **Guildmaster**: guild members with an administrative/leadership role in the Allied Guilds * **Helat**: a major province of the Southern Empire, Kholeis's hinterland * **High arbiter**: tribune of the 13th Legion's 2nd Cohort, in charge of law * **High custodian**: centurion of the 13th Legion's 1st Cohort, in charge of guarding the city * **Holy order**: a sort of organization within the Church of the Guardian which performs some specific charitable purpose * **Inner Gods**: a 3-part goddess of the Divine Mysteries, who creates the world, guides it, then destroys it * **Inner Sea**: the sea at the centre of the known world * **Kanuum**: a mountainous border region of the Northern Empire * **Kholeis**: a major province of the Southern Empire, highly urban * **Kythara**: the island where the Labyrinth is located * **Labyrinth**: an enormous network of strange and often inhabited underground chambers * **Lav**: a broad, stocky, short-snouted Ssar morph * **Legate**: ruler of the 13th Legion * **Livery**: distinct clothing styles which mark guild membership in the Allied Guilds * **Lord captain**: A high-ranking governor in the Southern Empire * **Lord governor**: A middle-ranking governor in the Southern Empire * **Lord prefect**: A low-ranking governor in the Southern Empire * **Lyrian Empire**: Tharena's ancient rival, long since defeated * **Master of the inner territories**: tribune of the 13th Legion's 3rd Cohort * **Master of the outer territories**: tribune of the 13th Legion's 4th Cohort * **Mentor**: a Wildborn who acts like a surrogate parent to another Wildborn they discovered, teaching them to change form, and bringing them into civilisation * **Mithura**: the Purdanist god of light and evil * **Morph**: one of the specialized varieties of Ssar, with different physical traits * **Most Eminent and Reverent Order of Word-Keepers of the Temple of the Scale of the Guardian**: the holy order which rules Kythara and runs the base camp where sessions take place * **Muella (pl. Muella)**: mushroom people * **Muella Circle**: group of Muella raising their children communally * **Nanteia**: a major province of the Southern Empire, important for trade with the West * **Northern Empire**: one of the successor empires to the Tharenan Empire, styles itself The Divine Empire of Tharena * **Overworld**: the world outside the Labyrinth * **Palonia**: a major province of the Northern Empire, notable for its art and age * **Path of the Crucible**: the field of magic for creating specific substances and compounds * **Path of the Earth**: the field of magic for creating solids in bulk * **Path of the Hammer**: the field of magic for creating detailed objects and tools * **Path of the Heavens**: the field of magic for creating fluids in bulk * **Path of the Moon**: the field of magic for growing plants and influencing the weather * **Path of the Mountain**: the field of magic for enhancing strength and toughness * **Path of the River**: the field of magic for enhancing agility * **Path of the Sun**: the field of magic for creating fire, light, etc. * **Pathaan**: an ethnic group which remains somewhat unassimilated in the Northern Empire * **Praetorian guard**: the 13th Legion's legate's personal guard * **Pree**: title of the Ezu warrior caste * **Principia (pl. principiae)**: leader of a dominion, the highest rank in the Church of the Guardian * **Public servant**: members of the servant caste who govern the Ezu Plateau * **Purdanism**: a dualistic religion popular in Altalyria * **Roshi**: title of the Ezu servant caste * **Sathi**: an ethnic group which remains somewhat unassimilated in the Northern Empire * **Sathism**: a religion of ambition, popular in Corpunia * **She Who Lights the Fire**: the first of the Inner Gods of the Divine Mysteries, the creator * **She Who Smothers the Flame**: the third of the Inner Gods of the Divine Mysteries, the destroyer * **She Who Stokes the Flame**: the second of the Inner Gods of the Divine Mysteries, who guides the Ezu people * **Slime**: synonym for Slimefolk * **Slimefolk (pl. Slimefolk)**: people made of amorphous goo * **Spawning**: group of Ssar siblings born together * **Ssar (pl. Ssar)**: cold-blooded people with lizard-like features * **Supreme duke/supreme duchess**: the successor and junior partner in governance of the Southern Empire's emperor. * **Surimutum**: a hotly contested border region of the Northern Empire * **Tharenan Empire**: the old empire which divided into The Northern and Southern Empires * **Thengi**: an ethnic group which remains somewhat unassimilated in the Northern Empire * **Thyslann**: the world where //Labyrinth// is set * **Tik**: a short, lithe, long-snouted Ssar morph * **Tribune**: high-ranking military leader of the 13th Legion, in charge of a cohort * **The Unspoken Word**: the state religion of the Tharenan Empire * **Weapon art**: Ezu martial arts styles using weapons * **Wildborn (pl. Wildborn)**: animals who randomly developed sapience * **Word-Keepers**: the Most Eminent and Reverent Order of Word-Keepers of the Temple of the Scale of the Guardian * **Yama**: title of the Ezu priest caste * **Yulaia**: the heartland of the Northern Empire surrounding the ancient city of Tharena * **Za-Rin**: a nature-worshipping religion of the Land of Endless Sky * **Zong-Di Shao**: the Western continent <tabbox By Location> \\ \\ \\ \\ ---- **The World** * **Eosena**: the Eastern continent * **Inner Sea**: the sea at the centre of the known world * **Kythara**: the island where the Labyrinth is located * **Northern Empire**: also called the Divine Empire of Tharena * **Overworld**: the world outside the Labyrinth * **Southern Empire**: also called the Tharenan Empire * **Thyslann**: the world where //Labyrinth// is set * **Tharenan Empire**: the old empire which divided into The Northern and Southern Empires * **Zong-Di Shao**: the Western continent **13th Legion** * **Arbiter**: soldier of the 2nd Cohort, administers law * **Centurion**: mid-rank military leader * **Cohort**: major division of the military (1000 soldiers) * **Custodian **: soldier of the 1st Cohort, guards the city * **Ether**: a rare substance used in the forges of the Legion * **Ether Forge** a forge which uses ether to reach temperatures capable of working with metals unique to the Labyrinth * **Forgemaster**: high-rank civilian leader * **Forgemaster prime**: head forgemaster * **Gatekeeper**: tribune of the 1st Cohort, in charge of guarding the city * **High arbiter**: tribune of the 2nd Cohort, in charge of law * **High custodian**: centurion of the 1st Cohort, in charge of guarding the city * **Judge**: centurion of the 2nd Cohort, in charge of law * **Legate**: ruler of the Legion's Military * **Master of the inner territories**: tribune of the 3rd Cohort * **Master of the outer territories**: tribune of the 4th Cohort * **Praetorian guard**: the legate's personal guard * **Tribune**: high-ranking military leader, in charge of a cohort **Allied Guilds** * **Guildmaster**: guild members with an administrative/leadership role * **Livery**: distinct clothing styles which mark guild membership **Ezu Plateau** * **Damya**: title of the merchant caste * **Divine servant**: members of the servant caste who serve the priests directly * **The divine medium**: a rare substance used in the spiritual practices of the priest caste, also known as ether * **Fist art**: unarmed martial arts styles * **Public servant**: members of the servant caste who govern the Ezu Plateau * **Roshi**: title of the servant caste * **Pree**: title of the warrior caste * **Weapon art**: martial arts styles using weapons * **Yama**: title of the priest caste **Free City of Dolom** * **Delegate**: members of the ruling council * **Delegation**: the ruling council **Kythara** * **Labyrinth**: an enormous network of strange and often inhabited underground chambers * **Most Eminent and Reverent Order of Word-Keepers of the Temple of the Scale of the Guardian**: the holy order which rules Kythara and runs the base camp where sessions take place * **Word-Keepers**: the Most Eminent and Reverent Order of Word-Keepers of the Temple of the Scale of the Guardian **Land of Endless Sky** no specific terms **Northern Empire** * **Altalyria**: a major province, the breadbasket of the empire * **Corpunia**: a major province, harsh but rich in resources * **Kanuum**: a mountainous border region * **Lyrian Empire**: Tharena's ancient rival, long since defeated * **Palonia**: a major province, notable for its art and age * **Pathaan**: an ethnic group which remains somewhat unassimilated * **Sathi**: an ethnic group which remains somewhat unassimilated * **Surimutum**: a hotly contested border region * **Thengi**: an ethnic group which remains somewhat unassimilated * **Yulaia**: the heartland surrounding Tharena **Southern Empire** * **Alasset**: a major province, breadbasket of the empire * **Great House**: the noble houses descended from Kallia's companions, second only to the imperial house * **Helat**: a major province, Kholeis's hinterland * **Kholeis**: a major province, highly urban * **Lord captain**: A high-ranking governor * **Lord governor**: A mid-ranking governor * **Lord prefect**: A low-ranking governor * **Nanteia**: a major province, important for trade with the West * **Supreme duke/supreme duchess**: the Emperor's successor and junior partner in governance. <tabbox By Species> \\ \\ \\ \\ ---- * **Dragonblooded (pl. Dragonblooded)**: people with variably draconic features, often nobles * **Genten**: people with bizarre desires and hard shells * **Muella (pl. Muella)**: mushroom people * **Slime**: synonym for Slimefolk * **Slimefolk (pl. Slimefolk)**: people made of amorphous goo * **Ssar (pl. Ssar)**: cold-blooded people with lizard-like features * **Wildborn (pl. Wildborn)**: animals who randomly developed sapience **Dragonblooded** * **Dragon's ichor**: an oily gel, highly flammable on contact with the air * **Flame sac**: small, muscular organ in the neck that produces and expels dragon's ichor **Gentens** * **Clan**: a group of related Gentens with similar designs * **Creed of Moderation**: a common part of almost all Gentens' designs, forbidding excess proliferation * **Design**: the basic desires chosen for a Genten by their parent * **Fixed clan**: clan with a written specification for a design which all members must follow **Muella** * **Muella Circle**: group of Muella raising their children communally **Slimefolk** * **Eyestone**: the Slimefolk's eyes, which can be added, removed and re-used * **Fusion**: either the process of people combining together, or the resulting merged individual **Ssar** * **Fre**: a tall, thin morph, with larger skulls * **Lav**: a broad, stocky, short-snouted morph * **Morph**: one of the specialized varieties of Ssar, with different physical traits * **Spawning**: group of Ssar siblings born together * **Tik**: a short, lithe, long-snouted morph **Wildborn** * **Mentor**: a Wildborn who acts like a surrogate parent to another Wildborn they discovered, teaching them to change form, and bringing them into civilisation <tabbox By Religion> \\ \\ \\ \\ ---- * **Divine Mysteries**: the religion of the Ezu Plateau * **Purdanism**: a dualistic religion popular in the Altalyria region of the Northern Empire * **Sathism**: a religion of ambition, popular in the Corpunia region of the Northern Empire * **The Unspoken Word**: the state religion of the Northern and Southern Empires * **Za-Rin**: a nature-worshipping religion of the Land of Endless Sky **Divine Mysteries** * **Inner Gods**: a 3-part goddess, who creates the world, guides it, then destroys it * **She Who Lights the Fire**: the first of the Inner Gods, the creator * **She Who Smothers the Flame**: the third of the Inner Gods, the destroyer * **She Who Stokes the Flame**: the second of the Inner Gods, who guides the Ezu people **Purdanism** * **Arshabeya**: the goddess of darkness and good * **Mithura**: the goddess of light and evil **Sathism** * **Calling**: the particular criterion Sathists believe is used to evaluate each person's success in life **The Unspoken Word** * **Chapter master/-ess**: leader of a chapter within a holy order * **Church of the Guardian**: The organised church following the Unspoken Word religion * **Dominion**: major ecclesiastical province * **Grandmaster/-ess**: leader of a holy order * **Guardian Goddess**: the god followed by the Unspoken Word religion * **Holy order**: a sort of organization within the Church of the Guardian which performs some specific charitable purpose * **Principia (pl. principiae)**: leader of a dominion, the highest rank in the Church of the Unspoken Word **Za-Rin** no specific terms </tabbox> start/glossary.txt Last modified: 2026/01/13 12:09by gm_lisa