Kingdom of Essence Glossary
The Aerie. A section of the Peoples’ Suburb by the western wall within the capital city of Rivna, the Aerie is protected by Solveiga, the well-respected proprietress of The House of Swans.
Athara. A coastal city on the island nation of Kreanos, where the sea snails are found that create the purple dye (known as Atharan purple), favored by the wealthier merchants and nobles in Rivna.
Cerana. The world of Kingdom of Essence. Known continents include Casekraia, the Frostlands, and the lands to the west: Agathenis, Kiltarma, Hibera, and Kreanos.
Domra. A long-necked folk instrument with a round body, made from wood, and three or four metal strings.
Dmitrei Volkov. The current king of Casekraia and the youngest to take the throne in the last two hundred years. Dmitrei has no siblings and lost both parents in his teenage years in a boating accident on Lake Odarka. His wife, Queen Nefeli, is from the island nation of Kreanos, a marriage arranged one year ago by his Guild advisors from the Tower.
Father Sun. According to Casekraian mythology, Father Sun and Mother Moon created life on Cerana. The ability to thrive and grow is attributed to Father Sun, as his warmth and sunlight ensure all living creatures’ survival. Father Sun’s symbols are the sun, fire, roses, oak trees, and white horses.
Gadra root. A plant whose essence is valued by the Guild as it boosts cognition.
The Gold Sea. The sea west of Casekraia.
The Hearth. A neighborhood in Rivna east of the Moon Court and near the king’s castle. It is where the wealthy residents of the capital live.
The Kalien. A river that runs from Lake Odarka through Rivna and south past Kirtara. East of Tristi, it becomes a delta and lets out into the Moon Sea.
Kreanos. An island country west of Casekraia across the Gold Sea, and Queen Nefeli’s homeland.
The Kurdaima. The merchant district in Rivna.
Liudmyla’s Athenaeum. A public library in Rivna.
Lightprisms. Mage-crafted lamps that hold a fire essence inside, providing constant light. They are an alternative to candles or oil lanterns and are frequently used by the Guild and royal castle, as they are more difficult to weaponize.
Messenger towers. A series of communication towers spaced to allow for quick conversations between the major towns of Casekraia and Rivna, the capital city. Using magesilver lantern relics and short and long flashes of light — created by a combination of fire, wind, and the essence of a firebeetle — the towers provide the quickest way to send messages, but it is also the most expensive.
The Moon Court. A neighborhood in Rivna between the Tower and the king’s castle where the royal families of Casekraia live.
The Moon Sea. The sea south of Casekraia.
Mother Moon. According to Casekraian mythology, Mother Moon with Father Sun created life on Cerana. Mother Moon is attributed with giving all living things souls or essences, and is honored during the Night of Souls in autumn. Some Casekraians believe that using magesilver relics is immoral as all living things that possess an essence, including plants, animals, and humans, have souls and are therefore sacred. Mother Moon’s symbols are the moon, owls, swans, and soul bells — small red flowers that bloom in fall.
Nefeli Lykaios. Queen of Rivna and wife to King Dmitrei. She is the third daughter of the royal family of Kreanos, an island nation west of Casekraia.
The Night of Souls. Also known as Mother’s Night. A day and evening celebration at the beginning of fall to remember the dead and the spirits/essences that inhabit all living things. In the weeks leading up to the Night of Souls, Casekraians decorate with carved wooden masks, harvest wreaths, painted pumpkins, and spirit houses.
Night Sickness. A mysterious illness where a person collapses and dies very quickly, ‘as though their spirit was stolen from their body.’ There is no apparent cause or obvious transmission, and it can happen without warning.
Reclamation agents. Hired by the Guild, these contracted individuals hunt down contract-breakers, people who have borrowed relics from the Tower for harvesting essences and either failed to return their relics or pay their monthly fees. Agents have their own contracts, usually for four-year terms, which allows them to use relics to perform their job. It can be a dangerous profession, as agents are often targeted by rogues who want to steal their relics.
Rivna. The capital city of Casekraia where the king resides.
Rogues. Any mage with an unlicensed relic, either found while exploring the forest or old ruins or obtained through criminal means by stealing from a contract holder, reclamation agent, or other licensed individuals. Though it was not traditionally illegal to own a relic, pressure from the Guild, coupled with the current economy, has left the majority of relic ownership in the hands of the Guild, king, nobles, and wealthy families (including select merchants). Anyone outside these groups found to hold an unlicensed relic is assumed to have obtained it illegally and is forced to give it to the Guild. Despite no actual law controlling this, the king does not interfere.
Sister Luck. A goddess of chance, believed to be the daughter of Mother Moon and Father Sun. A wheel is one of her symbols to indicate the cyclical nature of good and ill fortune.
The Stone and Song. An inn in the Kurdaima where Cas has a room.
Sparkwyrm. A worm found in seaside caves near Sidek, on the southwestern coast of Casekraia. Their essence can create an electric shock when combined with water.
Spirit Houses. Small, peak-roofed houses, about the size of a birdhouse, that are hung over the doors or placed in the windows in the weeks leading up to the Night of Souls. Candles are placed inside to honor the spirits and guide the souls of the deceased home.
The Tower. The guild of mages who control all magical relics within Casekraia. Established after the Winter War, where they fought the frost wyrms that invaded from the Frostlands north of the continent, they have since evolved into the true power in the land, controlling even the king. The Tower is also the physical home and seat of power for the mages within the capital city of Rivna. The various branches of the Tower include:
The Vertex of Flame and Starlight (the council of mages that oversee all operations of the Guild)
The Flame (guards and battle mages)
The Hunters (relic hunters and explorers)
The Scholars (scientists and researchers)
The Hands (the administrators)
The White Forest. A remote and wild timberland in the mountains northwest of Rivna. It is a popular, but difficult place, to explore looking for lost relics.
Xiltarma. A desert country west of Casekraia across the Gold Sea, that borders Agathenis and Hibera.