Rhiannon - Dragonrider
Appendix - Terminology

Glossary

Amendraig

The best rider in Zalibar’s academy.

Base Domain

Real world (c.f. Cerebral Domain).

Cerebral Domain

The realm of the mind.

Cerebral Potential

How much mental work an individual can do.

Cloud World

The term Katie uses to describe the cerebral domain.

Council of the Edify

The central council that keeps the Edifice and island running smoothly.

Crux

The mind’s central node. The essential core of a person.

Crenels

Upright leathery flaps running from the dragons head, down the back of its neck.

The Edify

Originally the creators of the Edifice. Now used to describe the Heads of the eleven remaining Houses.

Family

A group of humans and dragons living under the control of a single head of Family.

Gorat

A poison for humans and dragons which is utterly banned by the Precepts.

The Henge

Circle of stone gateways at the base of the Edifice.

Implanted Node

Controlling presence left by a master in a subordinate’s mind.

Latent

Person, normally from outside the island, who is not yet aware of their cerebral potential.

’Lath

Command ‘fight’ used to begin a duel!

Nag

Dragon crushed into almost mindless servitude.

Neck-Guard

Subservient riders protecting the dragon’s vulnerable first vertebra.

Nonda

Rider Family members. The heir, usually the oldest child, bears the title nonda, for example Wast-nonda.

Noviate

Junior pupil in the academy.

Poignard

Long thin dagger. Can be used in attack or defence

Portway

Foot entrance to the Edifice.

Precepts

Fundamental rules of the society in the Edifice. Deviation from them is overwhelmingly punished by all dragons.

Prime

Senior pupils in the academy.

Ring Pathway & stairway

Internal paths around the Edifice cut into the overhanging walls. Only intended for use by servants.

Terrace

Flat, open area in front of each portway where a number of ring stairways converge.

Transitor

Intermediate pupils in Zalibar’s Academy.

Transition

Either: Pass into or out of the Edifice through a flute.

or: Swap between the base and cerebral domains.

Tyro

Trainee neck guards, low status pupils at the academy.

Veranda

Flat, open area in front of a lair - used for landing.

Year of Flame and Sword

Civil war in which dozens of Families were obliterated which took place around the time of Katie’s birth

Characters

[Pronunciation in square brackets. The ‘r̃’ character represents a Welsh rolled r. Capitals for stress.]

Bryn [br̃yn]

Slightly dozy noviate tyro.

Carodoc [car-o-DOC]

Senior tyro; comes from a long line of senior retainers in the House of Caro.

Caronas [car-o-NASS]

Powerful female dragon; head of the House of Caro; Carodoc’s mistress.

Geraint [GE-r̃eint]

Grimly competent transitor tyro from a low ranking Family. Not much natural talent but works to achieve what he wants. Has learnt Zalibar’s entire training manual

Han-nonda

Strict but friendly senior student; current Armenclethyfur.

Iola

Clothes store keeper. Has some sort of romantic relationship with Carodoc.

Janenon [JA-ne-non]

Elderly, bronze coloured dragon; head of the Jane Family which suffered serious loss in The Year of Flame and Sword.

Jenko (Janedoc [JA-ne-doc])

Noviate tyro from the Jane Family; completely out of his depth in the academy. The harder he tries, the worse it gets.

Kier-nonda

A friend of Quaro-Deryn, member of the Kier Family which is a vassal to the House of Quaro.

Liberty

Male wild dragon, broken by Katie; nearly as long as Rhiannas but less bulky; almost black with red flashes.

Lippit [LIP-pit]

Old, male, moderately docile nag. Greyish green. Size of a large elephant.

Llyn-nonda [CHLIN non-DA]

Quietly competent transitor Nonda - about to be promoted to prime.

Markesh-Dwynwen (Dee) [mark-ESH DUN-when]

Elderly housekeeper, much trusted, highly competent and friendly. Usually called Dee.

Markeshnon [mark-ESH-non]

Human head of the Markesh Family - friend of the House of Rhian.

Nero

Brown, male nag; long and slender, jittery in flight.

Olwen

Noviate girl tyro who was promoted to transitor shortly after duel. Competent and cheerful. Slightly bossy. Quite tall with long, fair hair tied back in a ponytail and a slight twinkle in her eyes.

Pennas

Green dragon - head of the Penn Family; Former enemy of Psion.

Psion

Former servant of Katie’s mother.

Quaroclethyfur [QUA-ro cleth-Y-fur]

Highly able Quaro sword master.

Quarodu [qua-RO-du]

Most powerful dragon in the (human-led) House of Quaro.

Quaronas [qua-ro-NAS]

Human head of the House of Quaro.

Quaro-Deryn [QUA-ro DER-r̃in]

Second child of the House of Quaro; unhappy that his elder sister is favoured in succession; currently Amendraig.

Rhiannon [r̃y-ann-NON], Rhiannen [r̃y-ann-NEN]

The human head of the House of Rhian and his wife; killed in the Year of Flame and Sword.

Rhiannonda [R̃Y-ann NON-da]

Oldest child of the House of Rhian, killed by Rhiannas in the Year of Flame and Sword.

Rhian-Ceridwen [R̃Y-ann CER-i-dwin]

Second child of the House of Rhian, killed by Rhiannas in the Year of Flame and Sword.

Rhianadoc [R̃Y-ann-a-doc]

Name given to Katie by Rhiannas but she rarely uses it.

Rhiandu [R̃Y-ann-du - hard ‘d’]

Rhiannas’s title until the Year of Flame and Sword.

Psionnon [SION-non] (Gwen-Owen)

Katie’s mother.

Taloon [ta-LOON]

Large, green, female nag, not completely docile.

Towan [TOW-an]

Blotchy brown coloured nag, size of a large horse.

Wast-Bethan

Noviate nonda; Wasty’s younger sister.

Wastnonda (Wasty)

Transitor nonda; slightly aloof but friendly - doesn’t really try.

Zalibar [ZAL-i-bar]

Headmaster at the academy. Not a member of any Family.

Titles

Certain positions in a Family or House come with a title:

…clethyfur

Sword master.

…doc

Principal human servant.

…du

Head dragon in a human-led Family.

…nas

Dragon head of Family.

…nen

Human Head of Family’s spouse.

…non

Human Head of Family.

…nonda

Next in line to be Head of the Family in a human-led house.