THUGWALLOP GLOSSARY

Abyss (uh-biss) – Formerly the site of Relik, the city-state capital of the Ancients. Now, a crater hole in the center of the Dome.

Academy (uh-cad-uh-me) – A school dedicated to the preservation and teaching of Fold Craft. Located in the center of Labyrinth, the Academy is the engine behind the Labyrinthian tool industry. The university teaches five schools of Fold Craft: Industrial Folding, Whimsy Folding, Battle Folding, Research Folding, and Birthday Folding. When accused of pompous self-assuredness, the Academy’s official response is: “We don’t care what you peasants think.”

Accountants (uh-cown-tents) – Merchant Guild muscle, equally skilled with numbers and battle abacuses. When Baron Muk needs to solve a problem, accountants are his first-strike weapon.

Adeline Forsythe (a-dull-ine four-sie-th) – Wife to Humboldt, mother to Alex and Ozzie. A blacksmith and expert swordswoman, Adeline didn’t share her husband’s obsession with Stone Hunting. She died chasing Skhaar into the Divide when he kidnapped Humboldt.

Aeronoth (air-oh-noth) – The only Sky City to survive the Cloud War, Aeronoth is a trade hub and central cog in Terravenum’s rumor mill. It’s administered by the Merchant Guild, but many societies (most prominently, the Mercenary League) call it home. The city’s proximity to the Thermals provides convenient access to trade routes. Mercy Malicious runs the Black Market from her tavern, Mercy’s Landing, on Level Four.

Alex (Alexandria) Forsythe (al-ex-an-dree-uh four-sie-th) – 15 years old. Twin sister to Ozzie, daughter of Humboldt and Adeline, granddaughter of Sir Quidby. Alex loves adventure and exploration, but prefers extreme sports to library research.

A Stone Tech bracelet called an “armillam” is fused to her left wrist. She struggles to control its power, but has manifested a force field on multiple occasions. The effort of using her armillam exhausts her (half the time, it knocks her unconscious).

Alpha Gate (al-fuh gate) – A gate into the Divide, built by the Ancients. Located in the southwest corner of Terravenum. There are unconfirmed rumors of an Omega Gate (commonly called the “Sky Gate”) in the Leviathan Mountains, in the northeast. The Alpha Gate is connected to the Paths, the only safe way to roam the Divide. Wardens—modern-day remnants of the Ancient Sentinels—consider it their sacred duty to guard the gate.

Amnesia (am-nee-zhuh) – Island in the Forgotten Sea that served as a secret jail for the Noctem. Home to the Forgotten, a tribe of lost explorers and incarcerated scientists who lived in the village of Oblivion. While searching for his grandfather, Ozzie uncovered the Noctem’s scheme and rescued the villagers.

Anemoi Blade (an-uh-moy blade) – A legendary sword of flame manifested by a Stone Tech glove. The Anemoi Blade is central to the Custos Luminis prophecy, which suggests that whoever wields it will save Terravenum—oh, and die in the process. There are two known Anemoi Blades in existence: one belongs to the Fury King, and the other to Ozzie Forsythe.

Angelus (an-jel-us) airship – Originally a light freighter, Angelus has been retrofitted, repaired, and patched so many times, she barely resembles her original design. Co-captained by Pascal and Layla, who disagree on who is really in charge (aerodrome officials typically regard Layla as the vessel’s captain, thanks to her willingness to engage in bureaucracy in a civilized fashion). Pascal uses the main cabin as a laboratory and workshop. Layla claims the engine room as her domain. Angelus’ two motors are homes to Snuggles and Socrates, a pair of gruffletrunts who guard their machinery with homicidal enthusiasm.

Angelus (an-jel-us) dragon – Legendary dragon who terrorized Terravenum’s sky alongside his brother Locrian during the Dragon Age. Revered by aeronauts for sacrificing himself to prevent his sibling from attacking a convoy. When historians point out that Angelus mauled airships too, before his abrupt change of heart, aeronauts shush them and rub their dragon talismans for good luck.

Annihilator (uh-nie-yuhl-ay-ter) – A relic of the Cloud War, Annihilators were the Fury King’s heavy casualty shock troops. Their numbers have dwindled in recent years, thanks to combat losses and Home Office discontinuing their training program. Only a pawful of Annihilators serve today, most notably Skhaar the Annihilator.

Archive (are-kive) – Home of the Booksworn warrior librarians. The Archive houses all of Garrilus the Unread’s known works, making it the center of Stone Hunting research in Terravenum.

Arena (uh-ree-nuh) – Thugwallop stadium in the heart of the Hack Market. The Arena showcases Hack Tech in gladiatoral competitions. Its bleachers feature fortified bunkers to ensure spectator safety. Four Mage Towers, each responsible for a quadrant of the pitch, are symmetrically spaced in the Arena. From these elevated viewpoints, Paper Mages use Fold Tech to contain dynami accidents during Thugwallop matches.

Armillam (are-mil-lum) – Stone Tech bracelet. Alex has an armillam fused to her left wrist. Three volantium circles embedded in her forearm absorb dynami (from the atmosphere or power stones), then channel it through the armillam to create an energy shield. Alex suspects the bracelet has more capabilities, but her experiments result in complete exhaustion and/or falling unconscious.

Arthropids (are-throw-pidz) – Insectoid inhabitants of Terravenum. They range from 12 inches to 4 feet in height (standing on two legs). Cockroaches are the most common species, but a variety of other types exist. Arthropids comprise 98% of the membership in the Merchant Guild.

Baron Muk (bear-en muck) – Head of Merchant Guild. Like all top-tier Guild administrators, Muk is a cockroach-bodied arthropid. He resides in Aeronoth, to keep a tyrannical eye on trade flowing through the Thermals. Baron Muk despises Mercy Malicious, the Queen of the Black Market, but respects her business acumen and ruthlessness.

Barren (bear-en) – Strips of land bordering the Divide. Subject to the highest concentrations of dynami in Terravenum, the Barren’s high mutation rate creates Barrenites (see: Barrenites).

Barrenites (bear-en-ites) – A catch-all descriptor for sentient beings mutated by the Fracturing. They come in all shapes and sizes, from silicon-skinned Cragg trolls to elephants and armadillos. Barrenites typically walk in a humanoid fashion, even if they descended from four-legged beasts.

Barter Market (bar-turr mar-ket) – Located in Rust, the Barter Market is Terravenum’s largest trading ground for goods and services, with an emphasis on breachfall.

Beatrice (be-uh-triss) – Sir Quidby’s prized cricket bat. Over the years, the explorer has embedded a wide assortment of survival tools into Beatrice—everything from a miniature saw to emergency socks. Quidby is the only person who knows how to open its secret compartments, but with a spot of luck and a few hours, you might figure out where he’s hidden his ingredients for tea.

Behemoth (buh-he-mith) – The Contraption Assassin’s famous mech suit that led him to an undefeated record in the Thugwallop Arena.

Belua (bel-loo-uh) – Creatures who live in the Divide. Classified into five types: Argumentals, Anguishers, Joltfangs, Slurps, and Glitchers.

Booksworn (book-sworn) – Warrior librarians dedicated to protecting books in the Archive.

Borealis Stone (bore-ee-al-iss stone) – Meteorite that fell into Terravenum and was discovered by the Ancients, who harnessed its unique dynami radiation to create Stone Tech. In the Fracturing, the Borealis Stone split into three pieces: the Key Stone, the Shudder Stone, and the Deep Stone.

Brakhta (brok-tuh) – Sauracian expletive. I’m not going to give you a direct translation, but trust me, it’s not nice.

Breachfall (breech-fall) – When Moribund Gales build, they suck debris from Urt (Earth) through the Divide and deposit it in the Feral. This debris can be anything from a can of soda to a rusty motorcycle helmet plastered with stickers for a pet emporium. Scatterlings comb the desert for breachfall, to sell at the Barter Market or collect in their hoards.

Catharsis Bufflecrook (cuh-thar-sis buh-full-krook) – Thugwallop referee. Implicated in multiple gambling scandals.

Chancellor Ignis (chan-sull-or ig-nis) – Head of the Academy (the Labyrinthian school tasked with protecting and teaching the secrets of Fold Craft).

Chief Ekstatic (cheef eck-stat-ik) – Leader of the skulking perils in the Wildermess (see: Skulking Perils). Chief Ekstatic’s leadership style leans heavily on impassioned cries for vengeance.

Chieftess (cheef-tess) – Ruler of the city of Contrivance, and administrator of the Children of Contrivance’s never-ending science fair. For someone who hates nonsense, she’s forced to tolerate a lot of it on a daily basis.

Children of Contrivance (chill-dren of con-try-vince) – The greatest minds in Terravenum—at least, they think so. The Chieftess recruits geniuses from all disciplines to join her in the city of Contrivance. When they aren’t squabbling or pilfering lab supplies from each other, they stumble across some revolutionary discoveries.

Churlish Pines (chur-lish pines) – An ill-tempered forest of spinning pine trees in the Wildermess. They keep intruders away by hurling innocent woodland creatures as projectiles.

Compulsion Transponder (come-pull-shun tran-spon-der) – Supremik “pain motivation” device implanted beneath an asset’s skin. Always booby-trapped, to encourage loyalty.

Contraption Assassin (con-trap-shun uh-sass-in) – Famous Thugwallop hacker who accrued an undefeated record in the Arena before dying in a tragic explosion during a match. He wore a mech suit called Behemoth.

Contrivance (con-try-vince) – A city dedicated to science, run by the Chieftess. Many would argue it’s run by the whims of hundreds of short-sighted geniuses who live there, but someone has to hand out mops after a food fight.

Cragg (krag) – Home of the Cragg trolls. Center of power stone production in Terravenum.

Cragg Trolls (krag trole-z) – Silicon-based Barrenites renowned for their skill in crafting power stones. Cragg trolls are shaped like pot-bellied stoves and have the strength of a team of shempum. Power stones embedded in trolls’ chests animate their rock bodies, leaking light through cracks in their skin. Balance is their religion, which they express through building rock cairns (Don’t touch!). Cragg trolls communicate through windspeak, a whistling, beatboxing language that is so strange, translapedes don’t know what to do with it.

Custos Luminis (cus-tose loom-in-iss) – A prophecy centering around the coming of “The Guardian of Light,” a hero who will save Terravenum from impending Darkness. A key phrase of the prophecy: “Blade of fire, to curse the night,” connects it to the Anemoi Blade. Skeptics claim the prophecy is a fairy tale. Believers like the Supremiks believe the Fury King is the Custos Luminis (Ozzie hopes they’re right!).

Dark Lords (dark lordz) – Scatterling warlords who buck tradition by adopting trading names that paint them in a bad light, suggesting they might be untrustworthy. Dark Lords of sufficient notoriety are invited to join The Syndicate (see: Syndicate). Fellow Scatterlings detest the Dark Lords for stealing breachfall from scavenger caravans.

Deathsong (deth-sawng) – Sauracian warriors traditionally honor defeated foes by remembering them in Deathsong. Vanquished opponents are ranked in descending order according to their skill and courage in combat. Particularly brutal battles may earn an opponent an entire verse, while minor skirmishes merit only a name. A Deathsong is a warrior’s penance for their destructive path.

In the modern Maelstrom, Deathsongs are ridiculed as sentimentalism, since fallen opponents are unworthy of remembrance. Skhaar the Annihilator keeps the Old Ways alive.

Debunking (dee-bun-king) – An adventuring discipline considered extreme by the explorer community because it focuses on directly challenging established discoveries instead of breaking new ground. Explorers feel that if you’re going to embarrass your colleagues, you should have the decency to die in the effort.

Decima (dess-im-uh) – A Supremik Zealot-in-training. Skhaar the Annihilator’s little sister. Impatient and volatile, Decima has a well-earned reputation for solving problems with her throwing daggers.

Deep Stone (deep stone) – One of the lost Borealis Stones, along with the Shudder Stone and Key Stone.

Delver (dell-verr) – Knoxbleat Vouch’s submarine. Shaped like a pufferfish, with a boxy body and accordioning bellows beneath her side fins. Designed to shuttle adventure tourists into the Vortex, Delver has yet to earn positive cash flow, and her customers fill her feedback cards with colorful language. Her propulsion system relies on Labyrinthian technology, pumping water through bellows to move the vessel forward.

Deshk (desh-k) – Skhaar’s mortal enemy and a rising star in the Supremik hierarchy. Chief Lucidator Deshk wants what any Sauracian bureaucrat desires: complete devastation of anyone opposing his inevitable ascent to power.

Divide (div-eyed) – The outer layer of the Dome, forming a dynami-rich region between Terravenum and Urt. Mutant creatures called Belua (see: Belua) live in the Divide. According to legend, it’s possible to traverse the Divide safely by following the Paths (see: Paths).

Dome (dome) – A dynami shield covering all of Terravenum, separating it from the Divide. During the Fracturing, the Borealis Stone blasted a massive amount of dynami into Relik’s defensive energy dome, expanding it thousands of miles in every direction. As the Dome passed over Terravenum, it irradiated everything in its path, mutating Barrenites (see: Barrenites). One known gate (the Alpha Gate) and one rumored gate (the Omega Gate, or “Sky Gate”) offer access to the Divide.

Dr. Copernikis (dock-ter cup-earn-ick-iss) – Restin’s adoptive father. Human. Former Child of Contrivance. He detests intellectual property theft and has a quick trigger finger on his crossbow.

Dr. Squelch (dock-ter skwelch) – Fury King’s therapist. He’s making great strides with the monarch’s anger management. Okay, maybe not great strides—although it’s possible to walk backwards, so in that case, yes. Great strides.

Dragon Age (drag-un ayj) – A six-month period when two dragons emerged from the Divide and tormented Terravenum’s aeronaut population. The dragons, Angelus and Locrian, were siblings. Their reign of terror ended when Angelus prevented Locrian from attacking a convoy, and both brothers died in the ensuing fight. Most aeronauts incorporate dragon iconography into their vessels in case flying reptiles decide to feast upon airships again. Sauracian culture regards dragons as examples of what lizards should aspire to become.

Dregs (dregz) – A city of hackers centered around the Hack Market. Home to Thugwallop. Thanks to the Hack Market, Dregs consumes twice as much dynami as all other cities in Terravenum combined. For safety, the aerodrome and dynami processing facility are located three miles north of the populated city.

Drog (drawg) – Clockwork canine who menaced the city of Contrivance by ruining science experiments. Built by Pascal and Thorpe before their acrimonious split, Drog now lives with Thorpe and has developed alarmingly larcenous habits. The lucky few who don’t trigger his Kill Mode know him as a doggo with a heart of gold who just wants to wreak a little joyful havoc.

Dromedarians (draw-muh-dare-ee-ens) – Bipedal Barrenites mutated from camels. Dromedarians are among the best aeronauts in Terravenum. Physical characteristics that serve them well in extreme desert conditions are invaluable in the sky, particularly when traveling in the Thermals.

Dynami (die-nam-ee) – Radiation produced by the Borealis Stone. The Ancients discovered how to harness dynami as a power source, giving them a technological advantage (see: Stone Tech) over their fellow city-states. After the Fracturing, knowledge about how Stone Tech works was lost, and hackers began reverse-engineering Ancient artifacts. Hack Tech was born (see: Hack Tech).

In its natural form, dynami is blue. Supremiks invented their own processing method to maximize dynami’s power, which has a side effect of turning the energy red. When active or stored in a power stone, dynami adopts a lightning form, like electricity. Most refineries store it as a dormant liquid for increased stability. Volantium is the only metal immune to dynami’s corrosive properties.

Dynami Harvesting (die-nam-ee har-vest-ing) – The process of collecting dynami using airborne traps. Most harvesters station traps near the Dome in areas with volatile storm activity, hoping to capture dynami from a Moribund Gale (see: Moribund Gale). The Merchant Guild regulates the dynami trade by issuing harvesting licenses. Baron Muk frowns upon unlicensed harvesting—well, that’s not entirely true: Muk actually smiles upon it, as he dispatches guild accountants to teach unlicensed harvesters a fatal lesson about the importance of filing paperwork.

Eric (air-ick) – Chief Acolyte for the Hermits of Mumblemere at the Spires of Dubious Wisdom.

Fate Rings (fayt ring) – Stone Tech bracelets that bind two prisoners to each other. If the bracelets are separated by more than fifty feet, a dynami cord will form between them to drag the prisoners back together.

Fate Rings mirror pain, so if one prisoner is punched, the other feels the impact (magnified or diminished according to their relative body size). This connection applies to death. Should one prisoner perish, the Fate Rings ensure their partner joins them.

Feral (fair-uhl) – Region of Terravenum between the Abyss and the Thermals, including Scabbard Forest. The Feral receives the most breachfall in the continent, making it a popular foraging ground for Scatterlings.

Final Pilgrimage (fy-null pill-grim-idge) – When a Sentinel or warden nears the end of their life, they voluntarily enter the Divide to patrol the Paths. It’s a one-way trip, and their last sacrificial duty.

Fold Craft (fold kraft) – The art of folding paper to create machines and tools. To the uninitiated, Fold Tech appears to be magic. The Academy jealously guards Fold Tech’s secrets, though they needn’t worry—finger manipulations required for even basic Labyrinthian folds require years of practice. The Academy teaches five schools of Fold Craft: Industrial Folding, Whimsy Folding, Battle Folding, Research Folding, and Birthday Folding. Each has its own place, although nearly everyone agrees Birthday Folding is useless.

Foldfathers (fold-fa-thurz) – Originators of Fold Tech. Founders of the Academy.

Folly (fall-ee) – Village at the base of the Leviathan Mountains. Explorers come here to stage expeditions and seek a licensed Mountaineer Guild guide at the local tavern, The Lard Bucket.

Fracturing (frak-churr-ing) – At the climax of the Cloud War, the Maelstrom laid siege to Relik, the Ancient’s capital city. Although the Fury King’s forces had overcome humanity’s technological advantage, they were unable to breach the dynami dome shielding the city. The battle was a stalemate until the Borealis Stone, the power supply for Stone Tech, fractured into three pieces. No one knows the truth behind what caused the Fracturing, but conspiracy theories abound.

When the Borealis Stone broke, it unleashed a burst of dynami radiation that expanded Relik’s protective shield thousands of miles and opened an abyss that swallowed the city. The Dome irradiated everything as it expanded, mutating creatures and poisoning the land. It formed a permanent energy shield over Terravenum, cutting it off from Earth—or as Terravenumites call it: Urt—and created the Divide, the outer layer of the Dome.

According to legend, the Fracturing broke the Borealis Stone into three fragments: the Deep Stone, the Shudder Stone, and the Key Stone.

Frightful Glurgak (frite-full glur-gack) – A Belua trapped in the Forgotten Sea.

Fury King (fyur-ee king) – Ruler of Sauracia. His early years are undocumented, but he rose to prominence when Sauracia was on the cusp of defeat during the Cloud War. Under the Fury King’s leadership, the clans united. His vicious tactics led to decisive victories against superior technology, turning the tide of war. Slowly, the Maelstrom gained the upper hand and laid siege to Relik, the Ancient’s capital city. When the Borealis Stone fractured, the Fury King’s surviving forces limped back to Sauracia.

He has not ventured from his palace in Gnash for centuries, but Terravenum is abuzz with rumors of his imminent return. The Supremiks regard the Fury King as the Custos Luminis (see: Custos Luminis), thanks to his Anemoi Blade.

Gallant Banditry (gal-int ban-dih-tree) – Chivalrous banditry inspired by Robin Hood, where thieves steal to help the less fortunate. Norman (see: Norman) is attempting to popularize gallant banditry with Terravenum’s underworld, but it’s an uphill battle.

Garrilus the Unread (gair-ill-us thuh un-red) – Widely regarded as the worst writer in history, Garrilus was a once-in-a-hundred generations Insomnian born without the need to sleep, and gifted with an extended life span.

Garrilus devoted himself to traveling, recording every moment of his life in stream-of-consciousness prose. Over centuries, he amassed a huge volume of work encompassing hundreds of forms of literature. In addition to originating unique Terravenum poetic forms, his fascination with breachfall led him to experiment with Urtling prose.

Garrilus’ writings would have been relegated to history’s compost heap if he hadn’t encountered Sentinels and witnessed moments that resonated in Stone Lore. Following Garrilus’ death, Henna the Lorebadger (his traveling Scribe) stored his works for posterity. When Roncordiant Flog stumbled across Henna’s den and discovered a reference to the Borealis Stones, he convinced the lorebadger to transfer her Garrilus collection to the Booksworn Archive.

Garrilus the Unread was regarded as petty, argumentative, and cantankerous by all who knew him, but scholars revere him for his unintended contributions to Stone Hunting. 

Geoffrey (jeff-ree) – Arthropid announcer whose baritone voice, live-action commentary, and classy tuxedo are a staple of the larger-than-life Thugwallop experience. Geoffrey’s insistence on following the rules makes him a thorn in every referee’s side.

Gnash (nash) – Capital city of Sauracia. Home to the Fury King’s palace.

Great Shame (grayt shaym) – Prior to the Cloud War, Sentinels traveled Terravenum, dispensing justice and mediating disputes. During the Siege of Relik, they were tasked with protecting the Borealis Stone. In the aftermath of the Fracturing, Sentinels roamed the land once again, swearing to travel only by foot as penance for their failure to protect the Borealis Stone. They called this oath their Great Shame.

Gruffletrunt (gruff-uhl-trunt) – Six-legged murderballs. Only Pascal would be insane enough to domesticate two gruffletrunts and house them in his airship’s engines as guard pets (see: Socrates & Snuggles). As fluffy as they appear, gruffletrunts are notoriously territorial, erratic, and violent. If you’re going to pet one, wear body armor.

Grusk the Word Butcher (gruh-sk thuh werd buot-cher) – Sauracian playwright. Grusk’s plays are the saddest—and therefore, most beloved—in Sauracian literature. Their famously formulaic plots (an honorable warrior suffers a series of devastating betrayals until he dies by a friend’s blade) only make them more popular.

Gusty Bombastic (gus-tee bom-bast-ik) – Owner and Barkeeper of Gusty Bombastic’s Haven for Weary Thumbs, the finest dueling tavern in Labyrinth.

Hack Market (hak mark-it) – In the heart of Dregs, the Hack Market is the epicenter of Hack Tech innovation in Terravenum. Hackers from around the continent flock to the market to demonstrate (and hopefully sell) their designs. Home of Thugwallop, a gladiator sport that was founded to highlight Hack Tech innovation, but evolved into a weapons showroom.

Hack Tech (hak tek) – Dynami-powered technology based on reverse-engineered Stone Tech. Volatile and unreliable, Hack tech is the most popular form of technology in Terravenum.

Hacker Guild (hak-er gild) – Coalition of hackers who administered Dregs until Sheriff Kwell amassed so much power, they were unable to control him.

Heliovapor (heal-ee-oh vay-pour) – Lighter-than-air vapor harvested from the Helios Lakes to fill airship envelopes. The gas is both flammable and inflammable because those words mean the same thing.

Henna the Lorebadger (hen-uh thuh lor-bad-jer) – A famous Scribe (see: Scribes). Henna accompanied Garrilus the Unread on many of his travels until they had a falling out. When Roncordiant Flog stumbled across Henna’s lair and saw her collection of Garrilus’ work, the world changed forever. The Sisterhood of Scribes banished Henna for sharing her records with the Booksworn, but she willingly made the sacrifice out of respect for Garrilus.

Hermit Bellikoze (her-mitt bell-ick-oze) – He occupies the red hermit shack atop his Spire. Specializes in mentoring pilgrims who bring him ingredients for stew.

Hermit Fulminius (her-mitt full-min-ee-us) – He occupies the green hermit shack atop his Spire. A deft hand at scrapbooking and wreath making.

Hermit Pretenshus (her-mitt pre-ten-shus) – He occupies the yellow hermit shack atop his Spire. Famous for his lush, waist-length blonde hair the other hermits aren’t the least bit jealous of (you can ask them, and they’ll deny it with lots of swear words).

Hermits of Mumblemere (her-mitts of mum-bull-meer) – Pilgrims call them wise men. Skeptics call them grifters. Only one thing is certain: if you can’t find your name on a keychain in the Spires’ gift shop, Eric will carve you a custom one in twenty minutes.

According to legend, the Hermits of Mumblemere were born when a fisherman took a nap in a tree. He woke up as a friend walked beneath him, mumbling about a relationship problem with his wife. The fisherman disguised his voice and offered advice. His startled friend took the mysterious voice at its word and used that wisdom to fix his relationship.

The fisherman enjoyed helping his friend, so he returned to the tree every day to give advice to travelers wandering through the forest. His reputation grew, and eventually, he built a shack in his tree to live aboveground full-time. Visitors offered food as payment for his wisdom, so he never needed to leave his perch.

Word of the hermit’s discernment (and free food supply) spread, and two more fishermen joined him in neighboring trees. As their fame grew, so did their trees. The fishermen mentored acolytes, who replaced them upon their deaths, establishing a line of hermits. Over the centuries, an amusement park arose around the Spires of Dubious Wisdom to provide pilgrims entertainment to lighten their weary souls—and failing that, their wallets.

Today, pilgrims journey from all around Terravenum to sit at the base of the mighty Spires and meditate on the mysteries of the universe with the Hermits of Mumblemere. Their meditations typically start with pondering how it cost them thirty klunklings to park their airship, then another ten klunklings to buy a personalized coffee mug.

Hoard (hord) – Scatterling storage vault. Usually heavily defended by booby traps.

Home Office (home awe-fiss) – Current Maelstrom (see: Maelstrom) administration, determined to modernize the military by reforming the Old Ways. In theory, this should result in a more sophisticated, fearsome fighting force. In practice, it means mandatory seminars about expressing emotion through floral arrangements.

Humboldt Forsythe (hum-bolt four-sie-th) – Sir Quidby’s only child. Husband of Adeline, father of Alex and Ozzie. Humboldt followed in his father’s footsteps, exploring Terravenum and searching for the Borealis Stones. Ultimately, that obsession cost him his freedom when Skhaar the Annihilator kidnapped him from Urt and imprisoned him in Gnash. For the past seven years, he’s been working in the Stolen Library, doing just enough Stone research to keep Word Keeper Thosk from killing him.

Hurtlewood (her-tuhl wood) – Light, sturdy wood harvested from Insomnia and used in airship construction.

Incognito Dock (in-cog-neat-oh dok) – Most aerodromes offer an Incognito Dock, where vessels declaring themselves to be “traveling Incognito” may berth anonymously, so long as the captain doesn’t disembark and they don’t transfer cargo. The Smuggler Alliance pays a hefty fee for this arrangement, so its members can find safe harbor while fleeing officials or angry creditors.

Infernum the Wiser (in-fer-num thuh wize-er) – A Fold Tech prodigy expelled from the Academy for selling Fold Tech patterns to non-students. Infernum set up shop in Pulp and founded Infernum Industries, a leading producer of cutting-edge Labyrinthian tools. His unwillingness to limit his designs to Academy regulations keeps him at odds with the Chancellor.

Insomnia (in-sawm-nee-uh) – A region of Terravenum famous for two things: the incredible potency of its coffee beans, and every hundred generations, birthing someone who doesn’t require sleep and has a centuries-long life span.

Interpreter (in-ter-prit-er) – The Syndicate representative who enforces their traditions and bylaws. Lady Latesh (see: Lady Latesh) was sent to help Norman inherit his father’s Dark Lord mantle.

Juniper Rhinoceros (joo-nip-er rye-noss-er-us) – Sir Quidby’s favorite pub in Lamswool, England. Named after a baby rhinoceros he saved from poachers, then housed at the tavern. Juney (Juniper) stomps around the place like a miniature Sherman tank.

Kameen (kuh-mean) – Top-rated Thugwallop Armorer. In the past, Kameen helped the Contraption Assassin (see: Contraption Assassin) achieve his unbroken stream of victories in the Arena. After earning Sheriff Kwell’s disfavor, she was reassigned to the Salvage Department.

Keeper (kee-per) – St. Jude’s grizzled lighthouse keeper who barely speaks, but conveys multitudes with a grunt. Keeper is the latest in a long line of custodians to brave life on an exposed rock in the North Sea.

Keeper’s Rock (kee-perz rawk) – Island in the North Sea, near Lamswool, England. Named after the succession of lighthouse keepers who have tended the facility for centuries. The solitary stone pinnacle is topped by Sir Quidby’s lighthouse home (see: St. Jude’s).

Key Stone (kee stone) – One of the lost Borealis Stones, along with the Shudder Stone and Deep Stone.

Killem Kor (kill-um core) – Supremik Zealot who, frankly, has better things to do than stand around the Thugwallop Arena fighting hackers. Killem does what the Supremik Council tells him, but that doesn’t mean he has to like it.

Klunk/Klunklings (clunk/clunk-lingz) – 1. Terravenum’s currency. A single klunk comes in the form of a 2,000 lb stone wheel. This made buying things a problem until someone used a hammer and chisel to create klunklings.

2. Town built around the quarry where Terravenum mines its currency, the klunk (see: Klunk/Klunklings).

Klunk-ton (clunk tun) – Unit of measurement equivalent to the weight of one klunk (a 2,000 lb stone wheel).

Knoxbleat Vouch (nocks-bleet vow-ch) – Conspiracy theorist (he prefers the term “hoax enthusiast”) and treasure hunter. Knoxbleat salvages airship wrecks along the coast of the Forgotten Sea. His forays into adventure tourism by taking his submarine into the Vortex have yet to yield positive cash flow, but have filled his suggestion box with colorful language. Knoxbleat is a prolific author of conspiracy-busting pamphlets and books. His Stone Lore arguments with Sir Quidby are the stuff of legend.

Koyn the Problematic (coin thuh praw-blem-attic) – A Dark Lord who enjoyed all the melodrama that comes with building an ill-gotten hoard of breachfall stolen from fellow Scatterlings. Koyn the Problematic is a prime example of the rebellious spirit shared by members of The Syndicate. In his later years, he designed slides and playground equipment in his spare time (a hobby which remained a secret until after his death). Koyn’s son, Norman (see: Norman), was expected to inherit his father’s name, reputation, and hoard, but he didn’t want to.

Krubskunk (crub-skunk) – A cross between a weasel, a sugar glider, and a flying squirrel. Their fondness for gnawing rope bridges places them firmly in the “Pest” category, but who can resist those adorable eyes?

Krubzilla (crub-zill-uh) – A 30-foot long krubskunk, mutated to its unusually massive size by Pascal’s static grenades. Krubskunks are a cross between a weasel, sugar glider, and a flying squirrel, so Krubzilla makes an excellent airborne steed for Norman (see: Norman).

Kwell/Sheriff Kwell (share-if kwell) – Commissioner of Thugwallop and principal law keeper for the city of Dregs. When detractors accuse Kwell of running a gambling ring and funneling money into underhanded weapons deals with warlords, he shrugs and says, “Prove it.” It’s amazingly difficult to find witnesses willing to testify about his sketchy behavior, and even more challenging to find them after they do it.

Labyrinth (lab-er-inth) – A city founded around the art of Fold Tech. Labyrinth was born when the Foldfathers established the Academy to safeguard and pass on Fold Tech to future generations. The lucrative market for tools that work in dynami-rich environments increased Labyrinth’s influence. Eventually, an outer city formed beyond the Academy walls, to service the school’s needs and capitalize on the economic boom. Card stock is mulched, dyed, and processed in Pulp, an industrial shantytown outside the city gates.

Labyrinthians have a reputation for being smug and elitist. The Academy’s discriminatory admission policies do little to improve its image.

Labyrinthian Tools (lab-er-inth-ian toolz) – Tools made from paper, using Fold Tech methods (see: Fold Tech). Labyrinthian tools are popular in environments with extreme dynami exposure because they are immune to dynami’s corrosive effects on metal. Fold Tech tools are also prized for their portability. However, Labyrinthian tools require skillful manipulation to use, and their longevity is often determined by the quality of their folding material. The Academy has longstanding policies against selling weapons, but independent crafters like Infernum the Wiser flout its authority.

Lady Latesh (lay-dee luh-tesh) – Interpreter preparing Norman to inherit the mantle of his deceased father, Dark Lord Koyn the Problematic. She is tasked with enforcing The Syndicate’s traditions and policies, but her latest charge isn’t making her job easy.

Lamswool (lams-wool) – Village on the northeast coast of England. Sir Quidby’s home, the St. Jude’s lighthouse, is near Lamswool, on the far side of Jackal’s Bay.

Layla (lay-luh) – Co-Captain of Angelus with Pascal (though she does all the flying and navigating). At 6 feet tall, Layla is a runt by Sauracian standards, but her drive and mechanical aptitude led to her becoming a Contrivance-licensed Wrencher. Layla’s pragmatic worldview is frequently at odds with Pascal’s devil-may-care attitude.

Leviathan Mountains (luh-vy-uh-thin moun-tens) – Mountain range in northeastern Terravenum. Home to avalanches, garganchu trolls, the thumpergrout, and a host of other dangers. Stone hunters believe it is the location of the fabled Sky Gate (see: Sky Gate).

Locrian (low-cree-in) – Legendary dragon who terrorized Terravenum’s sky during the Dragon Age. Brother of Angelus. According to the old stories, Angelus prevented Locrian from attacking an airship convoy, triggering a sibling fight that killed both dragons.

Lorebadger (lore bad-jur) – Towering between seven and ten feet tall, lorebadgers are renowned for their size and strength. Their gruff exteriors mask photographic memories and fanatical reverence for history. Female lorebadgers train from an early age to join the sisterhood of Scribes (see: Scribe). 

Lorebadger Ultimatum (lore bad-jur uhl-tim-aye-tum) – The only known instance of a Scribe breaking her oath by abandoning her subject mid-chronicle. Details of the incident are sparse, but scholars agree Henna the Lorebadger broke company with Garrilus the Unread at the Spires of Dubious Wisdom after the Insomnian argued with a hermit for three weeks. She offered Garrilus an olive branch by giving the hermit a map to her hidden lair, with instructions to share it only after receiving an apology.

Lorica Nightforge (lore-ick-uh nyte-forj) – Chief Armorer of the Ancients. Lorica forged the Anemoi Blades, among other legendary Stone Tech artifacts.

Madness (mad-ness) – A mental illness resulting from extreme, prolonged exposure to dynami. Madness manifests differently in each victim and is characterized by loss of inhibition, glowing blue eyes, and impaired judgment. Some people exhibit higher natural resistance to Madness, but no one knows why. No treatment exists.

Maelstrom (mail-strum) – The Fury King’s military forces, including airships and ground troops.

Mage Tower (may-jh t-ow-er) – Twenty-foot-tall purple tower responsible for one quadrant of the Arena during a Thugwallop match. From atop each of the four towers, Paper Mages hurl Fold Craft to prevent and contain dynami disasters. Competitors are required to maintain a safe distance from the towers during matches.

Memory Bank (mem-or-ee bank) – Device used by lorebadger Scribes to preserve a coded physical record of a historical event. To read a memory bank, a Scribe must twist the sphere like a Rubik’s cube until the letters on its surface are properly aligned, then dip it in an ink bath, and roll it across a surface. If decoded properly, the memory bank will write out the Scribe’s notes.

Mercenary League (mer-sen-air-ee leeg) – The Mercenary League would be one of the most powerful organizations in Terravenum if its members stopped fighting each other for two seconds. Their name is misleading, because the League includes mercenaries, bounty hunters, and—thanks to an administrative error—jugglers.

Merchant Guild (mer-chint gild) – The Merchant Guild regulates all trade, from cargo to dynami harvesting. Backdoor bribery and underhanded tactics are standard procedure in their organization, but getting caught breaking rules is shameful. The Merchant Guild operates Dome-wide, but its base of operations is in Aeronoth.

Mercy Malicious (mer-see muh-lish-us) – Queen of the Black Market, which she runs from Mercy’s Landing, her saloon on Aeronoth. A perpetual thorn in Baron Muk’s side. Mercy’s skill with a bullwhip only encourages rumors about her former life as a sky pirate. Wife of Vicarious Quibble.

Mercy’s Landing (mer-seez lan-ding) – Saloon on Aeronoth, owned and run by Mercy Malicious. Headquarters of the Black Market. If you need to smuggle something, come to the Landing.

Midnight Market (mid-nyte mar-ket) – Run by The Syndicate. Similar to the Black Market, but even more secret. So secret, no one can find it. It’s all a bit embarrassing.

Missing Codexes (miss-ing code-exes) – A rumored collection of Garrilus the Unread’s writing missing from the Archive. Scholars debate its existence but have no definitive leads. Sir Quidby is certain the Missing Codexes are key to finding the Borealis Stones.

Moribund Gale (more-ih-bund gayle) – A powerful storm that brews near the Dome, when high dynami accumulations are present. Moribund Gales are legendary among aeronauts for their power and the speed at which they form. They deposit breachfall throughout the Feral, with the greatest concentration of Urtling debris landing in the Foraging Plains.

Nano Tech (nan-oh tek) Recent engineering breakthroughs have enabled nanohackers to create tiny Hack Tech that doesn’t explode or immediately melt. No one has come up with useful applications that don’t risk serious harm to its user, but the Hacker Guild is watching Nano Tech with great interest. From a safe distance.

Noctem (nock-tum) – Secret society dedicated to preventing anyone from finding the lost Borealis Stones. The Noctem organization was crippled when the Forsythes uncovered its presence in the ranks of the Booksworn, triggering the Battle of the Archive.

Norman (nor-min) – Heir to the title “Dark Lord Koyn the Problematic.” Inspired by breachfall books about Robin Hood, Norman wants to renounce his evil roots and embrace gallant banditry (see: Gallant Banditry). The Syndicate assigned Lady Latesh to mentor Norman, but he disagrees with her philosophy. Following his escape from his father’s hoard, Norman and his mount, Krubzilla, seek fortune on their own terms.

Ozzie (Ozymandias) Forsythe (oz-ee-man-de-iss four-sie-th) – 15 years old. Younger (by 18 minutes) twin brother to Alex, son of Humboldt and Adeline, and grandson of Sir Quidby. An expert on booby traps, thanks to his grandfather’s museum-grade collection. Ozzie loves researching in the library, and is gradually learning to enjoy fieldwork.

Courtesy of his grandfather’s poor judgment, Ozzie’s right hand is encased in a volantium Stone Tech glove called an Anemoi Blade that manifests a flame sword. He’s searching for a way to remove the glove, or at least, control it. So far, the best he’s done is to argue with its sentient voice, which he named “Slashy.”

Paper Mage (pay-per may-jh) – An official title for someone who graduated from the Academy and is certified to create Labyrinthian tools. Fold Tech practitioners who lay false claims to being Paper Mages do it quietly. If the Academy hears of duplicity, they dispatch assassins to check transcripts.

Pascal Trahir (pass-cal tray-hear) – Dromedarian inventor. Co-captain of Angelus, an airship laboratory/reluctant cargo vessel. Pascal never met a problem he couldn’t overcomplicate a solution for. His forays into weapon design have made him both popular and despised in the mercenary community, depending on whether his contraptions explode. Obsessed with coffee.

Paths (paths) – Little is known about the Paths through the Divide, but rumor has it they move constantly. In the Final Pilgrimage tradition, Sentinels and wardens enter the Divide to spend their last days keeping the Paths clean of Belua.

Power Stone (pow-er stone) – Portable dynami storage device that functions as a battery. Famously difficult to produce and even harder to stabilize, power stones look like rocks or gems. They come in a variety of strengths, depending on their intended application. For example, a power stone intended for a weapon expels its energy in strong bursts, while a stone powering a coffee machine will provide a slow, steady flow. Because of dynami’s inherent volatility, low-quality stones are dangerous. Cragg trolls are renowned for producing the best power stones in Terravenum.

Pulp (pullp) – Shantytown outside Labyrinth’s city gates. Home to paper mills, exiled Academy students like Infernum the Wiser, and Black Market smugglers.

Quagmyre (quag-mire) – Active geothermal region between the Trench and the Leviathan Mountains. High dynami exposure makes the area dangerous. Shempum convoys are the only reliable method to traverse the Quagmyre, but rumor has it, Infernum the Wiser is testing a prototype transportation system.

Quandary (kwan-duh-ree) – Optional Academy exam for students who wish to graduate early. All students are eligible to declare a Quandary, but typically only the most gifted or the most desperate do so, as the consequences of failure are severe. A successful challenger receives immediate graduation and a faculty position at the Academy. A failed Quandary results in expulsion of the student from the school, and their family from the city of Labyrinth.

Only five percent of challengers succeed.

The test comprises three Fold Craft challenges, in head-to-head battles against representatives from three of the Academy’s five schools (Industrial Folding, Whimsy Folding, Battle Folding, Research Folding, and Birthday Folding). The challenger must win all three challenges to claim victory.

Quidby (Sir Quidby) Forsythe III (serr quid-be four-sie-th thuh third) – Regarded by his peers as the world’s worst explorer, Sir Quidby specializes in an extreme form of exploration known as ‘debunking.’ Following the kidnapping of his son, Humboldt, and the disappearance of his daughter-in-law, Adeline, Quidby became the caretaker for his grandchildren, Alexandria and Ozymandias.

In Terravenum, people know him as The Professor and consider him an authority in Stone Hunting.

Relik (rel-ick) – City-state capital of the Ancients. Destroyed by the Fracturing, the city fell into the Abyss.

Restin (rest-in) – Hedgehog Barrenite nanohacker whose groundbreaking work earned her a prominent workshop (Restin’s Mekanicul Meerikuls) in downtown Hack Market. Adopted daughter of Dr. Copernikis.

Roncordiant Flog (ron-core-dee-ent flog) – Probationary Apprentice Librarian of the Booksworn who discovered Henna the Lorebadger’s den and her treasure trove of Garrilus the Unread’s writing.

Rust (rust) – Scatterling city built around the breachfall trade. Home to the Barter Market, Terravenum’s largest exchange for goods and services. If you’re looking for hard-to-find items, ask around—but do it quietly, because the price goes up when vendors smell desperation. Bartering is a sport in Rust. Literally.

Sauracia (sore-ay-shuh) – Homeland of the Fury King and the Five Clans. Sauracia is volcanic wasteland with harsh conditions that breeds resilient inhabitants. The capital city of Gnash is home to the Fury King’s palace, aerodrome, and an extensive military-industrial complex. Annihilator training takes place on the island of Xorr (see: Xorr).

Sauracians (sore-ay-shunz) – Reptilian lizard people with a warrior ethos. To strengthen their tribes, they abandon the runt of every clutch in the Barren. Males tend to have larger, thicker bodies than females.

Scatterling (scat-er ling) – Non-Merchant Guild entrepreneurs who scavenge the Feral for breachfall to store in their hoards or trade in the Barter Market.

Scrag contract (scrag con-tract) – A contract with the Mercenary League offering payment for the death or capture of an individual or group of individuals.

Scribe (skryb) – Sisterhood of lorebadgers who record and preserve historical events for posterity.

Scrum (scrum) – City located at the junction of the Rift and the Forgotten Sea. Scrum is the breadbasket of Terravenum. Scrumnians harvest food from the ocean, orchards, and farms, then ship it around the continent. Scrum is also home to the Trading Bazaar, a cornucopia of wares second in size only to Rust’s famous Barter Market.

Sentinel (sen-tin-uhl) – Elite guards in the Ancient military who roamed the land serving as law keepers and mediators. Sentinels blamed themselves for their failure to prevent the Fracturing, and swore oaths (see: Great Shame) to travel only by foot as penance.

Shempum (shem-pum) – Yak-like beasts of burden the size of Shetland ponies that live in the Leviathan Mountains. Shempum saliva is a powerful anesthetic that induces temporary paralysis.

Shudder Stone (shuh-derr stone) – One of the lost Borealis Stones, along with the Deep Stone and Key Stone.

Sivsuit (siv-soot) – Suit designed by Pascal Trahir to cross the Divide safely without relying on the Paths. A sivsuit consumes a tremendous amount of dynami, but keeps Belua at bay.

Skhaar the Annihilator (scar the uh-nye-uhl-ay-tur) – One of the last survivors from the Fury King’s heavy assault squad: the Annihilators. Skhaar witnessed so much combat he no longer finds it romantic, but it’s the only way he knows to tackle problems.

Skulking Perils (skull-king pear-uls) – A tribe of former account managers for the Merchant Guild who were marooned in the Churlish Pine Forest after crashing their airship on a routine audit run to Trove. They formed a society, domesticated stabfang snails, and codified a fiendishly complex system of laws.

Skuttle (scuh-tl) – A forensic analyst for the Merchant Guild and hobbyist Stone hunter. While on his lunch break, Skuttle discovered a clue to the location of a Borealis Stone that led him to arrange his own kidnapping to the Stolen Library. This ultimately proved to be a bad idea.

Sky Gate/Omega Gate (skie gate / oh-meg-uh gate) – Hooded scholars in dark corners of the Archive whisper about this rumored gate through the Divide, supposedly located in the Leviathan Mountains.

Slashy (slash-ee) – Ozzie’s nickname for his Anemoi Blade, due to the glove’s bloodthirsty insistence on attacking things. When Ozzie discovered Slashy hated the name, he doubled down to temper the sentient glove’s ambitions for battlefield glory.

Smuggler Alliance (smuh-glerz uh-lie-ence) – A loose affiliation of smugglers and sky pirates, united by their desire to thumb their noses at the Merchant Guild. They intentionally misplace their apostrophe to outrage the Grammar Guild. This pattern of deviant behavior is why the Alliance has more enemies than friends.

Socrates & Snuggles (saw-cruh-teez and snuh-glz) – A pair of gruffletrunts (see: Gruffletrunt) who live aboard Angelus. Each claims one of the vessel’s motors as their home. Gruffletrunts’ territorial nature is surpassed only by their propensity for deranged aggression. Pascal uses Socrates and Snuggles to protect his Hack Tech designs from prying eyes. Insanely greedy balls of rage make excellent security guards.

Spires of Dubious Wisdom (spy-ers of doo-be-us wiz-dum) – Home of the Hermits of Mumblemere. The Spires started out as three trees sporting shacks atop them. As the hermits’ reputation grew, their home became a commercial enterprise. An enlightenment-themed amusement park sprouted around the Spires, offering pilgrims an opportunity to purge their spirits—and their guts—on thrill rides. And what better way to celebrate your life-changing journey than by having Acolyte Eric sketch your portrait on the Log Flume of Bliss?

St. Jude’s (St. Jude’s Lighthouse) (saynt joodz) – Sir Quidby’s lighthouse home sits on Keeper’s Rock, a tiny island in the North Sea, just across from the village of Lamswool, England. Following the kidnapping of their father and death of their mother, Ozzie and Alex moved into St. Jude’s. Mementos from the debunker’s travels fill the lighthouse, most notably his collection of booby traps, which his grandchildren use to train their tomb-robbing skills.

Stella Signum (stell-uh sig-numb) – “Star Sign”—the symbol of the Ancients, a defunct civilization that based its world-conquering aspirations around Stone Tech. Scholars believe the four arrows on the Stella Signum symbolize the corners of the compass. Stella Signums appear on Stone Tech when it is activated.

Stolen Library (sto-len lie-brair-ee) – The Fury King’s library. All books in the Stolen Library are pilfered from libraries and collections around Terravenum by Word Keepers. Because it’s located in the Fury King’s palace, only kidnapped scholars are able to research there.

Stone Hunting (stone hun-ting) – The discipline of searching for the lost Borealis Stones. Given the competitive nature of the field, most scholars become proficient with weapons to defend themselves from colleagues. Stone hunters focus their research on the works of Garrilus the Unread, who left unwitting clues to the Borealis Stones in his stream-of-consciousness memoirs.

Stone Lore (stone lore) – The history of the three Borealis Stones following the Fracturing. Scholars consider the Booksworn Archive the center of Stone Lore research, thanks to its extensive collection of Garrilus the Unread’s writing.

Stone Tech (stone tek) – Volantium artifacts from the Ancient empire that use dynami as a power source. Notable examples include armillams (one of which is worn by Alex) and the Anemoi Blades (worn by Ozzie and the Fury King). Knowledge of how Stone Tech works was lost in the fall of the Ancients.

Attempts to reverse-engineer Stone Tech are called Hack Tech (see: Hack Tech).

Supremiks (sue-prem-icks) – A quasi-religious Sauracian sect who believe the Fury King is the Custos Luminis, a warrior prophesied to save the world from eternal night. Supremik scientists are responsible for the research and development of dynami-powered technology, so they play an influential role in court politics.

Syndicate, The (sin-dik-it) – An alliance of Scatterling Dark Lords. It’s rare for the Secret Council to come to agreements, since Dark Lords naturally (and accurately) assume their counterparts are plotting against them. Nevertheless, in matters of universal concern (regional tumblemonk tournaments, for example), Dark Lords often find strength in numbers. The Syndicate runs the Midnight Market, which is similar to the Black Market, but so clandestine, no one can find it.

Temerella (tem-er-el-uh) – A Class Two Paper Mage, climbing the Academy hierarchy as quickly as she can. Temerella was Thorpe’s classmate at the Academy, and the two of them spent many hours hustling fellow students in the dueling pit at Gusty Bombastic’s Haven for Weary Thumbs. She’ll employ any tactics to advance her standing in the Academy, favoring strategies that shake the foundation of the current power structure.

Terravenum (tair-uh-ven-um) – Literally, “the poisoned land.” The continent of Terravenum used to be connected to Earth until the Fracturing separated the two worlds with the Divide. The Children of Contrivance established a Commission of Geographic Unriddling to explain the relationship between both worlds, and their final report concluded, “Terravenum is a poached egg sitting atop a finely chopped Urtling salad, with croutons. Let’s call it a parallel dimension, so we can eat.” In retrospect, it was unwise to schedule their meetings before lunch.

Thermals, The (thur-mullz) – Hurricane-force updrafts forming a permanent mushroom cloud in the southwestern corner of Terravenum. Aeronauts ride the Thermals to reach altitudes with favorable winds for long-haul flights. The engine behind the updrafts is a subject of hot debate in the scientific community. Dr. Twinward, head of Contrivance’s Obnoxious Gravity Department, blames “atmospheric torsion fueled by reciprocal downward pressure from the Vortex and Cascades, on the mirror-end of the continent.” Dr. Migrump, co-chair of Contrivance’s Logic Leaping Department claims “the Dome’s radioactive magnetism generates maximal vertical windshear.” Dr. Skreetch, Captain of Contrivance’s Hysterical Debate Team, swears “the desert is sneezing.”

Thorpe Cyris Berninat (thorp sie-riss burn-in-at) – A Pulp-born Labyrinthian who dropped out of the Academy following an incident with Chancellor Ignis. Thorpe spent the next two decades on the run from bounty hunters, finding employment in backwater locations around Terravenum. His habit of looking out for himself at any cost earned him a reputation for backstabbing. Supremiks implanted a compulsion transponder in his chest, using pain to motivate him to help the Fury King.

Seven years ago, Thorpe gave Skhaar the Annihilator a sivsuit Pascal had designed, allowing the Sauracian to cross the Divide and kidnap Humboldt Forsythe. Ozzie and Alex still haven’t forgiven the Labyrinthian for his hand in their parents’ demise.

Thosk (thosk) – Head Word Keeper (see: Word Keeper) for the Fury King’s Stolen Library. Thosk has been around a long time and stolen more books than most scholars have read.

Thugwallop (thug-wall-up) – Sporting event that started as a Hack Tech competition, then evolved into no-holds-barred gladiator combat. The official goal of the game is to move the Wallop Wheel, a stone wheel weighing 2,000 lb, across the Arena until it touches a stadium wall. Because the wheel is so large, no one in the history of the sport has accomplished this feat. Modern Thugwallop players ignore the Wallop Wheel in favor of defeating their opponent by outlasting them in the Arena. Most matches are won due to mechanical malfunction.

With so many variables at play (including dubious refereeing), Thugwallop is one of the most corrupt sports in history. It remains popular with gamblers—and even more so with warlords seeking the cutting edge in weaponry.

Thumpergrout (thump-er-grout) – Beast rumored to live in the high Leviathan Mountains. Parents use threats about the thumpergrout to scare children into going to bed, ensuring their kids lie awake for at least three hours, too terrified to sleep.

Trading Bazaar (tray-ding buh-zar) – The second largest market in Terravenum, behind Rust’s Barter Market. Located in Scrum, the Trading Bazaar takes advantage of the city’s resource-rich environment to provide the best selection of meat and produce available.

Trading Name (tray-ding naym) – When Scatterlings come of Bartering age, their elders give them a trading name. Traditionally, these names reflect their character, with an overemphasis on honesty. Scatterlings who rebel and become Dark Lords intentionally adopt untrustworthy names to show their inherent badness.

Translapede (trans-luh-peed) – Millipede that instantly translates language and written words into the native tongue of its host. Inserted through an incision behind the ear, translapedes feed on their host’s neocortex to survive. All Terravenumites receive a translapede when they come of age.

Trench (trench) – A deep canyon separating the Quagmyre from Shatterjoy Swamp. Trenchians are perpetually in conflict with their surface-dwelling Labyrinthian neighbors. Thanks to the concentration of dynami in waterfalls from the Quagmyre, Trenchians experience high levels of mutation. Outsiders never set foot in the Trench.

Trenchians (trench-ee-ens) – Sentient creatures who live underground in the Trench. Due to their high exposure to dynami, Trenchians have a wide range of mutations, usually in the form of multiple arms and eye stalks. Trenchians rarely leave their underground home, but when they surface, their mining and digging experience helps them excel in hands-on engineering fields.

Urt (ert) – The name Terravenumites call “Earth,” referencing the world outside the Divide.

Vendetta (ven-det-uh) – Deshk’s airship. Designed for diplomacy, not war.

Vicarious Quibble (vie-care-ee-us quibble) – Wayward explorer and husband to Mercy Malicious. Vicarious can’t resist a good adventure, even when his expeditions are ill-conceived. His friendship with Sir Quidby has led the two of them into misadventures across Terravenum. Recently rescued from the island of Amnesia by Ozzie and Layla.

Volantium (voe-lan-tee-um) – Extremely rare metal used by the Ancients to forge Stone Tech. Volantium is immune to dynami’s corrosive qualities, and can channel its energy.

Vortex (vor-tecks) – A giant whirlpool hundreds of miles off the coast of Scrum, in the Forgotten Sea. No one knows what causes or fuels the Vortex’s spin, but popular theories tie it to the perpetual updrafts powering the Thermals. Knoxbleat Vouch insists that beneath the whirlpool, the eye of the Vortex is quite calm, but no one believes him.

Waltrix (wall-tricks) – Stick insect arthropid. Manager of the Merchant Guild’s Forensic Analysis Department on Aeronoth.

Wardens (war-den) – Modern-day descendants of Ancient Sentinels, charged with guarding the Divide’s gate(s?). Wardens are forbidden to marry or have children, so they recruit apprentices to replace them upon their demise. Wardens pass on what little Stone Lore they know to the next generation through books and oral lessons.

Wheezegrid (weez-grid) – A power plant beneath Labyrinth that harvests steam from hydrothermal activity in the Quagmyre, and converts it to air power, which is pumped into ducts running through every structure in the city. As a result, Labyrinthian buildings heave and move constantly, making breathing sounds that prompted Garrilus the Unread to dub the metropolis “the Wheezing City.”

Wildermess (will-der-mess) – The Churlish Pine Forest between the Abyss and Trove received a heavy dose of radiation during the Fracturing. These trees carry a grudge. No explorer who ventures into the Wildermess returns. An optimist might hope to one day retire in a lovely forest glen. A realist would more accurately assume they’d run afoul of the skulking perils.

Willowsby, Renata (ren-ah-tuh will-oze-be) – Mrs. Willowsby is Sir Quidby’s housekeeper. Her past is shrouded in mystery. Given her lethal combat skills, Ozzie and Alex suspect Mrs. Willowsby is a government assassin or head of a ninja clan.

Windspeak (wind-speek) – A whistling, beatboxing language used by Cragg trolls. Translapedes don’t understand it, but they appreciate its vibe.

Wobblehopper (wobble-hopper) – Labyrinthian aircraft. A hybrid of Fold Tech, pneumatics, and gears. Wobblehoppers are named after their appearance in flight, which Ommalyne Flock, the famous aeronaut historian, described as “a self-contained explosion of science defying logic, but a surprisingly comfortable ride.” The pilot’s chair uses springs and bellows to remain steady while the engine and flight surfaces vibrate around it.

Word Keeper (word keep-er) – Librarians for the Stolen Library (see: Stolen Library). Tasked with obtaining books and reference material by any means necessary, Word Keepers kidnap scholars to provide on-call expertise on a range of subjects. The Fury King’s interest in Stone Lore has led them to kidnap a stream of Stone hunters. Word Keepers are part-librarian, part-kleptomaniac, and all thug.

Wrathclaw (rath-claw) – The Fury King’s wartime logo from the Cloud War. Best described as “three claws gripping a fanged lower jaw,” the wrathclaw sent waves of fear into warriors who fought the Maelstrom. Following the Cloud War, Sauracia retired the logo in the name of diplomacy and trade, but in recent days, it’s making a comeback on warships.

Xorr (zor) – Island dedicated to the training of the Fury King’s Annihilators.

Zealot (zell-it) – The Fury King’s personal bodyguards. Zealots are trained by the Supremiks, a clan of Sauracians who believe the Fury King is the Custos Luminis, the prophesied warrior who will save Terravenum from eternal darkness. Zealots are known for ferocity in battle, golden armor, use of power stones, and loyalty to the Supremik Council.

Zorga (zor-guh) – Serial entrepreneur. His current business, Zorga’s Breachfall Delicacies, provides only the best secret Urtling dishes to adventurous palates who want to taste life on the other side of the Divide. He invariably gets the recipes wrong, but no one knows.