As the Territories continues to expand, so does the slang and terminology used by its residents. This page will be updated as necessary to help readers make heads and tales of the Territorial patois. I have avoided spoilers. Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Feel like something is missing? Let me know about it. Stumbled across this page and have no idea what it’s going on about? Read the series.
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— A —
Aklo
A strange obscure language often associated with the writing of forbidden or occult texts and grimoires. As of this writing, there are few who can read the language, much less speak it.
Aligning, The
A mythological event when the “Firsts” (See Firsts) returned and fundamentally changed the earth before disappearing yet again.
Applehome
Partial ghost-town located in the central swath of the Territories, aligned with Lovat. Mostly abandoned after a span over the Rediviva River collapsed.
Ausca
Small-field gridiron played by competing teams of six players mostly focusing on handoffs and tackles. Passing and kicking is forbidden.
Auseil
A month-long winter holiday of remembrance, citizens of Lovat hang decorations around their homes as protection and to bring good fortune.
Automat
A fast food restaurant where food and drink are served by vending machines. Popular in Lovat.
AZAH
Call letters for Lovat’s most popular radio station, 191.9 AZAH.
— B —
Bao yu
Ancient pre-aligning name for abalone, a type of marine snail.
Big Ninety
The major caravan route through the Central Territories.
Bonesaw
Doctor operating illegally in a city-state without a license.
Brakendale
A mildly sour mountain fruit with a yellow rind. Related to the lemon but heartier.
Bridgetown
A city-state south of Lovat.
Broken Road, The
Long abandoned almost legendary caravan route in the Northern Territories. Considered a myth to some. The ghost highway.
“By the Firsts”
An oath sworn upon mythological deities of antiquity.
— C —
Camalote Group
An elevated charity that works with the poor in the city-state of Lovat and promotes health and education initiatives.
Caravaneer
One who works a caravan. See: Roader.
Caravansara
Located on city-states’ outskirts, these large open-air bazaars serve as both marketplace and port-of-call for caravan companies.
Cargowain
A four-wheeled wagon pulled usually pulled by pack animals.
“Carter’s Cross”
A vulgar oath referencing to the method of Saint Carter’s death.
Cephan
The language of the Cephels.
Chuckwain
A wagon used to carry food and cooking supplies for a caravan.
Crowsnest
A failed offensive from the Syringa city-state in an attempt to seize land north of its holdings.
Curwenites
One of the minor faiths of Lovat. (See Wild Territories: Faith and Creeds for more information.)
Collector
A hired revenue agent and bounty hunter. Usually associated with The Society of Collectors but occasionally freelance. Licensed by a city-state.
Company
Term for a professional caravan operation.
— D —
Deeperism
One of the major religions of Lovat. (See Wild Territories: Faith and Creeds for more information.)
Destiny
A southern community nearly indistinguishable from Lovat’s vast expanse.
Directory Agent
Small shops with listings and guides that provide location services for a small fee.
Dollar
Former currency of Syringa. Replaced by Lovatine lira.
Duolidists
One of the major religions of Lovat. The primary belief system of the maero people. (See Wild Territories: Faith and Creeds for more information.)
— E —
Elano
Language of the maero.
Elevated
Slang term for a higher level/warren within Lovat and the people who live there.
Eibonianism
An active cult named after The Book of Eibon. (See Wild Territories: Faith and Creeds for more information.)
Empress
Capital of the hermit nation of Victory.
Emperian
A citizen of Empress.
— F —
Firsts/Founders
Monstrous mythological creatures from pre-Aligning tales. Considered gods by some, aliens by few, myths by most. Not much is known about these creatures beyond the handful of legends and scriptures.
Fourgon
A rare gas-burning motorized vehicle, usually ancient. Come in a variety of sizes and in various states of disrepair. Usually owned by the wealthy.
Fronton
A jai alai court. (See Jai Alai.)
— G —
Gate
A person who serves as an access point to a more powerful individual.
Gamble, The
A haphazardly constructed vessel converted into an enormous casino that plies the Western Ocean between Lovat and Empress.
Gargoyle
Strange beings with pointed conical hoods and flowing robes. Appear and disappear without warning.
Gifford Mountains
Southern range in the Western Mountains, end at the Rediviva River not far from Bridgetown.
Guardian
A servant chose to guard the slumbering body of a Founder.
— H —
Hasturianism
One of the major religions of Lovat. (See Wild Territories: Faith and Creeds for more information.)
Hellgate
A large city-state to the east of Syringa. Near the Eastern Mountains.
High Hallow
A autumnal holiday where children dress in costumes and march around the city-state in groups while receiving small gifts and sweets from adults.
— J —
Jai Alai
A game resembling handball, played on a three-walled fronton between players who are equipped with a long, curved wicker basket, or cesta, strapped to the wrist for catching and throwing a small, hard ball against the front wall.
— K —
Kulshan
Volcano in the northern Kulshan Range. Sometimes called “Angry Kulshan.”
Kulshan Range
Northern expanse of the Western Mountains. Named after the massive volcance at its center.
— L —
Laager
A circling of the wagons in the caravan to shelter the occupants from inclement weather and keep the animals nearby. Usually done in the evening for camp.
Laningal
The language of the lengish people.
Level
One of the nine stacked stories of the city-state of Lovat supported by an enormous superstructure. Vary in height.
Lift
Enormous elevators used to ferry citizens up and down through Lovat’s nine levels.
Lindintin
The clipped language of the umbra.
Lira
Currency of Lovat. The highest value in the Territories.
LFB
The Lovat Fire Brigade—the fire department within the city-state.
Lovat
Multi-leveled megalopolis built along the shore of the Western Ocean. The largest city-state in the Territories.
Lovatine
A citizen of Lovat.
Lovat Ledger
The largest and most-read of Lovat’s daily newspapers.
LPD
The Lovat Police Department—police force and state-military.
LTA
Lovat Transit Authority, oversees lift and monorail operations. They’ll get you there.
— M —
Merritt
A small community near the Big Ninety pass that crosses the Wild Sky Mountains. Waldo Bell’s hometown.
Mystics
Lunatic street preachers who peddle in obscure faiths and cults. (See Wild Territories: Faith and Creeds for more information.)
— O —
Ouklip
Bone-dry soil impervious to water. Hardpan.
Outfit, The
Organized crime in the city-state of Lovat.
— P —
Pitchfork/Pitch
A powerful illegal drug injected into the limbs. Causes a euphoric feeling and numbness near the injection area. Extended use will eventually damage the skin, causing gangrene, untreated, and in due course, the skin peels away exposing bone and tissue.
Portage City University/PSU
An higher-educational institution in Lovat. Located in the Brookside warren.
Protection
The feared military and police force of the nation of Victory. Known for their black uniforms and glossy black helmets that hide their face.
Purity Movement
A speciesist pro-human sect of the Reunified faith which seeks a restoration of pre-Aligning human dominance and a subjection of the other species. Lead by Reverend Conrad O’Conner. Disavowed by the Reunified Church.
— R —
Reunified Church, The
One of the major religions of Lovat. (See Wild Territories: Faith and Creeds for more information.)
Road Priest
A member of the Reunified Church clergy who operates small mobile chapels along the roads between Lovat and Syringa.
Roader (Slang)
A caravaneer. One who works a caravan.
Robber’s Roost
A small trading town along the Big Ninety.
Rosalia Mountains
The mountain chain rising upon the archipelago along Territories western coast. Capped by the Takobia volcano.
Rustwine
A homemade wine usually brewed in small batches in old barrels and buckets. The high iron concentration gives it a deeper red, almost black, and a strong mineral flavor. Favored by Reunified Church road priests.
Rediviva River
A large and ancient river that starts beyond the Victory Wall and splits the Territories before meeting up with the Western Ocean near the city-state of Bridgetown.
— S —
Scabland
The bulk of the Central Territories, characterized by elevated tracts of rocky land with little or no soil cover and numerous postglacial dry stream channels.
“Scrape and span”
Lovatine. A slang phrase often used together but can be used seperately. Refers to Lovat’s height (its scrape—perhaps derived from “skyscraper”) and breadth (span—its full extent.)
Shoal
A Deeperist congregation.
Shoalta
Deeperist clergy.
Smoking Mountain
Volcano near Bridgetown.
Stage
A single day’s travel by a caravan between campsites. (See Laager)
Strutten
The primary language of the Territories.
Sunk
The flooded remains of Lovat’s first Level.
Syringa
City-state located in the central territories.
— T —
Tableland
Broad, high level regions. Plateaus.
Takobia
Volcano that caps the Rosalia Mountains to the west of Lovat.
Talol
A huge caldera south of the city-state of Lovat and the site of an ancient geothermal plant that provided the city-state much of its electrical power.
Tomah
Currency of Hellgate. Rare outside of its city-state.
— V —
Victory
A walled hermit nation north of the Territories.
— W —
Warren
A neighborhood in Lovat.
Western Mountains
An enormous north-south mountain range east of Lovat and west of the broader expanse of the Territories. Split into three ranges, the northern Kulshan Range, the central Wild Sky Mountains, and the southern Gifford Mountains.
Wild Sky Mountains
Central range in the Western Mountains.
Witman Mountains
Eastern north-south mountain range that crosses between the city-states of Syringa and Hellgate.
Questions? Concerns? Feel like something is missing? Let me know about it.
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