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A glossary of terms used within the fictional novel 'the frailty of perception' book 1 of the series: The Asher Bloom Chronicles

BLOOD AND AUGER TERMINOLOGY

blood calling: The act of converting blood into a physical exertion of power by way of a Cruaar’s auger and mantle.

bloodline: The auganic nature of a Cruaar’s blood, specifically relating to the alignment to one of the four bloodlines: Vita, Scienta, Natura, Mortis. Bloodlines are hereditary, however mutations can occur where a child bloodline is different to that of the parents.

Vita: The oldest and most superior of the four bloodlines, now extremely rare, which grants powers that link to all living things.

Mortis: The second oldest and most vile of the four bloodlines, a distortion of the Vita bloodline, which grants power over deathly blood arts and all things dead.

Natura: The third oldest bloodline, which grants power over all natural, existing elements in the world.

Scienta: The most recent and one of the more common bloodlines, which grants the power to interact with all things fashioned by men and Cruaar alike.

First Edict: The highest measure of strength of a Cruaar’s bloodline and resultant control over their abilities. First Edict mastery allows the ability to produce a blood calling without a vocal invocation.

Second Edict: The lesser measure of strength of a Cruaar’s bloodline. Second Edict mastery requires a vocal invocation to perform a blood calling.

Exsili Neco: A fight to the death or banishment, whichever comes first. It can be initiated by any Cruaar over the age of 18 within a city. Banishment from the resultant city is permanently in place for as long as the victor lives.

auger: A special gemstone that transmutes a Cruaar’s blood into a physical manifestation of power.

augment/ed: When an object, person or place has been physically/mentally amplified by a blood calling.

augineer/ed: The process of developing a physical device or object through the manipulation of blood powers, or the reverse engineering of human technology to use in the creation of new auger-driven technology.

augefact: A rare augineered object imbued with a certain power, made only by a sacrifice of blood, flesh or bone by its creator.

Augestry: The official branch of the council, dedicated to the registry, census, monitoring and all other auger-related affairs within a city.

auganic: The alteration, manipulation and mutation of natural genetic organisms via specific blood callings.

augalyptus: An auganic organism that produces a highly effective rejuvenating sap, which is used quite often within the Cruaar Nation.

remorauger: A parasitic auger that constantly feeds on its host’s bloodstream if not satisfied with a constant supply of external blood.

gladiaugal: The art of using blood callings in battle, both offensively and defensively, via the use of battle mantles.

physiaugal: The alteration, manipulation and mutation of a Cruaar’s physical body, bloodstream and mental function by the continued exposure to blood callings.

the drain: A devastating and often fatal side effect of using too much of one’s own blood at one time to produce blood callings. When a Cruaar’s body is drained below the bare minimum blood requirements to resume brain function, the drain sets in.

death dealer: A term given to Cruaar whose birth results in the maternal death of their mother. Death dealers are further afflicted by a parasitic link between their remorauger and bloodline.

Chromfaddar: A race that were natural enemies of the Cruaar. They are now all but extinct, with the vast majority of survivors in hiding, where they use their natural ability of projected illusion to remain hidden in plain sight within the Cruaar Nation and The Blind.

Mortis Skulk: The name given to Cruaar cultists that followed Cerebule in necrotic blood practices and led the uprising that begat the Guillotine Rebellion.

blood-leech embrace: The deathly embrace of a Mortis Skulk cultist that has deployed a necrotic blood shroud. Blood is drained from a victim’s body via physical contact until paralysis sets in and all blood has been drained. Once the blood-leech embrace is set in motion, the cultist converts the victim’s blood into an umbraghaam (see below) to protect itself until the victim has perished.

umbraghaam: An augmented barrier of protection released by a cultist during a blood-leech embrace (see above), fuelled by the blood of the victim.

veritusk bind: A physiaugal unification that compels those it is placed upon to tell the truth, lest their lie be revealed by flashing auger. AUGINEERED INVENTIONS / DEVICES TERMINOLOGY

mantle/battle mantle: An augineered device that focuses the power of a Cruaar’s bloodline. Every auger is comprised of seven elements, each unique to a specific auger and a base mantle, which can be interchanged for a battle mantle (weaponised mantle) after the seventh element has been imbued.

auglight: An augineered device that creates an endless supply of light without releasing any heat.

vertistrand: An augineered device commanded by the use of shifting sands (see below) that connects to all other networked vertistrands and can transport matter from one vertistrand to another. Older models are not networked and have only a fixed connection with another vertistrand.

pyxis: An augineered device used to record a message and the voice of the recorder. Once a message has been created, a pyxis can only be accessed by the blood and auger of the specified recipient.

shifting sands: An auganic organism used to command a vertistrand, also used in augineered glass and stone (e.g. Undergall Testament and promensi table).

whirlpool clarity: An auganic tonic used by scholars to induce a physiaugal state that separates mind from emotion to achieve a higher clarity of thought and deductive reasoning.

Secureaug Defence System: A series of augineered systems from Craftpaw Industries designed to protect a structure from internal and external threats.

edurus herald: An augineered device that allows the physiaugal manifestation of the operator over vast distances.

promensi table: An augineered device that reconstructs and displays a miniature version of the user and their surroundings in precise detail and in real time via use of the shifting sands for communication across great distances.

construct: An ancient augineered semi-intelligent entity, imbued and bound to the direct bloodline of its creator. Only true descendants of the creator can wield control over a construct.

mechanaug: The latest in augineered devices, reverse augineered and adapted from human technology.

OTHER TERMINOLOGY

prac/cing: Now a common slur in the Cruaar Nation, prac originates from the shortened name of vile betrayer Shyloft Pracca. TITLES AND PROFESSIONS TERMINOLOGY

prelate: A title given to those who spend their life in service to the Augestry of a city.

legate: The title given to the person responsible for the governance of Mantlecrest.

sentinaug: A military rank, given to those who serve as the first line of defence against human detection, as well as any and all human threats.

augwife: A female cleric trained in the physiaugal arts of the birthing process.

tribarion: A military rank given to those who have the ability to master three bloodlines to varying degrees of proficiency and swear their lives in service to the Tribarion Cohort.

First Order tribarion: The highest military rank attainable in the Tribarion Cohort.

bireem: A mid-tier rank given to those who serve their host cities as intelligence officers, internal protectors or as part of the city guard.

warder: The lowest military rank still in active duty, given to those who serve their host city as reconnaissance troops, scouts and foot soldiers.

augiologist: A title given to those who pursue the study of augiology (the ancient history of the Cruaar Nation) and the recovery/conservation of any and all lost augefacts, augineered devices, artworks, etc. (amongst other items of historical importance).

auglorian: A title given to those who dedicate their lives to the study the annals of history.

augisarry: A title given to those that are commanded with the task to report on human activity, deliver human breakthroughs in technology so that they may be re-augineered, cultivate relationships with human collaborators and to safeguard the secret of the Cruaar Nation. They’re often guarded by sentinaugs.

auglete / Alean auglete: Trained in the arts of gladiaugal combat, an Alean auglete competes in Utor Alea for profit or glory. Over time, prolonged exposure to the Alea changes the physiaugal make-up of their bloodstream and creates abnormal mutations in their physical appearances. augmad: A Cruaar that has disposed of their auger and mantle, and has chosen to live out their life in The Blind in a self-imposed banishment. As a result of the loss of their augers, over time, an augmad’s bloodstream reverts back to an innate state and all blood powers are lost. Many Cruaar fled the Cruaar cities during the Guillotine Rebellion and now reside in The Blind as augmads under false identities. overseer: An appointed official, chosen by the chancellor to govern over a city’s municipal needs. An overseer holds no authority over the Red Scar Guards, but can command the Tribarion Cohort under times of extreme duress. grand chancellor: A position and title that was created out of necessity during the Guillotine Rebellion. The title is largely honorific of the work done to stabilise the Cruaar Nation during its darkest times, however, the position grants the bearer command of the Red Scar Guard, as well as the ranking vote within the Elder Council and authority over all city officials. Red Scar Guard: A highly trained regiment with absolute authority over the Cruaar Nation, chosen by the chancellor and handpicked from the very best of the Tribarion Cohort. Answerable only to the Elder Council and the grand chancellor. tribune: A title given to the most promising apprentice that has proven to be the strongest candidate for selection for induction into the Tribarion Cohort. The tribune must have demonstrated mastery over the three bloodlines and must maintain an exemplary service record. apprentice: A title given to adolescent Cruaar placed in the gladiaugal training care of Mantlecrest. Apprentices are placed into the academy before the Ceremony of Alignment to ensure their training can be contained and controlled. UTOR ALEA TERMINOLOGY fulcior: One of three lighter-armoured augletes on an Utor Alea team, primarily responsible for the capture of the alea on the terraces. The three fulciors (prime, right- and left-bower) provide support, interference and defence for the molior while he possesses the alea, or battles to reclaim it.

prime fulcior: The strongest of the three fulciors, usually found at the vanguard of the attack when a team holds possession on two or three aleas, the prime fulcior will carry the extra alea if it has not been merged. The prime fulcior is the only fulcior that is allowed to make use of the molior’s ground mount once a flying mount is summoned onto the pitch.

right bower: The second strongest fulcior that positions himself closest to the palmabore at all times when attacking.

left bower: The third strongest fulcior that will position himself to the rear of the molior and other fulciors, hanging back to provide long-range support and defence.

molior: The molior is the second strongest player on the team, responsible for the majority of attacks and strikes against the palmabore. The molior is heavily armoured, wears a colourful sash over his shoulders, and can summon both ground and aerial mounts during the match after a certain amount of points have been scored.

arx bastion: Named after the hero Arx, who, during the rebellion, stormed a Skulk bastion single-handedly to bring to justice the cultist that murdered his son. Arx bastions are the most powerful of all combatants on the team. They have the heaviest armoured and are charged with the protection of the palmabore. They cannot be attacked by the fulcior or molior of the other team, only by the challenging arx bastion. They wear special charged gauntlets that lend them the power of one alea, granting them increased speed, strength, agility and dexterity to make them formidable defenders against the onslaught of attackers.

Undergall Hopralas: Undergall’s Seven Seal Championship Utor Alea team, named after Abigallah Hopralas, the founder of the Utor Alea.

Hollow’s Rest Rajas: Hollow’s Rest Seven Seal Championship Utor Alea team, named after Tjindar Rajas, founder of Rajas Orphanage, which has housed and cared for thousands of orphans, orphaned by war and the rebellion.

palmabore: The liquid silver well that houses the unraised utor, named after Palm Abore, who invented a way to maintain silver in a permanent state of liquidation.

utor: The long flagpole-like object that is raised during the final stages of Utor Alea. If all three aleas are combined and held against the utor for a full minute, victory is automatically declared in favour of the team holding the aleas.

alea: An augineered device with three charges that temporarily physiaugally enhances the bearer with increased strength, speed, agility and dexterity. Multiple aleas can be combined together to create an even more powerful device, but cannot be split once combined. Once all three charges are spent, the alea is destroyed. CREATURES TERMINOLOGY

acropall: A mountainous semi-intelligent race, long thought extinct by the Cruaar Nation, until a solitary pregnant female was found entombed in ice and revived. Now the endangered race is being slowly repopulated and kept under the close secretive watch of Allma Ohery, who keeps their true location a secret.

gavrin: A formerly-domesticated breed of hyena-like creatures unique to the arid desert plains of Foreguard. Now they remain savage predators, corrupted by the Mortis Skulk’s necrotic arts. They hunt in packs and are usually led by a female of the species. The males are blind and mostly deaf, whilst the females are the stronger of the species with heightened senses and resistances.

mawblink: A common lake-dwelling amphibian with long legs and a short stout torso. It’s harmless unless provoked, and even then, still mostly harmless.

calior: A hostile winged species capable of flight, first created by auganic augineers delving into the reverse engineering of the human science of genetic manipulation. The result was a half-bird, half-reptile beast that, whilst violent and often deadly, could be trained as the winged equivalent of an oversized guard dog.

the swarm: A cluster of auganically enhanced creatures capable of flight and rapid movement, specifically augineered by persons unknown to act as a defence system against intruders. Each creature carries a microscopic amount of neurotoxin that, when administered in large doses, causes paralysis to the central nervous system as well as all attached organs and appendages.

Quaridaan leviathan: A vicious and deadly species thought extinct, completely wild and untameable that was first found in the subterranean cave system near MaiSchloss. A reptilian creature with two heads, limitless strength and lightning sharp reflexes, these beasts were often hunted down for their scales, or for their ferocious fighting ability in the arena.

querelus bark: A rare and exotic species believed to the unexpected by-product of auganic experimentation on heavily forested areas. Graced with a sentient thought, querelus barks can hibernate for decades, and only shown themselves when in the presence of an undiluted Natura bloodline.

orilla: An auganic experiment gone wrong, orillas are descendants of gorillas, but somehow ended up less evolved than their genetic ancestors. Despite living as a close-knit family, orillas are largely cannibals, inbred, extremely territorial and prone to unprovoked acts of violence.

lawnkin: Small, green, furry and loveable, not to mention the most harmless of all auganically enhanced organisms, the only problem with lawnkins is their unpredictable and unstoppable asexual replication when not auganically castrated.

extrokka: Bred primarily for hunting purposes and their prize antlers, these bald bear-like creatures are near impossible to tame. They retain an instinctive savageness that can be linked back to the exotic mix of adrenal proteins found in the bone marrow of their antlers.

fannim: An extremely rare swamp-dwelling creature with a thick gelatinous blood that survives long after extraction and naturally mutates into an auganic catalyst that is highly effective in inducing physiaugal paralysis. Hunted by not only the Mortis Skulk but also the Tribarion Cohort and Red Scar Guard, fannim blood is now a highly valued commodity on the black market.

moonkite: A species of nocturnal birds with beautiful black, orange, blue and purple plumage. A large colony resides in Undergall’s Forgotten Gardens.

wandering dark: A mindless creature born out of a physiaugal mutation that manifests in a perpetual necrotic blood veil. The mutation is permanent and occurs when a Mortis Skulk projects their blood for too long without the necessary strength to maintain the veil without succumbing to the drain. When the blood veil mutates, the mutated blood feeds upon the original host’s body and mind until nothing is left, except for the haunting memories that terrorise and agonise the creature for the rest of its existence.