Herb-Witch (Lord Alchemist Duology) (61 page)

catseye
ointment
: a paste that, applied to the eyes, allows vision in
low-light conditions – such as moonlight and starlight. It all
but eliminates color vision when active, and normal lighting is
blindingly bright.

Ceren
Aeslird
: Prince Tegar's wife. They have two sons and a daughter;
her brother is Earl Dhaenoc
.

Charal
:
a courtesan at the Crimson Birch.

Chas
:
one of the gray watch led by Wolf, who harassed Kessa. All but Wolf
were captured by real watchmen whose stipends are paid for by the
Alchemists' Guild. Chas has a sister whose husband owns an inn, and a
young daughter.

Chiftia
:
a country herb-witch for a small settlement outside Aeston. Herbsman
Chiftia is believed half-senile, and was allegedly Kessa's teacher
during Kessa's apprentice years.

clae
:
an alchemical preparation in the form of sand-like powder, used to
remove impurities from air and water. It turns darker, the more
impurities it absorbs, till its purification ability is exhausted.

Coty
Balamea
: a master alchemist and guild officer in Aeston; he
wears gloves because his fingernails and toenails are tinted violet
as a side-effect of changing his eye-color similarly.

the
Crimson Birch
: a brothel catering to men who enjoy bondage and
riding crops – either doing or receiving. More extreme than
the Emerald Cat, and with fewer costumes, it is owned and run by
Mistress Siphe.

Criz
Saltson
: one of Master Rom's apprentices. "Criz" is a
common name in Cymelia.

Cym
:
the capital of Cymelia, where the Princeps resides and rules.

Cymelia
:
the name of the country.

Darul
Reus
: a "no-questions" moneylender with a habit of
extorting extra coin from his clients. Accidentally dis-minded by a
combination of potions. One of the potions was Kessa's; the other was
Lairn Ronan's.

Dayn
:
Iathor's bodyguard and footman, the youngest of his dramsmen.

Deocris
:
Iathor's secretary. Deocris is
not
a dramsman. Iathor suspects
that Prince Tegar's Spymaster pays Deocris for information about
Iathor and the guild.

Dhaenoc
:
an earl in Aeston, whose lands are within Tegar's purview, and Ceren
Aeslird's brother. Ultimately, the city guard and the local army
troops report to Dhaenoc.

Dilus
Whitefeather
: a scribe in Aeston, who writes (or reads) letters
for the illiterate/partially-literate, and who drafts contracts.

dramsman
:
someone who has taken the dramsman's draught. The term is
gender-neutral.

dramsman's
draught
: often known simply as "the draught," this
alchemical potion causes complete loyalty to the first person seen by
the drinker, and inability to defy that person's orders. There are
two versions; the more recent allows greater freedom of emotion,
though ultimate loyalty is equivalent.

dramswife
:
a woman, usually married to an important noble, whose fealty to her
husband has been assured with the draught.

dry
tea
: a contraceptive preparation for women. "Dry"
refers to "infertile fields," parched from drought; the tea
is brewed and drunk normally. An integral ingredient is maiden's
blood; the definition of "maiden" is very strict, for this
purpose.

Eager
Maiden
: the most disreputable brothel in Aeston, only continuing
to exist due to Shadow Guild patronage, heavy bribes, and blackmail
of seemingly-respectable patrons. So long as the price is paid,
anything
can be done to the "employees" held captive
there, including fatal abuse.

Elera
Kymus
: Iathor and Iasen's mother. Iaren's wife. Died in a
carriage accident.

Elkin
Mixture
: an herb-witchery that acts as a general booster to the
immune system.

the
Emerald Cat
: a brothel in Aeston catering to men who favor
role-play and/or light bondage and pain-games. It is less extreme
than the Crimson Birch, and has a larger wardrobe for those who want
to play "Caught Thief and Inventive Noble" or "Emperor
and Concubine." Mistress Zeli owns it.

fagin
:
a person (usually male) who takes in stray children (often as babies
or toddlers) and raises them to be thieves and courtesans. Some are
kinder than others.

Fervefax
Stones
: alchemically prepared stones that give off heat; the
temperature varies with the preparation, and can range from minor
warmth to something hot enough to set fires.

Frigi
Stones
: alchemically prepared stones that
give off
cold,
in defiance of physics. They can radiate mere coolth, or lower
temperature to at least freezing, depending on how well they are
prepared, and at what temperatures.

geometry
analyzer
: a device used for finding the "forms" of
alchemical metal-salts. Certain combinations indicate the result will
be explosive and should be avoided.

the
gray watch
: a term for a particular style of extortionist. "Nice
shop you've got here. Be a shame if someone broke into it."

the
green death
: an herb-witch preparation that, when swallowed,
causes the body's fluids to turn to acid. Potentially fatal even to
someone with alchemist's immunity.

Gren
:
the hired buggy-driver who was
supposed
to take Kessa
home . . .

Hele's
ointment
: a paste that speeds healing of wounds from days to
seconds.

herb-witchery
:
any preparation or process that does
not
include metal-salts.
Alchemists look down on herb-witches for being ill-trained.
Herb-witches disparage alchemists as pompous know-it-alls with no
common sense.

Highglen
:
a baron in Cym. He has at least a son and a daughter.

Hoch
:
a bonesetter apprentice in Aeston, who works at the alchemists'
hospice. He provided much of Darul Reus's care.

hornflower
paste
: an herb-witch preparation, that eases uterine cramps. It
requires careful dosing, as it can become toxic quickly. (Except to
the immune, of course.)

Iaren
Kymus
: the former Lord Alchemist, Iasen and Iathor's father and
Elera's husband. Deceased.

Iasen
Kymus
: Iathor's younger brother, a master alchemist in the guild,
known for spending his time at parties with noble youths, half his
age or younger. Never formally confirmed as having the alchemist's
immunity, but assumed (correctly) to be immune.

Iathor
Kymus
: the Lord Alchemist, Guild Master of the Alchemists' Guild,
and a minor baron. One of two men known to have the alchemist's
immunity, which is a prerequisite for
being
the Lord
Alchemist.

Igni
Stone
: an alchemically-made Stone that reacts with an alchemical
oil to produce flame. Igni Stones are used to light fires, not to
create heat themselves.

Incandescens
Stone
: an alchemically-made object (traditionally a stone, but
other non-porous substances, such as glass, may work) that glows
without heat. They do not last indefinitely, and start dimming and
flickering as they age.

Irilye
:
an earl in Aeston, whose lands are within Tegar's purview. Earl
Irilye is considered to be one of the three most important nobles in
Aeston.

Isera
:
a harp-playing, freelance courtesan in Aeston. She employs Burk from
time to time, as "muscle" to make sure her customers pay
up. Her sister and sister's husband met each other when serving time
on debtor's work-gangs.

Isio
:
a master alchemist and guild officer in Aeston. He oversees much of
the paperwork of the guild hospice. (Master Peran oversees the
hospice more directly.)

Iste
Zertheluse
: a master alchemist and guild officer in Aeston.

Jeck
:
Iathor's dramsman carriage driver.
He also keeps guard hounds
for the household.

Jobaenen
:
a master alchemist in Cym, and the Lord Alchemist's syndic there.

Joleusea
:
a count whose county, Nearwater, is within Tegar's purview. (He may
also be addressed as Count Nearwater.)

Jontho
:
Kessa's foster-brother. A petty thief who spends more of his time
being a bodyguard for his full sister, Laita. He enjoys impersonating
members of other professions.

Jonu
:
one of Lairn Ronan's customers for his Vigor tea.

Jothe
:
an officer in the city watch who serves under Watch Commander Tob
Rothsam.

Joy-powder
:
an alchemical euphoric. Psychologically addictive, and sometimes
physically-so as well, and potentially fatal if an overdose occurs.
Dosage is unreliable. Maila was the supplier of joy-powder, and the
recipe seems to have died with her, but it keeps well, and bricks of
it still show up, even some years after.

Kel
:
one of Tag's crèche, an accomplished young pickpocket.

Kelen
:
one of Iasen's dramsmen, a groom with dark red hair.

Keli
Greenhands
: the Herbmaster, advocate for the herb-witches within
the Alchemists' Guild. A widow.

Kellisan
:
an alias for Kessa when she pretends to be a young man; often paired
with the sobriquet
Dog-eyes
in Kessa's youth.

Kessa
Herbsman
: a half-"barbarian" herb-witch with a criminal
past, and the only woman in Cymelia known to have the alchemist's
immunity.

Lairn
Ronan
: Iasen's journeyman; left alone while Iasen was in Cym,
Lairn amassed gambling debts, and one of his experiments rendered
Iasen's house uninhabitable. Kessa and Nicia discovered the
counteragent to the alchemical stench, and Kessa secretly mobilized
Tag's crèche to find where Lairn had hidden himself to avoid his
creditors.

Laita
:
Kessa's beloved foster-sister, beautiful, a courtesan, and sickly.
Full sister to Jontho.

Lasiari
:
a tea-additive, and aphrodisiac. Mildly illegal. Also one of the
potions Lairn Ronan was making, and sending along to Iasen in Cym.

Lesant's
Seventh
: a potion to lower fevers. Lesant, a long-dead alchemist,
numbered the potions he created, tweaked, or "acquired,"
instead of naming them.

Loria
:
Iathor's dramsman steward, and Tania's sister. A widow.

Maila
:
an illegal Shadow alchemist/Shadow-witch, who took Kessa on as an
apprentice. Deceased.

Mamanute
:
an earl in Cym. He has at least two sons.

Maraeton
:
a city in Cymelia.

men's
tea
: the male version of dry tea. Maiden's blood is still a key
ingredient.

mindbright
elixir
: an alchemical preparation that allows near-eidetic memory
for a time. Though toxic before it's completely brewed, it has an
interesting effect if taken by someone with alchemist's immunity.

Natyn
Carter
: someone who owed money to Darul Reus, and whose name was
in Darul's record book.

Nearwater
:
the county name for the lands held by Count Joleusea, whose lands are
within Tegar's purview. (Addressing him as Count Nearwater is
acceptable, or just
Nearwater
among peers.) Violet Joleusea
(who could also be addressed as Miss Nearwater) is his daughter.

Nicia
Greenhands
: Keli's daughter, both an apprentice alchemist and
apprentice bone-setter.

Nissy
:
one of the courtesans at the Crimson Birch.

Parsimony's
Best
: a respectable brothel.

Pech
:
a watchman whose stipend is paid by the Weavers' Guild.

Peran
:
a master bonesetter who works at the hospice sponsored by the
Alchemists' Guild. Master Peran is one of Nicia's instructors.

Portguard
:
the port city where the River Eath meets the sea.

the
Princeps
: the ruler of Cymelia.

Purgatorie
:
an alchemical purgative, neutralizing almost all poisons and potion
effects. Causes immediate vomiting, soon followed by diarrhea and,
for women, the start of menstruation. An old imperial variant is
called
Purgafactant
.

Rayard
the Green
: a moneylender in Aeston, to whom Lairn Ronan owed
money.

Red
Pearls
: a respectable brothel, with the usual sort of employees.

Rhaus
:
a baron whose lands are within Tegar's purview.

River
Eath
: the large river that runs past Aeston, with Cym at the last
navigable point on it, and Portguard where the River Eath meets the
sea.