Chapter 29
Rather than place this background information in an appendix at the back where you might not notice it until you’ve finished the book (I’ve done that before) I’m putting it here at the front. However, it is best to skip it and return only if you find you need it. All the information here is given to you in the text and unfolds naturally with the story.
The people of Abeth descend from four ‘tribes’. These tribes were:
Gerant – distinguished by their great size
Hunska – distinguished by their speed. A dark-haired, dark-eyed people
Marjal – distinguished by their ability to tap into the lesser magics
Quantal – distinguished by their ability to walk the Path and work greater magics
The great families of empire adopt the suffix -sis when the head of the family is named a lord by the emperor. The emperor’s own family are the Lansis. Other families of note include the Tacsis, Jotsis, Memsis, Galamsis, Leensis, Gersis, Rolsis, and Chemsis.
In the Convent of Sweet Mercy novices move through four classes on their way to taking holy orders. A novice must graduate from each class. The classes are named after the four orders of nun:
Red Class – typical novice age 9-12
Grey Class – typical novice age 13-14
Mystic Class – typical novice age 15-16
Holy Class – typical novice age 17-19
On taking holy orders novices become nuns. They follow one of the following paths:
Bride of the Ancestor (Holy Sister) – a nun concerned with honouring the Ancestor and maintaining the faith. The most common calling
Martial Sister (Red Sister) – a nun skilled in armed and unarmed combat, usually showing hunska blood
Sister of Discretion (Grey Sister) – a nun skilled in espionage, stealth, and poisons. Often showing marjal blood and a talent for shadow-work
Mystic Sister (Holy Witch) – a nun able to walk the Path and manipulate threads. Always showing quantal blood
Dramatis Personae
Nuns (in order of superiority)
Glass: Abbess of Sweet Mercy Convent, also known as Shella Yammal
Rose: Sister Superior, Holy Sister, runs the sanatorium
Wheel: Sister Superior, Mistress Spirit, Holy Sister, teaches Spirit classes
Apple: Mistress Shade, Grey Sister, also known as the Poisoner, teaches Shade classes
Pan: Mistress Path, Holy Witch, teaches Path classes
Rule: Mistress Academia, Holy Sister, teaches Academia classes
Tallow: Mistress Blade, Red Sister, teaches Blade classes
Chrysanthemum: Holy Sister, mostly known as Sister Mop
Flint: Red Sister, Grey Class mistress
Kettle: Grey Sister
Oak: Holy Sister, Red Class mistress
Rock: Red Sister
Novices
Alata: junior novice
Arabella Jotsis: junior novice, quantal and hunska blood
Clera Ghomal: junior novice, Nona’s friend, hunska blood
Croy: junior novice
Darla: junior novice, gerant blood
Ghena: junior novice, hunska blood
Hessa: junior novice, Nona’s friend from Giljohn’s cage, quantal blood
Jula: junior novice, Nona’s friend, studious
Kariss: junior novice
Katcha: junior novice
Ketti: junior novice, hunska blood
Leeni: junior novice
Mally: junior novice, Grey Class head-girl
Ruli: Nona’s friend, marjal blood
Sarma: junior novice
Sharlot: junior novice
Sheelar: junior novice
Suleri:
