Authors: Joseph Delaney

Arena 13 #2 THE PREY (40 page)

BOOK: Arena 13 #2 THE PREY

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SHAPE-SHIFTERS

This is a category to which all high djinn belong. To change the form of a self takes time, ranging from hours to weeks depending upon the degree of change required. Preceding this process, high intakes of food arenecessary, the most useful being blood taken directly from living creatures. The more usual method of shape-shifting is through use of the wurde and the shatek to generate selves for particular tasks.

SHATEK

A shatek is the mother of a djinni. The midwife is a Nym artificer who shapes the offspring using wurdes of Nym.

SINGLETON

A singleton is a djinni with only one self. This is the lowest form, a being superior to the barbarian human only in speed, strength and reflexes. Yet some singletons have great intellectual capacity and can, by disciplinedstudy of the wurde elevate themselves to higher forms. A sub-form of singleton is known as a
lac
.

STACK

The stack is a defensive tri-glad tactic in which the human combatant is sandwiched between two defending lacs which rotate like a wheel according to the dictates of combat.

The stack is also the term for a sequence of Nym code to which a patterner might add or subtract. New code is always placed at the summit of a stack.

SYCODA

These are djinn with multiple selves but a limited capacity to generate more. They are shape-shifters and have skills which make them good interrogators. Spying and torture are their main functions. Hob belongs to thiscategory.

TASSELS

This is the name given to those who dwell on the fringes of Hob’s citadel and sometimes within it, serving his needs. Some are related to Hob’s victims and serve him hoping for news of their loved ones; some belong toa cult which worships Hob, hoping that one day he will return their wives, daughters or sons to them in perfect new bodies. Others are spies who scratch out a living by supplying Hob with information or acting as go-betweens in contacts with certain citizens of Gindeen.

It is the behaviour of this last group which resulted in the name tassels, which are fringed knots on the hem of Hob’s cloak. The name was given in mockery because they are a fallen and degraded group, but the ideaof knots is appropriate because they are also part of the tangle of conspiracy and counter-conspiracy as the various groups within Midgard struggle to achieve their goals.

TESTIMONY OF MATH, THE

A book written by Math, the hero of Arena 13. It documents his early training and deals at length with each of his contests against the djinni Hob.

TRADER

The Trader is Midgard’s only source of lacs and new wurdes of Nym to enhance the patterning of lacs. He usually visits the Sea Gate twice a year: before the season begins and then halfway through it.

TRIGLADIUS

This is fought within Arena 13, the highest level of combat within the Wheel. Three lacs face a lone lac in a contest where victory results from the spilling of human blood. A human combatant stands behind the three inwhat is known as the ‘mag’ position; his opponent stands behind the lone lac in the ‘min’ position. They present themselves as targets for their opponent’s lacs. Victory is marked by a ritual cut to the arm of the defeatedcombatant. Although the intention is not to kill, accidents do happen. In addition, grudge matches are fought which end in the decapitation of the loser.

ULUM

This is a sound-code used within the Trigladius Arena to communicate with and direct a lac, delivered by taps of the combatant’s boots on the arena floor. Each combatant develops his own version of Ulum and keeps ita secret.

WEREWIGHT
This is a creature with four selves but a high mind. Three take the form of wolves, but the fourth stands upright and is a mixture of human and wolf. The Genthai fight this creature in ritual combat every thirteen years.Some believe it to be a type of fallen, degraded djinn. Others think this might well have been the origin of Trigladius combat in Arena 13.

WHEEL

The Wheel is situated in the barbarian human city of Gindeen, within the Barrier. It is a building where gladiatorial contests take place between lacs. It has thirteen combat zones, and the highest and most skilful of theseis the Trigladius, which is also known as Arena 13.

WHEEL DIRECTORATE

The Directorate has a membership of five, composed of representatives of the gambling houses and headed by Pyncheon, the Chief Marshal. Its primary jurisdiction is over the Wheel, but it has wider legal powers. In thecity of Gindeen it is second only to the Protector, but concentrates mostly on the business of the Wheel. For example, a killing in the streets in which a combatant or ex-combatant is involved would fall under its remit.

WURDE

The wurde is the basic unit within the ancient patterning language called Nym. Wurdes contain other wurdes, and to call one wurde is to call all that is embedded within it, both manifest and hidden.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joseph Delaney is a retired English teacher. He has three children and nine grandchildren and is a wonderful public speaker available for conference, library and bookshop events. His home is in the middle of Boggartterritory and his village has a boggart called the Hall Knocker, which was laid to rest under the step of a house near the church.

Most of the places in the Spook’s books are based on real places in Lancashire. And the inspiration behind the stories often comes from local ghost stories and legends.

Also by Joseph Delaney

THE SPOOK’S SERIES

The Spook’s Apprentice

The Spook’s Curse

The Spook’s Secret

The Spook’s Battle

The Spook’s Mistake

The Spook’s Sacrifice

The Spook’s Nightmare

The Spook’s Destiny

I Am Grimalkin

The Spook’s Blood