S

[Save-Knor]
[Salt Route]
[Salt War]
[Saurch]
[Savorian]
[Scarlet Veil]
[Senate]
[Serun]
[Shek-Pvar]
[Shira Tribes]
[Shiran]
[Shirian Republic]
[Shorka]
[Skalds]
[Sitarny River]
[Sitarny]
[Stimos]
[Sylud the Scholar]

Save-Knor
God of puzzles, magic and hidden knowledge. Lord of Puzzles, Conundrums and Mazes, Sage of the Gods, Lord of Jesters, Mixer of Potions, Knower of Many Things, Keeper of the Var-Hyvrak, the Lost Guide.
The god of wisdom, riddles and tricksters. He is also the master of hidden lore and worshiped by mages as well as scribes and schollars. His church perfers to hide knowledge and magical items.
[Top]
Salt Route
Trade route between Kaldor and the Thardic Republic.
[Top]
Salt War
Without approval of the Senates he used funds earmarked for the defences of Moleryn to provoke the Salt War with Kaldor over the Salt Route. Kaldor was resoundingly defeated at the Battle of Chelna Gap (672). Popular approval was so strong; the Senates had to stifle their resentment. But in 673 at the Battle of Ramala Gap, the League was defeated by Kaldor and forced to accept trade and territorial concessions. Kaldoran traders were exempted from various tariffs and tolls and the League had to forego any further claims to territories beyond Trobridge Inn.
[Top]
Saurch
He was Sylud's younger brother. He was an Agrikan fanatic. He was assassinated under bizarre circumstances a few hours after proclaiming for the "Unification Writ," banning all religions except Agrik. [Tharda 1]
[Top]
Savorian
Savorya is the magick of mind and spirit, perhaps the most esoteric of the convocations of the Shek-Pvar.

Savoryans deal with aura and knowledge, with principles which, they at least believe, stand above the other elements, and of the Shek-Pvar. A Savoryan's is, probably, the greatest knowledge of psionics, and perhaps of Kelestia itself.
[Top]
Scarlet Veil, Order of
This is a hieretical prophetic order of Agrik, founded in the town of Fobin around the time of the Balshang Jihad. The local community has come to accept the Order of the Scarlet Veil because of their depiction of Agrik as the cleanser and comforter of the hearth. He is the last defender. The Order's lay masses and combats are host to numerous songs and stories about how, while no one wants to rely on him, Agrik is the only one who will defend you against the impossible odds. He is given credit for a warrior's second wind, or a peasant's sudden surge of adrenaline to fight against impossible odds.
[Top]
Senate
There are five major factions in the Senate; some senators are members of more than one. The Consolidation Faction is pro-republican and wants to clean up internal problems such as the Hefiosa bandits and the Gozyda and Tulwyni barbarians. The Expansionist Faction is also pro-republican but favors the conquest of lands in Kanday and Rethem. These are the two largest factions. Others are the Imperialist factions, which wants a return to the Imperial system, with an elected emperor coupled with internal consolidation, a hereditary nobility and feudalism. The Monarchist Faction wishes to establish a weak king with the real power wielded by a hereditary Senate and emphasis on foreign conquest. The Reform Faction, by far the smallest of the five, wants to clean up "abuses" in the Senate and the government. There is sympathy for this position in the rural areas. Fractional politics are made more complex by the religious, guild and client relationships of the Senate.
Despite these problems, the senate is still managing to deal with normal business. A petition from the Pilot’s Guild is before the Senate that if passed would require all vessels over 16 feet long to hire a pilot. The present law sets the figure at 30 feet, with the result that many riverboats are 29 feet long. The matter is under consideration, and in view of the amount of money being spent by the guild to "make their position clear" it seems likely to be passed into law. There is also a petition for the recognition as a guild of the Teamsters’ Brotherhood. The petition is opposed by the Mangai, the Hârnic association of guilds, but the fledgling "brotherhood" has made several "gifts" to key Senators. Other proposals before the senate are: to pave various pieces of road, repair the thirteen year old flood damage at Shiran, and a wild-eyed scheme sponsored by several Senators and the immensely powerful Nordaka family of Telen to build a seaport on the Gulf of Chakor connected directly to Telen by a new road through Ramala Gap. [Tharda 4]
The Thardic Senate has been called both the most corrupt and the most realistic governmental body on Hârn. Members are elected for life by a two-thirds vote of existing senators. The office is unpaid, but is very remunerative due to the "gifts" senators receive. Theoretically, and free citizen of the Republic can become a senator, but few can afford the cost of the "gifts" necessary to ensure election. Senator Markaz from Shiran, elected in 718, spent over 3000 gold crowns to win his seat. The Senate originally had 54 members but additions have brought it up to 68. New members are elected when a senator dies or retires.
The Senate serves as both the legislature and the supreme courts of the Thardic Republic. It levies taxes, appoints officials, declares war, makes treaties, and tries high crimes. The Senate inherited most of its customs from the earlier Senates of the Republics of Coranan and Shiran. It meets once yearly from the beginning of Ilvin to the end of Morgath in the Chamber of the Red Domes in Coranan. Though attendance is not required of senators, most deem it to be in their best interest to be there. The Senate sits in continuos session whenever the Republic is at war with a foreign enemy and also convenes in the case of national emergencies, for treason trials, or if one third of the senator’s sign a proclamation of session. Quorum is one third of elected members. The only exception to the quorum rule is the election of new members when a referendum ballot is circulated to each senator. The most senior member of the Senate serves as President. Senators speak on issues in the order of reverse seniority.
A session of the Senate cannot begin without reports from the Haruspex (interpreter of omens) and the Astrologer to the Republic. The Herald reads the role call of members to the Senate. The Chaplain of the Senate pronounces a non-denominational invocation to ask the gods for their blessing.
Senators are the most favoured citizens of the Republic. Most of the higher offices are awarded to the senators, their kin, and their clients. They enjoy numerous privileges, only the most notable of which can be mentioned here. No senator may be restrained, arrested, or executed except by warrant of treason issued by the Senate. Senators have the right to speak in any court of law, examine any official’s records, and stay any execution or commute any sentence not ordered by the Senate itself. A senator may commandeer the services of any slave or citizen for assistance in the exercise of his privileges. Impeding or failing to cooperage with a senator who claims exercise of privilege is treason. Entering the Senate chamber with a weapon is also considered treason. [Tharda 6]
[Top]
Serun
Town of the Thardic League, conquered by Arlun. [Tharda 2]
[Top]
Shek-P'var
The society of mages that has a loose affilitiation across the island of Hârn.
[Top]
Shira Tribes
[Tharda 1]
[Top]
Shiran
It was founded by the fifth "emperor" of the Corani Empire. Malain (380-394) [Tharda 1]
[Top]
Shirian Republic
Formed in 625. Headed a senate of clan heads and some senators were members of both the Shirian senate and the Coranan senate. Based on the Interregnum. Formed an alliance with the Coranan Republic in 632. When Arlun conquered the Golothan Theocracy and founded the kingdom of Rethem in 635, the two senates, anticipating his expansionist designs voted to form the Thardic League in 636. [Tharda 2]
[Top]
Shorka
Korad’s adopted son and successor. He poisoned his father and took control of the Corani Empire in 528TR. Fostered a corrupt and tyrannical regime and was dominated by the influence of his court astrologer and chancellor Workol who conducted a campaign of terror against his personal enemies and instituted an increasingly ludicrous series of taxes and policies. He died of apoplectic seizures in 555. Uncle to Medak. [Tharda 1]
[Top]
In the Ivinian tongue, the word means: Harpers, story tellers and bards.
[Top]
Sitarny River
A river that runs from the River thard, north past the Sitarny outpost. It is shallow and easily fordable throughout most of its length
[Top]
Sitarny
Location: Geishtei District, Gerium Province, Thardic Republic
Status: Legion Outpost
Population: 29 families
Sitarny is a legion outpost less than a quarter league away from the Rethem border, on the Sitarny River that flows from deep underground sources to the river Thard. The Sitarny is a forgeable river in all but the worst of the spring and fall floods. Still there is a small stone bridge that crosses the river and leads into the town. The river provides the locals a plentiful supply of fresh water that runs throughout the year. A relatively new outpost, Sitarny sits on the Rethem border along the High Coranan Road. As the first defense against bandits and raiders, they are slightly over manned. Locals are all either retired legionnaires, or family of retirees. Sitarny has an inn and one very small temple, but neither would hold visitors' interest for long. Ruins in the area only add to the ghost tales that are, no doubt, used by raiders to hide their real activities.
[Top]
Stimos
One of the three tribes/towns in Kom taken by Karnis, the third Autarch of the League (650-57) with 1/3rd of the Autarch’s guard.
[Top]
Sylud the Scholar
The ninth emperor of the Corani Empire. Son of Mejenes. He encouraged learning and the arts. Hebuilt several libraries and sponsored various archeological expeditions. One of which provoked the loss of Peran in 447.
Mejenes' son, Sylud the Scholar, encouraged learning and the arts,. He built several libraries and sponsored various archaeological expeditions, one of which provoked the loss of Pean in 477. [Tharda 1]
[Top]

This page was last updated on August 28, 2002
Questions/Comments should be directed to the Webmaster.
All works are Copyright their respective authors, 2002.