GLOSSARY

Abra: An ancient lexeme of debated etymology, most commonly applied as the prefix to a magical conjuring.

Agape: A word of Greek origin referring to an ultimate, unconditional love and empathy of the highest spiritual nature. In alternate pronunciation it also means to hold one's mouth open.

Ailanthus: (also known as a Tree of Heaven or Ghetto Palm) A pinnately compound deciduous tree native to Asia and naturalized throughout Europe and North America. Invasive and uncommonly resilient, it is found mostly in urban areas.

Bushmeat: Edible meat derived from the wilderness - particularly from Africa - including elephant, gorilla, chimpanzee, antelope, crocodile, porcupine, monitor lizard, etc.

Chapeau: (also known as a Duciper) An heraldic charge or crest piece representing the Cap of Estate/Maintenance worn by the greater nobles of many European kingdoms.
It is usually composed of crimson velvet and lined with ermine, often forming the interior of a crown.

Deonic Moonchylde: A primordial deity of unlimited power and influence. Dweller of the multidimentional aphotic sludge we perceive as the cosmos, and thought by some to be the true fount of all that is Chapeau.

Dream Box: A celestial configuration of unknown origin existing between the physical and metaphysical realms, containing scattered fragments of subconscious thought.

Dyn Skúr Malma: An Old Norse phrase roughly translating as "a loud shower of metal".

Fleam: A stylized heraldic charge representing a medieval instrument used for bloodletting.

Hercynia: The Latin name given to the vast primeval forest which at one point covered most of Europe.

Marchocias: In Judeo-Christian belief, a fallen angel and prince of the hellish realm, commander of 30 legions and pretender to the seventh throne. Portrayed as a she-wolf with the wings of a griffin and the tail of a serpent in medieval demonology.

Nyctohylo: Prefix to the word Nyctohylophobia, the fear of dark (nocturnal) wooded areas. From the Greek "nycto" (night) and "hylo" (wood).

Sangliant: An heraldic term meaning blood-stained.

Skimmington, To Ride: A noisy mock-procession of humiliation popular in medieval England employed as punishment for marital misdeeds – most commonly inflicted on a man who has been beaten by his wife.

Sleep Paralysis: A somnial condition in which the mind awakens to a semi-conscious state while the body remains dormant and immobile. This disposition is often accompanied by sensory hallucinations.

Vulned Vexilloid: A pierced or otherwise damaged flag. From "vulned", the heraldic term for wounded, and "vexilloid", a general term of Latin etymology for any banner or flag-like device.

Wodehouse: (variants: Woodhouse, Woodwose, etc.) In heraldry, a wild man of the forests, generally depicted as bearded and covered in green hair.