ToranA Toran is a fortified family/clan home. These are common but not universal.Somehomesteadsmaybeaslargeasatoran,butthemaindifferenceisthat homesteadsareusuallywoodenconstructionswhilethetoranisnormallystone-built.Apeculiaritywithtoransisthatnoneoftheinnerdoorshavelocks.Thetoranis normallyforfamilymembersonly.Anunwrittenlawdeemsthatallinnerdoors willremainopenunlesstheoccupierwishesforprivacy.Nofamilymember would ever consider opening a closed door in a toran.Onlyclosefamilyhasthecompleterunofatoran.Otherfamilymembersmay only use the ground floor.Anyrelative,nomatterhowdistant,hasarighttouseatoran,butcommon courtesydictatesthatallvisitorsasktheMasterorMistressofthetoranfor permission to enter.Slaves are forbidden in Torans.Eachtoranhasanannexwherefriendsandothervisitorsmaylodge,butthey cannot enter the toran proper.***CourdourAlomarcallsCastleNebuloushistoranfromasenseofhumour that only an immortal, with no family, can have.
GraticuleGraticule is the term for grid lines on a map.The first maps of the Floreskand plateau with credibility were produced at the Madurava House in Lornwater.The Madurava House was made the Centre Prime for all maps that had a graticule.Lines running from Manderon to Ranmeron are called Manran lines. The lines running from Dunsaron to Varteron are called Dunvar lines.During the conflict between Lornwater and the nomadic Hansenand Kellan-Mesqa (1183-1227 AC) it became apparent there was a real urgent need for accurate maps. Being nomadic, the Hansenand knew exactly where they were at all times, but Lornwater forces frequently got lost.Partway through that conflict, in 1212 AC, Dacrove became king of Lornwater and tasked the Madurava House with producing accurate maps of the land to help the military.It took the Madurava Sisters many years to map out the full plateau.It was because of these more accurate maps that Lornwater's military became very successful.
AirmousAirmousisthenameofoneofthethirteenfemalegiantsinKellan-Mesqa mythology.Inthenightsky,sheisrepresentedasthethirteenthInnerRing constellation,whichiscomposedofsevenstars.Hernameisalsousedforthe thriteenth month of the Arisan calendar.
AgrastnaArodentthatvariesincolourfromtawnytoblackwithlighterunderparts.It hascoarsehair,whichislongeronthehindquarters.Thishairisraisedwhenthe animalisalarmed.Theheadisrat-like,withlargepinkears.Theagrastnacan reach 4 lacmarks in length, with a short hairless tail and long legs.Agrastnasareabundantinforestandwoodedareasthroughoutcentraland ranmeron Floreskand.Wildagrastnasarenocturnalandspendthedayinholesinthegroundorin larger burrows or under the roots of trees.Theyareshyandhighlystrung,fightingfiercelyamongthemselves,yetfleeing inpanicatthefirstsignofdanger,hencetheirname,whichisKellan-Mesqafor ‘contrary.’Despitetheseconflictingnatures—fightingandfleeing—agrastnasareeasily tamedandmakeaffectionatepets(verypopularpetswiththeAquileja)and duetorelativesafety,theyceasetobenocturnal.Inexceptionalcircumstances, they may live for 20 years, but 8 years is the norm in the wild.Theyaremainlyvegetarian,browsingonleaves,fallenfruitandroots.Theyare delicateeaters,sittingbackontheirhaunchesandholdingtheirfoodinthefore feetand,ifithasatoughskin,peelingitcarefullywiththeirteethbeforeeating it.They breed all year round, and the litters number from 2 to 6.Agrastnasarethebasicdietofcarnivores,andinTarakandatheyareacommon food in the forested areas.
Classification - Cherese (water lizard)Big-jaw Water Lizard (from the Kellan-Mesqa: afun=big and alder=jaw)A carnivorous reptile with a large broad jaw with two rows of needle-like teeth.TheafunalderisanaquaticanimalthatinhabitstheswampsofTaalland.Its lengthvariesfromoneto1to3marks,andthelargeronesareoftenhuntedfor theirskin,whichisusedbytheTramalomatowaterproofitemsandcovertheir shields.Afunaldersaresluggishcreaturesandspendmostoftheirtimebaskinginthe sun.Thismayhaveaneffectontheirlongevity.Therearerecordsofthese creatures living up to 90 years.Thefemalesbuildlargenest-moundsinthematingseasonandlayhard-shelled eggs(20-50)inthem.Theeggsarelaidinadepressionatthetopofthemound andcoveredwithvegetation.Maleandfemaletaketurnsguardingtheeggs untiltheyhatch2-3monthslater,incubatedbytheheatoftherotting vegetation.Thehatchlingsfirsthavetobreakoutoftheshellsandthenclawtheirwayto thesurfaceofthenest.Atthisstage,theyareabout1.5lacmarkslong,andit takes around five years to reach full size.Theyoungafunaldersfallpreytocarnivorousfish,birdsandmammals,andat allstagesofgrowththeycanbeattackedandeatenbylargerafunalders.This predation is just enough to keep the population steady.