WINDSINGER, by Lark Westerly.
Characters in the Book,
Peoples and Places
Flora and Fauna
Things and Terms
CHARACTERS.
Artemis The Mercy name of Laura Kerrigan's orphaned daughter. Renamed by Maeve. Heroine of the story.
Dia Cleo The sour and obsessive senior Mercy, a stickler for Mercy Lore (qv). Spends time in the Scriptorium (qv).
Dove Favor A windwoman who died while on Wild Moon (qv). Robin Deceiver (qv) would have liked to bond with her.
Jael An officious brown-eyed Mercy who causes trouble for Artemis.
Kestrel Windhover A high-caste Windsinger. The hero of this story.
Laura Kerrigan A Terran woman who is murdered when her daughter is seven years old.
Lilith- A senior Mercy whose job it is to keep diadems under repair.
Mab- an older Mercy.
Dia Maeve- The red-haired Mercy who rescued Artemis when her mother was killed. Maeve is kind but strict, and finds in Artemis a substitute daughter. Later becomes a medic.
Robin the Deceiver (Robin Deceiver)- A small windfolk man whose eccentric and unconventional attitude to life allows him to befriend Kestrel Windhover when windfolk custom declares he should be shunned. Robin is persuasive and clever, and can convince anyone (including himself) of anything. He is kind but not entirely trustworthy.
Seafrith- A shoremem from Seabra who cries a bidding when attacked by her shoresah on Gale. She helps Kestrel with information and later becomes Robin Deceiver's love.
Zeph Faireye A Windsinger who vanished while observing WILD MOON.
PEOPLES AND PLACES.
Alida restricted-entry two-mooned planet inhabited by the Amazon Mercies and their rescued "sisters". The prohibition against males extends to infants.
Amazon Mercy Virgin, usually a rescued orphan, who has undergone onerous instruction and training in weaponry, medicine, and hand-to-hand combat. If she has mastered the art of receiving biddings and teleportation using the Alida Beacon, a diadem and her own psychic powers, she is known as a "Diadem Mercy". No more than ten per cent of Mercies elect qualify as Diadem Mercies.
Asteria planet inhabited by bisexual men who, after producing heirs, revert to their preference for their own sex.
Asterian inhabitant of Asteria.
Daemons a race of sadistic creatures with rudimentary language and a lust for cruelty. They prey on other races. Their claws are hollow, and can inject a particularly nasty poison called daemonic acid. This causes intense pain and almost sure death.
Gale planet inhabited by a race of humans referred to as "windfolk". Their modern, sophisticated culture is still heavily influenced by the nature-loving cults of their ancestors. Codes of behaviour are strict. Traditionally minded windfolk (traddies) never leave their planet and take little notice of other cultures. They are unlikely to learn any language save their own speech and the archaic "Wild Moon" dialect.
Karvallian Lionfolk a brave but rather childish race that set themselves up in Prides and stage contests of strength and endurance with other races. They brew a liquor called "tongue-loose" (qv) that temporarily enhances strength and speed, and give it to their opponents to even the odds. It has the side affect of making the subject garrulous and truthful and releases inhibitions.
Parallax- planet with restricted access. Inhabited by dykies and soddies (gays) and allowing only such people to land. The only exception is when a hetero woman swears off males for good and wishes to go to Alida. Parallax has the only shuttle port providing access to Alida- and the shuttle is an autopilot one.
Piscine - planet inhabited by dominant males, whose women are never allowed to leave.
Seabra A salt-scoured planet whose inhabitants are called shorepeople. They spend much time at sea. Their main language is Seabraease, but they also speak some GalStan and a kind of patois called "trade talk". Shorepeople are termed "shoremems" (women) and shoresahs (men). Seabra has banned all but hand to hand weapons, but the shoresahs can be quite violent with their mems.
Sisterhood Village (on Alida) village where rescued "sisters" live if they accept a Mercy's offer of sanctuary. Once landed on Alida, a woman is there for life, unless she proves to be carrying a male child. In this case she will be forced to choose between termination and relocation.
Summersider windfolk from equatorial Gale.
Tower of the Wind A place in Gale a bell tower.
Windfolk, windwoman, windsinger, windbrother people from Gale.
Windsingers are windfolk who spend 1/13 of each year observing "Wild Moon", at which time they leave the city and live as their ancestors did, communing with the wind, birds and other elements of nature. A Windsinger observing Wild Moon uses few or no modern comforts, and generally remains alone unless courting a mate. Casual liaisons are common and accepted, but when Windsingers choose permanent partners, they pair for life. A Windsinger male whose mate leaves him through any circumstance but death will lose his identity and his birthright, and will probably go into exile.
Windsinger A traditionally-minded occupant of the planet Gale. Able to "sing" the wind and gain its cooperation to a greater or lesser degree. Kestrel Windhover is a windsinger of high caste.
FLORA AND FAUNA.
Alova- a peppery fruit growing wild on Gale.
Aspfly- insect on Alida. Gives a transiently painful sting.
Bridal fruit, bower fruit a velvety, lobed fruit that is very juicy. Traditionally offered and accepted by Windsinger couples as part of their courting ritual.
Candlesweet a sweetly scented white waxy blossom that grows in the valleys of Gale.
Cliff-fleer- shy, deer-like animal on Gale.
Feverseed- a mustard-like seed with medicinal properties, grown on Alida. The white is milder than the red.
Fiberleaf a tough, abrasive plant whose leaves are used for scouring and cleaning.
Fingerfruit- a long, orange fruit growing wild on Gale.
Flickersnake A very fast-moving snake, native to Alida.
Hayberry- small, hard berry grown on Gale.
Hoverbird A bird native to Gale; its wings beat with a sound like a whirling staff.
Jewelbird very beautiful and friendly birds with green, gold, silver, purple and blue plumage. Their cast-off feathers are used by Windsingers to make their windcloaks, and there is some affinity between the birds and the windfolk. Their musical trills are copied and used in communication by the windfolk.
Jewelcock a male jewelbird, also slang for a small, flashy-looking man.
Jewelfeather- feather from a jewelbird.
Jewelflock a flock of jewelbirds.
Jewelwren- female jewelbird, also slang for a small and attractive woman.
Leafstone green jade-like gemstone, known on Alida.
Leechmoss a medicinal plant sometimes used for drawing poison from wounds. It is dangerous, for overuse can lead to dehydrationand death. Grows wild on Alida, but next to impossible to grow in cultivation. Has a faintly bitter smell.
Marshchick- small, soft, rather defenceless bird known on Alida.
Seafrith- pink-flowered plant growing wild on Seabra.
Skylily intense blue flower known on Alida.
Sweetfruit trees- leaves with crimson leaves and purple fruit, growing in the tropical part of Gale.
Velvet tree a tree native to Gale having soft, frequently shed bark used to make the tough, supple, suede-like hammer-cloth.
Venomtoad a poisonous amphibian, known on Alida.
Windpoppy red fragile-looking flower known on Alida. Has four scarlet petals.
Windthorn a tough, supple wood found on Gale and used for staffs. Used by Windsingers as a weapon or exercise staff.
Winterberry- cold white berries found on Gale.
Wonthaggi Ox- A creature with an enviable constitution.
Woodtrill A shy brown forest-loving bird with a distinctive call. Known on Alida.
THINGS AND TERMS.
Alkiligate- (alki) an alkaline barrier field that keeps Daemons from entering the windfolks' city on Gale.
Autorun shuttle that is unmanned.
Beacon, Alida Beacon- A signal beacon used by the Mercies to propel themselves on their teleporting journeys.
Bidding- a psychic cry for help, sent by distressed women under attack from a male or males. The Mercies tune in on these.
Bond bonding A bond is much like a marriage, but is supposed to be indissoluble. Windfolk couples stay in their private places until their bond is firm.
Bow and quiver of arrows- weapon carried by the diadem Mercies offworld.
Bower bowering- A bower is the traditional floral shelter build by a Windsinger man for his "honeymoon" with his chosen mate. "Bowering" means to make love.
Bower-madness- sexual obsession.
Bowersick- bereft of a mate.
Breechcloth or breechclout - a simple male garment used by Windsingers observing Wild Moon.
Breeches- the hammer-cloth trousers used as above in cooler weather. Can also be made of leather.
Commonhall the place where off-duty Mercies spend their time. Shielded against biddings.
Defiled or despoiled- the Mercy term for sex.
Dia- a title of respect given to senior Mercies. Translates roughly as "Goddess".
Diadem A silver circlet worn by Mercies. It looks like an ornament, but hides sophisticated circuitry that works by bone conduction. Helps focus the Mercy's psychic powers with the Alida Beacon. Has a translation circuit.
Diadem Chair- a padded chair with restraints used during training to keep Mercies from injury.
Diadem Mercy- An active Mercy who has been successfully trained to use a diadem.
Dykie- gay woman on Parallax.
Earring silver single earring worn by Windfolk males to symbolise their unbroken bond with a chosen mate.
Farcall device- remote communication.
Final mercy- euthanasia.
GalStan Galactic Standard; the dialect used over most of the settled worlds. The Mercies use it. Traddie windsingers do not.
Gelding knife- Knife with an exaggerated bend.
Hammer-cloth soft, yet tough supple cloth used on Gale instead of leather and suede. Made from the pounded bark of the velvet tree.
Homewaking- a ceremony used on Gale when a bonded pair first enters the house belonging to one of them. Sensors in the house walls tune in on hopes and desires and "screen" them in a phantom form.
Homolover- gay person. Term used on Gale.
Illuminer or illumer - portable light used by Windfolk-not really appropriate for Wild Moon but used in emergencies.
Isocell isolation cell on Alida, used for medical and disciplinary purposes.
Manlover- gay man. Term used on Gale.
Matefree- single.
Mercy-elect- a would-be Mercy, still in training.
Mercy Lore- The rules and historical lore pertaining to the Mercies. Rigid and harsh.
Mercy name- a name assumed by Mercies usually from mythology.
Narcotic- anaesthetic carried by diadem Mercies. A small dose eases pain, a large one kills.
Nightfall- Windsinger slang for death.
Pouch- small bag made from leather or cloth, worn at the waist by Mercies and also windfolk.
Pseudomate paid lover on Gale- not highly regarded.
Reaping the wind calling up a whirlwind or intense storm.
Saber- a weapon carried by diadem Mercies offworld. Can cut or burn, depending on the setting.
Scriptorium- room on Alida used for storage of historical documents and study.
Shelter- a tent-style building that laces closed. Used by Shorepeople on Seabra.
Singing- A Windsinger's communication with the wind.
Slingclub- a weapon used by Daemon-hunters on Seabra.
Slough- A kind of airlock area between the Windfolks' city and outer Gale. Windsingers on their way to and from observing Wild Moon leave their other garments and possessions there.
Soddie- gay man on Parallax.
Staff- wooden stave used by windfolk for defence during Wild Moon or for exercise.
Stag- windfolk slang for a tall, well-muscled man.
Stasdrawer- a place where windfolk store food while in city mode.
Stat-beam energy pulse from a shuttle.
Stat-line status line used in geometry on Alida.
Tongue-loose- liquor brewed by Karvallian Lionfolk. Gives spurious strength and energy, releases inhibitions and makes subjects both talkative and truthful.
Traddie- slang for a traditionally-minded windfolk.
Trews loose trousers worn by some windfolk women.
Tunic- short Grecian-style garment worn by Amazon Mercies. White in colour. Also a less elegant garment worn by windfolk during Wild Moon.
Wild Moon- a period of 1/13 of a Gale year, observed by traditional windfolk. A Wild Moon can be taken at any time that suits the windbrother or woman. Sometimes a courting couple will elect to take Wild Moon together and will return bonded.
Windclad- naked.
Windcloak the beautiful hammer-cloth garment covered in cast-off jewelbird feathers, worn by Windsingers and playing a part in their courtship rituals.
Windkite The same as windwing.
Windride- to use a windwing.
Wind-riding Method of transport on Gale; a harness is covered with a hammer-cloth "sail" and the windsinger rides the winds. A little like a hang glider.
Windrush the sweeping motion of the wind.
Windsmitten- bemused, in love. Windfolk slang.
Windwing- a Windsinger's wind-powered craft.