A Glossary of Fringe-speak

BLAINE, Urthan term derived from the name of an ancient champion of workers' rights. Denotes a member of the working class, with connotations of honesty, simplicity and diligence.

CLANLEY, the name taken by those mutants and outcasts from Urthan society who gather in the Fringes and wear the identifying cloak. Also known as the Kin or Brotherhood.

CORRAIN, The seventh tribe of Rha, whose colour is black and whose responsibility is the waging of war. Tolerated as a necessary evil, the Corrain was originally formed from outcasts from the other tribes.

EDGE, the boundary of the Unity proper, beyond which its law must be backed up by force.

ELITE, the upper class of Urthan and Fringe society.

EMMEN, the fifth tribe of Rha, whose colour is blue and whose province is words and thought. They serve the other tribes by administering inter-tribal affairs.

EMMERAN, the Kar det Emmen and therefore de facto ruler of Rha.

FRINGES, the area between the inner edge of the Unity and the Rhagan Protectorates. Also known as the Darkside.

HIGH KEEPER, Rhagan title. The High Keeper is responsible for maintaining the force of Keepers who stand the monitors to preserve the planet Rha from collapse.

KAR, Rhagan word originally meaning "servant", now the title given to a tribal ruler.

KAR DRAS [DRASKAR], ancient ruler of Rha who tried, and failed, to perform a great deed for the planet. Because of his failure, his name is universally reviled.

KHEPHERA, crystalline substance seeded on Rha at the time of the Nordvindahar. Takes many forms; enhances psychic abilities while gradually absorbing and mimicking the physical structure of the user's body. Rhagan technology is largely based on the use of Khephera.

KREEN, collective name for the Makers of Rha.

KROON, the head of the Kreen.

LA-MAY, Rhagan word for a mutant. Those declared la-may are marked with a triple scar.

MAKER, an individual, almost always female, in whom the power of Khephera shows itself as empathic healing skill. On Rha, Makers wear white.

MERODACH, name given to the mysterious smuggler whose ships trade illegally across the Fringes in "Thabulan glass", renn-silk and other commodities. The name first belonged to Keevan, and later to his son Xavron.

MUTANT, Toxins and radiation left over from the Harket War have resulted in widespread genetic mutation. Mutant children are not tolerated in normal Blaine society.

RHA, Home world of the Rhagans. Rendered deeply unstable by the cosmic game of put-and-take played by the Designers and then the Rhagans, Rha is mostly covered by deep snow and its native population has been driven underground. Only the constant duty of the Keepers prevents it from flying apart under the gravitational stresses of its jerry-built star system.

RHAGAN PROTECTORATES, a set of worlds whose people persist in regarding the Rhagans as rulers or gods, to the considerable embarrassment of the Rhagans.

SCATS, Severin Torrent's security operatives, all female, became known by this name in the Fringes, and adopted its use themselves.

THABULAN,mispronounced in the Unity as Tabulan. Denizen of Thab[Tab], a bleak, inhospitable planet known for its rapacious traders and lawyers. "Thabulan glass" is not actually Thabulan, but is a form of Khephera.

URHOLM, home world of the Urthan Unity.

URTHAN UNITY, the commercial and military federation of human-occupied planets under the administrative aegis of Urholm.

WARWARD, the name for the fighting force, taken from the Corrain, which stands to protect Rha from her enemies, and for the leader of that force.

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