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REALMS

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The Istryan Empire: Dominating the western half of the continent, the Istryan Empire, founded at the end of

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Hazária (Ha-ZAH-ria): Chiefdoms of horse nomads united under a king and a common goal: to resist Kyrían incursions into their wide steppelands. Ruled by Shar Ashina.

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Vóagria (VOH-agh-ria): A tributary state to the horselords of Hazária.

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Kassania (Kasa-nia): A place of sand and rock, and gold. The gold mines of Kassania are famed for their wealth. An exarchate of the Empire that was subsumed when Emperor Valentinos, the last emperor, seized the Kingdom of Kassania for himself.

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CHARACTERS

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Verína Kalonou Kyrína (Veh-RI-na Ka-lo-KNOW Ki-RE-na): augusta and granddaughter of Emperor Leontes

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Andréssa Leontou Kyrína (Anh-trEH-sah Lee-on-tow Ki-RE-na): augusta and daughter of Emperor Leontes, dowager lady of Sarníca, in exile from Sarníca

 

Leontes ‘Leo’ Valentinides Kyrídes (Lee-on-tehs Val-en-tin-id-is Ki-RE-dis): Emperor of the Kyrían Empire

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Constántius Arkhippós (Kon-STAN-tea-uhs Ark-ipp-OS)  – First Strategos and head of the Arkhippoi family, Leo’s nephew

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Léto Giannides (LEE-tow Yan-knee-dis) – apprentice potter

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Vassilís Giannides (Va-sill-IS Yan-knee-dis) – apprentice potter and Léto's brother

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A NOTE ON PRONOUNCIATION

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For the assistance to those whom such things are of importance, it is worth noting that the language of the Empire in the novels is pronounced according to the conventions of Modern/Demotic Greek. For example, all ‘g’s are soft-g’s, sounding much like a ‘y’ or a Spanish ‘y’. Soft c’s do not exist (ç). All c’s are hard c’s, making a ‘k’ sound. All a’s are unrounded, such as in car, or ball. Pitch accents ´ emphasize the syllable. ‘r’s are rolled: like a Spanish ‘r’ but rolled more. ‘Ch’s for the most part are pronounced as a ‘h’. Intonations and diphthongs exist as well, but these are too numerous to list and there exist several exceptions to each rule. If it helps, try to sound out the letters phonetically. This is what the language of the Empire sounds like, most of the time.

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