Glossary for DESCENDING ROAD

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Abridor: A small mountain village on the rail line in the mountains west of the City.

achai’n: Trenzil, achai’ns turinast. Ghurish‘al Arlen‘s words to Trenzil.

actinide: actinide, actinides: any of the elements between atomic number 89 and 104, inclusive, chemically similar in behavior, and analogous to the lanthanides in electron valence properties. Among them: actinium, thorium, uranium, neptunium, plutonium, and curium.

adhesoplast: as the name hints, an adhesive plaster, but made of a biosynthetic that usually integrates over time with the user’s tissues and then is absorbed.

adhesor: adhesor, adhesors: developmental biologists call these CAMs or SAMs, cell or substrate adhesion molecules. They determine anchor points for one cell with another, influencing the form and direction of organism growth.

Adrienne Matisse: Adrienne, Adrienne Matisse, Matisse: a woman working with the Abols (Science Abolition Movement) as an espionage agent.

Adrili: male family name for Leil‘s father’s line. See Triesh.

aftername: aftername, afternames: an andro term for the residual characters left behind in innerspace by an andro who has died. These beings are a kind of afterimage which possesses the personality of the andro who invented them in the inner world. They fade slowly after their creator’s demise, losing visibility to other andros within a few ddays or so.

Aganas: male descent name for Andrew‘s father’s line. See Wranmar.

aggro: the first group of dimensions beyond the Familiar Four. The aliens do not say how many they are. See also tilfarnik.

Agripower: machinery brand name, of RhoCorp.

ainon: ainon, ainons: an embodiment of a search assistance intelligence in the Archives: a sentient interface to the Archive researcher usually taking the form of an individual attractive to the person doing the research.

airshaft: airshaft, airshafts: the shafts in the City and all the lesser cities, which supply exchange paths for city and surface air. Most of these date to the pre-Colonization era. Characterized by either an eight-meter or a sixteen-meter diameter, a narrow, spiral carved stair, and the ability to adjust (without machinery) the flow of air to manage temperature. Microorganisms discovered in shafts displayed abilities to regulate relative levels of vital gases in the air, dependent on depth beneath the surface.

airskin: airskin, AirSkin: a beverage with a temporary gene-modifying effect on skin melanin-bearing cells. Created and marketed by ArCorp, it also caused melanomas.

Ajina: the sister of Ezzar‘s father.

Ajitan: the name, in Clang, of the first month of the Lulith Calendar. From tabular data: Ajitan is month number 1 in the 14-month Moon Calendar. You can find all the month names in the reference table titled MOON CALENDAR MONTH NAMES. From tabular data for “Ajitan": Ajitan is month number 1 in the 14-month Moon Calendar. You can find all the month names in the reference table titled MOON CALENDAR MONTH NAMES.

Alayre: Jono‘s onetime lover, a woman of the era of the City preceding the arrival of the Colonists.

algizarkha: Trenzil, algizarkha n’saitra Bargaroth. Arlen‘s words to Trenzil, to summon Bargaroth.

Algol: the star listed as Beta Persei in the catalogs of ancient Earth, an eclipsing variable of period 2.87 days. Name from the Arabic, Al Ra’s al Ghul, “The demon’s head.”

Allan: Allan, Allan Windham: Allam Windham, a physicist and partner to Miriam Parker.

Allashani: Alhashanheh, Allashani, Halaskani: the Lady, a fused alien/human being who normally wears human form.

Alliji Harren: Alliji, Alliji Harren: brother of Nexi Harren.

Alumaras: father of father of Ezzar.

Alyssha: Alyssha, Alyssha Riley, Riley: Alyssha Riley, an incourse emergency starship repair worker.

Amitabha: the Buddha Maitreye Amitabha, of ancient Earth history.

amitralia: amitralia, amitralias: self-rooting flowers which develop bulbs from stem cuttings. Resemble gladiolus in appearance and fragrance, with colors mainly in the oranges and rich yellows.

amnestic: amnestic, amnestics: drug which functions as a psychological anesthetic by preventing memory of nerve sensations.

amplificative: term used in personality typing in the City.

AmpliPhi: AmpliPhi, AMPXN, Greenies: Name of a Sensi hub, supported by Novander Wye, Gellin Sintherou, and Sinantro Colls. From tabular data: AmpliPhi is an environmentally-focused supplier, run by three of the outland colls: Novander Wye, Gellin Sintherou, and Sinantro. Most of the sensi sources are described briefly in the reference table titled SENSI SUPPLIERS. Ordinary people refer to AmpliPhi in private conversation as the Greenies. From tabular data for “AmpliPhi": AmpliPhi is an environmentally-focused supplier, run by three of the outland colls: Novander Wye, Gellin Sintherou, and Sinantro. Most of the sensi sources are described briefly in the reference table titled SENSI SUPPLIERS. Ordinary people refer to AmpliPhi in private conversation as the Greenies.

Anassi: Ancestry name used by Darko Hejj Coll. One of about nine. See Wranmar.

anchitin: a chitin variant, compatible with normal vertebrate tissue, characterized by ridges with metallic concentrations in them.

Ancient Earth: ancient Earth, Ancient Earth, Earth: in the Great Archives, Earth is named as the source of human ancestry for everyone on Tarnus. This bold claim is partially supported by studies done in the Fourth Dynasty which trace the human genome back to the Colonists. But the Originals reject this result, claiming instead that humans arose on Tarnus ten million years ago; and some theorists consider the study, its results, and all related results no more than figments of the Archives themselves, ascribing all memory of the past to the constant rewriting of both past and present that the Archives and the sensi continually perform. For these theorists, time and history are illusions generated by the rise of consciousness. To further confuse matters, the Zashinhalh consider time as a manifold that is navigable in many ways, placing Earth in a realm of probability rather than certainty.

Andresko: one of Ezzar‘s partners during the rebellion.

Andrew: farmer, worker on communications gear in the City. married to Leil, father of three children (seven children, in an alternate reality briefly created by Andrew), member of Darko Hejj Coll. Engel is Andrew‘s and Leil‘s oldest child.

andro: andro, android, androids, andros: bioandroids grown in vitro from human genes, designed and adapted for work in high-risk conditions. Sterile, white-skinned, life spans limited by gene controls, their hormones carefully balanced and restricted. Their central nervous systems contain many sensory, cognitive and motor enhancements not present in the human being. Examples are vision in the infrared and ultraviolet ranges, innate ability to relate objects in space of more than three dimensions (called innerspace), extremely fine-grained and rich innervation of muscle tissue for microcontrol and enhanced strength and speed. Corresponding changes exist in the blood supply system, digestive system, and elsewhere in the andro physiology. For further detail on andros, see Andro Notes.

Andro Body Disposer: a worker in Arlen‘s andro farm.

Andro Hunters: known in the City as Hounds, these are specially-bred killers used to seek out and destroy andros considered dangerous.

Andro Notes: Some of the history and capabilities of the andros of Tarnus

Andro Woman on 493: one of the andros providing healing and therapeutic services to other andros in the City.

Angie: the generic intelligence for battle helms. Generally projects female voice and personality for male wearers, male for female wearers.

angler shak: a MuTou playing shak that lets the anj cross vertices of tessels.

Anhmharh: the strongest and wisest of the Zashinhalh. See orhghailhash.

anj: anj, anjia: the basic board piece in the game of MuTou. The board pieces are moved over the playing surface from one tessel to another. Each board piece has a heavy base and a mast or basket for holding one or more shakken.

anjaw: anjaw, anjawing: v., to use anjive aggressively and loudly, usually to make a point in an argument.

anjive: n., andro speech, pitched between 8000-50000 Hz. v.i., anjived, anjiving, using andro speech. More detail is found in Andro Notes.

anjive plainsong: n., a form of polytonal singing using three of an andro‘s set of voices to carry long, held, chords against the slowly shifting fourth voice. Trezardin and others have adapted some such works into instrumental forms of a beauty almost as great as that of the original singing.

anjiver: anjiver, anjivers, jiver, jivers: a small prosthetic device inserted in the throat of a human, temporarily enabling the human to create sounds outside human hearing range but within andro speech and hearing range.

ankherist: Ankherist‘os tellich G.A. nai’ya. Words of Trenzil warning Arlen of government visitors.

Annette: Miriam Parker’s mother.

Annie Thing: an andro woman working for Kaliagni.

Anrail: name used by Arlen trying to bluff his way into the alien ship.

anth: anth, anths: a type of ‘stone’ supplied by the Zashinhalh to Arlen to facilitate finding the ores needed for their ship propulsion. In the normal world of Tarnus, it appears a very deep blue-black, transparent but dark, with a sheen or aura of red-orange. In fact, its appearance is only a portion of its character; an anth occupies multiple dimensions of hirh-space, appearing in innerspace in colors similar to those in the normal world. Furthermore, it is not a stone, but an entity with properties of limited sentience and mutability. The Zashinhalh consider anth stones as the utterances of the Singer.

antorphigen: antorphigen, antorphigens: a pseudoribosomal complex designed to produce antorphins in a human’s body. Used in treating metathellin addiction, and in torture.

antorphin: antorphin, antorphins: antagonist for opiates. Naloxone an example of ancient Earth.

Aoriver: Marra‘s alien guest and friend.

apocalypso: a form of world music fusing Caribbean rhythms and harsh metallic tonalities and lyrics to produce an aggressive, compelling, yet soaring and moving form of dance and celebration music.

arbol: ID Leil seven seven arbol four three two”, an example of ArCorp‘s personal-identification codes.

Arbonel: Shaft Arbonel, one of the most ancient of the vertical shafts through the miles of the City‘s depth. The name’s origin is lost.

Archives: Archive, Archives, Great Archives: the term refers to the densely-stored and carefully-guarded records of the accumulated knowledge of the human race, both from the history of Tarnus itself, and from the information brought from Earth by the Colonists. The Caldron forms the most-current and active part of the Archives.

ArCorp: Arlen‘s corporate being. Corporations are treated as individuals, even to the extent that they can claim right to emotional redress (tort law). The maker of Grendel and Periliath.

ArCorp Farm Guard: an ordinary low-ranking enforcement official in one of Arlen‘s surface installations.

Arcus: Arcus, Arcus Coll: Coll name. Ezzar is a member of Arcus Coll. From tabular data: Arcus refers to one of the collective clans of Tarnus. The names of all the colls are found in the reference table titled COLL NAMES. From tabular data for “Arcus": Arcus refers to one of the collective clans of Tarnus. The names of all the colls are found in the reference table titled COLL NAMES.

Arcus Combat Instructor: a Monford martial-arts instructor working with Ezzar‘s coll.

Ardre: woman’s name.

Areesa: niece of Ezzar.

Argaz Commandos: members of Argazindar Coll who serve professionally as assassins, infiltrators, and special paramilitary soldiers.

Argaz Gang: members of Argazindar Coll operating independently and criminally as a team.

Argazindar: Argaz, Argaz Coll, Argazindar, Argazindar Coll, Argazindari: Coll name. This coll is reputed to be the most martially proficient of all colls, claiming mystical powers for its leaders and fighters. They are most easily distinguished by their small stature, immense strength, and their unique coll scarifications twisted around their necks like snakes. From tabular data: Argazindar refers to one of the collective clans of Tarnus. The names of all the colls are found in the reference table titled COLL NAMES. From tabular data for “Argazindar": Argazindar refers to one of the collective clans of Tarnus. The names of all the colls are found in the reference table titled COLL NAMES.

argo: personality profile classification procedure.

Arhnhashokha: alien, constituted during hanhorhn between Turiosten and Onnhasshakh.

Arija-ka: the name, in CLang, of the eighth day of the eight-day week of the City Calendar. From tabular data: Arija-ka is day number 8 in the City Calendar‘s eight-day week. The days of the week are listed in the reference table titled WEEKDAY NAMES. From tabular data for “Arija-ka": Arija-ka is day number 8 in the City Calendar‘s eight-day week. The days of the week are listed in the reference table titled WEEKDAY NAMES.

Arlen: Arlen, Darghelo: Arlen Darghelo Sangrai, owner of ArCorp, at the time of the story the most powerful of the Corp leaders.

Armana: Armana, Armana Sorjiest, Sorjiest: Armana Sorjiest, friend and sometime lover of Tamarr, mother of Tomas Shanxi.

Armassin: Coll Union rebel, under Jirinai‘s command.

Armeni: zone in the City.

armjack: armjack, armjacks: n., 1. a socket for an infoconduit feed, used for the more advanced sensi levels; 2. a tap for feeding drugs into the bloodstream.

armorplast: a lightweight, body-customized form of armor widely used by City police. It is made of an extremely-tough synthetic fabric, with energy-spreading scales woven into it..

Arnathe: a paramedic in the City.

Arnell: Arnell, Barbara Arnell: Barbara Arnell, a scientist serving as a starship crew leader.

Arohsa: humans would consider the way the Zashinhalh use the name Arohsa to mean that Arohsa is the supreme being. Such interpretations are, in the view of the Zashinhalh, superstitious, short-visioned, and wrong.

arp: arp, arpy: a fingered musical instrument enhanced with electronics to produce a wide range of orchestral and single-instrument effects. Widely use by small bands such as that of Winjilles Thringe.

arpist: the player of an arp, or arpy.

arrose: arrose, arroses: matrix plants for growing trellis roses on a natural frame.

Artir: Artir Surendar; Rion‘s pseudonym when working for ArCorp.

Artir Surendar: an aide to Mentrius Adrili in his military capacity.

ArWord: ARAWN, ArseWord, ArWord: the sensi feed for ArCorp. From tabular data: ArWord is the ArCorp corporate supplier. Most of the sensi sources are described briefly in the reference table titled SENSI SUPPLIERS. Ordinary people refer to ArWord in private conversation as the ArseWord. From tabular data for “ArWord": ArWord is the ArCorp corporate supplier. Most of the sensi sources are described briefly in the reference table titled SENSI SUPPLIERS. Ordinary people refer to ArWord in private conversation as the ArseWord.

Asara: mother of Andrew.

Ash: brother of Leil.

asharan: spirits, of the dead or of disembodied intelligences. A term used mostly in coll ceremonies and creeds.

Asjan Dureko Manjan Anassi: Sulimar‘s familial names.

Astina: Mother-name of Ezzar Astina Turianoch Teron Arcus Harridium. Also, given name of Ezzar‘s mother Astina Turianoch Teron Harridium.

Astran: Astran Terxil Coll and its members.

Astran Terxil: Astran Terxil, Astran Terxil Coll: Leil‘s coll, one which had become known in the last several generations for the courage and honor of its members. From tabular data: Astran Terxil refers to one of the collective clans of Tarnus. The names of all the colls are found in the reference table titled COLL NAMES. From tabular data for “Astran Terxil": Astran Terxil refers to one of the collective clans of Tarnus. The names of all the colls are found in the reference table titled COLL NAMES.

Astranixeda: ASNX, AssTrolls, Astranixeda: the sensi feed for Astran Terxil Coll. From tabular data: Astranixeda is the official Astran Terxil Coll supplier. Most of the sensi sources are described briefly in the reference table titled SENSI SUPPLIERS. Ordinary people refer to Astranixeda in private conversation as the AssTrolls. From tabular data for “Astranixeda": Astranixeda is the official Astran Terxil Coll supplier. Most of the sensi sources are described briefly in the reference table titled SENSI SUPPLIERS. Ordinary people refer to Astranixeda in private conversation as the AssTrolls.

Aswal Guisanash: Aswal Guisanash, Guisanash: a crossing of major streets near the top edge of Sobi Zone.

Aswal Narr: a crossing of major streets in Sobi Zone, low in the City. Tarjeli‘s herbal shop is there. The Return Office is near this crossing.

Aswar: Aswar Nagrasai, Aswar Tyrae, Aswal Narr, Aswar Hendarzha, all instances of crossing points in the underground cities, where multiple understreets come together, usually where one of the spiral turnings, ascending or descending, intersects with both a radial and a circumferential understreet, or ringway. Ordinarily domed.

Aswar Hendarzha: Aswar Hendarzha, Hendarzha: a street crossing at the top of the South Power Complex, opening onto the power distribution dome for the Complex.

Aswar Nagrasai: Aswar Nagrasai, Nagrasai: a crossing of major streets at the lower border of Naga Zone, marking the boundary with Sobi Zone and Rumchi Zone below, and at the enclosure wall of the South Power Complex.

Aswar Trigail: Aswar Trigail, Trigail: a crossing of streets high in the City, not far from the surface.

Aswar Tyrae: Aswar Tyrae, Tyrae: a crossing of major streets in Sobi Zone, low in the City. Caladrina‘s restaurant is at this crossing.

Atandai: the name, in Clang, of the second month of the Lulith Calendar. From tabular data: Atandai is month number 2 in the 14-month Moon Calendar. You can find all the month names in the reference table titled MOON CALENDAR MONTH NAMES. From tabular data for “Atandai": Atandai is month number 2 in the 14-month Moon Calendar. You can find all the month names in the reference table titled MOON CALENDAR MONTH NAMES.

auterhive: auterhive, auterhives: mathematical constructs used to represent objects and processes of more than four dimensions in 12-space. See also terziard.

autocalibration: the ability of biocybernetic symbionts to adapt themselves to the body chemistries and physiologies of different hosts. The battle helm, like Angie, is an example.

autocart: autocart, autocarts: the slowest, cheapest form of transport on the planet, created to produce absolute minimum amounts of pollutants from slow-geared hydrogen-oxygen cellmotors. Capable of hauling four to ten times their own weight in payload. Usually with a one– or two-person cab, and a large tilting flatbed with one or more winches. Tires large, filled with hyperplasm, making them capable of a limited degree of internal streaming and surface reshaping to grip and traverse extremely uneven terrain.

autoclip: autoclip, autoclips: cartridge canisters carrying mixed types of beam ammunition, capable of selecting and feeding specifically-requested types of beamer cartridges to the firing chamber.

autoconfiguring: the ability of a personal weapon to form itself to the physique and perceptual requirements of its user.

autodriver: autodriver, autodrivers: the ‘brain’ of a fastcar, autocart or van. Capable of managing all details of following driver instructions in traversing a route between two points. Sometimes equipped with custom features, such as slang or anecdote conversation.

autorifle: autorifle, autorifles: a beam or ballistic rifle with a brain enabling it to adapt to different cartridge types, autoclips, environmental conditions, fire rates, or users.

autovoices: reporting mechanisms delivering information through voice/language channels to monitoring personnel.

Ayeedah: a work of voice, music and stage recorded in the Archives of Earth, and made available on sensi feeds. Its meaning and purpose were unclear, but its effects on human senses were strong. Some believe the interment at the end symbolizes the turning of the peoples of Tarnus to the Cities, forsaking the land above.

Azam: one of Doug‘s fellow prisoners at Oberon.