The Caphan Lexicon

Arbiter of Battles:

Judge for high-ranking formal combats held in the Arena.

Astia urati:

A sexual operation, fortunately not explained.

Balka-thriss:

A description of a sexual partner, fortunately not explained. ALthough Miiri reportedly says of Visionary that "...it was quite refreshing to yekla-sto in the b'rah position with someone who was so balka-thriss. Twice."

Ballard of Vaahir:

It tells the tale of Vaahir of Viigo, who fell in love with Kaara of Jaaxa, and how their love led to the fall of the house of Taaleen, the first slave rebellion and the destruction of the house of Oodan. A romantic tragedy

Balok Gorn:

The Right of Ownership by Mortal Combat

Barter camp:

Neutral ground where a market is set up for inter-clan trading.

Bloodhog:

A food animal. A slow-roasted razor-beaked bloodhog is part of the menu for a Vina Drea.

Blues and greens:

The equivalent of black-and-white: "I have learned that it is sometimes impossible to reduce the universe to blues and greens"

B'rah position:

A sexual position, fortunately not explained.

Caliphate Council:

The ruling council of Caph, under the Emir.

Caliph's Palace:

The seat of the Caphan government and the residence of the Caliph.

Caph IX:

(Ceph) The Planet Caph, home of the Caphean (Cephan) culture. Due to the size and intensity of its sun, the habitable zone is further out, so the planet has an orbital period of rougly four times that of earth (meaning that the Nine were between 4 and 5 when sold off-world).

Caph:

(Ceph) A Star in the constellation of Cassiopeia. It is about four times the size and 28 times the intensity of Sol, which means that the habitable zone is further out compared to the solar system.

Chak-lat:

An alien drink adopted into Caphan culture. Traditionally drunk from earthenware vessels with the phrase "Blessings of the Gods unto the Guest of this House", although there is a rumour that the original vessels used (now lost) used the phrase "My family went to Paradopolis and all I got was this lousy mug".

Chattel:

Lower class members of a clan - essentially the servants and serfs. The term describes both sexes.

Deleen River:

A river flowing through the Caphan capital. Proved more durable than the Tower of Eternity, which fell into it.

Drokk [the Magnificent]:

A Caphan Overload (or possibly bandit...) who had the misfortune to lead his band against Dancer (and Yo, Asil, Kerry, and Lisa. And maybe C'thandra) during Visionary's Vina Drea.

Eulav:

A creature whose hair is spun for thread.

Eulav spinning:

The equivalent of "wool gathering"

Exiles' Lament:

A song (in nine-part harmony) commemorating when Lost Daughters of Ygrail were carried off by the Artificers of Ur-Tiril. Often sung on formal occasions.

Gatrok:

A bondsman of Prince Aarmus

Glarns:

Creatures used as guard dogs.

Hall of Artefacts:

Essentially a cross between a museum and the Tower of London. Built to house the relics of the Caliphate.

Houri daggers:

Small daggers worn by Pleasure Slaves, some Lemans and other higher-ranking slaves to discourage actions by males who aren't their owners.

House of the Shoggoth:

Not actually a Caphan house, but how the Nine described their situation whilst under the Shoggoth's care. And let's face it, who's going to argue with it?

Imperial Arena:

Arena for formal battles - think Great Coliseum of Rome.

Jaaxa:

(Fortress/Strong places of) Location of the stronghold of Toosin.

Kathalaar:

A city on the southern continent

Kelinda:

A house of Caph.

Kerhsk (khersks):

A three toed riding animal, described in the following terms: "Roughly the size of rhinos, temperament of wolverines, personal hygiene of warthogs". Ridden to all Caphan major rituals as a sign of virility and power, the "groom" in the Vina Drea enters on a 'gelded three toed Kerhsk of purest white, with muscles lathered in the oil of the Reeb Toor vines'. It is not clear in the text if the muscles belong to the rider or the kerhsk.

Khaskh:

Mild oath-like term, "one khaskh of a flogging"

Kiivan:

Keestus' son out of Tiriiv of Ekooria. The usurped and restored Caliph of Caph. Trained under the Hooded Hood (and a lot of other people) during his exile.

Kiivas:

Master of the House of Raael; Guardian of the Hall of Artefacts.

Koodi of Jaathar:

Drudge-Slave 2nd Rank - One of the Narrators for #309: Untold Tales of the Parody War: The King's Slave, or The End of the World

Kriige:

Chattel of the House of Daarthon. More accurately a leman. Very well versed in alien cultures. Originally a drudge, denied Pleasure Slave status because her father was also a slave.

Lohsra-birds:

Small yellow bird-like creatures. Quite skittish, but can be tamed.

Lost Jewels of the House of Kelinda:

Deeela, Sayaana, and Philaana, triplets born of the Chieftain Ytirar.

Lost Sisters of Caph:

Either another term for the Nine, or specifically Deeela, Sayaana, and Philaana (Lost Jewels of the House of Kelinda)

Mera'h:

An ancient Caphan birthing ceremony designed to keep the men busy and out of the way during the blessed event.

Miiri:

Name meaning "eager and adept at all pleasures"

Mines of Koorenna:

Mines operated by slave labour. Used as an inglorious death sentence.

Muidos:

An article of clothing. The Vina Drea requires a nuidos of spun eulav hair

Naari:

Name meaning "most beloved in all the world"

Nialliv:

One of the houses of Caph, most implicated in the off-world slave trade.

Nine Movements of Desert Sunset:

A rather difficult, but impressive, dance.

Nine (The):

Miiri, Deeela, Sayaana, Philaana, Noona, Odoona, Losiira, Luuma, and Kaara. The nine slavegirls sold offworld and rescued by the Lair Legion. Vahhir describes them as "stolen from the Houses of Taaleen and Kelinda, and bought from the House of Portaa and the marketplace at Luutan. Deeela, Sayaana, and Philaana, daughters of Chieftain Ytirar by Iliia the Fair. Noona and Odoona of Portaa, Losiira of the Nine Songs. Miiri, daughter of Prince Kiivas out of Ekooria of Damaar. Luuma Swiftheels. And Kaara, Kaara of Jaaxa, daughter of Toosin by tragic Vaaria in the House of Taaleen before it fell."

Nomead:

(Plural Nomeada) Creatures of ancient legend, who lurked in the darkness beyond the campfires, waiting to pull the unwary soul to a particularly unpleasant fate.

Odoona:

Name meaning "Lush, fertile land moist with dew".

Ohaana:

Daughter of Kiivas of the House of Raael. Amongst other things, Miiri's sister, and (in a rather radical and pre-emptive manner) sole most favoured slave of Kiivan.

Plas-Gar:

(Plag-Gar) A ceremonial sword, used in challenges. A Plas-Gar has a cavity in the hilt that can house a small force field generator to turn energy weapon discharges. The cavity can also be used as a cache.

Prince Aarmus:

Of the House of Daarthon. An Emir of Caph, most notable for delivering the planet into the hands of the pigeonwarriors.

Quoz-lar:

Another sexual operation, notable in that it can pinch an unidentified part of the anatomy.

Radical:

A Caphan who believes in setting their own value.

Rakka Hoth:

The quest of salvation. A request to give aid in dire straits. Demanded from Vaahir by Miiri, and although not named at the time, this will be what Ohaana demanded of Kivaan.

R’dok:

A sexual operation, fortunately not explained.

Reeb Toor:

A vine that produces oil.

Relics of the Caliphate:

The equivalent of the Crown Jewels, including The first crown of the Caliphate, the Honour Sword of Gaath (A Plas-Gar), the B'Tari Codex, the Xindii Vision Stones, the Sceptre of Korrvis and the Orb of Truul

Shekl:

Unit of currency (Plural shekli)

Slave:

Almost synonymous with "female". The term is significantly less loaded in Caphan culture - slaves are traditionally granted a long string of rights; however a "bad" master may well ignore them. Amongst the rights of a slave is the right to demand the Rakka Hoth.

Snaargh:

a giant lizard that got hunted to death thousands of years ago for its aphrodisiac genitals

Song of the Nine:

A slightly more serious version of the Song of Visionary.

Song of Visionary:

A song relating the adventures of nine slave girls rescued by the Great Visionary. Usually attributed to Deeela, daughter of Chieftain Ytirar by Iliia the Fair, although a minority view suggests that it was written by Kriige of the House of Daarthon. Contains such characters as the Epitome of Eunuchs. Generally described as a Romantic Comedy, despite the fact that very little romance is actually committed.

Staff of Combat:

Staff of office for the Arbiter of Battles.

Stronghold of Toosin:

Fortress of the House of Taaleen

Taaleen:

A house that fell due to the treachery of Prince Oodan. Its fall was avenged by Vaahir.

Tower of Eternity:

A landmark in the Caphan capital, now destroyed.

Vaahir:

Of the House of Viigo. Youngest son of his house. Was sentenced to the Mines of Koorenna after revenging the House of Taaleen; escaped and nearly delivered the Parodyverse into the appendages of the Fairly Great Old Ones; exiled to Plxtrazar; returned to aid in the freeing of Caph from the pigeonwarriors. Known as the Last Warlord.

Viigo:

Not a rich clan, but old and noble.

Vina Drea:

The ceremony of Transfer of Ownership. It is over 3000 years old and is a sacred part of Caphan culture. The closest Earth equivalent is "Wedding".

V’vlak:

A sexual operation, fortunately not explained.

Yekla-sto:

A sexual operation, fortunately not explained.

Yellow Mantle:

A mantle denoting of clan leadership

Zaahir:

A deity used in oaths. (for Zaahir's sake; I vow by Zaahir's Blood)

Drudge:

Low-class menial slave - the lowest slave rank.

Body Slave:

A basic personal slave, and the lowest rank for a slave of noble parents. Drudges may be promoted to Body Slaves, but can then usually only be promoted to housemistress.

Leman:

A member of the Guild of Lemans. A cross between a mistress and a prostitute, a leman is usually recruited from the Drudge or non-Noble Body Slaves. The big difference is that the training is done by a body outside the clan structure, and the transfer into the new clan is outside the Vina Drea, so the Leman is effectively an outsider to the clan she ends up in. Although some Lemans (like Kriige) have gained some social standing, it is something of a dead-end position, being the loose equivalent of a Slave Mistress/Housemistress, but without the added social status.

Pleasure Slave:

Female trained in the arts of pleasuring men - effectively a courtesan. Pleasure slaves must be of noble parents, and can be promoted to slave mistress.

Housemistress:

An experienced body slave (rarely, a drudge may be given a direct promotion) given authority over the (female) household. In a poor clan, the equivalent of a Slave Mistress, in a richer clan she would be subordinate to a Slave Mistress.

Slave Mistress:

An experienced pleasure slave given authority over the (female) household.

Matriarch:

An elderly upper-rank slave, usually one who has borne sons (and thus likely to be a past Favoured Slave). Matriarchs tend to appear in noble clans.

Favoured Slave:

Not a rank as such, but a slave who has born strong sons and is held in high regard by her Master (although in #UT186 Visionary mentions that the nine regarded Yo as "most-favoured"...).

Rank Progressions (Common Clans)

Drudge -> Leman (in a different clan)
Drudge -> Body Slave -> Leman (in a different clan)
Drudge -> Body Slave -> Housemistress -> Favoured Slave
Drudge -> Housemistress (Rare)

Rank Progressions (Noble Clans)

Drudge -> Leman (in a different clan)
Drudge -> Body Slave -> Leman (in a different clan)
Drudge -> Body Slave -> Housemistress
Drudge -> Body Slave -> Housemistress -> Favoured Slave -> Matriarch (Very Rare)
Body Slave -> Pleasure Slave -> Favoured Slave -> Matriarch
Body Slave -> Pleasure Slave -> Slave Mistress -> Matriarch