GLOSSARY

Adige:

River to the west of the Venetian lagoon, barge-route to Verona, and thence the Brenner Pass.

Aquitaine:

An independent kingdom, encompassing parts of what in our universe would be France and England.

Armagh, The League of:

A loose alliance of Celtic/Nordic states.

Arsenalotti:

The workers at the Arsenal, Venice's state shipyard.

Ascalon:

A port in Palestine.

Aqua alta:

Winter high-water.

Auslander:

Foreigner—a term of derision

Bacino:

Harbor basin.

Barducci's:

A tavern well known for music.

Botega:

An artistic studio. A group of artists gathered together for commercial production of art, usually under a master artist.

Brenta:

River just to the west of the lagoon.

Bretagne:

Brittany. An independent Duchy, part of the league of Armagh.

Basse taille:

An enamelling technique.

Capi di contrada:

Officer of control.

Carnac:

Capital of Celtic Brittany.

Case Vecchie:

Great houses.

Chioggia:

Settlement on the West of the lagoon.

Chrysostom, John:

Charismatic preacher associated with St. Hypatia, at the breakpoint between this universe and ours, born 349 A.D.

Colleganza:

A collective trading venture.

Collegio:

Senators of the Venetian Republic.

Curti:

Lit. short—the Case Vecchie who had not been ennobled for many years.

Caique:

Eastern Mediterranean sailing vessel.

Cassone:

A carved chest.

Cotte:

A surplice-like garment—the predecessor of coat.

Dalmatia:

The Western Adriatic coastline. Once the source of much of Venice's timber.

Emeric:

King of Hungary.

Ferrara:

City-state in the Po valley in Northern Italy, known for steelworking, particularly swordsmiths.

Fruili:

Region to the northeast of Venice.

Fjells:

Peaks (Norse).

Godar:

Priest-chieftain.

Guidecca:

Long island across a wide canal from the Rialto Islands.

Galliot:

Small galley.

Hohenstauffen:

The ruling house of the Holy Roman Empire.

Hypatia, St. Of Alexandria:

Patron Saint of the Hypatian order. Neoplatonist philosopher and librarian of the great library at Alexandria. Her saving of the Library from the mob instigated by Cyril the Patriarch of Alexandria is, along with Hypatia's conversion to Christianity and alliance with John Chrysostom, the breakpoint between this universe and ours.

Ilkhan Mongol:

A Mongol khanate, ruling Egypt and much of the Near East.

Istria:

Peninsula to the south of Trieste. A Venetian possession.

Jesolo:

The marshes to the east of Venice in the Venetian lagoon.

Koboldwerk:

Cunningly wrought mail made by dwarves.

Longi:

Lit. long—a Casa Vecchie which has been ennobled for many years from before the creation of the Doge.

Marangona:

The bell which rang for half an hour from dawn, to summons the Arsenalotti to work.

Marciana:

The library and art gallery across the Piazza San Marco from the Doge's Palace.

Mestre:

Mainland port of Venice.

Murano:

Island in the Venetian lagoon reknowned for glassworks.

Marquetry:

Inlaid work in wood or ivory.

Popli minuta:

Lit. small people. Workers, commoners.

Misericord:

Thin dagger intended to penetrate joints in armor.

Narenta:

Large river on the Dalmatian coast.

Negroponte:

Venetian trading outpost on the east coast of Greece.

Outremer:

orig. Outre mer—Beyond the Sea; i.e., The East—on the far side of the Mediterranean.

Paulines:

The faction of Christianity taking its lead from the writings of St. Paul. In this universe the dominant religious faction in the north of Europe. More heirarchical and militaristic than the Petrine faction.

Petrine:

The "gentler," more tolerant southern faction of the Church.

Piave:

River flowing into the Venetian lagoon on the east.

Polestine Forts:

Venetian defences on the river Po against invasion from the North.

Pells:

Heavy wooden posts used for sword practice.

Poignard:

Dagger.

Ritters:

Teutonic knights.

Racasse:

Scorpion fish, with highly toxic spines.

Rebec:

Stringed musical instrument.

Scaliger:

The ruling house of Verona.

Schiopettieri:

Mercenary soldiers under the control of the Lords of the Nightwatch (Signori di Notte)—roughly equivalent to police.

Scuolo:

Guilds.

Signoria:

The Doge, Ducal councillors, heads of the forty, de facto the government.

Småland:

Part of Sweden, near Lake Vattern.

Spleto:

Lit split—a port in Dalmatia

Squalos:

Trans:

sharks. A Jesolo marsh gang of particularly unsavory reputation.

Swabian:

From Swabia—southwestern Germany.

Seizin:

The act of taking possession, and what is so held.

Surcoat:

Loose sleeveless garment with insignia normally worn over armor.

Tintoretto:

Artist.

Trompe l'oeil:

A still life painting designed to give the illusion of reality.

Veneto:

The region of northern Italy, which includes Venice.

Veneze:

People of Venice.

Vinland:

North America.

Visconti:

The ruling House of Milan.

Water-door:

In a city of canals: a door straight into the water.

Zianetti's:

Student tavern.

HERBS & DRUGS

Agaric (Fly Agaric):

Powerful hallucinogenic and psychotropic.

Artemisia:

Source of artisminin, a treatment for malaria.

Belladona:

Deadly nightshade. Psychotropic, also containing atropine, used as a cosmetic or part of a cosmetic to dilate the pupils of women's eyes.

Colt's Foot:

Leaves as wound dressings—anti-inflammatory.

Corn-poppy:

Sedative.

Red and White Clover:

Cough remedy.

Dead-Nettle:

As a tea—a treatment for earache.

Lotos:

Blue and black, hallucinogenics. A drug originally from North Africa, the black is much stronger and enormously addictive.

Lance-leaf Plantain:

Leaves used for poultices and dressings.

Opium:

Commonly available from Turkey and Greece, as a painkiller and soporific, especially mixed with alcohol (laudanum).

ITALIAN TERMS

Barene:

Marshy areas with sparse vegetation.

Ciao:

Greeting—hi (also used for parting—good-bye).

Calle:

Street.

Camerata:

Salon.

Canale:

Larger canals.

Ponto:

Bridge.

Fondamenta:

Levee.

Finocchio:

Fennel.

Pasticceria:

Pastry-cooks.

Rio:

Lit. river (narrow canals).

Sotoportego:

A built-over alley.

Velme:

Vast muddy areas.

FOOD

Asiago:

Semi-hard cheese.

Boccalao:

Salted dried fillets of cod.

Bruschetta:

Crispy toasted white bread, rubbed with garlic and sprinkled with olive oil. It is sometimes served with a topping.

Ciabbata:

Loose-textured country bread.

Castagnaccio:

Chestnut-flour cake.

Coppo ham:

Marinated air-dried neck of pork, rolled.

Cotechino:

Highly spiced pork sausage.

Fagioli stufata:

Stewed beans.

Frittata:

Italian omelette.

Marchpane:

Marzipan.

Pancetta:

Air-dried ham.

Risi e bisi:

A thick soup of rice and young peas.

Sarde:

Sardines.

Taleggio:

Hard cheese.

Toresani:

Pigeon squabs.

Zuppa di fagioli:

Bean soup.