BAILIE:  Common name for the BA-1le rocket launching system designed by the House of Dare and commonly used by the Stellar Marines.  The Bailie is a lightweight and easily portable rocket laucher consisting of a tube and a small, short range rocket.  The launcher consists of five pieces that have to be assembled before use. The pieces are all small enough to be able to fit on a belt. The rocket fired by the Bailie is also quite small, measuring nine inches in length and no more than two pounds in weight. The payload of the Bailie rocket is changable, allowing for any number of differing ordinances to be carried, depending on the situation. The launcher may also tag the intended target, either by laser, holo-tag or jet mark.  The rockets can be guided by heat, by laser, by wire or by manually steered in flight by the launcher.  The usual range of the Bailie rocket is fifteen miles.

BALLWIGS: Notorious sect of ladies from high-ranking League Households who exist simply to attend various balls and social functions about the League. Ballwigs often compete amongst themselves to see who can reject the most men at the various parties.

The sect was formed in the city of Jacarta as a group of hopeful young ladies looking to find promising husbands in the Stellar Fleet via letter-writing and other benign correspondences. As the years went by, the sect’s motives and modus operandi became more notorious, more hurtful. They abandoned letter-writing and began attending balls all over the League, with the goal being to report on the ball in the posts and to, if possible, break hearts along the way. Admittance to the sect became much more selective, requiring both vast sums of money and indescribable beauty.

Ballwigs make use of a point system to determine who is the greatest among them. Points are awarded for: being asked to dance, being offered a drink, being offered a cigarette, being asked for a “visit”, and for having a man or woman state that they have fallen in love with them. It is said that the greatest point allocation is for a jilted victim to commit suicide due to a broken heart, though this is unconfirmed.

The Ballwigs use as their symbol a Harrsprung in  a garland wreath. In Vith lore, the Harrsprung is a mythical, rabbit-like creature said to sneak into fields and gardens stealing the best of what is there, and delivers riches if it can be caught. The Harrsprung is said to be unobtainable, just as the Ballwigs believe themselves to be. Their ‘home base’ is a fabulous ballroom in Jacarta called St. Gala’s Veil. A rival sect of much more matronly ladies called The Chaste, the Steadfast and the Supportive, otherwise known as ‘The Lambs,’ make it a point to undo some of the pain and heartache inflicted by the Ballwigs.

BALOR, KING OF XANDARR (03085ax–) (STR, W, D, C) The third eldest of the current House of Xandarr, Balor was a capricious and irresponsible playboy for most of his early life. He fritted money away, and engaged in loose sexual intrigues which, even in Xaphan Society, was a scandal. He had an addiction to bedding down dirty courtesans, for which he spent much of his time. His mother, Queen Xanthippe, frowned on the practice and would go to the lengths of locking him in the dungeon when he felt the need to be with one. Balor, not to be denied, began using body doubles to fool his mother. Such a foray saved his life as his sister, Princess Vroc, under the influence of the Black Hats, fell upon and murdered his entire family. Vroc however soon realized that she had killed his body double, and relentlessly pursued him, determined to put his dead body at the table along with the rest. Saved by a lowly servant, Balor hid in the vast network of tunnels beneath Xandarr Keep, and there, he finally shed his boastful immaturity and became a good man. After the Cleansing of Xandarr, he rose with his people and took as a wife Zoladerra of Vain, a freed Black Hat. His reign, though full of hardship and toil, was the beginning of a Golden Age on Xandarr, and under his leadership, they joined the League in 3977ax.

BARB: A sinister appliance once worn by the ladies of Carina 7, The Barb was outlawed by the League Ex-Commons in 00022ex. The Barb functioned using the little-known notion that males could be subjected to poisons and other toxins that would only effect them during the heights of arousal, and that the phallus was the ideal entry point to introduce these toxins (while at rest these toxins would have no effect upon the male). It was  inserted deep into the womb of a woman, the device equipped with a long point or needle that, while engaging in intercourse, would repeatedly prick her male partner. The Barb could be coated with any number of substances or poisons that typically might cause paralysis, blindness, unconsciousness or death (females were typically immune to the effects of the various poisons). A particularly dangerous substance was an aggressive nycotoxin hopelessly enthralling the male to the particular scent of the female, essentially making him her slave.

BARR: Attorney of very High Programmability who commune directly with the Sisterhood of Light. Barrs empathetically scan the Sisters’ thoughts and proclaim their will. Barrs are also tasked with enforcing rulings and judgments in favor of their clients and defending judgments ruled against their clients. Enforcing rulings in the vast and far-flung League can be very difficult and the Barrs, using personal forces at their command, ensure their clients receive what is coming to them. The 20th Fleet in the Stellar Fleet is often known as the “Barr Fleet” and is used to collect on rulings in favor of the Fleet.

BARROW: 1)— One of the original seven tribes, symbolized by a star. The Barrow people settled on the large wind-swept island west of Vithland on Kana; the island was so named in their honor. Starfarers along with the Vith and the Remnath, the Barrow were favored of the Elders and were, in part, granted the Gifts of the Mind. Premier Great Houses of Barrow origin are the Dare, Tuks and the Woolovers. Many Barrows practice the tradition of keeping an Auto-Icon of departed loved ones instead of burying them.

2)— Large westward island on Kana known for strong winds coming in from the Sea of Esther and difficult, rocky soil. Principle cities are Saga, Dare and Roda.

BARTON: The Sisterhood of Light’s chapel of Barton was located in the Great Armenelos forest. It was a functioning Elder chapel and conducted regular services. Under Barton was a large but rather obsolete repository where the Sisterhood stored materials and data that they deemed of little value.

Although Barton was a Sisterhood stronghold, because of the worthless items and information kept there, it was considered a low-security center. The Sisters, when needing ready money, would often sell items kept there. With Barton being located near Calvert, it was the occasional target of raids by various Houses of the Calvert line—most notably Mutt, Rostov and Dee. These “Raider Houses” would break into Barton, steal something, and try to sell it back to the Sisterhood. Initially agreeable, the Sisterhood soon found the raids increasing in frequency and daring and took measures to stop them once and for all. They destroyed the House of Mutt in a public Shuw-shun spectacle, banished House Rostov from the city of Bezzel and severely reprimanded and eventually banished the House of Dee. Mutt faded from existence, Rostov relocated far away and Dee reformed themselves and became a respectable House.

BATTLEBORNE:  A gigantic broadsword said to be carried into battle with the Haitathe of old by the fabled Vith queen Emmira.  Said to be a hundred feet long, Battleborne was etched with the tale of the Vith’s migration through the cosmos to Kana.  Emmira is said to have given the sword to her eldest daughter Subra who also used it against the Haitathe.  A legendary artifact long sought by Vith scholars, the current location of Battleborne is unknown and thought to be simply a fanciful tale from the past.

BAZU: Wand, (House Welk) –A small wooden stick anywhere from one and a half to three feet long. It is always capped with an elaborate silver, pewter or bronze headpiece. The BAZU can, when used by a master, trace out a glowing blue line of energy in the air from the headpiece. This blue energy will then travel forward from the user approximately one hundred to three hundred feet. Any organic matter that is unprotected either by shield or by armor will be cleanly cut through. The BAZU is not effective against shielding or armor.

BAZZ: Twelfth planet in the Nu Torriander system and planetary sister of Onaris, Bazz was Terraformed from a lifeless rock to fully functional eco-system in 000744ex. It was designated, pre-Terraforming, Nu12gamma, the gamma indicating that it has no moon. Post-Terraformng, its original given name was Helios, however the name Bazz was given sometime later after the settlers there began experiencing nightmare-like hallucinations (Eventually attributed to mythical evil spirits known as the Cronyns), Bazz being a shortening of the Remnath word “Bazzal” or “nightmare”. Being rather far from its principle star, Bazz is quite cold in the winter months, however, it is heated by a white dwarf companion star known as “Lil’ White Face” and has, when in orbital proximity to the star, very hot summers. With plenty of living space on the established Kana and Onaris, the only folk who initially settled on Bazz were tax exiles and Brown cast-offs seeking a fresh start. It was uninhabited for three hundred years.  The House of Sorrander briefly occupied the planet in 000000ax, founding several cities on the isle of Sarbrug-Hold. Over time, the people of Bazz developed an odd and, by League standards, exotic culture.

Bazz, like Xandarr, is a very exotic and unusual League world. Their distinctive architecture and dress resembles that of the planet Xandarr more than anything else. Unmarried ladies from Bazz wear their hair with distinctive braided or unbraided “sideburns” that go down to their shoulders known as Mollucks. The Mollucks are cut off on their wedding day. Their cuisine is also noted as being unbearably spicy. As time passed the prominence of the inhabitants of Bazz grew greatly, though they never adopted the Great House structure popular on Kana, Onaris, Planet Fall and Hoban. The people of Bazz are also notable for having first and last names—a rarity in the League.  Bazz uses a computerized system of currency called informally, a “Credit” or “Cred” and business transactions are performed using a “Cred Stick”.  As per SBL rates of exchange, it takes 3000 Bazz credits to equal one Kanan solaris. The branch of the Hospitalers based on Bazz is known as “The Jones”, after Darious Jones, an ancient Bazz hero.

In a curious note—Bazz mythology is dominated by Princess Gallia of Emilia-Stone, a gigantic female goddess with twenty arms, resembling the Haitathe of old who plagued the Vith of Kana, though no presence of Haitathe has ever been confirmed on Bazz. The capital city of Bazz is Helios-Mason.

BELL: 1)–The Sisterhood of Light’s well at Bell was located deep in the mountains of the Kanan north. Bell was nothing more than a modest water well. It was said that Bell caped a mystical spring of water with wondrous properties used by the Sisters for unknown reasons. The location of Bell is not generally known and none, outside of the Sisterhood, have ever seen it.

2)— Bell is a dark planet located in the Bell Nebula.

BELL EXPECTATIONS: Group of Maniacal genetically enhanced soldiers serving Queen Ghome I, III of Trimble (temporarily abolished by Queen Ghome II). Despite their odd and somewhat sedate name, the BE’s were a feared military group on Trimble and elsewhere serving to protect Queen Ghome and fight her battles. As with their master, the BE’s were known to switch faces and swap out injured parts in battle, making them extremely dangerous. Eventually, the BE’s were defeated in battle with the BMQ (Brotherhood of the Murdered Queen) and were abolished.

BELL NEBULA: Large nebula located in the rear quarter of the League between Planet Fall and Bustoke. The Planet Bell exists within the nebula.

BELMONT-SOUTH TYROL, HOUSE OF: Tyrol: House of Zenon-Tyrol roots, notable for its strong matriarch: Lady Jubilee. The House has thirty children:

Beryla, Wisteria, Antonia, Celesta, Munni, Solona, Sabra, Andromeda, Phaedra, Ione, Io, Miranda, Calami, Persephone, Lenta, Deneba, Jonnia, Kormanda, Deserae, Elma, Nathalie, Embeth, Constance, Willia, Nylar, Xantrope, Lucile, Virginia, Lyra, Stenstrom (M)

BEOL: Other (House Conwell) —The BEOL is a long wooden tube about four feet in length. The BEOL can, when properly used, create a powerful vortex of wind , akin to an artificially created tornado that is fully capable of scattering whole armies or leveling a castle.

BEREN: Sword, (House Xandarr) —The BEREN is a light, rapier-style sword that is composed of an unknown blend of metals that render the blade invisible to all but the wielder. The blade may be retracted and put out the other end of the silver hilt (which is visible).

BERN: The vast farmsted of Bern is a stronghold of the Sisterhood of Light. It is a vast farm in the southern area of Hala, growing food for not only the Sisterhood but for the League as well. It is one of the few Sisterhood strongholds where non-Sisters may come, work, and do business.

BERSERKACIDE: Monstrous creatures of lore, Berserkacides are Monama men and women who have fallen into a berserker rage and are lost to madness. As Monamas are normally, quiet, shy folks, Berserkacides slaver with rage and hate anything the Monama once loved. They are swift, powerful, strong and difficult to bring down. Any Monama, any age can become a Berserkacide. Once transformed, the Monama sprouts a second pair of arms and seek to do as much harm as possible. Once a Monama becomes a Berserkacide, the change is permanent, with no trace of their original personality left. Only death may free them.

BERT: The Grove of Bert is a stronghold of the Sisterhood of Light located somewhere in the northern reaches of the Great Armenelos forest. Bert is a magical place growing all manner of mystical trees and flowers. Like many of the Sisterhood’s strongholds, its exact location is unknown.

BESSAMER: Staff, (House Hobby) —A long staff, usually four and a half to six feet long, made of ivory, but can also be made of soapstone, whalebone or hardened chalk. The top of the BESSAMER is normally decorated with an open-mouthed creature of myth, usually a dragon. The BESSAMER will create speeding balls of fire and can travel for a considerable distance before diminishing. The fire created by a BESSAMER is very difficult to extinguish.

BETHRAEL, SAMARITAN (ne: OF MOANE) (03112ax–) (BH) Xaphan: A former Black Hat, Bethrael of Moane was a part-time Hospitaler Samaritan in the Knickerbaum Order, part-time star socialite. Small, as is the case with most Black Hats, fawn-haired, brown-eyed with a distinctive mole on her cheek, “Beth’s” inviting personality and approachability made her a much sought after name in League Society. Never marrying though she had literally thousands of offers, it was said she had, at any given time, over a hundred lovers. She was a brave Hospitaler and a loyal friend. She fell in love with Lord Kabyl of Blanchefort after allowing him to touch her Silver tech, but was never able to court him.

A Black Hat of the Hammer class, she was always considered a capable but fairly docile fighter, lacking in the dark ferociousness expected of Hammers. Unlike most Black Hats who live their lives in a dark nightmare, Beth’s soul sprouted on its own and, in the dark, she dreamed of finding a way out of the Black Abbess’ grasp. Sent to Metatron with a number of other “marginal” Black Hats to recover the wayward Sygillis, she saw a bright figure falling from the sky. The figure was Captain Davage, having been sucked out of the breached SEEKER. Beth engaged Davage in battle and was easily defeated by him. She was greatly surprised when Davage did not kill her. Badly wounded, Davage comforted, carried and defended her throughout her ordeal in Metatron.

Cherishing Davage as her savior, she would always call him “sir” out of respect and, as a Hospitaler, delivered all twenty of Sygillis’ children, her youngest they named Bethrael after her

BILLUS THE KNAVE: (21573ex—14333ex) The Lone Rider of Onaris, Billus demonstrated legendary power from an early age. Hailing from Innari, Billus helped tame the wild world of Onaris. Billus eventually left Onaris and made his way to the new and rather Blue world of Hoban, where he earned his nick-name, “The Knave” for his brutish manner of dressing and speaking. Insulted by the Hobans dismissal of him, Billus went on a crusade to kill every living thing on Hoban. It is said the Stellar Fleet was created in part as a response to a call from Hoban for help in quelling Billus.

BLACK ABBESS: Immortal supreme head of the Black Hat Sisterhood, the Black Abbess has been an enemy of the Sisterhood of Light and the League for centuries. In the time of the Elders the Black Abbess was the Grand Abbess of Magravine, one of the most powerful of the twenty five. She is believed to be Magravine, the second daughter of Lord Homma of Telmus Falls and Emmira of the Sword. Jealous of her elder sister Subra of the Mark, she, alone amongst her peers was a proponent of the emplosser, the “Living Earth” and called for its continued research and development—as Subra could command emplosser. Her peers, though, felt the Living Earth Gift was too dangerous and caused too much suffering to be allowed to continue and they began programs to breed it out of existence. Magravine refused to allow it to die. Gathering her followers, they met in secret under the Tartan Mountains and began a series of unspeakable experiments, usually causing unendurable agony in their victims and culminating in their deaths. There the Black Abbess discovered the secrets behind Shadow tech. Coaxing some of the Old Vith Houses to defect to the Xaphans, Magravine took many of her followers and went to the Xaphans in the Great Schism in 0000ax.

Finding herself under near constant attack from the Sisterhood, Magravine retaliated by developing several illegal Gifts (the Point, Mass and Sten). The two sides then began killing each other relentlessly until they agreed upon a series of decorums that spelled out when and how they would fight each other.

The Black Abbess is the only member of the Black Hat Sisterhood who is not a Shadow tech female. Her knowledge of Shadow tech allows her to cultivate Shadow tech and control it with a dark skill unrivaled in the Sisterhood.

BLACK AGGIE: Other, (House Clovis) –A strange and morbid weapon, the Black Aggie is the only LosCapricos weapon that is not of a set type or class—a BLACK AGGIE can be any inanimate object. Keys, tombstones, lockets and items of clothing have been known to be BLACK AGGIES. A person wielding a BLACK AGGIE may summon the dead, who will serve the user as a slave. Horror of Burgos was known to carry the tombstone of his enemy around and summon his dead body to him on demand.

BLACK HAT FIGHTING, FIGHTERS: After the turning of Black Hat Sygillis of Metatron, an odd and extremely dangerous fad developed in the League: Black Hat Fighting. Lords of Standing began actively attempting to capture and “turn” Black Hats, trying to “tame” them. Though occasionally  successful, Black Hat fighting also led to many gruesome tragedies as well.

A short list of Successful Black Hat Fighters and the Black Hats they saved:

• Davage, Lord of Blanchefort—Sygillis of Metatron (married)
• “”                ””                       –Bethrael of Moane (befriended)
• “”                “”                        –Zoladerra of Vain (freed)
• Mapes, Lord of Grenville—Suzaraine of Gulle (married)
• Fallsworth, Duke of Oyln—Torrijayne of Waam (married)
• Owen, Lord of Belmont—Sudquest of Nalls (married)
• Vel, Lord of Dare, 5th Order—Bernatheia of Waam (married)
• River, Lord of Champion—Jennamaxx of Waam (married)
• Milimore, Lord of Conwell—Symadara of Menander (married)
• Possibly the greatest Black Hat fighter of all was Enoch, Lord of Vincent, who, as a young man was taken with Sygillis of Metatron, tamed by his uncle, Davage. He married Mixstaluna of Law and tamed over a hundred more.

BLACK HAT SISTERHOOD: An ancient sect originally part of the Sisterhood of Light, the Black Hats are currently the most powerful secret sect in Xaphan Society. Before their schism with the Sisterhood, they were very interested in investigating the emplosser, the “Living Earth,” an Old Vith Gift of the body that appeared to be very rare. Females with the “Living Earth” appeared to suffer greatly and the leadership of the Sisterhood declared it illegal. They introduced programs intended to “breed” it out of existence yet a few rebellious Sisters felt the Living Earth Gift was too important to be allowed to vanish. Under the leadership of the grand Abbess of Magravine, they began meeting in secret, covering their faces as to avoid detection. There, they performed gruesome experiments , developing the Living Earth Gift into an early and volatile form of Shadow tech. Finally discovering the genetic markers required to create Shadow tech, they convinced several Great Houses, including the House of Xandarr to betray the Elders and go to the Xaphans—thus the schism complete.

The Black Hats found themselves under constant attack by the Sisterhood of Light. To retaliate, they developed many variations of the standard Six Vithian Gifts and began using them to fight back—thus the Sisterhood and the Black Hats have been actively at war with each other for thousands of years. The leadership of the Black Hats, the Black Cloister and the Black Abbess, are all former Sisters and are immortal. The rank and file are all Shadow tech females. The Black Hats devote a great deal of time and energy scouring both League and Xaphan Society for Shadow tech females. They also make use of Invernans, Shadow tech males, to steal out and impregnate promising females—as only Shadow tech males can pass the trait down to their female progeny. The Black Hats then abduct any Shadow tech females or males that are born, the females taken to the Shade Church, the males placed in stasis. The females are subjected to years of cruelty and torment: starved, kept in pitch darkness, forced to live in spaces too small to allow them to stand, where they crawled and struggled for life. They would then be forced to fight each other in “The Pit” to the death—the Church routinely killing off 70% of all females entering it. The result of this treatment was a twisted, soulless, fearless female living in a perpetual evil dream—thus their blind obedience to the Black Abbess.

Considered to be invincible in battle, the Black Hats enjoyed a sinister reputation that went unchallenged until Captain Davage of the League Stellar Fleet “saved the soul” of Sygillis of Metatron, eventually making her his Countess. After that, the fad of “Fighting” Black Hats grew in popularity, the Sisterhood losing many of their membership in such a fashion.

BLACK LILLY: Colloquial term used for a person who has duped, subverted, radicalized or otherwise compromised due to covert Black Hat activity. Black Hat StTs (Shadow tech Traps) are able to infiltrate, infest and take over the operations of various pieces of technology, including holo-terminals, communications devices, vehicles, etc. An infested device is completely under the control of the Black Hat, oftentimes without the victim being aware of this control. An infested Holo-terminal can cause a victim to believe in unreal persons and unreal events or to motivate them to act in a desired way. A person led astray by an infested device is known as a ‘Black Lilly’. The Sisterhood of Light, along with the League Science Ministry, actively investigate cases of Black Hat StT infestation and provide counseling for those affected by them.

BLACK MAIDEN: (Esther: Uoola-Nabor) Creatures from the hypothetical Plane of Air. Black Maidens appear as gaunt females clad in black billowing robes. They can be summoned to protect or fetch certain individuals, or to deliver arcane messages. With a kiss on the cheek, the individual will be instantly teleported back to the place where the Black Maiden was originally summoned, and then they return to the Plane of Air. Black Maidens use scent to locate the person whom they are summoned to fetch.

BLANCHEFORT, HOUSE OF: Vith: Old Vith house of the line of Emmira, located in the far north of Kana. Always highly placed and well thought of, it was the Blancheforts who started the trend of dressing in ancient clothing and speaking in English, with the rest of League society following. When Maserfeld, Lord of Blanchefort became a raider, many other Houses began raiding. When Davage, Lord of Blanchefort tamed a Black Hat and made her his countess, the fad of “Black Hat Fighting” became all the rage. The LosCapricos weapon of House Blanchefort is the CARG, a powerful, sword-like weapon.

BLOOD POISONING:  Blood poisoning is the leading cause of death in the League and in Xaphan space.  The Elder-kind, having been engineered to remain young and healthy throughout their lives, their blood is the weak link.  Elder blood is prone to becoming “poisoned”–a condition where the hemoglobin no longer transfers oxygen to the cells.  Untreated wounds, unsanitary conditions, certain chemicals and various fungi  may trigger a condition called Hemotosis, where the blood steadily becomes unworkable, invariably leading to death without treatment.

The Hospitalers use a special instrument called a “Troutman Scanner” that measures blood health.  The health of the blood is displayed on the Troutman in a triangle.  A normal condition registers a reading at or near the bottom of the triangle, or the  Base.  Heathly blood, therefore is measure in B’s (the B-Factor).  The higher the reading, the worse the blood is, going toward the Apex of the triangle, which is inveriably fatal.  To say a patient is at or near Apex is a pronouncement of death.

BLOODSIMPLE: Name of various spacecraft used by Princess Marilith of Xandarr in her battles with the League and Captain Davage in particular.  In her active years, Marilith made use of a variety of spacecraft, most commonly a Ghome 52, which was a large, battleship-shaped craft.  Typically, Marilith would scratch the name “BLOODSIMPLE” on the bridge with her legendary dagger, Moonglow.  As Princess Marilith engaged in many battles with the League, she had many Bloodsimples, the ship invariably being destroyed after one or two uses.  The Bloodsimple, due to being scratched by Princess Marilith’s dagger, was thought to carry a sort of “unlife.”

BLOODSTEIN:  Fifth planet of  Sar Embelar, Bloodstein is one of the more distant and obscure of League outposts.  The largest city on Bloodstein is the city of Legend.

BLOODSTEIN, HOUSE OF: Vith: Vith Great House located north of the ruins of Magravine said to be direct descendants of Holt of the Mountain and his Haitathe consort Rachina. Chrisania of Bloodstein was the great grandmother of Lord Davage of Blanchefort and a suspected witch. The House relocated to Planet Bloodstein in 0002657ax. The old Castle Bloodstein is located in the center of Five-Finger Mountain.

BLUES: Descended from the Old Vith, Zenons or Remnaths. Blues consist of the upper-crust gentry in both League and Xaphan society. The original Blues had blue hair and blue skin and served the Elders directly. As time passed, they began inter-marrying with the Browns and the blue hair/skin trait became less and less common. All Great Houses, except for a scant few (such as House Probert) are very Blue in ancestry. All of the Houses who revolted in 00000ax and went to the Xaphans were Blue, Browns being virtually non-existent in the rebellion.

BLUISM: A genetic affliction that sometimes strikes folk of Vith ancestry. A person afflicted with Bluism literally turns blue with age: blue skin, hair and  eyes. The condition is not considered to be dangerous to the person so afflicted.

BMQ: Brotherhood of the Murdered Queen. Force of subversives dedicated to the interdiction and overthrow of Queen Ghome on Trimble. The sect existed in several different incarnations of greater or lesser stength, and all but the last were eventually wiped out by Queen Ghome and her forces, only to see the sect rise again elsewhere on Trimble. The 12th incarnation of the BMQ under Constintine of St. George, allied with the Xaphan House of Sorrander, would finally defeat Queen Ghome at the Battle of the Tomb. Their rallying cry was always: “For Queen Xo!”

BODICE, HOUSE OF: Xaphan (Hala): Extinct Great House of Hala with their home located near the mouth of the River Seven. In the years prior to the Great Betrayal, the House began complaining to the Sisterhood of Light that their lands were tainted: poisoned. Suffering from a fairly high percentage of birth defects (a rarity in the League) and seeing “demons” in the moonlight, they begged the Sisterhood to help them. The Sisterhood looked at the problem and did nothing. Taking council from a creature in the form of a large elephant, they eventually left with the Vith Houses during the Great Betrayal, becoming Xaphans. As they migrated to the stars, they were best upon by the House of Charn, who was envious of their supplies. Desperate to be left alone, they gave the Charns all of their supplies and began starving in space as they looked for a new home. After settling on Midas, they were again beset upon by demons, who killed them to the last man in a pagan temple deep beneath the ground.

In a rare display of public grief, the Sisterhood of Light in 0022ax admitted to the League that they had failed the Bodice and repented their inaction. It would eventually be discovered that their ancestral lands rested over the Temple of the Exploding Head, a terrible place controlled by the Kestral Oligarchy. The holiday St. Porter’s Day was created in honor of the slain patriarch of the House of Bodice, Lord Porter. A concerted effort was made in 0127ax by the Sisterhood of Light to reconstitute the House of Bodice, however, nobody of old Bodice blood could be located in the League and the effort was dropped. The Bodice remain a House of beloved regard to this day.

BOLABUNG:  Any small object made of wormwood and other various components, such as ivory, gold, and menthic, that effectively blocks an individual’s mind from telepathy.  Bolabungs also may shield one from the effects of menthols and spirits, thwart terminal bleeding from otherwise mortal wounds, and prevent unwanted pregnancies.  Additionally, bolabungs can “enhance” a person’s personality and talents.  Bolabungs of great cost and complexity have been known to alter one’s ferocity, sexuality, fighting skills, intelligence and problem-solving skills. Those discovered to be making use of bolabungs to enhance their personal traits are often looked upon with scorn and disregard.  A craftsman who specializes in the creation of bolabungs is known as a “Bolabard“.

BONDAR: Large municipality in the principle Xaphan City of Waam.  Known for being the bithplace of Bondarism, or “Bondarunga” as it’s sometimes known, the civic structures in Bondar are constructed in a unique, spiral configuration that appear unhabitable by humanoid lifeforms. The goal of building in this manner, per the tenets of Bondarism, is to accelerate the evolution of the species. The theory was dismissed as singular “bad science” for centuries, until the people living in Bondar began developing the ability to fly.  As a result, “Flying People” is not an overly unnusual sight in Bondar, and in surrounding Waam as well.

BONDARUNGA:  (Bondarism) A design and philosophical movement that began in the Xaphan city of Waam and eventually spread, in a lesser form, throughout Xaphan space and even into the League.  In its purest form, the goal of Bondarunga is to transform the species into a higher form of life.  Bondarunga (or “Bondarism”) comes in several distinct forms:

Helixical (or He)

Glyphic

Mirrism

Colonial Roll

History:  In 000425AX, Gaius Wilmer of Waam became the Portator of the Municipality of Bondar in Greater Waam.  Wilmer is a shadowy figure in history, and is thought to be a refugee of the lost space station Zall 88 (See: Zall 88).  Eventually changing his name to “Bondarunga”, he hypothesized that the evolution of the species could be greatly accelerated, with a high percentage of attrition, when forced into extreme conditions totally unsuited to the human body. Bondarunga razed all the buildings in Bondar and rebuilt them in a bizarre helixical configuration containing no windows, doors or other usual appointments associated with any structure or dwelling.  Considered mad for centuries, Bondarunga suddenly gained wide acclaim when the people of Bondar, living in their “unlivable” structures developed the ability to fly in 000622AX.  A learned study of the “Flying People of Bondar” revealed that they were, in fact, evolving at a rapid pace and would, possibly, evolve into a form of energy in under a million years.  After that study, interest in Bondarunga, or Bondarism, grew, developing into the less extreme variants of Glyphic and Mirrism.

Helixical (He):  The most stringent and radical form of Bondarism, all structures and vehicles are constructed in an organic helixical configuration with no discernible living spaces or other appointments.  Those using the structures must create their own space using any natural openings as best they can, rather like a parasite residing within a living body. He, outside of the Municipality of Bondar in Waam, is rare.

Glyphic:  Form of Bondarism using symmetrical shapes for construction and are usually hollow.  Black Hat temples often use Gyphic Bondarism in their design.

Mirrism: The most commonly practiced form of Bondarism. Mirrism is mostly an artistic expression with the prime tenet: Function is not an issue of Form.  A common feature of Mirrism is the taking of a recognizable object and using it in a completely unexpected way (IE–taking a tea cup and using it as a car).  Mirrism became quite popular across Xaphan space for the beauty of the designs created from it, despite the inconvenience of those forced to make use of the Mirrored structures and vehicles.  Mirrored structures often appear as either busts or whole human forms in various poses, with vehicles following suit on a smaller scale.  Mirrism allows for some accessories to be included in the design, but not many.

Colonial Roll:  A watered down form of Mirrism practiced on the League world of Hoban.  League safety and appointment standards apply and all items designed in Colonial Roll are required to have fully developed occupant facilities.(IE–livable quarters, and full safety and comfort features).

BOWERCHEST: Vith artifact of Gellar origination. In the days of the Old Vith, the bowerchest was the prized possession of each House, was fiercely guarded and well-cared for. A bowerchest is a large mobile vault used as a repository for extremely rare or powerful arcane objects. In the Vith tradition, the bowerchest is built in the form of some sort of monster or creature of lore. Depending in its form, the bowerchest can fly, crawl or swim. They may also take human form when required. It draws energy from the items stored within it, therefore, the more items held within, the more powerful the bowerchest becomes in terms of its strength and its intelligence. The bowerchest is fully animated and able to intelligently defend itself from attack. Conversely, if an item is stolen from it, the bowerchest will go to great lengths to get it back–their persistence, malice and ruthlessness is well-documented.

The Sisterhood of Light began to fear the Vith’s power in the later stages of the EX time epoch. Their goal was to, via stealth, capture the bowerchests of the various Great Houses and also to deactivate the Vith’s Gellartrons. The Vith became aware of this plot and, rather then go to war with the Sisters, they hid their Bowerchests in a far-away world known as Edamathrombo. In time, the Sisters were successful in deactivating the Vith’s Gellartrons and Edamathrombo and the bowerchests hidden there were lost from memory.

BOWLING:  Ancient game hailing from the long-lost homeland of the Elder-Kind.  Bowling is a very popular past-time , though in most quarters it is considered a very mean and vulger sport beneath the proper Blue Lords and is only openly played in the Calvert-lands of Kana.  Public bowling alleys in Calvert are considered very rough places.  However, bowling is a “guilty pleasure” and passion of many Great Lords and Ladies, and most Blue Houses have a carefully hidden  private bowling alley constructed somewhere on their holdings. In many quarters a Lady’s bowling average is a significant status symbol, and for Great Lords is second only to Programmability as a status mark. The term “To Throw a Bowl” means that the location of the one House’s hidden bowling alley has been discovered by another is is being black mailed to keep it quiet.  Bowling is also a traditional Nether Day activity.

BRANDTBALL:  A popular field game in the north of Kana that is unique for not only allowing men and women to compete, but also pits three teams against each other at once.  The game consists of three teams composed of five mounted players.  The type of mount is at the pleasure of the hosting team.  Mounts may be live (the Kanan Ostrich is a popular live mount), a small boat called Bestache, or a wheeled single-person vehicle called a Brandtcar.   The object of the game is to win three sets.  Scoring five points wins a set.  Points are scored by throwing a small ovular ball called a Brandtball.  Once every member of the team has successfully caught the ball without a drop or interception by an opposing team, a point is scored. The final pass before a team scores is call the Cinco Pass.  A common defensive tactic in the game is for two teams to gang-up on one, which is called a Ballute.

BRANNA, IMPERITOR, LADY OF PROBERT (ne: LADY OF PITCOCK/FALLZ) (02887ax–) (W, C, D) Remnath: Lead Imperator of the League Science Ministry, Lady Branna’s innovations and discoveries have been a leading force in Science circles for decades. Smallish, blue-haired and doe-featured, it was Lady Branna’s simple courage before the Second Battle of Mirendra that inspired the Fleet to take heart and try again. It was also Lady Branna’s Energy- Matter transporter prototype, mounted on the Seeker, which neutralized the Xaphan Zero Weapon and won the battle. Her work in assimilating new technologies led to the Triumph-class of Main Star vessel which included shields, SAR-Beams and energy-matter transportation devices. Her contentious and often comical work relationship with Milos, Lord of Probert, the Fleet’s chief engineer, is legendary. Lady Branna once threatened to have Probert, shot, hung, stabbed, beheaded, executed and then thrown in her dungeon. Such a display proved to be merely a front, hiding a much deeper respect and love. When her Lord Timon of Fallz passed away, Branna married Milos in a celebrated wedding.

When the Triumph was infiltrated by Princess Marilith of Xandarr and the Fanatics of Nalls, Lady Branna, with Lord Probert in defense, disabled the Sar-Beam banks.

BRIGHTSTONES: (Vith Name: Illia-Cranthor). Ancient beryl stones once used by the Elders for the purposes of powering a number of wondrous technological devices, most of which have fallen into obscurity. The Brightstones have been attributed with a number of various useful properties over the centuries, including:

1)Unlimited power source.

2) Ability to effect climate over a large area.

3) Self-Replication.

4) Ability to teleport from place to place over vast distances

In 004562ex, the Sisterhood of Light undertook a series of quests over the course of one hundred years to gather all known Brightstones (known collectively as The Tasks of Va and Falquil). The origins of the Stellar Fleet can, in part, be traced to these quests. The Sisters recovered, as a result of these quests 10, 500 Brightstones (all documented). The recovery of the Brightstones coincides with the ascendency of the Sisters as a major League sect. No further Brightstones have been uncovered through the centuries, though four are suspected to reside somewhere in Xaphan space. The current whereabouts of the stones recovered by the Sisters is unknown outside of the Sisterhood.

BRINDVAL: Large planet in the Ion-Codis system. Brindval is often known as the “Place of Floating Rocks” as there are a large quantity of mineral known as Brindacite which has unique properties, one being the ability to cancel out the effects of gravity, thus there are many sizable boulders, some being miles in length that float over the surface. The capitol city of Brindval, Tantan, is built on one of these floating rocks. Hagthorpe Prison, the primary prison in the League, is also built on a huge floating rock. As a side note, Brindval is the birthplace of “The Weed,” a prolific fungus used by dirty courtesans to enhance the sexual experience.

BRONTA:  A design style used by the Monama peoples of the south of Kana.  Bronta consists of a tightly interlocking series of swoops and whorls which, upon close inspection, is composed of tiny figures engaged in sexual intercourse.

BROWNS: Common people of the League, mostly on the planet of Onaris of Calvert tribe heritage, who have no Vith ancestry. Browns are without title, generally poor, and usually looked down upon by the Blue gentry. Having no Vith ancestry, Browns have none of the original six Elder Gifts, they do, however, share the gift of life-long youth and vitality. Browns are a strong hearty people, generally brown eyed and brown haired, though occasionally green-haired Browns are born (hailing from their Calvert heritage).  Though they lack the Gift of Strength, Browns are naturally quite strong–with female Browns being, on average, stronger than similarly-sized males of other tribes (though use of the Gift of Strength well surpasses theirs).  They tend to have very large families and are very practical people. Many of the Gifts that are very effective on Blues have diminished effects on Browns—they are immune to the Dirge altogether. Browns also are very good at basic telepathy.

BURGOS, HOUSE OF: (Xaphan: BURGON) Vith: Xaphan House of Vith ancestry who settled on the World of Burgon in 00002ax.  The House of Burgos was said to be in league with the attacking Haitathe hoards, and were often paid tribute by the other Vith Houses to receive relief from their attacks.  During their association with the haitathe, the Burgos were said to have developed a taste for Vith flesh, and they have had the reputation for being cannibals ever since.  They are said to have developed a genetic flaw in their tissues due to their cannibalistic tendencies and many modern Burgon births are thought to be tainted with deformity and sickness. The House of Burgos is separated into three distrinct branches: The Court of Burgon, the Court of George and the Court of Zeb. Rodrigo of Burgon is a notes Warlord and fugitive form the House who worshipped a fabled deity known as the Shadow tech Goddess.

copyright 2015, Ren Garcia