MABSORNATH: 1): Ancient name of a feline Wind-Walker Spirit once worshipped by the inhabitants of Zall 88, a Xaphan space station.  Mabsornath granted the inhabitants of Zall 88  knowledge and wisdom.  After the destruction of Zall 88, Mabsornath was said to be have gone insane with grief and became a demon.  The House of Xandarr, enraged that they couldn’t benefit from the spoils of their conquest, incorporated Mabsornath as the 11th goddess of their pantheon, making her the goddess of pestilence, infidelity, infertility and disease. 2): Demon sentenced to eternity in the Windage of Kind.  3): Secret-talker, companion, and, in some cases, wife of Carahil and mother of his children.  4): Proprietor of the “Cat God” Pub, a mystical room where many questions may be answered.

MAGGA TABS: Medicinal compound created by the Grand Order of Hospitalers to assist in the therapeutic recovery of Gifted individuals suffering from Gift-Valve, a condition where a sufferer loses control of their Gifts. In a controlled clinical setting, Magga Tabs are very effective in the treatment of patients suffering from mild to severe Gift-Valve. However, when used by Browns, Magga tabs have the effect of creating euphoria and a simulated Gift-like state (the user feels like they have Gifts, when they actually do not). Use of Magga Tabs by Browns on Onaris and in Xaphan space became a significant issue for several decades—the term “Kooked Up” coined in reference to a Brown under the euphoric influence of Magga Tabs.

MAGGER: Sinister device of Xaphan origins, a magger is a programmable weapon that allows the user to take control of a victim. It is often rammed into one’s skull, where the programming contained within the magger takes control and forces any number of actions, turning the victim into a slave or zombie. The magger  is almost invariably fatal to the victim.

MAGICONS: Sages skilled at the art of founding new schools of magic and arcane learning

MAGRAVINE: Ancient site of a Sisterhood learning center, currently in ruin. Magravine first came into prominence as the battle site between the Vith hero Homma and a powerful Haitathe named Horta. Magravine was once the chief stronghold of the Sisterhood of Light, being presided over by the Grand Abbess of Magravine. It was a multi-leveled facility with a marvelous Vith shrine at the surface built near a deep chasm. The Grand Abbess eventually fell into wickedness and, after centuries of terrorizing the Vith, they, along with many of the twenty four other Grand Abbesses, came and destroyed the facility at Magravine, the Grand Abbess fleeing to the Hazards of the Old Ones and becoming the Black Abbess. Today the ruins at Magravine are a feared, haunted place. Some of the old, but rather potent Shadow tech still roams the area, even the Sisters cannot get rid of it. The cult of angry youths called the Spectres tried to make Magravine their headquarters, but met their end there, screaming so it’s said.

MAGRAVINE: See: Black Abbess.

MAIAX:  1):Elemental Spirit in the form of a great elephant. Maiax was the patron spirit of the House of Bodice. In many stories, Maiax’ action led to the extinction of the House of Bodice in 000000AX.  2): Eldest son of Carahil and Mabsornath, Maiax was a spirit in the form of a walrus, often attributed to the North Wind (qv: Maiax of the North Wind).

MAIAX: Other (House Bodice): —The MAIAX was an onyx carving of an elephant, a creature that was the supposed protector of the House of Bodice. The MAIAX was supposed to grow into a full-sized elephant that could cast gouts of lightning from its tusks. When the Bodice left the League and were made extinct, the MAIAX fell out of existence, right along with its House.

MAJ: (Barrow qv: Madam Maj, Grand Maj) On the isle of Barrow, a matriarch or woman of honorable repute.

MALIK: Type of sedative that can be administered either as a gas that’s breathed in or as a liquid that is ingested. Maliks can be used to sedate individuals for extended periods of time. Maliks also provide a small amount of nutrition to the sedated individual allowing them to be safely sedated for longer periods of time.

MALLAGEIST: A Malageist is a troublesome by-product of Time Apparent (TA) usage. A Mallageist is a partially-created TA apparition, usually in the guise of someone who was in near proximity to a full TA practitioner and has developed some TA abilities by accident. As such the Mallageist lacks the time-spanning abilities of a full TA, but is nevertheless troublesome, persistent and potentially dangerous if proper safeguards are not put into place.

A Mallageist appears as a putrid corpse in various stages of decay. These apparitions are typically either servants, peers, or loved-ones of TA practitioners. These creatures appear as if from nowhere (ie–one morning, a Mallageist is found lying on the floor, whereas the day prior it wasn’t there). They tend to target one person, getting closer and closer to that person as the days go by. Mallageists are never observed to move, take defensive measures or create noise. Nevertheless, if they are disposed of, they reappear again the following day, typically a little closer to a single person than they were before (ie–one day A Mallageist is found lying in a field, the next day they are found on the door step, the next day on the stairs, the next day in your bedroom, etc). Their apparent goal is to get a targeted person to breathe in a quantity of their rotting particulate matter (similar to a full TA). If a person ingests enough of the Mallageist’s material, then they are taken over by the Mallageist’s spirit (possessed), and the effects of this possession are permanent.

Disposing of a Mallageist does little good. Burning it to ash  creates an ashy, spectral creature which is even more dangerous than it was prior to burning. Burying a Mallageist deep underground, surrounded by metal, stone or water will slow them down greatly (If surrounded by water, the targeted person will suffer nightmares of drowning). These measure do not thwart the Mallageist forever, they simply take longer to get to the person they have targeted. The best way to be rid of a Mallageist is to create distance. Travelling a great distance away, (ie to another continent or off-world) will slow the Mallageist to the point it is no longer a threat.

MANKULA TREE: Perennial liana tree native to the Hibernia region of Hoban. Mature Mankula trees create a fleshy, pod-like fruit from runners sprouting out of primary roots. These fruits closely approximate the structure and feel of human female genitalia and are sought after in some sectors due to this similarity.

MAPES, COMMANDER, LORD OF GRENVILLE (03067ax–) (Str, W,) Remnath: Youngest Lord of Grenville in the current strain, Mapes seldom entered the social arena like his many brothers, instead he educated himself and discovered he had a great aptitude for science and engineering. Like all Grenvilles, he found he had a weakness for women and often found himself dallying. Wishing to enter the Science Ministry, he was instead forced to join the Stellar Fleet at the insistence of his eldest brother, Sixtus. His skill and family connections allowed him quick advancement and, after several years, he was appointed, through complex political musings, to the position of Engineer aboard the Seeker, a vessel captained by Davage, Lord of Blanchefort—a man whom the Grenville’s hated. The Grenvilles hoped Mapes would be able to subvert Davage’s command and lose him his appointment.

Mapes however, found that he didn’t “dislike” the captain and found himself able to work with him surprisingly well. When the Seeker was badly damaged over Metatron, Mapes assumed the ship lost and decided to await rescue as the ship’s main spar was broken beyond repair. He was amused when Sygillis of Metatron approached him, beseeching him to repair the spar. Chidingly telling her that the spar could not be fixed, Sygillis put him to the Dirge and forced him to show her how to repair it. He was amazing when Sygillis, using her Silver tech, was able to fully repair the spar. Admiring her single-minded devotion to Captain Davage, Mapes greatly wanted something like that for himself, and, when he leaned that a Black Hat was in capture in the Brig, he wished to “turn” her, as Davage had done, hoping that she would respond to him as Sygillis had to Davage. After a brief argument with Davage in his office, Mapes convinced him of his sincerity and to two men became friends. Then Mapes, after a great deal of time, was able to resuscitate Suzaraine of Gulle, rehabilitate her and, eventually, make her his Lady.

When Sixtus of Grenville saw Davage’s name on their wedding list, he was jubilant, hoping to cross it off and thus “slap” Davage publically. Mapes though, refused and Davage and his Countess-to-be, Sygillis, were allowed a place of honor in the wedding line.

MARE:  (See, EDAMATHROMBO)

MARILITH, PRINCESS OF XANDARR (X) (02994ax-3189ax) (Str, Sta, W, C, D) Xaphan (Vith): Xaphan princess and arch-enemy of Captain Davage, Marilith and Davage engaged in an eighty year long duel: Marilith determined to kill him, and he determined to apprehend, sink or kill her in turn. Tall, fit, blue-haired, her face painted in bizarre, frightening makeup, mighty in five of six Gifts—no Sight—she was a continual thorn in Captain Davage’s side and a celebrated Xaphan hero.

It didn’t start out that way. Marilith was the third child of ten of the powerful Xaphan

household of Xandarr. She had an older sister, Nalfeshnee, and an older brother, Glabrazu, who both disappeared without trace—it is said she murdered them so that she could be the eldest Xandarr daughter—her parents would eventually give those names to two younger children following Marilith. She was a typical Xaphan princess: spoiled, indulged, and lost in Xaphan mental obscenities. She was certainly an arrogant, condescending person, but nothing more. When it was decided that the Xaphans and the League should try to unite with a highly placed wedding, Marilith was excited, she was to be the toast of both Xaphan and League Society. She and her large contingent of followers toured the League, she being allowed to pick her mate. After a long period she narrowed her choices down to two: Davage, Lord of Blanchefort and Sixtus, Lord of Grenville. She secretly fancied Davage and when he prevailed in her tasks, she was ecstatic. Staying in the Blanchefort’s huge Vith castle, she and Davage Zen-La’ed— they fell in love. Against tradition, Sadric, Davage’s father, ordered her portrait painted though they had not yet married—Sadric was taken with Marilith. The parties, the social functions, she was enjoying every moment. Soon she would be married and she and her handsome new husband would take over, ruling both societies as King and Queen—a lofty ambition to be sure, but nothing out of the ordinary for a haughty Xaphan princess. She looked on with satisfied amusement as Hathaline, that little girl from House Durst shot her an exceedingly dirty look from across the room. She couldn’t understand why Davage’s sister, Pardock, dropped her drink to the floor, the color draining from her face and left the room.

She really couldn’t understand it when, the next day at their wedding , Pardock took the baton, and, instead of passing it forward, threw it to the ground and dragged Davage from the chapel.

That was it…the wedding was off. Marilith figured Davage would return to her side, wedding or not—he was her Zen-La after all. When he failed to return, Marilith sought him out, wondering what had happened—she couldn’t get anywhere near him and had to literally shoot her way out of a hostile League port. She would never see him in the flesh again.

And, it began, the years of dreaming—pleading, for Davage to return, her dreams full of him with his back turned. Eventually, in her sadness, she lost part of her mind, she became deranged, and she determined to get Davage’s full attention one way or another—and if she had to take his life in the process, then that was that. She started carrying a knife known as “Moonglow”, with a blade long enough to pierce his heart and hers at the same time. She proved to be a capable ship’s captain and was always able to elude Davage, to stay just out of his reaching grasp—their frequent battles in and around Two-Pitch Nebula being well-known. Through the years she mounted a motely assortment of Xaphan battleships–anything she could get her hands on and was spaceworthy enough to fight Davage.  The name of these ships was always the same: “Bloodsimple”.  She began wearing ugly makeup during her many encounters with him, developing the persona of a crazed despot. Still, her vast fortune afforded her access to potent technology and she often was able to contact Davage privately via hidden channels and Fleet monikers. In such cases, just the two of them, she would remove her makeup and they would speak kindly to each other, almost tenderly, each silently lamenting what might have been.

Blaming Lady Pardock for the failure of her wedding, Marilith tried to kill her. She broke into Castle Blanchefort and tried to throttle her to death. As the local legend goes, Pardock Dirged her out of a high window. Lt Kilos, in reconsidering the story, came to believe that Lady Poe, an untrained Shadow tech female, blasted Marilith out of the window using Shadow tech. Actually, it was Pardock, using her two fists, who beat Marilith senseless and threw her out the window, she then escaping death with the Waft.

Marilith would come to learn that Lady Hathaline of Durst had “Clouded” her at their pre- wedding ball, and that was the reason Pardock threw down the baton. Determined to get even with Hathaline, Marilith met her in a fierce space battle in the Mirendra star system and killed her, along with her ship and her crew—touching off what would become two large battles known as the First and Second Battle of Mirendra 3.

Later, she learned that Davage had fallen in love with a Black Hat, one Sygillis of Metatron, and, using her vast reach, determined to kill her, even though she would be a terrible, formidable opponent. She became acquainted with a new rising sect in Xaphan Society called the Fanatics of Nalls, a group clamoring to “take down” the Black Hats and replace them with themselves. The group was a brutish, confident lot, claiming to have invented several new gifts and boasted of having discovered the source of the Hulgismen’s immunity to the Sisterhood of Light. Marilith saw them as an interesting, disposable resource and hired them—they taking on her demonic battle persona. She hatched a plan to capture the League’s newest main starship, the Triumph, and using the Fanatics’ Box Gift, managed to steal it and nearly kill Captain Davage in the process. She did not know that Sygillis of Metatron, determined to end their conflict once and for all, managed to steal aboard the Triumph, and, in a cruel, tormented battle, crash-landed the ship on the backward, remote planet of Gelt. Sygillis, in agony from wounds sustained during the battle, went out of her head and impaled the entire group of Fanatics. Princess Marilith, unable to get away, was impaled too, her body then covered up with earth—her broken heart finally stopped forever??

MARIN:  Also known as the Marinlands or “Cinderlands,” is a region on the eastern continent of the Xaphan world of Trimble, located in the mid-quarter west of the Mountains of Lemora. It is an odd, often considered to be a dangerous place due to the mind altering affects of the dust, or “Cinders” lying on the ground. Persons were said to enter the Marinlands and return a totally different person. In the age of Queen Ghome, those sentenced to die were often marooned in Marin, where they would wander out of the region a completely different person. Sometimes, if multiple people entered the region, they would emerge sharing an odd collective consciousness. The reasoning for this is unknown. Marin is avoided by the locals at all costs.

The Cinderlands of Trimble are often confused with the region of the League world of Bazz known as Sarbrug-Hold, where people passing through the region are often possessed by various “demons”. This is thought to be caused by a Black Hat StT infestation so pervasive the Sisterhood of Light was unable to clear them. Due to this infestation, Sarbrug-Hold is considered a no-man’s land.

MARIST:  Xaphan title bestowed upon notable females.

MARN: Region of Hoban located north of Willia.

MARTIN: Sword (House Gamboa):–The MARTIN is a slim, light-weight sword that resembles a rapier. In battle, as the wielder becomes more and more angry, the MARTIN becomes more and more dangerous, eventually seeking out vital organs on its own and making each stroke a “kill shot”. It is a misconception that the MARTIN invariably seeks the head of a victim, if the head is the most vulnerable vital area, then it will seek the head, but will strike any vital area that is within easy reach.

MARZABLE: Knife (House Tyrol)—The MARZABLE of House Tyrol is a small throwing dagger. It is said that, when concealed upon a person’s body, it cannot be detected either by scan or by frisk. Also, a person hiding a MARZABLE upon their person may freely throw the dagger and never run out of them.

MASERFELD, LORD OF BLANCHEFORT (Str, W) (02769ax-0312ax) Vith: Grandfather of Captain Davage, Maserfeld was a hulking, brutish man. Known for being a raider and brigand, Maserfeld and his comrade Dortha, Lord of Durst, they terrorized the country-side in search of adventure and booty. He was notorious for using his developed Gift of Sight to located and kill skulkers in the villages he plundered. His filthy, blood-encrusted CARG named “Bathilda” was greatly feared. Maserfeld was “tamed” to some extent when he met Chrisania, Lady of Bloodstein and took her for his wife. Together, unlike most Elder houses, they had one son, Sadric. Maserfeld was enraged that his son took more after his mother, being a “soft” society man. He even threatened him with total disinheritance if he did not learn and master the CARG. Sadric did and, eventually created the KING CARG, making Maserfeld a very happy man.

MASS, The (–): Illegal Gift based on the Stare, the Mass was most closely associated with the Black Hat Sisterhood. Often referred to in League Society as “The Phantom Hand” the Mass could crush a targeted person to death in a matter of moments. Additionally, the distance from the attacking practitioner made no difference, a person could be killed from light years away. The Sisterhood of Light, recognizing this threat, developed numerous counter measures and techniques to repel the Mass, thus they have been in a near constant battle with the Black Hats for centuries, each checking, flanking and re-checking the other. An exceedingly slow Gift to use, the Mass is only effective against targets who are completely unaware it is being used against them. The Mass also requires strict concentration until the victim is dead, otherwise, it will fade, or, as is sometimes the case, backfire and kill the caster instead.  As the Mass is considered a stand-off risk/reward Gift with the Sisters, the Black Hats seldom use it to attack a foe, relying instead on other, more spectacular methods of killing an enemy.  Deaths by Mass, outside of the Sisterhood, have not been seen in some time.

MAZAN (or MASAN): Class of energy weapons designed by the House of Tardy near the end of the EX epoch. Notable for using various mediums, such as sonics, heat, radiation and other types of radiant energy as a killing force. Most Mazan weapons were made to be adjusted to fire any number of energy forms. All Mazans may be identified by their lack of a muzzle—instead having a stubby, solid-faced head for firing. A significant drawback of the weapon is a certain fragility and a susceptibility to damage when immersed in water.  The powerpack for the weapon is also rather heavy.  The Mazan is used extensively in Xaphan space.

MELAZARR OF CAROLINE (Xaphan): Heiress of the Xaphan House of Caroline, born in the vast halls of Wilhelmina Castle. She is the 25th daughter of the current line. She has one father and ten mothers–the Carolines often indulge in the practice of gene-splicing to produce the most desirable of children. One genetic flag the Carolines always opt for is the potential for Arcane-Interface.

As familial giantism is common in the Carolines, Melazarr is a gigantic woman, standing 7’1 (as designated in the League) and weighing over 300 pounds of soild bone and muscle. She is typically very lank and skinny, hiding her impressive weight. Her hair is a fawnish-blonde color, though she often paints it green or blue.

Melazarr is a Tropist, skilled in creating sexual pleasure merely by touching non-erogenous parts of the body.

She suffers from debilitating shyness, a trait she disguises by wearing a bolabung that makes her extremely aggressive and debauched. Wearing the VERY MARY, she has ended up in the old Ruins of Caroline on Kana a record (so she claims) 57 times.

It is suspected that she is an Extra-Planar Entity known as a Merten.   A Merten is a person who, for unknown reasons, carries important messages from the Universe. A Merten is never aware of carrying these messages, and, extracting them is most often fatal to the Merten. When in the presence of a person known as the Kaidar Gemain, a Merten will fall into a trance speak, sing, or draw out the message they carry. Others seeking the messages would have to extract them via sex, burning, torture or drowning. Mertens often die divulging the information they carry.

MENK:  Evil guardian spirits from Vith folklore, Menks often dwell high in the mountains or in the deepest parts of the forests, always in uninhabited places.  They are described as lank, impossibly thin creatures wearing clawed metal harnesses on their forearms giving them the ability to scale walls and trees with ease. Menks often “wear” the heads of various woodland animals, or they can appear featureless with no face at all.

In Vith folklore, Menks guard valuable treasure, their presence indicating a hoard of treasure in the vicinity. They are also impossible to kill. They keep their internal organs hidden in a secure place called the “Bloodbox”. The only way to harm or kill a Menk is to locate their Bloodbox and destroy their organs. People who die in the forests while looking for a lost item are said to return from the dead as a Menk. Looking into the face of a Caul-de-Menk, a statue with hollow eyes, will, according to folklore, transform a person into a Menk. People born with “Menk-Sign” are supposedly pre-destined to become a Menk at some point in their lives A Menk Tree is a tree where Menks have hidden special items, including treasure.

MENK SIGN: Menk Sign appears to those who are pre-destined to become a Menk. Those who have it see themselves as monsters when looking into a mirror or have their picture taken.

MENK TREE: Menks are said to hide treasure and other items special to them in trees, they then guard the tree with charms and other magics.

MENTHOL:  Common slang name of any of a number of plants in the menthalia genus and related to the nightshade family of plants grown and harvested commonly on Bazz and the Xaphan world of Midas.   Menthols are known for their ability to induce any number of soothing and psychedelic effects upon a user–most often being smoked in a cigarette or pipe. Menthols affect the innate mental abilities of all Elder people, granting them the sensation that they are flying, galloping, and other such animal-like activities.  command of things seldom-used. For example, the common “Wolf Menthol” allows one who smokes it to briefly believe they have wolf-like abilities: running fast, enhanced strength, sense of smell, etc. Menthols of various types are very popular on Onaris, Bazz and in Xaphan space.

It is rumored that there are certain, highly potent types of menthols that actually can impart other-humanly abilities on those partaking in them by tapping into the innate mental abilities of the Elder-Kind. Such things are highly illegal in the League and closely monitored by the Sisterhood of Light.

MENTRALYSIS:  Method of communicating with the Subconscious developed by the Vehelm of Waam.  Using Mentralysis, one could communicate with a sleeping, comatose or stasis-locked person. The equipment and operation required for Mentralysis is sophisticated and expensive. The better the Mentralysis Deck, the more cohesive and understandable the unconscious person is. The League became aware of the practice by way of the Hospitaler order of Ephysians.  The Ephysians were amazed at how radically different the needs, wants and disposition of the subconscious mind vary from that of the waking mind (see Ghome, Edicts of). The Sisterhood of Light, upon learning of this discovery, quickly ruled it illegal, as, they argued the subconscious mind cannot be qualitatively or analytically defined. A Mentralysist is a person skilled at using the complicated mentralysis equipment and establishing a sound connection to the unconscious subject.

Mentralysist Archetypes:  Mentralysists have determined seven different types of subjects based on how different the Sleeping Self  (SS) is from the Waking Self (WS).  As follows:

DO: Diametric Opposite:  The SS is radically different from the WS in terms of wants, needs and personality. The SS and WS are actively at odds with the other.

SC: Significant Change:  The SS is significantly different from the WS in terms of temperament, needs and wants, though there might be some similarities.

NC: Noticeable Change:  The SS is similar to the WS, but will vary in topical ways in terms of likes/dislikes, loves and wants. These topical changes shall be noticable and readily apparent, though the basic personality of the SS and WS are the same.

U:    Ultra:     The Ultra is a median point. The Ultra might display traits of any of the other 6 Mentralysis Archtypes. The Ultra will always display/demonstrate skills and abilities in the SS that is not possessed by the WS. The SS will manifest skills and talents the WS does not have or has not trained/studied for.

MC:  Moderate Change: The changes between the SS and the WS are not readily apparent, though topical differences will become apparent with detailed analysis. The MC Archtype is the most common and documented.

RC:  Relative Comparison: The changes between the SS and WS are very difficult to determine. In an RC, the SS is very underdeveloped and beholden to the WS. RC’s are often quite young and develop into other Archtypes as they age.

L:   Like:  There is no identifiable difference between the SS and WS.  The SS does not appear to exist in an L Archtype’s mental makeup. The L Archtype is often temporary, manifested most often in children and disappears by early adulthood. An L Archtype often changes into an RC.

There is a final classification known as G, or Gamer. Any of the above classifications can be a Gamer. Mentralysists have discovered that the Sleeping Self, when boosted with certain neural stimuli, have very specific, very detailed dreams. Gamers can dream of places they have never been, and their dreams are accurate to the smallest detail. The stimulation required to create a Gamer can be very dangerous to the Waking Self and is practiced with extreme caution.

MERCI: Prolific type of Xaphan warship designed by the House of Sorranson. Small and fairly maneuverable, the Merci ships of old out-performed the old Webber-class of Fleet vessels, prompting the creation of the replacement Straylight class of warship in 00127ax.

MERENDRA (or MIRENDRA): A remote star system on the border between League and Xaphan space, and the “Eye of the Cat” in the Mertens constellation, Mirendra was the site of a Xaphan conspiracy, two titanic space battles and the final orbital outpost of the five Xaphans. Initially a Blue Giant, the presence of the five Xaphans dimmed it down to a white dwarf. The League later, using their canister missiles, reinvigorated Mirendra to a super large White Giant that sustained them for ages.

MERIAN, PILGRIMS OF: An offshoot of standard Elder religion founded by Holt of the Mountain, the Pilgrims of Merian search for a mythical star, the Star of Merian, where they believe the 25 Elders await. Though generally looked down on, the Pilgrims of Merian do much good work in both League and Xaphan space, and are known for their piety, charity and their raw nerve, often subjecting themselves to dangerous situations.  The Pilgrims generally eschew technology beyond the most basic and meager of requirements.  It is said by some that they have access to mystical objects of vast supernatural power, though that is unconfirmed.

The Merians write in a curious script. Although often given little regard, Merian writting is considered decorative and good luck in certain quarters of Kana. Merians are occasionally paid to decorate walls and buildings.

Many Pilgrims of Merian speak of having visited the Star of Merian itself, walking in a wondrous city they call Westwood, as it lies west of a great wood where the thoughts of the Elders can be heard. No such place has ever been confirmed.

MERIAN, STAR OF: A mythical “star” worshipped by the Pilgrims of Merian. They claim the star is of a large size and plainly visible by any world in both League and Xaphan space. They also say the star speaks to them, giving them “good news” to deliver to the rest of the League. No such star of great apparent magnitude has been discovered by any League or Xaphan stellar cartographer. Lady Virginia of Belmont often wrote that she could see the Star of Merian in the northwestern sky of Kana. She wrote it was large and yellow, plainly visible in broad daylight. She also wrote that the Star was wreathed in a twisting red cloud. She also claimed the star was trying to speak to her, though she couldn’t understand what it was saying.

MERIAN’S ROAD: An alleged conduit between space and time, the Merian’s Road supposedly allows the Pilgrim’s of Merian to cross vast distances without the need for a star-faring vessel. Impoverished and lacking in technical assets such as starships, the Merians do tend to get around the cosmos with ease and speed, possibly lending credence to the existence of such a road.

METATRON: City in the southern continent of Ergos, Metatron, in the Xaphan heyday, was called the City of Life and Death, a place of illusion and dark dreams. It was a place where Xaphan enemies were often brought, interrogated and killed. A large urban sprawl, Metatron attracted many Black Hats to call it their home, including Sygillis of Metatron. After Ergos was depowered after the defeat at Mirendra, Metatron was revealed for what it was, a dry, dark place of shapeless, windowless buildings.

MIDAS, HOUSE OF: Xaphan (Vith): Xaphan House of Vith ancestry who settled on the smoky world of Midas 6. The House of Midas is generally associated with the extinction of the House of Bodice, as the Bodice met their end in the smoky fissures of Midas 6, and their people have suffered the wrath of the League in response, however, it has been proved that the Midas had not yet settled on Midas 6 as the Bodice met their end.

MIDWIVES: Female Hulgismen used to abduct Shadow tech children upon their birth. The Black Cloister carefully monitors both Xaphan and League society for these rare births. When one is suspected to occur, they pull a contingent of female Hulgismen, place them into a deep Cloak and send them to observe the birth. If they see the Shadowmark, they will abduct the child immediately and return to the Black Cloister. They are forbidden to harm any they observe, even if discovered and attacked. Seldom seen due to their deep cloak, they are usually successful in abducting the children.

MILOS, LORD OF PROBERT (02997ax–) (–): Calvert: Small, roundish, brown-headed, Milos Lord of Probert was the League’s premier engineer. Nothing to look at, Milos had a keen mind from his early youth, designing an endless series of clever gadgets and devices. He revised and corrected several shortcomings of the old Webber class of starships designed by his father Wadlow. He then designed the mighty Straylight class to starship, his masterpiece. Years later, Milos designed the Triumph, a ship incorporating many new innovations, including SAR-Beams, warp drive engines and a matter/energy transporter. The ship was stolen by Princess Marilith of Xandarr with he and the Lady Branna of Fallz trapped aboard. Using his CEROS, Probert fought off the Fanatics of Nalls until finally being rescued by Sygillis of Metatron.Lord Probert was in love with Lady Poe of Blanchefort, and though she cherished him as a friend and cohort, she never returned his love. Eventually, he became attracted to and wed Lady Branna of Fallz after her husband passed away. They had four children together, the most notable being their youngest, Lord Lon, who got the best of both his parents and would one day become a hero to the tribes of Monama.

MIMS: Standard Fleet issue pistol of elaborate design carried at all times by command officers. Bearing ten shots, the MiMs is a much smaller caliber than the Marine SK pistol. A “beautiful” weapon, it was more a ceremonial device than a functional sidearm.

MING MOORLAND: A tyrannical patriarchy at 11pm past the edge of the Bell Nebula, Ming Moorland is a small grouping of planets not well understood by the League. They are generally shunned and given their space.

MISSIVE: Officer position in the Stellar Fleet. In older Fleet vessels, the Missive was responsible to all incoming and outgoing correspondence for the ship and had their own chair on the bridge. The Missive also controls access to the various sensory apparatus of the ship. Largely replaced in Straylight vessels by the Com Officer, the Missive was made obsolete and deleted altogether in the Triumph class of ships.

MOANE: A small industrial city on the large asteroid Zoran 6, Moane sat on the outskirts of the larger city of Nalls. Notable for its starship production factories, Moane was the only Xaphan stronghold still in operation after the disastrous Second Battle of Mirendra 3. Home to many Black Hat temples, the upstart Fanatics of Nalls often went to Moane to test the effectiveness of their latest gadgets and Gifts.

MOEDRON: A ferrous moon of Planet Fall, Moedron is in a steady descent into Planet Fall’s gassy interior. Moedron once occupied a stable orbit that missed most of Planet Falls dangerous radiation fields and was colonized, used as a staging area during the construction of Z-Encarr, Hoffman Plate and Deckard. In 000277EX, a comet collided with Moedron and knocked it off its orbit, sending it in a slow spiral into the face of Planet Fall. The colony there was mostly destroyed and eventually abandoned. It currently exists in Planet Fall’s lower thermosphere, well below the outer layer of clouds and also below the three man-made continents, Deckard, Z-Encarr and Hoffman Plate, where its passing creates gravitational chaos. Moedron is the fastest moving of any moon in the League, orbiting the giant Planet Fall three times in a single Kanan hour. Eventually, it will collide with Planet Fall’s core, causing the planet to ignite into a small star, though that is not expected for thousands of years. It is considered one of the most inhospitable places not only in the League, but anywhere in known space.

Though the old colony of Moedron was abandoned in 000278EX, stories of people remaining on the now fiery moon remain, and are known as the Famora (qv: the People of the Fire).

MOLLOCKS: (Unmarried Sideburns) A type of hairstyle worn by unmarried women of Bazz to announce their marital status. Mollocks are pieces of hair, either braided or unbraided, starting at the temples that are allowed to grow down to the collarbone or nape of the neck. In the traditional Bazz marriage ceremony, the final act is for the woman to cut her Mollocks off and present them to her husband.

MOLLY: Other (House A-Ram): —The MOLLY is a strange LosCapricos weapon. It is a golden charm, usually in the shape of a fish. The MOLLY is purported to allow the user to know things he or she should not know, and do things he or she shouldn’t be able to do. It is said using the MOLLY too much will bring a demon to steal the user’s soul, though this notion is unconfirmed.

MONAMA, HOUSE OF: The House of Monama hails from the south of Kana near the banks of the black Lake Monama. A secretive and aloof bunch, their House is the source of much mystery. It has been conjectured that the Monamas are not Elder-Kind, but in fact the original inhabitants of Kana and are thusly an alien species. Their odd appearance and vast Non-Gift powers support this theory.

Monamas are closely associated with Atrajak of Want, the “Hammer” of Remnath, whom they greatly admired and followed as an army for a time.

A typical Monama is thin and rather smallish, averaging between 5’3 and 5’6. Their complexion is a ghastly, chalk-like white while their hair is thick and jet black. There are two distinct tyes of Monamas, the Anuian, or Greater Monamas and the Conox, or Lesser Monamas. The Anuians were much larger and stronger than the Conox, but have largely fallen into extinction. The Conox, though smaller and weaker than the old Anuians, are much heartier and less suseptible to cold temperatures.  Except for their heads, their bodies are hairless. Both male and female Monamas sport long, talon-like fingernails which they normally paint black, and it is their tradition to wear them long and sharp. Their strangest and most disturbing feature is their eyes —which are black, like holes in their heads. It is said that they have an extra set of arms which they keep hidden—this has yet to be confirmed. They are extremely susceptible to cold temperatures and tend to shun colder climates.

Despite being rather small and thin, Monamas are incredibly strong and durable, being much stronger than a standard Elder-Kind, though the Elder Gift of Strength sometimes surpasses theirs. They are also extremely fast with great endurance.

Monamas are also highly prolific breeders. With a gestation period of only three months and a typical clutch of young numbering eight to twelve at a time, a typical Monama family can number in the dozens.

They also appear to have a number to mystical powers the length of which are yet to be fully disclosed. A shy and reclusive bunch, Monamas generally make most of their living by using their ability to clearly see the future, for which they are highly prized. It is said that they, apart from living in the twilight, fog-bound banks of Lake Monama, also have a sizable underground city named Asthketh, and that they worships a strange fish-like creature swimming in the black depths of the lake.

Their House has never been on a high level in League Society. This is partially due to their reclusiveness, reluctance to participate in League Society and their odd appearance. Despite this, they are solid assets and have consistently sided with the League over their enemies, the Xaphans.

House Monama is something of a misnomer, as the name Monama actually refers to many tribes that live near Lake Monama.

The most well known of these tribes: Derathon, Minzer, Nebulon, Astralon, Zerb, Fphenook, Cardinal

MONAMA, LAKE: A deep lake in the south central of Kana’s southern continent, Lake Monama is a place continually shrouded in fog and a thick gray overcast—due to lake effects. It is a huge lake, being a fresh-water sea about a thousand miles long and two hundred miles at its widest.  The legendary Atrajak of Want was said to have died in Lake Monama.

MONICA:  Nickname of a long, slim dagger used by the Stellar Marines.  The official designation for the dagger  is the Niles A42 Combat Knife. The origin of the name “Monica” in relation to the knife is not known.

MOONGLOW: A large gold and silver dagger forged in the Xandarr fashion, “Moonglow” was carried for over eighty years by Princess Marilith of Xandarr. Legend tells Moonglow was commissioned by King Hezru of Xandarr as a wedding gift for his daughter, Princess Marilith. With a hilt of gold and a blade of silver, Moonglow was also encrusted with various precious stones. Princess Marilith was said to be very fond of the beautiful dagger and wore it strapped to her leg quite often. As she fell in love with Davage, Lord of Blanchefort, she used Moonglow to mingle their blood in the Telmus Grove, and was wearing it during their ill-fated wedding.

Ever after, Marilith swore to plunge Moonglow into Davage’s heart, and into her heart at the same time. In her many battles in space with Captain Davage later, she always had Moonglow with her. After her apparent death on Gelt, Princess Marilith became a celebrated Xaphan hero. Various quests were undertaken to locate and recover Moonglow, as it was believed to be an artifact of great power. The blade of Moonglow was said to change in size as the situation required.

MT CALM: Club (House Woolover) —A rather modest LosCapricos weapon, the MT CALM is a medium-sized wooden club, usually carved in a mosaic depicting some story or other event pertinent to House Woolover doings. It is turned from heartwood of the acacia tree, sacred of the Elder Auld using blessed gouges. When striking a victim, the MT CALM has the effect of greatly subduing the person, either putting them to sleep altogether or calming them to the point of total passivity. As a bizarre side-effect, the MT CALM transforms beers and spirits at a prodigious rate into clear, cold water, able to drain a barrel of grog with a single hit. It is said the MT CALM is the only LosCapricos weapon designed by a woman, Countess Thomasina of Woolover who was a noted prohibitionist. It is said she and a group of similarly minded Ladies would storm various pubs and drinking establishments and, using the MT CALM, clear the place and destroy the booze within.

MYSTERY LIBRARY: A 3,000 square foot library on the 50th floor of Xyotel Tower in Castle Blanchefort.  Xyotel Tower was shared between Sarah and Phillip of Blanchefort, the twin children of Lady Poe.  From an early age, Sarah exhibited a love of reading and collecting books. Her favorite books were those pertaining to ghost stories, monsters, unsolved mysteries, urban legands and other related lore, and she soon had a large collection that became too massive for the small reading rooms she and her brother frequented. Carahil, an elemental spirit created by Lady Poe and a frequent visitor came to Sarah and informed her that he had “cleaned out” a large space for her on the dissused 50th floor of her tower and that she should move her collection there.

Sarah proved to be a meticulous and well-organized girl. Soon, she had the vast empty space on the 50th floor organized into an orderly and well-stocked library that she called the “Mystery Library.”  Sarah, Phillip and their cousin Kay liked the space so much they designated it as their clubhouse and usual hanging-out area. Sarah moved in chairs and tables, terminals, coolers and other essentials. Sarah was very particular about the library and  even designated who was allowed to enter and who wasn’t with a slate hanging over the door.

The Mystery Library was the first of a number of “Minor Temples” dedicated to Carahil (making the innocent Sarah its defacto High Priestess).  It was a Safe Zone where Carahil often kept important items, including: The Skull of Ondecca, a book stolen from the Sisterhood stronghold of Hiei, a Brightstone, Battlebourne and the RECUITOR. It was mystically linked to other “Temples of Carahil” and Sarah could emerge from any them. Other Temples she discovered, were: The Cat God Bar in Blanchefort Village, 1000 Carahil Park on Xandarr and the Smoking Room on Hoban. Additionally, perishable things tended to stay lively and vibrant in the Library, as food placed in the cooler by Sarah and forgotton all winter was still fresh the following spring.

copyright 2015, Ren Garcia