The Waters Rising
Sheri S. Tepper
Dedication
My gratitude to LuAnn Breckenridge
who proofread, shook her head,
allowed “This could be better said.”
And would not let me just play dead.
Cast of Characters
Abasio—a wanderer with a mysterious mission
abbot, the—leader of Wilderbrook Abbey
Alicia—Duchess of Altamont, holder of the Old Dark House, daughter of Mirami
Bang, Mrs.—servant of Genieve
Bartelmy Fletcher—Woldsgard youngster, crossbowman, part of Xulai’s escort
Bear—“Great Bear of Zol,” a Tingawan warrior appointed to guard Xulai
Benjobz—owner of an inn and a pond called Benjobz
Belika—aunt of Nettie Lean, a convenient person for Nettie to have known of
Big Blue—a horse with a history
Black Mike—a smith, driver, fixer, part of Xulai’s escort
Bright Pearl—a Tingawan girl of no particular importance
brothers—Rahas, Pol, Aalon, and others; interchangeable functionaries of the abbey
Brother Derris—a very individual functionary
Chamfray—Mirami’s chamberlain and close associate
Crampocket Cullen—penny-pinching steward of Woldsgard
Dame Cullen—Crampocket’s wife, a managerial type
Dobbich—servant of Genieve
Falyrion—Duke of Kamfels, Mirami’s first husband
Falredi—Falyrion’s son with his first wife
Farrier brothers—Willum and Clive; drivers, workmen from Woldsgard, part of Xulai’s escort
Gahls—king of Ghastain, Mirami’s second husband
Genieve—Falredi’s older sister, onetime sweetheart of Justinian
Ghastain—historic personage, conquerer, despot, Huold’s lord
Hallad, Prince Orez—descendant of Huold
Horsemaster—master of most everything in Woldsgard
Huold the Heroic—historic personage, heavily mythologized; Ghastain’s companion, Lythany’s father
Hulix—son of Mirami and Falyrion; he became Duke of Kamfels after Falredi’s death
Jenger—Alicia’s consort of a certain sort
Justinian—Duke of Wold; husband of Xu-i-lok, the Woman Upstairs
Lok-i-xan, Prince—most important man in Tingawa; father of Xu-i-lok, the Woman Upstairs
Lythany—historic personage; Huold’s daughter, ancestress of Justinian and Orez
Mirami, Queen—widow of Falyrion; fourth wife of King Gahls; mother of Alicia, Hulix, and Rancitor
Naila—first wife of Falyrion, mother of Falredi and Genieve
Nettie Lean—seamstress, lady’s maid, part of Xulai’s escort
Oldwife Gancer—Xulai’s nursemaid when she was a baby and part of her escort
Orez—the name of Hallad’s mother’s family, from whom the lands of Orez were inherited
Pecky Peavine—a farmer and drover, Bartelmy’s cousin, part of Xulai’s escort
Precious Wind—the Norland name of a Tingawan woman, Xu-xin, guardian of Xulai
prior, the—elder brother, second in command at Wilderbrook Abbey
Rancitor, Prince—son of King Gahls and Queen Mirami, half brother of Hulix and Alicia
sisters—Tomea, Solace, and other abbey functionaries
Wainwright—chief craftsman of Wold, particularly of rolling stock
Wordswell—elder brother, librarian in charge of the vast Wilderbrook Abbey library
Xulai—“Precious Hope.” A Tingawan girl appointed as Xakixa, soul carrier, for Xu-i-lok
Xu-i-lok—Tingawan princess, daughter of Lok-i-xan, wife of Justinian; also called “the Woman Upstairs”
Places: Rivers, Roads, Mountains, Towns
Ghastain: Any country or area at one time conquered by Ghastain. Since this included a great deal of territory, most of the conquered peoples simply continued using the names they had used before they were conquered, and Ghastain did not linger long enough in any one place to notice. Ghastain’s original lands were far south and east of Norland.
Norland: A vast conquered area north of Ghastain’s original homeland, including Wold, Kamfels, Altamont, Orez, the Highlands of Ghastain, the King’s Highland, Elsmere, Merhaven, and a good deal of other, unmapped territory.
Wold: In the northwest of Norland, a pastoral duchy surrounded by mountains and cliffs, with Orez to the west, the Highlands of Ghastain to the east, Kamfels to the north, and Altamont to the south. It has one major river, the Woldswater Running, rising from streams in the north and ending in Lake Riversmeet. It has two major roads—the Wolds Road, paralleling the Woldswater, and the King’s Road, crossing from east to west at Lake Riversmeet—plus many narrow roads connecting villages and giving access to various forest areas. It has several sizeable towns, including Hay, Harness, and Hives, plus a plethora of small villages. Its capital is at Woldsgard, in the north, and this citadel is surrounded by a market town.
Kamfels: Kamfels is a forested duchy with many fisheries. It is bounded by Ragnibar Fjord on the south, the sea on the west, the trackless forests on the north and east. It has several towns, at the ocean side, and numerous crofts and mills on the mountains. Its capital is at Kamfelsgard. Under Hulix, its present duke, it has acquired a reputation for bellicosity.
Altamont: Altamont is bounded by Wold on the north, the Icefang Mountains on the west, the area around Lake of the Clouds on the south, and the great cliffs on the east. It is a hereditary duchy occupied by farmers in the valley, foresters on the western mountains, miners (at a previous time), and some freshwater fisheries at Lake of the Clouds. Its villages are scattered, it has no towns, and many of its people have moved south, away from Altamont and into the upper reaches of Elsmere.
Orez: Orez includes the large island of Elsmere, the fiefdoms along the opposite shore, and a very large tract of country from the Great Dune Coast inland to the mountains. Much of it is unoccupied and those who live there are intensely independent, well armed, and fierce. It is ruled by Hallad, Prince Orez, who inherited the lands from his mother’s people. He is half brother to Ghals, by far the better half. The fiefdoms lying on the west slope of the Icefangs are, south to north:
Wellsport: ruled by the Port Lords
Marish: ruled by Earl Murkon of Marish, Prince Orez’s second son
Chasmgard: ruled by Defiance, Count Chasm, Prince Orez’s eldest son
Combe: ruled by Hale Highlimb, called Treelord
Vale: ruled by the Free Knights, horse breeders
The Dragdown Swamps: This area includes the western slope of the King’s Highland south of the great falls, plus the western end of the Eastern Valley, all of it previously riddled with old mine shafts and tunnels that flood in wet weather and are a source of difficulty for travelers.
The Big Mud: A vast area of mire, a swale of enormous extent that accumulates water during wet seasons and seldom dries to any great extent. People attempting to cross the Big Mud are often lost. The Big Mud has recently been invaded by the waters rising and is now a swamp populated by swamp creatures, including many birds.
The Great Dune Coast: An area of sand dunes along the eastern shore
