Matark: Lubal’s hornface riding mount; also a constellation depicting same. [3]
Mar’toolar: an almost completely landlocked province in central Land, known for its great plains. The only place on Land where agriculture is practiced extensively. Provincial color: pink. [1]
Master of the Faith: the High Priest and spiritual advisor to the Emperor or Empress; presides over Capital City’s Hall of Worship. During Afsan’s lifetime, the Masters of the Faith were Det-Yenalb (up to 7110), Det-Bogkash (from 7110 to 7128), and Det-Edklark (beginning in 7128). [1]
Mekt: one of the original five hunters; she was the first bloodpriest until she repudiated the job as inappropriate for a layer of eggs. Associated with the color purple. [1]
Mekt, Cape of: in southern Fra’toolar, near the site of the space ark. [2]
Mokleb (Nav-Mokleb): developer of "the talking cure"; a female psychologist from Pack Loodo in Mar’toolar who treated Sal-Afsan. [3]
Mondark (Dar-Mondark): the palace healer. He treated Sal-Afsan in 7109 after Afsan had felled a great thunderbeast
and again in 7130 when Afsan’s head was kicked by a hornface. [1]
moons: the Face of God has fourteen natural satellites orbiting around it, including the Quintaglio world (the innermost moon), Big One (second closest to the Face), Sprinter, Swift Runner, Dancer, Gray Orb, the Guardian, and Slowpoke (the outermost moon). [1]
Morb: ( –7131) the chief of security for the Others. [3]
Nasfedeter: the sailing ship that in 7110 transported Dy-Dybo from Jam’toolar to Capital City to take the throne. [1]
Nesster: (7098–7128) male, the apprentice governor of Mar’ toolar. [2]
newsrider: a Quintaglio who travels from Pack to Pack on a runningbeast, bringing news. [1]
nictitating membrane: the semi-transparent inner Quintaglio eyelid. [1]
Noltark (Pal-Noltark): a male painter whose book The Wing-fingers of Land supposedly contains a painting of every species of wingfinger. [3]
Novato (Wab-Novato): (7094– ) a female Quintaglio from Pack Gelbo who invented the far-seer in 7105 and became leader of the exodus project in 7110. [1]
Nunard rift: part of the subduction zone between the two tectonic plates that form the continent of Land; an old royal marble quarry, known for pristine white stone, was located near it, but was closed after a series of landquakes. [1]
odd-day: an odd-numbered day within a kiloday. [1]
odd-night: the night of an odd-numbered day; most Quintaglios sleep on odd-nights. [1]
One, The: prophesied by Lubal, a male Quintaglio who would be the greatest hunter of all time. The name "The One" is sometimes applied to Sal-Afsan. [1]
Orange Wingflnger: an inn near Capital City’s docks, favored by discerning mariners. [1]
original five hunters: Lubal, Mekt, Katoon, Hoog, and Belbar. according to the first sacred scroll, these five females were created from the fingers of the severed left hand of God. [1]
original five mates: Varkev, the first explorer; Dargo, the original healer; Takood, the first scholar; Jostark, the craftsperson before all others; and Detoon the Righteous, the first priest. According to the first sacred scroll, these five males were created from the fingers of the severed right hand of God. [2]
Oro (Pod-Oro): (7067–7128) male; aide to Governor Dy-Rodlox of Edz’toolar, killed by Sal-Afsan in the mass dagamant of 7128. [2]
Osbkay volcano: a volcano near Pack Gelbo. [1]
Osfik (Var-Osfik): a female Quintaglio holding the post of Arbiter of the Sequence. [2]
Others: a species of carnosaur closely related to Quintaglios but smaller in stature and with yellow skin and eyes, living on an archipelago north of the equator on the nearside hemisphere of the Quintaglio moon. [3]
Otok: a port town in Fra’toolar. [2]
pace: standard Quintaglio unit of linear measure, used for both length and height. Approximately equal to one meter. [1]
Pack: the principal Quintaglio social group. Also pack, a hunting party. [1]
Pador: the sculptor who made the statue of Larsk in the central square of Capital City. [1]
Pakta tannery: a large facility for tanning hides located near Yabool’s home in Capital City. [2]
Paldook: a mate aboard the Dasheter. [1]
Palsab (Gerth-Palsab): a pious, illiterate female citizen of Capital City who engages Sal-Afsan in an argument about his worldview. [1]
Parnood: a coastal mining town; the ill-fated sailing ship Galadoreter was blown back to shore near it. [1]
Passalat sandstones: the finest grained sandstones in all of Land, known for their magnificent fossils (including bird fossils). [2]
Patpel: the second planet of the Quintaglio sun, small and rocky. [1]
Paturn: a young male Quintaglio nurse working at the imperial surgery. [1]
Pettit: Sal-Af$an’s female apprentice. [3]
pheromones: airborne chemicals secreted by Quintaglios that elicit behavioral responses in other members of that race. [1]
pilgrimage: ritual retracing of Larsk’s ocean voyage of kiloday 6959 in which he first sighted the Face of God. A Quintaglio must be at least ten kilodays old to take the pilgrimage; a pilgrimage ship holds station beneath the Face for ten even-days and ten odd-days, during which thirty-seven penances are performed and the nine sacred scrolls devoted to Larsk’s journey are studied. [1]
Pilgrimage Guild: founded by Larsk, an organization certifying sailors to perform pilgrimages; all mariners of note belong to it. [1]
Pironto (Dem-Pironto): a deceased imperial hunt leader, gored by a triple hornface; succeeded by Jal-Tetex. [1]
pistaral: a type of plant thunderbeasts like to eat. [3]
planets: the planets of the Quintaglio sun, in order out from it, are Carpel, Patpel, Davpel (all rocky worlds), Kevpel (a ringed gas giant), the Face of God (a gas giant), Bripel (another ringed gas giant), and the rocky worlds of Gefpel and Apripel. [1]
Polemic on Battles: a famous writing by Keladax; it says that the most important thing you can have on your side is being right in the eyes of God. [3]
Porgon: individual in charge of palace protocol. [3]
Pradak (Gan-Pradak): the chief palace engineer. [2]
praenomen syllable: a component of an adult Quintaglio’s name; a prefix chosen by the bearer upon completing the rites of passage. It is usually the first syllable of the name of the individual’s patron or of an admired historical figure. Examples include Del-, a common praenomen for priests, derived from Detoon the Righteous, and Mek-, frequently chosen by bloodpriests, in honor of Mekt. Sal-Afsan’s praenomen is in honor of Tak-Saleed, his teaching master; Saleed’s commemorates Takood, the first scholar; Var-Keenir’s is in honor of Varkev, the first explorer; and Kee-Toroca’s is in honor of Keenir himself. Provincial governors always take a praenomen in honor of the current Emperor or Empress (as in Len-Haktood and Dy-Rodlox), whereas the head of state always takes a praenomen in honor of himself or herself (as in Len-Lends and Dy-Dybo). [1]
Prath: funereal site a half-day’s march southwest of Capital City; a basalt field where bodies are laid out for predators to claim. [2]
prayer neckband: a leather band worn during prayer by those who haven’t yet received the two tattoos marking completion of the rites of passage. [1]
Prophet: name given to Larsk; also, for a time, the constellation of the Hunter was renamed this in honor of him. [1]