A number of readers of The Scarlet Cavern have complained about an inability to keep all the Taitalan names and terminology straight. So, in order to help with that, I have updated the Kindle file on Amazon with a glossary of the Taitalan words used in the book (as well as the map I posted a few days ago). It’s posted below for anyone wanting to review.
aJia’jara – (AH-gia-jara) A Taitalan male in Phan-garad.
Alag – (AH-lag) a beverage distilled from fruit; similar to wine.
Awasa-late – (ah-wa-suh-LAH-tay) sister-wife; used as a form of address and sometimes term of endearment between wives.
Awasa-lina – (ah-wa-suh-LEE-nah) mother-wife; the senior female among a tsulygoi’s wives and typically the one responsible for overall management of his household. May or may not be the first wife claimed.
Busang – (BOO-sang) a predator similar to a black, six-legged mountain lion.
Cunelo – (coo-NAY-lo) one of the Taitalan races. They have rabbit-like ears and tails.
Dubigar – (DO-big-are) a fruit; its juice can be used in healing.
Dwenda – (DWEN-duh) one of the Taitalan races. They have pale skin and pointed ears.
iXa’aliq – (ih-SHE-a-leek) A Taitalan male; Kisarat and Narilora’s first tsulygoi.
Kabayang – (KA-buh-yang) a domestic animal resembling a six-legged orange llama.
Kiralabar – (cur-AH-la-bar) a flower. It can be distilled into a narcotic-like drug.
Kumala – (coo-MA-la) the second star in the Taitalan system.
Kumala-talon – (coo-MA-la-ta-lun) a unit of time equal to one circuit of Kumala across the Taitalan sky, which takes about 40 talons.
Langoy – (LAN-goy) meteorite iron.
Linyang – (LIN-yang) one of the Taitalan races. They have cat-like ears and tails.
Makalang – (MAH-kuh-lang) a legendary creature roughly analogous to Bigfoot.
Malvina – (mal-VEE-nuh) a liquor distilled from alag.
Massit – (MAH-sit) a beverage brewed from ground nuts and seeds. Similar to coffee.
Matsak – (MAT-sack) a small animal resembling a six-legged black koala.
Nalasin – (nuh-LA-sin) the state of a wife who has mated and whose tsulygoi has died, or of a wife who left her tsulygoi after mating. She is expected to live alone and not mate again.
Panikang – (PA-nih-kang) one of the Taitalan races.
Pikala – (pi-KA-lah) a unit of money.
Sampar – (SAM-par) a period of time equal to ten days.
Sorai – (SO-rye) one of the Taitalan races. They have fox-like ears and tails.
Talalong – (TA-luh-long) one of the Taitalan races. They have snake-like tails, scales, and venomous fangs.
Talon – (TA-lun) the Taitalan year, equal to 72 sampars.
Tatanga – (tuh-TANG-ga) the third star in the Taitalan system.
Tsulygoi – (SOO-lih-goy) a Taitalan male who has claimed at least one wife. The term is generally used as an honorific form of address by his wives.