Blood Challenge

GLOSSARY

Historically, lupus clans in Europe and Britain used Latin to communicate with each other for much the same reason it was adopted by the Church—the need for a unifying tongue. Their version of the language evolved, as languages will, into a thoroughly bastardized tongue likely to make classical scholars wince. In addition, there are a few words in the lupus tongue that have no known derivation. Lupi claim these words come from an ancient language that predates Latin, but since Latin predates 1000 BCE, experts consider this unlikely.

The use of Latin to communicate between the clans is dying out now, since so many lupi speak English as a first or second language, though it’s still considered essential for a Rho and his sons, who must negotiate with other clans. Several of the words and phrases remain useful, though, since they have no obvious English equivalent. Below are a few of the words and phrases any lupus would know.

amica: Uncommon, but still used. Means friend/girlfriend (fem); a lupus might call a male friend of the same clan adun, from adiungo (to join to, connect, associate).

ardor iunctio: Literally, fire of joining. Symbolic fire used at some ceremonies, most notably the gens compleo.

certa: A place of ice and clarity, where sensation is sharp enough to cut and action flows too swiftly for thought. It’s a battle state; sensations heightened, thought clear but altered. Opposite of furo.

drei: Tithe or head tax; it’s a percentage of income or wealth given to the clan.

du: Honor, face, history, reputation; has magical component. Predates Latin.

firnam: Derivation unknown; a memorial for one fallen in battle.

fratriodi: Brother-hate. A grave sin among the lupi.

furo: Also called “the fury.” Battle fury or madness. Clanless lupi are especially subject to it, but it can happen to those within a clan, though it’s rare.

gens amplexi: Literally, clan embrace; ceremony of adoption into clan. From gens (clan, tribe, people) and amplexor (embrace, welcome, love) .

gens compleo: Literally, clan to fill up or complete; the ceremony in which a young lupus (at age twenty-four) is confirmed as an adult clan member.

gens subicio: Subicio means to put under or expose; to subject; to place near or present. When one Rho dies and a new one assumes the mantle, a gens subicio is held at which each member of a clan presents himself to his new Rho and ritually submits.

Lu Nuncio: Normally, a Rho’s acknowledged heir; also acts as enforcer/prosecutor/second in command as needed. (Note: Leidolf has separated the heir from the Lu Nuncio.) Nuncio is from nuncupo—to name or pronounce solemnly. Derivation of lu unknown, but may be short form of lupi.

nadia: Mate (fem); from nodus -i m.—a knot; a girdle; any tie, bond, connection, obligation; also a knotty point or difficulty.

ospi: Out-clan friend or friend of the clan; from hospes (host, guest-friend, stranger).

Rhej: The title of a clan’s bard/historian/priestess. Also predates Latin.

Rho: The ruler/leader of a lupus clan. Derivation unknown; legend says it predates Latin.

seco: Part of “to call seco”—to call the ceremony that removes a lupus from his clan.

surdo: An unflattering name for humans (m). From surdus (deaf, unwilling to hear, insensible).

T’eius ven: The intimate or informal form of V’eius ven.

terra tradis: The private area where a clan’s male youngsters go before their First Change and live until they learn control. Tradis is a bastardized form of trado (to bequeath, to teach), so it means “the teaching ground.”

thranga: A form of war in which the clans unite under a single battle leader against a common enemy; traditionally it requires the Lady’s summons, but the nature of that summons may be disputed. Predates Latin.

V’eius ven: Probably derived from a phrase meaning “go in her [the Lady’s] grace,” though some sources suggest “ven” may be from venor (hunt) rather than venia (grace), or even from vena (blood vessel or penis). This form is largely ceremonial.

vesceris corpi: A major insult—translates literally as “eater of corpses” and implies taking a certain carnal pleasure in the act.

Unusual (non-Latin) words fromBlood Challenge

Binai: The race of Arjenie’s half sister, Dya. They live in one of the sidhe realms.

Divina’hueli: A sidhe kin name. Eledan is also related to this family, but is not considered a member.

Jidar: From the Binee language. It denotes kinship where there are no blood ties. In our world, for example, a mother-in-law or a stepsister would be considered jidar relatives. Dya’s Binai family considers Arjenie—who is sister to their daughter—a jidar relation.

Sha’almuireli: A sidhe kin name, one of the Hundred. (The sidhe use only a hundred surnames.) Arjenie’s father, Eledan, is a member of the Sha’almuireli.