Glossary of Zaangaardian words/places/people ect.

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raixel
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Glossary of Zaangaardian words/places/people ect.

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Ohhsis -(body part) (pro. oh HISSis) The thick layer of flesh directly underneath a lizar's scales and skin that gives their skin a thick padded look. In a healthy well fed lizar it can be up to three inches thick. This layer helps their cold blooded bodies store heat from external sources, allowing them to move longer in colder places than other reptiles as well as acts as a sort of natural armor to protect them from cuts and blows.

Blackscale wasting - A horrific but fortunately extremely rare disease affecting lizar. In Pathfinder Kassah's words:
"Blackscale wasting has severe physical symptoms. In the beginning the scales become shrivelled and flake off in patches, leaving painful greyish rotten looking areas. As the disease progresses, the ohhsis, that thick flesh "padding" -for lack of a better word- we lizar have between our skin and our muscles wastes away and turns into a blackish jelly, the cause of the progessively darkening black skin tone and the source of the name." She shivers and looks repulsed for a minute before continuing.

"Believe me, in its final stages it is repulsive and completely obvious as most scales rot off leaving raw patches oozing black jelly and parts of the body look skeletal and the extremities freakishly black and swollen where the liquified ohhsis tissue collects. Fortunately the effects are so terrifying that although it isnt extremely contagious, it is contagious enough andany sane liza will stay away on the even slightest chance they could be exposed. So you see, we need to have at least one wagon for that idea to work. But since I havent actually told anyone, we still can come up with other plans to keep this quiet." she explains.


ch¿a'kil - (body part) (pro. kht*click*ah'KILL) A small black eye-like spot that some arachne have on their faces near their four eyes. The arachne believe taht having the ch¿a'kil spot allows brief glimpses of other being's pasts and futures, as well as visions. Such glimpses aren't usually clear, just hazy images and feelings. Arachne with ch¿a'kil spend their lives wandering, teaching, and aiding others.

Kass - part of a name (pro. KAHS) This is a common beginning of a name for female lizar. In an ancient no longer spoken lizar dialect "kass" was the word for "beauty".

lasstiir - A carnivorous swamp predator. It has hairless grey-green skin, a face like a baboon and the body of a feline. It is about 5 feet long and 3 feet high at the shoulder. It climbs trees using its powerful legs, long prehensile tail and retractable claws, where it waits to drop down on unsuspecting prey that passes beneath it. Normally lassiir avoid the sentient Zaangaardians, but a desperate or starving one may attack a traveler or caravan.

hsssir - (title) (pro. HSSS'eer)an adult male lizar who has passed an adulthood test.

Hsssir test- the test that a noble Makan male must pass to be considered an adult. Usually involves leaving the city on a brief quest. Lizar who fail are no longer considered members of their house or nobility, and if they return to the city must take up residence with the common people, usually at a disadvantage because they have never been trained for a craft and are not allowed to have noble sponsorship. Common Makan lizar have a lesser version of the same test, usually involving finishing a craft apprenticeship by producing an item from said craft to the standards of the apprentice's master.

Hissssa - (person) (pro. HISS'a) A legenday warrior who went to fight Chaos a few years ago. Many tales are told about him. Also a popular name for males.

Scion - (title) a child of parents who are nobles. Said in order like 'first scion' = firstborn and so on.

Ten Great Houses -(noun) the ten noble families of the city-state of Makan, the head males of which rule on the council.

Glyph - (noun) a physical representaton of a lizar's formal name.

Kakkiss - (title) (pro. kak'KISS) a child, a warrior-in-training who has not passed their adulthood test. Also used towards an adult as an insult implying inexperience or weakness

Kacikkhss - (interjection) (pro. ka'SEEK'kahss) An exclamation wuth no drect translation, similar to a sigh or going 'hmph!'

Drikkssa - (unit of time) (pro. drik'KASSA) Lterally 'mating-cycle', which measures the time between when all lizar females become fertile(in the late spring). The period is just a little less than a standard human year, and used by lizars to keep track of time. Most elders refer to it by the name drikkssa, younger lizar usually just say 'cycle' except when speaking to a lizar of higher rank.
'Cycle' can be seen as disrespectful, as it refers to the ACTUAL fertility of the female, not just the unit of time between fertilities, although this meaning is slowly fading away among the younger generations, and only an older noble female would take offence at the term.

Chak! - (exclamation) (pro. CHACK) An exclamation similar to Enough! or Quiet!

Sshin - (title) (pronounced SSSIN) Form of address used by a sevant to a noble of the house they serve. Sa'sshin is used as an address to all nobles by lizar of lesser rank.

Makan -(place) The main city-state of the lizar. Although there are lizar living outside of Makan in villages, Makan is responsible for all laws and customs relating to lizar life. It is ruled by ten noble families who sit in council, with the hereditary position of house leader and council seat being passed down from father to the son he views as most worthy. Noble families are ranked in power with the first having the most and the tenth having least. Non-noble Makan may petition either an individual member of a noble house (usually the head female of said house, who then relays the information to her partner), or the council itself to hear a grievance. It is up to the noble or the council if they listen at all or act on the grievance.

Makan - (person) A slang term for a lizar living in makan, usually used by lizar outside of Makan. Lizar from Makan can be identified by their dress and speech, which differs from those living outside of the city. Lizar living in Makan can also tell the difference between nobles and non-nobles due to the way that nobles carry themselves and their finer clothes. It takes a concious effort for a noble to hide their status and pass as common among the commoners. (Disguise check)

ressk - (fruit) (pro. RESK) A small orange citrus fruit with a thick pebbly skin and greenish oily pulp. It is inedibly bitter, but the oil produced from squeezing the fruit is used to treat wood against decay from moisture. It has an astringent andspicy scent similar to citrus crossed with cinnamon.

grahhssk (beast) - (pro. GRAH'sshk) A large two legged herbavore lizard used by Zaangaardians as beasts of burden, although their backs are too sloped to ride without a special saddle. A grahhssk stands about 6 feet at the shoulder and weighs around 400 lbs, most of that weight in the leg muscles. Covered in dull green scales with bright orange and black stripes, a grahhssk has a long slender neck and small head for its size. Their forearms are atrophied and all but useless, but their back legs are powerfully muscled. Large splayed feet with webbed toesand dull but long claws make it easy for a grahhssk or two to pull a fully loaded swamp-wagon through the mud or even standing water. The feet can be used to tell a grahhssk's age. As they get older, the webbing becomes tattered and the scales of the feet harder and more ragged looking. Female grahhssks are larger than males, averaging 450lbs and 4-6 inches taller than a male, and are usually used as beasts of burden, while the smaller, quicker males are used as riding animals. Although normally docile creatures, a female grahhssk who is preparing to nest and lay eggs can become snappish and grouchy, and experienced handlers know that she should not be hitched to a caravan lest she start looking to nest on the journey. Grahhssk have a strong smell to mammals, similar to a cross between fish and marsh water. There are no more wild populations of grahhssk in Zaangaard, although there are quite a few grahhssk ranches and breeding operations in the swamps.

Swamp-deer - (beast) A swamp deer is much smaller than a white-tailed deer, closer in size to a very small blacktail. Males average 100lbs, females 80lbs. They have much longer legs than other deer species, suitable for wading through marshy and swampy areas. Bucks are about 3ft at the shoulder and 5 feet long. Their horns are tri-branching, and look kind of like a curving trident. Unlike other deer, bucks do not shed and regrow their horns, and the horns grow througout a derr's life. The longest horns on record were 3 1/2feet long each from an ancient buck killed by the famed lizar tracker Hisssdlok. Ocasionally a buck is found with more than 3 points. These bucks are held sacred by the priests of certain swamp-lizar villages. Mature deer have a short but thick solid dark greyicoat and a bright auburn tail and underbelly, while fauns have a brown spots that fade as they age and a dull brown underbelly. This bright red tail has also led them to be called 'thhss-likkh' (red-flag) by the swamp lizar. They have excellent hearing and sight, alhough their sense of smell isnt good. Shy creatures, they would rather flee from danger than fight, although if cornered, a buck will not hesitate to try to gore with his sharp horns.

blackbark tree -A common tree in the swamp. It has dark brown, nearly black bark., and small dark-green oval leaves. As the tree grows, the bark splits, becoming soft and fiberous. The bark makes a good tinder due to its fiberous consistency and most tracker survival kits have a stock of it.

Broadleaf watertree - Another common swamp tree. This tree has huge pliable light green teardrop shaped leaves. The leaves are useful for wrapping packages, as due to their high water content, they dry out very slowl and do not become brittle. The bark can be peeled in thick sheets, similar to birch only thicker, and is used by the swamp lizars as shingling material. Trackers know that on some older trees, a large bole grows where the branches join the trunk. If this bole is pierced with a hollow tube and a bucket is set underneath, within a few hours a gallon or so of fresh clear water will be produced. This can be useful in areas where he wtaer is unsafe to drink.

sssathhik - (plant) (pro. sa'THEEK) A bush that produces a small green berry about the size of a pea. The berries have a small red leaf-cap that attaches it to the stem. The caps are discarded when used, as they leave an unpleasant earthy taste to food. These berries are used in stews, and have a flavor similar to rosemary mixed with thyme. To use, the berries are crushed and placd within a muslin bag, which is dropped in the stew during cooking and removed before eating. The berries act as a thickener and flavoring, although they are too tough to be eaten directly. An ounce of fresh sssathhik berries is worth 7 silver, and an ounce of dried worth the same, as the dried berries must be soaked before use and are not as sought after.

sssaj (plant) (pro SAHJE) A plan which produces a white pod about 3 inches long and 2 inches wide. The pods are picked and dried before they open. Inside each pod is a multitude of tiny black seeds about the size of a poppy seedthat taste similar to black pepper. The seeds are used as flavoring in cooking, or sprinkled on top of prepared food. When dry and full of seeds, a fresh sssaj pod makes a sound like a rattle and lizar housewives can be seen shaking pods in market to determine their freshness and amount of seeds. To use, the pods are broken opeen carefully on one end and the amount of seeds needed is carefully shaken out over the food to be spiced. The cut ends produce a small amount of resin which can be used to reseal the pod and keep the seeds inside fresh. Seeds removed from the pods will lose their flavor within a day so they are kept inside the pod until needed. Although, at large noble banquets many pods worth of ssaj seeds might be put inside a small silver bowl and removed with a spoon by guests to show affluence. Ssaj pods are highly sought after, and each one can be sold for a silver. A typical bush has 3-5 suitable pods on it at any given time.

bloodstop moss - An uncommon blue moss with yellow streaks. This moss is thick and fluffy and is used by lizar as a coagulent and antiseptic. Placing the moss on a wound promotes healing and stops blood loss, as the natural antibiotic properties of the moss fight any infection and its natural absorbency and ability to mesh with he body's own defenses promotes tissue growth.

sslrak -(beast) (pro SIL'rahk) A stupid flightless swamp bird similar to an ostrich. It spends most of its time wading in marshes nad snapping up fish with its long spear-like beak. It is featherless except for its body, which is ball shaped and a brilliant blue. Sslrak feathers are large, and fluffy. They are used in lizar decorations and clothing as a mark of status.

erlosss - (beast) (pro ihr'LOEss) An erlosss is a cloven hoofed brown horselike mammal with some black striping. They are larger than horses, but more compact with a shorter and broader muzzle, large splayed cloven hooves, and stockier legs and body. Heres a pic of zorses and zedonks (zebra/horse or donkey hybrids) so you can get a general idea of what they look like. Zorse pics: http://true-wildlife.blogspot.com/2011/04/zorse.html (the one on the bottom is closest to an erlosss as far as coloration) Zedonk pics http://www.copyright-free-pictures.org. ... zedonk.htm .They average 31/2feet at the shoulder and around 1200 lbs, lighter for females. Erlosss make no vocalizations, instead signalling others with pheremones and body language. They live in herds of 6-9, usually one stallion and his mares, although there may be an immature stallion in the herd. Lizar believe they cannot be domesticated as all attempts ever made to bring them within the city and train them have failed, although ther have been reports in Makan of swamp lzar using them the way Makan lizar use grahhssk. These rumors arent believed by the Makan lizar, however.

catch-slime - A type of mud similar to quicksand, with a much lower water content similar in consistency to very sticky peanut butter. Unlike quicksand, the danger is not from sinking in it, but getting completely mired to the point of not being able to pull yourself out due to its strong grip. The mud in its dry state is very fine and a light brown. In its wet state it is incredibly sticky and nearly impossible to scrape off as it just attaches to whatever is being used to scrape it, fouling it up almost immediately. If the object is used while fouls, the mud slime on it just reattaches itself to whatever mud is remaining on the body or object to be cleaned. Washing it off works as long as there is enough water to cause it to lose its adhesive properties. It is very bacteria rich due to the many plants and organisms that become trapped in it, and has a very intense smell of methane and decaying plant matter.

ssaaros - (rodent) (pro sa'ah'ROS) A ssaaros is a common swap rodent. It is about the size of a chipmunk, with a short black tail, short-furred grey body with three black stripes, two starting at the nose and going across the eyes and curving down the sides and haunches and one starting in the middle of the nose and going down the top of the snout, head and middle of the back. The three stripes meet at the rump above the tail tail the same way they meet at the nose. It has a blunt head and black eyes and snout. They are ground dwelling, digging small dens under bushes and in the crevices of tree roots. They eat leaves, roots and berries, and do not cache food or hibernate due to the constant warm tempartures in the swamp. They are a main food source for the smaller predatory reptiles and mammals as well as birds of prey living in the swamps.
From Sssil's game: Any lizar that has spent any time in the swamps knows that ssaaros are fairly common in swampy areas, as their light weight allows them to run across catch slime that would entagnle a larger creature, providing an easy way to escape being food. They live on the ground, feeding on shoots and fallen berries, leaves and nuts, and living in burrows that are usually dug into the side of hillocks or beneath tree trunks. Snakes and small wildcats are their main predators, and they have been known to flee from even a wooden decoy of a snake. They are fond of the tough ssatthhikk berries that are found outside of Makan, and Sssil remembers seeing a trained ssaaros doing tricks, like climbing a rope, jumping through hoops, and rolling over for the berries in the marketplace. Unfortunately, the berries are very rare and valuable, so many ssaaros are killed each year to keep them from eating the berries.

Swamp-turtle- (beast) A huge amphibian that bears both a resemblance to tortoises and turtles. They have a very strong hooked beak like a snapping turtle, and their jaws are powerful enough to snap an adult erlosss' leg bones. Their whorled shell is humped like a tortoises' and they have the same stumpy but powerful legs. Swamp turtles are stupid and the females very agressive, attacking anything they view as a threat to their terriory or eggs until it either dies or they can no longer see it. Males are less aggressive, but will still attack if annoyed or bothered. Their vision is horrible, and Zaangaardians being attacked by swamp-turtle have been known to just freeze in place in the shadows until the creature loses interest. The balck-and-brown blotched females usually nest in muddly hollows next to still water that they either find or dig out with their powerful claws. THe black-and-orange striped males wander around, searching for the pheremones of an in-season female. If two males vie for the attentions of the same female, the battle can be fierce, with both parties attempting to turn the other on it's back or otherwise incapacitate it. Fatal or debilitating wounds are common, and many older males bear heavy scars or missing toes. A mated female lays 3-6 foot long greenish eggs in a mud nest that hse digs in her lair, although if one of the eggs is moved, but still within her territory (about 60 feet on a side)and she cant bring it back, she will build another nest to house it, spending time travelling back and forth guardng both sites. They eat fish, small lizards, large insects, and if the can catch it, ocassionaly rodenta or other small mammals. Most Zaangaardian races value the shells, especially large ones suitable for crafting into armor. The swamp-turtle grows slowly throughout its centuries(barring accident or disease) long life, and individuals with shells up to 6 feet across have been reported, although 3 1/2 feet is far more common.

Diving bird (beast) A large haevy bodied black feathered waterfowl with a striking crimson red (in males) or orange (in females) very wide shovel-like beak and matching bright eye-stripes. These birds fly around the swamp in flocks of 3-8, looking for ponds, rivers and lakes. They have fat webbed feet the same color as their beak to propel themselves through the water. They got their common Zaangaardian name due to their method of feeding themselves, in which they dive to the bottom of the body of water and scoop up mud in their beaks. They then swim back up to the surface and swish the beak through the water from side to side, straining out the mud through specialized "teeth" that line their bill like a sieve, but trapping the plants and small marine creatures that make up their diet, and the small rocks they need to swallow to digest food properly. They have a very loud "KRRRRRKK KKRIIK" call, and that noies is a common sound on warm afternoons in the wilds. Some lizar nobles keep flocks as ornamental pets in garden-ponds due to theor striking plumage.

Bruscels - A colloquial term for the fighter's guild or its members in some human street-slang dialects.
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raixel
The Dungeon Master Cylinder
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Location: I see Mount Rainier in the distance...

Re: Glossary of Zaangaardian words/places/people ect.

Post by raixel »

So, this things getting big enough(and would be bigger if I actually took the time to comb through the posts and drop in all the little words I made up here and there for flavor. Someday...) that I'm going to seperate it into Zangaardian words and Common/Elvish/Bika words, and also cultural concepts.

Bika words: Bika words are hard to transliterate, as they use a lot of growls, barks and jaw-snaps. The language itself is sharp, and spoken deep in the throat. Most consonants are "spat", and the vowels are long and rumbling. It is nearly impossible for any being without a muzzle and canine/predator ancestry to speak the language fluently. Humanoids can speak it well enough to be understood, but have a heavy accent. Not so surprisingly, out of all the humanoids, orcs can make themselves most understood.

bga-kac'grn. b(growl)ah-kkh-(growl)nh. In Growlgra's own words: "It is a rodent, kind of like a large mouse, with very long legs. It lives on the Plains of my pack-home. The stupid creature, if it finds large amuonts of food will eat itself to death. It will not bring the grain back to its pack-home, to its pups, to share with others. Instead, it will let them starve while it gorges itself until it ruptures its insides, would rather die than make its pack strong. The goblin is like that."
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