List of Suwarnabumi terminology
The following is a list of terminology used in the Suwarnabumi campaign setting.
A
- Acheri: Spirit of a girl who died before her time.
- Adrakh: A rootstock. Leaves are also used for flavouring. Has a refreshing, lemon-like smell.
- Am fruit: A tropical fruit that is indigenous to Suwarnabumi. Widely used for food, juice, fragrance, and dye. Also the national fruit of Padmattiya.
- Apsaras: A heavenly nymph.
- Armiger: Pahanari word that literally means "armour-bearers". Warrior-monks who served the Pahanari during their rule on Palalangan.
- Ashiqa: Powerful sisterhood who work behind the lines on the island of Shimah.
- Aswang: Supernatural creature that assumes the form a beautiful human but transforms into a bloodsucking demon at night.
B
- Babaylan: Shoal-people spirit medium.
- Badik: A broad knife with a hilt that looks like a pistol grip.
- Bai Tan: An overseas Hao secret society whose members work in the Molangor mines.
- Baital: Dangerous spirit similar to vampires but without a physical body.
- Bajang: A shapeshifting vampire-like creature which resembles a giant polecat.
- Banaga: Lunang word for foreigners.
- Bawa: A bawa is a wind instrument shaped like a flute with a single metal reed.
- Berhala: Ancient polytheistic folk religion of the Achariyan and Pahanari people, precursor to Thalathanism.
- Bhuta: Flesh-eating spirit.
- Black Veil, The: A criminal syndicate who trade in slaves.
- Bomoh: Shamanistic healer.
- Buttermilk: A cool, sour milk that has less fat than sweet milk.
C
- Cabang: A weapon with two unsharpened prongs used to block an opponent's weapon.
- Camapu: A pale yellow flower used in herbal remedies.
- Canesword: A concealed sword disguised as a walking stick.
- Chakram: A flat, metal ring with razor-sharp rim.
- Chameleon plant: Fresh leaves that give off an odour compared to strange lemon or orange. Grows wild in large areas in Dalaka.
- Cheongsam: A female dress with distinctive Hao features.
- Coils of Vishalya: A lay Thalathanist cult who venerates Vishalya, the Krait Goddess.
- Commissar: Head of the military forces by the Kaliyatra empire.
D
- Dagger-axe: A nine-foot wooden pole with a one-foot long dagger-shaped blade attached to it.
- Dao: A sable-like, curved broadsword used mercenaries and Kaliyatran peasant-soldiers.
- Dhaniya: Grown in northern Suwarnabumi, which is cultivated for fruits and leaves. Warm, nutty and spicy flavour.
- Dim sum: Traditional Hao light dish served in the mornings.
- Dragon pole: A staff that reaches 20 feet in length, used by boatmen.
- Dragon powder: Term for black powder discovered by the Hao people.
- Durpatta: A long scarf worn by women.
F
- Fire lance: A hollowed bamboo tube attached to a spear that fires sand particles or scraps of metal.
- Fire wheel: A flat metal ring with protruding flame-style blades, always wielded as a pair.
G
- Galanga: A ginger-like rootstock. Usually warm, sweet, and spicy. Cultivated all over Suwarnabumi.
- Gamu: Traditional medicine in Langa.
- Gayatri: Nagari word for song or hymn. Also a supernatural tradition practised by adepts of the Coils of Vishalya.
- Ghosa: Outcast people who live outside villages and towns. A ghosa works in occupations regarded as ritually impure.
- Guan: A guan is a wind instrument made from bamboo. The Ebon are particularly fond of the guan.
- Gunyan seeds: Actually fruits, strongly aromatic and warm. Used as flavouring.
H
- Hands of Penzima: A cult that worships the demi-goddess Penzima.
- Hao Merchants' Association: An influential Hao and Phuong merchant guild that trades between Padmattiya and Haolang.
- Harimau: Shapeshifters bestowed with the strength and power of the tiger.
- Head-hunting: The ritual practice that involves the taking of a single head. Also a test of manhood among the tribal peoples of Suwarnabumi.
- Honey leaf: Used as a sweetener, especially in tea.
- Hungry ghost: Spirit of dead people that failed to find what they needed in the world beyond.
I
- Icon Worshiper: A pejorative word for Berhala followers, used by adherents of Thalathanism.
J
- Jathi seed: An apricot-like fruit, very sour. Used to make jam. Also used as flavouring.
- Jiang shi: A reanimated corpse who absorbs life essence from their victims.
- Jungle Matrons: Thalathanist matriarchal order whose members possess the power of divination.
K
- Kababah: Hollow berries used as flavouring. Pungent and bitter aroma. Harvested in the Pahanari Lands and Achariyan islands.
- Kachai: Root with a dominate, unsavoury flavour. Used in medicine, especially by the harimau.
- Kalo: Tropical plant grown as a vegetable food on Palalangan. Often served as pan-fried dish called kalo cake.
- Kampilan: A single-edge sword associated with head-hunting practices.
- Kapak: A small throwing axe.
- Katari: Ancient sword fighting school in Taksaka.
- Katori: Tiyanak word for spirits within objects in the Tiyanak belief system.
- Kayang: Herb with a sharp citrus aroma. Most commonly found in rice fields. Only the leaves are used.
- Kebaya: An embroidered blouse worn by women, usually with a sarong.
- Keparat: Offensive Kedayuh word for non-believers, i.e. those who do not worship the Thalanthanist gods and goddesses.
- Kepayang: Seeds used as flavouring in Panau local cuisine. Has a strong nutty taste, somewhat oily.
- Kerisblade: Weapon bestowed with supernatural powers by a jinn that resides in it.
- Khan: A military leader among the Achariyan people.
- Khanum: Khanum is a title for a woman married to a khan. It literally means "lady bride".
- Komala: A citrus fruit popular for flavouring sweets and drinks. has a pleasant, sweet odour, sometimes bitter or sour.
- Kujang: A sickle-type weapon used in farming.
- Kulam: Kulam is a kind of witchcraft practised in Shimah.
L
- Lajatang: A double-bladed staff having a crescent shaped blade at each end of the staff.
- Langsuir: Frightening vampire creature common in the Illan Archipelago, Nau Islands, and Panau.
- Lavang spice: The flower buds are used as a flavouring in many dishes.
- League of Beggars: A network of people who live outside society, usually ghosas.
- Limau: A citrus fruit with a refreshing and sour odour.
- Lunang: Language of the shoal-people.
M
- Mahasarpa: Nagaist name for the naga who live in the Kaliyatra Ocean.
- Mahomanay: Humanoid race who have a supernatural connection with hills and mountains.
- Manjal: Leaves used as flavouring in Panau.
- Manticore: Monstrous predator with the body of lion and the tail of a scorpion.
- Mawas: Large monkey-like humanoids who live in Vanamala.
- Melati: A widely cultivated tropical flower, usually found in gardens. Also used as base in green tea.
- Meteor hammer: A 10 to 15 feet cord or chain connected to two weighted heads.
N
- Naga: Giant sea serpents who live in the Kaliyatra Ocean. Called Mahasarpa and revered as deities by snake worshippers.
- Naga's juice: A bright, red resin exuded from rattan fruit. Has medicinal properties and used as a dye.
- Nagaism: A monotheistic religion that worships the nagas as deities.
- Nagari: Creatures with snake-blood bestowed with supernatural powers and the rulers of the Kaliyatra empire.
- Nat: An adaptation of a farming tool used to harvest grain.
P
- Parang: A heavy, machete-like sword. Both a common tool and weapon.
- Pawang: Traditional healer and spirit medium.
- Penanggalan: A humanoid-shaped creature resembling a beautiful woman.
- Penyakit: Dangerous spirit of disease.
- Pahanari Commerce Guild: Rich and powerful merchant guild with monopoly on spices found in the Nau Islands.
- Pishacha: Primitive and dangerous humanoid creatures, enemies of the Kaliyatra.
- Prana: Term for the inner energy or "breath" used to animate living beings. Also found in martial art styles in Suwarnabumi.
Q
- Qian Su: Phuong secret society whose members work in the Tadung mines.
R
- Rattan: Palm species native to the tropical regions of Suwarnabumi.
- Rotang: Kedayuh word of Rattan palm.
S
- Salam leaves: Small leaves that turn brown on drying. Sour taste and used in cooking, especially in Panau and the Nau Islands.
- Sari: A female garment in Padmattiya.
- Sarinda: A sarinda is traditional stringed instrument similar to fiddles made from wood. It is a common instrument among the Sundamanese people.
- Sarjana: Imperial bureaucrats of the Kaliyatra.
- Sarong: A lower garment worn by Ebon and Kedayuh men and women.
- Shadow warrior: Veraist mountain ascetics who oppose the Kaliyatra.
- Shaykh: A shaykh is an Achariyan clan elder.
- Shikari: A professional hunter and guide.
- Shoal-people: Humanoids who have developed a society based on floating houses.
- Snake wine: Wine preserved with a whole snake in the bottle.
- Siram: Tin or silver coin used as money in port cities of Suwarnabumi. Literally means "a bowl of water", but the word also stands for money.
- Sirena and siyokoy: Ancient humanoid fish creatures with high intelligence and refined culture.
- Soyabean milk: A beverage made from soy beans.
- Strait Peddler's Coalition, The: A small commerce guild that controls the Raju Strait between Langa and Raju Islands.
- Sundang: A double-edge, narrow blade with three waves, sometimes used as a weapon of execution.
T
- Tabbaq: Kedayuh word for tobacco. Brought to the archipelago by the Pahanari.
- Talisha leaves: Strongly aromatic, leaves used in medicine. Grows wild on the slopes of the Channayagalas.
- Tarkhun: Sweet and aromatic. Leaves and stems are used fresh in herbal remedies. Brought to Suwarnabumi by Hao traders.
- Tattoo monk: Monks who practice the art of imbuing symbols with supernatural powers.
- Telang pea: Deep, blue flower used to colour dessert in Langa and the Nau Islands.
- Thalathanism: Polytheistic religion practised among the Kedayuh and Langanese. Brought to Suwarnabumi by Pahanari traders.
- Three-section staff: A weapon composed of three sections of wood of equal length, joined at the ends by chain or cord.
- Throwing star: Flat, metal stars or spikes used for throwing.
- Tiger claw: A tiny, sharply curved knife with a finger hole in the handle, held in the palm.
- Tiger fork: The trident, also called trident or three-spear, resembles a three-pronged staff.
- Trishaw: A two-wheeled cart pulled by a driver.
V
- Vamachara: Secretive and powerful order who monitors and destroys supernatural threats.
- Veraism: A collection of beliefs and philosophies.
W
- Water-sellers: Street vendors who sell water, especially in the Pahanari Lands and Achariya.
- Waywatcher's Union: A small group of explorers, foresters and guides dedicated to keeping the dangerous routes through the wilderness safe.
- West Empire Company: A powerful commerce guild controlled by the Kaliyatra empire.
- White tiger: "King of the Forest", a tiger with white fur and dark stripes. This tiger is rarely seen in the wild. Widely believed to be sign of good fortune among the inhabitants of Suwarnabumi.
Y
- Yantra: Supernatural tattoo imbued by a tattoo monk.
Z
- Zheng: A zheng is a zither-like string instrument with 12 ore more strings.
- Zhu: The zhu is a wooden percussion instrument commonly used in royal courts, especially in Haolang.