Gastown Terminology
There is a lot of unique terminology used in Gastown, particularly by the common folk in the Four Kith, the Andra in the gardens, the Var, and the vocabulary of the Cathulla. The mixture of words within Gastown reflects the cultural melting pot. Influences are as follows:
Andra : Southern India
Cathulla : Pictish, Celtic
Gastown (Common Tongue) : Old English, Dutch, Germanic
Kuruk : Mongolian
Ma’din : Moorish Arabic
Taramoa : Polynesian
Var : Old Norse
Andra
Terms : Definitions
Amma : Andra term for grandmother. A Sanskrit term for mother.
Andra : The people from the south of the Sindhal Continent.
Banda : Andra clan. They grow root vegetables, and their dress color is brown.
Dosa : Bread
Erupu : Andra clan. They harness the power of the red vegetables.
Jalebi : Fried dough snack. Southern Indian origin.
Kajal : Black eye makeup used in ceremonies. Southern Indian origin.
Malaya : The first of the Andra people.
Menthi : Fenugreek leaves. Southern Indian in Origin.
Naaranga : Citrus fruit.
Narinja : Andra clan. Their colors are yellow and orange.
Pacca : Chandra’s clan. Their color is green.
Palakura : Spinach
Preena : Andra clan wearing multicolored garb.
Prith : Mother Earth. The Andra are The Children of the Prith.
Sambar stew : Rich and flavorful vegetable stew.
Telupu : Andra name for the Var.
Cathulla
Terms : Definitions
Bridema : One of the seven Cathulla tribes.
Cathul : The first giant king of the North. Forebear of Tornar MacLorn.
Cathulla : The seven tribes of the north, and also the name for the region.
Chuchana : Yeti like creature.
Connalla : One of the seven Cathulla tribes.
Darachan : Cathulla shaman.
Dreambringer : Part of the Cathulla pantheon. Seeker of the dead.
Faratha : The far northern territory.
Fidacha : One of the seven Cathulla tribes.
Galana : One of the seven Cathulla tribes.
Gleann : Valleys and Dales.
Kelturan : One of the seven Cathulla tribes.
Machala : Terms for the steppelands to the west.
Nechtana : One of the seven Cathulla tribes and the closest to Gastown.
Realta Duin : Star people. Race of Giants.
Snacoilltean : The lower reaches of the Wildlands.
Tarb Greag : The Airstone
Gastown (Common Tongue)
Terms : Definitions
Alehaus : Gastown way of describing an alehouse, or pub.
Apotheka : An apothecary, a person who prepares and sells medicines.
Apothekaria : The working establishemnt of an apothecary.
Assameister : Master of the furnaces and assa management
Bakerhaus : Bakery.
Bari : Tabak for lightheaded pleasure and relieving anxiety and stress.
Basin : Area of the canal for dumping bodies
Bastic Warhammer : Heavy warhammer
Bearclaws : Snow shoes.
Bier : Beer, or ale. The preferred drink of the working class.
Billee : Gastown word for cat. Of Hindi origin.
Billeehaus : Literally a cathouse. A brothel/bordello.
Billeewort : A medicinal plat for treating stomach cramps.
Black diamonds : Rare diamonds from a meteorite.
Bludbrood : Bread dipped in blood.
Blue Jackets : The police force for the Burghs. Most are former Red Shadows.
Brood : Bread, the staple fare for the people of Gastown.
Bully Boys : Thugs of the Four Kith. Cotter Sullivan’s gang.
Burghmeister : The leading craftsmen of the Burghs.
Creation Mother : Resides over christenings and wedding ceremonies.
Crimpers : Thugs of the Mutton. Puzzle Pete’s gang.
Curmeister : Master of the hounds for the Dux.
Dab reckoning : Gastown term for a Christening.
Dandra : Medicinal plant based on ginseng.
Eikwood : Heavy wood, stronger than ironwood.
Etenmeister : Title for the man in charge of feeding the poor in the Gut. Dutch origin.
Etentime : The designated time for the poor in the Gut to eat. Dutch origin.
FaderNord : Santa Claus. Germanic origin.
First Blud : Bully Boy knive fight to settle disputes. First deep cut wins.
Four Kith : Working class area of Gastown
Gastown : The name for Assaborg in the common tongue.
Gentry : The name for the Var in the common tongue.
Giant poro : A large cervid, similar to a moose.
Gild : Money in the common tongue.
Gildlending : Illicit lending of money at a high interest rate.
Gildshark : Loan shark in the common tongue.
Hallic Steel : High quality steel
Hetman : Honorific title for the leader of the Slagers
Ice bear : Giant polar bear
Jorm the Ferryman : The ferryman who takes people to the Onderworld in his barge.
Kamiks : Fur boots
Kithfolk : Inhabitants of the Four Kith
Kogelbreker : Ballbreaker. Dutch origin.
Kol : Coal. Old English origin.
Kolmen : Stokers, firemen. Old English origin.
Kombo : Rhinoceros
Latak : A type of tobacco.
Lolo : A type of tobacco for lightheaded pleasure and to relieve stress.
Long hour : Division of the solar. Two hours in length.
Lunar : Month
Ma : A type of tobacco for lightheaded pleasure and to relief stress.
Mite : Gang of children aligned with the Bully Boys.
Mudlarks : Wild children, particularly in the Slough.
Old Burley : A type of tobacco.
Onderworld : Where most spirits reside after death.
Overgang : Funeral for rich people.
Paranga : Wild meat.
Pashtak Pleasures : Delicious sweets.
Peri Peri : A type of tobacco.
Permawinter : The long winter brought about by a meteorite storm.
Pig sticker : A small knife.
Poro : Large animal from the cervidae family.
Potkan : Brown Rat. Czech origin.
Purplewood tree : Rare tree in the far north
Red Shadows : Male soldier recruited from the Burghs
Riverside Red : A type of red wine.
Siphon Marine : Marines who man the vitali blackfire. Recruited from the Burghs.
Skovenmen : Wild watchers of the woods.
Slaaf : Slave
Slager : Butcher. Dutch origin.
Slagerhaus : Abbatoir
Slagmaiden : Prostitute
Slophunds :Patrons of the Gut.
Slopmeister : Informal name for the Etenmeister.
Slough : Poorest part of the Four Kith
Snow shoveler : Reindeer
Sol : A type of tobacco.
Solar : Day
Squeakers : Mice
Swell Daddy : Pimp
Tabak : Tobacco. Dutch origin.
Tabakmeister : Purveyor of tobacco.
The Gut : Feeding Hall for the poor.
The Hole : Hideout for the Mites.
The Mutton : Red Light District.
Waheela : Large canine, bigger than a Direwolf. Hyaenodon features.
Wooly Mamont : Woolly Mammoth
Kuruk
Terms : Definitions
Kuruk : Horse tribe from the steppes.
Nerge : Great hunt.
Tal Kheer : Steppes
Ma'din
Terms : Definitions
Andalayim : The original name of the citadel as built by the Ma’din.
Habala : Ma’din word for a male scholar.
Habala’im : Ma’din word for a class of male scholars.
Ma’din : Name of the people who built Andalayim.
Safwan : Name of Justin’s daronite rock.
Taramoa
Terms : Definitions
Pah : Village or fortified settlement.
Ranga : Chieftain
Raratoa : Dominant tribe of the northern island.
Taramoa : Conquered tribe of the southern island.
Var
Terms : Definitions
Agithawald : The Lost colony in the Southern Islands.
Assa : The gas which powers the Citadel and Gastown.
Assaborg : The Var name for Gastown.
Courtyard of Tongues : Citadel location where Tana and Chandra learn the common tongue.
Dallanda : Valleys and dales.
Damm Warrior : The fighting women of the Var and the rulers of Varstad.
Dandy : The vain men of the Var.
Daronite : A rare type of rock which glows.
Domestica : Var Minister of Domestic Trade.
Domina : Var Minister of War.
Dux : Ruler of the Var. Based on the Norman Ducal model.
Exchequia : Var Minister of the Exchequer.
Externia : Var Minister of External Affairs
Forbidden Islands : Isolated kingdom off the coast of the Sul empire.
Frotha : First goddess of the Var pantheon.
Fyrst Nott : First Night. Based on the vile Norman custom.
Hel : Hell
Hulda : Goddess of the Var pantheon. Sister of Frotha in the Onderworld.
Hvalr : Whale
Kielhalen : Keelhauling. Maritime punishment.
Konna : The class of scholarly women of the Var.
Kormgundr : Sea serpent. Leviathan.
Krun : Gold coin. Old Norse origin.
Loftsteinn : Airstone. Old Norse origin.
Loti : Loti the Learned. Goddess in the Var Pantheon and sister of Frotha.
Opplanda : Arctic to the far north.
Pythoness : Soothsayer and stargazer.
Sindhal Continent : Continent to the south of the Sul Empire. Inspired by India.
Stella the Great : Leader of the Damm Warriors who captured Andalayim.
Steppenlanda : Steppes
Sul : Great empire to the South. Inspired by the Jin Dynasty.
Sun People : Inhabitants of the Forbidden Islands. Based on Japan.
The Old Ones : Var name for the Ma’din.
The Sisters : The sacred grove in the far North in honor of Frotha, Loti, and Hulda.
The Tower of Tomes : Library of the Var managed by the Konna. Established by the Ma’din.
Tiv : God in the Var Pantheon. Brother of Frotha. Falls from grace.
Var : The rulers of Varstad. Warriors from the west. Based on the Normans.
Varbow : Like an English longbow.
Varingyr : Similar to a Viking raid.
Varstad : Including the Citadel and Assaborg.
Viorlanda : The southernmost part of the Wildlands. Similar to the taiga.
Vitali blackfire : Greek Fire.
Yaobai : Farmers from the south of the Sul Empire.