The Sword of Kaigen, page 64
Finally, I need to ask a favor. If you enjoyed The Sword of Kaigen, please consider leaving a review on Amazon (or Goodreads, if you prefer). Online reviews are critical to an indie book’s visibility, so even a single sentence goes a long way.
Thank you again for joining my heroes on the Sword of Kaigen.
Sincerely,
M. L. Wang
Cast of Characters
FAMILIES of SHIROJIMA
(named characters only)
Names are listed in Kaigenese order: family name followed by given name (i.e. Matsuda Mamoru). Characters who are not Kaigenese or Ranganese have a comma between their family and given name (i.e. Thundyil, Robin). Shirojima names are grouped according to household and ordered by male hierarchy.
MATSUDA 待つ田
Takayubi’s leading warrior house, masters of the Whispering Blade (also called Sasayaiba), traditional allies of the Yukino family, with a unique cross-kafo apprenticeship relationship with the Kotetsus.
TAKERU the First 岳瑠 the mythical founder of the Matsuda line, the first master of the Whispering Blade, husband of Mitsuki.
MITSUKI 美月 (née Yukino) oldest daughter of Tukino Izumi, wife of Takeru the First, older sister of Yukino Hayase.
MIZUDORI 水同 father of Susumu and several daughters, grandfather and swordmaster to Takashi and Takeru, master of the Whispering Blade.
SUSUMU 進 only son of Mizudori, husband of Tatsuki, father of Takashi and Takeru.
TATSUKI 龍貴 (née Yukino) wife of Susumu, mother of Takashi and Takeru.
TAKASHI 傑 first son of Susumu and Tatsuki, husband of Setsuko, father of Ayumi, wielder of the swords Nagimaru and Namimaru, master of the Whispering Blade.
SETSUKO 節子 (née Chiba) wife of Takashi, mother of Ayumi.
AYUMI 歩海 only child of Takashi and Setsuko.
TAKERU 岳瑠 second son of Susumu and Tatsuki, husband of Misaki, father of Mamoru, Hiroshi, Nagasa, and Izumo, wielder of the sword Kyougetsu Yari (also called the Moon Spire), master of the Whispering Blade.
MISAKI 海咲 (née Tsusano, alias: Sirawu, the Shadow) oldest child of Tsusano Koya, wife of Takeru, mother of Mamoru, Hiroshi, Nagasa, and Izumo.
MAMORU 真守 first son of Takeru and Misaki, a student at Kumono Academy, close friends with Yukino Yuuta and Mizumaki Itsuki.
HIROSHI 洋 second son of Takeru and Misaki.
NAGASA 永佐 third son of Takeru and Misaki, close friends with Yukino Ryota.
IZUMO 出雲 fourth son of Takeru and Misaki.
YUKINO 雪之
Takayubi’s second greatest warrior house, known for their skill in traditional swordplay, ancient allies of the Matsuda family, keepers of the ancestral sword Takenagi (the Bamboo Cutter).
IZUMI 泉 an early convert to Falleya from mythic times, who ruled Takayubi for two decades and dueled Matsuda Takeru the First.
HAYASE 早瀬 Izumi’s son, Mitsuki’s younger brother, credited with saving Falleya in Takayubi.
RYOSUKE 涼介 father of Dai and two other sons, resident of Takayubi’s old village.
DAI 大 (nickname: Lightning Dai) second son of Ryosuke, husband of Hyori, father of Ryota, wielder of the sword Takenagi, swordmaster at Kumono Academy.
HYORI 孝利 (née Ikeno) wife of Dai, mother of Ryota.
RYOTA 涼大 only son of Dai and Hyori.
YUUTA 勇太 a student at Kumono Academy, close friends with Matsuda Mamoru and Mizumaki Itsuki, younger cousin of Dai, a resident of Takayubi’s western village.
HITOMU 一夢 father of Kiyomu and Shiro, younger cousin of Ryosuke, a resident of Takayubi’s old village.
KIYOMU 清 first son of Hitomu.
SHIRO 白 second son of Hitomu.
TSUSANO 津佐之
Ishihama’s leading warrior house, residents of the Arashiki (also called the Stormfort), keepers of the ancestral sword Anryuu (also called the Riptide or the Undertaker), known for their skill in blood manipulation.
RAIDEN 雷電 (nickname: the Giant) a mythical hero, the first wielder of Anryuu.
KOYA 功也 father of Misaki, Kazu, Kaito, and Raiki.
KAZU 和 first son of Koya, husband of Aicha, father of Kaida and two younger children.
AICHA 愛子 (née Mizumaki) wife of Kazu, mother of Kaida and two younger children.
KAIDA 海田 daughter of Kazu and Aicha.
KAITO 海翔 second son of Koya.
RAIKI 雷貴 third son of Koya.
GINKAWA 銀川
An ancient warrior house with branches throughout Shirojima.
AOKI 青木 a swordsman from Takayubi’s old village.
YUKIMI 雪美 a five-year-old girl from Takayubi’s old village.
AMENO 雨之
An ancient warrior house with powerful branches across the Kusanagi Peninsula. Their main stronghold is in Tatsuyama, Shirojima, where they are the ruling family. Members of their Takayubi branch are vassals to the Matsuda house.
KENTARO 健太郎 a volunteer from Tatsuyama.
SAMUSA 寒さ a sword instructor at Takayubi’s elementary school, a resident of Takayubi’s old village.
IKENO 池之
An ancient Shirojima warrior house, traditional vassals of the Matsuda and Ameno houses.
TSUYOSA 強さ first son of the current Ikeno patriarch, a resident of Takayubi’s old village.
SHUN 俊 a resident of Takayubi’s old village, Tsuyosa’s cousin.
KATAKOURI 硬氷
A lesser Takayubi warrior house notable for specializing in archery over swordplay, traditional vassals of the Matsuda house.
HAKUZORA 白空 a student at Kumono Academy, a resident of Takayubi’s old village.
HISATO 壽人 father of Mayumi, a resident of Takayubi’s old village, born with a twisted leg.
MAYUMI 雅弓 daughter and caregiver to Hisato.
MIZUMAKI 水卷
An ancient lesser warrior house, traditional vassals of the Matsudas, the Yukinos, and the Ginkawas, with many other branches throughout Shirojima.
ITSUKI 樹 a student at Kumono Academy and resident of Takayubi’s western village, close friends with Matsuda Mamoru and Yukino Yuuta.
TOKI 土岐 family patriarch, older brother of Hyousuke, a resident of Takayubi’s old village.
FUYUHI 冬日 wife of Toki, mother of Fuyuko.
FUYUKO 冬子 daughter of Toki and Fuyuko.
HYOUSUKE 兵介 younger brother of Toki.
CHIBA 千波
A family of common fishermen, merchants, and farmers with branches throughout Shirojima.
MIZUIRO 水色 a fisherman from a village near Takayubi.
KOTETSU 鋼鉄
Takayubi’s leading blacksmith house, traditional smiths of the Matsudas, the Yukinos, and their vassals, with a unique cross-kafo mentor relationship with the Matsuda house, credited with the creation of many great swords, including Takenagi, Kurokouri, Kumokei, and Kyougetsu.
KENZOU 建造 the mythical blacksmith who saved Matsuda Takeru the First from the Yukino invaders and began the special relationship between their families.
CHIZUE 千壽恵 mother of Katashi.
KATASHI 堅 son of Chizue, husband of Tamami, father of Atsushi, Hotaru, Naoko, and Kyoko, Takayubi’s best swordsmith.
TAMAMI 珠実 wife of Katashi, mother of Atsushi, Hotaru, Naoko, and Kyoko.
ATSUSHI 敦 first son of Katashi and Tamami, close friends with Matsuda Mamoru.
HOTARU 螢 second son of Katashi and Tamami.
NAOKO 直子 daughter of Katashi and Tamami.
KYOKO 鏡 daughter of Katashi and Tamami.
SAORI 沙織 a lacquer specialist in Takayubi’s numu village, Katashi’s cousin, mother of Kasumi and several children.
KASUMI 霞 Saori’s oldest daughter, mother of her own small baby.
OTHER SHIROJIMA FAMILIES
HAKUYU 白水 a lesser Ishihama warrior house, traditional vassals of the Tsusano family.
UMIIRO 海色 a lesser Ishihama fishing and warrior house, traditional vassals of the Tsusano family.
TETSUKAI 鉄火 a Kusanagi blacksmith house, ancient relatives of the Kotetsu family.
ISHINO 石之 an Ishihama blacksmith house, traditional smiths of the Tsusanos and their vassals, credited with forging the Tsusanos’ ancestral sword Anryuu.
HIBIKI 響き a minor jaseli house with branches throughout Shirojima and Hakudao.
OTHER CHARACTERS
BAN-HYANG JEE jaseli to the Emperor of Kaigen.
BEK JIN-KYU a lieutenant in the Imperial Kaigenese Army.
CHOU KYUNG-TEK a translator jaseli in the Imperial Kaigenese Army.
CHUN CHANG-HO a general in the Imperial Kaigenese Army.
ELDEN, ELLEEN (alias: Whitewing) a Hadean-Carythian koro, littigi, student at Daybreak Academy, classmate and close friend of Robin Thundyil and Tsusano Misaki.
GESSEKE, MORIBA a Yammanka jaseli working as an apprentice under Seydu Tirama.
GUANG YA-LI a Ranganese koro, a student at Daybreak Academy, Misaki’s former roommate.
KALLEYSO (real name: Shumba Sekhmet) a Livingston crime lord.
KENDE, BUREMA a general in the Yamrmanka army.
KURUMA, KOLI a prolific Yammanka inventor, Misaki’s former classmate from Daybreak Academy, designer and commissioner of Siradenyaa.
KWANG CHUL-HEE a northern Kaigenese transfer student at Takayubi’s Kumono Academy, son of Tae-min.
KWANG TAE-MIN a northern Kaigenese representative of Geomijul Communications, father of Chul-hee.
LO DONG-SOO the provincial governor of Shirojima, Kaigen.
MATHABA, KOLONKA a Livingston criminal allied with Yaotl Texca and Mecatl Silangwe.
SILANGWE, MECATL a Livingston criminal allied with Yaotl Texca and Kolonka Mathaba.
SONG BYUNG-WOO a colonel in the Imperial Kaigenese Army.
TARORE, AZAR a student at Daybreak Academy.
TEXCA, YAOTL a Livingston criminal allied with Kolonka Mathaba and Mecatl Silangwe.
TIRAMA, SEYDU a translator jaseli in the Yammanka army.
THUNDYIL, ROBIN (alias: Firebird) a Disanka-Carythian koro, classmate and close friend to Tsusano Misaki.
WAGADU, LANSANA a lieutenant general in the Yammanka army.
WANGARA, KINORO a Yammanka-Sizwean swordsman and former Daybreak Academy student, son of Makan, former upperclassman and friend to Tsusano Misaki.
WANGARA, MAKAN a Yammanka swordsman and Daybreak Academy instructor, father of Kinoro, swordmaster to Tsusano Misaki.
Glossary
Abiria a country occupying the southern part of the continent of North Baxaria, a former Yammanka colony populated by the descendants of indigenous Abirians, Yammanka colonizers, and the Hadean slaves they brought with them.
adyn a person with no telekinetic abilities or enhanced strength (by Earth standards, a regular human being).
Appa an informal Kaigengua noun and term of address meaning ‘Dad’ or ‘Papa.’
Arashiki the ancestral castle of the Tsusano family in Ishihama, Shirojima, Kaigen, also called the ‘Stormfort.’
awa a Yammaninke word meaning ‘so,’ ‘well,’ ‘okay,’ ‘good,’ or ‘um.’
ano a Shirojima Dialect word meaning ‘that,’ ‘um,’ or ‘so.’
Ba or -ba a respectful Yammaninke suffix for an important person.
Baba the Sizwean word for ‘Father.’
Baxaria the two continents encompassing the former Yammanka colonies of Carytha and Abiria, and the former Sizwean colonies of Malusia and Zandile, meaning ‘New World’ in Yammaninke.
bloodline technique a fighting maneuver or trade secret (usually necessitating specific powers) that is passed down through a family line and kept secret from outsiders.
Blood Needle a jijaka bloodline technique unique to the Tsusano family, wherein the practicioner takes control of a small amount of the blood inside their victim’s body and freezes it in the shape of needle, which is used to strike pressure points or pierce vital organs, called ‘Chihari’ in Shirojima Dialect.
Blood Puppeteer a jijaka powerful enough to control another person’s entire body by manipulating their blood, thought to exist only in legends and ghost stories.
bogolan a traditional type of Yammanka fabric associated with wealth, status, and professionalism.
bokken a blunt practice sword with the approximate weight and dimensions of a katana, usually made of wood.
bound a Dunian measure of distance (roughly equivalent to 26.4 feet or 7.74 meters).
Carytha a country occupying the northern part of the continent of North Baxaria, a former Yammanka colony populated by the descendants of various indigenous peoples, Yammanka colonizers, and Hadean slaves.
-chan an informal Shirojima Dialect suffix used to address a close female friend and/or a female person of lower status than the speaker.
click a Dunian measure of distance based on how far the sound of a clicked tongue can carry (roughly equivalent to 1.75 miles).
Daybreak Academy a theonite academy in Livingston, Carytha.
dinma (pl: dinmanu) a Dunian measure of time (roughly equivalent to 0.43 seconds).
Disa a country on the continent of Namindugu, a former Yammanka colony populated by the primarily tajaka descendants of native Disankalu and Yammanka colonizers.
Disanka (pl: Disankalu) a person from Disa; an adjective describing a person or thing originating from the nation of Disa or its culture.
Disaninke the main language spoken in the country of Disa (similar to Earth’s Hindi).
dojo a training space in Shirojima fighting tradition.
Donkili a song performed by finawu to teach others about the history of the world and its relationship to the religion of Falleya.
-dono a deeply formal Shirojima Dialect suffix (used to address a member of a high koro family).
Duna a planet that closely resembles Earth in a dimension that parallels ours, also used more generally to refer to the realm of the present and the living.
jakama (pl. jakamanu) a Yammaninke word meaning ‘teacher,’ ‘mentor,’ or ‘master,’ a formal address used by an apprentice to address their mentor.
fankatigi (pl. fankatigiwu or fankatiwu) a sub-theonite with physical strength equal to or surpassing that of the average theonite.
Falleke the holy union of God, Kiye, and Goddess, Nyaare, in the Yammanka-originating religion of Falleya.
Falleka a practitioner of Falleya.
Falleya a Yammanka religion centered on the Falleke (the marriage between God, Kiye and Goddess, Nyaare) practiced throughout Duna.
fina (pl: finawu) a member of the fina kafo; a prefix for a member of the fina kafo, similar to the English ‘Mr.’ or ‘Ms.’
Firebird the crime-fighting alter ego Robin Thundyil.
fonya a shortened form of fonyoya the ability to control air.
fonyaka a shortened form of fonyojaka (pl: fonyakalu) a theonite with the ability to control air.
genkan the entryway of a traditional Shirojima house, typically where one takes off or puts on shoes.
Geomijul a Kaigenese tech company specializing in info-com device technology.
guli a Kaigenese unit of currency (roughly equivalent to 50 American cents).
gbaati a shortened form of kewaati or kettewaati (pl: gbaatinu) a Yammanka measure of time (36 minutes in Earth time).
Hades the westernmost country on the continent of Namindugu, a former Yammanka colony, the original homeland of most of Duna’s adyns.
Haijing a coastal city in the modern Ranganese Union, a major military stronghold of the Kaigenese Empire prior to the Keleba, meaning ‘Sea Capital’ in Rangagua.
hakama a traditional type of loose pants worn by swordsmen, archers, and other martial artists in Shirojima, Kaigen.
haori a traditional long coat, worn by men of status in Shirojima, Kaigen.
Heibandao a coastal city in Holangoku, Kaigen.
Ishihama a town in Shirojima, Kaigen, ancestral home of the Tsusano family.
Jali a prefix for a member of the jaseli kafo, similar to the English ‘Mr.’ or ‘Ms.’
Jaliden a diminutive address for a young member of the jaseli kafo.
Jalike a respectful address for a male member of the jaseli kafo, roughly equivalent to the English ‘Sir.’
Jamu Kurankite a global peace-keeping and humanitarian aid force of highly trained theonites based in Yamma, meaning literally the ‘Peace Army.’
Jamuttaana (pl: Jamuttaananu) an agent of the Jamu Kurankite.
jaseli (pl: jaseliwu) a member of the endogamous Yammanka social class that specializes in speech, music, and dance.
jijaka (pl: jijakalu) a theonite with the ability to control water.
jiya the ability to control water.
Jungsan the capital city of the Kaigenese Empire, meaning ‘Middle Mountain’ in Kaigengua.
Kaa- a Shirojima Dialect prefix used when addressing one’s mother (typically combined with –chan or the more formal –san).
kafo (pl. kafonu) an endogamous occupation-based social class.
kafoka (pl. kafokalu) a Yammaninke word used to refer to people of a kafo other than the koro kafo and/or individuals outside one’s own kafo.
Kaigen a country occupying the easternmost part of the continent of Namindugu, the center of the Kaigenese Empire, home to most of Duna’s jijakalu.
Kaigengua the primary language spoken in the country of Kaigen and the Kaigenese Empire (similar to Earth’s Korean).
kallaana a racial slur used to refer to white adyns, meaning ‘corpse’ in Yammaninke.
Kama a respectful address for the head of the household (one’s fankama), one’s mentor (one’s jakama), or someone in a position of authority over the speaker, roughly equivalent to the English ‘Master,’ can be used as a suffix to a first or last name.
