1. #1Birthright Ceremonyselective

   Keys: Birthright Ceremony

   A Birthright Ceremony was a ceremony Blood youths underwent in order to be granted a Birthright Jewel. However, not all Blood who participate in the ceremony have enough psychic power to wear the Jewels and don't come away with one. If they do come away wearing a Birthright Jewel, the Blood youth would wear it until they were old enough to make the Offering to the Darkness; a ceremony that allowed the Blood to descend to their Jewel of rank. A persons Jewel of rank was never more than three ranks lower than their Birthright Jewel.

   After a Birthright Ceremony, a public celebration was held during which a mother would openly grant a father all paternal rights to the child. Even if the father had raised, loved and nurtured this child, he has no rights to them until he is granted paternal privileges after the Birthright Ceremony.

2. #2Bloodselective

   Keys: Blood

   The Blood are a Caste of people that span over many different races and allow members to utilizeCraft through the possession of a Jewel - though this is not always the case as some members of the Blood are known not to possess a jewel as their power is not great enough to require one. Those who are not Blood and do not have the ability to utilize Craft are commonly called Landen.

   The world of the Black Jewels Series is run on a highly Matriarchal system in which a Queen is the heart and center of her people while the males find it both a privilege and duty to serve her. Members of the Blood live by a certain set of rules and guidelines known as Protocol. Protocol is extremely important to the Blood as it is a way to check the integral nature of the different Castes in an orderly functioning society.

   Each member of the Blood is born into one or several of many Castes.

   Males:

   Warlord : A Jeweled male equal in status to a Priestess or Healer.
   Warlord Prince : A dangerous, extremely aggressive Jeweled male; in status, slightly lower than a Queen.
   

   Females:

   Witch : A Blood female who wears Jewels but isn't one of the other hierarchical levels.
   Healer : A witch who heals physical wounds and illnesses; equal in status to a Priestess and a Warlord.
   Priestess : A witch who cares for Altars, Sanctuaries, and Dark Altars; witnesses hand-fasts and marriages; performs offerings; equal in status to a Healer and a Warlord.
   Black Widow : A witch who heals the mind; weaves the tangled webs of dreams and visions; is trained in illusions and poisons.
   Queen : A witch who rules the Blood; is considered to be the land's heart and the Blood's moral center.
   

3. #3Warlordselective

   Keys: Warlord

   A Warlord is a specific Caste for Males of the Blood .

   The baseline warrior caste. A Warlord is a jeweled male who is equal in status to a standard witch. They are strong, intensely protective, and fully capable fighters, but they lack the volatile, hyper-aggressive temperament found in the higher male castes. They are the most stable and common of the martial men.

   Warlords are always men.

4. #4Princeselective

   Keys: Prince

   a Jeweled male equal in status to a Priestess or a Healer.

   The middle tier of the ruling male hierarchy, equal in status to a Priestess or a Healer. They possess significantly more aggression and authority than baseline Warlords, but they do not hit the volatile "killing edge" quite as quickly or unpredictably as Warlord Princes.

   Princes are always male.

5. #5Warlord Princeselective

   Keys: Warlord Prince

   A dangerous, extremely aggessive Jeweled male; in status, slightly lower than a Queen .

   Status and Temperment: A Warlord Prince is a caste of Blood male that is arguably more predatory than most of the Jeweled castes. He has strong instincts that are easily brought to the fore regarding protection, sexual interest and aggression. He rises easily to the killing edge as a result of these heightened instincts and senses, and a great deal of Protocol involves methods that a Warlord Prince can use to curtail their instincts and move in polite society, and methods for other Blood or landen (should they be familiar with Protocol) to handle them.

   Protect, Serve, Obey: All Blood males possess the instinct to serve a Queen. There is a 'right' Queen for every Blood male, for better or worse, and there is a specific reaction on both sides that dictates this. Though not every Queen causes the instinctual response -- perhaps a psychic connection on some level -- it is regular for Blood males to sign a contract to serve a Queen that is not his. When a Warlord Prince feels this pull and surrenders to it, he submits his power, abilities, and his temper over to the Queen. This helps to center the Warlord Prince and ground his temper. This desire to serve the Queen is so strong that the Queen's will is usually put before everything and anything, including a lover, in the Warlord Prince's life. This serves a few functions, the most important being that it helps to keep a Warlord Prince from doing damage to the court itself. Of course the pull of service to a Queen can only go so far. It doesn't change his nature, it simply centers him. It is for reasons such as this that Warlord Princes are feared and respected as valuable aspects of a court.

   Protocol Concerning Warlord Princes: A Warlord Prince, despite his power, is always second in status to a Queen. Though there are exceptions to the rule, in general they do not wish to utilize their power to rule over others, instead they wish to serve and protect making it their honor and privilege to work with and for a Queen.

   Warlord Princes are always male.

6. #6The Rutselective

   Keys: Rut

   Jeweled men periodically enter ruts. During a rut, the man focuses solely on one woman to be the recipient of all of his sexual hunger. A rut can last for days and is an accepted part of society. It is noted that woman are often maimed or killed and the man is not held responsible since he is not in control of himself. Furthermore, a man in a rut cannot stand to be around other males as he will perceive them as rivals.

   Following a rut, the man fails to remember the majority of what occurred and only retains snatches of memory. Woman are taught to treat a man in a rut like a predator, meaning they need to move slow and cooperate.

   Like the mating season of ruminant animals, or a male elephant's musth, the rut for Blood males is a mating season, though it can be appeased by either sex or violence; Lucivar resolves his before he becomes involved with Marian by spending time with Jaenelle in grueling physical labour. It lasts for several days. Though it is not confined to Warlord Princess, as per Jared's example in The Invisible Ring, they are affected the most extremely, and it is fairly rare for other Blood males to go through it.

   "Rut. That time when a Warlord Prince's sex drive eliminated everything else. Every male was a rival to be eliminated. Every female but the one he'd chosen scraped a temper turned wild and unpredictable. [...] Warlord Princes were always violently passionate and passionately violent, but the rut drove them to a savagery that bordered insanity."
   

   It is explained in The Prince of Ebon Rih that during a Rut a Warlord Prince will have enough sexual drive to service an entire coven to exhaustion and still keep going. The stated problem, however, is that he has a tendency to focus on only one woman for the entirety of the Rut.

   Their judgement appeared to be impaired during this time: though Lucivar gives Marian an opportunity to leave, showing that he still has a degree of control, his memory of the experience is cloudy. Their behavior is more animalistic than usual, a Warlord Prince's always volatile instincts at peak level. Marian describes graphic horror stories of violence that can happen to witches involved with a Warlord Prince in rut, but Lucivar is not at all violent with her, nor coercive; it is likely that the root of the stories lay in the fact that she came from Terreille , and are caused by the extremely unhealthy social dynamics of Terreilean culture.

7. #7Healerselective

   Keys: Healer, Healers

   Healers are a vital addition to Blood society because they are the ones who heal the physical bodies. Unlike Black Widows who are healers of the mind, Healers are instinctually drawn to the art of healing the body. They have an inborn knowledge of the methods and theories they should be using, but additional training is required for society to consider them "fully trained" and thus fully trusted to act with the authority of medicine on their side.

   Healers are often thought to be much like Queens, especially in their single minded tendency to think their own life is less important than all those around them. Because of this, Protocol demands that any unmarried Healer is required to have an escort to accompany her, so she doesn't harm herself while she performs her Craft. It would be too easy for a Healer to completely drain herself in seeking a healing, as their self preservation instinct suffers.

   Healer Queens are the most common dual-caste for females.

   Healers are always female.

8. #8Priestessselective

   Keys: Priestess, Priestesses

   Priestess: a witch who cares for altars, Sanctuaries and Dark Altars, witnesses handfasts and marriages, and performs offerings. Equal in rank to a Healer and a Prince.

   A priestess takes care of formal written documentation in these areas. She gives advice and guidance. She is comparable to a 'church' of the Christian religion. She can offer sanctuary, and people seek her advice.

   Priestesses are always female.

9. #9Black Widowselective

   Keys: Black Widow, Black Widows

   Black Widows are known foremost for their ability to see visions. They do this by constructing Tangled Webs , through which they see both symbolic and actual images of the future which they must then interpret. They are also proficient with poisons and illusions. In addition, they have a poisonous snake tooth under the nail of the ring finger on their right hand. The power of the venom is in proportion to the power of the witch, and it has to be milked regularly, or the venom will crystallize and cause pain.

   The hourglass was the Black Widows' symbol, both a declaration and a warning about the witch who wore it. An apprentice wore a pendant with the gold dust sealed in the top half of the glass. A journey maid’s pendant had the gold dust evenly divided between top and bottom. A fully trained Black Widow wore an hourglass with all the gold dust in the bottom chamber.

   Black Widows are normally a "natural" phenomenon. However, it was made clear by Saetan SaDiablo that a Black Widow could be made when he learned the Hourglass Craft from Cassandra. Jaenelle, Daemon, Karla, and Gabrielle are all stated as 'natural' black Widows who were born with the gift.

   Black Widows were heavily persecuted in Tereille under the influence of Hekatah before the Purge, although she herself was one.

   Black Widows are almost always female. The only known exceptions to this rule are Saetan SaDiablo and Daemon Sadi.

10. #10Queenselective

    Keys: Queen

    A Queen is the highest ranking caste in the Realms, and as such it is also the rarest.

    Queens and their courts: Queens are protected and honored, and the bond between a Queen and the land is essential for the continued health and well being of said land. All Blood males feel the call to bond with a strong Queen but none so strongly as Warlord Princes who need this bond or they are considered dangerous and lethal.

    Court: A Court forms around a Queen, and is the ruling body of the two living Realms. Considered precious, a Queen is also generally protected with the life of any male serving her. While not only Queens can hold Courts, they are the only ones traditionally allowed to rule, especially Territories

    A Queen's court is comprised of circles that radiate out from her as the center. The closest circle is that of the First Circle. Among the first circle are the three males of the Queen's Triangle. If a Queen has no one else the Triangle is still essential on some levels as it provides a buffer of protection. The Triangle is comprised of the Consort/First Escort , Steward , and Master of the Guard.

    Organization of Queens: Territory Queen Province Queen District Queen

    Queens are always female.

11. #11Courtselective

    Keys: Court

    A Court is the organizational method by which a Queen holds power and consists of (at a minimum) a Queen and 12 Jeweled males who make up her First Circle. There are four named 'offices' within the male First Circle- Steward, Master of the Guard, First Escort, and Consort. (Courts may or may not contain a Consort and First Escort at the same time, their duties are similar and overlap in some ways.) In addition, a Queen may (but is not required to) have other Queens sworn to her as a female First Circle (who may additionally have Courts of their own), and additional members of her court serving in Second Circles, Third Circles, and so on. The higher the number of the circle one serves in, the less directly one serves that Court's Queen. (Source: Tangled Webs.) A great deal of Protocol deals with the forms and formalities of running a Court.

    A ruling Queen of any area (from a village all the way up to a territory or realm) will have a court; however, a warlord ruling the same area (see Daemon Sadi, Prince of Dhemlan; Lucivar Yaslana, Prince of Ebon Rih; Saetan SaDiablo, ruler of Hell) does not form a court, and typically serves in the court of a Territory or other higher queen.

    Caste & Court: Darker-jeweled males may serve in the courts of a lighter jeweled Queen. In the Realm of Terreille before it was purged by Jaenelle Angelline in Queen Of The Darkness, darker-jeweled males were frequently controlled with a Ring of Obedience. In Kaeleer, and in Terreille after the purge, Protocol is considered sufficient leash.

12. #12Ring of Obedienceselective

    Keys: Ring of Obedience

    The Ring of Obedience is a literal ring that is placed over a man's penis. Function

    A Ring is set to respond to the comand of a specific witch and will deal out an extremely painful- and possibly lethal- punishment if activated. Often used during the reign of Dorothea and Hekatah , rings were placed on slaves and servants to keep them obedient. They were most often placed on males of a higher Jewel rank than the witch controling them in order to ensure their obedience.

    The ring is very difficult to be removed by the male and has the possibility of causing permanent damage. It is best to have a Ring of Obedience removed by a healer or the witch that holds the Controlling Ring.

13. #13Controlling Ringselective

    Keys: Controlling Ring

    The Ring of Obedience is controlled by a simple golden band worn on a finger that is called the Controlling Ring. Whomsoever holds the Controlling Ring has the power to put the wearer of the associated Ring of Obedience through great pain that begins in and spreads from the Ring of Obedience throughout the body.

14. #14First Circleselective

    Keys: First Circle

    A First Circle is the most intimate companions and cohort of a Queen's Court. It consists of 12 males (including a Steward, Master of the Guard, and First Escort or Consort) who may be Warlords, Princes, or Warlord Princes. Blood females may also serve in a first circle, but their presence is optional.

15. #15Protocolselective

    Keys: Protocol

    Protocol are the rules and manners that guide the Blood .

    It determines how every rank is to be addressed, how to handle guests, both welcome and unwelcome, and most importantly how to keep members of the Warlord Prince caste from potentially harming those around him. Protocol is what helps the Queens keep control of their courts and is the delicate system of checks and balances that keep the Blood the ruling but respected caste, although it was largely discarded by Terreille until after the Witch Storms that cleansed the land from Dorothea and Hekatah. Rules

    Rule One: Honor, Cherish, and Protect

    Rule Two: Serve

    Rule Three: Obey

    Often times, the males of the Dark Court will sidestep or even ignore the third rule entirely when it comes to fulfilling the first two rules.

    These rules have been corrupted by the witches that control Terrielle in the following ways:

    Rule One: Obey

    Rule Two: Serve

16. #16Territory Queenselective

    Keys: Territory Queen

    A Territory Queen is a Queen who has been given control of one of the larger sections of the Realms. A Territory Queen is the supreme ruler of her respective Territory and these don't serve under no one else (Unless said Queen submits her Territory to another power).

    Under a Territory Queen are the Province Queens then under these are the District Queens.

    Changes:

    Karla- Glacia's Queen- was the first to break tradition by ceding rule of her Territory to Jaenelle Angelline during the Reign of the Dark Court . Karla was still the Ruling Queen but she served under Jaenelle like Province and District Queens served under her. She was immediatly followed by the other Territory Queens who make up the coven (as well as Saetan and Andulvar who rule Dhemlan and Askavi respectively), thus making her the de facto Queen and ruler of almost all of Kaeleer.

    Dorothea (under the guidance of Hekatah), led a systematic campaign of corruption and murders across the Territories of Terreille in order to force these Territories to submit to Hayll, thus making her the rulling power of most of Terreille.

17. #17Province Queenselective

    Keys: Province Queen

    A Province Queen was a Queen who ruled large sections of a Territory, with several District Queens under them ruling the collection of villages making up the Province.

18. #18District Queenselective

    Keys: District Queen

    A District Queen was a Queen who ruled anything from one to several villages. Higher ranking District Queens ruled the larger cities. In Kaeleer, young Queens were expected to complete training in a District Queen's court and progress through training with higher ranking Queens before forming their own court.

    Generally, most Queens would serve as District Queens before progressing into higher positions, such as being a Province Queen. However, this rule could be waved.

19. #19Jewelsselective

    Keys: Jewel, Jewels

    Jewels are the outward representation of the power wielded by members of the Blood. They range from White to Black, with the darker Jewels being more powerful. Opal is considered the dividing line between the light and dark Jewels as it can be either.

    The Jewels act as a container for the reservoir of power possessed by the Blood, whose bodies cannot maintain holding their full strength at all times. Not all members of the Blood possess enough psychic power to wear the Jewels, however, they are still capable of basic Craft.

    Clear Jewels exist, but do not have a place in the ranks. These Jewels act as beacons for those who ride the Winds, and as such are placed in landing webs. This is the only use that has ever been found for them.

    Jewel ranks

    White
    Yellow
    Tiger Eye
    Rose
    Summer-sky
    Purple Dusk
    Opal
    Green
    Sapphire
    Red
    Gray
    Ebon-gray
    Black
    

    Opal is the dividing line between the light and dark jewels because it can be either. The darker form of an Opal Jewel is known as the Blood Opal.

    Special ranks:

    Ebony: The darkest Jewel in the history of the Blood, acquired by Jaenelle Angelline during the Offering to the Darkness. Six of Jaenelle's thirteen Birthright Black Jewels were transformed to Ebony during the Offering.
    Twilight's Dawn: A unique Jewel and originaly the only of its kind. It was a response to Jaenelle's wish for an "extraordinary ordinary" life. It feels mostly like a Rose Jewel, but the feeling, as well as its appearance, changes with the amount of power currently needed. At the darkest it is described to be red with "few strands of Gray, Ebon-gray and Black power". In Bishop's most recent novel "Twilight's Dawn" the jewel is acquired by Jaenelle Saetien - the daughter of Daemon Sadi and Surreal SaDiablo - in her Birthright Ceremony. The jewel this time was - according to Witch - a response to both Daemon and Surreal's wish for a daughter "Like Jaenelle Angelline but not the same."
    

    Acquisition:

    Not all the Blood are strong enough to receive Jewels, but those who are acquire them during the Birthright Ceremony. A person receives their second Jewel when making the Offering to the Darkness, allowing them to descend to their mature strength. The new Jewel may be up to three ranks darker than the original.

    Even a person with no Birthright Jewel may receive a Jewel during the Offering, although in that case they are unlikely to descend further than the Yellow. It is also possible for emotional trauma or other traumatic experiences preventing a person from descending to their full potential strength. As the Offering can only be made once, it is thus impossible for such a person to ever possess the entirety of the power they were capable of wielding.

20. #20Craftselective

    Keys: Craft

    Craft is the main ability that sets members of the Blood away from Landens. The types of Craft are hinted at in the books, but the complexity, depth, situations and more where it can be applied to are left to the observer or in this case, reader to contemplate or in a fanfiction writer's case create and develop Anne Bishop's world.

    Craft has several basic abilities which include simple telekinesis- the ability to move something around with ones thoughts, and telepathy. The skill with which craft can be accomplished depends on the darkness of ones jewels.

    In addition to Telekinesis and telepathy Craft can also offer the user the ability to "vanish" items, which is to literally make an item disappear from sight in order to store it in another place reachable only by the person who vanished the item in the first place. But, if a person has "vanished" objects and has not retrieved it and the Blood has died it is unknown if the object is destroyed alongside the Blood's death or it simply remains until somebody finds it, one of the same Blood family.

    Craft can also be used to work spells such as soothing and calming spells, heating spells, illusions, witchfire, and even spells that can cause death. There are also spells for strengthening, used by Cassandra to make her nails as strong and sharp as daggers. Preservation spells used on paintings and food.

    The three female castes also have specialized spells. Healers can break and set bones, heal wounds and depending on their Jewel darkness, bring someone back from the brink of death. Black Widows can foresee the future, and view the true intentions of people, and view memories absorbed by wood and stone. Queens can use Craft to influence the land, and restore it when it has been tainted. Priestesses can lead important rites such as marriage, the Birthright Ceremony, and the Offering to the Darkness. They are also the most adept at using Dark Altars to travel between realms.

    Jaenelle Angelline while widely known for her deep reservoir of power and ability to master difficult spells and illusions with ease was equally known for her inability to perform basic Craft. Something as simple as boiling an egg would quickly go awry and end up in a demolished kitchen while on the other hand she could create the illusion for thousands of people that the sun did not rise for three days.

21. #21Landensselective

    Keys: Landen, Landens

    Landens were the non-Blood members of a race. They cannot use Craft.

    The landens appear to come from the same basic races as the Blood, though the novels have only ever shown them as humans. They often live in landen-only settlements nestled amongst Blood villages and towns, etc., and under a Queen's rule. Many are artisans or craftspeople and appear to live meager or moderately well-to-do lives. Culture

    In terms of culture, there is next to no information on their beliefs. It is unclear whether the landens believe in the Darkness, Witch, etc., or if they have gods or mythologies of their own.

    Their surnames do offer some window into their beliefs and lives, however, as many sport trade-related surnames like Potter, Carpenter, etc. They are also clearly aware of the beliefs of the Blood, given interactions with them in The Invisible Ring.

22. #22Birthright Ceremonyselective

    Keys: Birthright Ceremony

    A Birthright Ceremony was a ceremony Blood youths underwent in order to be granted a Birthright Jewel. However, not all Blood who participate in the ceremony have enough psychic power to wear the Jewels and don't come away with one. If they do come away wearing a Birthright Jewel, the Blood youth would wear it until they were old enough to make the Offering to the Darkness; a ceremony that allowed the Blood to descend to their Jewel of rank. A persons Jewel of rank was never more than three ranks lower than their Birthright Jewel.

    After a Birthright Ceremony, a public celebration was held during which a mother would openly grant a father all paternal rights to the child. Even if the father had raised, loved and nurtured this child, he has no rights to them until he is granted paternal privileges after the Birthright Ceremony.

23. #23Birthrightselective

    Keys: Birthright, Birthright Jewel

    Birthright usually refers to the color of Jewel that a member of the Blood is presented with at their Birthright Ceremony, held sometime in childhood. The Jewel (or Jewels) recieved at that time, which may be cut or uncut- determine the individual's basic strength, and will be their only Jewels until they make the Offering to the Darkness as young adults.

24. #24Offering to the Darknessselective

    Keys: Offering to the Darkness

    The Offering to the Darkness is a special ceremony in the lives of every member of the Blood. The first offering made to the darkness occurs on the day of a child's Birthright Ceremony, the second when they are old enough to accept the full extent of their power and join Blood Society as an adult.

    Offering

    The second ceremony occurs some years later when the child is ready to make another Offering to the Darkness. Every Jewel has the possibility of descending in darkness by three levels. For example Opal can descend to Red, and Red has the possibility of descending to Black though this is not always the case; for example, Lucivar Yaslana's Birthright Jewel is Red while his Offering to the Darkness granted him Ebon Gray. During the offering the wielder may or may not receive a darker jewel. Jared Blaed Greyhaven was not emotionally mature enough to handle his deeper strength when he made his Offering, and as a result, was granted a Purple Dusk Jewel only a little darker than his Birthright Purple Dusk Jewel.

25. #25Castesselective

    Keys: Castes

    Blood society is stratified into several different castes. Along with social rank and Jewel strength, caste is part of the triangle that governs the social hierarchy of the blood.

    Caste hierarchy

    Caste is not a strict linear hierarchy, especially when it comes to Blood females.

    Landen

    Landen is the term for the non-Blood of every race.

    Blood

    "Blood female" and "Blood male" are terms used both to refer to Blood of any caste, as well as any member of the Blood who does not wear a Jewel.

    Female-specific castes

    witch: both a general term for any Jeweled female and also specifically refers to Jeweled females who don't belong to any of the other castes.
    Healer: a witch who specializes in healing physical wounds and illnesses. Equal in rank to a Priestess and a Prince.
    Priestess: a witch who cares for altars, Sanctuaries and Dark Altars, witnesses handfasts and marriages, and performs offerings. Equal in rank to a Healer and a Prince.
    Black Widow: a witch who heals the mind, weaves the tangled webs of dreams and visions, and is trained in illusions and poisons. Equal in status to a Warlord Prince.
    Queen: a witch who rules the Blood. Queens are considered to be the land's heart and moral center, as such she is the focal point of Blood society.
    

    Male-specific castes

    Warlord: a Jeweled male equal in status to a witch.
    Prince: a Jeweled male equal in status to a Priestess or Healer.
    Warlord Prince: a dangerous, extremely aggressive Jeweled male; slightly lower in status than a Queen.
    

26. #26Witchselective

    Keys: Witch

    Witch is a being created by the wishes and dreams of the people in a time of great need. She is refered to as "Dreams made Flesh". Characteristics

    Witch is created by the dreams and wishes of the Blood woven into a special tangled web by the Arachnian spiders. As such her attributes vary with each different incarnation due to the number of dreams and their individual nature. Witch was always noted to possess Black Jewels (but not all Black Jeweled females were Witch as with Cassandra's case), until Draca explained to Daemon that not every Witch is a Black Jeweled Queen, that some Witches are quiet songs, though this line was broken with Jaenelle Saetien who wore the Twilight's Dawn. Witch does not become a demon-dead as seen when Jaenelle Angelline died she instead went to the Misty Place, becoming a "Song in the Darkness". The Keep of Ebon Askavi is said be Witch's lair and the Winsol days are celebrated in honor of her.

27. #27Darknessselective

    Keys: Darkness

    The Darkness within the Realms of the Blood series is referenced as a religion and way of life throughout the three Realms.

    Religion

    Despite names like Saetan SaDiablo, Daemon, and Lucivar, the use of Darkness as the centerpiece of Blood Society is not meant to represent evil, terror, or anything bad. Instead it is used in the same honored way most modern religions view light. The Blood realms acknowledge the use of Light, but are more prominant is their acknowledgement of The Darkness. It is believed that from the Darkness everything was born and too the Darkness everything will eventually fade when the time comes.

    The Dark Altar

    The Dark Alters are places of worship that are tended by Priestesses, High Priestesses and Guardians including Cassandra and Saetan SaDiablo himself. The Dark Altar is used when children make their Offering to the Darkness in the hopes of descending in Jeweled power.

    Death

    When a member of the Blood dies it is possible for the power of their Jewels to keep alive their mind and soul even while their body no longer lives. Such people are known as demon-dead. It is said that when the final kill is made or the demon-dead choose to finally rest that they will become a "Whisper in the Darkness."

    Witch is also known as "The Song in The Darkness". Realms

    Terreille - also known as the Realm of Light is the furthest Realm from Hell and The Darkness. Though it is known as the Realm of Light, The Darkness is still the primary centerpiece of Religion.

    Kaeleer - known as the Shadow Realm that sits between Terreille and Hell.

    Hell - or the Dark Realm is the closest Realm to the Darkness. It is the place where the demon-dead reside and the living are unwelcome. Refferences to The Darkness

    The most often reference to The Darkness is through one of three oaths or a combination of the three.

    "Hell's Fire, Mother Night, and may The Darkness be merciful."

28. #28High Priestessselective

    Keys: High Priestess

    A High Priestess is part of a specific Caste of Female Blood .

    In the opening of each of her novels, Anne Bishop describes a Priestess as: a witch who cares for altars, Sanctuaries, and Dark Altars, witnesses handfasts and marriages; performs offerings; equal in status to a Healer and a Prince.

    A High Priestess is a woman of rank within this caste and will normally be put in charge of other Priestess, organizing and distributing duties and jobs.

29. #29Demon Deadselective

    Keys: demon dead, demon-dead

    Demon-dead are members of the Blood who are both living and not living.

    Creation

    When one of the Blood dies there is a possiblity to become demon-dead. If the person has enough residual power and the will to survive their phyiscal body will die while their mind and soul will continue to live on in it. Demon-dead most often retain any wounds inflicted upon death as it is a rule of the High Lord of Hell that the living not interfere with the dead. This rule has been known to be broken on rare occassion.

    In order for a dead body to continue to function, the demon dead must consume Yarbarah or Blood wine, or actual blood itself. By siphoning life from the living they are able to maintain their bodies.

    Prevention

    It is possible to prevent the Blood from making the transition to demon-dead by dealing the final death to that person. By completely draining their Jewels the possiblity of becoming demon-dead is eliminated.

    Hell

    Hell is the Dark Realm or the Realm of the Dead. Demon-dead are most often found here. They are ruled by the High Lord who for the majority of the series is Saetan SaDiablo . In Twilight's Dawn it is revealed the Daemon Sadi has taken his Father's place as the High Lord.

    The Hall

    The Hall exists in all three realms. The one in Hell was created by Saetan in order to offer the demon-dead a place to safely work on unfinished business or simply find peace. In general the living are unwelcome.

30. #30Yarbarahselective

    Keys: Yarbarah, blood wine

    Yarbarah - or blood wine - is literally a wine mixed with fresh blood.

    This drink is required to sustain a member of the Blood who has become demon-dead. Without it the body will eventually decay and no longer provide a sutiable container for the power of the person's mind and eventually they will become a whisper in the Darkness.

    Yarbarah can be consumed both warmed or room temperature though it seems to be the preference of the consumers that the wine be warmed usually over a small flame of witchfire.

    The only viable substitute for Yarbarah is actual blood.

31. #31Guardianselective

    Keys: Guardian

    A Guardian is a being that straddles the line between the living and the dead. They are often referred to as the living-dead. Becoming a Guardian is a conscious choice, unlike the transition to becoming demon-dead. A Guardian requires the consumption of blood to keep their body fresh and strong, but are also capable of many of the pleasures of the living, unlike demons.

    Guardians are capable of living for millennia, although it has been noted that they do age minutely.

32. #32Runsselective

    Keys: Run, Runs

    The Runs are canyons in the Realms that are often used by Eyriens during training and challenges. They very in difficulty and skill requirement.

    Locations

    Like the Gates the Runs exist in all three Realms, however unlike the Gates, the Runs only exist in the Territory of Askavi. The Realms the runs exist in factor into the difficulty of the canyon itself. A run that exists in Kaeeler may not be as difficult as the same run that exists in Hell. Notable Runs

    The Blood Run

    The Blood run is the first of the two most notable runs. Though it is still a test of both physical and mental strength the Blood Run is known for holding threads of the lighter Winds, from White to Opal.

    The Khaldharon Run

    Of all the Runs, the Khaldharon is by far the most difficult. Existing in all three realms the Khaldharon is meant to be tried by only the best and most seasoned warriors as it is highly dangerous and often lethal if the flyer does not understand the layout or the sporadic movement of the Winds.

33. #33Consortselective

    Keys: Consort

    Consort is one of the high ranking positions in a court and is considered as one side of the Queen's triangle, the other two sides being Steward and the Master of the Guard.

    Position

    Consort is concidered the Queen's lover and thus one of the closest people to the Queen in her court. Consort may not be appointed immediately when the court is set up if the Queen doesn't have a lover or is not for some reason willing to have one. If there is no Consort, then the First Escort takes care of the position's duties.

    Duties

    Consort acts as an escort to his Queen in official meetings and gatherings. He also may pose as an Ambassador in the Queen's behalf. Consort also accompanies the Queen to the bed and takes care of her sexual needs. Consort is not, by definition, the Queen's husband.

34. #34Abyssselective

    Keys: Abyss

    The abyss appears to represent a deep psychological or inner state for The Blood in the three realms.

    Every member of The Blood can reach into the abyss to gather the full strength of their Jewel. If a member of the Blood reaches too deep into the abyss, they can lose themselves within the Abyss. If left for too long, insanity and even loss of their Jewel can result.

    Jaenelle's abyss was marked by various depths, each representing a deep and specific reserve of her power. Jaenelle's abyss is, by default, the deepest of all the Blood's, since she is also the most powerful. For example, in Queen of the Darkness, she enters the abyss of Daemon Sadi to repair him to his full state of sanity. This, after Daemon's chalice (mind) cracked, while he attempted to pull her from her own abyss in Heir to the Shadows, which subsequently led him to the Twisted Kingdom (insanity). Jaenelle's abyss was simply too deep for Daemon, and it was explained that if he had gone deeper into it, his chalice would've shattered completely. Jaenelle's abyss can be understood as a bottomless pit.

35. #35Twisted Kingdomselective

    Keys: Twisted Kingdom

    The Twisted Kingdom is the commonly used term for the place the mad or insane reside within themselves.

    Creation

    As a member of the Blood a person will have certain internal power that they must always be aware of, power that they must always protect. However, this is not always possible and when the power is vulnerable is has the possibility of breaking. If broken a witch or warlord can be thrown into the Twisted Kingdom.

    Description and Layout

    The Twisted Kingdom in many ways is specific to the person who has lost themselves in it. However, there is always a center- a place where the center of themselves resides- and a boundary. At this boundary it is possible- if the person is strong enough- to pull against the tides of the Twisted Kingdom and step back into reality. The pull of the kingdom however is often too great to break away from and will many times cause the lost to slip back into the grey sea.

    Often described as a grey and broken place, Tersa- the most notable character lost to the Twisted Kingdom- describes it as grey and ghostly, a place in which she "...falls and falls among the shards of [herself]. The world splinters and shatters."

    Chalice

    The shards to which Tersa often refers are shards of herself- of the almost tangable chalice of her power and soul. Because she is broken the pieces float about in her mind unable to become whole and she remains lost in the Twisted Kingdom.

36. #36Dark Altarsselective

    Keys: Dark Altars

    There are thirteen Dark Altars in different parts of all three Realms. Priestesses are assigned to take care of these sacred places. Some, but not all, of them know how to open the Gate. Especially in Terreille this knowledge has mostly been forgotten.

    One of the Dark Altars has been named Cassandra's Altar in honow of Cassandra, a Black-Jeweled Queen of Ebon Askavi. The Gates

    Every Dark Altar holds a Gate, a pathway to another realm. The gates are opened by igniting thirteen candles in right order. If the one igniting them doesn't know the right order in which the candles are supposed to be ignited, the Gate might not open or it will open to some other place than the intended one.

    In Daughter of the Blood the Gates are used rarely, mostly by Saetan SaDiablo, but in Heir to the Shadows and onwards, after the existance of Kaeleer has made known to the people of Terreille, the use of Gates, both legal and illegal, increases.

37. #37Hearth witchselective

    Keys: Hearth witch

    A hearth witch is both a caste and a job description. It is implied that the caste does not come with an inherent or unique skillset, like a Healer or a Black Widow; it has been suggested that it is more a matter of temperament, as when Saetan notes that though Jaenelle can create fantastical magical phenomena it is Marian, 'the practical hearth witch', who comes up with a useful implementation.

38. #38Cildru Dyatheselective

    Keys: Cildru Dyathe

    The Cildru Dyathe are demon-dead children. They lived on their island with Char and eventually moved to the Keep.

39. #39Harpiesselective

    Keys: Harpies

    Harpies were witches who had died by a male's hand. Regardless of the race they originally came from, they were more volatile and more cunning than other demon-dead witches. They seldom left their territory, a territory that even demon-dead males didn't dare venture into. In the Black Jewels Trilogy, Titian, Surreal's mother, was the Queen of the Harpies.

40. #40Master of the Guardselective

    Keys: Master of the Guard

    A Master of the Guard refers to a male in a Court who is the leader of the Court's Guards and is directly responsible for the Queen's security. He is also refered as one of the three sides of a Queen's Triangle, the other two sides being Consort and Steward. Duties

    A Master of the Guard is directly responsible for the Queen's safety, with duties such as organizing armed escorts when a Queen needs to do official tours. He is also the direct superior to a Court's Guards.

41. #41Guardselective

    Keys: Guard

    A guard is a position occupied by male in a Court where he acts as a soldier and protector to his respective people and Court.

    Duties

    A guard is a position occupied by the males of a Court. Their work is like that of a soldier and a security guard, protecting the people and Court members of their respective areas, upholding the respective laws, acting as the Court's millitary branch and above all the protecting their Queen from any harm or enemy. As such they are trained as warriors in various forms of armed and unarmed combat which may vary from Court to Court. The guards report directly to the Master of the Guard similar to soldiers reporting to a general.

42. #42Witchbloodselective

    Keys: Witchblood

    Witchblood is the deadliest poison in all the Realms. It is a plant that grows where a witch has been violently killed. There is no cure for witchblood. Black Widows can communicate with the plant and find out who was killed.

43. #43Lornselective

    Keys: Lorn

    Lorn, sometimes called the Prince of the Dragons or the Guardian of Ebon Askavi, was a dragon who ruled in the time before the Blood. Mated to Draca, Queen of the Dragons, Lorn was both powerful and enigmatic, and was respected by the few people who did know of his existence.

    Vital Statistics Name: Lorn Nickname: Guardian of Ebon Askavi, Prince of the Dragons Gender: Male Birthplace: Unknown Territory: Ebon Askavi Race: Dragon Caste: Unknown Birthright: All Jewels originate from the scales of his body Descended: Father of all Family: All the blood are his descendants, dragons in human form Spouse: Draca Children: The Blood

    History Ancient History

    In the ages before the rise of the Blood, dragons ruled the land, and among them was Lorn. Considered the Prince of the Dragons, he was mated to Draca, the Queen of the Dragons.

    But when the time of the dragons was over, Draca giave the primordial Blood their Jewels, allowing them to rise and take the dragons' place. While most of historical records of this mentioned Lorn, few mentioned Draca by name so she disappeared into ambiguity. In truth, he settled in Ebon Askavi, and made it his lair. There, he resided for ages to come, waiting for the day that he would be useful once again. The Rise of Witch Personality and Traits

    Being a dragon, Lorn was a serpent-like in appearance, with a multitude of scales, a pair of powerful wings and an elongated body. He was also described as massive, his eyes alone surpassing Ladvarian in size. But he was also beautiful in a sense, for his silvery-gold scales carried a sort of iridescent fire, which from afar, could be mistaken as uncut Jewels. His eyes were said to be the same color as midnight.

    Lorn rarely spoke, but when he did, his words were highly regarded by those who knew of him. Few challenged his authority, and when he suggested something, it was usually carried out. His voice was quiet, deep and thundering all at the same time, and according to Saetan SaDiablo, it also sounded ancient and powerful, though he shared his queen's tendency to roll his s-sounds whilst speaking.

    Despite his advanced age and reserved nature, Lorn was easily irritated. After he told Saetan SaDiablo he was his son just as Jaenelle Angelline was the daughter of Saetan's soul, Jaenelle asked if that made Lorn her grandfather. Lorn simply said no, and when Jaenelle further implored the subject, she and Saetan were blasted by a gust of dry air. He then insisted that he wasn't Lucivar Yaslana's great-grandfather, when the latter addressed him as such.

44. #44Eyrienselective

    Keys: Eyrien, Eyriens

    The Eyriens are a warrior race. The books describe them as having tanned skin, black hair, gold eyes and "batlike wings". They are one of the long lived races and can thus live thousands of years. Traditionally a warrior race with a long history of physical fighting, most males are raised to be warriors in hunting camps, while females are forbidden from touching weapons. Their natural enemies are the jhinka, winged scavengers who infest Askavi in both Terreille and Kaeleer.

    The Eyriens are most notably found in Askavi Terreille, an extremely mountainous territory. In Kaeleer most Eyriens have settled in Ebon Rih that is run by Lucivar Yaslana, the Warlord Prince of Ebon Rih. The territory was initially founded for Eyriens by Lucivar's 'uncle' Andulvar Yaslana who offered his help to the Rhilanders who were the native race in Ebon Rih.

45. #45Dracaselective

    Keys: Draca

    Draca is a Seneschal in the Keep in all Realms. She is described as a stern looking woman with features that don't look completely human. She has a tendency to prolong the s-sound while speaking, which gives an impression of reptiles.

    In truth Draca is originally the Queen of Dragons who gifted the Blood with their Jewels when the time of Dragons was over. Then she took a human form to perceive how the Blood used their gift. Her mate was Lorn, the Prince of Dragons, who still resides beneath the Keep.

46. #46Hayllianselective

    Keys: Hayllian

    Hayllians are a long-lived race native to Hayll in Terreille. They are similar in appearance to the Dhemlan and Eyrien races, who share their trait of being long-lived. Hayllians do not have wings like the Eyrien race.

47. #47Dhemlanselective

    Keys: Dhemlan

    Dhemlans are a long-lived race native to Dhemlan in Terreille. They are similar in appearance to the Hayllian and Eyrien races, who share their trait of being long-lived. Dhemlans do not have wings like the Eyrien race.

48. #48Blood lawselective

    Keys: Blood law

    In addition to Protocol, the Blood have a common set of laws for governing their behavior.

    Law within courts

    Within a court, the ruling Queen's will is law. A Queen's jurisdiction is determined by her elected position; for instance, Province Queens rule over their provinces, but they must yield to Territory Queens, who are final law of their land and yield to no one.

    There are legal precedents for appropriate punishments pertaining to crimes. For instance, when a Queen violates another Queen's court with the intent to do harm the appropriate punishment is for the Queen responsible for the violation to be broken back to basic Craft.

    Murder

    There is no law against murder among the Blood. However, a price may be extracted to settle the blood debt. The price is determined by the person who was responsible for the one who was killed -- often, but not always, the Queen they were in service to -- and often results in the formal execution of the murderer. Parental rights

    The Blood are matriarchal by nature, but the laws give both parents certain rights and privileged regarding their children.

    Paternal rights

    When a child is born, a male may claim the child as his and do anything that a father might do with his offspring although he has no rights to the child. However, it is not until the child's Birthright Ceremony that paternity is officially acknowledged or denied. The mother has the right to accept or deny paternal rights, regardless of whether it is true or not. For example; a woman may claim paternity of any male she may choose, whether that male was the blood father or not, and conversly may deny paternity if she so chooses.

    Male Blood Law

    There are three Blood Laws specific to all Males of the Blood.

    Love, honor and cherish
    Protect and defend
    Obey
    

    Dark Council

    The Dark Council is an arbitrating body made up of representatives from the various Territories in a realm. The primary purpose of the Council is to listen to petitions and settle disputes between the Blood that can't be settled by the Territory Queens. It is a semi-democratic body that decides matters by voting, although it is lead by a group of members called Tribunes. The Tribunal structure is hierarchical in nature with the First Tribune as the leader.

    History

    The Dark Council was created before the first war between the Realms with Saetan SaDiablo as one of its chief architects. Originally the Council existed in both Terrielle and Kaeleer, but after the war it was never reformed in Terreille. Kaeleer's Dark Council was granted an island from which it hears petitions and hands out its verdict.

    For many years, at Saetan's urging, a few demon-dead served on the Council because of their ability to provide experience without having a personal interest in the decisions. He and Andulvar Yaslana personally served for many years, until Saetan's petition for guardianship of Jaenelle Angelline required them to step down. during the years they served, the Dark Council's judgments had been respected and trusted throughout the Realm.

    However, when Lord Jorval became First Tribune, with more than half of the other membership coming from Little Terreille, the influence of the Council outside of Little Terreille declined sharply.

    Landmark decisions

    During the time that Lord Jorval was First Tribune the Dark Council also signed land grants to the Queens giving them permission to settle in the "unclaimed" kindred territories. The Council also ruled that a person must be human to be Blood, setting a dangerous precedent that not only denied rights to the kindred but also called into question the rights of other non-human races such as the centaurs, satyrs, and Eyriens. Disputes by non-Blood were only able to be brought to the Council by a human representative from that Territory.
    

49. #49Moontimeselective

    Keys: Moontime

    Moontime is essentially the same as a menstral cycle, and is when a witch is the most vulnerable. During the first couple days of her moontime, a witch is unable to use her jewels or use basic Craft without severe pain. The rest of her moontime, they may use very basic Craft, but it causes discomfort. Because of the vulnerablility of a witch during this time, males close to her, like fathers, brothers, lovers etc become very protective, and sometimes fussy towards the female. There are certain Protocol to explain how other males are supposed to approach a female during this time. Most males are able to 'smell' moonsblood, and some can even sense when its coming.

50. #50Brokenselective

    Keys: Broken

    There are several different ways in which a person can be Broken.

    The first is the breaking of a person's Jewels . By filling the Jewel past its ability to absorb power or draining it entirely it is possible to breake a Jeweled Male or Female. This break results in an inability to use any Craft that will require the power of a certian level of Darkness, though it is possible to break a person to no craft at all or even cause death by Breaking them. Breaking a Jewel can also occur on a woman's Virgin Night which could result in loss of Craft, Insanity, and even Death.

    The second way in which a peson can be broken is if the challice of their mind literally shatters as was the case with Daemon Sadi . Though he did not lose his Black power, he was thrown head first into the Twisted Kingdom. Until the pieces of a person's mind are put back together- and it is not always possible- that person will remain trapped in the Twisted Kingdom.

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