Melkem’s history after the passing of the gods is divided into ages, each being approx. 10 000 years in length. The times that predated the First Age are known as the Prehistoric Age (the age before the coming of the gods) and, by taivashi reckoning, The Age of the Gods. The Age of the Gods lasted roughly 60 000-70 000 years. The definition of an age is not precise, for up until the 10th Age the starting and ending points of ages were, for the most part, defined by historic events. There have been 18 ages in Melkem since the Age of the Gods.

Mortal but long-lived species inhabiting the wide, sparsely populated regions in the southern-most parts of Daqan. The akheris used to be a forest-dwelling people as South Daqan was once covered by dense woodlands and marshes, but as the climate changed the region went through deforestation and became a hot, dry wasteland. Life expectancy for akheris varies between 400-600 years.

A species with rounded ears and medium height, skin tones ranging anywhere from white to black. Similarly, hair and eye colour varies from silver/white to black. Akheris differ physically from humans in that their teeth are sharp and their ears larger – akheris have a meat-based diet, and their ears are more prominent. They are an enduring species and do not suffer from common illnesses often. Their culture has one notable specialty that sets them apart from other species, for most akheris have two official names: a nickname and a true name, often also known as a spirit name.

The original tongue spoken by the akheri species, nowadays almost extinct due to the spread of Daqanese. The language is no longer passed on as a mother tongue, and most speakers of the language are chiefs and elders with access to old Akheri language scripts and history books. The southern dialect of Daqanese spoken in Southern Kisha carries many loanwords from Akheri, however, especially for celebrations and phenomena that lack a direct equivalent in Daqanese. Akheri script resembles the Daqanese writing system, but the alphabet is older and there are more characters in it, because the Akheri language has separate characters for dipthongs (ae, ai, ei, ou etc.). Akheri is a heavily inflected and typologically agglutinative language and the main stress is always on the first syllable.

Local term for the great wasteland that covers the southern-most parts of Daqan from Meril-An plains all the way to the Cape of Mists. The name in the Akheri language is nye’akherian-qaril, “the great southern wasteland”. The word ’akheri’ has been derived from the same name.

An old Kishan saying, meaning someone who’s honest, sincere and reliable, and who does not hide their motives.

Mortal species recognisable by their gray skin, very pale eyes, horns growing from their temples and the small, rounded and prominent ears. Asaris were originally a nocturnal species and their light-sensitive eyes cannot tolerate direct sunlight very well. The ancient home of the asaris was located somewhere in the modern municipality of Kara, and even today Kisha’s largest asari population can be found there. Life expectancy approx. 100-200 years.

Language spoken by the asaris, now nearly extinct, that is still spoken in the mountanous regions of Kara and the north-western coast of Daqan. Like other languages spoken on Daqan it is typologically agglutinative and heavily inflected, but has only five cases. Consonant gradation is more prominent than in other languages of Daqan. One of the main characteristics of the Asari tongue is the large amount of consonants in relation to vowels, of which there are only 6: a, ä, e, o, ö, y. There are 3 diphthong sounds: ae, yö, eä. Main stress is on the first syllable of the word and intonation does not affect meaning. Many asaris are bilingual.

Also known as ’the spark’. Those born of demon blood, whether full-blooded or not, have an innate, magical ability that is called ashay, which translates to spark, sometimes embers. Ashay grants them exceptionally long lives and an immunity to illnesses. It is related to the unique trait of the taivashi species – the threefold soul –, for ashay is born from a demon’s nature (see ’Soul’). The name comes from a common belief that demons are capable of conjuring fire out of thin air.

Bowing is an integral part of Kishan customs, important not only in greetings and partings, but also to show compliance. Kishans greet each other by bringing the left fist to the chest and bowing lightly with one’s upper body towards the person being greeted. The greeting is formal and equally acceptable for greeting one’s acquaintances, strangers and even people of a higher social standing. A more informal version of this is to lay one’s hand against the chest while bowing.

The military bow is more formal and used to show respect and subservience towards one’s superiors. In a military bow one crosses both of their arms across the chest, both hands balled into fists, the upper body bending into a deep bow.

There are two more formal bows: the one-knee bow and the two-knee bow. In the former a soldier takes to one knee, places the left fist against the chest and bends their upper body as close to the bent knee as possible. The latter is a sign of utter respect or of submission. Typically used by soldiers, apprentices or people in otherwise subservient roles, one goes down on both knees, places their hands on their thighs (palms open, not balled into fists) and bows deeply, supporting their weight with their hands.

The Melkemese calendar consists of 14 months, each made up of 3 weeks. One week is 9 days long, one month 27 days. The naming pattern of weekdays and months is based on numbers: Firstmonth, Secondmonth, Thirdmonth, Fourthmonth; Firstday, Seconday, Thirday, Fourthday, and so on. Seasons vary by region, as do their lengths. The north and central parts of Kisha have four distinct seasons, as does Continental Liqaria, whereas in the city of Meril-An and the Hytherlands in southern Daqan there are only two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. Awa’s unusual location results in the lack of distinct seasons and the islands are cold and snowy all year around. Despite this the Awan people follow the same 14-month calendar as the rest of Melkem.

Title of the highest ranking officer of a Kishan legion. In Hol Saro and elsewhere in Northern Kisha one legion typically has 2-3 consuls, whereas legions in Southern Kisha are often managed by a single consul. Consuls are elite soldiers and answer directly to the commander-in-chief.

Melkem’s northern continent, known for the long, dark winters in the north and the dry wasteland in the south called the Hytherlands. The largest country on Daqan is the Empire of Kisha, reaching all the way from the northern tip of the continent to the Cape of Mists in the south. The Protectorate of Nemerwatan on the western coast is a former independent republic that officially joined Kisha in the 9th Age. To the south of it are three smaller kingdoms that have retained their sovereignty despite Kisha’s presence.

The common tongue on the continent of Daqan, descending from Old Demonic. Spoken by all species and demographics, it has largely replaced many others languages on Daqan. Like most languages on Melkem it is a typologically agglutinative and heavily inflected language that does not have grammatical gender. One of its most distinct characteristics the use of a negative verb to implement a clausal negation. The verb endings change based on person and number. Spoken language and written language differ from one another greatly, because the written language is more directly based on Old Demonic and utilises grammar that has already become obsolete in spoken language. Daqanese has 13 cases, some of which mostly appear in written language. Intonation drops towards the end of the word and the sentence, and the main stress is usually on the first syllable of the word.

Colloquail term for the taivashi people inhabiting Melkem. Demons are typically taller than members of other species and their skin tones vary from pale white to pitch black. Their most noticeable feature is their long, pointed ears. Hair and eye colours range anywhere from white to black, and colours that would be unusual for other species, such as red, blue and silver, are not uncommon.

A person not of demonic heritage. A colloquail term for humans, akheris, asaris, merjils and other mortal species. Originally considered offensive, many people with no demonic heritage have reclaimed the term and given it their own meanings over the years.

The Kishan heir to the throne’s body guards are collectively known as the Guard of Honour. Includes 20 soldiers and a captain. The Guard follows the heir everywhere and ensures their safety, even on the battlefield.

Colloquail term for any person who is half-demon, ie. whose biological parents are a full-blooded demon and a non-demon. Their lifespans match those of full-blooded demons and as such they’re very long-lived in comparison to other species, because ashay is passed on through demon blood.

One of the largest cities in the akheri region, despite being called a village by Kishans. Home to approx. 40 000 inhabitants. The name Hatam-Ile originates from the old Akheri language, meaning ’riverside’. Ile = river, hat = a place close to something, am = suffix with a similar meaning to English at or by. Literally ”a place by the river”.

The capital city of Kisha, located by the Northern Sea. The name comes from the northern dialect of Daqanese, meaning ”north bay” (hol = northern, saro = bay; hol derived from holuna, the north). Its closeness to the sea and the Mountains of the Highest makes the climate cool and rainy. Its far northern location means the locals experience both the midnight sun in the summer and the long, dark polar night in winter. Populace somewhere between 3-5 million, depending on if one counts the surrounding countryside. The city’s many neighbourhoods include the artist and craftsman district of Galase, the lower class (empty-blood) district of Menushe, the western government district of Mire, and the central district of Torushie.

A warm, sweet beverage that’s considered a popular luxury product in Kisha, distilled from cocoa beans. Cocoa trees grow wild only in the Wilderness of Merjil, located in Nemerwatan, making it one of the protectorate’s most important and valuable exports. Cocoa powder and various other chocolate products are popular, if expensive, delicasies in every corner of the empire.

Mortals whose inheritance is actually a mix of many mortal species, such as asaris, akheris, even merjils. Not actually considered their own, separate species. Life expectancy varies, usually between 90-150 years. Humans are adaptable and thrive all over Melkem. In Kisha they are commonly found within the working class, especially in the mountain regions surrounding Kara, where the largest human societies on Daqan can be found.

The biggest nation in Daqan, reaching all the way from the north nearly to the very tip of the Cape of Mists. Though Kisha is a diverse empire inhabitated by various species ranging from demons to half-bloods to humans, its ruling power is solely in the hands of full-blooded demons, descended from the god Quan and his bloodline, since time immemorial. Kisha’s first empress was Tiran, Quan’s daughter, whose reign lasted for millenia.

1) Common citizens. Kishans follow a multitude of naming customs depending on species and location, but generally speaking most commoners have two names: a first name and a last name derived from one’s hometown, such as Karanese or Norvan. Hol Saroans take their names from their home districts, not the city itself, such as Galasean, Menushean, Miren. In highborn families names are usually in the following pattern: First Name of house X, for example Venu of house Nawara. Surnames are uncommon among the taivashi.

2) Imperial family. Names used by the imperial family follow an ancient naming custom dating back to Old Demonic: First name + mar + patronym/matronym-like last name derived from one’s parent’s first name. For example, Ren’i’s full name is Ren’i mar Oereinen, where mar has more or less the same meaning as ’blood’. The -nen ending after his father’s name was originally a suffix indicating one’s country or town of origin, but in modern Daqanese the meaning has evolved to ’child’ or ’heir’. The name can, therefore, be directly translated as ”Ren’i, the heir to Oerei’s bloodline” or ”bearer of Oerei’s blood, his child/heir Ren’i”. The name can be derived from any parent or guardian’s name regardless of gender or actual bloodties. The suffix -nen takes the form -enen should the last syllable of the name end with a consonant or a syllable consisting of a single syllable. For example: Ren’i’s name would become Ren’ienen instead of Ren’inen, and Chuja’s name Chujaenen.

A large, four-legged ungulate used for riding. Its head resembles that of an elk, but the animal grows no antlers. It has large, wide cloven hooves well-suited for traversing on sand and mud. Height varies between 31,5 hands to 37 hands. Much faster than horses and with considerably longer legs, the koori’s size makes it a dangerous animal to ride. Known for having mild tempers, but should the leader of the herd bolt the rest of the herd will follow suit. Often used to travel long distances and to pull heavy loads.

Basic unit of the Kishan and Liqarian armies, 5000 soldiers. Each legion is commanded by one to three consuls. In total the Kishan army’s strenght is 30 full legions, the Liqarian being approximately of the same size. The Kishan army consists mainly of infantry and cavalry units, whereas the Liqarian army’s strength lies in its formidable navy.

The largest nation on Seiye and Kisha’s long-time enemy. Famous for its powerful navy. Liqaria is a federation and each of its six states is commanded by its own military district, all of which have their own capitals and governments. Despite being a federation Liqaria’s wealth is the result of trading with other coastal nations, and Liqaris have not warred with others besides the Kishans for millenia. The gods Khuus and Tari are said to have lived in the region that is nowadays part of Liqaria, and there are many tales told of the two gods among the Liqaris even now. The Khuusian mountain range is said to have been born to shield the two gods’ bodies after their passing and the region remains uninhabited, for Liqaris respect their final resting place by leaving them alone.

1) Citizen of Liqaria.

2) The language spoken in Liqaria, distantly related to Daqanese. Like Daqanese, it is a typologically agglutinative and heavily inflected language, and has 18 cases. The letters ä and ö are more common in Liqari than they are in Daqanese. One of the most notable characteristics of the language is its signature rising intonation, giving it a melodious, musical accent in the ears of Daqanese-speakers.

The name of the world and the planet where The Threefold Soul takes place.

1) The god.

2) The moon. The largest of Melkem’s moons and perhaps the most beloved as well. Its ellipsoid orbit makes it a far rarer guest than the other two moons, and there are many myths related to the moon. ”Once upon Merenos’s light” is a saying meaning something that only occurs rarely. Events taking place during Merenos’s full moon are thought to bring good luck, and it’s very common to schedule weddings, coronations and other events on a full moon night. There are numerous songs and poems written about the moon, as it has inspired artists over the course of centuries. Merenos has a strong influence on the tides when it’s at its closest to Melkem, and shipwrecks aren’t uncommon. Mariners are known to follow the astronomical calendar carefully to avoid setting out when Merenos is passing by the planet.

Official name for the demon tribe inhabiting Awa. Derived from the Old Demonic word ’meri’, the sea. There are some mereshis scattered around other parts of Melkem as well, but they tend to keep their distance from taivashis. Their outwards appearance is similar to their taivashi cousins – long, pointed ears, typically golden brown or olive skin. Their eyes are unusually dark to shield them from Awa’s sun and its rays.

Mortal but extremely long-lived species inhabiting the Protectorate of Nemerwatan in eastern Daqan. Expected life span between 800-1000 years. They are a populous, well-learned people, known to have invented Melkem’s first writing system. Merjils differ from other species in appearance. Skin tones range from different hues of pale green, blue and purple, and their ears are pointed much like those of the taivashis, only much smaller and shorter. They have elongated horizontal pupils and eyes often in brilliant tones of ocean green or violet. What little hair they have tends to grow in the very middle of the head, for there are small, sharp, horn-like lumps growing from the scalp. They do not penetrate the skin the way asari horns do, nor grow in size. The merjil culture and language have no concept of gender, but in other languages they generally refer to themselves as nonbinary or other similar terms, should there be the need for grammatical reasons.

A term referring to all genders and sexes outside of the binary, common all over Melkem. Literal meaning ’merjil-like’. The term was popularised by the deity Najdur during the Age of the Gods.

The planet of Melkem is orbited by several moons, three of which are visible to the naked eye on the night sky. The three moons are, from largest to smallest, Merenos, Quan and Kauarin. The turquoise Merenos has an ellipsoid orbit and as such is not visible on the sky as often as the other two. It is appears significantly larger than the others when passing close to Melkem. Kauarin is small and yellowish, never rising very high above the horizon, and as such in Kisha it is most easily spotted during summer just after sundown. It remains on the sky longer closer to the equator. Quan is of medium size and reddish in hue, and is often called the blood moon. It is said that Quan was full when Mushar the First was crowned and once again when she died.

The ancient kingdom of the merjil people, nowadays part of the Kishan empire as a semi-autonomous protectorate. Located on the eastern coast of Daqan. Consists of a large metropolitan area of four large cities and a myriad of inhabitated islands off the coastline, all of which are connected to the mainland via bridges and ferries. The population is mainly merjils, but many other species are also well-represented thanks to the region’s beautiful nature and rich culture. Merjils have been a peace-loving people through the ages, valuing philosophy, erudition and the arts, and as such Nemerwatan has never had an army of its own. They joined Kisha to receive the protection of the imperial army, and Nemerwatan enjoys special treatment within the empire, mainly due to the protectorate’s disinterest in getting involved in Kishan politics. The Nemerwatanese respect the nonbinary deity Najdur, who was sibling to Quan.

The language spoken in Nemerwatan, sometimes also referred to as Merjili after the region’s main population. One of the oldest known languages on Melkem alongside with Old Demonic and the now extinct Akheri language.

Red is the colour of love and sorrow alike in Kishan culture. Wedding attires normally come in tones of red, gold and silver. A person in mourning paints a red stripe across their eyes from temple to temple as a sign of their mourning. The mourning period varies and is not dictated by laws or social rules, with the exception of the imperial family. A member of the imperial family is expected to wear their mourning stripe for 1 year and 1 month when mourning their own spouse, child or sibling. For all others mourning lasts for 4 months. When a reigning emperor or empress dies the rest of the family members wear the stripe until the successor’s coronation, and the successor wears theirs throughout the coronation ceremony as a sign of respect, only washing it off when the day changes and no others are present. Common citizens paint the stripe only across the left eye when the current ruler dies.

Melkem’s southern continent. Its largest nation is Liqaria, a great federation lead by its military districts. There are many other nations on Seiye, too, such as Tharimase, a small country populated by asaris – the ancient kingdom of the god Tari, known for its culture and music. Seiye is politically less turbulent than Daqan and its smaller nations are on good terms with Liqaria. The continent is famous for its nations not having warred amongst themselves for millenia, despite differences in culture and species.

Kishans, liqaris, mereshis and others of demonic ancestry have three souls, according to ancient beliefs. The three souls are the spirit or life soul (life force), the self soul (one’s persona, awareness, psyche) and the nature soul (one’s dream twin, believed to travel in dreams). Ashay stems from the nature soul, and someone with a strong nature generally also possesses strong magic.

Official term for the demon tribe inhabiting Kisha and many other countries, and the original demon tribe from which all other tribes descended from. Life expectancy thousands of years – the most long-lived taivashi have reached nearly 10 000 years in age. Most notable physical characteristics are their considerable height, generally taller than other species, and the long, pointed ears that are typical for all demons.

According to legend taivashis are directly descended from gods that fled from their original homeworld to Melkem. The name is derived from the Old Demonic word ’taivas’, meaning sky or heaven, for it is said their gods arrived through a portal in the skies. Long ago, taivashis were able to use their ashay limitlessly to achieve almost anything, much like their gods, but the skill is all but gone now – thanks to the taivashi blood being diluted by the blood of other species, according to some critics.

One of the most important aspects of Kishan culture. Nearly every adult Kishan citizen carries a tattoo that starts from the upper back and continues across the left shoulder and down the left arm, eventually reaching all the way to the back of one’s hand. All important events are added to the tattoo as various symbols; family and bloodline, occupation, marital status, spouses, children, most important talents and earned honours, all artfully illustrated on the skin. The tattoo gets added to over the course of one’s lifetime. It’s because of this that Kishans wear one-sleeved clothing that leave the left arm and shoulder exposed. In ceremonial clothing even the left side of the upper back can be exposed. Thanks to its public nature the tattoo behaves much like a signature, curriculum vitae or proof of identity. In winter time having the tattoo obscured by clothing is common, but many still wear tops with a translucent left arm indoors. There are many beliefs and myths surrounding tattoos, and the tattooing ceremony is conducted with special care.