recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Texada

***"Texada"*** is the ninth song from the Devin Townsend Project album *Ghost*, released in 2011.

## Appearances

* *Ghost* (original studio recording)
* *Contain Us* (remastered original studio recording)
* *By a Thread* (live recording)

## Versions

### Texada

The original album version. The exact recording, remastered, is republished as part of *Contain Us*. It proceeds directly out of "Dark Matters" and directly into "Seams," bridged by ambience and flute.

### Texada (Live)

Available on the *By a Thread* box set, it features in the *Ghost* night at the Union Chapel.

## Lyrics

```
    Wild, embroiled, young hearts depend on me.
    While in style in darkened limousines
    Young hearts remain unseen.
    While you write your hiel of light,
    (Do you need some company?)

    Why do we need someone, really need someone?
    Lifeline

    Cardinal, you royal!
    Young Gods remain unclean.
    Royal is royal in thy xeno-scene
    …Young hearts will still be clean.
    While you write you trials of life,
    (Do you need some company?)

    Why do we need someone, really need someone?
    Lifeline

```
Deirdre Stirling

Helen Stirling

Deirdre Stirling was the wife of King Tristan Stirling. She is the mother of Aldous, Helen, and Claudius, and the paternal grandmother of Richard.

As a native of Dardanos, she is the first foreign-born queen of Apicarta since Margot Castile.

## Biography

Deirdre Devorak was born in Ofram, the capital of Dardanos. Her family was friendly with Queen Enid, who chose Deirdre to be her son's future wife when she was just thirteen.

At the age of sixteen, she married Prince Tristan. As soon as she became pregnant, she altered her lifestyle considerably. She ceased exercise of any kind, including going for a walk, and kept her room sparse, believing the sight of decorations would harm the child's development.

According to rumor, her firstborn, Aldous, had a twin. It was said that Deirdre had the twin killed, due to a Dardani superstition that twins are cursed. However, this story may not be true, as many have testified that Aldous' twin died of natural causes.

Deirdre bore a daughter, Helen, and a second son, Claudius. The relationship between Deirdre and Tristan was observed to be on amicable terms, albeit with little romance involved.

After Tristan's death, Deirdre returned to Ofram and attempted to disassociate herself from her two sons, who were at that point embroiled in the War of Succession. She pleaded with Helen to come and live with her for her safety, but Helen refused.

She died not long after Claudius' execution, apparently of a heart attack. Some claim she committed suicide via poison, due to the grief of losing her son at the hands of his brother.
Camilla

Camilla was the first queen of Apicarta and wife of King Letholdus Stirling I. Born a slave under the Old Exekian Empire, she met Letholdus as a teenager and joined him in the March to the Forge. For much of the subsequent First Exekian War, she served as an archer and is documented as having participated in several battles. Upon the creation of the nation of Apicarta, she was declared Letholdus' queen. She died giving birth to Cassius Stirling I.
Velvet Kevorkian

***"Velvet Kevorkian"*** is the opening song from the Strapping Young Lad album *City*, released in 1997.

## Appearances

* *City* (original studio recording, remastered original studio recording)
* *Chaos Years* (remastered original studio recording)
* *Ass-Sordid Demos II* (demo)
* *No Sleep 'till Bedtime* (live recording)
* *For Those Aboot to Rock* (live recording)

## Versions

### Velvet Kevorkian

The original album version. It flows directly into "All Hail the New Flesh."

### SunMud

A demo originally made for the Noisescapes tape *Womp Womp Womp* (1992) that was released on the *Ass-Sordid Demos II* compilation in 2004. It is combined into one track with "Woman."

### Velvet Kevorkian (Live, *No Sleep 'till Bedtime*)

Available on *No Sleep 'till Bedtime*, this live recording from Australia 1997 has studio overdubs. The show opens with the vocal tracks from the end of "In the Rainy Season."

### Velvet Kevorkian (Live, *For Those Aboot to Rock*)

Available on *For Those Aboot to Rock*, this live recording is from Vancouver 2003 on the tour for the self-titled album.

## Lyrics

```
    Hey! Ah!

    Can you believe this shit people?

    Oh! Ah-oh!

    All I need is this city and this mind, and I will get by
    Fuck sleep, fuck all of you
    Yes... yes! (for me, for me, for me, for me)

    But we can never look back because we'll never get a second chance
    I like people who can take the pressure!

    Are you listening? Are you? Fuck you!
    A new time has come, ladies and gentlemen... boys and girls...
    Welcome the fuck home!

```

The liner notes contain many extra lines, but also miss many that were sung in the recording:

```
    I want to be where the action is
    It's time again
    We won't get a second chance
    Everything is dying
    Fuck sleep, fuck beauty, I know I have to make it alone
    It's 2:45 am and I'm freaking out
    All I can think of is glory, and I'm sitting in Burnaby
    At 2:45 in the fucking morning
    Freaking the fuck out

    One month and I'm gone forever
    Fuck this once and for all...
    And just like all those bullshit jobs
    I swore I'd never go back to
    I swear I'll never go back to this life

    Fuck this

    Can you believe this shit people?
    All you stupid fucking people
    With your useless fucking lives
    And your bullshit priorities
    And your sick fucking wars
    And your pathetic religion
    And your shit music
    And your sick fucking hate
    Bullshit, sitcom, North American ignorance
    A new time is coming
    And we know you're awake in there

    Who's your daddy?

```
Dimiter Yen

Watchman Dimiter Yen is the head priest of Nykara Chapel in the Zantine enclave of the city of Melekess. He is a retired paladin, having given up his knighthood to take holy vows.

He later brought Leon Gorrister to Marcus Roland for training, and while he initially refused to take part, he also tutored Rowan in martial arts and spiritual warfare.

## Biography

Dimiter Yen was born in Zantium. As a teenager he trained to become a paladin and was knighted when he came of age. At some point he married Octavia. They have no children.

After surviving the fall of Zantium, he left his wife behind in Melekess while he traveled the world, working as a witchhunter, exorcising spirits and engaging in *kassiyadin*, or spiritual warfare. He eventually retired and settled down to become a priest at Nykara Chapel in Melekess. Taking the holy vows required that he commit to pacifism; thus, he could no longer call himself a paladin. He became *Watchman Dimiter Yen*.

Marcus Roland, with whom Dimiter had attended the academy, became Dimiter's closest friend later in life. He later officiated at Marcus' daughter's wedding to Ardath Dastagir.

Years later, Dimiter rescued Leonard Gorrister from a group of thugs who were trying to rob him. He carried Leon to the safety of the chapel, where he tended to his wounds. After learning that Leon was looking for the paladins, Dimiter revealed his past and reluctantly agreed to take him to Marcus for training. While he initially refused to participate, Dimiter did eventually teach Leon some martial arts techniques, though his real expertise was in kassiyadin, a concept which baffled the young apprentice.
Erasmus Stirling I

Erasmus Stirling II was a prince of Apicarta. The son of Cassius Stirling I, he married Felicity Morris and fathered Letholdus Stirling II.

Suffering from Rheims disease, a rare genetic disorder that manifests shortly after puberty, he became increasingly deformed and infirm, resulting in him withdrawing from public life and refusing the throne. He died at the age of forty one from complications due to the disease.

## Biography

Throughout his life, Erasmus was sickly and frail. His father Cassius I feared for his life, and eventually advised the boy not to take the burden of kingship upon his shoulders. Cassius the First's reign was long and lasted well into Erasmus' adulthood; by then there were other candidates for succession.

Not long after reaching puberty, Erasmus began exhibiting bizarre symptoms. His features, once considered handsome, grew irregular and deformed. Bony contusions began to grow on his back and head. His skin became leathery and his gums receded, making his teeth appear sharper. The effect made him appear monstrous, and he shut himself away.

Before the strange disease deformed him, Erasmus had married Felicity Morris, who bore him a son, Letholdus II. Felicity was appalled by her husband's appearance and would often refuse even to look upon him.

Eventually she took Letholdus II and went to live with her family in Zemar. Erasmus threatened to raise an army and tear the city apart to get his son back. Cassius I intervened, ordering Felicity to return to her husband. She committed suicide via poison, and attempted to kill her son as well, but he was saved by his nurse, who forced him to vomit up the poison.

Letholdus II was returned to his father, and they lived in a castle in Tyr for the next several years. When Cassius died, Erasmus honored his wishes and declined the crown, citing his poor health; the succession then went to Letholdus II.
Ziltoid Goes Home

***"Ziltoid Goes Home"*** is the ninth song from the Ziltoid the Omniscient album *Dark Matters*, released in 2014.

Townsend acknowledges in the liner notes it is inspired by the music of Soilwork.

## Appearances

* *Z²: Dark Matters* (original studio recording, promo mix, raw mix)
* *Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert Hall* (live recording)

## Versions

### Ziltoid Goes Home (Promo Mix)

The same recording as the final version, but with the original mix before Townsend changed it just prior to mastering.

### Ziltoid Goes Home (Raw Mix)

The same as the final version, but without narrative dialogue.

### Ziltoid Goes Home (Live)

Available on *Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert Hall*.

## Lyrics

```
    Into the void we go to fuel our own volition
    Between the fall of man, the gods and the submission.
    To each their own they say while promising salvation
    The god is money, man, we'll fall into remission... FIGHT!

    … We will FIGHT!

    Incestuous desires will feed your own addiction
    To face your fears requires you burst into the question.
    Do not deny the possibility of weakness.
    Condemns the mind and draws the soul into the sickness!

    Ah! You're running away from me...
    I fall in love with you!
    A way out is the way!

    You are your own mind!

    Fear in the face of creation
    … Lies in the eyes of God.

    You are the face of God and you hold the fates you're calling
    Fear not your words!

    … I know.

    You've been submitted to the force of my creation!
    You have the son of light to feed your own vocation!
    And every son of man who falls to this transmission
    See as the fallen ones come further to the mission!

    TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT FROM ALL!

    You're running away from me...
    I fall in love with you!
    A way out is the way!

    Home we go!

    Oh, God of solar mind
    Now let my spirit rise!

    You are the face of God and you hold the fates you're calling
    Fear not your words!

    Never be afraid of this power!
    Connect this, through everything forever!

```
Livia Agravain

Livia Agravain was a human woman of Zantine descent. She lived in the city of Melekess, where she owned and operated a magic shop. A self-taught witch, she offered her services in magic through the backdoor.

Born in Zantium as Livia Drusilla Agravain, she was the younger sister of Lygia. They were the daughters of an aristocratic family which had fallen on hard times. While attending boarding school, she became involved in the occult. At age fifteen, she was accused of apostasy and witchcraft after evidence of her occult practices was discovered in her room while she was visiting family. She was subsequently found guilty and banished from her homeland in a humiliating and public denouncement.

She settled in the city of Melekess, opening a magic shop, where she sold medicinal ingredients/potions, totems, enchanted items, and read fortunes. She also provided less harmless services to customers willing to pay a high price for them. Regarded with suspicion by others in the community, she nonetheless was prosperous, though she still resented her family and loathed the religious fanaticism of her homeland.
Silas Gorrister

Silas Gorrister is an Apicartan carpenter. He is the eldest child of Hester and Milo Gorrister. His siblings are Leon and Rhonda.

Growing up he was close to his little brother Leon, who looked up to him, but over time they drifted apart due to their large age difference.

An attempt at working as a carpenter in Bering ended disastrously due to Silas' drinking. He currently lives with his mother on her farm near Bodai.
Jade Athanasi

Jade Athanasi is a bard situated in the city of Hiberia. She was friends with (and possibly the lover of) Dagda Vormund before he became a prophet.

## Biography

Athanasi was born and raised in 'the dark demonic woods, where the people practiced ancient melodies on homemade instruments, surrounded by abysmal poverty". She wound up in Hiberia, playing songs she wrote herself as well as traditional folk melodies.

At some point she met Dagda Vormund, who was a fellow minstrel at the time. They became friends, and it is implied they were once lovers before Vormund suddenly left without explanation.

When Vormund and a few of his disciples returned to the city two years later, they found Athanasi living in her dressing room at the Muse Theater with her lover, Cezar Montag. Through Montag, she was patronized by Neil Lars, the bishop of Hiberia.

## Trivia

The character was originally male and named "Dylan Athanasi" after the musician Bob Dylan.
The Filler: Sweet City Jesus

***"The Filler: Sweet City Jesus"*** is the seventh song from the Strapping Young Lad album *Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing*, released in 1995.

## Appearances

* *Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing* (original studio recording, remastered original studio recording)

## Lyrics

```
    I warned you
    I want you...
    I've come back for you
    Go, now, far,
    I wait in the rain for her, stop? no...

    I'm quite calm, calm, come, come, calm down,
    I wait your pal, life equals death, love equals death,

    So, you are...
    Tell me, I'm your filler boy
    So, you are
    Call me, I'm your filler

    Silly girl, spit it out
    We are trying slowly...
    Still we try...
    Fucking it

    Pushing you
    Loving life
    Packing down
    Packing love

    Pushing you...
    Into you...
    Loving life...
    Pushing you

    Rushing you... bruising you
    All these calls and rotting lies,
    Packing down to the bobby girl,

    "I woke up... I woke up to reach daddy-o"
    Will she come?
    Pushing now
    Pushing love
    Pushing you...

    So... you are...
    You can tell me, who's your filler now?
    All I am, helped me, I'm the filler.

```
Kassiyadin

Kassiyadin (Old Exekian, "spiritual warfare", "battle with the supernatural" or "conflict with the unseen") is a religious concept particular to the Zantine religion.

Adherents believe in a supernatural or spiritual realm beyond the physical plane of reality. This world includes ghosts (spirits of the dead who have refused to move on), demons (spirits of dead magic users who are *unable* to move on), and other such beings. Some of these spirits are hostile to the living and will attempt to attack or sabotage them. When the living person defends themselves from these attacks or even fights back, it is *kassiyadin*, or spiritual warfare.

The most prolific use of this concept is in the teachings of the Zantine paladins, who train to fight both physically and spiritually.

Some of the founders of Vormundism (including Leon Gorrister and Gavin Zosimus) also believed in the concept. The prophet Dagda Vormund himself apparently engaged in a kind of amateur kassiyadin in an attempt to help his follower Ethan, who had been condemned as a dangerous madman. His attempts proved unsuccessful, though Ethan's relapse into insanity and violence can be attributed to his having been drugged with the hallucinogenic *darjeel,* and the turmoil and paranoia of the times.
Melekess

View of a street in the High Houses sector.

Melekess is a city-state located on top of the Syra river delta. It is surrounded on three sides by a sparsely populated desert. Together with the other city states of Lydell, Silvenia, and Vitharn, it forms the country of Nykara.

The constant fluctuation of the water levels causes periodic flooding, with some sections of the city being completely underwater for most of the year. As a result, the city is divided into sectors, such as the "High Houses" located on a steep slope that is rarely flooded, the "Low Houses" at the bottom, the Marketplace at middle elevation, and the Palace, which is much further inland and houses the city's governing body.

Melekess was overtaken by Luther Arimanes, a warlord accompanied by an "invincible" army of warriors of unknown origin. Luther declared himself the new prince of the city, married a local princess, and began a tyrannical reign lasting twenty one years. He was murdered during a masquerade ball, though the details of his death are shrouded in mystery. His second-in-command, Adrian Vandiir, was the primary suspect, but Adrian escaped custody and fled the city before his trial.

## Notable Residents

Ardath Dastagir (owner of Something Borrowed, a magic shop)

Marena Roland (Ardath's wife)

Watchman Dimiter Yen (priest at the Zantine chapel)
Luther Arimanes

Luther Arimanes was a human male who rose to prominence in Melekess, becoming king of the city upon his marriage to Princess Philomena Cohilas. After a reign lasting twenty one years, he was murdered, allegedly by the sorceress Zainab Xander.

## Biography

Luther Arimanes' birth name, parentage, and much of his past is unknown. He often gave wildly exaggerated versions of his origins, and the details rarely stayed the same.

There are a few common threads in his stories which seem to have some truth to them. By the time he reached his teens, it seems he was a pickpocket and thief. Supposedly he stole a magic lamp and was astonished and delighted to find it contained a djinn, who granted him three wishes. His first wish was to be rich, his second was to be in command of an army, and his third was for him to become ruler of the city.

Sure enough, Luther conquered Melekess with a fantastical army and was considered wealthy enough to marry Princess Philomena, making him prince of the city. Once he assumed power, however, Luther showed little interest in government or politics, preferring to live a life of hedonism and debauchery. He burned through a seemingly limitless supply of money, spending it on extravagant parties and entertainment. His tastes eventually turned cruel, leading to him getting rid of the city's legal system and building an arena where accused criminals were forced to fight to the death in front of a live audience.

His arena champion was a slave called Cyrus Spyridon.

While he was busy enjoying himself, Luther relied on an inner circle of advisers and managers, dubbed his courtiers, to do the dirty work of actually governing Melekess. A few of these individuals were lowborn friends of his who had known him before he came into power, but most were holdovers from the regime of Philomena's parents with all the corruption that entailed. Eventually Luther became insecure about his position of power and decided to turn everyone in this inner circle into the Major Arcana. To do this, he approached Ardath Dastagir, a young and impressionable magician who was already desperate to make a deal of his own with the Arcana. Luther offered to make Ardath his new court magician, replacing Zainab Xander, who had been one of Luther's most loyal servants, if he would prepare a ritual which would summon the rest of the Major Arcana and bind them to Luther's closest family members, friends, and allies. Amarna attempted to warn them of the dangers involved, but Luther ignored her.

On the night of the ritual, however, something went wrong. Luther disappeared, leaving behind only his clothes. No one seemed to know what had happened, but the blame for Luther's disappearance was pinned on Amarna. Amarna escaped justice and fled the city before she could be hanged.
Joan Sutherland

Joan Sutherland is a human woman from Bodai. She is the widow of Lord Baldwin Sutherland and the mother of Malcolm and Juliet.

Fueled by ambition, she campaigned at various times for her children to marry into the royal family. With the death of Prince Claudius, the banishment of Princess Helen, and the marriage of King Aldous to Laura Zosimus, she shifted her efforts to the queen's family. Her son Malcolm eventually married Laura's half-sister, Melanie. Juliet remained unmarried.
Carthmere

Carthmere is the capital of the kingdom of Apicarta. The castle at its center is the official residence of the Stirling royal family.

The palace was originally built by the Exekians to house their imperial family. After the fall of the Old Exekian Empire, it became the home of King Letholdus Stirling and his family.
The Empress

"*Sometimes I wonder if the Empress truly exists. (...) You profess to be her agent, yet not even you have seen her face. The rest of us have glimpsed her smoke - but never a fire.*"
―Kemet to Rasvan
The Empress is the purported supreme leader of the New Exekian Empire, an imperial state located in the southern portion of the continent.

Little is known of the Empress herself, and she rarely appears in public. Her name, parentage, place of origin, and background have been kept secret from all but her closest advisers. Rumors have circulated for decades that she was a princess from as far back as the Old Kingdom, that she was disgraced by a love affair with a human slave, and even that she does not actually exist, but rather is a fictional figurehead portrayed by an actress.
Kirk Callow

Kirk Callow was a Human male from Hiberia. He was a member of the Cult of Vormund, one of the earliest believers in Vormundism. A retired sailor, he owned and operated a pawnshop in Hiberia.

A gruff but kind man, he was known for taking in homeless and destitute people living on the streets, letting them stay in the top rooms of his shop, though he lamented that they often abused his hospitality. He eventually left Hiberia in order to follow Dagda Vormund, a decision which would ultimately cost him his life.
Reginald Stirling

Reginald Stirling was the fourth king of Apicarta. Intensely disliked, little is known of his life and while he may have had bastard children, no legitimate issue of his is known.

Upon his father Letholdus II's death, he became king, his older brother Erasmus II having been killed in battle. Erasmus II's wife Elisabeta fled out of fear she or her infant son Cassius II would be killed or imprisoned by Reginald, who had made threats toward her and her family.

It soon became apparent, however, that Reginald himself was a poor leader. The few policies he bothered to create were despised, and he was assassinated twelve years into his reign.

He had no legitimate children, and therefore no heirs. Upon his death, Cassius II returned from hiding and assumed the throne.
Philomena Cohilas

Queen Philomena Cohilas Arimanes was the widow of Luther Arimanes and the ruler of the city of Melekess.

## Biography

Philomena Nadira Antonina Cohilas was born in 119 AYZ. She was the eldest of four children born to Haya and Alexios Cohilas, who had united the fractured city-states of Nykara under one banner prior to her birth. Her younger sisters wereVashti and Keomi. Each of the daughters were allotted a kingdom to rule once they came of age, and were groomed to fulfill the role of queens.

While still a teenager, her marriage to Luther Arimanes was arranged.

Despite her training and education, Philomena was largely apolitical and avoided involvement in government affairs unless told to do something by her family. She was very much aware of her husband's cruelty and degeneracy, but she knew better than to openly display her disdain for him. In order to survive, she kept her criticisms and horror to herself.

At some point she embarked on an adulterous affair with the arena champion Cyrus Spyridon. It is unknown whether her husband was aware of the relationship.

Philomena was part of the ritual to summon the Arcana. She struck a bargain with the Magician, asking for wisdom. The Magician gave her a "second sight" ability, which is both useful and dangerous, allowing her to know things others do not and yet leaving her vulnerable to supernatural forces.

After the death of her husband, Philomena became the sole ruler of Melekess. While she was a good ruler at first, her new abilities began to take a toll on her mental state, preventing her from sleeping and affecting her judgement. She occasionally suffers from headaches, particularly when the subject of Luther is brought up, as well as strange dreams and vivid nightmares. Her memories of Luther are missing, and she cannot recall the night of his death.
Cassius Stirling I

Cassius Stirling was the second king of Apicarta. He was the son of Letholdus Stirling I and Camilla. He became renowned for his exploits as a warlord and for expanding the borders of the kingdom by force.

## Biography

### Early Life

Born the son and heir of King Letholdus Stirling I, Cassius was destined to be king. His mother Camilla died giving birth to him. As a result, he was distant from his father, who became a shell of the man he once was after the death of his wife.

Letholdus continued to fight the Exekians, repelling their forces up until his death in battle at the age of forty three. Cassius, only sixteen at the time, was immediately crowned king.

### Reign

As there was no one else in the Stirling family to survive him, Cassius was pressured to marry and produce an heir. He quickly married his childhood friend Beatrice of Bodai. They went on to have only one son, Erasmus I; a series of miscarriages followed, and to avoid endangering Beatrice's health, they eventually opted not to have any more children.

Unlike his father, Cassius was not concerned with destroying the Exekians, although he did not shy away from encounters with them. Instead, he focused much of his efforts on uniting the various human settlements that had sprung up in the aftermath of the First Exekian War. In formerly Exekian cities, humans had overthrown their masters and attempted to form governments of their own, with varying degrees of success.

Cassius' first conquest was Zemar, whose government was weak due to infighting and disagreement. He marched into the city, which fell with little provocation, and declared it part of his lands. The populace revolted, but was soon put down.

His second and most difficult victory was in Hiberia, which had built a semi-stable economy based on slavery, which continued with humans enslaving other humans and a few Exekians who had failed to escape during the war. Disgusted by this, Cassius rallied his soldiers into believing they were fighting a holy war to destroy the last vestiges of slavery. The Hiberians in return fought to keep their property, believing that Cassius was a tyrant who intended to impose his power upon them. A battle for the city raged for ten days before it was finally defeated. Havoc broke loose in the slave camps as the Exekians captives were set upon by the humans. Many were killed, but a few managed to escape.

The city of Tyr, which was autonomous, economically prospering, and had developed a stable democracy, was convinced to join Apicarta for protection, as the city was located close to the southern border and was in danger of attack.

Cassius died after a reign lasting forty two years. He was succeeded by his grandson Letholdus Stirling II.
Ardath Roland

Ardath Roland was a male sorcerer. A former slave, he was purchased as a child by Blaise the Magus, who made him his apprentice. He was romantically involved with fellow College student Marena Roland.

## Personality and Appearance

Impulsive and passionate with a craven streak, Ardath' psyche is scarred by his formative experiences. He learned at a young age how to make fast decisions to save his life, and that running away from his problems would allow him to survive, if nothing else.

As a former slave, he finds it difficult to shake off some of his more subservient tendencies, falling almost unknowingly into the role of servant. He craves love and affection. Though Marena described his relationship with his master as being "devoid of warmth", Ardath remains attached to him, seeing him as a surrogate father figure.

His deepest and most intense relationship is with Marena, who became his lover when he was eighteen years old. Ardath sees himself as her protector, comparing himself to a knight in service to his queen. She brings out his passionate side, but also makes him behave in a far more impulsive manner than usual.

He is described by Marena as "a red-haired boy of nineteen, with light blue eyes, a nose as straight as the tip of a sundial, and a full, sensualist mouth. He was a little gaunt in the hollows of his cheeks and in the stern jutting line of his jaw, but a generous observer would call his features chiseled."

## Biography

The boy who would come to be known as Ardath was born in Eltenia, a country far to the north. He has vague memories of his home life; that he had many brothers, that his father was a hardworking alcoholic who would beat them when angry, and that his mother loved him.

At some point during his early childhood, his hometown was attacked by raiders who took him captive. He was separated from his family and placed into bondage. His birth name, now lost to time, was replaced by a number. He was put to work as a household slave, cleaning and running errands. His memories blot out abuses he suffered at the hands of the overseers, who starved and beat him for the slightest mistakes.

He isn't sure how it happened, but he eventually wound up on the auction block. It was there that the malnourished, battered boy was purchased by Blaise the Magus. Brought to the magnificent estate of his new master, the boy expected to be put to work again, but Blaise had no need of a servant. Instead, he hired a tutor to teach the boy how to read and write.

The boy became a voracious reader. Properly fed and cared for, he began to grow strong and healthy. He even chose a new name for himself: Ardath. All this eventually led to Blaise making Ardath his apprentice in magic.
Frances Stirling

Frances Stirling was a princess of Apicarta and, for just seven days, queen of that land. She was placed on the throne during the latter half of the War of Succession, with the support of her father, Prince Sebastian Stirling, who hoped to keep his nephew Aldous at bay. Aldous however located his brother Claudius, who had gone into hiding, then returned to the capital to remove Frances.

A plain, demure, and pious bookworm aged just sixteen, Frances was recently married (to Lord Zachary Guildford) and largely innocent in the political machinations of her family. She willingly gave up the crown, hoping Aldous would let her and her husband live. The couple was imprisoned in the castle dungeons, and Sebastian rashly raised an army to break them out. This rebellion was doomed to fail and resulted in his being captured as well.

Aldous condemned Sebastian to hang for treason, and was convinced that Frances was too much of a liability to be left alive. Thus, Frances and Zachary were executed on the same day in 182 AYZ.
Lucien Florescu

Sebastian Stirling

Lord Lucien Stirling was the consort of Queen Enid Stirling and the father of Tristan Stirling, Lucia Stirling, and Sebastian Stirling.

A member of the prestigious Florescu family from Zemar, his marriage to Enid was arranged by the princess herself. They were, as one historian put it, "made for each other, both preoccupied with gloom and doom".

But Lucien's melancholy soon took on a darker turn. Ten years into their marriage, he began exhibiting strange behaviors including paranoia, delusions, violent outbursts, and catatonia. As his madness became more difficult to control, he was confined and looked after by various attendants and doctors, who could only manage his symptoms with sedatives and constant care.

Isolated from the world, he outlived his wife by nearly three decades and almost all of his children. While his relatives were being killed off during the War of Succession, he was not considered a threat and therefore left alone. By the time he died in 185 AYZ, only his daughter Lucia remained to pay her respects.
Zantine Akhenism

Zantine Akhenism is a form of Akhenism practiced among the Zantine people. With the fall of Zantium, the religion now has fewer than 6,000,000 adherents.

## History

Zantium was originally a colony established around 1900 BYZ by the Old Exekian Empire, although their rule was always tentative rather than absolute. The Exekians permitted the mostly human population to govern themselves, provided they paid tribute to the Empire and guarded it from the human "barbarians" to the west. The Exekians feared these barbarians, who practiced magic/witchcraft and had very different customs and values. Therefore, the Exekians created the paladins, a specialized rank of knight trained to destroy magic and fight off those who used it.

Shortly after the fall of the Old Exekian Empire began in Year Zero and the founding of the nation of Apicarta, a Zantine slave named Peredur became the first king of Zantium after leading his people in a similar uprising against the Exekians. The ruling family of Zantium could be traced back to Peredur himself.

The Zantines continued to practice their own unique form of Akhenism which differed significantly from the Apicartan Temple. They did not demonize the Exekians, nor did they hold them in special regard - this was done out of necessity, as the traditions and rituals of the paladins required the cooperation of the Exekians.

## Beliefs

Zantine teachings differ from other Akhenist sects through their vilification of magic. Culturally, Zantium has a long history of persecuting magicians, with several members of their society who were found to possess supernatural abilities being either put to death or banished. The practice of divination using tarot cards and other forms of "witchcraft" are strictly forbidden, with harsh penalties.

The Zantines even developed a special order of knights, the paladins, to deal with militant magic users. These knights were trained in the use and keeping of special weapons constructed from a "divine metal", physical combat as well as spiritual warfare, and exorcisms. The blessing of a paladin was said to be even more powerful than that of a priest.
Regulator

***"Regulator"*** is the ninth song from the Devin Townsend album *Ocean Machine: Biomech*, released in 1997.

## Appearances

* *Ocean Machine: Biomech* (original studio recording)
* *Official Bootleg 2000* (live recording)
* *Safe Zone* (live recording)

## Versions

### Regulator

The original album version. It flows directly out the end of "Greetings."

### Regulator (Live, Official Bootleg)

Available on the *Official Bootleg 2000* CD-R/DVD-R and multimedia content of the *Terria* deluxe 2xCD.

### Regulator (Live, Safe Zone)

Available on the *Safe Zone* DVD, a bonus in the deluxe version of *Synchestra*. It flows directly from "Truth".

## Lyrics

```
    I'm regulated
    I'm regulated
    ...Odd times and all
    Odd times and all

    Regulator, no meantime at all

    Time won't wait for me

    There goes that old feeling
    I'm free again

```
Melanie Sutherland

Melanie Sutherland (née Hayden) was the daughter of Lord Sylvester Hayden and his wife Beatrice. After her mother was widowed, she remarried to Lord Gavin Zosimus. Thus Melanie grew up with her adopted brother Vincent, her stepsister Laura, and her half-brother Balian.

She survived the destruction of Isidore and was taken prisoner by King Aldous along with Laura. After Laura married Aldous, she installed Melanie as her lady-in-waiting to keep them together. This arrangement proved disastrous, as Melanie was subjected to the abuse of Aldous and his men.

To escape the mistreatment, Melanie married Malcolm Sutherland. It is unknown whether the couple had any children.
Rokanan

Rokanan was the third-to-last emperor of the Old Exekian Empire. He ruled during a period known as the Age of Shadows, when the Empire was economically prospering but appeared socially diseased. After the events of Matta's Mutiny, an infamous rebellion which led to the death of Rokanan's would-be successor Prince Caspar and nearly cost Rokanan his life, he was forced to abdicate.
Maria

Maria was the wife of Prince Stephen Stirling. She was murdered, along with her husband and her infant son, by three assassins armed with daggers who stormed their castle during the night. The assassins were tortured, interrogated, and eventually executed, but they never admitted any motive or named accomplices. It is generally believed that the murders were orchestrated by Stephen's older brother, King Letholdus Stirling III, who wanted to keep the line of succession pure.
Arcane Realm

The Arcane Realm was a dreamlike world existing outside of time and space. It housed the Arcana, a group of demonic beings who catered to practitioners of magic in particular.

The origins and exact nature of the Arcane Realm are mysterious. It was possible for the souls of mortals to become trapped in the Realm, either because they became lost there or because they had traded their souls in a deal made with one of the Arcana.

## Role of Tarot

Tarot cards, a popular tool for divination, appeared to have been devised as a method of introducing mortals to the Arcana. A cult has sprung up around the cards among those who believe in their power to tell the future, and adherents to this belief often see the Major Arcana as helpful or even divine spirits who want to help people.

## Geography

Since it has no definite shape or form, the Realm can take on any appearance. Some have described it as looking like a paradise, while others say it is a hellscape or a wasteland. Whether it is the stuff of dreams or nightmares depends on the person, why they are there, who they associate with, etc.

The Magician's Realm is an island covered in dense wildlife and surrounded by a sparkling, crystalline sea. The weather on the island is shown to be influenced by his moods.
Logan Brynner

Logan Brynner is an Iskirran aristocrat and politician. He is married to Princess Eleanor Stirling, by whom he has a daughter, Kai.

## Biography

Logan was born and raised in Drosperinon, the only child of a merchant and his wife. His mother died in Logan's early childhood from illness.

The boy was sent away to boarding school as soon as he was eligible, where it was discovered that he had a talent for magic. He was then moved into the apprenticeship of a master sorcerer. Logan was an overachiever.

Upon his father's death, Logan inherited all of his property and wealth. Using his money, influence, and charms both charismatic and magical, he climbed his way up through his country's politics.

Seeing the young man's rise to power, the rulers of Iskirra proposed a marriage with Princess Eleanor, the daughter of King Aldous Stirling, the ruler of Apicarta. Initial concerns that the princess would not be a good match and the marriage itself was profoundly bad idea were quickly quelled after Logan paid a visit to Carthmere. So impressed was Eleanor with Logan that she dispensed with the traditional waiting period following an engagement. The two were married within six months.

Three years after their wedding, King Aldous died. The throne went to his eldest son Richard, who couldn't have children due to suffering from Rheims disease. The lack of children resulting from Logan and Eleanor came into question, and Logan revealed that he had used magic to alter his body, resulting in him becoming completely sterile. Richard ordered that the union be dissolved, although he hesitated when Eleanor begged him to reconsider.
Margot Castile

Stephen Stirling

Margot Castile was the queen consort of King Cassius Stirling II and the mother of his three children: Letholdus III, Stephen, and Odette.

Born in Zantium, she was betrothed to the king of Apicarta as part of an alliance between the countries. Though she was purportedly descended from Peredur, she had no magical abilities and none of her descendants have manifested such powers.

She lived to see the deaths of her two youngest, most likely at the hands of her eldest. She is often called "the mourning queen" or "the banshee queen" and is a popular figure in legend, appearing as a wailing, weeping ghost lamenting the deaths of her offspring.
The Ones Who Love

***"The Ones Who Love"*** is the twelfth and final song from the Devin Townsend Project album *Sky Blue*, released in 2014.

## Appearances

* *Z²: Sky Blue* (original studio recording, promo mix)

## Versions

### The Ones Who Love (Promo Mix)

The same recording as the final version, but with the original mix before Townsend changed it just prior to mastering. It runs significantly longer.

## Lyrics

```
    As beings of light we are rhythms of the world
    Though we live in fear and darkness
    It's always hard when we lose the ones who love
    if only we knew...

    Call your mourning off...

```
College of Magical Arts and Sciences

The College of Magical Arts and Sciences (CMAS), otherwise known as the Sorcerer's College, was a federal reserve academy located in the mountains of Iskirra. It educated young sorcerers, including pairing them up with mentors in order to complete their training.

The famous sorcerer Blaise the Magus was the College principal, with \_\_\_ serving as vice principal. Rhiannon Roland and Ardath were students.

## Description

The College was located in the province of Melekess, a mountainous and forested region in southern Iskirra. The main building was designed to look like a medieval fortress—according to rumor, it actually was a military fort of some kind, though much of the original structure was torn down and rebuilt to suit the purposes of the College. With a central hub surrounded by eight "spokes" in the form of long two-story corridors, the resulting building was huge, sprawling, and easy to get lost in.

The College had approximately 250 students, who were housed in sex-segregated dormitories. Toilets and sinks were found inside the cells, but shower facilities were shared and often fought over. Students who woke up earlier than others would use up all the hot water available, forcing those who woke up later to bathe in icy cold water.

Students chosen for mentorship would be granted their own private rooms. These private rooms were located in the same wing as the personal quarters of staff members and resembled hotel suites, featuring their own private bathrooms, kitchenettes, and other amenities considered luxuries by the rest of the student body.

## College Life

Most of the students of the College were orphans, wards of the state, or criminals and troublemakers. They attended the College for a minimum of four years, where they studied magic and its uses. Students were expected to specialize in a particular field, such as warfare, soothsaying, alchemy, or scholarship; this would then shape their careers as sorcerers. At the end of their tenure, they might be apprenticed to a master sorcerer, where they would continue their training until it was completed, becoming a fully-fledged sorcerer.

The College was notoriously cutthroat, with students being encouraged to bitterly compete with each other. In several cases, students would attack and/or attempt to murder their rivals. Killing another student was punishable with expulsion, although in cases of self-defense, this was usually lessened to temporary suspension and analysis by a psychologist.
Felicity Morris

Felicity Morris was the wife of Prince Erasmus Stirling I and mother to King Letholdus Stirling II.

Due to her husband's deforming disease, she soon grew estranged from him, and when he renounced his claim to the throne, she took their son and went to Bodai, where she stayed with her family. Erasmus threatened to raise an army and tear the city apart to get his son back, but his father King Cassius Stirling I intervened, ordering Felicity to return to her husband. She instead committed suicide via poison. She had also given her son poison, but he was saved by his nurse, who forced the boy to vomit it up.

She is often mentioned in folk songs and is also known as "the madwoman of Bodai".
Beatrice Zosimus

Balian Zosimus

Beatrice Zosimus was an Apicartan noblewoman. She was married twice, first to Lord Sylvester Hayden, with whom she had two children, Melanie and Balian. After the death of her first husband, Beatrice married Lord Gavin Zosimus. The two had known each other since childhood and were fond of one another, but their marriage was one of convenience and produced no children. Beatrice played the role of stepmother to Gavin's daughter Laura.

Beatrice outlived her second husband as well, though only by a few months. She died in prison following the arrest of the Zosimus family during the War of Succession.
Ferdia

Ferdia was a legendary Exekian warrior, said to be the greatest fighter who ever lived.

Ferdia is found in the Histories, where he serves as a mascot and guardian of the ancient kingdom of Sylarat. Queen Skoga of Yaekar sought to defeat Ferdia by attacking Sylarat. Her army was scattered during the battle by Ferdia, but one of her soldiers manages to wound him, forcing him to flee into the wilderness. His injuries were cared for by the human slave Peredur, and in return Ferdia granted Peredur his favor and trained him. Peredur went on to become the first paladin.
The Arcana

The Arcana can refer to one of two things - the symbols depicted on the trump cards used in tarot, or the supposed "cosmic archetypes" who can be contacted through the cards. The "cosmic archetypes" existence is up for debate in-universe. Most people do not believe in them, and likewise think that the fortune-telling card readers who claim they are real are frauds.

There are 22 Major Arcana in a typical tarot deck, all of whom are said to represent actual beings who reside in the Arcane Realm. These include the Magician.
Hiberia

Hiberia is an island that is part of the territory of Dardanos. It has one major settlement. It is notorious for its corrupt politics, legalized slavery and prostitution, and for willingly working with the Iskirrans in an effort to get ahead of the mainland Dardani.

During the time of the Old Exekian Empire, the island was a major port used to transport slaves. Immediately after the fall of the Empire, the strongest humans made the remaining Exekians and weak humans into slaves. This practice has continued into the modern day.
Fellinar

The fellinar (Old Exekian, "lamp-bearers") was the religious branch of the Old Exekian Empire. Consisting of leaders from each of the Empire's major cities, the fellinar acted as the head of the Akhenist faith.

In addition to their role as the head of the faith, they also possessed a great deal of power within the government. They had their own courts in which their members could be tried, and the right to rid society of heretics. Their power meant that they frequently clashed with the other branches of the government, particularly the Emperor/Empress and the hunyadi.

Members could be both male and female, although females typically covered their hair with a veil or headdress and males would shave their heads. The higher ranking clergy would incorporate feathers into their headdresses, or sometimes even whole birds. Most religious artwork depicts them holding a lamp in reference to the original meaning of the word, "lamp-bearers".

Their most infamous act was to covertly alter the sacred texts of their faith, the Mandorlin, over the course of several centuries. They claimed this was done in the best interests of the common folk and slaves, most of whom were illiterate and uneducated. They considered their work merely "updates" to match the changing times, and while some in the intelligentsia tried to undermine them, most did not care.