Rhita Gawr:
Wicked warlord spirit from the Otherworld, Rhita Gawr sometimes transformed himself into “a huge boar, with terrible tusks and eyes the color of blood…and a scar that ran all the way down one of its forelegs.”

When Emrys and Branwen are washed ashore, Emrys witnesses a battle between Rhita Gawr (in his boar form) and the great spirit Dagda, who had taken the form of a great stag.

The Grand Elusa explains, “Rhita Gawr has already won over Stangmar, and he has used the king  to gain control of much of Fincayra.  Few things now stand in his way, and the most important of them is…the last Treasure (the Galator).”

Rhita:
Here is the way young Merlin first described Rhia, the mysterious young woman of the forest: “From the bundle, a long, leafy branch suddenly protruded.  No, not a branch.  An arm, wearing a sleeve of woven vines.  Then another arm.  One leg, then another.  A head, its hair bedecked with shining leaves.  Two eyes, as gray as beech bark with a touch of blue.

“The leaf draped figure rose and laughed out loud.  The laughter, full and clear, rang through the trees with all the beauty of a bell.

“I leaned forward, trying to discern more detail.  For I could tell already that this bundle of leaves was, in truth, a girl.”

And, as Merlin would soon learn, she was much more than she appeared. She would change his life—as well as save it.

River Unceasing:
The River Unceasing divides the island, flowing from The Lost Lands in the north all the way to the Sea. To the west of the River lies Druma Wood and The Misted Hills.  To the east lies the Rusted Plains, the Haunted Marsh and The Dark Hills.

Rhia knows the language of the River; it is one of her oldest friends in the forest.  “He bathed me as an infant, watered me as a child.”  The River saved Rhia, Emrys, and Shim when they escaped from the Warrior Goblins, causing a swell that carried them to safety.

Second Sight:
After Emrys loses his eyesight, he and Branwen realize that he “could somehow sense  her tear stains.  Though I could not see them with my eyes, I nonetheless knew they were there.”

“It is another gift,” declared Branwen, her voice full of awe.  “You have the second sight.”

Emrys received the gift of second sight after promising never to use his powers again.  “Most important of all, I knew that a promise had been made.  It didn't matter whether it had been made by me, by Branwen, or by us both.  I would never again move objects with my mind.  Not even a flower petal.  Nor would I read the future, or try to master whatever other powers might once have been mine.  But…I could see again.  I could live again.”

Seer:
A person who may see visions of the future.

Seven Wise Tools:
These tools belong to the magical, powerful Treasures of Fincayra.  “The Treasures were always used to benefit the land and all its creatures.”  The Treasures have been collected by Stangmar so they could be used solely by him.

Among the Seven Wise Tools are the fabled plow that tills its own field, the hoe that nurtures its own seeds, and the saw that cuts only as much wood as is needed.

Shifting Wrath:
Among the most dangerous creatures on Fincayra, a shifting wraith can change into whatever shape it wants. But, as Rhia explained to Emrys, “there is always a flaw, something that gives it away, if you look closely enough.”

Early in The Lost Years of Merlin, they encountered a beautiful Aleah bird in the forest. As they approach it, Trouble suddenly recognizes that it is actually a shifting wraith—just in time to save their lives.

Shim:
Shim is a very short person with a bulbous nose. He is the height of a dwarf. Nevertheless, he is totally convinced that he is really a giant—just a very small giant. As he puts it: “One day I will be as tall as the other giants, as big as the highliest tree! Certainly, definitely, absolutely.”

Shomorra Tree:
Rhia leads Emrys to a place she calls her “garden” in a remote part of the Druma Wood.  But it is actually a single, extraordinary tree. This tree yields not just one kind of fruit, but hundreds. And yet, despite its great bounty, the tree is so difficult to find that its scarceness is legendary. Rhia explained to young Merlin, “There is an old saying: As rare as a Shomorra. In all the Druma, there is but this one.”

Shrouded Castle:
Located far to the east in the “darkest of the Dark Hills” of Fincayra, “where the night never ends", the castle is always dark, and “always spinning, so fast that no one could ever attack it.”

Rhia says, “I've heard the trees say that when Stangmar  first came to power, he wasn't so wicked.  In those days, he sometimes rode through the Druma on his great black horse, even pausing to listen to the voices of the forest.  Then something happened to him—no one knows what—that made him change.  He destroyed his own castle, a place of music and friendship.  And, where it stood, he built the Shrouded Castle, a place of cruelty and terror.”

The Shrouded Castle was created by Rhita Gawr and “through its walls the evil spirit's power flows into Stangmar and his army.”

But the castle has a flaw: Its great walls would crumble if giants ever danced there.  That is why Stangmar has been hunting down all the giants. In the prophetic words of the Grand Elusa:

“When in the darkness a castle doth spin,
Small will be large, ends will begin.
Only when giants make dance in the hall
Shall every barrier crumble and fall.”

Sorcerer:
A man who possesses magical powers, but who uses them to harm other people. A woman of this sort (such as Nimue) is called a sorceress.

Staff:
Much more than a mere walking stick, a staff is one of a wizard's most useful tools. In addition, a staff can hold powers of its own. As young Merlin grew in wisdom, through mastering the Seven Songs, glowing blue runes appeared on his staff. But it took all his courage—and Rhia's heroic sacrifice—to complete the Songs.

Since Merlin's staff came originally from Druma Wood, it always carried a faint scent of hemlock. Even centuries later, this smell would remind him of his lost youth.

Stangmar:
The king who commands the warrior goblins, including the deathless Ghouliants. He lives in the darkened halls of the Shrouded Castle.  

Rhia explained: “I've heard the trees say that when he first came to power, he wasn't so wicked.  In those days, he sometimes rode through the Druma on his great black horse, even pausing to listen to the voices of the forest.  Then something happened to him—no one knows what—that made him change.  He destroyed his own castle, a place of music and friendship.  And, where it stood, he built the Shrouded Castle, a place of cruelty and terror.”

Stangmar poisoned much of the lands east and south of the Druma. His followers boasted that those lands had been “cleansed". In Rhia's words, “What that really means is that fear—cold, lifeless fear—has covered everything.  It reminds me of snow, except snow is pretty.  Villages are burned.  Trees and rivers are silent.  Animals and birds are dead.  And the giants are gone.”

“Now you can see," Cairpré added, “That Stangmar is truly the prisoner of Rhita Gawr.  And as Stangmar is imprisoned, so are we all.”

Stoat:
A small thin furry animal which has brown fur in summer and white fur in winter.

T'eilean:
Emrys and Shim set out to reach the notch and travel the blighted land to reach the Shrouded Castle.  On their way, they spot a patch of green and decide to investigate.  The orchard and garden are tended by Garlatha and her husband, T'eilean.  Married for 68 years, they keep the garden alive by the seeds they find—as well as the love they share.

Emrys describes the couple: “…a pair of shapes, as gray as the stones in the wall, emerged from the hut.  Taking wobbly steps, the pair slowly advanced toward the nearest bed of plants.  They moved with a odd, disjointed rhythm, one back straightening as the other curved, one head lifting as the other drooped.  As different as their motions were, however, they seemed unalterably connected.  As they came nearer, I could tell that these two people were old.  Very old.  White hair, streaked with gray, fell about both of their shoulders, while their sleeveless brown robes hung worn and faded.  Had their backs not been so bent, they would have stood quite tall.  Only their arms, muscular and brown, seemed younger than their years.”

Town of the Bards:
Caer Neithan, Town of the Bards is the bleak village in the Blighted Lands that Emrys and Shim visit on their way to the Dark Hills.  In the entire village, not a single voice could be heard.

In the words of the bard Cairpré: “For ages beyond memory, that town has been a fountain of music and song, home of our most inspired storytellers, nurturer of generations of bards. …Here song is ever in the air, while story climbs the spiral stair.”

But Stangmar, with the help of Rhita Gawr, turned the magic of the Caller of Dreams against Caer Neithan. They “called to life the most horrible dream ever beheld by any bard—and inflicted it upon the entire town.” The dream was “That every man, woman, and child in the village would never speak, nor sing, nor write again.  That the instruments of their souls—their very voices—would be silenced forever.”

Treasures of Fincayra:
The legendary Treasures of Fincayra were always used to benefit the land and all its creatures until Stangmar seized them for his own use. Only one remains beyond his grasp—the Last Treasure, which young Merlin believes is the pendant he wears around his neck, the legendary Galator, whose power is said to be greater than all the rest combined.

The Treasures include: the Orb of Fire, the Caller of Dreams, the Seven Wise Tools, the sword Deepercut, the Flowering Harp and the Cauldron of Death.

Treeclimber:
Cairpré explains that Emrys' father's name means “Treeclimber” in ancient Fincayran.  Treeclimber “was an impressive youth. Strong, willful, and passionate.”  He gained this name because as a boy he so enjoyed climbing trees—much like Emrys himself.

Treeclimber meets Elen when he travels to earth and falls deeply in love.

Treeclimber's mother was Olwen, magical daughter of the mer people. His father was Tuatha, Fincayra's most powerful wizard for many years. Tuatha's wisdom was so great that, it was said, “even the great spirit Dagda would confer with him on high matters.” Yet Tuatha, like his son, fell through his own hubris.

Treeclimber's life changed dramatically when he travelled to mortal Earth and met Elen of the Sapphire Eyes. They fell deeply in love. They returned to Fincayra, bringing with them that love—along with unexpected tragedy.

Trouble:
A merlin is a small raptor in the falcon family. But as Trouble demonstrated, it is possible to be small in size and still great in heart.

Soon after his arrival on Fincayra's shores, Emrys saved a merlin's life. Later, the bird landed on his shoulder and refused to leave. In time, Emrys named the bird “Trouble” because he was “nothing but Trouble.” And yet, before long, this little fellow proved that he was really much more.

Tuatha:
Prior to the arrival of Merlin, Tuatha was the greatest wizard in the history of Fincayra. So deep was his wisdom, and so vast was his power, that “even the great spirit Dagda would consult with him on occasion on high matters.”

Tuatha, like his son Stangmar, ultimately fell because of his own hubris. But before that happened, he predicted that his newly-born grandson would one day become the greatest wizard of all time.

Varigal:
Ancient capitol city of the giants, Varigal is located on the edge of the Lost Lands to the north of Fincayra. At the time young Merlin arrives on Fincayra, the city is in ruins, and the surviving giants live in hiding. But after the prophecy of the Dance of the Giants is fulfilled, and the Shrouded Castle is finally destroyed, the giants begin the task of rebuilding Varigal. By the time we meet Shim again in The Seven Songs of Merlin, the city is well on the way to a rebirth.

Wales:
A region of western Britain, known in ancient times as Gwynedd. At the time young Merlin was spat out by the sea and washed ashore on its rocky coastline, Wales was torn by invading tribes, warring armies, ruthless mercenaries, and religious zealots. Fears abounded. Who could have guessed that the lone boy who washed ashore would someday grow to great power and wisdom—enough to bring a time of peace and justice to this land?

Warrior Goblins:
Warrior goblins are huge with gray-green skin, a greenish tongue,  and thin eyes that glint beneath their pointed helmets.  Their muscular arms protrude from shoulder plates; their three-fingered hands nearly always grasp the hilts of broad swords.

As Rhia described them: “They used to stay underground, in their caves.  But now they run free, and they kill just for pleasure.  There are ghouliants—the deathless warriors who guard the Shrouded Castle.  And there is Stangmar, the king who commands them all.”

Wars of Terror:
Rhia explains that the Giants of Fincayra are generally peaceful “except for the Wars of Terror long ago—when goblins tried to overrun the giants' ancient city of Varigal.” These wars, like all wars, left more than physical wounds. Even centuries later, the scars on Fincayra's soul had not fully healed.

Wizard:
Only someone who has reached heights of great power and depths of great wisdom can truly be called a wizard. The Lost Years of Merlin, through all five books, tells the story of a half-drowned boy who washed ashore on a terrible day…and ultimately became the greatest wizard of all time.

X:
This mysterious letter does not mark the spot. However, it is found in the loyal Ixtma and the precious Elixir of Dagda—as well as the most dangerous creature in Fincayra, the magic-devouring kreelix.

Y Wydffa:
This is the imposing mountain that towered over the village of Caer Vedwyd.  “The newly arrived Saxons had already started to call Y Wyddfa, whose icy ridges towered over everything, Snow Hill or Snowdon.” And today, on any map of Wales, you will find Mount Snowden.

Ziffian:
One of the most revered bards in Fincayra's history, Ziffian lived in Caer Neithan, Town of the Bards. As Cairpré explained to young Merlin:

“‘Just think of all the memorable performances this spot has seen! Night Hammer. The Vessel of Illusion. Geraint's Vow.’ Swiveling, he gestured toward a small, older-looking house. ‘Pwyll, whose despairing smile itself inspired volumes of poems, wrote her first poem there.’ He pointed to a low house with a wooden porch. ‘Laon the Lame was born there. And let's not forget Banja. Jussiva the Jubilant. And Ziffian.’”