SISTERIN
Sisterin is the setting for WATERFALL, a just-completed
and (as of September 2002) unpublished fantasy. The world in which Sisterin
exists lies just beyond our own, and can be reached, occasionally, via such
natural forces as a waterfall, avalanche or earthquake. There are two named
countries in this world; Sisterin and Farbeyond, but it is Sisterin that forms
the setting for most of this novel.
Sisterin society is run on severely matriarchal lines. Most Sisterins live in autonomous
settlements, known as Dameries or Dominia and ruled by the Damer. Damer is a hereditary post, passed from
mother to daughter. Damers have one
daughter only to avoid friction. Once
the heir is provided, a second child, always a son, may be produced.
Sisterin does not support male/female partnerships, and
Sisterins do not know the identities of their fathers. There is little sense of family. Children are cared for at home until the age
of 11; they then take up a crede, or vocation.
It is very rare for mothers to stay in touch with creded sons.
CREATING SISTERIN
When creating a new and different society,
it is necessary to invent places, customs and inhabitants. Below is a glossary
of people in Sisterin, people in our world, places
in Sisterin,
places in our world and new or
adapted terms used in the writing of WATERFALL.
Athen Guysh (also known as Athen Bard) -- second narrator of WATERFALL. A 12 -year-old Sisterin Bard.
Bard - a high crede.
Beev, drybeev -- Sisterin term for beef or beef jerky.
Bel
- friend of Corrie in our world.
Bloodsop – A medicinal moss.
Boi -- the Sisterin word for "boy", and disrespectful
term of address.
Casta – the "castle" of the Damer of Hethern.
Charm's Rib - a mountain valley in our
world.
Clother – a high level crede
Coash -- a Sisterin coach.
Corrayo Guysh -- 14 -year-old sister of Athen, once strong minded
and stubborn, now very badly brain-damaged.
Corree - Athen's name for Corrie
Guise Heineke.
Corrie Guise Heineke - first narrator -- a 14 -year-old girl
from our world, reluctantly sharing a camping holiday with her parents and
younger brother.
Crede -- a profession or avocation.
Creder -- someone who has or carries out crede.
Dalg - Sisterin version of a dog.
The Dalg - a grotesque
but loving pet/companion of the Ward Seer of Sharm.
Damer -- powerful woman in charge of a settlement.
The Damer Eberclere -- high-ranking woman at Damerie
Eberclere.
Damerie -- domain of a damer.
Dawling – a damerie which holds the errun fair.
Defender – a crede.
Dominia -- another word for damerie.
Dyer -- a high level crede.
Eberclere
-- the damerie nearest Jindabek Foss.
Everclear - an old "Big House" in our world.
Entertainer – a crede.
Eppetee – black berries used in dyeing.
Errun fair -
a fair at Damerie Dawling.
Errunmen -- boys or men who run errands. A low level crede.
Ethan
Guise Heineke - 12-year-old brother of Corrie in our world, slightly brain-damaged
in an accident.
Farbeyond -- a country in the same world as
Sisterin.
Footwrap
-- woollen foot covering -- one size fits all.
Foss -- the Sisterin term for waterfall.
Gell -- the Sisterin word for "girl", usually employed
for young or low creded girls.
Greener -- a crede.
Guysh -- the damerie where Athen was born.
Haghlinds -- a damerie.
Hand lute -- small musical instrument.
Hawken -- the Sisterin version of a hawk.
Hethern -- a damerie.
Heya – A greeting.
Horze -- the Sisterin version of a horse.
Horze boi or Horze groom -- one who looks after horzes.
Horze doctor -- a vet /healer who looks after the health
of animals or male Sisterins.
The Horze Doctor -- a vet/healer at Eberclere, friend of Athen.
Jase
- friend of Corrie in our world.
Jassan - a young male cook at Guysh -- friend of Athen.
Jewler – a crede.
Jindabek Falls - small waterfall on the Jindabek
River, in our world.
Jindabek Foss - Waterfall on the Jindabek
Reva.
Jindabek River – river in our world.
Jindabek Reva – river in Sisterin.
Key pipes - small musical instrument.
Maidum -- respectful term, or term of address for a female who is
not a damer.
Maidum Aleezubuth - the Damer Eberclere's daughter and heir.
Maidum Bal -- a girl at Guysh -- contemporary of Athen.
Mem Guysh (aka The Damer Guysh, and Mem Scryer) -- Athen's
mother, a high-ranking woman of Sisterin.
Mum
and Dad -- parents of Corrie and Ethan in our world.
Muralist – a crede.
Nullard -- -- a non-person.
Nurse Women – healers who attend to maidums, damers
and gells.
Pallas -- a damerie.
Pees hoose -- Sisterin term for a toilet.
Pool of the Sky - pool under the Foss
Prarn -- a damerie.
Reva -- Sisterin term for a river.
Scryer - a rare crede.
Scry-well – a crockery vessel used by a scryer.
Seer - a very high and very rare crede.
Sharm -- home of the Ward Seer.
Shep Herder – a three-colour crede.
A Silver Hood -- worn by a Damer or Maidum who has an
heir.
Sisterin -- country where Athen lives.
Spader -- a low level crede.
Splash room -- Sisterin term for a bathroom.
Starst -- a damerie.
Stingfly -- stinging insect that attacks before
rain.
Stoner -- a low level crede.
Tent spread -- cloth used as a covering or portable
tent.
Two-colour creder -- a low creder.
Unnamed baby girl - perhaps Reva Guysh - Mem's new heir.
Vosp – stinging insect.
The Ward Seer of Sharm - high-ranking woman who lives at
Sharm. Mem's mother.
Waysider -- three-walled hut in which travellers
sleep.
Wendy – the Patient Liaison Officer at the hospital in
our world.
Weird Sarah - Corrie's name for the Ward Seer of Sharm.
A White Hood -- worn by a Damer or Maidum who desires
an heir.
Willoway -- Sisterin tree.
Background
– "Budgie" by Sallyo's
Backgrounds
