Glossary for VEIL US IN GOLD

Please note that this may be updated as needed!
If you are reading an edition of VEIL US IN GOLD pre-June 2026, you can refer to this glossary, as it will be the most up-to-date version. However, it is also now found in all editions of VEIL US IN GOLD as of June 2026, so whether you have a physical or digital copy, your edition will have it. If any updates are made here, I will strive to make them in the page matter as well.
Please also note that not everything will be glossed. Some things will remain "untranslated" due to the obscuring nature of translation. I do try to provide enough context surrounding anything that may be unfamiliar language-wise, but there are definitely words and/or sentences within the book that I intentionally keep within their original tongue. This glossary aims to be a more "record", of sorts, intended to make reading a book like VUIG more accessible! If you have any questions or concerns, or words you would like to see glossed, please feel free to dm me on instagram (@sh3pdistasio) or email me!

Glossary (Alphabetized)

Aiegam – Magic believed to live inside of one’s soul. Those with affinity (Caerules) have blue colored blood, and often deal with health issues over the course of their lives. Traditionally organized into five principles, each with two aspects:Génia – Connection; Concerning the web between all living things.
- The Caerule can understand minds and feelings of others, and can often read minds. Weak Caerules may only get an impression of another’s feelings, while stronger Caerules can listen to full thoughts or mine memories.
- The Caerule can influence minds and feelings. A weak Caerule can nudge their target in a direction, but a very strong Caerule can command actions in a way that looks like total control.Psvéda – Mirage; Manipulation of the senses.
- The Caerule can creating mirages in the minds of others. Only the targets are affected, and others cannot perceive the mirages. The stronger the Caerule, the more people they can target and the longer their mirage can last.
- The Caerule can create mirages that everyone can sense. The strength of the Caerule affects the duration and detail of the mirage. This is the principle that Drake uses.Xórkis – Conjuration; Bringing matter into existence.
- The Caerule can bring intangibles like light, fire, and wind into existence. These types of conjurations take energy to sustain over time.
- The Caerule can recreate matter that exists. These things are tangible and will remain, even after the Caerule dies.Eirísmos – Manipulation; Manipulation of that which already exists.
- The Caerule can manipulate objects to alter their physical characteristics. A stronger Caerule can make more drastic modifications.
- The Caerule can use telekinesis or even teleport objects. A stronger Caerule can move objects more precisely, or from a greater distance.Zotíka – Necromancy; Manipulation of life force.
- The Caerule can heal wounds. A weak Caerule may only be able to heal a superficial scrape or bruise, while a very strong Caerule can mend bones and staunch heavy bleeding. This aspect draws on the life force of its user, and overuse can grievously injure or even kill the Caerule.
- The Caerule can manipulate the minds and bodies of the dead. A weak Caerule may be able to catch the last thoughts of the recently deceased. Though they cannot truly restore life, a powerful Caerule can create a convincing facsimile. The physical and mental toll of this aspect can quickly become fatal to the user. This is the most feared form of Aiegam, and has been traditionally discouraged, and often banned, even in Ἀílos.The Anato Ocean – Body of water north of the Caranthian Mountains. Once completely isolated due to weather and topography, but now accessible (albeit with great difficulty) via the Pagos Fjord. Some believe that the first Caerules emerged from the Anato thousands and thousands of years ago, giving them blue blood.Ároth – The “accursed” practice of Aiegam that combines multiple principles. If found guilty by the Theós and Sýftros in Ἀílos, the Caerule could be sentenced to death.ὦ ἀστηρ (ho astēr) – Ἀílan diminutive for “star” or “my star”ὦ μικρὲ ἀστηρ (ho mikrè astēr) – “my little star”Ἄστρον / Ἄστρα (Ástron/Ástra, singular/plural) – The Gods of the Ἀílan polytheistic religious system, representing each of the stars in the sky. Not every God is named, with some cults of Ἀílans believing in different names and roles in the pantheon.Caerule (kye-rule) – Common term for those who use Aiegam, identified by the blue color of their blood.Ikhór (Cruor in Taram) – Legendary bracers of the Theós dynasty. In Ἀílan myth, they would be worn by a Theós to channel Aeigam beyond the limits of their body, a gift from the Ἄστρα to ensure the Theós family could raise their mortal empire. It was last supposedly wielded by Gállai Theós before she split the world at the end of the Eight-Year War. In Tāram histories, Caelius Antonius described Cruor as a set of chains that granted ultimate power.Kameni – Western landmass that consists of Amo, Tārāmen, Octānsum, and Pecula, and the island countries of Freta and Vinthros. Notable landmarks include the Kameni Bight, Agora Lake, and the Caranthian Mountains.Kítalla / Kítallai – A group of once-esteemed priestesses in Ἀílos hundreds of years ago. Following a schism in religious doctrine, they descended underground into the remnants of temples, where their bodies have become warped by time and isolation and the Ároth in their souls.κύκλος (kúklos) – The cycle of Five. The Theós and their Serafim must always be a group of five, one Theós and four Serafim, one for each principle of Aiegam, to preserve balance.Pagos Fjord – Practically impassable body of water between the Anato Ocean and the Veraeba Sea. Created by the splitting of the Caranthian Mountains, and wracked by harsh storms.ὧ παῖ (ho paî) – Ἀílan diminutive for “child” or “my child”
πάππε (páppe) – Ἀílan for “grandfather”ὧ φίλον (ho phílon) – Ἀílan diminutive for “beloved” or “my beloved”The Sānctī (sahnct-ee) – Historically, the group of assassins employed by the Magnus of Tārāmen and directly controlled by the Commissioner. After a period of dissolution, the program was revived by Salina Antonia. The members work as Cadets to maintain anonymity. Currently, Verus Elýnus controls The Sānctī, and the members consist of: Drake Elýnus, Delian Prōdus, Aamira Fawzy, Sōky Irai, and Ánh/Jayati Ghatak.Seraf / Serafim – The four honored advisors, companions, and bodyguards to the Theós. At the Theós’ birth, a few dozen Ἀílan noble children are chosen by the Ynátoi for a ritual that will strengthen their Aiegam. It confers great honor and power to have a Seraf in the family, so many ambitious nobles vie for the opportunity. Most of these selected children will die in the first five years of the “cultivation” process, their bodies consumed by the voracity of their Aiegam. The remainder grow alongside the Theós heir, dying one by one until the final four of the κύκλος emerge. The first Seraf to display their principle is often the one whose Aiegam is best suited to the role of Sýftros.Sothis – Eastern landmass that includes the countries of Delphinusia, Chōma, Kti, Ἀílos, and Youza, and the island countries of Matis and Corvus. Notable landmarks include the Tychia Inlet that separates Youza and Ἀílos, the Caranthian Mountains, and the southern Kopsim River which separates Sothis and Thammen.Sothis Ozirath – The unified attack by Delphinusia and Tārāmen on Ἀílos, fifty years prior to the events of the novel. The subsequent Ozirath Agreement condemned Ἀílos as an enemy of peace, and Caerules as Ἀílan sympathizers, leading to mass executions. The first to die in the Ozirath were the Theós family.Sýftros – The strongest companion of the Theós ruler. They are usually the one whose Aiegam principle displays first, and is best suited to complement the principle of the Theós. This bond can be romantic, platonic, or familial. The Sýftros is believed to be the only Caerule who can stand at the same level of power as the Theós, and it is their Ἄστρα-guided responsibility to ensure their Theós does not fall to corruption.Thammen – Southeastern landmass that includes the country of Vona, which is cut off from the rest of the landmass by the Vonan Mountains. The majority of the landmass lies beyond, bordered by the Olasi Ocean.Theóknï – Ἀílan religious term that describes a “Divine One”, who will usher in a new age for Ἀílos. Many believed Drake was to be the Theóknï prior to the Ozirath.Theoktónos (Deucide in Taram) – Legendary double-ended spear of the Theós dynasty, wielded by the Sýftros. Fabled to be the only weapon that could kill a Theós, should they ever go mad from Aiegam, or if be corrupted by Ároth. It existed to keep the Theós in check, and could only be wielded by the Sýftros. It was last supposedly wielded by Roikós, the Sýftros of Gállai Theós, before he was killed by Caelius Antonius.Tó Skhistón – The myth that explains how the landmasses and the Veraeba Sea came to be. The stories say, a millennia prior to the events of the novel, Gállai Theós wielded both Ikhór and Theoktónos at the same time, and her power was so great it split the world in half. This divided Kameni from Sothis, splitting the Caranthian Mountains, and allowed the Anato Ocean to spill through the newly formed Pagos Fjord, creating the Veraeba Sea.The Veraeba Sea – The main body of water that separates Kameni, Sothis, and Thammen.Ymfénon (im-fehn-on) – Ἀílan religious term that was used by Kítallai to describe a Theóknï who would use Ároth to revive an era of Ἀílan dominance.Ynátoi (ee-na-toy) – Collective term for the priestesses who “walk in the sun” in Ἀílos.