dhaka—a form of supernatural power, distinct from the use of deiat, originally wielded by the ghouls. Dhaka allows a wielder to influence biological systems and processes, to accelerate, change, or even give a semblance of life to nonliving things. It can heal wounds and alter living creatures and was used by the ghouls to create a great variety of living and semi-living tools—light sources, weapons, even vehicles. The most noteworthy were constructs, automata that could accept orders and act independently, a type of creation impossible even for the Chosen.

Any human can learn to wield dhaka, though the practice can be very dangerous, and much knowledge has been lost. After the Plague War, the dying Chosen created the Twilight Order, and one of its central commandments was to stamp out the knowledge and practice of dhaka forever. This has proven difficult, and the Order pursues dhakim down to the present day.

dhakim—a human wielder of dhaka. Illegal under penalty of death in the Dawn Republic, and even in the Splinter Kingdoms, often shunned and likely to be hunted down by centarchs. Dhakim are widely seen as mad, conducting gruesome experiments and creating horrible diseases. Adding to this perception is the fact that dhakim can exert influence over plaguespawn, bringing the mindless creatures under their command. Very occasionally, a dhakim will establish a reputation as a healer and come to be accepted by their community.

Elder—something of the time before the Plague War, approximately four hundred years ago, when the Chosen ruled an empire and the ghouls lived underground. As most common people are hazy on the distinction between various types of arcana and ruins, Chosen and ghoul remnants alike are often referred to generically as Elder.

Forge—The headquarters of the Twilight Order, a mountain fortress not far from Skyreach. Built with the help of the Chosen at the Order’s founding, it is a colossal complex, large enough to accommodate the entire Twilight Order even at its height. As the numbers of centarchs have shrunk over the centuries, the Forge is now largely empty. It has three Gates, the only location to house more than one. The Order’s training, storage, and support facilities are located here, as well as the seat of the Council.

Gate—A Chosen arcana that allows instantaneous transport from one location to another. A Gate looks like a freestanding unmetal arch big enough to admit a wagon. When activated and powered with deiat, it fills with a silvery curtain and connects to a target Gate, allowing free passage between the two simply by stepping through.