Magistrate: the ruler of a town to small too merit a subgovernor magistrate, or of a subdistrict. The magistrate is often a local man but must prove his competence for the post. If not of the nobility, he is given the courtesy title of tiral.

Mahlak: sometime independent emirate and ally of Mazgourrah in northeastern Ratan.

Maireena: a minor goddess of healing, probably originally a member of the Drahnore Pantheon. Shrines to Maireena are still found in tiny villages in the southern An-Kiu Valley.

Mandrago Lizard: a reptile about two feet long when mature, lean and very fast and poisonous, found along the southwestern coast of the Trier Sea. It is said to attack anybody and anything whenever it is feeling unpleasant, regardless of provocation or lack thereof, and to have a nasty disposition. A few specimens reaching a length of five feet have been reported from the coast of the Twisted Lands, but this has not been solidly documented.

Mangoske: a small kingdom or city-state (depending on which is stronger at any one time, the royal family or the Council of Wealth) west of the imperial border on the South Plains. Its capital is Mango Toske on the Lendo River, at the mouth of the Jenarle. It has contested the border of Hadarana Province at times.

Mantor: the primary god of Lirith Kai at the present time. Also called Mantor the Bright, he was originally the god of honorable combat, and this is still a primary facet of the religion devoted to him. His field of authority is now said to include good government, fair business practices, and a well-regulated home life.

Markatchal Hills: hills--actually quite decent mountains, but small compared to the Drakenfells, southeast of Mazgourrah. They are rich in minerals.

Marrikat: an emirate south of Mazgourrah.

Marshes of Cho-Chun: a stretch of land along the eastern bank of the An-Kiu River in Kiniar Province between Chu Ko'Iang and Chumien; it is decidedly swampy and reputedly treacherous.

Ma-Taro: a large gray or grizzled bear found in the Jade Panther Hills and the Han Torra Khang; it is fairly rare and extremely dangerous because of its unpredictable reactions.

Mazgourrah: a large emirate in northern Ratan.

Meijang: a traditional symbol meaning or conferring good luck. It is usually considered to be something more than merely meeting with favorable coincidences, more like being favored by some minor deity or watched out for by a very efficient guardian angel. The opposite of meijang is surzhang. The symbol is used on the tokolara coin.

Meijina: a very lucky person, one having meijang.

Mejicha, Mejichao: silver coinage, money in general.

Mejo or Mejicha: silver coinage. The term mejicha (sometimes mejichao) is also used to indicate money in general.

Mejilara: the most valuable silver coin, the silver shield. The mejilara, sometimes simply called the meji, has a woman's head on one side (she may be the wife, mother, sister, or daughter of the emperor during whose reign the coin was minted, or just some random female), and a sword circled by a crown, along with the emperor's name, on the other. It is an inch and a half in diameter, considerably larger than a US quarter and is worth ten silver rings (mejiminas, or just minas).

Mejimina: the coin also called the silver ring; it is often simply called a mina. It is an inch and a quarter in diameter and has a square hole in the center. The coin has the name of the emperor during whose reign it was minted circling the hole on one side and a wreath of flowers on the other. When giving the price of something, it is common to give it in mejiminas--so much so that if no specific coin is mentioned ("Oh, that's a hundred") it is assumed that the mina is what was meant.

Merchant Caste: includes traders and craftsmen of all sorts.

Midsummer Day: the day of the summer solstice. Midsummer Day falls between the sixth and seventh months; it is doubled in leap years. In most parts of the Empire, Midsummer Day is observed as a holiday.

Mikzora: spirit of the grain, worshipped in Pelang.

Milarda: an independent city-state on the border of Hadarana Province.

Mil'Houzar: a sometime emirate on the Karndiz Steppe on the southeast border of Danath.

Militia: the volunteer military force consisting of all able-bodied adult citizens of the Empire save those barred from participation by ill health or a violation of honor.

Milzar Trail: runs from Mil'Houzar to Touran. It is considered a hardship trail, since it passes through 150 miles of desert with few and unreliable waterholes. It would accommodate a wagon, but due to the water problem is unsuited to any beast of burden other than camels. The eastward continuation of this trail is called the Holzarik Trail.

Minessa: a river goddess, possibly an aspect or alias of Neskira but possibly some older deity, worshipped at Min Ho in Minho Province.

Ming bushes: a tough, woody shrub growing in the southern part of the An-Kiu Valley, preferring hilly well-drained ground with fertile soil. They are found on the ridges of the San-Virandar Hills in Aryai Province, the San-Laniris Hills in Lanres Hanar Province, and the Cham-Nalla Hills and the Ti-Yona Spur of the Han Torra Khang in Yonsal Province. The bushes produce a bean-like pod which is made into a beer called "Lament for Spring"; a version of it which is strongly sweetened with honey is called "Sweet Ming" and is extremely potent. The ming bushes have abundant pink flowers in the spring and are held to be one of the more pleasing "sights" of the southern Empire.

Minho: a province on the An-Kiu between Miroi Chang and Zur Danath.

Mintir: the Drahnoran smith-god, patron of craftsmen. His High Priest is called the Hand of Mintir.

Mion-sia: a sort of wood pigeon hunted at times in the Mirion Hills. They are usually hunted with hawks.

Mirion Hills: a compact group of low rugged hills in eastern Miroi Province, south of the Nin Ho Tiran River. The hills are of red sandstone cut through with black lava, and much broken by faulting; they are well-watered and lightly forested. There are ruins of manor houses and other buildings, and old tombs, all through these hills; they date from several centuries back. Current belief is that the hills were abandoned because of a curse, which is supposed to strike anyone who sleeps overnight within them. They are not farmed or grazed in any systematic manner, but they are hunted over in the autumn, mainly for their game birds.

Mirjan Wall: a prominent natural wall closing the southern end of the Djarno Valley, probably volcanic in origin.

Mirkurak Mountains: the small range of volcanic hills and highlands in northern Dakorin Province. They support a medium dense forest of young taiban trees and swordwood trees.

Miroi: province in the central An-Kiu Valley, site of an earlier capital of the Empire.

Mocomar: another, less common, term for the moncomar, which see.

Modonal: a less common name for the mondonal, which see.

Mola: a sort of overgrown tree squirrel of the Naowei jungles. It is a plump, rather sedentary creature that weighs about thirty pounds when mature and is considered quite tasty. Molas are known for their stupidity.

Molodor Cotton: a trade fabric produced in Dansho-Riba which is patterned in blue and white. It is widely traded and immediately recognizable.

Molokar: a Lubanese tribe of Molokar District, Dansho-Riba Province; noted for their weaving.

Moncomar: a lesser but important member of a montir family. A moncomar has the military privileges of the comar.

Mondonal: a lesser but important member of a montir family. A mondonal is treated as a donal for purposes of raising and commanding troops.

Monk: a member of a contemplative sect or cult, not normally applied to members of the orthodoxy, a bon'ki nai. Orthodox contemplatives are usually called "brothers" and "sisters."

Months of the Year: Harin-So (Harnso), Morin-So (Mornso), Tiron-So (Tirnso), Sinan-So (Sanso), Lehan-So (Lehnso), Wislen-So (Wislo), Zilnin-So (Zilnso), Kuron-So (Kurnso), Gerthin-So (Gerithso), Nilman-So (Nilmaso), Bolsan-So (Bolso), and Yanin-So (Yenso). The months are named, in order, after the first dynasties to rule the Empire of Lirith Kai.

Montir: the rank of nobility above the donal. A montir may raise two hundred men for the Provincial Army and is given the rank of colonel.

Montiral: a lesser but important member of a montir family. This minor member of the montir family has the privileges of a tiral in the raising and commanding of troops.

Morin-So: the second month of the year, equivalent to February. In common speech it is called Mornso. This month is named after the House of Morinar, which gave the Empire its second dynasty.

Mornso: common name for the second month of the year. See Morin-So.

Motiral: another name for the montiral, which see.

Mountain Song Society: a regional warrior society found in Dakorin Province.