Wall of the East: a different phrasing of Eastern Wall, which see.

Warlord's Castle: seat of the Warlord of Kerang and site of the meeting which resulting in the formation of the Sun Kingdom. The remains of the Castle are on the cliff above Chan Hisar in Chan-Kerang Province. The Warlord's Castle of Chan Hisar is considered to be one of the best remaining examples of a pre-Imperial castle of the Southern Style, showing to advantage the "terraced" outer walls (it has three tiers) and the "slitted bulb" finials on the turrets. It is kept clear of encroaching growth (which destroys so many old monuments in the south) by its owners, who claim to be descended from the last Warlord; if this claim is accurate, this castle is the last one to remain in the hands of its original lineage. Local legend claims that there is treasure buried somewhere in the vicinity.

Warlords of Liho: the family that ruled what is now Liho Province (more or less, boundaries did vary) before it was joined with the Empire.

Warrior Society: a group of people whose ostensible reason for getting together is to study the martial arts. In practice, most of the warrior societies serve other functions as well, usually religious or philosophic, sometimes regional or political. Most people distinguish between the "national" warrior societies and the "regional" ones. Membership in a warrior society is totally independent of caste and financial status and serves to bring people with different backgrounds but similar interests together on a footing of equality, thus helping to soften the potential harshness of the caste system. Warrior societies have no status in Imperial law but society ties are very strong and so they wield great influence.

Weaver's Needle Society: a well-known teva society.

Warriors' Way: a class C/D Provincial Highway that goes from Daiyla Kiv north to Shang Sian, roughly paralleling the course of the An-Kiu River but to the east of it. It is suitable for wagon traffic. It is also called the Danarvian Way.

White Jade River: a long river draining the area between the Jade Panther Hills and the Han Torra Khang. For most of its length it is steep and swift-flowing with many rapids and small falls. It is about 700 miles long, and the lower 200 miles has a gentler slope.

White Plain: the first of the alkali beds that mark the lower regions of the Han Ko River's course; it is barely within Simtakka Province. The plain is actually a pale gray, as the alkali here is mixed with a fine dust from some ancient lava flow. Always irritating to the eyes and lungs, when driven by the spring winds (or the winds of any other season, of course), this dust can rise in clouds dense enough to smother men and animals. Farther down the river bed (it is almost always dry below the White Plain) are found beds of pure salt, which are mined by gangs of doomed wretches; the salt is a valuable export.

White Road: a minor provincial road suitable for wagon traffic which connects Daiyla Kiv with the farmers to the northwest of that city.

White Rose Society: a well-known teva society.

White Tiger Regiment: a regiment of the Border Legion in Dansho-Riba Province. They are infantry.

Whitewater River: one of the two rivers which join at Lyn Tirian to form the An-Kiu. Farther upstream in Mirning Province it is called the Tang-An River. Counting by its longest branch, it is 900 miles long. It is a serious river at any time, being deep and swift and generously supplied with rapids and small waterfalls, but since it drains snowmelt from a vast area of mountains, it is especially swollen and dangerous in the spring months. The Whitewater is considered to be navigable by small boats having experienced pilots as far as the Redwood Fork, but not beyond this point; there is a rapids immediately above the fork. Fairly long stretches of the upper river are navigable, however, and portages have been laid out, with many packers working the trails to a good profit.

Whore of Irila: a less polite title (than the official one) for the High Priestess of Irila. Use of this title is likely to get a person killed.

Wine-apple: a tree fruit grown mostly in Liho Province and much used for making wine, usually in combination with one or another bramble-berry.

Wislen-So: the sixth month of the year, commonly Wislo. It is named for the fifth dynasty, which was founded by the Emperor Wislen. Wislen-So is the equivalent to June.

Wislo: common name for the sixth month. See Wislen-So.

World's Edge: the escarpment which forms the western edge of the Rirorni Plains. It is several hundred miles long and drops some two thousand feet from the Rirorni Plains to the Palenian Slope.