Gereon

Gereon is a Germanic name, though it comes from the Greek γερων (geron), meaning old man.

Love's bread.

I found this in the writings of a Desert Father:

Book III of the Vitae patrum, xlvi: The abbot Silvanus with Zachary his disciple came to a certain monastery, and before they took their leave, the monks made them eat a little. But after they had gone out, his disciple came on water, and would ... have drunk. Then said Silvanus, "Zachary, today is a fast." He said, "But, Father, did we not eat today?" The old man said, "That was love's bread, my son: but for us, let us keep our own fast."

The heart in the breast of Hlorrithi laughed ...

This is an excerpt only, a modern translation of a very old poem. Scholars still argue about its age. Nevertheless, this translation is entitled "The Lay of Thrym." It's from what we call the "Poetic Eddas," poems from the Norsemen.

Othin.

Odin has many names.

Gabbelen.

Middle Dutch. Gabble, related to gobble, is derived from this root.

The poet.

Homer. This hints that Rian knows Greek. By the way, the work attributed to Homer was relatively unknown in the West until the 15th Century (when scholars took up the study of Greek again.)

Shake-down.

A readily arranged site for sleeping. In today's slang, a place to crash.

Psalm 145

This text is a loose translation of a line from Psalm 145, a prayer that I understand the Jews use in their morning prayers.

This seems like a good time to talk just a bit about the background of this story. That is, the background of its events and characters. I'm hesitant to detail too much, but suffice it to say that the story takes place in a world similar to our own. While a historian would be appalled by the liberties I take, the year compares roughly to our 1200 B.C. What's unique about the story is of course the gift, the remarkable empathy with which some are born. Most of those with the gift are discovered, like Rian, and educated and later ordained priests. What I find interesting in the story is that Christ has not yet been incarnated, though, as the Jewish people believe, the people understand He will come to them one day and be their savior.

sperage

asparagus

Init?

Isn't it?

Ember days.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ember_days

The Archmage's story.

Blatantly stolen from a tale told by Saint Bernadino of Sienna.

Eulogia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eulogia

Crosier

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crosier

"...and recited, "He is a priest forever..."

This prayer is a portion of one composed by John D. Sheridan.

Miserichord.

Image found here: http://www.tara.tcd.ie/bitstream/2262/15000/1/ertk0765.jpg

A striking looking miserichord. Remember, this is the underside of the seat. The narrow shelf at top is really the front edge of the seat, unless one lifts the seat up as pictured here. When monks spent long hours standing in prayer and song, the tired among them could rest ever so gently on the shelf without being admonished.

Man mei longe

From the 13th Century. Anonymous. I found it in An English Song Book, edited by Noah Greenburg. A modern translation is also given:

Long may man ween [want] his life to be but oft for him there waits a trick; fair weather often turns to rain, and sunshine is wondrously made. Therefore, man, bethink thyself--all thy green youth shall fade. Well-a-day! there is neither king nor queen who shall not drink the draught of death. Man, ere thou fallest off thy bench, quench thy sin.

Prayer

Lyrics borrowed from the Psalms. Thomas Ravenscroft made it a round for four voices.

http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/ravenscroft/psalter/r017small.html

Companion.

I should have made this clear earlier. Priests do not carry weapons, though some use magic as a defensive weapon. At Rian's school, a 'companion' is someone who has not yet taken vows and who is permitted to carry a sword. A companion is a bodyguard.

Carom.

A game much like our carom billiards.

Dank

'Dank' means the same today as it did in Middle English, though the word 'damp' is now more common, I suppose. (We won't comment on today's slang usage.) 'Dank' began as a verb, as in 'to moisten,' and likely comes to us from Scandinavia. That 'dank' would be an insult is my own creation, though I don't think it an unlikely usage. (Think, "You're all wet.")