Word of the Day
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Ferweard Fair Straits (proper noun) — The strip of water between the continent of Onweald and the Southern Islands off the southeast edge of the continent in the fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods; named after the lesser goddess who created the waterway when she split the islands off of the end of the continent a few centuries ago

Etymology: Hang onto your seats; this one is full of meaning. Fantasy Author Sandy Lender created this name for the straits out of several things. First, Katherine Fair was a lesser goddess from Mahriket who ended the war of the Southlands about 500 years ago by using the power of her suicide to ignite a spell that separated the warring camps, shook the ground, and separated the land. So part of the name of the straits comes from her name. The rest comes from Old English (of course!). The OE word ferian means carry. The OE word weard means guard, keeper, protector, or lord. When I combined them I came up with ferweard, which is meant to imply a protector or guard who carries one across the straits. Katherine may be "gone," but she still protects the people of the Southlands in their journeys across a waterway that is described in Choices Meant for Gods as not just peaceful, but so calm that the boats must have oarsmen to get across it. No wind blows the sails that hang useless from their lines. (Please notice that yet another word in that region of Onweald stems from a "protection" word.)

Word in a Sentence: To get from Lenordell to Lorendell in the fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods, one must cross the Ferweard Fair Straits for approximately seven or eight days.

Your turn! You have several words to play with today. What fantasy sentences can you come up with Ferweard or ferian or weard in them? I know there's creativity just itching to shine through you.

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Choices Meant for Gods, Sandy Lender, word of the day, fantasy author, fantasy novel, Ferweard Fair Straits, Old English