The Ten Houses are ruled by a single House member, who is always referred to as “The -house name”, e.g., the ruler of House Terafin is called “The Terafin”. Houses are not familial via blood ties but solely by sworn loyalty to the House.
The southern Annagarians find this inexplicable given that their clan loyalties are all blood relations.

I’ve listed the Houses (with known ruler names) as located in the 6 books. I’m still trying to pin down the 10th…..anyone know its name? 

• Berriliya - Devran
• Darias - unknown
• Fennesar - unknown
• Kalakar - Ellora
• Korisamis - unknown
• Morriset - unknown
• Tamalyn - unknown
• Terafin - Amarais Handernesse
• Wayelyn - unknown
• 10th House??

Tags: Essalieyan, Michelle West, Sun Sword Sextet

Places within the Empire of Essalieyan and other areas either shown on the map or mentioned in the Sun Sword sextet books (most of them to be found in the North).

The Empire of Essalieyan ~

• Averalaan
• Averalaan Aramarelas
  • Halls of Arannan
  • Avantari (the Palace)
  • The Common
  • Merchant Holdings
  • Order of Knowledge
  • Terafin Manse
• Andaran Sea
• Antia Ocean
• Breodanir
• Free Towns
• The Menorans
• Sangarin Forest
• Sea of Marafel
• Western Kingdoms

Tags: Essalieyan, Michelle West, Places, Sun Sword Sextet

The strict hierarchy of the clansmen (nobility) in the Terreans of the Dominion of Annagar takes a bit of getting used to upon first encountering it in the Sun Sword books.

Power, a major theme throughout the books, is defined by these ranks or perhaps one can say the ranks define power.

The issue of power becomes extremely subtle amongst the Serras of the clans.

Annagarian Ranks ~~

Male:

• Tyr’agar – the ruler of the Dominion (sun of 10 rays)
• Tyr’agnate – ruler of one of the 5 Terreans (sun of 8 rays)
  • Tyr – title of the Tyr’agar or one of the Tyr’agnate
  • Tyran – personal bodyguard/oathguard of a Tyr
• Tor’agar – a noble clansmen who serves a Tyr (sun of 6 rays)
• Tor’agnate – a clansmen who serves a Tor’agar (sun of 4 rays)
  
  • Tor – title of a Tor’agar or Tor’agnate
  • Toran – personal bodyguard/oathguard of a Tor
• Ser – a clansman
• Kai el’Sol – ruler of the Radann (sun of 10 rays)

• kai - first in line to or holder of the clan title
• par – brother of the kai; direct son of the title holder

Female:

• Serra – primary or first wife of a clansman; the legitimate daughters of a clansman

Tags: Annagar, Michelle West, nobility, Sun Sword Sextet

One of the major countries in Michelle West’s Sun Sword sextet is the Dominion of Annagar. Located in the south, it is bounded on the east by ocean and on the west by forest. (To the north, separated by the Tiagra mountain chain, lies their enemy, the Empire of Essalieyan.)

The Dominion consists of 5 regions (or Terreans) and their local cities, overseen by a ruling clan:

• Averda
  • Callesta
  • Essla
  • Irreno
  • Russo
  • Valente
• Mancorvo
  • Amar
  • Marano
• Oerta
  • Ardania
• Raverra
  • Tor Leonne (seat of the Dominion’s ruler, the Tyragar)
• Sorgassa
  • Allars

Also within the Dominion is the Desert of Sorrows (or Sea of Sorrows). The buried Cities of Man, where once lived the ancestors of the Voyani, lie within this area.

{Note: to be edited as needed.}

Tags: Annagar, Michelle West, Places, Sun Sword Sextet

from the back cover ~

The Sword Must Be Drawn….

The armies of Alesso di’Marente and Valedan kai di’Leonne are massing in the Terrean of Averda for the battle that will at last determine the rule of the Dominion. The Sun Sword is about to be delivered by Serra Diora to its “rightful” holder, Valedan, last surviving heir of the clan Leonne.

But whether Valedan will be able to wield the sword, or–like the former kai el’Sol–will be consumed by its magic, remains to be seen.

The demon kin are gathering as well, and a dread spell is being worked which will–should it successfully reach completion–finally open the way for the Lord of Night to once again enter the mortal realm.

And though many of the powerful have gathered upon the field, the entire course of the future may ultimately rest in the hands, heart, and soul of one being, Kiriel di’Ashaf, daughter of the Lord of Night.

First Printing: 2004

Cover art by Jody Lee

Tags: Michelle West, Sun Sword, Sun Sword Sextet

from the back cover~

The Dance of War….

Valedan kai di’Leonne, last survivor of the ruling clan of the Dominion, has forged an alliance with his people’s ancestral enemies, the Northern armies of the Essalieyan Empire. Though young and untried, he has also won the support of the Dominion Tyr’agnate Ramiro di’Callesta. Whether he can now do the impossible, and bring Tyr’agnate Mareo di’Lamberto over to his side, remains to be seen. Even with such powerful backers, if Valedan can’t gain possession of the Sun Sword and survive the wielding of it, all will be lost….

Jewel of House Terafin has joined forces with the Voyani, bringing with her the legendary Warlord, Avandar, the bard-assassin, Kallandras, and Lord Celleriant of the Winter Queen’s court. Hunted by the demonic Kialli, they will be hard pressed to escape from the Sea of Sorrows and link up with Valedan’s troops….

In Averalaan, House Terafin is on the brink of a bloody dynastic war — and Jewel’s den is caught in deadly political infighting within the House, forced by command of The Terafin herself to take on the most difficult roles of their lives….

Kiriel, child of the Lord of Darkness and a mortal woman, also must face the greatest challenge of her life, torn between the conflicting demands of her father’s demonic realm and her human heritage…

The Kialli demon lords and their human allies are banding together, too, readying to sweep down upon the Northern armies in a devastating campaign of terror and destruction which will either see peace restored or all the furies of the Hells and the Lord of Darkness himself released upon the world…

First Printing:  2003

Cover art by Jody Lee

Tags: Michelle West, Riven Shield, Sun Sword Sextet

from the back cover~

The Call to Arms!

In the Essalieyan Empire, the armies are gathering, ready to champion the cause of Valedan kai di’Leonne, last survivor of the ruling clan of the Dominion. But Valedan himself must take a different road to war, sealing what Dominion alliances he can claim without the Empire’s backing.

Yet even before Valedan sets forth, Jewel of House Terafin has already journeyed beyond mortal realms with only her domicis Avandar to guard her back, walking through flame to join the Voyani on a trek they’ve been destined to make for centuries. Behind her she has left a House on the brink of bloody dynastic war–and her den caught in deadly political infighting.

Kiriel, too, must face the greatest challenge of her life, torn between the conflicting demands of her father’s and her mortal heritage.

And as the Voyani–with Jewel, Avandar, Kallandras, Diora, Teresa, and Lord Celleriant of the Winter Queen’s court–embark upon the Sea of Sorrows in a desperate attempt to reach the lost Cities of Man, a spell gone awry insures that all their enemies–whether of mortal or demonkind–can trace the path they are following and strike out at them any moment…

First Printing:  2001

Cover art by Jody Lee

Tags: Michelle West, Sea of Sorrows, Sun Sword Sextet

from the back cover~

In the Dominion–

those allied with the demons of the Shining Court feared the bargain they’d made. For to the kialli betrayal was a way of life, and every action was a means to gain greater power. And as the Festival of the Moon approached, the demon kin began to prey upon those in the Tor Leonne. But more frightening than their presence was their “gift” for the Festival, masks created not by human craftsmen but by the kialli. Even the magic and knowledge of the greatest of the Dominion’s Widan had been unable to discern what trap the masks contained–and time to discover and avert this menace was running out ….

In the Empire–

the armies were mobilizing for war. But before they carried the battle to the Dominion, Seer Jewel ATerafin would be forced to follow her own destiny. For what she’d seen in vision she could not deny. And so Jewel, with only Avandar to guard her back, would abandon House Terafin on the eve of its greatest peril and journey into the darkness which was fast overshadowing the mortal lands ….

And Among the Voyani–

the moment had come to make their final stand against Allasakar, Lord of the Hells, for they alone had kept to the old ways, guarding the ancient knowledge. But hounded by their enemies, and with one of their greatest treasures hidden in the Tor Leonne, could they withstand the power of the Shining Court?

First Printing: 1999

Cover art by Jody Lee

Tags: Michelle West, Sun Sword Sextet, The Shining Court

from the back cover~

The King’s Challenge–

It was a proving ground for warriors in the Essalieyan Empire, the hallowed contest that made legends of men. And for Valedan, last survivor of the ruling family of the Dominion, it was a declaration of his right to claim the throne stolen from the Leonne clan by treachery and assassination.

Failure to earn the title of King’s Champion would not deprive Valedan of either his Dominion or Essalieyan allies, but winning would announce to the world that he was no callow boy, no mere pawn in the games of power. And the games of power were indeed being played–not only in Empire and Dominion  but in the far more dangerous realm of the Lord of Night.

As the time of the Challenge neared, Valedan and all those who guarded him would be hard-pressed to survive long enough for him to enter the competition. For the demon kin had been set to hunt him down and destroy him. They had failed before, though many innocents had paid the price. They must not fail again, for slaying Valedan was but the opening gambit in a war that would free the Lord of Night to reign over all the mortal world.

First Printing: 1998

Cover art by Jody Lee

Tags: Michelle West, Sun Sword Sextet, The Uncrowned King