The Compendium: Books Under a Microscope
Characters, Locations, Technology, Biology and Other Terms
PLEASE READ BEFORE CONTINUING
- This is a collection of character names, locations, contraptions, biological and mechanical terms used in The Elemental Steampunk World. It is meant to be a reference tool.
- It is NOT a kind of glossary that you must consult in order to read and understand my stories.
- The definitions/labels below CONTAIN SPOILERS. If you read through this list before reading the stories, it will ruin the experience.
- You’re better off reading the books without referencing this compendium.
If after you’ve read the book, you still have questions (What’s real? What’s not? Is there more I can read about on that topic?), then this compilation might interest you. Follow the links (blue) to learn more about real facts and/or sources of inspiration.
ENJOY!

Characters
Lady Amanda Ravensdale—heroine; medical student; inventor; daughter of the Duke of Avesbury
Lord Sebastian Talbot, Earl of Thornton—hero; Queen’s agent; earl
Duke of Avesbury—Amanda’s father; London gentleman in charge of the Queen’s agents
Mr. Black—Queen’s agent; friend of Thornton
Steambot—a steam-powered household robot
Steam Mary—serving steambot
RT—a steambot roving table
Lady Olivia Ravensdale—Amanda’s sister
Carlton—future Viscount Bromwich; Olivia’s fiancé
Mr. Simon Sommersby—second son of a baron; Amanda’s suitor
Lady Emily Ravensdale—Amanda’s missing sister
Rufus—Amanda’s orange-striped cat and laboratory assistant; wears a monocle
Lord Edward (Ned) Ravensdale—Amanda’s brother; heir
Georgina—Ned’s love
Professor Corwin—professor of anatomy professor who left to pursue selkies; replaced by Thornton
Betsy, Joan and Sarah—other women in Amanda’s anatomy class
Burton—the Ravensdale family steam butler; an older model with a rusty jaw
Lady Eloise Huntley—Thornton’s laboratory assistant; widow
Lord John Huntley—Thornton’s friend; died in an air pirate attack of the airship both he and Thornton traveled upon
Mr. Henri LaFevre—Thornton’s laboratory assistant who works directly with Amanda
Samuel and Robert—other laboratory technicians in Thornton’s laboratory
Nicu Sindel—grandfather to her brother-in-law; taught clockwork skills to the Ravensdale children
Marko Blythe—first gypsy victim
Tony Spinolli—Ned’s personal health aid and physical therapist
Dr. Millhouse—doctor who proposes to operate upon Ned
Luca (Luca Sindel)—Emily’s husband
Wasp—villain; sometimes call ‘the eye doctor’
Lady Anne Grimwauld—Thornton’s former fiancée
Nellie Atwater—party at her house was where Ned was injured
Steam Cora—Lady Olivia’s personal steam maid
Lord Whitmore—home at which a ball is held
Tova—second gypsy victim
Nadya—Luca’s great aunt; Tova’s grandmother and Luca’s cousin
Milosh—Nicu Sindel’s assistant
Bloxham—rejected suitor of Amanda’s
Professor Quimbly—Amanda’s histology professor
Mr. Button—an annoying medical student
Lord Thistleton—head botanist employed at Lister Laboratories; in charge of the greenhouse
King of Iceland—nominal leader of Iceland
Steam Susan, Steam Joseph—additional steambots in the Ravensburg household
Biological and Medical Terms
Cranial Nerves—nerves that emerge directly from the brain and brainstem
Peripheral Nerves—nerves outside the brain and spinal cord
Sensory nerves—nerves which convey information to the brain
Motor nerves—nerves which convey impulses away from the brain
Oculomotor nerve—the third cranial nerve
Trochlear nerve—the forth cranial nerve
Abducens nerve—the sixth cranial nerve
Vestibulocochlear nerve—the eighth cranial nerve
Perilymph helix—fluid in the inner ear
Supraorbital fissure—foramen in the skull through which pass a number of anatomical structures including cranial nerves III, IV and VI
Galvanic skin conductance—active and passive electrical conductance of the skin
Fibular nerve—common peroneal nerve; innervates the muscles of the lateral and anterior compartments of the leg
Tinnitus, vertigo, nystagmus—ringing in the ears, dizziness, rapid eye movements
Myomere—a block of skeletal muscle
Diethyl ether—used as a general anesthetic
Acetic acid—CH3COOH; a component of vinegar
Technology and Other Terms
Tungsten (W)—an element; transitional metal
Acousticocept—a device worn in the ear that allows an agent to hear
Acousticotransmitter—device that transmits sound to the acousticocept
Decilamp—a small bioluminescent torch (flashlight)
Kraken—clawed cephalopods infesting the Thames
Town and City Food Act of 1876—legislation requiring all homeowners, peers not excepted, to contribute to the problem of city-wide food shortages
Aetheroscope—a microscope that allows high resolution through the use of a vacuum chamber and aether
Neurarachnid—a programmable, clockwork spider the size of a bronze halfpence, one that could spin a replacement for a damaged motor neuron following spinal injury; neur=neurological/nerve; arachnid=spider
Babbage card—punch card used to introduce programing to clockwork and steam-powered contraptions; a reference to Charles Babbage
Screecher—a security alarm
Ascension chamber—an elevator
Crank hackney—a wind up conveyance for hire; common on the streets of London
Tritrometer—a device to measure titrations
Fuge—short for centrifuge
Neuroglycerol—an artificial neurological lipid; neuro=neurological; glycerol
OptiAir masks—gas masks used in the morgue; for use with badly decomposed bodies
London Times—newspaper reporting the gypsy murders
Rattus norvegicus—rats; hold grudges; a tendency to bite
Airship pirates—travel and attack by dirigible
Ada Reeve—name of the dirigible Thornton and Huntley were aboard when airship pirates attacke
Somnic—drug Thornton is using to control his leg pain
Pteryformes—bird-like creatures with leathery wings; nocturnal; with a possible relationship to pterodactyls
London Steam Orchestra—automusicians programmed by Ned
Submersible chute—Thames entry tube for cigar-shaped personal submersibles; fell into disuse when the kraken infested the river
TDM, Tentacle Defense Mechanism—new invention attached to the front of Thames submersibles used to clear kraken from its path
Captain Jack’s Tension Torque—uses alkylsorcin and a thumb wheel (to make fine adjustments) to open simple locks after which the alkylsorcin liquefies leaving no trace
Welsh Drobwll Disrupters—aka Whirlpool of Death; favorite of watchmen; blasts electromagnetic waves to render an intruder so dizzy and confused they often staggered in circles
Ferrous replacements—surgical procedure involving limb and muscle removal, for placement of bolts, hinges and pistons
Sparrow class dirigible—private, household dirigible; designed to carry two but has a jump seat in the tail compartment; netted narrow, cigar-shaped balloon; streamlined open cabin; maximum range of eighty miles
Phaoscope—a light glass sphere; an advanced eye providing its user with super-human visual acuity; iris with radial striations; a hexagonal aperture (pupil); camera
Daguerreotype—the first publicly available photographic method
Myotech—artificial muscle; capable of responding to electrical impulses to contracts; myo- is a Greek word root meaning “muscle”
TTX pistol—weapon issued only to Queen’s agents; uses darts with pufferfish poison (tetrodotoxin); one to slow a man down, two to drop him, three to kill him
Dirigible—flying conveyance filled with hydrogen (dangerously flammable, but cheap) or aether (stable, but expensive)
amatiflora—gypsy name for the flower; pick during the full moon for full potency; a twisting vine that bears white flowers; blooms late summer; used to make a nerve calming agent
Locations
Lister University School of Medicine—a co-educational medical school and research facility in London created to seek out the brightest young medical minds; associated with the Queen’s agents; Lister Laboratories; Lister University; Lister Institute; named for Joseph Lister
Clockwork Corridor—street in London where gypsies sell clockwork components and contraptions
Putney Heath—winter campgrounds for gypsies in distant, southwest London
Whitmore’s Ball—event location
Seymour House—Mr. Simon Sommersby’s home
Kensington Gardens—private gardens of Kensington Palace adjacent to Hyde Park
Vauxhall Bridge—its two central piers, damaged by kraken, lets the bridge bend with the tides
Effra—one of the lost rivers of London, now underground; little more than a sewer that empties into the Thames near the Vauxhall Bridge
South London Waterworks—former water pumping station, pollution forced a move upstream; converted into a factory for use by Airship Sails
Airship Sails—large factory; manufactures and sews enormous lengths of silver cloth to form the airship balloons that can hold aether
Language Translations
Roma and Romani—the gypsy people and their language
Marhime—Romani word for impure; ritually unclean
Gadji/gadje—female/male person who is not Romani

Characters
Lady Olivia Ravensdale—heroine; engineer; daughter of the Duke of Avesbury; uses false last name Stonewythe
Lord Ian Stanton—hero; Earl of Rathsburn; physician and researcher; Queen’s agent; family estate in Yorkshire
Duke of Avesbury—Olivia’s father; London gentleman in charge of the Queen’s agents
John Warrick—The Doktor
Lord Rancide—a paunchy, red-nosed marquis seeking a wife
Lord Carlton Snyder—Olivia’s former fiancé
RT—a steambot roving table
Watson—Olivia’s hedgehog zoetomatic
Steam Mary—serving steambot
Burton—the Ravensdale family steam butler; an older model with a rusty jaw
Duchess of Avesbury—Olivia’s mother; oversees societal liaisons
Aunt Judith Ravensdale—cryptozoologist studying kraken in Venice; see KRAKEN AND CANALS
SV140—German man who attacked the balloon
Nurse Quinn—nurse in the secure hospital ward
Thornton—fellow researcher; Lord Sebastian Talbot; married to Amanda Talbot née Ravensdale; first appearance in THE GOLDEN SPIDER
Lady Elizabeth—Ian’s sister
Mr. Hutton—Ian’s laboratory technician
Mr. Black—Queen’s agent; friend of Thornton and colleague to Ian; first appearance in THE GOLDEN SPIDER
Steam Clara—Olivia’s personal steambot lady’s maid
Baron Volscini—the Italian Olivia’s mother hopes to marry her to
Oliver Bird—name under which Olivia earned her degree via correspondence
Nicu Sindel—Roma; taught clockwork skills to the Ravensdale children
Emily Sindel née Ravensdale—Olivia’s sister; married to Luca Sindel
Lady Farrington—a dried husk of an old, bitter woman; grandmother to Lord Carlton Snyder
Wei—Chinese girl; niece of Zheng
Zheng—Chinese owner of an antimony mine; associate of the count;
Graf Otto von und zu Eberwin-Katzeneinbogen—Count Eberwin; self-important German who owns the castle
Gräfin Katherine von und zu Eberwin-Katzeneinbogen—Lady Katherine; countess; wife of Count Eberwin; aka Katerina Dyatlova
Wilhelm the First—the German Emperor
Augusta—the German Emperor’s wife
Steam Matilda—rusty steambot assigned to Olivia in the castle
Hanover—tripod steam butler; Model 2A Grefenshaus
Charles Babbage—considered to be the “father” of the digital programmable computer, the analytical engine
Sofia—a tame, if modified, pteryform
Stephan—the countess’s stable boy
Gunther—a guardsman
Mildred and Anne—students of Olivia’s learning zoetomatic programming
Biological, Medical and Engineering Terms
Philtrum—medial cleft above the top lip
Zygomatic arches—cheekbones
Cervical vertebrae—vertebrae of the neck
In vitro/in vivo—cultured outside a living creature/inside a living creature
Erlenmeyer flask—a conical flask
Osteosarcoma—bone cancer
Periosteum—the connective tissue/membrane on the surface of the bone that supplies it with blood, etc.
Pathophysiology—the study of a disease state
Isopropyl alcohol—rubbing alcohol; used as a disinfectant
Bone—a living tissue composed of both organic and inorganic material
Cells—the basic building blocks of all life forms
Osteoprogenitor cells—stem cells that can diffenentiate into bone-forming cells
Osteoblasts—cells that build bone
Osteoclasts—cells that break down bone
Homeostasis—biological process by which the body works to keep things in balance
Hydroxyapatite—a calcium phosphate mineral that composes seventy percent of our bone
Brittle bone disease—osteogenesis imperfecta; a congenital disorder in which osteoblasts create malformed matrix such that calcium and phosphate cannot bind to it correctly making the bone brittle and easily broken
Hemophobia—fear of blood
Bone marrow—the sight of new blood cell production; found in the flare of the hip, the iliac crest
Hypophosphotemia—low phosphate levels that can lead to mental confusion, muscle weakness and ultimately kidney failure
Keratin—a fibrous structural protein; found in horns, hooves, and skin; sulfur is a component
Mendeleev’s 1871 periodic table—noticed patterns in element behavior that lead him to create a far-sighted periodic table of elements
Wolff’s Law—states that a bone will remodel to adapt to the forces placed upon it; developed by Julius Wolff, a German surgeon; works by stimulating osteoprogenitor cells to differentiate into osteoblasts
Ether—an anesthetic; an organic compound
ENGINEERING TERMS
Three phase generator—uses alternating current to generate power
Alternating current—current that periodically reverses direction
Electromagnet—a magnet that’s created by an electric current; involves winding wire into a coil (more wire wraps increase the power)
Solenoid—an electromagnet that can generate a contoled magnetic field
Technology and Other Terms
Calcium (Ca)—atomic number 20; alkaline earth metal; fifth most abundant element in the human body
Phosphorus (P)—atomic number 15; highly reactive; important in bone and teeth enamel
Antimony (Sb)—atomic number 51; lustrous gray metalloid; China is the largest producer; a poison in larger amounts
Arsenic (As)—atomic number 33; metalloid; gray; highly toxic; shen in Chinese; Gray arsenic can be oxidized to form arsenous oxide, a classic skin purifier and poison
Mercury (Hg)—atomic number 80; quicksilver; a heavy, silvery-white transition metal; toxic
Metalloid—an element with properties in between those of nonmetal and metal
Kraken—clawed cephalopods infesting the Thames
Pteryformes—bird-like creatures with leathery wings; nocturnal; with a possible relationship to pterodactyls
Queen’s agents—spies who work for the Queen under the supervision of the Duke of Avesbury
TTX pistol—weapon issued only to Queen’s agents; uses darts with pufferfish poison (tetrodotoxin); one to slow a man down, two to drop him, three to kill him
Markoid battery—a small battery (proprietary and experimental) that can power devices
Steambot—a steam-powered household robot
Zoetomatic—battery powered mechanical creature
Widow requirement—a requirement for female Queen’s agent
Ottoman Uprisings—slightly fictionalized problems of the very real Ottoman Empire’s difficulties with Britain and Russia
Babbage card—punch card used to introduce programing to clockwork and steam-powered contraptions
Cipher cartridge (model B257)—holds Steam Clara’s Babbage cards
Roma and Romani—the gypsy people and their language
Acousticotransmitter—device that transmits sound to the acousticocept
Societal liaison—women who work with/beside Queen’s agents
Firkin cincture bolt—a challenging lock to pick on a briefcase
Captain Jack’s Tension Torque—uses alkylsorcin and a thumb wheel (to make fine adjustments) to open simple locks after which the alkylsorcin liquefies leaving no trace
Dirigible—flying conveyance filled with hydrogen (dangerously flammable, but cheap) or aether (stable, but expensive)
Escape dirigible—small dirigibles attached to the rooms of the wealthy so that they might abandon the larger airship in case of disaster
Neurachnid—clockwork spider that can re-weave damaged nerves
Franconian multipunch—used to punch the holes that program Babbage cards
Osforare apparatus—has reservoirs with transforming fluid and a small rotary motor to puncture the skin and drive the needles through muscle to the surface of the bone; built primarily of a chromium alloyed steel designed to resist corrosion
Automated gear winch—attached to dirigible ropes to ascend/descent to/from a dirigible
Efflux detector—a silver-capped glass and crystal cylinder filled with opaque crystalline material; a pulsing yellow light indicated evidence of bioluminescent decay
Sky Dragon—name of the Chinese dragon dirigible
Axon thrall band—silver cuff with blue, glowing edges; move too far from its matching control and the resultant electric arc sends a bolt of electricity traveling up the arm straight to the spine, forcing the wearer into submission
Tripod butler—steambot butler upon three wheels; Model 2A Grefenshaus
Jellied kraken—a local delicacy from the Rhine made from river kraken; sharp claws and poison glands removed
Black potato—a marriage of a (fictional) arbuscular mycorrhizas fungi with a common potato; a plant-fungi symbiotic union that restores nutrients to the soil as it grows; a nod to the Irish potato famine; used to make knödel
Shadow board—a group of scientific-minded gentlemen who worked together to bypass official protocols
CEAP—Committee for the Exploration of Anthropomorphic Peculiarities; believe that myths and fairy tales conceal core truths; side-step rules and regulations in an attempt to discover their underlying biological facts
Voltaic prod—an instrument designed to deliver bolts of painful electricity.
Gantz batteries—developed in Hungary for steambots; batterybots?; rumored to provide enough power for uninterrupted function for up to twenty days
Loden—a green color; a thick, waterproof cloth made from wool; popular with hunters
Magnetite—a gray, magnetic rock mineral; lodestone; can be magnetized to become a permanent magnet
Acousticocept—a device worn in the ear that allows an agent to hear
Barrel auger—wrought iron cork screw
Harald-Fletcher formula—a fictional formula related to cyclic loading
Crinlozyme—a drug that immobilize a person for up to twenty-four hours; antidote available
Flyby—boarding a moving dirigible by rope; dirigible does not stop
Cyrillic—writing script used in Russia (and other countries)
Kreuger-Schalterhammer lock—forty-seven pins and a level containing a liquid mercury trigger; very difficult to breach
Sneak thief—a thief who steals without violence or visibly breaking into buildings
Veritasium—truth serum; muscle relaxant
Scheldner—a basic lock with only three pins
Rapunzel cord—braided metal cord
Russian storm frigate—largest and most dangerous of all Russian airships; outer hulls are super cooled, enough so that when they passed through clouds, it began to snow, obscuring the ship’s position and blinding their enemies. Storm frigates also carried weapons and—presumably—many, many Russian agents
Bioactive nocturnal goggles—night vision goggles
Mechanical climbing dragon claws—powered claws that slip over the hands and feet to add strength to natural hand/food movement
Russian tentacle weapon—bioengineered to use the cnidoblast of the sea comb (jellyfish)
Selkie—a mythological creature capable of shedding its skin to change from seal to human form
Locations
Grosvenor Bridge—bridge over the Thames
Rankine Institute—an engineering school in London; known to work with the Queen’s agents; courses include difference engine programming and robotic engineering skills; named after William Rankine
Lister University School of Medicine—a co-educational institution to seek out the brightest young medical minds; Lister Laboratories; Lister University
Clockwork Corridor—street in London where gypsies sell clockwork components and contraptions
Captain Oglethorpe’s Luxury Airways—based in Dover; introduced dirigible boarding towers complete with various forms of gaudy, ostentatious, over-the-top decadence to amuse the wealthy
Burg Kerzen—Castle Kerzen; modeled on Burg Eltz
The Roost—a narrow balcony attached to a spire with an iron railing; used as a dirigible access platform for those willing to ascend/descend to/from the dirigible by ropes
Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität—first University of Berlin
Kadskoye—rumored Russian biological research facility, location unknown
Language Translations
Nicht sprechen Deutsch—I don’t speak German
Hören sie mir zu—Listen
Liebling—darling
Sie können jetzt gehen.—You can go now.
Ich warte draußen.—I wait outside.
Stillgestanden!—Stand still.
Jagdzimmer—trophy room
Können Sie uns retten?—Can you save us?
Hilfe!—Help!
Tut mir leid.—I’m sorry.
Mir geht es gut.—I’m fine.
Vielen Dank.—Many Thanks
Sauerbraten, strudel, kuchen—traditional German dishes
NiHao—Chinese for hello
Tsar—Slavic monarch/ruler

Characters
Mrs. Isa McQuiston—heroine; traveling healer; Finn
Dr. Alec McCullough—hero; BURR member; physician; nickname ‘Mac’; captain
Aron Moray—BURR team member; Finn; cousin of Maren
Davis—BURR team member who dies during a mission
Shaw—BURR team member
Rowan—BURR team member
Rip—BURR team member
Jasper Sinclair—BURR team member
Major Fernsby—Alec’s OC
Dr. Morgan—Alec’s knee doctor
Avra—young woman about to undergo surgery
Mr. Logan Black—Alec’s half-brother; Queen’s agent; first appearance in THE GOLDEN SPIDER
Quinn McCullough—Alec’s full brother; Queen’s agent
Cait McCullough—Alec’s half-sister
Mr. McCullough, Sr.—absent; father to Quinn, Alec, and Logan; second son of a Scottish laird; merchant
Lord Roideach—researcher; primary investigator of a marine laboratory
Miss Lourney—Roideach’s laboratory technician
Miss Russel—Roideach’s laboratory technician; nursemaid
Duke of Avesbury—London gentleman in charge of the Queen’s agents; first appearance in THE GOLDEN SPIDER
Professor Corwin—hoped to study selkies; first to report rumors of octopus attacks
Mrs. Guthrie—Isa’s mother
Dane Guthrie—Isa’s brother
Livli Guthrie—Isa’s sister-in-law
Nina Carr—Isa’s sister
Jona Carr—Nina’s husband
Mrs. Carr—mother of Maren and Jona; community elder
Mr. Carr—father of Maren and Jona
Uncle Gregor—Isa’s maternal uncle; aka Commodore Drummond; wishes to discharge Alec on medical grounds
Maren Drummond—Gregor’s wife; sister to Jona
Elias—a solid, dependable, Finn fisherman
Anton McQuiston—Isa’s dead husband
Larsa—dead body at wedding
Munro—the McCullough’s steam butler
Miss Patricia Thompson—Perfect Patsy; daughter of Alec’s mother’s best friend
Commander Norgrove—a Navy commander
Lord Dankworth—poisoned committee member
Lieutenant Dunnet—former Naval engineer
Nikko—man in a pub
Brown and Lovitt Families—emigrating Finn
Dr. Grant—expert on infectious water-borne organisms
Tredegar—pharmacobotonist; Evan Tredegar; first appearance in IN PURSUIT OF DRAGONS
Lady Rathsburn—Olivia née Ravensburg; first appearance in THE SILVER SKULL
Thomas—boy; son of Lord Roideach; heir to a viscounty
Bridget Stewart—Roideach’s laboratory technician; quit
Erica Thompson—Roideach’s laboratory technician; promoted to Lister Institute in London.
Flora Murray—Roideach’s laboratory technician; committed suicide
Mr. Morrison—suitor for Cait’s hand; rejected
Mr. Wilson—fisherman who finds Nina
Mr. Reid—Finn candidate for Isa’s hand in marriage
Crown Prince of Iceland—wedding planned to the Princess of Denmark
Princess of Denmark—wedding planned to the Crown Prince of Iceland
Rupert—biomech octopus
Biological and Medical Terms
Nystagmus—involuntary eye movement
Facial hypesthesia—numbness of the face
Dysphagia—difficulty swallowing
Dysarthria—motor speech injury due to neurological damage
Apoplexy—an old medical term frequently used to describe a stroke (among other conditions leading to death that began with a sudden loss of consciousness)
Integument—skin; natural covering of an organism or organ
Cephalopod—a “head-foot” mollusk; intelligent; includes squid, octopus, nautilus and the fictional kraken; many produce ink
Subclavian artery—a paired artery that runs beneath the clavicle; supplies blood to the arms
Aortic arch—main artery leaving the heart; arches upward, then downward alongside the trachea
Anterior tibial artery—carries blood to the front of the lower leg and top of the foot
Ethanol—ethyl alcohol; EtOH; C2H5OH; often used as a disinfectant
Syndactyly—a condition in which two or more fingers/toes are fused together; can involve varying degrees of webbing; read in more detail about webbed fingers HERE
Abdominal aorta—largest artery in the abdominal cavity; a continuation of the descending aortic arch
Hemocyanin—a copper-containing blood protein that transports oxygen; found in cephalopods (including octopuses)
Chromatophores—pigment-containing and light-reflecting cells; found in a wide range of animals; octopuses employ these cells to undergo a physiological color change to adapt to their environmental background
Byssal threads—fibrous filaments secreted by a bivalve mollusk to anchor itself to a surface
Hematological—having to do with the study of blood
Chimera—a mythical or fictional animal comprised of parts from different species; a term used to describe mythical animals and genetic chimerism
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) —a ligament in the knee (one of two) that serves to stabilize the joint
Hirudin—an anticoagulant produced in the saliva of leeches
Agglutination—blood clumping in the presence of antibodies; a technique used to type blood
Elasmobranchii—a subclass of cartilaginous fish including sharks
Glycoprotein—a molecule comprised of both carbohydrates and protein
Secretory glycoprotein—a glycoprotein that is released extracellularly, often into the bloodstream (see above)
Hypoxic—low oxygen level
Septicemia—blood poisoning due to an infection
External jugular vein—large vein in the neck
Ceramic blood filter—filter that catches and stops blood clots from further progress through the blood vessels
Flagellated organic-walled plankton—a kind of cyst-forming dinoflagellate that also has a flagella
Blue scintillans—sea sparkle; a free-living, marine dinoflagellate that produces bioluminescence when disturbed
Dinoflagellates—a subgroup of algae considered to be protists; many are photosynthetic; most are marine, though also freshwater; some have resting stages wherein they form cysts; some are endosymbionts, some parasitic
Cyprus Metal Acetate—a fictional treatment for infectious dinoflagellates created by the author after reading way too much about dinoflagellate problems in home aquariums
Lamellipodial protrusion—an extension of the cell using actin, one made to move the cell forward; studied for many years by the author
Amoeba—a single-celled organism that moves about using pseudopods
Trophozoite—the active feeding state of a free-living protozoan parasite
Salt of propamidine with isethionic acid—an antiseptic/disinfectant; treatment for an acanthamoeba (a type of amoeba) infection
Ipecacuanha—a drug made from the dried root of Cephaelis ipecacuanha, originating from the tropical forests of Brazil
Amoebic dysentery—intestinal infection caused by amoebae
Corynebacterium diphtheriae—bacteria that causes diptheria
Lipophilic alkaloid toxins—secreted by poison dart frogs
Corneal epithelium—epithelial tissue that covers the cornea; highly keratinized
Nasalis muscle—a muscle that can compress the nasal cartilages
Volatile gas—compound with a tendency to vaporize
Femoral vein—a large vein in the thigh
Axillary artery—a large blood vessel in the arm (running in the armpit region)
Chitinous beak—mandibles/jaws of a cephalopod;
Self-retaining Weitlaner retractor— Shaped like blunt-tipped scissors, they had a uni-directional ratchet mechanism that—when locked in place—allowed movement in one direction only: open.
Sartorius—a long, thin muscle that runs across the thigh; helps flex, laterally rotate and weakly abduct the thigh
Adductor longus—muscle in the hip that adducts the thigh
Gastrocnemius—a large muscle in the back part of the leg/calf; used to flex the foot downward
Technology and Other Terms
Silicon (Si)—atomic number 14; brittle solid; metalloid
Argon (Ar)—atomic number 18; a noble gas that gives off a violet glow when placed in an electric field
Aquaspira breathers—(aquaspira scrubber failure); fictional rebreather loosely based on the real thing; uses barium hydroxide carbon dioxide scrubber; can absorb carbon dioxide for a sum total of only three hours without replacing the scrubber canister filled with soda lime
BURR team—Benthic Underwater Reconnaissance and Rescue team
O-class submersible—a Naval submersible (submarine)
Phosphorescent headlamp—a headlamp that uses a faintly glowing (phosphorescent) material to provide light
Hypoxic blackout—loss of consciousness caused by cerebral hypoxia; swimmer does not necessarily feel the need to breathe
UP bag—methanogenic bacteria entered a rapid growth phase releasing an ever-increasing amount of gas that shot his teammate to the surface
Excursion—when a sudden decrease in water density causes a vessel to go into an abrupt dive; happens upon encountering a halocline in sea lochs where saltwater suddenly meets freshwater runoff
Negative buoyancy—the point at which something sinks instead of floats; when an object is denser than the fluid it displaces
Glaister Institute, section five (Fifth Ward)—a secret research facility associated with The University of Glasgow School of Medicine; the Fifth Ward is reserved for unusual/inexplicable/dangerous medical cases
Mercury vapor light—uses an electric arc through vaporized mercury to produce light
Arthroflex—an experimental artificial knee joint
Finn—short for Finnfolk; Isa’s people
Progressive—someone who wants Finn features adjusted
Fine ophthalmic catgut—suture material; naturally degraded by the body
Diving reflex—physiological changes that occur when a mammal dives; optimizes oxygen resources to the heart and brain to support an extended period of time under the water; slows the heart rate; mediated by the V and X cranial nerves; studied in the grey seal
Selkie—a mythological creature capable of shedding its skin to change from seal to human form
Russian nematocyst weapon—bioengineered to use the cnidoblast of the sea comb (jellyfish); first mentioned in THE SILVER SKULL (cube jellyfish gun in THE IRON FIN )
Volterra equation—an integral equation; used to study viscoelastic materials
Viscoelastic material—material that exhibits both viscous and elastic behavior when undergoing deformation
Bunsen burner—laboratory equipment that produces an open, gas flame
Punch key—a previous generation’s concept of security
Queen’s agents—spies who work for the Queen under the supervision of the Duke of Avesbury
Aetheroscope—a microscope that allows high resolution through the use of a vacuum chamber and aether
Cryptozoologist—someone who studies cryptids, animals that were formerly thought to exist only in myth or legend
CEAP—Committee for the Exploration of Anthropomorphic Peculiarities; believe that myths and fairy tales conceal core truths; side-step rules and regulations in an attempt to discover their underlying biological facts
TTX pistol—weapon issued only to Queen’s agents; uses darts with pufferfish poison; one to slow a man down, two to drop him, three to kill him
Laudanum—a tincture of opium
The Dragon and the Flea—a curiosity store in Stornoway
Liquid microlens—used in adaptive optics
Catadioptric dialyte—combines refraction and reflection into a single lens
Meikine lens—a fictional lens combining a liquid microlens and a catadioptric dialyte and using an electroreactive fluid that remains viscous at room temperature
Trepanning drill—a drill used to make a hole in the skull to relieve pressure on the brain; an ancient technique
Sharksilk—fictional suture material sold at The Dragon and the Flea that is superior to catgut
Surgical eyeglasses—magnifying lenses (via a liquid microlens) to allow surgeons to better see their work; used as a bartering chip
Gaelic—a Celtic language spoken in Ireland and Scotland
Lucifer lamp—a lamp with blue-white light generated by bioluminescent bacteria; name originates from luciferase
Carbon fiber latticework—found in biomech octopuses; high tensile strength, low weight
Skeet pigeon—a clockwork bird used to carry messages; addresses are programmed in using a punch car
Ichor machine—a machine that analyzes blood; derived from ichor
Cu Quantitator program—a program (run using a Babbage punch card) that analyzes copper levels in the blood
Cipher cartridge—compartment into which Babbage punch cards are placed
Cornish pixie—a mythical fairy creature
Biomech—technology that has mechanical parts that interact with living systems; incorporated to the point where mechanical and biological systems become inseparable
Factor Q—an unusual Finn blood trait that makes them sensitive to traditional anesthesia, often triggering the dive reflex; common in those Finn with syndactyly; released into the serum when hypoxic conditions exist
Malling-Hansen Writing Ball—a curved, semi-cylindrical typewriter
Guthrie Shipyards—owned by Mr. Guthrie, Isa’s brother, who is the inventor of Guthrie Vibration Dampening Tubes (vibration dampers)
Crystalizing fluid—proprietary material found inside Guthrie Vibration Dampening Tubes; discussed in terms of the Bernoulli and Froude equations
Bernoulli equation—used in fluid dynamics, different forms are applied to various types of fluid flow
Froude equation—named after William Froude, engineer, hydrodynamicist, and naval architect
S-126 Class Water Skimmer—vessels that monitor Britain’s shoreline, keeping a close eye on foreign and domestic vessels
HMS Beta Water Skimmer—sighted the megalodon; sister ships are the Alpha and Gamma Skimmers
Department of Cryptobiology—department that handles unusual biology and/or unusual biological creatures
Megalodon—an extinct species of shark;
R14X Cormorant class dirigible—a military dirigible used by the BURR team
Acousticotrans system—new system allowing BURR members to communicate during an underwater mission
Acousticocept—a device worn in the ear that allows an agent to hear
Acousticotransmitter—device that transmits sound to the acousticocept
Hyena fish—fish from the western coast of Africa; vicious; will swarm carrion, stripping it to the bone in minutes
OctoFinn—a Finn with a biomech octopus attached
Armored Navy Steam Demon—an armored vehicle powered by coal and steam
Pectin coagulator—part of the lock that guards the back entrance to the Glaister Institute; derived from the words pectin and coagulation
Magic lantern—an early image projector
Filamentous mycobacteria infections—streaking pattern of infection
Caeruleus amoeba—a particularly nasty protozoa found in the mouths of altered hyena fish that infect only Finn
Corpse fish—maggots of the sea; eat dead flesh
Obfuscation goggles—goggles with dark lenses that obstruct vision
Cryptographer—a person who sends coded messages
Shaman—someone who has access to spirits
Sea Saami—a subgroup of the Saami (Sámi) people (from the northern regions of Finland, Sweden, Norway, and part of Russia) who are semi-nomadic; Finn are thought to have originated from this group; all Finn names are traditionally found within this group
Bannocks—Scottish skillet bread; made of oat and barley flour, butter and milk
Spyglass—a hand-held telescope
Roving tea table—steambot table that moves about transporting tea trays and other items
Icelandic radicals—Icelanders who wish to throw off Danish rule
Natatorium—a building containing a swimming pool
Cephalopod stunning powder—paralyzes octopuses; in spear tips of BURR team
Ring clamps—clamp down on tentacles; contain cephalopod stunning powder
Bioactive nocturnal goggles—night vision goggles
Mussel mine clusters—groups of small explosive devices designed to work underwater
Bissel thread glue—a glue made from the bissel threads of molluscs
Red decilamps—red light doesn’t travel as far in dark water, difficult for enemies to detect
Lucifer lamp detonator—will cause a bomb to explode when the light of the bioluminescent organisms fades
Locations
Loch Broom—a sea loch in northwestern Scotland
University of Glasgow School of Medicine—a medical school dating back to the 17th century
Blackhouse—a traditional stone dwelling on the Outer Hebrides
Glasgow—city in Scotland
Isle of Lewis—island in the Outer Hebrides
Orkney Islands—islands at the northern tip of Scotland
Outer Hebrides—western Scottish islands
Stornoway—the main town on the Isle of Lewis
Ullapool—town on the northwestern coast of Scotland; ferry runs from here to Stornaway and back
Adaroche Park—a fictional hunting lodge and park near Ullapool; loosely based on Shieldaig Lodge
Harris—an island of the Outer Hebrides
Tarbert on Harris—the main ferry port of the isle
Portree—main village on Skye
Achiltibuie—a tiny village north of Ullapool
Summer Isles—a group of islands in the mouth of Loch Broom
Shetland islands—far north islands above the tip of both mainland Scotland and the Orkneys
Lerwick—main port of the Shetland Islands
Asgog Loch—a loch northwest of Glasgow
Allanach Castle—a fictional castle on Asgog Loch; loosely based on Skipness Castle
Edinburgh—capital of Scotland
Sea cave—cave carved by the sea into the rocky cliffs of Scotland’s coastline
Traigh Ghearadha—a beach north of Stornoway
River Clyde—river that flows through Glasgow
Firth of Clyde—an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean on the western coast of Scotland; the River Clyde empties into it
The Minch—a straight of water separating the northern Outer Hebrides from the northwest coast of the highlands of Scotland
Faroe Islands—an autonomous country of the Kingdom of Denmark an archipelago of islands in the North Atlantic
Tinganes peninsula—a historic area of the Faroe Islands
Tórshavn—capital and largest town of the Faroe Islands
Language Translations
Mummo—Finnish for grandmother

Characters
Miss Cait McCullough—heroine; half-sister to Alec in THE IRON FIN
Mr. Jonathan “Jack” Tagert—hero; Queen’s agent
Lady Mildred—Viscount Aubrey’s fiancée
Viscount Aubrey—Jack’s brother
Dr. William Oakes—physician friend of Aubrey
Stephen Carruthers—son of Lord Saltwell
Lord Saltwell—gentleman who dies at the ball
Beadle—uniformed guard at the Burlington Arcade
Mr. Logan Black—Cait’s not-quite-a-brother; Queen’s agent; first appearance in THE GOLDEN SPIDER
Mrs. McCullough—Cait’s mother
Mr. Reggie Dryer—owner of the cobra Cait collects
Louisa—Mr. Dryer’s female friend
Duke of Avesbury—London gentleman in charge of the Queen’s agents; first appearance in THE GOLDEN SPIDER
Duchess of Avesbury—Eudora; lady in charge of societal liaisons; first appearance in THE GOLDEN SPIDER
Lady Saltwell—wife of Stephen Carruthers who gains the title when her father-in-law dies
Miss Lucy Cooper—dead body found on Holywell Street
Janet—Cait’s maid
Thornton—researcher; Lord Sebastian Talbot; married to Amanda Talbot née Ravensdale; first appearance in THE GOLDEN SPIDER
Jabar and Mahommed of Egypt—snake charmers who performed at the London Zoo in the 1850s
Coroner Baxton—man in charge of the vampire murders until the Queen’s agents took over
Metropolitan Police—London police force
Robert Acker—the only known survivor of a London Vampire attack
Quinn McCullough—Cait’s half-brother; Queen’s agent; location unknown
Dr. Alec McCullough—Cait’s half-brother; BURR member; physician; hero of THE IRON FIN
Mrs. Isa McCullough—sister-in-law; Finn; heroine of THE IRON FIN
Angela— Jack’s sister; married Icelandic nobility as a societal liaison
Katherine Black—the name Cait uses when she does not wish to give her real name
Mr. Nicholas (Nick) Torrington—Queen’s agent; scientist; hero of A REFLECTION OF SHADOWS
Emsworth— Aubrey’s steam butler
Dr. Whitby—the researcher in whose lab Cait works
Lord Churlton—a randy old man at the Turkish hammam
Ceyda—venomous masseuse in the Turkish hammam at the Grand Menwith Hotel
Dr. Thrakos—mad Greek scientist
Mr. and Mrs. Swinton—false identities assumed by Jack and Cait
Ayla—snake lady at the floating circus
Helena—lamia
Kālūnāth Sapera—Cait’s biological/natural father
Torkel—six-fingered sabre-juggler
Adie—small child, hulder from Norwegian folktales
Mr. Everly—apothecary
Miss Smyth—apothecary shop attendant/assistant
Mr. Garlock—shoots Dr. Oakes
Mrs. Garlock—wife, reluctant mother
Katie—a kitchen maid
Master James—Carruther’s young son
Miss Tempest—one of the leading ladies in Fay O’Fire
Gabrielle—proprietress of the Parisian apothecary Le Serpent Tordu; half-sister to Cait
Nicu Sindel—Roma; taught clockwork skills to the Ravensdale children
Biological and Medical Terms
Sodium (Na) pellet—atomic number 11; soft and silver-white and highly reactive metal; in the alkali metal group of the periodic table; produces a highly reactive exothermic reaction when mixed with water
Powdered ammonium nitrate and powdered zinc (Zn)—a reactive, fire-starting combination
Torpor—decreased physiological activity
Necrotic tissue (necrosis)—dying tissue
Apoplexy—an old-fashioned term for a stroke
External jugular vein—drains blood from the head, a poor choice for a vampire as veins have lower blood pressure
Carotid artery—supplies blood to the head, a good choice for a vampire as arteries have higher blood pressure
Venom—a specialized poison produced by animals; a kind of biotoxin
Envenomation—a process by which venom is injected by a bite
Maxillary intercanine distance—distance between the canine (pointy) teeth of the upper jaw
Nasal septum—structure that divides the nasal cavity into right and left passages
Sphenoid—a ‘butterfly’ shaped bone that forms part of the base of the skull; houses the sella turcica where the pituitary gland sits
Sella turcica—the depression in the sphenoid bone that houses the pituitary gland
Pituitary gland—a pea-sized gland responsible for producing a number of hormones; the anterior portion produces human grown hormone (hGC), Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and prolactin (PRL) – many of which are critical reproductive hormones; the posterior portion produces ADH and Oxytocin
Cerebral hemispheres—two halves of the brain
Bunsen burner—a gas burner invented by Robert Bunsen
Microliters— 1/1,000,000th of a liter
Antitoxin—an antibody that will neutralize a specific toxin
Antivenin—also known as antivenom or antiserum; contains antibodies against specific poisons, especial snakes, scorpions and spiders
Petri dishes—a shallow dish that holds liquid in which cells are cultured/grown
Antibodies—a Y-shaped protein that will bind to specific proteins to neutralize them (such as bacteria and viruses)
Ethanol—ethyl alcohol; EtOH; C2H5OH; often used as a disinfectant
Neurotoxin—toxins destructive to nerve tissue
Biotoxins—substances that are toxic and have a biological origin
Tumor—an abnormal growth of tissue
Benign—not cancerous
Pituitary adenoma—a tumor of the pituitary gland, most are benign; symptoms include headaches and vision problems (from pressure, including against the optic nerves), sexual dysfunction, bone structure changes, etc. which are related to hormone changes
Shark liver oil—oil from the liver of sharks; used as a moisturizer and available on Amazon
Ichthyosis vulgaris—a skin condition characterized by dry, thickened and scaly skin; face not usually affected; a condition that can be made better or worse by exposure to sunlight; symptoms often improved by a warm, humid environment; the only treatment is attempting to hydrate the skin
Organotherapy—use of animal extracts to treat medical conditions
Sirenomelia—a congenital deformity in which the legs fuse together; sometimes called mermaid syndrome
Thoracic vertebrae—those vertebrae that have ribs attached to them; snakes have many
Caudal musculature—muscles of the tail (caudal = tail)
Transsphenoidal—entering the brain through the sphenoid bone; preferred approach for pituitary adenoma surgery
Transcranial—entering the brain through the side of the skull (temporal bone)
SNAKES
Vipers (Viperidae)—a family of snakes; fangs fold back when not in use
African bush viper—from sub-Saharan Africa
Asp viper—found in southwestern Europe; famous for killing Cleopatra
Puff adder—a viper native to Africa
Common adder—a poisonous viper found in Britain
Rattlesnake—a viper; famous for the rattle on its tail
Elapids (Elapidae)—a family of snakes; fangs do not fold back; includes cobras and kraits
Cobra—venomous, elapid snakes
Spectacled cobra, Naja naja—found in India (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Shri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan); often seen with snake charmers; revered in Indian mythology
Grass snake—nonvenomous; European
Technology and Other Terms
Firkin cincture bolt—a challenging lock to pick on a briefcase
Captain Jack’s Tension Torque—uses alkylsorcin and a thumb wheel (to make fine adjustments) to open simple locks after which the alkylsorcin liquefies leaving no trac
Crystal visilux scope—a steampunk endoscope that uses crystals
Haimatos Separation Machine a device with an internal centrifuge that can separate blood components (producing serum, the part that will contain antibodies).
Cockatrice—a mythical beast, a two-legged serpent/dragon-like creature with a rooster’s head
Double immunodiffusion biogels—modeled after Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion that allows for the identification of antibodies and antigens using holes punched/cut into agarose gel (not actually developed until 1948 by the Swedish physician for whom it is named)
Steambot—a steam-powered household robot
Lucifer lamp—a lamp with blue-white light generated by bioluminescent bacteria; name originates from luciferase
Crank hackney (hack)—a wind up conveyance for hire; common on the streets of London
The Lustful Turk. Colonel Spanker’s Amatory Exploits. An Erotic Philosopher’s Lectures.—Victorian erotic literature, one of which is quite real
Ascension chamber—an elevator
Queen’s agents—spies who work for the Queen under the supervision of the Duke of Avesbury
Widow requirement—a requirement for female Queen’s agent
Societal liaison—women who work with/beside Queen’s agents by marrying men under suspicion
Cryptozoologist—someone who studies cryptids, animals that were formerly thought to exist only in myth or legend
TTX pistol—weapon issued only to Queen’s agents; uses darts with pufferfish poison (tetrodotoxin); one to slow a man down, two to drop him, three to kill him
Downy bit—slang for whore
Cracked pitcher—slang for whore
Debrett’s— hierarchy of titles of various ranks of the British peerage
Laudanum—a tincture of opium
Skeet pigeon—a clockwork bird used to carry messages; addresses are programmed in using a punch car
Ichor machine—a machine that analyzes blood; derived from ichor
Cipher cartridge—compartment into which Babbage punch cards are placed
Department of Cryptobiology—department that handles unusual biology and/or unusual biological creatures
Spyglass—a hand-held telescope
CEAP—Committee for the Exploration of Anthropomorphic Peculiarities; believe that myths and fairy tales conceal core truths; side-step rules and regulations in an attempt to discover their underlying biological facts
Shadow board—a group of scientific-minded gentlemen who worked together to bypass official protocols
Selkie—a mythological creature capable of shedding its skin to change from seal to human form
Dirigible—flying conveyance filled with hydrogen (dangerously flammable, but cheap) or aether (stable, but expensive)
Escape dirigible—small dirigibles attached to larger floating/flying vessels for escape purposes, e.g. glider class with patagium wings that can be retrofitted to carry a propulsive engine
Kraken—clawed cephalopods infesting the Thames
Pteryformes—bird-like creatures with leathery wings; nocturnal; with a possible relationship to pterodactyls
Queen’s agents—spies who work for the Queen under the supervision of the Duke of Avesbury
TTX pistol—weapon issued only to Queen’s agents; uses darts with pufferfish poison (tetrodotoxin); one to slow a man down, two to drop him, three to kill him
Veritasium—truth serum; muscle relaxant
Steambot—a steam-powered household robot
Babbage card—punch card used to introduce programing to clockwork and steam-powered contraptions
Cipher cartridge—holds Babbage cards
Roma and Romani—the gypsy people and their language
Priapus—a fertility god in Greek mythology
Naga and nagini—mythical beings in Hindu mythology who are half human, half cobra
Nagamani —a snake stone said to be found in the head of a cobra and rumored to protect its wearer against poisonous snake bites
Captain Oglethorpe airliner—large and fancy dirigibles that cater to the wealthy and offer long-distance trave over and beyond Europe; like a floating cruise ship
Harpoon anchor—shot from a dirigible to attach the flying vessel to something
Tension cannon—used to shot harpoon anchors
Aeronaughts—balloon pilots
Sapera—a twirling snake dance performed in India… and a name given to Indian snake charmers
Langston townhome—a new housing subdivision in London
Sharp’s—Lord Aubrey’s (and friends) club
Everly and Company—an apothecary in the theatre district
Princess lace—a tape lace made in Belgium
Biometric gel pad—a security device that reads unique biological characteristics to unlock doors
Lamia—a beautiful half-woman, half-serpent creature of Greek mythology reputed to seduce young men then later feed on their flesh; some accounts mention a thirst for blood; a folkloric monster on par with a vampire or succubus
Decilamp—a small bioluminescent torch (flashlight)
Pituitary extractor— a brass device resembling an oversized metallic insect that uses a cipher cartridge to remove a person’s pituitary gland
Ouroboros —a snake eating its own tail, often said to represent the cycle of life, death and rebirth; an early alchemy symbol with roots in ancient Egypt and Greece
Waterhouse—John William Waterhouse, Victorian painter of The Magic Circle (1886)
Fay O’Fire—a romantic opera performed at the Opera Comique in 1885
Undercroft—a medieval cellar or storage room, traditionally vaulted
Londinium—Roman London
Locations
Yorkshire—a historic county of northern England
Grand Menwith Hotel and Spa—a fictional hotel in North Yorkshire
Menwith—a semi-fictional town in North Yorkshire
Turkish bath or Hammam—a bathhouse; modeled after the Victorian Turkish Baths of Harrogate
Burlington Arcade—a covered shopping arcade in London; you can still visit today
Holywell Street—a street renowned/infamous for selling Victorian pornography (novels and photographs); buildings were torn down in 1901 to widen and reorganize nearby streets
Reptile House at the London Zoo—opened in 1849; the original building now houses birds
Number Thirty-Seven, Holywell Street—location of a secondhand bookshop, just past an alley that reeks of urine, an alley found beneath the figure of a golden crescent moon with a long, sullen face; sign is (sometimes) on display in the Museum of London
Half-Moon Passage or Pissing Alley—a narrow alleyway that led from Holywell Street to The Strand; marked by a sign that was sullen-looking half-moon
Lister Institute (comprised of Lister Hospital, Lister Laboratories and Lister School of Medicine)—a fictional institution in the Elemental Steampunk World; named for Joseph Lister
Cannon Street—a road in the city of London
St. Paul’s—a cathedral in London
The Hissing Cockatrice—a pub in Covent Garden on Rose Street; modeled after the Lamb and Flag (the real pub located there)
Covent Garden—theater district associated with a fruit and vegetable market
Rose Street—a street in Covent Garden
Garrick Street—a street in Covent Garden
Albany—an apartment complex in Piccadilly, London; famous for being a prestigious set of bachelor apartments; many famous occupants; privacy
The ropewalk—covered walk behind the Albany
Trinket Alley— a fictional location where Roma peddle ingenious contraptions
St. James’ Church—Anglican church in Piccadilly
Glasgow—city in Scotland
Hyde Park—a major park in central London
Serpentine—a lake in Hyde Park
Italian Gardens—in Kensington Gardens, a gift from Prince Albert to Queen Victoria
Pump House—northern end of the Italian Gardens, a steam engine operated the fountains
Tazza Fountain—a white marble fountain in the Italian Gardens
Harrogate—a spa town in North Yorkshire known for its waters
Professor Grimaldi’s Floating Cabinet of Curiosities—an aerial steampunk circus
Menwith Well—fictional; produces strong-smelling mineral water due to the iron and sulfur content
York—a cathedral town in England; a major railroad center
Mayfair—an affluent area of West London on the east edge of Hyde Park
Regent’s Canal—a canal north of central London that runs near the zoo
The Strand—a major road through central London
St. Mary le Strand—a Church of England near the former Holywell Street; still standing today
Opera Comique—a theater built upon the grounds that once housed Lyon’s Inn, situated between Holywell and Wych Streets; two theaters were built back-to-back: The Royal Globe Theater and the Opera Comique
Lyon’s Inn—one of the Inns of Chancery, a former law court once situated between Holywell and Wych Streets
Clockwork Corridor—street in London where gypsies sell clockwork components and contraptions
Language Translations
paidi mou—”my child”; a Greek term of affection
morphophídia—“shape snakes”; snakes whose biological charactersitics have been modified by a mad scientist
drakonourá—”dragon tail”; shape a Lamian Queen takes

Characters
Dr. Piyali Mukherji—heroine; physician; Queen’s agent
Evan Tredegar—hero; pharmacist; pharmacobotanist; botanist; author of papers on the medicinal value of Brazilian flora
Miss Tegan Price—the shopkeeper’s daughter
Mrs. Price—the shopkeeper’s wife
Mr. Price—shopkeeper
Duke of Avesbury—gentleman in charge of the Queen’s agents
Miss Sarah Parker—the tavern owner’s daughter
Mr. Parker—tavern owner
Mrs. Elena Parker—the tavern owner’s wife
Mr. Black—a Queen’s agent; Piyali’s boss; first appearance in THE GOLDEN SPIDER
Mr. Ranunculus—Director of Tropical Plants at the Lister Botanical Gardens and Greenhouse
Mrs. Lewis—woman with a headache requesting a powder
Colonel Pickering—owns Colonel Pickering & Company’s Scientific Gadgetries and Curiosities
Biological and Medical Terms
khu-neh-ari—fictional; an ointment made from the Amazonian Caniramon divaritum, a climbing shrub
Lianas—climbing vines
Schistosomiasis—infection of a parasitic flat worm
Scrofula—tuberculosis of the neck
Diphtheria—a bacterial infection, often found in the throat (among other locations) that can destroy healthy respiratory tissue
Melanocytes—cells that produce a protein responsible for skin pigmentation called melanin
Guanine crystals—crystalline structure of guanine that has a high refractive index
Chromatography—a laboratory technique to separate a mixture when dissolved in a fluid phase
Dried Tawari tree bark—a medicinal plant
Wasai extract—root used as a diuretic
Technology and Other Terms
Copper (Cu)—atomic number 29; soft and malleable metal; pinkish-orange in color; high thermal and electrical conductivity; used in many alloys
Queen’s agents—spies who work for the Queen under the supervision of the Duke of Avesbury
Skeet pigeon—a clockwork bird used to carry messages; addresses are programmed in using a punch card
Babbage card—punch card used to introduce programing to clockwork and steam-powered contraptions
Aetheroscope—a microscope that allows high resolution through the use of a vacuum chamber and aether
TTX pistol—weapon issued only to Queen’s agents; uses darts with pufferfish poison; one to slow a man down, two to drop him, three to kill him
Welsh rarebit—cheese (and other ingredients) on toast
3XR CinchBolt—a kind of door lock
Kayapo shaman—shaman of an indigenous tribe of Brazil
Herbal Extracts and Their Use in the Treatment of Parasitic Infestations—title of the symposium at the Pharmacological Society of London at which Piyali and Evan met
Crystalline aetheric objective—magnifying lens used in an aetheroscope
Dirigible—flying conveyance filled with hydrogen (dangerously flammable, but cheap) or aether (stable, but expensive)
Locations
Aberwyn—small, fictional village in Wales
Université de Paris—accepted women as medical students beginning in 1860
Lister University School of Medicine—a co-educational institution to seek out the brightest young medical minds; Lister Laboratories; Lister University
Drury Lane—refers to the Theatre Royal
Colonel Pickering & Company’s Scientific Gadgetries and Curiosities—a store in Cardiff
Girton’s College—a college of the University of Cambridge; a pioneer in woman’s education
Language Translations
BENGALI
Bengali—of or from Bengal, an eastern region of India
Bhetki macher paturi—marinated steamed fish
Lehenga choli—skirt and blouse combination that is the traditional clothing of Indian women
Kantha—a type of embroidered quilt; traditional Bengali art
Dida—grandmother
Sari—a woman’s garment from the Indian subcontinent worn wrapped and draped about the body
Palki—sedan chair
Pabitro pukur—Bengali for holy well
Methi—fenugreek
WELSH
Yr Ysgyfarnog Wen—The White Hare; village tavern
Ffynnon y Seren—Seren’s Well; a fairy/holy/wishing well
Gwragedd annwn—the water-sprite who inhabits the holy well
Mamgu—southern Welsh for grandmother
A’i hon yw hi?—Is this her?

Characters
Natalia Zakharova Kinross—heroine; organic chemist; Lady of Kinlarig
Luke Dryden—hero; cryptozoologist
Stuart Kinross, Laird of Kinlarig—Natalia’s dead husband
Rathail—cryptid hunter; sells rare animals and their parts on the black market
Aileen—housekeeper; granddaughter of McKay
Zia—a Russian Mountain Dragon; Laudakia alpino
Willie McKay—the ancient Kinross butler
William—Natalia’s fencing student
Dimitri Kravchuk—a man Natalia once thought to marry
Sasha—young, male dragonet; named after Natalia’s father
Yuri—a young male dragonet that died
Sir Ridley Sutton—historian of dragon mythology
John Dryden—Luke’s brother; gamekeeper
Misha Ivanov—aka Michael; Aileen’s fiancé
Biological and Medical Terms
Parthenogenesis—an egg formed without fertilization by the male of the species; first observed by Charles Bonnet in 1740; a reproductive strategy mostly confined to invertebrates but known to occur upon rare occasions in amphibians and reptiles
Hepatitis—inflammation of the liver
Milk thistle—an herbal remedy to support liver function
Ventral coccygeal vein—ventral tail vein; used to obtain blood samples from lizards
Ernst Haeckel—German scientist first to use the term “stem cells”
Stem cells—cells that can differentiate to become other kinds of cells
Hematopoietic cells—stem cells that give rise to other blood cells
Amniotic stem cells—stem cells derived from the amniotic fluid and/or amniotic membrane; highly mitotic, undifferentiated and immunoprivileged
Extraembryonic tissues—tissue surrounding and supporting the development of a fetus (includes the chorion, amnion, yolk sac)
Growth media—a liquid/semisolid/solid material designed to support the growth of cells; can contain (according to desired growth) a carbon source (often glucose), water, salts, essential elements, vitamins, amino acids; e.g. agar plates
Xenograft—a tissue or organ transplant from a different species (xenogenic immune response=immune rejection of such a graft)
Immunosuppressant drug—suppresses the immune system to prevent the body from attacking transplanted tissues; in this story, a sulfated purine derivative
Petri dish—a shallow dish named for its creator; used to culture cells
Enzymatic cascades—a series of enzymatic reactions in response to a stimulus that regulates cellular responses; allows cells to respond to changing internal/external environments
Candling—shining a bright light through an eggshell to study embryonic development
Blood ring—forms inside the eggshell when the embryo dies and the blood vessels detach from the interior of the shell
Technology and Other Terms
Sulfur (S)—an element; atomic number 16; brimstone; bright yellow; solid at room temperature; a favorite treat of dragons and pteryformes; good for the skin and hair; compounds of sulfur often carry a strong odor
Department of Cryptozoology—the Edinburgh division funds Natalia’s research
Pteryformes—bird-like creatures with leathery wings; nocturnal; with a possible relationship to pterodactyls
Hyena fish—fish from the western coast of Africa; vicious; will swarm carrion, stripping it to the bone in minutes
Kraken—clawed cephalopods infesting the Thames
Dragonet—young or baby dragon
Rapier—a long, slender and sharp sword
Trouvé outboard—Victorian inventor’s first outboard motor
Snowdrops—a small, white early spring (sometimes winter) flower
Thermite—a metal powder that, when ignited, gives off intense heat (sometimes explosive)
Fuge—short for centrifuge
Married Women’s Property Act (Scotland)—permitted married women to own and control property (enacted 1881)
Potato scone—tattie scone; savory griddle scone
Locations
River Teith—a river in Scotland
Castle Kinlarig—fictional castle based on Doune Castle
Postern door—a secondary door in a fortification wall
Stirlingshire—a county of Scotland
Scottish laird—name for the owner of a long-established, Scottish estate; though styled address uses Lord/Lady, they are not peers (of the nobility)
Trossachs—mountains in Stirlingshire north of Callander
Callander—a town on the River Teith in Stirlingshire; gateway to the highlands
Loch Lubnaig—a freshwater loch in the Trossachs north of Callender
Castle Edinample—a Scottish castle on the shores of Loch Earn
~~~
Katorga—a penal labor camp in Siberia during (Russian Empire and Soviet Union)
Kama River—Russian river; tributary of the Volga River
Perm—Russian city on the banks of the Kama River near the Ural Mountains
Ural Zavód—a secret Russian biotechnology laboratory
Ural Mountains—mountain range in western Russia running north to south
Kadskoye—secret Russian biotechnology facility first mentioned in THE SILVER SKULL

Characters
Lady Colleen Stewart—heroine; sneak thief; Laird of Craigieburn
Mr. Nicholas (Nick) Torrington—Queen’s agent; third son; scientist
Sorcha—cat sìth who accompanies Colleen
Lady Isabella Maynard—young aunt by marriage to Colleen’s uncle
Lord Maynard—Colleen’s uncle; an earl
Watts—Colleen’s estate manager
Mr. Vanderburn—Lord Maynard’s guard/henchman
Anna—Nick’s sister; married to a Naval officer (lieutenant); daughter Clara
Steam Adelle—a personal steam maid (steambot) imported from France
Mr. Travis Glover—a suitor for Colleen’s hand
Mr. Witherspoon—Colleen’s employer
Lord Aldridge—member of the Lister Institute’s board
Lady Sophia Aldridge—debutant daughter of Lord Aldridge
Mrs. Alice Leighton—engineer; Queen’s agent; first appearance in RUST AND STEAM
Mr. Jackson—Queen’s agent; friend to Nick; first appearance in RUST AND STEAM
Cyrus—guard stationed outside the Rankine Instiute
Dr. Gregory Farquhar—cardiologist trained at the University of Edinburgh
Mrs. Farquhar—the doctor’s wife
Duke of Avesbury—oversees the Queen’s agents; first appearance in THE GOLDEN SPIDER
Hopsworth—Nick’s family’s steam butler
Lady Delphinia—a young lady out in society; first mentioned in RUST AND STEAM
Visount Stafford —Nick’s father
Lady Stafford, Viscountess—Nick’s mother
Charles Torrington—Nick’s oldest brother; heir to the viscountcy
James Torrington—Nick’s second oldest brother
Robby—kitchen boy in the Torrington household
Steam Mary—steambot Robby attempts to manage
J.A. MacWilliam—physiologist; author of On the Structure and Rhythm of the Heart in Fishes, with especial reference to the Heart of an Eel
Biological and Medical Terms
Adams-Stokes syncope and seizures—a condition involving the partial blockage of electrical signals in the heart
Transmutation—an idea that preceded that of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution; involves the transformation of one species into another
Tapetum lucidum—a reflective layer of the retina permitting enhanced night time vision
Hypercapnia—abnormally elevated CO2 levels in the blood
Technology and Other Terms
Cerium—element (atomic number 58); used to darken the lenses of Colleen’s spectacles; used to make Crookes sunglass lenses
Cat sìth—a fairy creature from Celtic mythology
Witherspoon and Associates—Colleen’s employer’s business
TTX pistol—weapon issued only to Queen’s agents; uses darts with pufferfish poison; one to slow a man down, two to drop him, three to kill him
Decilamp—a small bioluminescent torch (flashlight)
Crank hack—a wind up conveyance for hire; common the streets of London
P.C. Hutchinson’s Magneto-Shock Machine—a large, electrical contraption designed to pierce the chest wall so that the heart might be jolted back to life by means of an electrical shock
Galvanists—charlatans who claim to be able to use electricity to bring a corpse back to life
Markoid battery—a small battery (proprietary and experimental) that can power devices
Lucifer lamp—a lamp with blue-white light generated by bioluminescent bacteria
Skeet pigeon—a clockwork bird used to carry messages; addresses are programmed in using a punch card
Pteryformes—bird-like creatures with leathery wings; nocturnal; with a possible relationship to pterodactyls
CEAP—Committee for the Exploration of Anthropomorphic Peculiarities
Tay Bridge disaster—a violent storm caused the bridge to collapse as a train ran across it, plunging all aboard into the river
Crypt Safe—a (reputedly) unbreakable safe
Keller stethoscope—useful in safe-cracking
Linde’s Ice Machine—a vapor-compression artificial refrigeration system
Voltaic prod—an electrical stunning device
Coal hole—hole in the street/pavement through which coal was delivered to the cellar
Locations
Craigieburn Castle—Colleen’s ancestral home; a tower house; inspiration taken from Craigievar Castle.
Gordon Academy—a boy’s school in Aberdeen
Rankine Institute—an engineering school in London; known to work with the Queen’s agents; courses include difference engine programming and robotic engineering skills; named after William Rankine
Lister Institute—medical school and research facility in London associated with Queen’s agents
Mrs. Fowler’s house—a brothel in London
The Three-Eyed Bat—notorious pub in Hatton Garden, London’s jewelry quarter
Language Translations
When Colleen speaks to Sorcha, she sometimes uses words from the language of her childhood, Doric Scots, which is spoken in northeastern Scotland. Doric is sometimes classified as its own language, sometimes considered to be a dialect of English. Watch this fascinating video explaining the history of the Scots language.
Try translating a few of your own phrases into Doric.
Nae worrie. = No worries.
Tae Isabella. = To Isabella.
A sasser o cream fin ye return. = A saucer of cream when you return.
Riggit? = Ready?
Div nae worry. = Do not worry.
Ging hame. = Go home.
Tae Isabella. = To Isabella.

Characters
Evie Brown—heroine; librarian; medieval scholar
Ash Lockwood—hero; botanist
Dr. Bracken—villain; chemist
Mr. Davies—head librarian
Dr. Wilson—chemist
Mr. Black—Queen’s agent
Timmy—Evie’s nephew
Beatrix—Evie’s sister
Papa—Evie’s father
Mary—Ash’s former romantic pursuit
Brea—scribe of Hardwicke’s Leechbook
Mr. Thistleton—head botanist of Lister Laboratories
Mengri—clockwork attack squirrel.
Gypsy peddler—man in Hyde Park who controls Mengri
Lord Thornton—Queen’s agent; earl; hero of The Golden Spider
Biological and Medical Terms
Botany
Oleander—a bush or a small tree; all its parts are deadly
Oleandrin—bioactive component (poison) of the oleander shrub
Amatiflora—gypsy name for a (fictional) flower; pick during the full moon for full potency; a twisting vine that bears white flowers; blooms late summer; used to make a nerve calming agent
Gingerols and shogaols—ginger constituents
Mistletoe—a parasitic plant; Viscum album; poisonous if consumed in large enough quantities
Viscum album—scientific name for mistletoe
Hemiparasitic plant—a somewhat photosynthetic plant, but one that prefers to draw its nutrients and water from a host plant
Haustorium—structures that grow into a host tree, drawing water and nutrients into a parasitic plant
Taxus baccata—scientific name for the Yew bush
Sambucus nigra—scientific name for the Elderberry
English Oak—an oak species native to most of Europe and sacred to the druids
Panellus stipticus—the bitter oyster, a North American variety of the fungus responsible for legends of foxfire (Mycelial bioluminescence)
Mycelial bioluminescence—light produced by a fungus
Hawthorn—a shrub/bush with medicinal properties
Dried hemlock—a fine, white powder from the hemlock plant; poisonous; used to execute Socrates
Books
A Survey of Metals in Medieval Remedies, Magic or Medicine?—Evie and Dr. Wilson’s re-examination of an 1865 translation of medieval medical texts; fictional
Leechdoms, Wortcunning and Starcraft of Early England—translation of eleventh century Anglo-Saxon medical texts by one Oswald Cockayne.
Lacnunga—one of the volumes translated in Leechdoms, Wortcunning and Starcraft of Early England
The Old English Herbal—the British library possesses the sole illustrated copy of this Old English medieval herbal
Hardwicke’s Leechbook—fictional medieval text discovered by Evie and Ash, written by the fictional Brea
Complete Herbal and English Physician—a book of herbal remedies; completed in 1653 and written by Culpeper
The London Dispensatory—a pharmaceutical text; written/compiled in 1822 by A.T. Thompson
Ashmole 1505—a copy of Bernard de Gordon’s Lilium medicinae in Middle English and the inspiration for A SNOWFLAKE AT MIDNIGHT
Medical Terms
Wen-salve—a topical cure for tumors or swellings
Subcutaneous injection—medication injected under the skin
Copper and silver—elements with known antimicrobial properties
Cardiotoxic—toxic to the heart
Hepatotoxic—toxic to the liver
Nephrotoxic—toxic to the kidneys
Technology and Other Terms
Hatton Chair of Chemistry—an official academic position within the Lister Institute that comes with privileges and responsibilities
Yule log—an enormous log brought into the house, often decorated, and burned during the duration of Christmas
Lucifer lamp—a lamp with blue-white light generated by bioluminescent bacteria; name originates from luciferase
Queen’s agents— spies who work for the Queen under the supervision of the Duke of Avesbury
Oversight Committee—the group that oversees research projects in the Lister Institute
Review committee—the group that plans to review proposals and select the winning entry
Mincemeat—a traditional holiday pie made with, among other ingredients, currents, candied orange peel, cinnamon; originally contained meat
Stratospheric oxygen masks and wing packs—contraptions that are used in the even that an airship must be evacuated when in flight
Steam cook—steambot kitchen cook
Automixer—kitchen aid contraption
Pliny the Elder—a Roman author who, among other things, recorded some of the Druid traditions; with regards to mistletoe, he writes that it was cut down using a golden scythe while wearing white vestments
Iced biscuits—fancy cookies served, among other times, at Christmas
Romanichal gypsies—a subgroup of gypsies in the United Kingdom
Trees sacred to the Druids—Oak, Ash, Apple, Hazel, Alder, Elder, Yew
Wassail—a hot, mulled beverage involving cider; traditionally consumed at Christmastime
Tin whistle—also known as a penny whistle, indigenous to the British Isles; a simple, six-holed woodwind instrument
The Druid Oak—a fictional English oak growing in Hyde Park with mistletoe in its branches
Celtic—an Indo-European linguistic group
Cribiform wick—a device (wick) that absorbs and registers smells in order to inform a mechanical device; name based on the cribriform plate
Pectin coagulator—part of the lock that guards the morgue entrance to the Lister Institute; derived from the words pectin and coagulation
Nitroglycerine—a colorless, explosive liquid used in dynamite; in small doses, serves as a potent vasodilator
Goblin merchants—a reference to the poem ‘Goblin Market’ by Christina Rossetti
Fairy Queen—a nod to all the stories involving a fairy queen seducing a young man in the wilds
Posey ring—rings often given as an expression of romantic interest; “You have my hart” is the inscription on the ring presented to Evie
Mayan temples—built by the Mayan people in Mesoamerica, often pyramidal in structure;
Maudslay—a British archaeologist; among the first to study the Maya
Locations
Lister University School of Medicine—a co-educational medical school and research facility in London created to seek out the brightest young medical minds; associated with the Queen’s agents; Lister Laboratories; Lister University; Lister Institute; named for Joseph Lister
Captain Oglethorpe’s Luxury Airways—based in Dover; introduced dirigible boarding towers complete with various forms of gaudy, ostentatious, over-the-top decadence to amuse the wealthy
Kew Gardens—the Royal Botanical Gardens in London
Girton College—a college of the University of Cambridge; a pioneer in woman’s education
Boroughbridge—a town in North Yorkshire
Oxford—a research university in Oxford, England
Bodleian Library—The University of Oxford’s main library; one of the oldest in Europe; opened in 1602; books were chained to their shelves (an inspiration for the Hogwart’s Library in Harry Potter)
Hyde Park—a large park in central London
British Honduras—a former British colony in central America now known as Belize
Language Translations
Old English
Old English—the oldest historical form of English spoken in the early Middle Ages
Wennsealfa—ointments for tumors
Misteltán—mistletoe
Āc—oak
Eow—yew
Ellæn—elder
Romani
Rúkkersaméngri—squirrel
‘Chavaia—stop
Av akai—come here

Characters
Lady Emily Ravensburg—heroine; botanist
Luca Sindel—hero; gypsy; master of clockwork contraptions
Rayka—gypsy woman in love with Luca
Nadya—Luca’s grandmother
Tesio—Luca’s clockwork horse
Lady Amanda—Emily’s sister
Lady Olivia—Emily’s sister
Duke of Avesbury—Emily’s father; gentleman in charge of the Queen’s agents
Lord Attwater—suitor for Emily’s hand
Lord Snyder—Lady Olivia’s fiancé
Terms
Wolfsbane—deadly poison if ingested; acontium; monkshood; queen of all poisons
Belladonna—a poisonous plant; also known as deadly nightshade and atropine is one of the active chemicals
Foxglove—Digitalis purpurea, a plant containing medically active cardiac glycosides
Bradycardia—a heart rate that’s too slow
Arrhythmia—a defect in the heart rate or rhythm of the heart
Roma and Romani—the gypsy people and their language
Vardos—gypsy caravans
Puri daj—Romani for Grandmother
Pliashka—a kind of engagement party in which the future bride receives a necklace of gold coins
Gadji/gadje—female/male person who is not Romani
Marhime—Romani for impure or ritually unclean
Knowlton House—Kent country house of the Ravensburg family
Viridis powder—turns flames green when thrown in a fire
Captain Oglethorpe—famous for his fancy airships
Chronospring—component of a clockwork horse
Sleipnir—an eight-legged horse in Norse mythology
The White Cliffs of Dover—eight miles of chalk cliffs near the town of Dover that face the English Channel
Bioluminescence—biochemical light produced by living organisms; often bacteria; often a brilliant blue-white light
Zoetomatic—battery powered mechanical creature

Characters
Lady Judith Ravesburg—heroine; kraken cryptobiologist
Arturo Piatti—hero; engineer
Gino—injured man; field engineer
Luigi—Venetian kraken sharpshooter
Lord Garrick—British lord who owns many properties in Venice
Aunt Agatha—Judith’s sick aunt; raised her and her brother
Duke of Avesbury—Judith’s brother; gentleman in charge of the Queen’s agents
Lord Thornton—scientist at the Lister Institute; married to Judith’s niece, Amanda
Battista—steam butler in the house with Lady Judith’s Venetian laboratory
Lady Olivia Ravensdale—Judith’s niece
Vittoria—Judith’s laboratory assistant
Dr. Fracastoro—a chemist in Rome; colleague of Judith’s
Terms
Bromine (Br)—atomic number 35; a halogen; red-brown liquid and gas; can be used as an anti-epileptic
Indigo kraken—Venetian kraken species that produces a purplish-blue ink
Lagoon kraken—Venetian kraken
I Cancelli di Recupero del Canale—Canal Recovery Gates; contains sharp, spinning blades
Cephalopod-stunning oil—thrown onto the surface of the canals, it slows down the kraken
Cryptobiologist—biology who studies unusual animals once thought to be mythical
The Kraken Controversy—debate as to the origins of kraken; are kraken they more closely related to squid or octopuses?
Lister Institute—medical school and research facility in London associated with Queen’s agents; encompasses both the Lister University School of Medicine and Lister Laboratories
Palazzo—a large Italian residence
Fondaco—ground floor
Porta d’acqua—the water entrance
Cannaregio district—one of the six historical districts of Venice
Into the Aphotic Depths: The Biology of the Vampyromorphidia—an autographed book Arturo gifted to Judith
Giordano Restorative Apparatus—a device used to refine kraken ink
Frommholtz spray gun—a weapon that can be used underwater against kraken when loaded with water soluble squid tranquilizer
Bromine (Br)—atomic number 35; a halogen; red-brown liquid and gas; can be used as an anti-epileptic
Indigo kraken—Venetian kraken species that produces a purplish-blue ink

Characters
Lady Alice Hemsworth—heroine; engineer; would-be Queen’s agent
Mr. Benjamin (Ben) Leighton—hero; entrepreneur
Miss Clara Leighton—Ben’s sister
Lady Delphinia—a young lady out in society; almost-fiancée of Ben
Hugh Krause—German technology thief
Duke of Avesbury—in charge of the Queen’s agents
Watson—zoetomatic hedgehog
Lady Westmorland—held the ball where Ben and Alice shared a moment
Professor Armstrong—engineering professor in Edinburgh
Lady Gatwick—woman on train
Miss Cait McCullough—acquaintance of Mr. Black
Mr. Jackson—Queen’s agent
Aunt Ellie—Alice’s aunt
Burton—the Duke of Avesbury’s steam butler
Terms
Leighton Carriage Company—luxury steam carriages
Clockwork Corridor—street in London where gypsies sell clockwork components and contraptions
The Chemistry of the Secondary Batteries of Planté and Faure
Great Northern Railway—train from King’s Cross (London) to Edinburgh
Newcastle—a city in North East England
Zoetomatic—battery powered mechanical creature
Societal liaison—women who work with/beside Queen’s agents
Queen’s agents—spies who work for the Queen under the supervision of the Duke of Avesbury
Rankine Institute—an engineering school in London; known to work with the Queen’s agents; courses include difference engine programming and robotic engineering skills; named after William Rankine
Markoid battery—a small battery (proprietary and experimental) that can power devices

THE GOLDEN SPIDER
THE SILVER SKULL
Ian’s sister, Elizabeth, has a genetic condition known as brittle bone disease, otherwise known as osteogenesis imperfecta (OI),a disease for which there is no cure. He’s spent his whole life searching for a cure…
Osteogenesis Imperfecta (more detail)
The story required a kind of MRI machine (or at least its electromagnet). This is why we end up in an old mill:
Vertical turbine hydro generator system. (Homemade)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
In this book, we meet a pteryform who eats sulfur nuggets (good for the skin) and is blasted with a kind of blow torch. Why? To create more disulfide bridges for additional strength and rigidity:
THE IRON FIN
When we meet Isa, we learn that her people require a special kind of anesthesia…
How do diving mammals manage to avoid decompression sickness?
What’s underwater around Scotland’s coast?
An underwater safari: Incredible photos reveal secret marine world off the coast of Scotland
What inspired the idea behind the biomech octopuses?
Cardiopulmonary bypass: development of John Gibbon’s heart-lung machine
And what kind actually live in British waters?
And was time for action…
Is it worse to be near an explosion on land or in water?
A TRACE OF COPPER
In A Trace of Copper we encounter an odd skin infection. Though it’s not real, many of the underlying parts are.
Photonic crystals cause active colour change in chameleons.
Stress-induced changes in color expression mediated by iridophores in a polymorphic lizard.
Rare, forgotten but dangerous: Pathogenic free-living amoebas and their brutal infections in humans.
IN PURSUIT OF DRAGONS
In Pursuit of Dragons leans heavily on cutting edge research of our own era: stem cell therapy. There are many kinds of stem cells obtained from a variety of tissues, and I needed to choose one. But which? Off to primary sources I went. There was also the question of dragon reproduction. When I read about parthenogenesis in Komodo Dragons, things began to fall in place. Here’s your chance to take an in-depth look at the biology behind the book.
On the origin of the term “stem cell”.
Could Stem Cell Therapy be the Cure in Liver Cirrhosis?
Placenta as a reservoir of stem cells: an underutilized resource?
Parthenogenesis in Komodo dragons.
Introduction to Fetal Bovine Serum Class
Enter the Dragon: The Dynamic and Multifunctional Evolution of Anguimorpha Lizard Venoms
A REFLECTION OF SHADOWS
Carl Von Linde: 19th-century German engineer, an inventor of refrigeration technology.
Early Nineteenth Century Electrochemistry
On the Structure and Rhythm of the Heart in Fishes, with especial reference to the Heart of the Eel
Darwin’s greatest discovery: Design without designer
PACEMAKERS AND HEART BLOCK
A brief history of cardiac pacing
Trends in Cardiac Pacemaker Batteries
A Lifesaver in a Plastic Cup: A history of pacemakers at Siemens
WORMS!
Teaching Basic Neurophysiology Using Intact Earthworms
CAT EYES
Tiger tiger, burning bright: the retinal specializations that cause glowing eyes
THE TIN ROSE
KRAKEN AND CANALS
Kraken and Canals introduces the concept of cephalopod ink as a cancer therapy. I didn’t pull that from thin air. And what might our lagoon kraken be feeding upon to make this dye? Why not Hexaplex trunculus, famous for their purple-blue indigo dye? What might the kraken reproduction strategy be? For that, I took a close look at the octopuses. And, of course, there’s all that architectural science behind the building of Venice. Check out the science below.
Ancient ink for cancer treatment
Squid Ink–Now With Medical Applications!
How black squid ink may help fight cancer and tumor cells: Glycosis happens
Cephalopod Ink: Production, Chemistry, Functions and Applications
A Potential Adjuvant Agent of Chemotherapy: Sepia Ink Polysaccharides.
Anti-metastatic and anti-angiogenic activities of sulfated polysaccharide of Sepiella maindroni ink.
Anti-tumor activity of squid ink.
High performance liquid chromatography of slightly soluble brominated indigoids from Tyrian purple.
The Hardest-Working Mom On The Planet
A Look at Venice: Past and Present
The Construction of Venice, the Floating City
The History of Venice: a tour through the past centuries