Commonwealth Glossary

Overview

This source is a compact lexical reference for Book of the New Sun/Commonwealth-era language and social vocabulary, including legal terms, military ranks, clerical titles, tools, and social-class markers.

Practical Use

• Establish setting voice by assigning district, faction, or class-specific vocabulary.
• Build NPC speech signatures (official, clerical, military, criminal, aristocratic).
• Seed rumors and handouts with unfamiliar but internally consistent terminology.
• Use the glossary as a naming and diction bank for legal procedures, punishments, offices, and equipment.

High-Value Term Clusters

• Governance and law: archon, alcalde, exarch, quaesitor, lictor, assize.
• Social classes and status: armiger, exultant, commonality, sieur.
• Military structure: cohort, maniple, chiliarch, hoplite, huzzar, contarii.
• Punishment and interrogation: anacrisis, estrapade, defenestration.
• Archaic weapons and gear: estoc, falchion, shotel, berdiche, hydraknife.

Integration Pattern

For campaign writing, pick one term cluster per region and one per institution, then repeat terms in dialogue, notices, and mission briefs. This produces recognizable local language without overwhelming players.

Note on Source Quality

See Also

• Book of the New Sun: Campaign Inspiration
• Dying Earth Spells for D&D
• Mega-City One

Sources

• https://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/newsun/