NOTE ON PRONUNCIATIONS
While the reader may render the exotic names in the story as he likes, the author’s usage with Varasto names is as follows: a and á as in “add” and “wad” respectively; other vowels about as in Spanish.
Among consonants, k and q as in “keep” and “quote” regardless of adjacent sounds; gh = French uvular r; kh = German ch; = a glottal stop or cough; others as in English.
Words ending in a consonant or a diphthong are stressed on the last syllable; those ending in a simple vowel are usually but not always stressed on the next to the last. Hence, Balhib is “bal-HEEB”; Hershid is “hair-SHEED”; Sadabao is “sad-ab-OW”; Sotaspé is “saw-TASS-peh”; and Tázád is “Tah-ZODD.” Beizi rhymes with “lazy”; Ziro is “ZEE-raw”; Zirou, “zee-RO.” Castanhoso, a common Portuguese name, is approximately (depending on the dialect) “kush-TAH-nyew-soo.”