The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge: Chapters 35–53

by M.T. Anderson, Eugene Yelchin
This comic adventure story, told through both text and illustrations, recounts an elf's disastrous spy mission in a hostile goblin kingdom.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Chapter 10, Chapters 11–18, Chapters 19–34, Chapters 35–53, Chapter 54–Epilogue

Here are links to our lists for other words by M.T. Anderson: Feed, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing (Volume 1), The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing (Volume 2)
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. toil
    work hard
    We shall be victorious—we shall find a way to destroy Ghohg and to reduce the goblins to slavery, as we did the dwarves of the Vushnigar Deeps, who toil to make your court such delightful gold trinkets.
  2. trinket
    a small cheap ornament, knickknack, or piece of jewelry
    We shall be victorious—we shall find a way to destroy Ghohg and to reduce the goblins to slavery, as we did the dwarves of the Vushnigar Deeps, who toil to make your court such delightful gold trinkets.
  3. befall
    become of; happen to
    Skardebek didn’t understand the disaster that had befallen them.
  4. scrabble
    grope, scratch, or feel searchingly
    Werfel scrabbled in the dirt and pulled out an old, rusted sword—but it was only a snapped-off hilt.
  5. slink
    move or walk stealthily
    Werfel didn’t turn back around, but he heard Spurge slink away.
  6. epaulet
    an ornamental cloth pad worn on the shoulder
    General Baligant’s army is already most of the way to the border, cooling their heels and dusting their epaulets while they wait for your orders.
  7. parley
    discuss, as between enemies
    We could all go out and join them, and you could parley with Ghohg if that tickled your fancy.
  8. canteen
    a flask for carrying water; used by soldiers or travelers
    Werfel said, “I wish we had a canteen to carry some of this water.”
  9. lore
    knowledge gained through tradition or anecdote
    “I have read many books of herbal lore.”
  10. warily
    in a manner marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
    Spurge looked on warily. “How are they?”
  11. gnarled
    old and twisted and covered in lines
    There were more trees now, old and gnarled.
  12. sherbet
    a frozen dessert made primarily of fruit juice and sugar
    “They’ve stopped,” he reported. “They’ve set up silk tents and they’re sitting around eating sherbet.”
    “You can see the sherbet?”
    Werfel admitted, “I’m just guessing about the sherbet.”
  13. flit
    move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
    An hour later, the two scholars and the flitting icthyod paused again to look backward.
  14. ruddy
    of the color between orange and purple in the color spectrum
    Off to the side, there was a ruddy glow lighting the cliffs of granite.
  15. posse
    a temporary police force
    “But if we stop moving, Mr. du Burgh and his posse will catch up to us!”
  16. sheer
    very steep; having a prominent and almost vertical front
    In the direction that Skardebek flew, the sheer wall of the mountain in front of them was marked by a ribbon of cool silver.
  17. alight
    shining brightly as if on fire or aflame
    An arc of flame had just shot over them like a burning cannonball and blasted into the hillside. Bushes sprang alight.
  18. chasm
    a deep opening in the earth's surface
    Sometimes, they paused to peer down into the chasm they’d climbed up.
  19. gable
    the triangular wall between the sloping ends of a roof
    Gables and towers and little turrets bristled up at them, blue and vague in their night-vision.
  20. subdued
    quieted and brought under control
    Subdued, Spurge said, “We had better start to climb again.”
  21. spelunk
    explore natural caves
    Backing up, Werfel said, “We would not want to trouble a gaggle of spelunking history buffs such as yourselves. As much as we would love to stay and swap stories around the campfire about old Gargax and the Six Kingdoms period, we must continue our climb.”
  22. yore
    time long past
    He said, “Another time, excellent campers, we will sit and have talk of the merry days of yore. I will tell you the thrilling ghost tale of Queen Glundula, whose lover fed her poison in her oatmeal. But alas, now we must go! Bekky, you terrible, squawking little scab, please be quiet. Hush. Hush. They’re just campers.”
  23. haggard
    showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
    She had death in her eyes, the haggard look of someone who has killed many times and wouldn’t mind doing it again.
  24. scimitar
    a curved saber used in Eastern countries
    She swung her scimitar toward the icthyod.
  25. unitard
    a garment that covers the body from shoulders to thighs
    She grabbed Spurge by the unitard.
  26. writhe
    move in a twisting or contorted motion
    She kicked Spurge as hard as she could. Spurge writhed in pain.
  27. defiant
    boldly resisting authority or an opposing force
    Werfel bellowed, “Stop!”
    His voice was loud enough and defiant enough that everyone actually stopped.
  28. brocade
    thick expensive material with a raised pattern
    “Here!” said Werfel, struggling out of his ceremonial robes. “Robes of the finest brocade! Worn in the highest courts of Tenebrion! Priceless!”
  29. swaddle
    wrap very tightly in cloth, as a baby
    He emerged from the caverns almost naked, swaddled in his linen diaper like a warty baby.
  30. lofty
    of imposing height; especially standing out above others
    It lit the lofty places in the mountains, the ravines filled with pines, the pointy crags of granite.
  31. crag
    a steep rugged rock or cliff
    It lit the lofty places in the mountains, the ravines filled with pines, the pointy crags of granite.
  32. smolder
    burn slowly and without a flame
    But shortly, the leaves under the magnifier started to smolder.
  33. gilded
    made from or covered with gold
    And far back, under a huge tent of silk and brocade and cloth of gold, shining with a weird, otherworldly light, was Ghohg, being rolled across the desert on a gilded platform.
  34. crest
    reach a high point
    Late in the afternoon, they crested a dome of stone and found themselves staring out at Elfland.
  35. jamboree
    a festive party or celebration
    And if he did go back, he would not be going to any neighborhood parties or skin-shedding jamborees.
Created on Wed Oct 17 15:42:55 EDT 2018 (updated Fri Oct 19 10:29:21 EDT 2018)

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