Fussbudget

Terry had never lived with a roommate before. But here he was, out at college sharing an apartment with a near stranger. He only wished he hadn't gotten such a fussbudget for the roommate. Every little thing that Terry left out on the counter top or in the living room, Roommate Brad would complain about.

Guile

A self-made fortune by the age of 21 allowed Arnold Brandinski to quit college with no remorse. Not that he had much of that, anyway. Remorse, guilt , regret, compassion, sympathy. These where qualities that would've only gotten in the way of his money making operations. It was with unrepentant guile and dedication to nobody but himself that he elevated his social class with rapidity.

Noetic

His was a childhood long ago, a time purposely pushed aside in the memory storage area. With a seemingly finite ability to retain memories, Albus was only too happy to choose those years of superstition and religious fear to forget about. His world is now built upon science and algorithms, a noetic lifestyle defined by logic and forethought. The days of staying up late praying to his bedroom ceiling, asking nobody to help cure his sister's sickness, were gone.

Totem

He had first stepped foot into these woods so many years ago. Since he first found this mysterious pedestal lying in the dirt, life had moved on. Once a curious and investigative young boy, he would climb the trees nearby, the ones with the thick branches, and hide for hours, hoping to uncover some secret. Spying on this ancient mound of material, he would ponder the possibilities of its existence.

Was it made by men? Or was it natural? The patterns on the surface were so intricate and precise, it seemed like the hand of man must've had its influence on it. But the shapes were nothing that he recognized. And it's flawless fusion with the ground made it seem as if it had grown straight out of the earth, some extraordinary burst of natural power and expression. Perhaps an attempt by the very core of the earth to communicate with the creatures parading about on the surface.

The young boy named Romulo Hiramato wondered these things and more. The old man that he'd become had never resolved those mysteries. This beautiful and wondrous object had become a totem for his life, representing the part of life unchangeable and immutable.

Claptrap

The boat mechanic droned on and on, describing the vast array of problems with the vessel, and the necessity of getting them fixed with urgency. It only took Sean John a few sentences to figure out what he was saying is pure claptrap. The man just thought he could squeeze money out of a high profile client.

Geomancy

The ancestral religion native to these islands made use of nature in some interesting ways for certain rituals and traditions. Among its superstitions was a practice in geomancy. Religious leaders mapped changes in the landscape as predictors in the judgements of the gods.

Fallacy

Sean John's enemies spread vicious rumors about him and his methods, planting stories in the media for the public to lap up and believe. Too many people believed that Sean John whipped and tortured his sharks - that he could only tame his sharks through force. This was a complete fallacy. He never harmed his sharks. These were lies that would erode mass public support for Sean John the Shark Tamer.

Wayfarer

The gunslinger perched on top of the hill and looked at the trail behind him. Just a moving speck in the distance, he spotted a solitary wayfarer following the same path he had been traveling.

Hoodwink

It is a self diagnosed flaw in my nature, the propensity to trust too much. Relying too heavily on the belief in everyone's goodness, it leaves me vulnerable to being hoodwinked with little effort.