A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

~  – means what immediately follows is approximate

_sys – suffix applied to any sort of appliance, used as a command to get the attention of the appliance, as well as a term to connotate the entire appliance

_OTP – suffix (and occasional prefix) applied to any type of program to designate it as an organitynection plug

^riche – (See note at end of lexicon.)

.accntble – eight letter extension regularly used in accounting firms.  If prefixed by a wildcard (“*”) it simply means all files of this type no matter what the actual filename

&KIR_hacking – technical jargon

1200_DCBs of LOSS – amount popularly considered to give the best “high” before certain overdose

A

A9 – short for Andromeda Nine

Abrahadabra – the most magickal of words, as it is the spell at the very heart of creation: the conjunction of fantasy vs. reality, past vs. present, machine vs. man, magick vs. science, love vs. control, and the macrocosm vs. the microcosm

Acientio – brand-name painkiller

acupoints – acupressure points

Aeon – literally means “for eternity,” but in magickal terms it is generally a period of around 2000 years marked by a change in spiritual rulership of the universe

afterburned – day-after sickness from alcohol, drugs or other intoxicants

AI – artificial intelligence, AIs (plural)

alma – in Spanish: soul; in Latin: to nurture

ambroscious – concatenation of ambrosial and delicious

Andromeda Nine – Marlowe and Celeste’s home planet

annihilophiles – Those with a deep fascination for entropy, death or destruction

aphrodisial – pertaining to the more salient qualities of Aphrodite

apix^riche – (See note at end of lexicon.)

Arahat’s Restoration – YARC (yet another religious cult)

Archie – a flying sphere that Isabelle can use to see, hear, smell, and talk out loud with

arctic – superlative

ARH modulation/permutation/deviation – technical jargon

armageddon – orgasm

arreña – goodbye

Ashjnot’s Ascent – religious group for the corp^riche

asi asi – “just so so”

astral plane – a dimension of reality between the mental and the physical, which is of great importance to metaphysicians since this is where most practical magick takes place

Atmaka – (See note at end of lexicon.)

avarija – awesome

B

Babalon – the Great Whore, revered as a goddess.

Babayanya – a type of tropical tree

bacchanals – intoxicated revelers

baezlescars – love-bites, ironically so-called after the deadly disease baezleiria, which leaves similar marks just before the victim dies

Balala – small town of southern Pamphagia

Bartok – Greta Bartok, one of the last great movie directors.  She still has not directed a single production using holography

Bay of Muses – Xanadu’s bay on the Mnemosyne Sea .. In Greek Mythology, the muses were the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, patrons of literature and the fine arts and oft looked to for inspiration

Bieroniez – Frankl Bieroniez (2001 EY – 2112 EY).  Sculptor, known for his development of negascura technique, but was more commercially popularized after his odd accidental death where he was enviscerated by one of his own robots

bioptic-circuitry – a type of useful biomechanical method of circuitry known to produce odd visual distortions at virtually any wavelength

bivirial_decryp – advanced hacker routine

blackbox – set of standard hacking tools

Bloodlusts – an infamous and brutal schtique, outlawed in most civilized regions

Blueday – day two of a nine day week

bluezies – rare gems

bondmate – daschbond marriage partner

Boralian Bryweave – type of tapestry known for its sensual and careful attention to threadwork and detail

Borgilette – Victor Borgilette was a poet-warrior in the Ktasian-Pentaeuch Wars of 2178 who also dabbled in printmaking

brillig – opposite of tulgey

broken – awesome

BS/DF – technical jargon

bucudinero – big money

C

C_lights – Californium based lights

C ’est magnifique, mais ce n ’est pas la guerre – “It is magnificent, but it is not war.”

caduceus – a staff with two snakes wrapped around it. It was a symbol of commerce and is associated with the Greek god Hermes, the messenger for the gods, creator of magical incantations, conductor of the dead and protector of merchants and thieves

Caligula (12 EY – 41 EY)  –  was the third Roman Emperor, known for his extreme extravagance, eccentricity, depravity and cruelty. He was assassinated in 41 EY by several of his own guards

Calloh! Callay! – exclamations of joy

Carina – moon of Andromeda Nine

Carpethian Oneway – busy oneway of Xanadu, starting from the outskirts of the city, passing by the Elysian Fields and the Pyramids on the way downtown

CDT –  type of public computer terminal

cenotaph – a tomb built for ceremonial purposes while the actual body is interred elsewhere

centicron – unit of time, around 15 minutes.  Varies somewhat based on local solar cycle(s)

cerebelimage – an image flashed through the cerebellum to the cerebrum, i.e. a vision

chăgrin – irksome frown

chakara – idiot

champurrados – spicy alcoholic mixture

channel – download

chica – girl

chiquitah – young or beautiful girl

Circle of Ashjnot – religious freaks

CIV – a top tier corporate exec

cla^riche – (See note at end of lexicon.)

Classical music – music of today, which is long in the past in MAD

coagulate – to change from a liquid to a thickened or solid state.  Part of the alchemical formula Solve et Coagula, i.e. destroy to recreate.  This is the formula expressed in path 25 on the Tree of Life (see Appendix I)

cobardes – cowards

cooingly – in the manner of a coo: to make the low soft cry of a dove or similar sound, or to talk fondly, amorously, or appreciatively

cookie – slang.  A “gal” or a “guy”

corp^riche – (See note at end of lexicon.)

CP_OTP – Central Processing OTP. The essential OTP of any system, including those with multiple OTP woundsets. CP_OTPs come with large memories and can hold a variety of programs

Crangers – a schtique

creds – credits i.e. money

cred_ex – a plug on the human body to conduct credit transactions

cred_ring – originally a credit ring, now includes any credit plug so ever, including implants

crete – concrete

Crn3Ph5 – chemical compound

cron – usually short for micron

cryoed – slang for ignored, derived from the word cryogenic

Cryscion – snow-covered planet of the Seratomb System

CTR frequencies – technical jargon

cyberbionetic – essentially cybernetics, but used as more of a catchphrase in corporate marketing

cybernetics – In Marlowe’s time, the science and art devoted to communication and control between living beings and machines

cyberplex – large computer room

cycle – one “day” cycle. Varies on solar conditions of the particular planet in question

D

D-scan – a type of household music system, as well as the initial voice command to get its attention

dance-bot-bunnie – slang for any hipshique female dancer at a club

daschblood – literally, the blood of one of who is Dashlinked, but used poetically to mean the blood, sweat and tears stemming from one’s deepest aspirations

daschbond – marriage between partners who believe themselves to have a Daschlink

Daschlink – a mystical link between lovers spanning multiple lifetimes

DCBs – unit of measurement usually used with neuromitters

decicron – unit of time, several hours in length.  Varies somewhat based on local solar cycle(s)

dekacycle – 10 cycles (i.e. days), also seen as just deka (dekas, pl.)

demimondaine – a woman whose sexual promiscuity places her outside respectable society

dernier cri – the latest fashion

diabolique, diabolikal – good, excellent

dialloy – a strong, lightweight metal

Dipthaxion – Fredreika Dipthaxion, a transgendered Moiran known for her horrifically transcendent horror landscapes

dirigible – an airship like the Hindenburg

Diva Diz – a brand-name

DNAltered – common parlance for DNA altered, i.e. the ultimate in high-end biological transformation

DNAnalyzers – analyzes DNA

Dolphreakin-KXS/DF – hipshique hydrotynectrix band

dohanyziks – highly poisonous cigarettes with rainbow-coloured smoke.

Drusilla (16 EY – 38 EY) – Caligula’s sister.  Caligula and Drusilla have long been claimed to have been lovers as well

Dtwainian Pox – oft-deadly children’s disease

dulcilita – sweetheart

dzoumka – junk, nonsense

dzoumky – stupid

E

electra.Ka – (See note at end of lexicon.)

Elysian Fields – massive public gardens of Xanadu

Empyrial Quad – region of space occupied by Andromeda Nine and Pi-Ramesses

EMSpectrum – the electromagnetic spectrum

epicene – lacking characteristics of either sex

erotitool – an “erotic tool”

Eternal music – Classical music

Euclidean – the usual, tri-dimensional type of geometry, developed originally by Euclid (325BC-265BC)

euphonious – pleasing to the aural senses

euphoriate – “get high”

Evolreven Seid – small town of southern Pamphagia, once the capital of Pamphagia when the area  was still ruled by the original settlers, the Yoruba, once the largest single ethnic group in Nigeria.  After an extremely late start into deep space exploration, the Yoruba became one of the most prolific space settlers of all time

exectypes – concatenation of “executive types”

EYs – Earth years, used as universal standard of time since years vary from planet to planet

F

falderia – skirt

familiar – originally a spirit (usually in animal form) that acts as an assistant to a witch or wizard, but in modern times includes AIs and robots

familiarize – in context, to make something a familiar in the sense of an animal or robot that can be controlled remotely from one’s own body

fauvic – wild

fauvarito – “Awesome!”

Feitengeist and Chopani – famous stage performers of Karma

fiending – a craving for drugs

fierlynx – rare type of feline

frag – hit, attack, also slang for masturbation

freaklestein – an insult.  Concatenation of Frankenstein and freak

FrhZ (Freinhertz) – obscure measure of electrical currents used mainly in recognizance work

frizzle-frazzled – fried

frumious – go ask Alice         

Fw. – abbreviation for freeway. In modern parlance this is meant to include hover traffic as well as ground traffic, however freeways are usually inferior to spaceways and oneways for high-speed hover traffic

G

Gauguin, Paul (1848 EY – 1903 EY) – French Post-impressionist painter who worked in the South Pacific. “I have tried to make everything breathe in this painting: belief, passive suffering, religious and primitive style, and the great nature with its scream.”—Gauguin

Garboricci Süetre – expensive designer brand and style of sweater

GB – gigabyte

geas – a vow or obligation placed upon a person in Irish mythology.  In Magick: a demand placed upon a demon or spirit

geddon – orgasm, short for armageddon

gieglips – labia majora/minora

gieglobe – vagina

Gimel – the third letter of the Aramaic, Syriac, Phoenician and Hebrew alphabets. From the Phoenician “camel.” This letter corresponds to the High Priestess card in a 78-card tarot deck

glacials – winds blowing from cold, glacial areas. Also slang for a bad attitude

glitchaemon – computer errors that take on a life of their own and refuse to be “debugged”

gobaworms – worms producing drug-like effects when ingested

Goëtia, the – a medieval grimoire.  Also known as the Lesser Key of Solomon the King

gourzesouz – a scrumptious meal indeed!

Grogorian – massive dam near Karma

grimoire – book of spirits and their sigils

Gtochbok – recreational drug

guttiwuts – guts

Gyleria Forest –  a large forest of Andromeda Nine

gyriglass – sliding-glass door construction known for its incredibly smooth mechanics

H

Hackomatic – flexible hacking utility that has a plethora of standard hacking techniques built-in and allows for easy modification

halodiscious – slang concatenation of halopreme + delicious

halo (pronounced like hallow) – short for halopreme

halopreme – excellent

hanuman-monkey – species of primate known especially for its mischievous intelligence

Hanover Champurrados – brand for an entire planet’s production of champurrados.  Hanover Swiss is a variation of this

haquito – affectionate diminutive for hacker

Hargrave fiasco – when a group of renegade scientists began cloning stored DNA samples of high ranking employees at their university

harpija – derogatory term similar to “bitch”

hectos – one hundred, usually short for hectocycle (100 cycles)

hex-Phorexite – type of rare crystal mined primarily from the planet Pi-Ramesses

Hexrain Constrictor – snake renowned mainly for its golden skin and purple spangles

highwired – excited

himvesso – penis

hinas – girls

hipshique – slang concatenation of hip and chic

hm – when quoted it is the sound a character makes to verbally express that they are thinking

holo (pronounced like hollow) – short for hologram, often used as a prefix

holoform – a holographic body or representation

hologram – a visual representation of something that is not actually there

holojector – hologram projector

holoplayer – plays holograms

holo-t – T-shirt with holographic properties

holoshow – holographic presentation

HoloStudioMax – high-end holographic manipulation program

holounit – generic term for anything that can produce a hologram

holovids – holographic videos

hover – why a car that flies, of course! Also a hovership

Hyberian Snow Lotus – rare, high-altitude flower

hydrobath – far better than a hottub, I assure you

hydrotynectrix – obsolete biomechanical interface and methodology, but recently revived in underground music circles

HYPs – time it takes a hydrohyperbolic engine to circulate once, i.e. a hover’s RPMs

Hyperin – handy pharmaceutical for sleep induction

HyperJAM – frequency jamming program

hyper-waiter – technological advance for delivering food quickly in large hotels

I

ICB – type of computer network reserved generally for universities and some of the larger laboratories

ichabods – friends, but with drug-using connotations, derived in a roundabout manner from “heads”

ICR_holorec_plugin – a large, external OTP that allows holographic recording based on what the viewer sees with their eyes

icy – good, great, excellent

Idsig – ID signature, i.e. digital proof of who or what something really is

impugn – attack as false or wrong

IPX – Interstellar Project X.  Despite its fancy sounding name, the IPX merely makes sure no one steals, forges, or otherwise illegally alters anyone’s credit

Isabelle Adjani – French film star around the start of the third millennium EY

Izabael – The real spirit (or genie, or daemon) who inspired the character Isabelle. She is a direct descendent of the spirit Seere

J

Jaguar 99k  with quad::U+pulsive OSCs and a 64.SLP_Binzated-Nitrator – a very, very fully-loaded sports hover

Jahlahara – brand-name of hovership

jiaranium – precious stone used in commonly in advanced technologies

jonquil – type of yellow daffodil, or the colour of it

Joquian Moiran – a Moiran from Joquia, a place some experts consider to be the famed Atlantis

K

K – Kelvin, a temperature scale that begins at absolute zero, where there is no molecular movement

k – 1000, used colloquially it can mean kilometers, kilos, kilocycles, etc.

km – kilometers

km/m – kilometers per micron

Kali – goddess associated with destruction and rebirth, often portrayed with four or more arms, and wearing a necklace made of her follower’s skulls

Ka (Kas, pl.) – the soul

Karma – Las Vegas on futuristic acid, wouldn’t be an entirely inaccurate way of summing up this universally renowned tourist draw

Kartesian Kartel – infamous syndicate known best for their successful DOS attacks against Mitaconda Corporation

Kan lines – service channels of larger bandwidth cabling

Kan_socket – programmable socket that allows for custom readouts on Kan and non-Kan lines running through it

kao*chi – type of mystical energy

kajatook – type of drug

khierzenslide – a pathway through space allowing for safe interstellar travel without the need of cryogenic hibernation

KHXC – potent, yet legal stimulant with some mild psychotropic properties

Kinan – tall, spiked pine, renowned for its innate ability to keep its sharp and tight shape through its own pruning process

Kinney-Schizlowski scandal – a nearly farcical fiasco when two high-ranking Empyrial Quad governors were exposed as lovers by a maintenance worker who had stolen internal casino audio feeds in the hopes of blackmailing nearly everyone on them

koarolites – type of gem, usually with alternating bands of deep brown and gold

Kodo-Kai – planet, home to the famed city of Karma

Koi-infected – when a Moiran implants a seed into a humanoid host for later mind control use

Kokerian Band – EMSpectrum bandwidth that corresponds to the astral plane

kola-kola – intercourse

kongswalla – felatio

Kaoralian Fiercat – small, vicious wildcat

Kaoralian Flu – a particularly virulent strain of influenza

krael cakes – generally delicious type of large, thin wafer with textured ridges

krellian – type of delicate lace made famous by the Krells, a pacifist non-earthen race

Krishna – god

krybox – cryogenic box used to house OTPs when not in use

Kryonic Devastor – hierarchical, persistent, and massively multiplayer holographic game

KS – short for khierzenslide

Ktasian – a non-earthen humanoid race

Kuhlusion Mountains – sprawling mountain range of Andromeda Nine known for both its great beauty and danger to those who would scale its heights

Kuhmukuhulu – the planet many consider to have the universe’s best climate can best be understood as a tropical planet, but this is inaccurate as they share none of the same flora or fauna, however similar the plant life and critters may appear. Kuhmukuhulu has the distinction of having a “blue sun” due to atmospheric rarities that also give it an indigo sky so that it almost appears to be nighttime during the day

kŭpaté – something one likes or excels in

kwaatsi – friend

kwaziguito, kwazi – boyfriend

kynetik-overload  – a feeling of being overwhelmed in the face of intense sensual (though not necessarily sexual) stimuli

L

Labyrinth – future evolution of the World Wide Web

Lachrymosa – infamous nightclub on Primary

laz – laser, usually of the domestic variety

lazed – lasered, often specifically manicured/pedicured nails/toes

lazring – a small laser on a ring used as a lighter

lepidoptera – order of insects, made up of moths, skippers, and butterflies, characterized by scale-covered wings, coiled siphoning mouthparts, and complete metamorphosis

light_sys – initial command to get the attention of a household light control system

Linea Syndrome – rare condition of the body’s neurons, where axons become confused under certain circumstances such as those arising from the use of OTPs

liplaz – lip laser, i.e. high-tech lipstick

locagrande – “great crazy one”

LOSS – Liquid Omnitryptoline Secreted Sedative, i.e. a very potent psychotroposcopik recreational drug

lowa – external portions of the female genitalia, i.e. the vulva

LQDispenser – brand-name liquid dispenser

lugubrious – ask Lewis Carroll

M

makakai – elixir of love

maka-pua – nipple

malacho – young male

Malta – a strategically located island south of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea

Mandlebrot – a specific type of mathematically generated pattern that is reproducible at any magnification or reduction.

Marlacho – affection concatenation of Marlowe and malacho

Marshok – manmade satellite of Andromeda Nine that mimics having a moon cycle when viewed from the surface of the planet

MCPlus_supps – vitamin/mineral supplements for the OTP endowed

Mephisto – short for Mephistopheles, i.e. the devil

Midasian – type of tree named after Midas due to the golden sheen of its bark

Mishiva – “My Shiva,” i.e. a mild expletive

Mitaconda – brand-name

microcryoptic circuitry – method of circuit development able to withstand extremely cold temperatures, but used widely in more standard temperatures as well due to its durability and low production costs

micron – unit of time based on perception of microcosmic particles.  ~1 second.  Does not vary depending on prevailing solar cycles.

millicron – unit of time, approx. a minute and a half in duration.

mitor – a rare gem

Mnemosyne Sea – Sea of SE Pamphagia on which Xanadu has a port.  In Greek Mythology, Mnemosyne was the goddess of memory and mother of the Muses by Zeus

mochachai – chocolate tea

mods – can refer to almost any type of modification, but with the OTP endowed they usually refer to small plastic cartridges that plug into certain types of OTPs

Moiran – aquatic elder race with various telekinetic abilities

mome raths – I could tell you, but then I’d have to mysckropulate you

mortal coil – the body

mowi-wowi (pronounced ‘mau-E ‘wow-E ) – girlfriend, also simply mowi

mufwuffa – vagina (implies hairy, but not necessarily)

mysckropulator – handheld deadly weapon

N

n^riche – (See note at end of lexicon.)

n%DNA – classification of DNA used in modern biomechanics

NAI – Neural Artificial Intelligence, a specific type of AI that can interface directly with the human brain

nano – bad

nanopreme – very bad

nanocron – smallest unit of time used by modern science

Navarquon Viper – deadliest snake known to humanoidkind

negascura – type of sculpting in which layers are applied at a spiraling distance roughly based upon calculations that stem from the Fibanocci sequence—more importantly, negascura later became the model upon which all modern holograms function

Negative Sorale – my favourite drink!

nemyss – the ritual Egyptian headdress of the pharaohs

neuralcords – subcutaneous cybernetic wires used in humans for analogue or digital transmission

neurodestimulators – paralyzation weapons

neuromitter – injector for the nerves, i.e. a neural_injector

neuropathically – communication between man and machine, used colloquially only

neurorez – neuro-resolution, i.e. the detail of any hologram projected directly to the synapses of the brain.  Used colloquially only as a neural hologram has no actual “resolution”

neurostim – any machine that stimulates the nervous system

neuetech-skyrize –construction ideology for skyscrapers over 200 storeys

NIAwave – type of electromagnetic wave, known for its safety, reliability, and efficiency. Used primarily as a freely distributed, but low-level power source, and as a direct connection to the Labyrinth

NIKs – Nisi Inckerenghe, i.e. Karma’s network of casino police. Rivals Interpol for intelligence gathering worldwide

nipply – slang for temperature cold enough to make one’s nipples hard

NOX – Latin word for night. In Thelemic magick, the counterpart of LVX, the Divine Light

nua-nua – felatio

nuevo-primitive – modern style of art/furniture designed specifically to look ancient and primitive

Nuit – Egyptian goddess of the sky and the infinite possibilities contained therein. Nuit is usually depicted as a naked woman with her back arched over the heavens. Also the same as Nuith, Nut, and Nu

NIAwave transmitters – some sort of long range information transmitter

no quena – “doesn’t matter”

O

oisaks – testicals

Old Man Saturn – personification of time

oneway – for hover traffic, a freeway in one direction only

ORG – organic heat signatures that show up in planetary system scans

orgia de fauvorique – wild orgy

orgiastica magnifique – magnificent orgy

organitechnix – electronics and anatomy harmoniously synthesized

organitynections –  the tendril connections from OTPs to the neural wounds

orvina – the anus

OTPs – organitynection plugs. Modern marvels that allow for communication between the human brain/body and computer networks. An OTP woundset is installed into the human body, whereby a wide variety of actual OTPs can be plugged in and utilized. There are no preconceived limits on what OTPs can or cannot do. Some are programs to mentally explore the Labyrinth, some are warehouses of art, and some are business utilities to name just a few uses of an average OTP

P

p1r8.sYt<- – a good place to channel the latest warez

PA_plug – personal assistant OTP

pakao – hell

pakao full of vex – “whole lot of trouble”

Pamphage Corporation – well diversified company has the second largest cyberbionetic operation in the universe, and is also a top maker of all things holography.  Celeste’s father is the CIV.  Also called  Pamphage Interstellar Corporation

Pamphagia – largest and most populous continent of Andromeda Nine

Pan – Greek god which ruled over shepherds and their flocks.  Half-man, half-goat, Pan is a symbol of untamed nature.  Famed for chasing nymphs, including the elusive Syrinx, he is also a symbol ravenous sexual appetites

pani – sex

paniferous – sexual

panitalia – sexual organs

panpipe – an ancient musical instrument, made of variously cut reeds and strung together. In Greek mythology, they were said to have come originally from Syrinx’s transformed body

paramouring – committing paniferous acts for creds

PCQ-12 – chemical agent used in combating mold and other musty smells

Philosopher’s Stone – in Alchemy: a mysterious “principle” having the power of transmuting base metals into pure gold. In Theosophy: symbolizes the transmutation of the lower animal nature of man into the divine

PID – Personal identification

pinas – baggy pants

piqued – sexually aroused

plex – short for any type of building complex

plushzioozi – extremely comfortable style of furniture

Pluto – Roman name for the Greek Hades, god of the underworld.  Hades kidnapped Persephone and took her to the underworld to be his queen, where she must spend half of every year

pocket-laz – small pocket laser used for cutting

PoliceDOG – police hover

pobresito – “poor baby”

Portrophlohide – a commonly-used liquid propellant

posi.Ka – (See note at end of lexicon.)

poohi-poohis (or just poohis) – female breasts

precol – precolonization, specifically referring to that which came before Earth’s colonization of space and subsequent encounters with other races who had done the same

prêt-á-porter – “ready to wear” is clothing by designers that will be sold in retail stores without custom tailoring.  Also can refer to a fashion show of such clothing

Primary – the dying planet

project – upload

prosicons – pros & cons

PSI_Blast – mental blast of energy

psychotroposcopik – extremely psychedelic

psiwraiths – demonic creatures

putrefiably – certifiably putrid

Pyramids, the – section of Xanadu zoned only for pyramidal structures

Pyrexadril – sleep aid/depressant

Q

quad, quadrant – large section of space, may contain many habitable planets

Quankiq-6 – Timothy Leary never had it so good…

QuardaBase – popular movie database

Quazar – brand of car

quena – substance, matter

R

Ragnarok – In Norse mythology, Ragnarok (“fate of the gods”) is the battle at the end of the world

Ragnageddon – concatenation of Ragnarok and Armageddon, which has become common parlance for the Big Crunch (the universe collapsing back in upon itself)

razor – sharp, bright

reechy – dirty

remofreqs – remote frequencies

repugnated – “grossed out”

reticulator – garbage disposal

River Lethe – a river that cuts through Xanadu.  In Greek Mythology, drinking from the river Lethe (“forgetfulness” or “oblivion”) caused complete forgetfulness

RoboTray – popular household product for doing menial serving tasks

rutting-procedure – hacking jargon

S

S-card – a skeleton