The Deplorable Word was a spell from the now dead world of Charn. It was a magical word, which, if spoken with the proper ceremonies, would destroy all life in the world, except for the person who spoke it. This 'ultimate weapon' was used by Queen Jadis, then Empress of Charn, when she lost a civil war with her sister, destroying the population of Charn, and turning the planet into a sterile wasteland. The Deplorable Word should not be confused with a lesser spell, also involving a magic word, which Jadis used to destroy the gates of the palace of Charn.