Glossary

NAMES YOU SHOULD KNOW

(Through the End of Volume 6)

Key to books in the series:

GK - The Granite Key

MM - The Mountain Mother Cipher

DW - The Dragon’s Wing Enigma

DD - Riddle of the Diamond Dove

JL - Into the Jaws of the Lion

SH - Secrets of the Serpent’s Heart

Abraham Metcalf - Prophet and autocratic leader of the Blessed Nephilim. In his seventies.

Annabeth - Third wife of Daniel. Nervous and high-strung. Wants to improve her position in the Nephilim hierarchy by

birthing more children.

Archwarden - Leader of a Nephilim satellite compound.

Arkana - Secret organization whose mission is to retrieve and protect the artifacts of lost pre-patriarchal civilizations around

the globe.

Blessed Nephilim - Fundamentalist religious cult which traces its lineage to the Nephilim of the Bible. They practice

polygamy, live in isolated compounds, and maintain a strict separation from the rest of the world.

Bones of the Mother - Collection of Minoan artifacts which have been hidden among the ruins of forgotten civilizations

on every continent. Each artifact provides clues to the location of the next relic. Collectively, they will lead to the location

of the Sage Stone.

Brother Andrew - Elderly convert to the Blessed Nephilim with previous experience as an herbalist. Prepares questionable

medicines for Metcalf.

Cassie Forsythe - Psychic with the ability to touch an artifact and relive scenes from its past. She succeeds to the title of

pythia within the Arkana after the murder of her sister. Nineteen-year-old college freshman at the beginning of the story.

Central Catalog - Abandoned rural schoolhouse outside the Chicago metro area which contains the records of Arkana

troves throughout the world. Also known as “the Vault.”

Chatelaine - Arkana honorary title meaning “castle protector and keeper of the keys.” Rank conferred on Maddie in

recognition of distinguished service (DD). This title carries with it voting privileges within the Circle.

Chief Scrivener - Person responsible for managing the records of the Arkana Central Catalog. The title is currently held by

Griffin. His rank was elevated to Right Honorable Chief Scrivener in recognition of distinguished service (DD). This title

carries with it voting privileges within the Circle.

Chopper (Orvis) Bowdeen - Mercenary and friend of Leroy Hunt. Hired by Abraham Metcalf to provide weapons

training to the Nephilim and set up surveillance systems at all Nephilim compounds around the world.

Chris (David Christian) - Librarian at the Chicago Public Library who assists Daniel with his research and becomes his

friend.

Circle - Governing body of the Arkana.

Concordance - General Council of the Arkana.

Consecrated Bride - Nephilim term for married women within the cult.

Daniel Metcalf - Lesser son of Abraham whose skill with ancient languages has made him an unwilling participant in the

quest to find the Bones of the Mother.

Diviner - Title given to the prophet of the Nephilim. A role currently occupied by Abraham Metcalf.

Dr. Rafi Aboud - Foreign doctor with a mysterious past who has been hired by Abraham to perform experiments at a

secret laboratory. The purpose of his experiments is known only to the diviner.

Erik - Martial arts and weapons expert, in his mid-twenties. His job is to protect the pythia on field assignments and arrange

for the safe transportation of artifacts. His title is security coordinator.

Fallen - Term used by the Nephilim to describe inhabitants of the outer world. Anyone who doesn’t belong to the cult.

Faye - Elderly leader of the Arkana. She holds the title of memory guardian. Her age is unknown, but it may exceed normal

human limits.

Field Agent - Operatives of the Arkana deployed around the globe who handle artifact retrievals. Individuals tasked with

assisting in the retrieval of Bones of the Mother. In order of appearance: Fred (Turkey-MM), Rabten and Rinchen (Tibet-JL,

China-SH).

Griffin - Chief Scrivener. He is responsible for cataloguing all artifacts collected in troves around the world. British and in his

early twenties, he has an eidetic memory.

Hannah Curtis - Teenage bride of Daniel Metcalf who is subsequently reassigned to marry his father, Abraham. Runaway

who has found shelter with Faye.

Joshua Metcalf - Daniel’s biological brother and competitor for Abraham’s favor. Appointed by the diviner as head of the

Order of Argus.

Leroy Hunt - Mercenary currently on the payroll of the Nephilim. His job is to protect Daniel as they attempt to retrieve

the Bones of the Mother. He has no conscience and a taste for violence.

Maddie - Short-tempered, chain-smoking operations director of the Arkana. She manages day-to-day global affairs.

Matristic Civilizations - Arkana term for ancient goddess-worshipping societies which thrived without military

fortifications, rigid social hierarchies, male dominance, or career warfare.

Memory Guardian - Faye’s title as head of the Arkana.

Mother Rachel - Principal wife of the diviner. Highest ranking consecrated bride of the Blessed Nephilim.

Operations Director - Maddie’s title as manager of global operations for the Arkana.

Operatives - Members of Blessed Nephilim satellite communities assigned to help Daniel in the field. In order of

appearance: Nikos (Crete-GK), Ilhami (Turkey-MM), Sergio (Spain-DW), Mohammed (Egypt and Sudan, DD), Yu (China-

SH).

Order of Argus - Secret intelligence organization within the Nephilim. Abraham’s eyes and ears among the congregation.

Overlord Cultures - Arkana term for male-dominated warrior cultures fixated on territorial expansion through conquest

and exploitation of indigenous inhabitants.

Paladin - Arkana honorary title meaning “the pythia’s defender.” Rank conferred on Erik in recognition of distinguished

service (DD). This title carries with it voting privileges within the Circle.

Pythia - Title currently held by Cassie. The official seer of the Arkana. Her rank was elevated to Right Honorable Pythia in

recognition of distinguished service (DD). This title carries with it voting privileges within the Circle.

Rhonda - Antique store owner and Sybil’s former business partner. Surrogate big sister to Cassie.

Sage Stone - Mythical Minoan relic which is reputed to possess great power. Nephilim prophecy reveals that this relic must

be acquired by Abraham if his secret plan to orchestrate a global apocalypse is to succeed.

Scion - Nephilim title given to the diviner’s successor and heir-apparent. Daniel currently holds the position.

Scouts - Operatives of the Arkana deployed around the world to ferret out undiscovered matristic civilizations and potential

new trove sites. In order of appearance: Bobbye Johnson (Botswana-DD), Oluoma Okoli (Nigeria-DD).

Security Coordinator - Title originally held by Erik. He reports to the operations director.

Sentinel - Watchers posted by the ancient Minoans to guard the location of each artifact until the arrival of the Arkana

team. In order of appearance: Iker Mendiluze (Spain-DW), Elle (China-SH).

Sybil Forsythe - Cassie’s sister. Late pythia of the Arkana.

Trove - Arkana collection point for artifacts related to a specific geographic region or culture.

Trove Keeper - Person appointed to manage the collection of artifacts at a particular location or trove. In order of

appearance: Xenia Katsouros (Minoan-GK), Aydin Ozgur (Anatolian-MM), Stefan Kasprzyk (Kurgan-MM), Thea Xara

(Maltese-DW), Ortzi Exteberri (Basque-DW), Ochanda Exteberri (Basque-DW), Grace Littlefield (Haudenosaunee-DW),

Michel Khatabi (Berber-DD), Sophie Khatabi (assistant, Berber-DD), Dee Pandala (Malabar-JL), Zhang Jun (Hongshan-SH).

Tyro - Title which refers to an apprentice agent of the Arkana. In order of appearance: John (Sudan-DD), Zachary (Vault-

JL), Zhang Rou (China-SH).

Vault - Another name for the Central Catalog.

Vlad - Broker for shady arms deals. Aboud’s ally in finding a buyer for weaponized pneumonic plague.

Zachary - Faye’s teenage descendent-often referred to as her “great-great-something-or-other grandson.” He has joined the

Arkana as a tyro.