Akhenaton – The “Pharaoh who is Not Named,” who tried to convert Egypt’s religion from many gods to one god, Aten, represented by the sun. He almost drove Egypt into ruin before his death. He was succeeded by Tutankhamen, who helped Egypt begin the long road to recovery.
Amunthuya – Prince and husband of Asati, the sister of Pharaoh, he came from a long line of supporters of the throne, though his family had resisted the religious novelty of Akhenaten and instead had remained loyal to the traditional gods of Egypt, especially to the priesthood of Amun-Ra.
Ameny – Young priest of Amun-Ra who became part of the intrigue on the day when he gathered information for the temple.
Ammuti – The short stocky assassin who was speared by Semri and took poison to prevent being questioned.
Amram – Husband of Jochebed and father of Moses, he worked as a carpenter in the Memphis shipyards. He was able to secure pitch to seal the ark basket that carried Moses down the river.
Amunsa – Personal servant of Nephura, Chief Priest of Amun-Ra in Memphis.
Asati – Daughter of Ramses I and sister of Seti. She was married to Amunthuya and apparently infertile, despite being dedicated to Satis, goddess of the first cataract and emblem of fertility.
Danar – Personal servant of Seti I, Pharaoh of Egypt.
Haremhab – The Pharaoh who preceded Ramses I, he was childless and chose a loyal general from the army to succeed him. Haremhab was the head of the army under Akhenaton (the “Pharaoh who is Not Named”) and finally succeeded in bringing relative stability to Egypt after the turmoil caused by Akhenaton’s heretical actions.
Jochebed – Mother of Moses and wife of Amram, she became wet-nurse to Moses in the household of Asati.
Kamwaset – The Chief Priest of Ptah who resided at the god’s primary temple in Memphis.
Merba – Night shift supervisor of the Memphis police under Sekmet, he was a superior investigator.
Mioa – Priest of Amun-Ra who was confidant and co-conspirator in whatever Nephura, the Chief Priest in Memphis, needed to accomplish.
Nakhti – The household steward of the Great Estate who had gone south to Buhan to help Prince Amunthuya return home after his service.
Nari – Chief maidservant of Princess Asati, her family had been important followers of Akhenaton’s monotheistic god, Aten. As a result, her family was disgraced and lost its position in Egyptian society. Because she still secretly followed the rejected beliefs, she was favorably predisposed toward the Hebrews.
Nephura – Second Priest of Amun-Ra and First Priest of the god’s temple in Memphis, he was a mortal enemy of the Hebrews. He despised their monotheism, which he claimed caused the aberration of the “Pharaoh who is Not Named,” Akhenaton. He sought the Hebrews’ complete annihilation.
Nazim – A guard at the Great Estate, he was one of the best bowmen in Egypt. He had served in the army with Semri, who was his closest friend.
Obekka – First Priest of Sobek, the crocodile-headed god, and overseer of the sacrificial offerings of the newborn Hebrew males.
Osahar – The seer-priest of Asati who accompanied the Chief Priest Sostris to the gathering at the palace.
Paser – Seti’s vizier and the one who oversaw the lessons and training of Ramses preparing him to become the next pharaoh. A soldier who had served under Seti, he was loyal, sharp-witted, and good at working through the intrigues at court.
Pramesse – Asati and Seti’s father, made Pharaoh by Haremhab, he took the name Ramses I on his ascension. He was the first pharaoh to begin serious enforcement of the edict of Haremhab against newborn Hebrew males.
Saisa – Priest/magician-in-training from the temple of Satis, who, while getting clean water from the Nile, saw the falling star strike the Nile in front of him.
Satemra – An orphan, raised in the temple of Satis, who in the city market overheard the story of what had happened that morning in the temple of Amun-Ra.
Satirah – One of the older priests of Satis, and one of Sostris’s chief confidants.
Satyu – Brother-in-law of Sostris, who went to the temple of Hapi and heard about the birth of twin hippopotami.
Sekmet – Chief Scribe of Investigations and Secrets, he was the Chief of Police for the city of Memphis. He was short statured but quick-witted and a solid investigator.
Semri – Chief of the guards at the Great Estate, he was placed in that position by Seti whom he served under in the army before Seti’s ascension to Pharaoh. He was a natural leader as well as an accomplished close combat fighter and spear thrower.
Sephra – Young woman and servant of Asati who had been informally adopted and raised by Nari, the princess’ chief maidservant.
Seti I – Pharaoh of Beginnings, brother to Asati, and the father of the most famous Pharaoh in Egyptian history, Ramses II.
Setia – A young servant of Asati who accompanied Sephra on her shopping trip to Perunifer, where they got items for the nursery.
Shasu – A people group who threatened the northern trade routes to Syria until subdued by Seti in the first year of his reign.
Sostris – Chief priest of Satis, patron of Asati and goddess of the First Cataract of the Nile, he was known first to Asati’s father, Ramses I. Later, Asati’s brother Seti I also came to rely on his sound judgment. He had recently moved to Memphis where a new temple to Satis was under construction, supported first by Ramses and later carried on by Seti when he became Pharaoh.
Sunsamen – An official courier sent from the fortress at Buhan with news for Pharaoh.
Sutekha – The tall assassin who Semri fought below the shaduf station; he was killed by a crocodile.
Thebes – The southern power center and sometimes capital of Egypt, it was the seat of power of the priesthood of Amun-Ra. It was often called the city of a hundred gods since each of its one hundred gates was named after a god.
Tut (Tutankhamen) – Pharaoh after Akhenaton, he died of a riding accident while still young and without an heir, causing a political crisis in Egypt. It was not until the reign of Ramses I, and his son Seti, which began a new royal dynasty, that real stability returned to Egypt.
Tuya – Wife of Seti I and mother of Ramses II, she was an intelligent, accomplished woman. Due to the death of her first son, she was overly protective of Ramses.
Upina – Purification partner of Saisa, student and magician/priest at the temple of Satis.
Wasur – Rower on the north Memphis ferry, he passed information to Ameny, priest of Amun-Ra and new spy for Mioa.
Worset – A friend of Semri and a powerful swordsman and hand-to-hand fighter, he was part of the guard at the Great Estate.