(The) Fifth Warrior: See Standingbear, Sinead.
(The) First Warrior: See Omsted, Socraide.
(The) Fourth Warrior: See Metricelli, Jonathan.
~J~
Jonathan Metricelli: See Metricelli, Jonathan.
~K~
Keeper: See Shrine Keeper.
~M~
Metricelli, Jonathan: The Fourth Warrior. His dominion was Metricelli Prime and Deuce in the Third System, the Vistrite worlds. After the Order of the Five Warriors was established, Jonathan added Desperation in the Sixth System to his holdings. It is the only other Vistrite world in the Twelve Systems.
Monsignor: Dominant seigneur of a Cartouche. The monsignor controls and directs the Cartouche. Only the monsignor can license a new seigneur.
Mulan Tsao: See Tsao, Mulan.
~O~
Omsted, Socraide: The First Warrior. His dominion was three of the four habitable planets in the First System. His obsession with Adelaide Warleader turned the Three Systems from Anarchy to Order.
Order of the Five Warriors: The Twelve Systems’ structure of law and custom. It is based on the Code of Engagement and Governing Protocols as established by the Five Warriors in the final years of the Anarchy.
~R~
Rimon Ben Claude: See Ben Claude, Rimon.
~S~
Sect: See Warrior Sect.
Sect Chapter: See Warrior Sect Chapter.
(The) Second Warrior: See Ben Claude, Rimon.
Seer: A seer of visions sent by one or more of the Shades.
Seigneur: The elite of the elite. A ‘ranked’ warrior is part of the small group that controls the commercial interests that control the Twelve Systems.
Shade: Spirit. Ghost.
(The) Shades: The manifestations of the Five Warriors and Adelaide.
Shade Prelate: Senior Prelate for a warrior sect. Alternate: Lord or Lady Prelate.
Shade Patron: The secular authority for a given sect. The office is determined by commercial rank. Alternatively, Lord or Lady Patron.
Shade-Ridden: Deranged through service to the Shades of the Five Warriors and Adelaide.
Shrine: Place of worship dedicated to one of the Five Warriors.
Shrine Keeper: The senior prelate of a particular shrine.
Signet: Symbol of rank. A seigneur’s signet is a gold oval the size of an adult thumb. It is incised or inlaid with the symbol of the seigneur’s cartouche. A monsignor’s signet is platinum indicating the ability to create or destroy seigneurs.
Socraide Omsted: See Omsted, Socraide.
Standingbear, Sinead: The Fifth Warrior. Her dominion was the one non-Vistrite world in the Third System.
~T~
(The) Third Warrior: See Tsao, Mulan.
Tsao, Mulan: The Third Warrior. Her dominion was Artesia, a planet in the First System.
(The) Twelve Systems: A technologically advanced society dominated by powerful commercial interests.
~V~
Vistrite: A naturally occurring semi-liquid crystal that is essential to all advanced technology in the Twelve Systems.
~U~
Universalist: Follower of the Universal Way.
Universal Way: Remnant of the spiritual discipline of the enlightened society that preceded the Anarchy. A minor segment of Twelve Systems society, the Universalists challenge many warrior beliefs.
~W~
Warleader, Adelaide: Ancient hero. During the Anarchy, she was Jonathan Metricelli’s chief retainer and possible consort. During the early years of the Order of the Five Warriors, she was Socraide Omsted’s consort and possible spouse.
Warrior: Dominant class in the Twelve Systems. Its members can prove direct genetic descent from the Five Warriors and their retainers.
Warriors’ Litany: Popular prayer commonly considered to have its origin in Jonathan Metricelli’s ‘Warrior Code.’ The sect of Sinead Standingbear contends that the origin is with the Fifth Warrior, due to its references to ‘ancestors.’ Sinead was the only one of the Five Warriors descended from the pre-Anarchy rulers of the Three Systems.
Warrior Ring: Arrangement of shrines in a ring that includes all Five Warriors.
Warrior Sect: Short form, sect. A spiritual institution dedicated to one of the Five Warriors.
Warrior Sect Chapter: Short form, sect chapter or chapter. A subset of a warrior sect, commonly defined by the system. Example: Socraide’s Third System Chapter.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Carolyn Manetti at Common Market Films for her brilliant insights into story telling; to Jim O’Connor Photography for the cover photo and design; and Elizabeth Nover at Razor Sharp Editing for putting the commas where they belong.
Table of Contents
Copyright
Dedication
List of Characters
The Twelve Systems
1. Improved Circumstances
2. Caning
3. Complexity and Codes
4. Adelaide’s Prelate
5. Distant Planets
6. Shrine Relic
7. The Festival Duet
8. Travel Preparations
9. Shimmering Horizon
10. Free Boxing
11. The Beaconed Expanse
12. Fortuna
13. The Hull
14. Shrine Offering
15. Bright Star Code
16. A Prelate’s Will
17. Threatening Regard
18. Return to Crevasse City
19. The Tale of the Elf King and Queen
20. The Rise of Militia Captain Reynald
21. Stolen
22. Secrets
23. Raven Tales
24. Wolf Hunt
25. A Wolf’s Head
Coming in 2018 – Serengeti Valor: The Apprentice, Volume 5
The Apprentice Protocol
Devotional Litanies
Glossary of the Twelve Systems
Acknowledgements