THE PLOT OF THE SIX SAINTS GLOSSARY

As a fantasy novel (especially one based on Norse and Romanian folklore), The Plot of the Six Saints series features complex magic systems and world-building. ARC readers requested a glossary to better understand Imani’s world, and I had a ton of fun putting this together!

THE MESIAL REALM OVERVIEW

  • Different human races that have evolved with various types of magic and distinctive appearances specific to their breeds.iption text goes here

  • Where all magic originates. Raw, uncontrolled magic manifests as bright, swirling lights, much like an aurora in the night sky.

  • Uncontrolled, violent, magical weather events that can come in many forms, including 

    ground quakes (earthquakes), acid rain, lightning storms, gravitational disturbances, etc. They are caused by pulling too much magic at once. 

  • A small outburst from the Fabric that throws magic back at the witch. It can be caused by casting magic you do not have a brand for, an unstable/broken wand, or pulling too much magic from the Fabric at once (considered a minor Fabric event).

  • A witch, chosen by the monarch, to lead the Royal Order of Magic.

  • The governing body over witches in the Essenheim kingdom. Created to enforce the Ordinances, the Order employs and directly manages all master and archmage witches in the Essenheim kingdom. Commanded by the monarch’s chosen First Witch, they ensure the laws around magic are being followed and maintain the stability of the Fabric.

  • The governing body over witches in the Niflheim kingdom. Created to enforce the strict laws around using magic, the Council employs and directly manages all master and archmage witches in the Essenheim kingdom. Commanded by the monarch’s chosen First Witch, they ensure the laws around magic are being followed and maintain the stability of the Fabric. 

  • Laws enacted by the Essenheim monarch and the Royal Order of Magic to help people safely use magic without further destabilizing the Fabric.

  • A brand on the right inner wrist signifies a person’s breed in the Mesial Realm. People from both kingdoms are born with them.

    • Norn elves: A leaf

    • Trow pixies: A butterfly

    • Sprite pixies: A moth

    • Naiad nymphs: Three wavy lines stacked on top of each other

    • Leimoniad nymphs: A tree

    • Satyr shifters: Three vertical lines

    • Leonine shifters: A five-point star

    • Hobs, aka Hobgoblins: breedless; people born without a sigil

    • Rockseer Drow Elves: The letter X

    • Ursidae and Canidae Shifters: The moon 

    • Avariel Shifters: The sun

    • Oread Mountain Nymphs: A triangle

    • Dwarves: A tear-drop jewel-like symbol

    • Eleionomae Nymphs: A circular snail symbol

    • Caudata Shifters: A flame

  • A person with the most potent magic typical for the breed (or none). They also physically appear to be perfect according to the breed's expected standards, and their behavior is highly characteristic of the breed. 

    A triangle around a person’s sigil at birth indicates they are a high-breed. This applies to any breed.

  • A person who possesses the standard magic a breed is known for (or none). Their physical looks are typical of the breed's expected standards, and their behavior is generally characteristic of the breed. 

    A circle around a person’s sigil at birth indicates they are a common-breed. Most people in Essenheim are common breeds.

  • A person with less than typical magic powers (or none). Their physical looks lack the distinctive qualities of the breed, and their behavior is also less characteristic. 

    A square around a person’s sigil at birth indicates they are a low-breed.

  • When an elf absorbs part of someone’s soul for energy and vitality. Feeding is required for all elves to stay alive.

  • According to stories in the Mesial ream, these are six mythical beings supposedly from the Upper realm who were cast out and became the Under realm's high-sentinels and monarchs. The religion that some practice in the Mesial Realm demonizes them, but no one truly knows if they exist or if the story is true. 

    The story goes that the six unknown breeds pushed the boundaries of creation power gifted to the Upper realm too far and created the Middle realm, i.e., the Mesial realm, and then accidentally spawned the Under. They were cast out from the Upper realm and sentenced to rule the Under realm forever for their hubris in deciding to create two entirely new realms.

  • A fated partner the Fabric chooses with both souls made from the same pieces of the Fabric. A heartmate’s sigil will appear next to a person’s sigil when the two touch each other for the first time. Mixed pairs are possible but uncommon. Heartmates bond to each other with three separate, specific binding spells, and afterwards, they can feel each other's emotions and share magic.

  • A non-fated (non-heartmate) partner. Chosen mates bond to each other with one specific binding spell.

  • Safe, stable portals to the other three realms (the Under, Upper, and Mesial realms); they’ve been sealed and don’t exist anymore.

  • Unstable portals to other realms that happen at random or are caused by Fabric events.

  • The Fabric chooses male (king) and female (queen) witches to rule the Mesial realm together as equals when the previous monarchs die. Considered the most powerful witches in the realm, these two people are chosen from the entire population to ensure the world thrives with balance, stability, and unity.

  • One person—named by the monarch—is assumed to be next in line for king or queen. But until the current monarch dies and the magic passes to the next person, no one knows for sure who will inherit the monarchy’s power.

  • A magical object only the King can wield that gives him enhanced powers and abilities. It’s located in the Niflheim castle. 

  • A magical object that only the Queen can wield, which gives her enhanced powers and abilities. It grows from his or her head with plants and flowers encircling her head.


  • Witches of each breed are chosen by the Fabric when the previous Sentinel dies to govern and protect their territory, considered the most powerful of the breed besides the monarchs.

  • Fourteen distinct districts in Essenheim and Niflheim, where each breed hails from and is governed by a High Sentinel of that breed. People can move and live wherever they like, though most stay within their territories.

  • A group of witches who work together as a business, creating and selling magic to a particular area.

  • People within covens (i.e., magic businesses) who deliver orders of magic and collect money in return.

MESIAL REALM PLACES AND LOCATIONS

  • The middle realm, where mortal breeds live, and atrophic and nascent magic intermingle.

  • The higher realm is where nascent creation magic flourishes and immortal beings reside, including the deity and angelic breeds. 

  • The lowest realm, where atrophic destruction magic dominates and immortal breeds live, including demons and satanic breeds. Souls from mortal beings also live in the Under realm after death.

  • A kingdom in the Mesial realm.

  • A kingdom in the Mesial realm.

  • The capital city of the Essenheim kingdom

  • The lost capital city of the United Mesial realm kingdom. It is rumored to be inside Menlone Mountain.

  • The largest mountain in Niflheim. The palace is built into the mountain, and it is rumored that the former capital city, Zorah, sank into the mountain during a Fabric event, leaving it perfectly intact.

  • The capital city of the Niflheim kingdom is located on the Menlone Mountain. It’s also the Caudata shifter’s forest territory in Niflheim, which surrounds Kehomel up the Menlone Mountain (not at the base).

  • A small port village in the southern Riverlands territory in Essenheim.

  • The Naiad nymphs’ territory in Essenheim.

  • The Leimoniad nymphs’ territory in Essenheim.

  • The Trow pixies’ territory in Essenheim.

  • The Rockseer Drow Elves’ territory in Niflheim.

  • The Norn elves’ territory in Essenheim.

  • The Satyr shifters’ territory in Essenheim.

  • The Leonine shifters’ territory in Essenheim.

  • The Rockseer Drow Elves’ territory in Niflheim.

  • The Oread Mountain Elves’ territory in Niflheim.

  • The Dwarves’ territory in Niflheim, which is also called the Jeweled City.

  • The territory of the Ursidae and Canidae shifters in Niflheim.

  • The Avariel shifter’s territory in Niflheim.

  • The Eleionomae nymph’s territory in Niflheim.

Essenheim

CREATURES / BEINGS

  • A mortal elf breed that lives in the Draswood forest territory in the Essenheim kingdom of the Mesial realm.  

    Territory Seat: Vathis

  • A mortal pixie breed that lives in the Plainslands territory in the Essenheim kingdom of the Mesial realm. 

    Territory Seat: Askor

  • A mortal pixie breed that lives in the Moorlands territory in the Essenheim kingdom of the Mesial realm. 

    Territory Seat: Galwell

  • A mortal nymph breed that lives in the Riverlands territory in the Essenheim kingdom of the Mesial realm. 

    Territory Seat: Sonham

  • A mortal nymph breed that lives in the Meadowlands territory in the Essenheim kingdom of the Mesial realm. 

    Territory Seat: Palena

  • A mortal shifter breed that lives in the Grasslands territory in the Essenheim kingdom of the Mesial realm. 

    Territory Seat: Catalor

  • A mortal shifter breed that lives in the Lowland Plains territory in the Essenheim kingdom of the Mesial realm. 

    Territory Seat: Tumcrest

niflheim

CREATURES / BEINGS

  • Bear “Ursidae” and dog “Canidae” shifters. They both reside in the forest surrounding the base of the Kehomel Mountain and are constantly engaged in territorial skirmishes.

    Territory Seat: Kehomel

  • Winged shifters who descended from elves. They inhabit the trees and skies around the Kilburn Canyon.

    Territory Seat: Northgrave

  • Nymphs who reside inside and on top of the Lundr mountains; they rarely leave their territory. 

    Territory Seat: Eden

  • An evolved type of elf, now known as dwarves, that lives in the Wildvien Mountains, and are known for their rich stores of jewels hidden deep within. Also, known as jewel elves.

    Territory Seat: Eto

  • Marsh nymphs or Sirens, as they’re more commonly known, live in the marshland, which is a wetland, with shallow water and patches of dry ground that can be waded through.

    Territory Seat: Krossa

  • Amphibian-like shifters that live up and down (above the forest of the Ursidae and Canidae Shifters' territory) on the most prominent part of the mountain outside the city. Caudata used to be ascribed with powerful elemental fire magic, but now it’s exceedingly rare. Examples include Lindworms, Drakes, Amphiptere, Wyverns, Wyrm (dragon-like snake of considerable size), and Dragons. There are frequent skirmishes over the territory between the three shifter breeds. 

    Territory Seat: Kehomel

  • A cave-dwelling mortal elf breed that lives in the Cavebarrow territory in the Niflheim kingdom of the Mesial realm. 

    Territory Seat: Brayland

other

CREATURES / BEINGS

  • A mortal breedless person who lives in the Mesial realm without a territory.

  • Various immortal breeds, including different breeds of Demononic Angels and Deities, who inhabit the Under realm in two territories. While they have angel and deity characteristics, they have demonic origins. 

    Death Angels are also known as Psychopomp Demons. They are winged Demons who come to escort lost souls to the Under, like a reaper. Thus, they’re called Death Angels.

  • Diety Beings (who evolved from the Upper goddesses) guard the boundaries between the realms and can incite madness in those who try to enter or exit unlawfully.

  • Eldritch are not well understood, as there’s no one like them in the realms. Originating in the Upper realm as celestials, they’ve evolved to be the only beings that are willed into existence and created directly by the Fabric. In contrast, every other being is made by the deities of the Upper realm. Most believe the Eldritch evolved from the Six Saints, who were banned from the Upper. They’re referred to as "elves" for lack of a better term (no one knows precisely what they are). The descendants of the Six Saints (“The Six Families”) are revered in the Under for their immense power. 

    They retained some of the power of the Saints, including the ability to command dead souls and create satanic beings, making them the most powerful in the Under. Their existence ensures souls of dead immortals and mortals live separately from living immortals and mortals within the Under until they are ready to regenerate and re-enter the cycle. Because the Eldritch are the only beings whose souls are born of the Under, they are the only living beings out of mortals and immortals tied to that realm; no one knows where their souls come from or where they go when they cease to exist.

KEY CHARACTERS

(IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)

  • High-breed hybrid Norn elf, potential master witch.

  • High-breed Naiad nymph, potential master witch, adoptive grandmother to Imani.

  • High-breed Niflheim master witch and merchant living in the Riverlands.

  • High-breed Norn elf, heartmated to Saria Aowyn, Imani’s adoptive father, wandmaker.

  • High-breed Norn elf, heartmated to Saria, Aowyn Imani’s mother, wandmaker.

  • High-breed Norn elf, potential master witch, younger sister to Imani.

  • High-breed Leimoniad nymph, master witch, Heir Apparent to the Essenheim kingdom.

  • High-breed Sprite pixie, potential master witch.

  • High-breed Sprite pixie and master witch.

  • High-breed Leimoniad nymph, Queen of the Essenheim kingdom.

  • High-breed Ursidae shifter, Heir Apparent to the Niflheim kingdom, prince and older brother to Kiran (in fact, he’s the oldest Ilithiana brother). 

  • High-breed elf, First Witch of the Niflheim kingdom, prince, and the youngest Ilithiana son out of six.

  • Fiancee to Kiran, originally from the Draswood, but was exiled. She had a child without a heartmate, and the Ilithiana’s gave her refuge in exchange for creating an heir with Kiran.

  • High-breed Caudata shifter, King of the Niflheim kingdom.

  • High-breed Caudata shifter. Traitor and rebel organizer against the Niflheim kingdom; second-oldest brother to Kiran. Hasn’t been seen in months and has been declared exiled by the king.

  • High-breed Avariel Shifter. General of the king’s armed forces. The third-oldest brother of Kiran. 

  • High-breed Canidae shifter. Twin brother of Nicolai. Fourth-oldest brother of Kiran. Ambassador to the Ursidae and Canidae Shifters.

  • High-breed Canidae shifter. Twin brother of Kolio. The fifth-oldest brother of Kiran. Ambassador to the Ursidae and Canidae Shifters.

  • A naiad nymph from Essenheim, advisor to Kiran and his former trainer when he was a child.

MESIAL REALM MAGIC SYSTEM

  • Permanent marks on a person’s skin that manifest at puberty and denote a type of magical power the Fabric has gifted them.

  • A witch with five or more brands who works for the Royal Order of Magic, identified by a red symbol on their left hand, gifted by the Fabric after successfully completing the Ascension Assessments.

  • A witch with five or more brands who has successfully completed the Ascension Assessments a second time, identified by a purple symbol on their right hand, gifted by the Fabric.

  • A source of natural energy that allows a person to channel their magic outward, e.g., fire, wands, water, etc.  

  • Wands made exclusively by the Norn elves from the magic trees in the Draswood Forest.

  • An alternative type of wand made from goldwood trees, which are extinct in the Mesial realm.

  • An alternative type of wand made from a person's bones with flesh magic.

  • An alternative type of wand, of unknown origin. 

  • The invisible energy of magic around a person’s body that they emit unconsciously but can control with practice.

  • A three-part examination, designed and administered annually by the Royal Order of Magic, aimed at forcing the master brand to appear.

  • Magic that destroys.

  • Magic that creates or brings something into existence.

  • A type of sacrificial, illegal magic that requires part of a person’s body as the medium and enhances a spell to make it more potent and powerful.

  • Natural magic (i.e., it doesn’t require a brand) belongs only to Norn elves, which entrances other people and attracts them to the elf for feeding. High-bred female elves typically have the strongest soul draws, able to control another person’s thoughts, actions, and desires.

  • A type of natural magic created by flaying the skin of Trow and Sprite pixies. Anyone can collect and use it without a spell. The dust from Trow pixies—Black Dust—takes away all five senses for a period of time, and Sprite pixie dust—Nightmare Dust—causes terrifying hallucinations.

THE MESIAL REALM HISTORY

  • A war between the realms (the Upper, Under, and Mesial realms) in ancient times. When it ended, the doorways between realms were sealed, never to be opened again.

  • A thousand years ago, devastating fabric events and increasingly unstable magic caused a war between the two monarchs in the Mesial realm. The sun disappeared as storms increased in the southern parts of the Mesial kingdom, causing famine, death, and an influx of refugees escaping into the northern territories.

  • Although the war technically never ended, the fighting ceased after a treaty was signed between the two sides, resulting in the formation of the Essenheim and Niflheim kingdoms and a permanent separation between them. 

THE TWELVE MAGICAL BRANDS

THE MESIAL REALM

  • Magic that creates potions and other magical concoctions.

  • Magic that changes the physical structure of objects, people, etc.

  • Magic that enforces an agreement between two or more parties.

  • Magic that transports objects from one place to another.

  • Magic that creates protective shields and wards.

  • Magic that predicts the future or reveals the present.

  • Magic that controls another object or person.

  • Magic that creates and controls fire.

  • Magic that heals wounds, sicknesses, etc.

  • Magic, or glamour, that hides something.

  • Magic that creates and controls wind and earth.

  • Magic that creates and controls water.

THE OTHER HALF OF THE END GLOSSARY

In the same spirit as The Plot of the Six Saints series, this glossary will serve to help you navigate the new Earth and the Golden Moons, particularly. Nepra, where our story takes place.

This section is still under construction, but more to come!