The Fifth Coin sets the stage for the Treasure of the Essenes, where characters become intertwined in the modern world. A new Jesuit Father General believes he can restore the power of the Catholic Church through recent discoveries hidden beneath the Vatican. A nun with a gift for ancient languages is pulled into the vortex of the Father General’s plan. While in the catacombs she begins to have flashbacks to a life she lived with Jesus.
Into Egypt is the story of Jesus’ childhood as seen through the eyes of the men and women who are dedicating their lives to prepare him to become the Messiah. Amariah’s mentor, Elias, rushes the family and Amariah to an Essene community at Lake Moaris in Egypt, where he hopes they will be safe from Herod’s edict to murder all baby boys under the age of two along with anyone associated with the child.
Beyond a House of Khepri caravan prepares to leave Damascus. Prince Balthazar will lead the caravan of one thousand camels, two Supreme High Priestesses of Isis, his caravan masters and a Persian priest named Ardashir on a journey of 4,000 miles across the tallest mountains in the world, and through endless deserts in search of information left behind by the star people for the One To Come.
The One To Come witnesses Jesus’ coming of age. He travels with a Joseph of Arimathea caravan from Damascus to Lahasa in search of the Holy men and women who possess the wisdom and truth of religions far more ancient than Yahwism, the oldest of the Abrahamic religions. He is being prepared to bring a new way of thinking to those who lived beneath the law of an eye-for-an eye for ages.
The Essenes were experts at capturing rainwater and channeling it to their cisterns chiseled into solid rock. The cisterns and channels were both lined with a cement like mixture which did not allow any moisture to seep into the ground. Often, channels were carved deep into the mountains so precious water did not evaporate.
Documents written by the Star People
Elias, the leader of the Essenes sends his protégé, a young woman named Amariah, to seek and retrieve documents written by the Star People which have been preserved for the One to Come.
Roman officers often paid the men under their command with Essene salt blocks, which were considered more valuable than gold Roman coins.
Chief Hierophont of the Essenes in Judea. He was rumored to be a powerful magician trained in the Egyptian Secret Schools. Both respected and feared he had tremendous influence over all religious factions in Judea.
One man managed the welfare of two camels, three if the caravan was larger than normal. They fed, watered, and tied their ankles to stakes so they did not wander off. The camel herder also looked after any passengers riding in the howdas on the camels to which they were assigned.
Himalayan Mountains
Caravans traveling through the Himalayan Mountains was filled with danger. At times high passes were covered by rocks from an avalanche. The caravan was faced with turning back or finding a place to camp throughout the winter and continuing their journey in the spring.
Ectabana Caravanseria
Ectabana was a vast complex built to service the caravans that braved the trade roads to the mysterious land of Chin, trading as they went. Tall walls enclosed the caravan animals. Deep cisterns continuously filled by snow melt channeled directly to the caravanseria assured caravans of water and fodder for their animals and security for the people headed into an unknown world.
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