The Sisters

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The Pharaoh's Daughters, also referred to as the Sisters, are the six daughters of the Pharaoh of the Second City. After their father was rendered unfit to rule, and following their successful imprisonment of Masters of the Bazaar, the Sisters assumed control of the Second City themselves. In the aftermath, the Sisters ventured into Parabola, where they constructed the Skin of the Sun, an artificial sun that shines over the land of dreams. After this, they planned to build the Palace of the Rising to grant a sunlit shelter for the people of the Second City. However, the Masters eventually escaped their imprisonment, which took them two thousand years, and captured one of the Sisters. Forced to flee, the remaining Sisters abandoned the Palace, leaving it forever unfinished. In the centuries since, many of the Sisters carved out dominions of their own, becoming influential figures in the histories and societies of the Neath.

As of the present day, five of the six are confirmed to still live, each having endured for millennia. Listed in order of seniority:

• First: The Poisoned Priestess – She sacrificed herself in the House of the Feather to bind the Masters, and was presumed dead by her sisters. Yet she survived, and now lives in solitude within the Sere Palace, far out in the Hinterlands.
• Second: The Obstinate Adoratrice – A tireless architect, she continues to labor on the Palace of the Rising, clinging to the hope that it will one day be finished.
• Third: The Mother Superior – She leads a militant order of nuns on Abbey Rock, dedicating her life to ending the terror of the Vake.
• Fifth: The Roseate Queen – Fleeing the wrath of the Masters, she went to the Elder Continent and now rules the kingdom of Arbor.
• Fourth or Sixth?: The Duchess – Taken as hostage after the Masters’ escape, she has since become a figure of power in both the world of cats and the city of London.

Some sources attest to the existence of the Lost, who died on the Surface and never visited the Neath; in our world, this youngest sister only lived to the age of five. If she is the Lost, the Duchess is the fourth of the six. However, other accounts suggest the youngest Sister survived, and even depict the Duchess signing her name in hieroglyphs as the sixth daughter.

Historical Inspirations

Pharaoh Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti had six known daughters:

• Meritaten ("She who is beloved of Aten"): As the eldest daughter, Meritaten was prominently featured in court life and religious ceremonies. She became the Great Royal Wife to Pharaoh Smenkhkare, who may have been her brother or half-brother. Some scholars suggest she may have ruled as Pharaoh under the name Neferneferuaten. She died in her early 20s or 40s.
• Meketaten ("Behold the Aten" or "Protected by Aten"): Meketaten died around Year 14 of Akhenaten’s reign, likely around the age of 10, possibly due to a plague. Scenes in the royal tomb at Amarna have led some scholars to speculate she died in childbirth, but others argue she was too young, interpreting the imagery instead as symbolic of rebirth.
• Ankhesenpaaten ("She lives for the Aten"): Ankhesenpaaten became the wife of her half-brother Tutankhaten, later known as Tutankhamun. Her name change to Ankhesenamun signaled a return to traditional religious practices. She died in her twenties.
• Neferneferuaten Tasherit ("Beautiful are the Beauties of Aten – the Younger"): Little is known about her life. She is depicted in the Year 12 tribute scenes at Amarna, indicating her presence in royal ceremonies. She likely died young, around 10 years old, as she disappears from records shortly thereafter.
• Neferneferure ("Beautiful are the Beauties of Re"): Neferneferure appears in the Year 12 tribute scenes, holding a gazelle. She likely died around Year 13 or 14 at around 5 years old, as her name was plastered over in the royal tomb, suggesting she predeceased the completion of her burial chamber. However, another theory is that she died after her father's reign ended, which would put her age a little higher.
• Setepenre ("Chosen of Re"): As the youngest daughter, Setepenre is depicted in Year 9 scenes, sitting on Nefertiti’s lap. She is shown in the Year 12 tribute scenes, reaching out to pet a gazelle. She likely died around Year 13 or 14, before reaching her 6th birthday.

Given the sparse historical records and the early deaths of several of Akhenaten’s daughters, it's evident that Fallen London took creative liberties in reimagining their fictional counterparts. For instance, it's highly unlikely that the Duchess was only five to ten years old at the time of the Fall of the Second City. This suggests that the game's version of Akhenaten's daughters were older (the younger sisters must have been in their teens at least) than their real-life inspirations at the time.