Munday: World-building...
Oh my, such a wealth of questions... now, which to choose? And which "world" to talk about? I have several - a whole multiverse of them, in fact, but only a few are "set in stone" to any degree. Well, let's try answering each question for three worlds or realms in particular...
Question 1: "How does this world differ physically from earth?"
Answer - The Confederacy Universe in general.
The universe that is the key setting for my stories is quite simply our own universe. It's only human arrogance that presumes that everything has to happen on our own doorstep.
Answer - Dominion
Dominion is a "pocket universe", one-third of a light-year in diameter, with a star-like celestial body - The LifeStar - at its centre. A "shell" of mainly Earth-like planets has been created at a distance that allows most of them to sustain life, and life often takes hold where it would otherwise fail due to the bio-catalytic energies of The LifeStar.
Beings born within the boundaries of Dominion become dependent on LifeStar energy, and cannot long survive without it. Access to Dominion is only granted by the current Mistress of Dominion, and until her arrival, space-travel between Dominion's planets was forbidden, and policed by the monstrous creature known as The Dragon of Dominion. It is, of course, possible to "hitch a ride" on an authorised star-ship, and enter Dominion without authorisation - such an intrusion set in motion the short-lived invasion of Dominion by the forces of The Faenri Sisterhood.
Answer - Mystalorn
Mystalorn is a planet quite unlike any other in existence. Originally the planet Ealvonhai, the planet was transformed when the magical potential of the planet was finally realised, the isolated "material" and magical "facets" of the world being reunited in what was feared to be a destructive re-fusion.
Mystalorn exists as a central core of magic-rich "Core-Stone", above which a layer of planetary crust "hovers", at an altitude of several hundred miles, with mountainous spires of Core-Stone rising through "naturally"-occurring pits in the habitable layer. This surface sustains oceans, cities and a vast "forest" of mile-tall "trees" that is in fact a single living entity, with roots going so deep that they penetrate into the space between the crust and the Core-Stone, drawing energies from direct exposure to the power at the heart of the planet.
Mystalorn has two moons, which have throughout its history had a variety of names. The major moon is now known as "Fayn'gehard", and serves as the home of the "monsters" of the magical "facet", and kingdom of Lord Fh'ane, Prince of Nightmares. A single shard of Core-Stone inextricably ties the two worlds together, and peace at last exists between the two races.
Question 2: "Where does magic power come from:..?"
Answer - The Confederacy Universe in general.
Magic is a naturally occuring energy, generated by the close proximity of dimensional planes - the "friction" of universes coming dangerously close to rubbing against each other. In general, magic is a field of limited interest, but now that the Confederacy have encountered hostile and allied forces for which magic is an important weapon, that approach is being re-evaluated.
Answer - Dominion
Magic of the normal sort (see above) exists in Dominion, but many are able to perform magical feats by consciously channelling LifeStar energy, the very "life-blood" of Darkhawk's realm. "Dawnshaping", or "Dawnsinging" is not a common practice, as some believe it to be tampering with the fundamentals of Dominion in a potentially dangerous fashion, although it is believed that the use of LifeStar magic does not present a significant drain on Dominion's energies.
Answer - Mystalorn
Mystalorn is believed to be the universe's focus of magic. There does appear to evidence to support this believe, as the Mystalornan people all possess magical abilities, exercising them almost without effort. Not everyone is a master wizard, however - the great majority only use trivial or very specialised magical "spells", whilst those who were already well-versed in the magical arts have maintained their skill levels, and devote much of their lives to expanding their abilities.
Question 3: "Are there actual gods/godlike beings...?"
Answer - all worlds previously featured.
The gods are very much real - but none of them are creators of worlds, or mothers/fathers of all life. No two "pantheons" are exactly the same, in organisation or breadth of influence - some gods are barely known, and poke and prod at the edges of mortal consciousness every now and then, possibly purely for amusement, while others are openly worshipped and celebrated, with great temples and priests or priestesses wielding actual "god-given" power.
Amongst the most religious worlds are Tai-reh'tara and the worlds of The Imperial Temple of Tylugarna. The story of the Tai-reh'taran Trinity is long and complex, giving rise to one of the universe's greatest monsters - Bekalth the "White Beast" - and one of the greatest champions of life, his "daughter" Zallah, who is now worshipped on several planets throughout the Confederacy territories as a force of justice and freedom, whilst The Imperial Temple is a religious empire spanning a galaxy just beyond the edge of Confederacy space, dedicated to the glorification of Tylugarna, a demon goddess of great power and savagery. Tylugarna once personally assumed leadership of The Imperial Temple, before her "assassination", and following the conflict with The Panemonicum and The Emperor, this empire is now under the command of an "avatar" of the goddess, yet still enjoys a somewhat peaceful relationship with their former enemies.
Dominion, quite literally, exists in a world of its own, and the descendants of the colonists sent by Darkhawk to form the foundations of Dominion civilisation, several thousand years ago, almost universally treat her as their one and only goddess - none more so than the "Hawk-Clan", whose existence is unreservedly built around the worship of Darkhawk.
The eldritch entities referred to as "The Lost Gods" may be worshipped by some deranged individuals, but they are not deities of any kind. What little that has been gleaned from certain unnatural texts appears to indicate that they appear to be the result of some multiversal "immune reaction" to a malignancy of unknown origin. Perhaps it is better not to know the truth...
These are VERY interesting questions - I may just have to work through them all, when time allows...
Question 1: "How does this world differ physically from earth?"
Answer - The Confederacy Universe in general.
The universe that is the key setting for my stories is quite simply our own universe. It's only human arrogance that presumes that everything has to happen on our own doorstep.
Answer - Dominion
Dominion is a "pocket universe", one-third of a light-year in diameter, with a star-like celestial body - The LifeStar - at its centre. A "shell" of mainly Earth-like planets has been created at a distance that allows most of them to sustain life, and life often takes hold where it would otherwise fail due to the bio-catalytic energies of The LifeStar.
Beings born within the boundaries of Dominion become dependent on LifeStar energy, and cannot long survive without it. Access to Dominion is only granted by the current Mistress of Dominion, and until her arrival, space-travel between Dominion's planets was forbidden, and policed by the monstrous creature known as The Dragon of Dominion. It is, of course, possible to "hitch a ride" on an authorised star-ship, and enter Dominion without authorisation - such an intrusion set in motion the short-lived invasion of Dominion by the forces of The Faenri Sisterhood.
Answer - Mystalorn
Mystalorn is a planet quite unlike any other in existence. Originally the planet Ealvonhai, the planet was transformed when the magical potential of the planet was finally realised, the isolated "material" and magical "facets" of the world being reunited in what was feared to be a destructive re-fusion.
Mystalorn exists as a central core of magic-rich "Core-Stone", above which a layer of planetary crust "hovers", at an altitude of several hundred miles, with mountainous spires of Core-Stone rising through "naturally"-occurring pits in the habitable layer. This surface sustains oceans, cities and a vast "forest" of mile-tall "trees" that is in fact a single living entity, with roots going so deep that they penetrate into the space between the crust and the Core-Stone, drawing energies from direct exposure to the power at the heart of the planet.
Mystalorn has two moons, which have throughout its history had a variety of names. The major moon is now known as "Fayn'gehard", and serves as the home of the "monsters" of the magical "facet", and kingdom of Lord Fh'ane, Prince of Nightmares. A single shard of Core-Stone inextricably ties the two worlds together, and peace at last exists between the two races.
Question 2: "Where does magic power come from:..?"
Answer - The Confederacy Universe in general.
Magic is a naturally occuring energy, generated by the close proximity of dimensional planes - the "friction" of universes coming dangerously close to rubbing against each other. In general, magic is a field of limited interest, but now that the Confederacy have encountered hostile and allied forces for which magic is an important weapon, that approach is being re-evaluated.
Answer - Dominion
Magic of the normal sort (see above) exists in Dominion, but many are able to perform magical feats by consciously channelling LifeStar energy, the very "life-blood" of Darkhawk's realm. "Dawnshaping", or "Dawnsinging" is not a common practice, as some believe it to be tampering with the fundamentals of Dominion in a potentially dangerous fashion, although it is believed that the use of LifeStar magic does not present a significant drain on Dominion's energies.
Answer - Mystalorn
Mystalorn is believed to be the universe's focus of magic. There does appear to evidence to support this believe, as the Mystalornan people all possess magical abilities, exercising them almost without effort. Not everyone is a master wizard, however - the great majority only use trivial or very specialised magical "spells", whilst those who were already well-versed in the magical arts have maintained their skill levels, and devote much of their lives to expanding their abilities.
Question 3: "Are there actual gods/godlike beings...?"
Answer - all worlds previously featured.
The gods are very much real - but none of them are creators of worlds, or mothers/fathers of all life. No two "pantheons" are exactly the same, in organisation or breadth of influence - some gods are barely known, and poke and prod at the edges of mortal consciousness every now and then, possibly purely for amusement, while others are openly worshipped and celebrated, with great temples and priests or priestesses wielding actual "god-given" power.
Amongst the most religious worlds are Tai-reh'tara and the worlds of The Imperial Temple of Tylugarna. The story of the Tai-reh'taran Trinity is long and complex, giving rise to one of the universe's greatest monsters - Bekalth the "White Beast" - and one of the greatest champions of life, his "daughter" Zallah, who is now worshipped on several planets throughout the Confederacy territories as a force of justice and freedom, whilst The Imperial Temple is a religious empire spanning a galaxy just beyond the edge of Confederacy space, dedicated to the glorification of Tylugarna, a demon goddess of great power and savagery. Tylugarna once personally assumed leadership of The Imperial Temple, before her "assassination", and following the conflict with The Panemonicum and The Emperor, this empire is now under the command of an "avatar" of the goddess, yet still enjoys a somewhat peaceful relationship with their former enemies.
Dominion, quite literally, exists in a world of its own, and the descendants of the colonists sent by Darkhawk to form the foundations of Dominion civilisation, several thousand years ago, almost universally treat her as their one and only goddess - none more so than the "Hawk-Clan", whose existence is unreservedly built around the worship of Darkhawk.
The eldritch entities referred to as "The Lost Gods" may be worshipped by some deranged individuals, but they are not deities of any kind. What little that has been gleaned from certain unnatural texts appears to indicate that they appear to be the result of some multiversal "immune reaction" to a malignancy of unknown origin. Perhaps it is better not to know the truth...
These are VERY interesting questions - I may just have to work through them all, when time allows...