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In other news, progress is coming along nicely on the Swampling King.  I’ve got the first few chapters figured out nicely.  Debating on whether or not I should cut out one of the viewpoint characters and tell their story through the eyes of the rest instead, and I’ve got a prologue I don’t know if I’ll end up using, but it’s all coming along.

I thought I’d do the occasional post on some background elements and such from the books, for anyone who’s interested.  To that end, here’s some details on the mythology:

The Sky God

In the beginning there was only corrupt earth below, and pure Spirit above, with no form or purpose.  In time, the Spirit became aware of the foulness below, and gave of itself to imbue the matter of the earth with form and consciousness, creating the world and the creatures that dwell upon it, from the simplest stones and plants and animals to the purest, most complicated spirits–human beings and the birds of the sky.  And when the work was done, all that was left above the world was the purest Spirit of all, the Lord of Eagles, the being that became known as the Sky God.

Being new to life, humanity knew not what to do, and they were fearful and lost.  But the Sky God came to them, and he said “I have given you life and soul, but your bodies are of the impure earth.  You must strive for purity in all things, that you might cleanse these bodies, and free your spirits to return to the Sky.  Do this, and you will always have my blessing.  For I am the spirit in all of you, that lets you know joy and contentment; I am the wind and the rain and the sun, that give you bounty in this life; and I am the Lord of Eagles, who waits to welcome you into my kingdom when this life is done.”

To this day, the people of the Nine Peaks worship the Sky God in his three aspects: the Spirit of All, the Wind of Grace, and the Lord of Eagles.  It is believed that the Sun is the one great eye of the Lord of Eagles, watching from above, and that the stars in the sky are the spirits of the truly pure, returned to his bosom.  But those who live impure lives are doomed to return to the earth in new, impure forms, and live again and again, until they earn their spirit’s return to the Sky.