Welcome back to Solandara, my friends.
The mythology of Solandara was crafted to provide me with a foundational understanding of the world and its people. Events in the story and actions taken will be driven by the mythology where appropriate. Some details may appear in the final manuscripts, and some may only be in these behind-the-scenes bits of information. While the information in this entry won’t directly lead to spoilers, the information here may allow you to suspect certain plot outcomes. Despite that, the information here is as close to spoiler-free as I can get.
So, here we go, an overview of the mythology of Solandara.
In the beginning, there was only the void. The void was silent, formless, and still. From this emptiness emerged two primordial forces: Solan, the radiant God of Light, and Dara, the enigmatic Goddess of Shadow. They were not rivals, but reflections of each other. They symbolized light and darkness, life and death, presence and absence intertwined in perfect balance. Their unity, not their opposition, gave rise to harmony. From their eternal bond, the world of Solandara was born.
To shape this new realm, Solan and Dara created the Titans, elemental beings of immense power, each embodying a force of nature and a season of the year:
- Arra, Titan Goddess of Air, brought breath and springtime, infusing the world with vitality, wisdom, and the winds of change. She sculpted the skies and gave rise to the Aranites, winged beings who live by riddles, artistry, and contemplation.
- Dotan, Titan God of Fire, ignited the summer with passion, invention, and the forge of progress. He kindled the world’s core and inspired the rise of the Dotarrans, individuals driven by innovation, conquest, and power.
- Talam, Titan God of Earth, laid the foundations of autumn, nurturing the land with patience, harvest, and enduring strength. He shaped the forests and mountains, and from his influence, the Talassians, a peaceful people in communion with nature and guardians of balance, grew.
- Eske, Titan Goddess of Water, cloaked the world in winter’s embrace, guiding storms, introspection, and the mysteries of the deep. She filled the oceans with life and emotion. Beneath the waves, the Eskans emerged. A hidden people who dwell under the water, silently remembering history and sending prophetic warnings through dreams.
Together, the Titans sculpted Solandara into a realm of wonder. From their combined essence, life emerged in many forms, including the Chimera. They were mystical beings born of all four elements, created by Solan and Dara to preserve the balance the Titans had established. To unify the peoples of Solandara, the gods appointed an Empress, a Chimera sovereign imbued with divine favor, chosen to rule with wisdom and grace.
For a time, harmony reigned. Under the Empress and the Chimera, the peoples of the Titans lived in relative peace. But as the Titans grew in power and pride, their unity fractured. Arra’s aloof wisdom clashed with Dotan’s fiery ambition. Eske’s emotional ebb and flow tested Talam’s patience. Disagreements turned to rivalries, and rivalries to war.
The resulting Titan War shattered the world. Elemental forces clashed with cataclysmic fury. Tempests tore the skies, infernos scorched the land, oceans surged in wrath, and the earth itself trembled. The Titans, once unified, turned on one another, driven by elemental loyalties and fractured trust. All suffered equally in the chaos.
The Chimera, once guardians of peace, fought valiantly to restore order. But even they could not withstand the fury of the Titans. Their sanctuary, Atlantis—a shining beacon of harmony, magic, and progress—was lost, vanishing beneath the sea. In desperation, the surviving Chimera fled, leaving the world fractured and grieving.
Witnessing the devastation, Solan and Dara intervened. With sorrow and resolve, they imprisoned the Titans within four celestial moons, each reflecting the essence of its captive: Arra in the white moon, Dotan in crimson, Talam in emerald, and Eske in blue. With the Titans sealed, the gods withdrew from the world, leaving behind a fragile peace and a world forever changed.
Yet all was not lost. A prophecy was whispered into the winds of time. It was a promise that when the bonds of the moons begin to fray, and the Titans began stir once more, a Chosen Chimera will rise. She would be born of all elements and would bear the lost legacy of the Empress. Through courage, wisdom, and sacrifice, she will restore the balance of Solandara.
Most dismiss the prophecy as myth. The Chimera are believed extinct, Atlantis a fable, and the Empress merely a tale for children. But as the moons wax and wane, and omens stir in the skies, some dare to wonder if the time of reckoning and redemption has come. No one knows what weakens the bonds of the moons. But when the chosen appears, she will not rise to claim a throne. Only when her trials are complete will she ascend as Empress, restoring what was broken and uniting the world once more.
So, there you have it, my friends, an overview of the mythology of Solandara. I hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look into my fantasy epic.
Until next time, friends!
