history inspires the best fantasies
Religion and mythology differ in but have overlapping aspect. Both terms refer to systems of concepts that are of high importance to a certain community, making statements concerning the supernatural or sacred. Generally, mythology is considered one component or aspect of religion. Religion is the broader term: besides mythological aspects, it includes aspects of ritual, morality, theology, and mystical experience. A given mythology is almost always associated with a certain religion such as Greek mythology with Ancient Greek religion. Disconnected from its religious system, a myth may lose its immediate relevance to the community and evolve—away from sacred importance—into a legend or folktale.
Religious institutions throughout history have served functional purposes. Priests heal, advise, judge, keep records, and perform important functions for the redistribution of wealth. It’s not all myths & silly rituals.
Elissa of Carthage (commonly known as Dido, the wanderer) is one of the more fascinating examples of history becoming myth. History is rife with examples of strong women dismissed as mythology...
Creating a myth cycle is one of the hardest and most exciting parts of worldbuilding. I’ve written previously about how to frame a myth cycle around a war, but another...
Throughout history, the more militaristic culture is, the more it tends to value feminine power. I had this epiphany when a friend and I were discussing how some people –...
Katharine Wibell, author of the Incarn Saga, has graciously agreed to be interviewed this month! Even more graciously, she agreed to give us some spoilers for her novel, Issaura’s Claws. This interview represents a...
Humanity has created a huge volume of stories over the last few millennia… some truer than others. We pass down these tales through the generations, for a variety of reasons:...
I recently read a Washington Post article claiming that President Obama’s most unusual legacy will be that he was a good father. It rang true for me. We rarely get...
When I attended Balticon 50 over Memorial Day Weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing an amazing panel that looked at created religions in science fiction and fantasy. I arrived...
It’s hardly a secret that folk tales exist to deliver a message. Most people can name a piece of folklore that warns about the dangers of talking to strangers, or...
I’ve mentioned before that my novel features a religious element. It’s a central part of the conflict that a small, anti-mage religious sect became very powerful after a cataclysmic series...
