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| The most dramatic display of creation, next to the Big Bang itself. |
Mermaids: The Body Found is a docufiction aired by Animal Planet that had a tremendous influence on my ideas when I was conceptualizing the aquatic species of this story. I think watching it may help you understand the origins I've imagined for the water-dwelling creatures of my mythos. This week, however, I'd like to focus on the other side of the coin: The life-giving power of the stars.
Shepherds of the Universe
At this point in my writing, I'm decided on the role the stars will play in the story, but there are two ways that role can be portrayed. I'll share both with you, the readers, and let that feedback guide the path of this universe.
Astronomy has shown us how stars are born in the deaths of other stars, and in the maelstrom of gas and dust that comes with that star formation, planets, asteroids, and comets also come to being. After the star system is established, the celestial bodies that also formed are bound by gravity to orbit the star until it dies. By orbiting close to the star, planets are provided with light, energy, life, and protection from rogue objects in the star system (Granted, asteroids still hit objects in our solar system all the time, but the asteroid belt is kept in check by gravity).
The role of the Sun in life on Earth has been known by people since ancient times. The Egyptian god of the sun, Ra, was the greatest of their pantheon, a bestowing light, life, and protection upon the world. And what was Ra's role in the Egyptian pantheon? He was the creator of the world.
This connection between the Sun and the creation of Earth has a basis in fact- The Earth was made by the Sun. As the Sun formed in space, excess dust and rock coalesced to form the planet we live on. Whatever you choose to call it, the Sun, Ra, Quetzalcoatl, God, it is the source of creation in the solar system.
If the Sun's role in our solar system is synonymous with that of God's role in creation, it would make sense that other stars carry out the same function for their own planets. This is where the big mythological twist comes in- What if the stars are a sentient race of creators, each of them sculpting and shepherding their own system of planets? Imagine a universe where stars, as they form with gas and dust orbiting them, envision their own worlds within that gas and will it to take shape. In the world I've dreamed, this is where Earth, and humanity, comes from.
I mentioned there were two ways the stars could be depicted in the story, so I will conclude this week's post with a poll:
Should the stars each be portrayed as a separate deity, with lordship over their own star system, or should each star act as an "angel" of a higher power, each star assigned to a star system, carrying out the orders of their superior in a bigger picture? Leave comments below, readers!
Angela of a higher power, for sure. I like angels.
ReplyDeleteI think that you should do both.
ReplyDeleteSay a star is a deity, as you propose, that shepherds over its solar system. This star is largely independent, but is is part of something bigger, a galaxy. This galaxy is the higher power that the creator race acts as angels or servants too.
I think this gets really interesting when you look at the different types of galaxies. The most common type of galaxy is a spiral galaxy, in which the stars all orbit a super-massive black hole. (probably)
If you expand this creation theory to this grand, galactic level, then these black holes ought also be sentient beings, but a black hole consumes light, not creates it and if we apply the proposed light/dark good/evil relationship then these are in a sense, the ultimate evil.
Add the theoretical formation of black holes (dead stars), now we have a theoretically immortal, undead evil ruling over a race of stars. In this situation, the stars might try to defy their 'overlord' when they create life, creating an interesting 'person' vs society type conflict.
On the other hand, not all galaxies have black holes at their center, some are really just large groups of stars, these represent a situation in which the stellar race, rules themselves communally. These groups might be in conflict with the spiral galaxies. More interesting these groups would have to ensure members did not become too powerful, too large, and risk the creation of a black hole upon their death. This creates some interesting 'person' vs self, nature and society conflict.
In conclusion, I feel that stories are driven by conflict, and representing the stars as scions, servants, or angels of their galaxy, by choice or by force, creates additional interesting conflict.
It is worth noting though, that life, would probably be unaware of conflict on such a grand scale.