One of the aspects of world-building that I most enjoy is
creating religious and spiritual traditions. Each of the cultures in The Seven-Petaled
Shield conceptualizes the relationship between human and spirit in a
different way. On the vast Azkhantian steppe, the nomads live in harmony with
the seasons. They depend on their flocks and particularly their fast, agile
horses not only for sustenance but defense. Their primary deity is, of course,
Mother of Horses. By contrast, Meklavar is an city-state with an ancient
tradition of written scripture; its religion is monotheistic and non-gendered
(the Source of Blessings is never referred to as He or She); literacy is highly
valued as a way of preserving the cultural and religious heritage.
Gelon is a nation of scientists, empire-builders, and
cultural magpies, freely appropriating what they deem worthy from the cultures
they conquer. It seemed logical to me that their formal religion would include a
pantheon of gods. People would worship different gods according to their status
(King’s-god), occupation (One Who Blesses Commerce, Guardian of Flocks,
Protector of Soldiers), personal concerns (Source of Fertility, Bringer of
Sleep), idealism and aspiration (Essence of Beauty, Giver of Justice), or
solace (God of Forgotten Hopes, Sower of Mischief, Kindler of Hearts). Many of
these are embodiments or aspects of historical gods – Essence of Beauty is
surely the Gelonian version of Venus or Aphrodite.
Some of these gods are lofty, looking down on the plight of
their human devotees with indifference. But others are more friendly and
accessible, attending to everyday domestic affairs and not the fate of the
world. In designing the Gelonian pantheon, I wanted the qualities of nurture
and compassion to be present in a variety of forms, but I also wanted a
specific deity who embodied these characteristics. I took my inspiration from a
variety of sources – the Buddhist Kwan Yin, Mary in the Christian tradition,
and the Shechinah or feminine aspect
of the Jewish god. It seemed logical that a system as varied as the Gelonian
pantheon would include such a figure, so I called her the Lady of Mercy.
While most of the other Gelonian sects provide background
(with the notable exception of that belonging the Scorpion god, Qr, which has
been appropriated by the awakening Fire and Ice), the followers of the Lady of
Mercy play an active role in the beginning of The Heir of Khored (the third book of The Seven-Petaled Shield).
I wanted to also take this opportunity to show positive aspects of Gelon – the
people of goodwill and kindness who are to be found in every society. One
important aspect was the ability to treat every person compassionately. Not just
sympathetically, but as one divine creation to another. In Hinduism, one might
greet another by saying Namaste,
"The divine (or light) within me salutes the divine within you.” In
Western terms, Martin Buber described this relationship as “I-Thou.”
