Let’s explore more Mythnium symbology, shall we?
I want to elaborate a little about the celestial lights in Mythnium’s sky: Inda, Sola, and Nastra. Two lights by day. One light by night.
I love science fiction books, movies, and series as much as I enjoy fantasy specific entertainment. I grew up on so many incredible movies and shows that visually captivated me:
Star Wars. Star Trek. Dune. Stargate. Earth 2.
These captured my imagination as a child and young adult. I mean, traveling in space is cool and all, but what really pulled me into these shows and movies: the new worlds. The idea that there could be other worlds with completely different life. With different lights in the sky. With different constellations. Different. And yet, for all that difference, somehow, the same.
Every new world I imagine, I end up picturing myself lying on the ground facing the sky. Are there clouds? Is the sky blue? Does the sun shine high or low? Is it yellow, or white, or some other hue? Does it move in the same direction as our own? At night, what would I see? Is there another planet near enough to be seen with the naked eye? What of the moon?
And so, the same occurred with Mythnium. I imagined myself lying on the ground looking into the Mythnium sky, and so was born its two suns and single moon.
First, there is Inda.
And I must pause here a moment to once again clarify that Mythnium is fantasy, not science fiction, and therefore whatever rules I created are my prerogative. Okay… where was I?
Oh, yes. Inda. Inda is a red sun. It rises in what we would refer to as the northwestern sky. The sun moves slowly across the sky to the southeast. As it goes, it casts a pink hue to the surface of the planet.
But, when Inda is almost halfway into the sky, the second sun, Sola, rises. Sola rises from the southwest, and crosses to the northeast. Sola is a blue sun, casting blue rays. As it rises higher into the sky, the hues it casts blend with the hues from Inda, and Mythnium is washed in violet rays.
The two suns move in opposition to each other, and every so often eclipse each other, which lends mystery and magic to the world of Mythnium as well.
Once Inda sets, then Mythnium is lit only under Sola’s blue hues.
Finally, once both suns sent, the moon, Nastra, rises. Nastra is self-illuminated, unlike our moon, which reflects the light of the sun back onto earth. Nastra has its own luminescence, which would confound our astrologists, and may prove to have some part in a future story of Mythnium, but for now, it simply is accepted as almost a lesser sun, for its white light shines so faintly. This white light in the night sky follows a parallel path to Sola.
Now, culturally, the peoples of Mythnium refer to the passing of morning and evening in reference to the suns:
First sunrise: rise of Inda
Second sunrise: rise of Sola – midmorning
Suns’ crossing: when the suns are closest to one another midday
First set: setting of Inda – early evening
Second set: setting of Sola – onset of nightfall
Moonrise: rise of Nastra – early nighttime
For navigating here on earth, we navigate by the sun, moon, constellations, and magnetic field. On Mythnium, those who do not actively touch the magical currents use the paths of the suns and the moon to navigate. Their compass rose is based on the paths of the three celestial bodies rather than a magnetic field. However, those who touch the currents also can use the currents to further narrow their trajectory. For this reason, seafaring folk often have one or more mages on board their ships to help with navigation, as well as protection, but that aspect is for another conversation.
What more can I tell you about these spatial bodies that fill Mythnium’s sky? Leave your questions or comments below.
If you are not familiar with the World of Mythnium, let me introduce you to eight of my favorite people from there: Short Stories from Mythnium.
Those character shorts set you up for the events of Echoes of Dragons, which I know you will love!