Religious Similarities – Construction of a Mythology

Have you ever noticed that many religions have stories so similar that you wonder if all religions were founded and then modified from a single mythology?  I not insinuating all religions are myths, but they all have common themes: creation, life, and end of times.

When I began contemplating my very own mythology, I did not want to confuse most of my readers.  I wanted the very first few chapters to be about the creation story, the first beings to be given life and wisdom, and the fall of spiritual beings that would lead to the quest for power.  The rest of the story concerns characters who must deal with the life of being mortal and an ultimate battle between good and evil.  Again, these are the foundations of a mythology.  I wanted a reader to connect my story to the similarities of the Pentateuch, which are known by the three major religions of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. These religions comprise 54% of the world’s population.  Because of this a majority of readers would find many similarities with their current knowledge. My mythology is pure fiction, it is not meant to offend or blaspheme their religion, but to shed light on goodness,  and a story that should bring out the best in all of us, for Allivar means – The One Family.

I am not the first to construct their own literary mythology. My major inspiration was from J.R.R. Tolkien, who created his creator – Eru,  his universe – Ea, and finally the world – Arda.  I cannot fully comprehend the world of Tolkien without delving into the Silmarillion.  Therefore it was my first quest in this creative writing process to not create an entire book on creation and ancient history, but to compress the history in the first nine chapters.  This should give the reader all the context needed for the stories that follow.  I am taking a different path than Tolkien.  One I that hope keeps the reader intrigued, entertained, enthralled, and thinking.  Here is how I am constructing this mythology.

First, I tell the entire mythology in the three books of the trilogy – The Chosen One of Allivar. In the first book of the trilogy are brief references to the ten heavenly worlds and how nine of them fall, and of the first six ages of the last world standing – Allivar. Once the context is laid, I move the story into a higher pace to close out book one.  Book two and three are very fast reads, because the developmental phase of the mythology has been completed.

Second, those brief references in book one allow me the opportunity to develop nine stories, in detail, of the fall of those worlds, and of their heroes and heroines. In these tales, I can expand upon how evil forces corrupt the immortals into their falling, how they interfere with nature to create giants, dragons and other unholy beasts. These shall be tragedies, but with a twist at the end of each one, which will further supplement the full meaning of the trilogy.  However, I wanted to make certain a reader’s questions were all answered in the trilogy without having to wait for future releases. These future stories are told by characters in the trilogy just as all myths are, for they are sacred stories passed down from generation to generation.

Third, I devoted brief references in the first book to the six ages that precede the arrival of Arimar – The Chosen One.  Again, think about The Lord of the Rings. What happened in the first and second ages of Middle-Earth?  How did Sauron come to be? Who was Gandalf and where did he come from? What ancient world did the Balrog come from? Didn’t you want to know more detail?  I know I did.  Allivar is the world were good and evil finally match wits and battle for the sake of all mortals.  You will find yourself thinking not only of Bilbo and Frodo’s journey, but you will also connect with the story of Moses.

Finally, there will be a final story, book #19 – The Age of Light, that will tie together all the detail to complete this mythology.  This mythology may be my only writing in my life, but if it goes as planned, the reader will have nineteen stories to read.  My hope is that the stories will never age and you find yourself rereading to discover more, as I have with Tolkein’s work.  I have constructed this mythology, now all it requires is readers like you.  Come with me on the journey of discovery with Arimar, just as you had with Perseus, Bilbo and Frodo.