There are several myths and legends from the Chinese culture I used as inspiration for some of the characters, monsters, and settings in my book. Some aspects of the original myths I left fully intact and others I adjusted to fit within the overall theme and direction of the story. However, the Defender of Derthal storyline is a completely original work and use of these cultural aspects are only inspirational building blocks used to add depth to the overarching story of the series. Below I will introduce a few key cultural aspects and legends that helped create the backdrop to my writing.
The Chinese Zodiac
As a reference, The Chinese Zodiac and astrological zodiac are not the same thing. THE Astrological zodiac cycle, often associated with personal horoscopes, divides the year into twelve equal parts with each portion corresponding to a constellation from the night sky. The Chinese zodiac cycle is instead made of a twelve-year cycle and each year in the cycle is represented by an animal.
This twelve-year cycle is fundamental to the derthal story as it is the basis for the main character’s age, the timeframe of the book’s storyline, and the zodiac animal symbols referenced throughout the book. Additionally, each defender’s fate is determined on the last night of their zodiac year in a final battle.
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Boar
Each Zodiac animal sign is associated with different personality traits and attributes. A person’s zodiac symbol is generally based on the year of their birth. However, it is important to note the Zodiac cycle is linked to the Lunar calendar. Each cycle does not begin on the same date. Any individuals with January and February dates of birth might need to consider the start date of the cycle in the year they were born to know their true zodiac sign. In relation to the Defenders of Derthal, these dates play a significant conceptual role as a Defender’s powers are linked to both the date of their birth and the date of the Chinese New Year twelve years later.
Nine Suns
The Story of Yi
Yi is known as the ‘Good Archer’, ‘Archer Lord’, or ‘Divine Archer’ because of his skill with a bow and arrow. Yi is an essential figure in Chinese mythology and the hero of many tales. Yi’s most prominent myth tells the story of the ten suns at the beginning of time. These suns were the children of two gods and lived in a tree. Each morning their mother would carry one of the suns into the sky in her chariot to shine over the world bringing light and warmth. At the end of the day, she would return her child back to its home in the tree for the world to experience night. The next day she would take a different sun into the sky repeating the process.
After many, many years the suns rebelled and all went into the sky at once which created devastating heat and drought. As the drought spread, monsters and wild beasts left the forest and started attacking people. The people prayed for help and the suns’ father called upon Yi to scare the suns out of the sky with magic arrows and a mighty bow. However, Yi determined that he would not be able to scare the suns out of the sky. Instead, he proceeded to shoot them down. One by one Yi killed nine of the suns until only a single sun remained to shine in the sky over the world.
In my series, an important aspect of the rhelm is that it experiences endless days from nine suns that circle above the land like a mobile. When I first started writing I knew I wanted the concept time to work differently in the rhelm and for it to experience perpetual daylight. Inspired by the story of yi, I chose to have the nine suns he shot down in the myth become those of the rhelm that never set and the one sun left in derthal to Equal the ten suns referenced in the story.
the nine suns of the rhelm are each different in appearance, size, and color. a few even have distinguishable rings of fire encircling them. These differences allow Them to be used to tell how much time has passed or ‘clicked’ by in the rhelm based on a starting reference point. This is important because time moves at a different pace in the rhelm compared to derthal and, therefore, traditional timepieces do not work in the Rhelm.
Kunlun and Peng Lai
Kunlun Mountain is a real mountain range in China. It is also referenced in countless legends and stories as the mythical home of the gods, including the Jade Emperor. As part of these myths, it is often described as a paradise and it is the subject of numerous works of art.
One important legend tells that a human deemed worthy by the journey through the Kunlun mountains could climb the ladder tree at its summit and be able to speak with the gods. this legend inspired the defender’s journey through the cave of kunlun to prove their worthiness by retrieving the weapon needed to win their final battle.
Peng Lai (or Penglai) is another mythical location often appearing in stories as the home or meeting place of the Immortal Eight. In some legends it is described as a region of the Kunlun Mountains and in others it is an island. Some myths say Peng Lia is made of jewels and gold while others say it has golden palaces and gems that grow on trees. There is also a legend that the island is held afloat on the back of a giant sea turtle.
With so many different descriptions I chose to take the pieces I liked best, weaving them into Peng Lai the Island of Immortals. Peng Lai’s importance in the series is as the only refuge in the Rhelm as the home of all Past Champions. It is completely protected from evil magic and is the base of operations for training the Defenders of Derthal.
Chinese New Year
The Legend of the Nian
The Nian is a mythical creature that is described as either living underwater or in the Kunlun Mountains. It was a vicious beast that during the long winter months with limited food would venture into villages at the start of the new year to wreak havoc by eating anything it could find, including humans. Some legends even say it preferred the flesh of children. Each year the monster would return, and the villagers could do nothing to stop the slaughter.
Then one year a stranger appeared and told the villagers about the weakness of the Nian and how to drive it away. He explained how the creature was sensitive to loud noises and feared both the color red and fire. The villagers were skeptical at first but had nothing to lose, so they did as the stranger suggested. They hung lanterns and red decorations outside their homes. At night they gathered together playing loud music and setting off fireworks. They repeated this for several weeks until the danger had passed without a single Nian attack.
The Chinese New Year begins between mid-January and Late February each year depending on the lunar calendar. it is the most important family festival in China and lasts several weeks. Two important myths that influenced the defenders of derthal series are the Legend of the NIan and the Five Bat Blessing.
Many of the New Year’s rituals can be linked back to the folklore of the Nian including red decorations and fireworks.
The FIVE Flying Bats is a traditional New Year’s motif. It is still seen today on red envelopes commonly given to children at the New Year’s feast. The bats symbolize the Five Blessings of a long life, wealth, health, a virtuous life, and a natural death.
Peaches of Immortality
Immortality is a concept found in legends and myths of many different cultures throughout history. I include several different types of immortal characters in my series, but the most significant aspects of immortality are connected to the ‘peaches of immortality’ from Chinese mythology.
The folklore of the peaches of immortality is woven into the heart of the derthal storyline. First, it is important to the origin story of Morugga, the lead villainess of the book. Second, it is the reward offered to defenders who emerge from their year of power successfully, thus it is the method used to turn Past defenders immortal and add them to the ranks of the jade emperor’s army.
In Chinese culture, peaches are seen as a symbol of long life or immortality. There are many different tales and myths in Chinese culture that reference the Peach Trees or Peaches of Immortality. The core concept behind the myths is that by eating the fruit of this tree a mortal could be made immortal. Based on Chinese mythology, The Immortal Eight were given the opportunity to eat from this tree as a reward offered to them by the gods for living a virtuous mortal life.