A.K. Morgen's Blog, page 21

Utset #atozchallenge

U - In Native American mythology, Utset and Nowutset were two sisters created by Sussistinnako when he drew a cross in the Lower World and sang the sisters into creation. Utset and Nowutset created the sun, moon, and stars. The Native people came from Utset and all others from her sister, Nowutset, before Utset tore her heart out after she lost a game of riddles to Utset.

This sparked a great war in the Lower World that lasted for eight years. During the ninth year, the Lower World drowned in...

Tiwanaku #atozchallenge

T - Prior to the rise of the Incan Empire, Tiwanaku was the cultural center of a tribe long lost to the world. From about 300 BCE to 300 BC, this group spread through a large portion of South America, colonizing areas that once belonged to smaller tribes and groups.

They were rather advanced when it came to farming, using an exhaustive technique that wielded even more product than many modern farming techniques. As a result, they were able to support a massive number of people. It's estimated...

Shapona #atozchallenge

Statue of ShaponaS - In the Dahomey and Yoruba faiths of Africa, Shapona (also Shakpana and Sopona) is a powerful deity or Orisha (spirit) believed to infect humans with smallpox, insanity, and other infectious diseases. As Shakpana, this Orisha takes the form of an old man. He is the son of Yemaya (Goddess of water and childbirth) and Obatala (the god who created the human race after getting drunk and failing to create earth), and isn't necessarily a nice god.

The Dahomey and Yoruba people ar...

Rainbow Bridge #atozchallenge

R - In Norse mythology, the Rainbow Bridge (Bifröst or Asbrú) is the burning bridge that stretches between Asgard (heaven) and Midgard (earth). The bridge was created by the Æsir so they could easily travel between their realm and the human world. Each day, the Æsir ride their horses across the Rainbow Bridge to Urd's Well, where they hold court.

At the far end of the Bifröst sits the Norse god Heimdall. Heimdall stands guard against Giants who might use the bridge to enter Asgard. He also sta...

Quetzalcoatl #atozchallenge

Q - Quetzalcoatl is probably one of the most familiar names in Meso-American mythology. We might mangle the pronunciation some (read: most of the time), but we do recognize the name!

Quetzalcoatl, the feathered-serpent God, was a huge part of the Meso-American belief system, with many different tribes of people worshiping him over a long period of time.

Artwork depicting the important role of Quetzalcoatl has been found in Nahua, Toltec, Mayan, and Aztec civilizations. Oddly enough, Quetzalcoat...

Prometheus #atozchallenge

*minor language advisory
P - One of the most fascinating characters to come from the Greek era is Prometheus. This Titan is one of humanities' greatest allies. He is also a very intelligent and cunning character in the Greek tradition, which has led to a bit of a fascination with Prometheus by scholars around the world. Some of the most recognized names from the classical era - Hesiod, Homer, Plato, and Pythagoras - all explored the various myths surrounding Prometheus.


Prometheus Bound.When th...

Oman #atozchallenge

Yanomami ChildO - According to Yanomami belief, Oman (or Omam or Omao) is the creator of their people. The Yanomami live in small tribes in the Amazon. Each tribe has its own beliefs and stories, most of which are passed on orally. As a result, the creation story differs greatly from tribe to tribe.

In the Sanema tribe, Oman was one of two tadpoles saved by Curare when the Original Jaguar ate Waipili, their mother. Oman grew very fast, and was soon able to kill Jaguar by convincing him to clim...

Nine Worlds #atozchallenge

N - According to Norse mythology, the first creatures to exist were a Giant named Ymir and a cow named Audumla. In the north a land of darkness and cold called Niflheim existed. In the south was Muspellsheim, a land of fire. Ymir created the first male and female from his sweat. They were Giants. Audumla created a being (Buri) from a block of salt encrusted ice. Buri gave birth to Bor, who married Bestla, Ymir's daughter. Their union gave birth to Odin, Vili, and Ve. 


YggdrasilTogether, t...

Cover Reveal: The Artful by @wilbert_stanton

Hi, lovelies!
I'm a little late to the game today, but am very happy to help reveal the cover for The Artfulfrom Wilbert Stanton. This dystopian sci-fi is schedule to release on May 27, 2014from Curiosity Quills Press. 

New York City, 2025: Everything is changed. The city that never sleeps is now a land of death and decay. A rampant virus has taken over and the survivors have become carriers, quarantined from the rest of the world.

Twist and Dodger grew up in the streets, the sewers and und...

Manticore #atozchallenge

Artist unknownM - In Persian and Greek mythology, the Manticore (or Martyaxwar) was a creature much like the Sphinx. This beast had the body of a lion, the head of a human with an extra row of teeth, the wings of a bat, and the tail of a scorpion. His tail had spikes on it which he would shoot at his victims to paralyze them before eating them whole.

The Manticore was incredibly fast and agile, making it all but impossible to escape him once he had you in his sights. But there was hope of avoi...